1 . Thirteen-year-old Kaylee has a lot of friends — 532, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Kaylee’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not Words With Friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platforms (平台).
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger, “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual words, we will have little time for our real-world friendships.” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need someone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To summarize the text. | B．To tell about true friends. |
| C．To bring up a discussion. | D．To encourage online friendship. |
| A．In person. | B．In advance. | C．In any case. | D．In full measure. |
| A．Worried. | B．Positive. | C．Confused. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．It’s wise to turn to friends online. |
| B．It’s easier to develop friendships in reality. |
| C．Social media help people stay closely connected. |
| D．Teenagers need focus on real-world friendships. |
2 . I was never very neat while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but my always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Overtime, Kate got neater and I got my merriser. She moved to push my dirty clothing over and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
Who broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! why under my bed!” Suddenly I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up. She quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, crying. Obviously. that was something she could not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy (同情) rose up in my heart.
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bad. Cleaned the suckers and swept the floor even on her side. I got so absorbed into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching. Her tears dried and her expression was such disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me. “Thanks.”
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.
1. What made Kate so angry one evening?| A．She couldn’t find her books. |
| B．She heard the writer shouting loud. |
| C．She got the news that her grandma was ill. |
| D．She saw the writer’s shoes beneath her bed. |
| A．Because she was scared by Kate’s anger. |
| B．Because she hated herself for being so messy. |
| C．Because she wanted to show her care. |
| D．Because she was asked by Kate to do so. |
| A．By analyzing courses. |
| B．By showing differences. |
| C．By describing a process. |
| D．By following time order. |
| A．My Friend Kate. |
| B．Hard Work Pays off. |
| C．How to Be Organized? |
| D．Learning to Be Roommates. |
Changing People’s Bad Impression On Us
Some of us have made bad first impressions in front of people we wanted to become good friends with.First impressions are important because they form the foundation on which all future thoughts about someone will be based.
●Apologize immediately.A sincere apology can go a long way because you will prove to everyone that you value their thoughts about you.Tell the people that you didn’t intend to offend（冒犯）them and that you wish to correct the situation.Explain the reasons why you acted the way you did in your apology.
●Use humor.When you are around the people you made a bad impression in front of,play a small joke on yourself.Once they know you are not afraid to laugh at yourself,it can break up some of the tension.Remember to only direct humor at yourself.
●Do not make assumptions.After you have made a bad impression,it can be easy to assume that everyone thinks the worst of you.
●
| A．Be careful not to overdo it. |
| B．Pay attention to future behavior. |
| C．First impressions are usually long-lasting. |
| D．However,things aren’t always as bad as they seem. |
| E．That way you can avoid any more feelings of discomfort. |
| F．So it’s hard to erase a bad first impression from someone’s mind. |
| G．Be mindful of your surroundings and sensitive in what you say to others. |
4 . 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 |
5 . 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. |
6 . I feel ashamed to admit this, but in much of my past life, I pretended I knew what was going on when I didn’t, for fear of being “caught out”. In the school cafeteria, when people talked about TV shows, which I didn’t have the channels for, or on MSN Messenger, when I read unfamiliar song lyrics my friends had shared, I felt upset and I’d pretend to be calm and recognize what they were talking about, like everyone else.
I did this, as I didn’t want to be seen not to understand some things that people, I respected were good at. I thought that if I didn’t know what was going on, it betrayed a moral failing and exposed me as a boy who was deeply uncool and actually, a bit stupid.
And so I nodded along silently. I prayed I wouldn’t be found out what I really was, or I would feel embarrassed. I would follow up each incident with some diligent homework on the subject, trying to disguise myself. Unsurprisingly, it all became far too much and recently I’ve found myself overwhelmed by the number of things I didn’t know about. From politics to pop culture—even Micro Electro Mechanical Systems. I just felt exhausted by it all.
And so I made a decision. I decided to stop nodding frequently at the pub while crazily searching the relative information under the table. Instead, now I’m embracing saying what is really true when I don’t know what the other person is talking about. Instead of hurrying to make up some funny opinion about a show I’ve never seen, I’ll say something like: “I’ve heard of that show but I haven’t watched it yet” Saying “I don’t know” is such a simple thing. I’m sorry that it took me so long to start saying that. I’ve changed my attitude towards something I don’t know in life. I’ll never get caught in an embarrassing lie again.
1. What does the author tell us in paragraph 1?| A．His fear of making mistakes. | B．The ways to make friends in the past. |
| C．School activities he and his friends loved. | D．His sense of shame about lying in the past. |
| A．Confused. | B．Anxious and awkward. |
| C．Unconcerned. | D．Calm and relaxed |
| A．Hide. | B．Beat. |
| C．Expose. | D．Fool. |
| A．To show disadvantages of being ignored. |
| B．To show some embarrassing learning experiences. |
| C．To tell us what to do with the case of being “caught out”. |
| D．To tell us how saying “I don’t know” changed his life attitude. |
7 . As the temperature rises, sweaty humans are making a response that is further worsening the problem of climate change. At present, the world just has 1.6 billion air conditioning units, but these units use a surprising total of ten percent of all global electricity supply. While less than a third of families globally are so equipped, the most AC-addicted countries are Japan (in 91 percent of families), the US (90 percent) and South Korea(86 percent).
New research by the International Energy Agency (IEA) guesses that the total number of AC units is likely to increase to over 5.6 billion by 2050－equal to ten new units being sold every second for more than 30 years－with sales driven particularly by India, China and Indonesia. This will make the use of air conditioning one of the world’s largest demands for energy.
“Growing electricity demand for air conditioning is one of the most critical blind spots in today’s energy debate,” argues Faith Birol, executive director of the IEA. “With rising incomes, air conditioner ownership will skyrocket, especially in the developing world. While this will improve daily lives, it is quite necessary that efficiency performance be prioritized.”
Birol and the IEA stress the need for new efficiency standards to ensure that consumers are at least buying units that require significantly less power to function, therefore decreasing the total energy demand. Variations on the traditional “vapor compression” technology, which has formed the basis for AC units for more than a century, may appear really important. A water-based system was recently developed by researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS), which uses 40 percent less electricity and produces only one by-product: drinkable water.
“Our cooling system can be tailored for all types of weather conditions, from wet climate in the tropics to dry climate in the deserts,” says associate professor Ernest Chua at NUS. “While it can be used for indoor living and commercial spaces, it can also be easily used to provide air conditioning for blocks of buildings in an energy-efficient manner.”
1. The author mentions the number of air conditioning units mainly to show their ____________.| A．uneven distribution globally | B．popularity among people |
| C．vital importance to humans | D．high demand for electricity |
| A．Air conditioners should be more energy-efficient. |
| B．Air conditioners will be more and more expensive. |
| C．People’s daily lives should be improved in various ways. |
| D．People should use their air conditioners less. |
| A．It has caused much debate about its effectiveness. |
| B．It’ll be a fundamental system for future air conditioners. |
| C．It seems to be environmentally friendly. |
| D．It appears different from the current technology. |
| A．has different effects in different places |
| B．can be applied to nearly all situations |
| C．can greatly meet people’s cooling demand |
| D．will be brought into use in the near future |
8 . If you wear glasses, chances are you are smarter. Research published in the famous British journal Nature Communications has found that people who displayed higher levels of intelligence were almost 30 percent more likely to wear glasses.
The scientists studied the genes of thousands of people between the ages of 16 and 102.The study showed intelligence can be connected to physical characteristics. One characteristic was eyesight.In out of 10 people who were more intelligent, there was a higher chance they needed glasses. Scientists also said being smarter has better benefits. It is connected to better health.
It is important to remember these are connections which are not proven causes. Scientists call this correlation. Just because something is connected to something else does not mean one of those things caused the other. And it's worth noting that what constitutes intelligence is subjective and can be difficult, if not impossible, to measure.
Forget genes though. Plenty of proof shows wearing glasses makes people think you are more intelligent, even if you do not need glasses. A number of studies have found people who wear glasses are seen as smarter, hard working and honest. Many lawyers use this idea to help win their cases. Lawyer Harvey Slovis explained this. Glasses soften their appearance, he said. Sometimes there has been a huge amount of proof showing that people he was defending broke the law. He had them wear glasses and they weren't found guilty.
Glasses are also used to show someone is intelligent in movies and on TV. Ideas about people who wear glasses have begun to shift. People who do not need glasses sometimes wear them for fashion only. They want to look worldly or cool. But not everyone is impressed by this idea, though. GQ magazine said people who wear glasses for fashion are trying too hard to look smart and hip（时髦的）. However， that hasn’t stopped many celebrities from happily wearing glasses even if they do not need them. Justin Bieber is just one high-profile fan of fashion glasses.
1. What does the new study show?| A．People wearing glasses are smarter. |
| B．People wearing glasses are healthier. |
| C．Wearing glasses can make people cleverer. |
| D．Wearing glasses is associated with higher IQ. |
| A．Shift | B．Link |
| C．Proof | D．Consequence |
| A．Because it can create a moral image. |
| B．Because it can mislead the witnesses. |
| C．Because it can highlight clients’ qualities. |
| D．Because it can prove the clients' innocence. |
9 . Petrol and diesel (柴油）cars may still dominate our roads, but their days are numbered. A recent university study found that current electric cars could be used for 87 per cent of daily car journeys in the US. That figure could rise to 98 per cent by 2020.
One hurdle to the widespread adoption of electric cars has been ‘range anxiety’ — drivers’ concerns about running out of juice on a journey. While petrol stations are conveniently located across national road systems, the necessary network of electric charging stations is still being developed. That said, charging points are becoming increasingly common throughout the USA.
Attitudes towards electric vehicles have changed quite considerably over the last few years. Not that long ago, electric cars were met with distrust, and their large price tags（标签） drove customers away. Thanks to improvements in battery capacity, recharging times, performance and price, the current generation of electric cars are starting to persuade critics. Plug-in cars will soon give internal combustion（燃料） engine models a run for their money.
As well as advancements on the road, electric vehicles are taking to the seas and skies. Electric boats are among the oldest methods of electric travel, having enjoyed several decades of popularity from the late 19th to the early 20th century before petrol-powered outboard motors took over. Now, the global drive for renewable energy sources is bringing electric boats back. Steps towards electric air travel are also being made, with Airbus and NASA among the organizations developing and testing battery powered planes. The experiments could soon make commercial electric flight a reality.
Electric vehicles do not produce any emissions. Were the US to act on the study’s findings and replace 87 per cent of its cars with electric vehicles, it would reduce the national demand for petrol by 61 per cent. However, because of the production processes and the generation of electricity required to charge these vehicles, they cannot claim to be completely emission-free. That said, as many countries continue to increase their use of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles will become even cleaner.
1. Which is the best title for this passage?| A．My Dream Car | B．History of Electric Cars |
| C．Problems with Petrol Cars | D．Driving into the Future |
| A．aim | B．barrier |
| C．consequence | D．step |
| A．They were expensive. |
| B．They were very poorly made. |
| C．They were not widely promoted. |
| D．They couldn’t travel at a high speed. |
| A．To introduce the history of electric travel. |
| B．To explain why the world needs more electric cars. |
| C．To show why more people have interest in electric cars. |
| D．To describe different ways electric vehicles can be used. |
10 . There was a man playing the piano in a bar. He was a good piano player and always performed in this bar. People came in just to hear him play. But one night, a customer told him that he didn’t want to hear him just play the piano any more. He wanted him to sing a song.
The man said, “I don’t sing.”But the customer was persistent(执着的). He told the bar manager, “I’m tired of listening to the piano. I want that man to sing！” The manager shouted across the room, “If you want to get paid, sing a song. Our customers are asking you to sing！”So he did
He sang a song. A piano player who had never sung in public did so for the first time. And everyone was surprised by his song Mona Lisa. He got lots of applause(掌声) that night.
He had such a talent for singing, but he just had been sitting on his talent for the past years! If without such a chance, he may have lived the rest of his life as a noname piano player in a noname bar. However, now he has become one of the bestknown singers in America.
You, too, have skills and abilities. Maybe your “talent” is not as great as the singer above, but it may be better than you think! And with effort, most skills can be improved. So, in your life, you should be brave enough to try doing different things and find out what talents you really have!
1. Why did the man start to sing?| A．Because he wanted to make more money. |
| B．Because the bar manager said he liked his song |
| C．Because the manager asked him to sing at the request of a customer. |
| D．Because he wanted to show everyone that he had a talent for singing. |
| A．Humourous. | B．Rude. |
| C．Strict. | D．Kind. |
| A．The man didn’t get paid at last. |
| B．The customers were unsatisfied with the song. |
| C．The man became a singer later. |
| D．The manager had to lay the man off. |
| A．Some people really have no skills or abilities. |
| B．Sometimes through effort we can know our talents. |
| C．None of us is as great as the singer. |
| D．No skills can be improved even if you try your best. |
