When my father was celebrating a milestone (里程碑) birthday, I pulled together a surprised gift that he would never forget.
On his 60th birthday , I had a fun idea: What if I could get the memories people had of him, put each one into an envelope (信封) — 60 in total — and have him open them, one by one, on his birthday? So I wrote an e-mail to family and friends, explaining my idea.
I sent the e-mail and waited. And then the replies started coming in and I was very, very astonished. There were so many memories, and they were all so lovely. They came from the 50s, 60s, 70s, from every decade (十年) between now and the day my dad was born. They came from my mother, my siblings, my grandma, my dad’s friends from high school, his sister, my dad’s first boss, a colleague at his first job, from people who hadn’t seen my dad in40 years, from people I myself hadn’t even informed. They typed them and handwrote them. They mailed them and e-mailed them.
The night before Dad’s birthday, my sister and I stayed up late to put the mails into envelopes.
The next morning, after breakfast and presents and cake, we gave the pile of envelopes to him. “Just one more thing for you,” we said.
It took him a long time to open them and read. Each one was a brief ticket to another time, a leap (跳跃) backward over years and decades. There was a lot of laughter and a few tears in his face.
I was kind of sad when the project of the memories about my father was over because it was great fun to collect these memories.
1. When did the author give her father a surprised gift? (no more than 5 words)2. What does the underlined word “astonished” in paragraph 3 probably mean? (no more than 1 words)
3. Why did the author and her sister stay up late the night before their father’s birthday? (no more than 10 words)
4. How did the author’s father most probably feel when he read the mails? (no more than 2 words)
5. What do you think of the author’s gift, why? (no more than 25 words)
2 . We talk a lot about air pollution. Here in Hong Kong we always complain about light pollution as well. Then, there is noise pollution. It’s the same in many cities around the world. In Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, people have been complaining about/the noise made by drivers who continually sound their car horns (喇). That is until recently, when something was finally done about it.
‘The Chief District Officer of Kathmandu had received many. complaints about horn pollution. He said that everyone felt the use of the car horn in recent years had become excessive. Researchers in Kathmandu found that for about 80 percent of the time, it really was not necessary for drivers to use their car horns. Sounding the horn to make a noise had become more of a habit. It was no longer being used as it was supposed to be used: to warn people of danger.
At the beginning of the Nepali New Year in 2017, the local government passed a law to ban the use of car horns unless used correctly.
Within six months, 11,000 fines (罚款) had been collected by the local traffic police. The fine was about HK S360. A taxi driver in Kathmandu can make about HK S1,000 per day, so he could lose about one-third of his money it he broke the law.
As usual, there were many complaints from drivers. They said that cows and dogs were free to walk on the roads. They always caused danger. Sounding a car horn was the only way to get them to move out of the way. And although there were quite a few traffic lights in the streets of Kathmandu, very few of them worked. This meant there was often a traffic mess.
The ban on using a car horn went ahead, and within a few weeks the streets of Nepal’s capital were quieter-even though they were still just as busy. Because of the ban, drivers are a little more careful when they drive. Fewer accidents have been reported. The local government says the horn ban will now be copied in other areas of Nepal.
1. What do Hong Kong and Kathmandu have in common?| A．Both have been troubled by factory pollution. |
| B．Both have succeeded in fighting air pollution. |
| C．Both have been faced with the problem of noise pollution. |
| D．Both have received many complaints about horn pollution. |
| A．Car drivers usually use car horns unnecessarily. | B．The cars are becoming more and more. |
| C．Care drivers use car horns as a warning. | D．Everyone complain about the horn pollution. |
| A．In 2016. | B．In 2017. | C．In 2018. | D．In 2019. |
| A．No traffic lights in the streets can work. | B．The traffic on the roads is not very smooth. |
| C．Animals are not allowed to walk on the streets. | D．Drivers are required to drive on one-way streets. |
| A．It is useful. | B．It is worrying. | C．It is interesting. | D．It is embarrassing. |
3 . Tiger Tiger Burning Bright!
by Fiona Waters
Including a different poem for each day of the year, this beautiful book brings together different poetry encouraged by the animal kingdom. There are old and new poems from all over the world, by poets including Lewis Carroll and Grace Nichols — as well as lots of wonderful artwork.
Dear Ugly Sisters
by Laura Mucha
The first collection from exciting new poet Laura includes all kinds of topics, such as science, space, and classic stories. Other poems are inspired by events that influence us today, such as Dear Key Workers, which impresses respect for those who have helped us all during the coronavirus pandemic (新冠状病毒流行病).
The Book of Not Entirely Useful Advice
by A. F. Harrold
There’s all kinds of unexpected advice in this poetry book, whether you want to know about breakfast or parrots. Bringing together lots of silly poems by A. F. Harrold, it also includes fun illustrations (插画) by Mini Grey.
On The Move
by Michelle Rosen
illustrated by Quentin Blake
Two former children’s Laureates have joined forces to create this book. Michelle Rosen has taken inspiration from his childhood and family history, as well as stories of Migration from all over the world to create poems that will leave you with lots to think about.
1. Which of the following books is animal-related?| A．The Book of Not Entirely Useful Advice | B．Tiger Tiger Burning Bright! |
| C．Dear Ugly Sisters | D．On The Move |
| A．Fiona Waters’s | B．A. F. Harrold’s | C．Laura Mucha’s | D．Michelle Rosen’s |
| A．The Book of Not Entirely Useful Advice | B．Tiger Tiger Burning Bright! |
| C．Dear Ugly Sisters | D．On The Move |
| A．Mini Grey. | B．A. F. Harrold | C．Fiona Waters | D．Michelle Rosen |
| A．They are all based on the author’s own stories. | B．They all collect traditional stories |
| C．They all give readers lots of advice | D．They are all poetry books |
4 . The 65-year-old Steve Goodwin was found suffering from early Alzheimer’s (阿尔茨海默症). He was losing his memory.
A software engineer by profession, Steve was a keen lover of the piano, and the only musician in his family. Music was his true passion, though he had never performed outside the family.
Melissa, his daughter, felt it more than worthwhile to save his music, to which she fell asleep each night when she was young. She thought about hirıng a professional pianist to work with her father.
Naomi, Melissa’s best friend and a talented pianist, got to know about this and showed willingness to help.
“Why do this?” Steve wondered.
“Because she cares.” Melissa said.
Steve nodded, tear in eye.
Naomi drove to the Goodwin home: She told Steve she’d love to hear him play Steve moved to the piano and sat at the bench, hands trembling as he gently placed his fingers on the keys.
Naomi put a small recorder near the piano. Starts and stops and mistakes. Long pauses, heart sinking. But Steve pressed on, playing for the first time in his life for a stranger.
“It was beautiful.” Naomi said after listening to the recording. “The music was worth saving.”
Her responsibility, her privilege, would be to rescue it. The music was still in Steve Goodwin. It was hidden in rooms with doors about to be locked.
Naomi and Steve met every other week and spent hours together. He’d move his fingers clumsily on the piano, and then she’d take his place. He struggled to explain what he heard in his head. He stood by the piano, eyes closed, listening for the first time to his own work being played by someone else.
Steve and Naomi spoke in musical code lines, beats, intervals, moving from the root to end a song in a new key. Steve heard it. All of it. He just couldn’t play it.
Working with Naomi did wonders for Steve. It had excited within him the belief he could write one last song. One day, Naomi received an email. Attached was a recording, a recording of loss and love, of the fight. Steve called it “Melancholy Flower”.
Naomi heard multiple stops and starts, Steve struggling, searching while his wife Joni called him “honey” and encouraged him. The task was so hard, and Steve, angry and upset, said he was quitting. Joni praised him, telling her husband this could be his signature piece.
Naomi managed to figure out 16 of Steve’s favorite, and most personal songs. With Naomi’s help, the Goodwin family found a sound engineer to record Naomi playing Steve’s songs. Joni thought that would be the end. But it wasn’t.
In the months leading up to the 2016 Oregon Repertory Singers Christmas concert, Naomi told the director she had a special one in mind: “Melancholy Flower.”
She told the director about her project with Steve. The director agreed to add it to the playing list. But Naomi would have to ask Steve’s permission. He considered it an honor.
After the concert, Naomi told, the family that Steve’s music was beautiful and professional. It needed to be shared in public.
The family rented a former church in downtown Portland and scheduled a concert. By the day of the show, more than 300 people had said they would attend.
By then, Steve was having a hard time remembering the names of some of his friends. He knew the path his life was now taking. He told his family he was at peace.
Steve arrived and sat in the front row, surrounded by his family. The house lights faded. Naomi took the stage. Her fingers. His heart.
1. Why did Melissa want to save her father’s music?| A．His music could stop his disease from worsening. |
| B．She wanted to please her dying old father. |
| C．His music deserved to be preserved in the family. |
| D．She wanted to make her father a professional. |
| A．It was slow but productive. |
| B．It was beneficial to his health. |
| C．It was tiresome for Naomi. |
| D．It was vital for Naomi’s career. |
| A．thought the music talent of Steve was exhausted... |
| B．didn’t expect the damage the disease brought about |
| C．didn’t fully realize the value of her husband’s music |
| D．brought her husband’s music career to perfection |
| A．The Kindness of Friends | B．The Power of Music |
| C．The Making of a Musician | D．The Value of Determination |
5 . Why does social media trigger feelings of loneliness and inadequacy? Because instead of being real life, it is, for the most part, impression management, a way of marketing yourself, carefully choosing and filtering (过滤) the picture and words to put your best face forward.
Online “friends” made through social media do not follow the normal psychological progression of an interpersonal relationship. You share neither physical time nor emotional conversations over the Internet. You simply communicate photographs and catchy posts to a diverse group of people whom you have “friended” or “followed” based on an accidental interaction. This is not to say that your social media friends can’t be real friends. They absolutely can, but the two are not the same. Generally speaking, there are no unfiltered comments and casually taken photos on our social media pages. And, rightfully so, because it wouldn’t feel safe to be completely real and honest with some of our “friends” whom we don’t actually know or with whom trust has yet to be built.
Social media can certainly be an escape from the daily routines, but we must be cautioned against the negative effects, such as addiction, on a person’s overall psychological well-being.
As humans, we are eager for social connection. Scrolling (滚动) through pages of pictures and comments, however, does not provide the same degree of fulfillment as face to face interactions do. Also, we tend to idealize others’ lives and compare our downfalls to their greatest accomplishments, ending in feelings of loneliness and inadequacy.
Social media can lead people on the unhealthy pursuit of perfection. Some people begin to attend certain events or travel to different places so that they can capture that “perfect” photo. They begin to seek validation through the number of people who “like” their posts. In order for it to play a psychologically healthy role in your social life, social media should enhance an already healthy social network. Pictures and posts should be byproducts (副产品) of life’s treasured moments and fun times, not the planned and calculated image that one is putting out into cyberspace in an attempt to fill insecurities or unmet needs.
Ultimately, social media has increased our ability to connect with various types of people all over the globe. It has opened doors for business and allowed us to stay connected to people whom we may not otherwise get to follow. However, social media should feel like a fun experience, not one that contributes to negative thoughts and feelings. If the latter is the case, increasing face to face time with trusted friends, and minimizing time scrolling online, will prove to be a reminder that your social network is much more rewarding than any “like”, “follow” or “share” can be.
1. What does the author imply social media may do to our life?| A．It may facilitate our interpersonal relationships. |
| B．It may filter our negative impressions of others. |
| C．It may make us feel isolated and incompetent. |
| D．It may help us make as many friends as we can.” |
| A．They do not find all their online friends trustworthy. |
| B．They do not want to lose their followers. |
| C．They want to avoid offending any of their audience. |
| D．They are eager to boost their popularity. |
| A．Learn Jessons from other people’s downfalls. |
| B．Strive for perfection whatever the cost. |
| C．Paint a rosy picture of other people’s lives. |
| D．Show their life’s accomplishments more impressive than reality. |
| A．Use social media to increase their ability to connect with various types of people. |
| B．Stay connected to those whom they may not otherwise get to know and befriend. |
| C．Try to prevent negative thoughts and feelings from getting into the online pages. |
| D．Strengthen ties with real-life friends instead of caring about their online image. |
6 . Imagine two applicants are in a job interview: one expresses a great passion for the work, while the other points to family encouragement to pursue that field. Which applicant has a better chance of succeeding? Conventional wisdom suggests it would be the one who has a strong personal passion.
Passion is not a universally powerful basis of achievement, but the culture a person grew up in matters a lot. That means universities and companies that frequently rely on passion in candidates are pretermitting talented students and employees.
It seems that passion is a much stronger predictor of achievement in certain societies than others. “This leads to a blind spot among interviewers and is unfair to people from diverse backgrounds,” said Xingyu Li, the lead author of a new study. As a person coming from a collectivist (集体主义的) society, he knows exactly how people feel when they are rejected just because they are seemingly not as passionate as others. This research is novel for its using big data to compare a wider range of culturally diverse societies.
The researchers collected the data including scores from 1.2 million high school students across 59 countries. They found those who felt passionate about science, reading, or other subjects were more likely to be given better scores. This is quite true in individualist societies such as the United States and Australia, compared with collectivist countries such as China, Thailand, and Colombia, where the students felt that having family support for their interest was important.
Individualist countries regard the self as the source of motivation. For example, in the United States, doing well because of what others expect might seem to be evidence of a lack of potential. In collectivist societies, the self is inter-dependent, part of a web of relations, roles, and responsibilities. For instance, in the movie The Grandmaster, the legendary martial arts teacher Ip Man never said that he had a personal passion for kung fu. Rather, his drive to attain mastery came from the desire to live up to what his belt symbolized to his teacher and society.
The findings open up the possibility of designing educational interventions that don’t rely only on the western idea of cultivating (培育) passion. That helps better unlock the potential of our students and workforce.
1. Who is more likely to succeed in a job interview according to most employers?| A．Those who have a web of relations. | B．Those who are familiar with the company. |
| C．Those who gain much family encouragement. | D．Those who have great enthusiasm for the position. |
| A．Neglecting. | B．Harvesting. | C．Exploring. | D．Defending. |
| A．To clarify the link between students’ passion and academic performance. |
| B．To encourage people to learn the cultures of different countries. |
| C．To win people from different cultural contexts more chances of admission |
| D．To show the importance of big data in culture-related studies at particular. |
| A．An American. | B．A Colombian. | C．An Australian. | D．A Canadian. |
| A．The model of motivation varies from culture to culture. |
| B．The negative effects of societal expectations on individuals. |
| C．The role of self-realization matters in a person’s success and well-being. |
| D．The typical personality types in individualist countries and collectivist ones. |
7 . Remote controls are one of the most common symbols of our modern technologies. In fact, remote controls are an invention born in the 1800s. Famous inventor Nikola Tesla created one of the world’s first wireless remote controls, which he exhibited in public at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1898.
Tesla called his system a “teleautomaton”, which could be used to control a mechanical device. For his demonstration, Tesla employed a minitype boat, which had a metal air wire that could receive exactly one radio frequency. He showed how his remote-controlled boat worked and whole process attracted many people. However, financially, Tesla’s remote-controlled boat was a failure. His intended client, the U.S. Navy, thought the technology was too easily damaged during use. But the concept of remote control caught on and quickly spread to many other types of equipment.
In the 1930s and 1940s, a new consumer electronics, such as garage door openers and model airplanes, arrived with remote controls. In the mid-1950s, Zenith engineer Eugene Polley designed his Flashmatic TV remote control, which used directional flashes of light to control the television. In 1956, Polley’s colleague, Robert Adler, created the Space Command control, which employed high-frequency, ultrasonic (超声的) sounds instead of light. This style of remote control increased the price of a new TV by a third, but that didn’t stop people from buying in mass quantities. Remote controls kept evolving, too. Ultrasonic sound remote controls were the standard for TVs until the 1980s, when remote controls began using the infrared (红外线) light signals that are very common today.
These days, you can find remote control capability built into a huge array of products such as toy cars and helicopters, video game consoles (控制台), ceiling fans, etc. There’s a good chance you can find a version that’s controlled by remote control. You can even buy a remote-controlled toilet.
Remote controls have allowed humans to perform many tasks that would be difficult, if not impossible. And although remote controls have a long history, they are anything but over. As we continue to introduce technology to every aspect of our lives, it’s very likely that we’ll need remote controls to keep things under control.
1. What made the U.S. Navy think poorly of Tesla’s remote-controlled boat?| A．Its high cost. |
| B．Its unsatisfactory quality. |
| C．Its damage to people’s health. |
| D．Its inaccuracy in sending signals. |
| A．Directional flashes of light. | B．Infrared light signals. |
| C．Various metal air wires. | D．High-frequency, ultrasonic sounds. |
| A．To advertise some modern inventions. |
| B．To prove the rapid evolution of kids’ toy. |
| C．To show the wide application of remote controls. |
| D．To show the principle of some high-tech products. |
| A．Human are too dependent on technology. |
| B．Remote controls are necessary in our life |
| C．Humans are trying to keep everything under control. |
| D．Remote controls will probably fade away in the future. |
| A．The history of remote controls. |
| B．The developments of our modern technologies. |
| C．The achievements of some great inventors. |
| D．The popularity of remote controls in our daily life. |
8 . Godfrey Hounsfield’s early life did not suggest that he would accomplish much at all. He was not a particularly good student in the teachers’ eyes—he neither observed the school disciplines nor worked hard enough at school lessons. His teachers described him as “thick”.
He joined the army during the Second World War, but he wasn’t much of a soldier. However, he was a wizard with electrical machinery—he would use the newly invented radar to help pilots better find their way home on dark, cloudy nights.
After the war, Hounsfield followed his commander’s advice and got a degree in engineering He practiced his trade at EMI, a company with a focus on electronics and electrical engineering.
Hounsfield’s natural talent for engineering made him lead the team building the most advanced mainframe computer available in Britain. But by the 1960’s, EMI wanted out of the competitive computer market and the brilliant engineer wasn’t sure what to do in the future in the company. Therefore, the company gave Hounsfield a long holiday.
During the holiday, Hounsfield met a physician who complained about the poor quality of X-ray of the brain, which looked like fog. This got Hounsfield to make a move into the new field.
Hounsfield returned to EMI and talked about the idea with his boss. Then he used a new way to appoach the problem of imaging what was inside the skull. By working backward and using the fastest computers, he could work on the mystery of each brain layer. But there was a problem: EMI wasn’t involved in the medical market then. The company allowed Hounsfield to work on his product, but provided no funding.
Luckily his boss, Bill Ingham, saw the value of Hounsfield’s proposal and struggled to ask EMI to keep the project run. Finally, Hounsfield built a safe and effictive human scanner.
Hounsfield’s innovation transformed medicine. He shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1979 and was knighted by the queen in 1981. He continued his invention career until his final days in 2004, when he died at 84.
1. What can we say about Houndfield’s early school life?| A．He worked really hard. | B．He didn’t manage to graduate. |
| C．He was popular with his teachers. | D．He didn’t behave himself. |
| A．Stayed away from. | B．Became tired of. | C．Came up with. | D．Was gifted in. |
| A．To relieve Hounsfield’s anxiety over stressful work. |
| B．To make Hounsfield think about his future career. |
| C．To allow Hounsfield to reflect on his mistakes. |
| D．To remind Hounsfield to learn from others. |
| A．Having no one on his side. | B．Experiencing too many failures. |
| C．Being short of financial support. | D．Being misunderstood by his boss. |
| A．To remember a great inventor. | B．To reveal the decline of a company. |
| C．To introduce the application of X-rays. | D．To show the improvements brought by technology. |
9 . While most parts of the country are blanketed in snow, here in San Diego you can take advantage of the warm sunshine and dive into the high life at a resort (度假胜地) pool. Many resorts offer pool day passes for families. You can enjoy the delicious lunch at the poolside.
Lows Coronado ResortHere you can relax at the poolside and take a dip. You’ll find heated pools and daily family-friendly poolside entertainment and activities. Enjoy a handmade cocktail (鸡尾酒) from your chair or in a cabin. Also on tap: free Wi-Fi and self-parking for up to 3 hours.
Hours: 10: 00 am~10: 00 pmAdmission: $25/adult; $10/child; free for kids under 3
4000 Coronado Bay Road
Monarch Beach Resort
Enjoy yourself in a pool at the paradise-like Monarch Beach Resort. Ocean views and sunny skies make an unbeatable background for a swim in two oceanfront heated pools. The day pass also includes access to the Athletic Club.
Hours: 9: 00 am-7: 00 pmAdmission: $50/adult; $28/child; free for kids under 3
1Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point
The Lafayette Hotel
The iconic swimming pool at the Lafayette Hotel has been attracting attention since it was designed in 1946. Go for a swim in this heated pool and enjoyed excellent services, which even appeal to Hollywood stars. They often relax at the poolside in this place.
Hours: 10: 00 am~7: 00 pmAdmission: $10/adult; $10/child; free for kids under 3
2223E1 Cajon Blvd
Rancho Bernardo Inn
Get away from your troubles and feel a world away in the pools while appreciating the Spanish-style architecture of the inn. There are two pools: one for individual adult and one for families, as well as a hot bub, poolside food , drink services, and a fitness center.
Hours: 6: 30 am~10: 00 pmAdmission: $25/ adult; $10/ child; free for kids under 3
17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive
1. What’s the advantage of resorts in San Diego over others in the country in winter?
| A．Delicious food there | B．White and thick snow |
| C．Available pool day passes | D．Fine weather and enjoyable life |
| A．Self-parking for 3 hours | B．Doing poolside activities. |
| C．Taking a dip comfortably. | D．Enjoying a handmade cocktail. |
| A．50 dollars | B．78 dollars | C．100 dollars | D．128 dollars |
| A．People being fond of seeing Hollywood movies. | B．People wanting to receive star treatment. |
| C．People hoping to get more attention. | D．People loving ancient architecture. |
| A．2223 El Cajon Blvd | B．4000 Coronado Bay Road. |
| C．17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive. | D．1 Monarch Beach Resort, Sana Point. |
10 . One minute, Peggy Lewis and her husband, Harris Lee, were watching the trees blow in the wind. The next, they were surrounded by flying pieces of glass from the house’s broken windows. The roof was torn off. The walls caved in (塌陷). After the 152-mph tornado (龙卷风) had passed, it took a team of neighbors to pull the couple from the rubble (碎砖) and take them to the hospital.
When the pair returned to their house three days later, it was clear that what remained of the house would need to be torn down, but before Peggy would let that happen, she wanted one thing first—her family Bible.
Peggy had bought the Bible 35 years earlier, at the start of her marriage. Like many people, she’d used it to hold her family’s history — old photos, and a handkerchief from her great-grandmother.
The Bible was the first thing Peggy looked for when she returned to the house. When two volunteers showed up, Peggy had one task for them.
After an hour of searching, one of the volunteers ran up to her. Peggy had tears running down her face. The young woman had found the book while looking through rubble. Surprisingly, while many other books inside the house had been destroyed beyond recognition, the Bible was still complete, even though it had sat in the rain for days. “I completely broke down,” says Peggy. “I thought it was gone forever.” She was extremely grateful.
Peggy and her family were living at a friend’s house until they got back on their feet. But the book already has its well-deserved place of honor, in Peggy’ borrowed dresser. She knows that while every good book tells stories of disastrous (灾难性的) weather and unlikely survival, this one actually lived it.
1. What happened to the couple during the tornado?| A．They were hurt by glass. | B．They were buried in ruins. |
| C．They were blown to the wall. | D．They were forced to leave their house. |
| A．To help find her Bible. | B．To get her a new dresser. |
| C．To dig out all the buried things. | D．To tear down the dangerous house. |
| A．It’s very expensive. | B．It’s a gift from her husband. |
| C．It marked her marriage. | D．It held important things. |
| A．Excited but surprised. | B．Sad but thankful. |
| C．Excited and thankful. | D．Surprised but sad. |
| A．An important book. | B．All of her books. |
| C．Her house. | D．Some of her relatives. |
