1 . J. K. Rowling frequently shows there is magic every day. Her Harry Potter series has helped people through times of stress and depression and she is always there to deliver wise words of encouragement.
She is one celebrity who is very active on Twitter. So when a single dad named Matt Burke sent her a message thanking her for the series, she noticed. Her series had helped strengthen his relationship with his 9yearold daughter Bailey.
He included a link to his article titled Being a Broke Parent. He explained how he hadn’t found a level of financial stability that allowed him to pay bills on time and take his daughter on more activities and events. The family also doesn’t have the Internet or TV, which means there’s no “digital babysitter” and he has to rely on his own creative ways to bond with his daughter. Since he received the series, the main thing that has occupied them these days is reading books together.
Burke admits that he thought he was “too cool” for the books when they first came out and he was in his twenties, but he’s loving reading them now. “We switch off chapter by chapter reading them out loud，“Burke explains.” This not only allows her to get more used to reading aloud in front of someone, but it gets me directly involved in something she loves, and it gives me the chance to be very dramatic when I read my chapters and bring myself into the characters in the book, which has proven to be a ton of fun.”
After hearing Burke’s story, Rowling said how honored she was when Harry Potter was a part of his family’s life and offered Burke more books. Besides, people are also offering to send Burke more books as gifts. For Burke, this experience, far more than gifts, will be what he treasures.
1. Why did Burke thank J. K. Rowling according to the text?| A．She guided him how to write a good story. |
| B．She encouraged him when he was in trouble. |
| C．Her books helped him through times of confusion. |
| D．Her books helped him improve his bond with his daughter. |
| A．He has found it interesting to read the series. | B．He was too old to understand the series better. |
| C．He has chosen a better way of reading the series. | D．He hopes to play a role in the drama in the future. |
| A．Useless. | B．Normal. | C．Valuable. | D．Boring. |
| A．J. K. Rowling chooses to help improve kids’ health. |
| B．J. K. Rowling gives a magical gift to a single father. |
| C．J. K. Rowling has a deep influence on others’ growth. |
| D．Burke comes to know J. K. Rowling through her series. |
2 . We humans love to stare into our smart devices. We gaze for hours—about 10 hours and 39 minutes a day—at our computers, smartphones, tablets and televisions. Is all this staring bad for us? It might be, mainly because as we stare at our devices we are exposing ourselves to blue light.
Blue light is a type of electromagnetic radiation with a very short wavelength that produces a high amount of energy. While it’s true that light can damage our eyes under certain circumstances, there’s no scientific evidence suggesting that blue light is harmful to our eyes. But many people still think it is, which is why blue-light-blocking glasses are so popular. So, do the glasses work?
“Everyone is very concerned that blue light may be causing damage to the eye, but there’s no evidence that it may be causing serious damage, ” Dr. Rahul Khurana, a clinical spokesman, told Business Insider.
Blue light exposure is nothing new. In fact, the sun is the largest source of blue light. Moreover, blue light is also present in LED light. But if blue light isn’t harmful, then why are we constantly rubbing our eyes when we’re looking at our screens? The answer is eyestrain (眼疲劳). More than 60 percent of people experience eye problems associated with digital eyestrain. And blue light, it seems isn’t the cause. Instead, our eyes are so strained because most of us blink less when we stare at our digital devices. So, if eyestrain is the real issue, blue-light-blocking glasses are probably of little use.
1. What do we know about blue light?| A．It has the shortest wavelength. |
| B．It’s a kind of nuclear radiation. |
| C．It consumes a great deal of energy. |
| D．It may come from electronic devices. |
| A．Evidence of their benefits to eyes. |
| B．Widespread use of smart devices. |
| C．Belief in blue light’s harmful effect. |
| D．Scientific understanding of blue light. |
| A．Rubbing eyes makes people strained. |
| B．Blue light exposure is hardly avoidable. |
| C．Blue light may connect with tired eyes. |
| D．Eye problems are not easy to deal with. |
| A．useless | B．harmful |
| C．tiring | D．beneficial |
3 . Robots are now being employed not just for dangerous tasks, such as discovering mines or rescuing people in disasters. They are also finding application as household helps and as nursing assistants. As the number of machines increases, which are equipped with the latest artificial intelligence and take on a growing variety of specialized and everyday tasks, the question of how people see them and behave towards them becomes ever more urgent.
A team led by Sari Nijssen of Radboud University and Markus Paulus, Professor of Developmental Psychology at Ludwig-Maximilians- Universitat (LMU), have carried out a study to determine the degree to which people show concern for robots and behave toward them based on moral principles.
According to Sari Nijssen, the study set out to answer the following question: "Under what circumstances would adults be willing to sacrifice robots to save human lives?" The participants were faced with a hypothetical (假设的) moral dilemma:Would they be prepared to put a single person at risk in order to save a group of injured persons? The intended victim presented in the situations was either a humanoid robot that had been humanized (人性化的) to various degrees or a robot that was clearly recognizable as a machine.
The study suggested that the more the robot was humanized, the less likely participants were to sacrifice it. Situations that included vivid stories in which the robot was described as a merciful being or as a creature with its own understandings, experiences and thoughts, were more likely to stop the study participants from sacrificing it in the interests of anonymous (无名的) humans.
"This result indicates that our study group attached a certain moral status to the robot," says Paulus. "One possible suggestion of this finding is that attempts to humanize robots should not go too far. Such efforts could come into conflict with their intended function—to be of help to us."
1. What has become a concern about robots?| A．How to treat them in life. | B．How to humanize them. |
| C．How to use them effectively. | D．How to find more applications. |
| A．where to experience risks. | B．when to sacrifice a robot. |
| C．which robot to work with. | D．what robots should be like. |
| A．Humanized robots offer less help to people. |
| B．Certain moral status should be attached to robots. |
| C．Humanizing robots too much may be improper. |
| D．Conflicts often happen between humans and robots. |
| A．Robots, a Must for Future | B．Robots Saved, People Take the Hit |
| C．Humanized Robots, a New Trend | D．Humanized Robots Replace Human |
In the far away land, there was a beautiful kingdom with its unique rule. The rule said, everyone may become the king, with all of his rights to govern the country for five years. After that he must be caught, his body will be tied and he will be thrown away to a remote island where the jungle is thick and there are plenty of wild animals and no human.
Then, one by one, people became the king. The first man said, ‘‘Ok, I'm ready to be the king." And he became a king for five years. What he did in his five years was enjoying his position. He threw big parties, went to many beautiful places, married many women, collected many luxurious things and did other things that pleased himself Those were all he did and he never prepared anything for his future. Until one day the time came. One morning when the king woke up, suddenly strong soldiers came to his palace and said, " We came here under the order of constitution. Now it's time for you to be thrown away to the remote island." The king wasn't surprised but he felt that time passed by too fast. He had enjoyed himself in the past five years but now he had to accept his destiny with tears in his eyes. The soldiers sent him to the dangerous island and left. All they heard was the voices of the wild animals and the long scream of the former king; and then silent again.
Every other king was the same until a young man came and declare his wish. By the constitution he was granted his wish. He would be a hug for five years before being thrown away to the island. But if other kings would follow their passion for having fun, he didn't. The king was always seen to be thinking.
注意:1、所续写短文的词数应为150左右。
2、应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语。
3、续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好
4、续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1
And not very long after that, he made a surprising decision.
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Paragraph 2
Finally the time came when the king had to be thrown away to the island.
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A.J. shut the door of the truck. “Ready，” he said. His dad started the truck. It was six o'clock and freezing, but the strong morning sun promised warmer temperatures. It had been colder than normal over the past week, and the ground and ponds were already frozen.
“After we check on the cows，” Dad said, “you should have some time to practice roping.” A.J. wanted to enter the rodeos(竞技表演) in which cowboys rode wild horses, and caught cattle with ropes.
The best professionals could break from the gate on horseback, rope a calf(小牛), and hogtie the calf in less than ten seconds. So far, A.J. needed nearly a minute and a half, but he’d only been at it a few months.
The truck bounced down the dirt road. In a few minutes, they turned through the field gate. A.J. pulled a pair of telescopes(望远镜). The black spots of cows on the far hill took shape. The cows gathered around the pond. A.J. guessed they wanted the water locked under the ice. The windmillpowered water pumps sometimes froze, leaving the cows with nothing to drink.
As they reached the top of the hill, they heard extremely frightened shouts from one cow and an answering bellow from another. Dad stopped the truck, and he and A.J. stared at the frozen pond anxiously.
A calf lay on the ice in the middle of the pond. A cow, no doubt the calf’s mother, stood onshore, shouting desperately. The calf struggled to get up but slipped and fell each time.
Suddenly, the morning sun seemed warmer. Too warmer. A.J. knew that the situation was urgent. If the calf lay there too long, she could fall through the ice and drown.
Dad eased the pickup down the hill and stopped at the edge of the pond. “No telling how long she’s been there，” he said.”The ice could be about to melt through. I don’t think we can risk it.”
“But, Dad...” Dad shook his head. “It’s just not safe.”
Paragraph 1:
A.J. watched the calf, whose eyes were wide with fright.
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Paragraph 2:
It would be just like rodeo practice, A.J. thought, trying to stay calm.
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6 . Places of Interest in Wales
Conway: On the north Wales coast, Conway is where you’ll find the world’s smallest house, as well as a much larger “house”，Conway Castle, which was built in the 13th century.
Anglesey: This beautiful island is joined to the rest of north Wales by a road bridge and a railway bridge, and it’s just a short drive from Conway. Here you can visit the village of Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll which has the strangest name in Europe. Don’t miss the station. The sign runs the complete length of the platform! Also on Anglesey is Beaumaris Castle, which was started in the 13th century and to this day remains unfinished.
Sonwdonia: Just a couple of hours’ drive from Beaumaris is the Snowdonia mountain range, which takes its name from the highest mountain in Wales, Mount Snowdon. From there, visit the famous Swallow Falls at nearby BetwsyCoed.
Portmeirion: In 1925 Clough WilliamsEllis bought an attractive piece of Welsh land for less than ￡5,000. He then set out to show the world how a naturally beautiful castle could be built without being damaged and spent the next 50 years building the town of Portmeirion with a style of Italy.
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1. What do we know about Anglesey?| A．It is far from Conway. |
| B．It can be reached by train. |
| C．It lies in the south of Wales. |
| D．It has the smallest house in the world. |
| A．Conway. | B．Anglesey. | C．Sonwdonia. | D．Portmeirion. |
| A．Introduction of the climate in Wales. |
| B．Characteristics of buildings in Wales. |
| C．Information about adventure activities. |
| D．Detailed information about people in Wales. |
7 . Ieshia Champs, 33,
On Monday, she posted an update on Facebook along with a letter from the Texas Board of Law Examiner
According to the letter, she will need to finish her
Ieshia said she wanted to be a lawyer from a young age,
“Nobody told me what to do. I really didn’t have any
But Ieshia said her success could be
“When I look at the pictures, I cry, I smile, and I’m very
| A．reached | B．lost | C．missed | D．earned |
| A．money | B．support | C．access | D．fame |
| A．graduation | B．passport | C．school | D．wedding |
| A．predicting | B．foreseeing | C．confirming | D．broadcasting |
| A．working | B．licensing | C．preparing | D．instructing |
| A．despite | B．beyond | C．without | D．unlike |
| A．found | B．lost | C．changed | D．moved |
| A．gentle | B．marriage | C．stable | D．strict |
| A．strangers | B．parents | C．colleagues | D．friends |
| A．good | B．credited | C．bad | D．close |
| A．planning | B．resting | C．studying | D．serving |
| A．annoyed | B．devoted | C．grateful | D．regretful |
| A．children | B．world | C．fate | D．difficulties |
| A．letters | B．pictures | C．posts | D．notes |
| A．destroyed | B．followed | C．built | D．admitted |
8 . Laura Sides was a psychology major at the University of Nottingham in 2004. She first noticed signs of her dad’s developing dementia(痴呆) when she moved to Nottingham. She said, "Dad was a doctor, so he knew exactly what had happened to him, but people try to hide it when they are ill. Then, I came home for my 21st birthday and arranged to meet him, but he never showed up as he’d forgotten. That’s when I knew something serious had happened."
So, aged 21, she decided to leave university and look after him herself. She lived close by, popping in every day to make sure he was eating, and that the house was tidy, before heading off to her work.
Besides challenging moments, there was a time when looking after her dad was a pure joy. "We’d wake up, I’d ask what he wanted to do that day, and however ridiculous the adventure is, off we’d go."
Sadly, in 2009, 5 years later, Laura lost her father. Before he died, Laura went to a hospital appointment with him, where doctors mentioned that his form of Alzheimer’s disease was genetic meaning there was a fifty-fifty chance that she had inherited it. For several years Laura agonised over whether to be tested, finally finding out in August 2017 that she has the APP gene, meaning that, like him, she will develop the condition within a decade.
At first, she struggled, feeling as if her life lacked purpose. Then, during a sleepless night in the summer of 2018, she decided at around 2 a.m. to enter the 2019 London Marathon sponsored by the charities Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK.
She hoped to start the conversation around early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and to encourage people to talk about it more openly. "I remember when Dad was ill, people wouldn’t know how to react, but I want to be honest and open," she added. "The more information we can get, the less of a taboo(忌讳) we will feel. That said, the support I’ve received so far after going public has been amazing — that’s what is carrying me through."
1. Laura noticed her father’s dementia when .| A．her father told her his condition in person |
| B．people nearby informed her of his father’s condition |
| C．her father forgot his own birthday party |
| D．her father forgot to attend her 21-year-old birthday party |
| A．excited | B．struggled |
| C．shocked | D．delighted |
| A．getting people to talk about Alzheimer’s disease openly |
| B．earning some money to help treat her Alzheimer’s disease |
| C．making herself stronger to fight against Alzheimer’s disease |
| D．raising funds for charities Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s disease Research UK |
| A．Caring and positive. | B．Careful and honest. |
| C．Patient and cautious. | D．Devoted and modest. |
China has been selected to host the World Skills Competition in Shanghai in 2021, an event it hopes to us for building a stronger team of skilled workers nationwide and to improve international
China’s
10 . For as long as we’ve known about it, humans have searched for a cure for cancer. Across the world, countless amounts of time and money have been spent on researching a way to stop this terrible disease. But now, it seems like the answer could have been inside our own bodies the whole time.
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) in the US, a government agency that’s responsible for healthcare, approved a new form of gene therapy(疗法) that could mean the end of a certain type of cancer.
The therapy allows scientists to “train” the immune(有免疫力的) cells of sick patients to fight leukemia(白血病) — a form of blood cancer that mostly affects young people.
The exciting new treatment works by removing healthy immune cells from the patient, known as T-cells, which are then changed to be able to “hunt down” cancer cells.
The cells are then put back into the patient before they begin to get rid of the patient’s leukemia over time, similar to how the body fights off other illnesses.
“This is truly an exciting new day for cancer patients,” Louis J. DeGennaro, president of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, said in a news release.
Up until now, a long and painful marrow transplant(骨髓移植) was the only option for many leukemia patients.
In this procedure, healthy blood cells are taken from a donator and placed into the sick patient, who also has to go through chemotherapy (化疗) to allow their body to adjust to the new cells.
But with a recovery rate of around 83% — according to a news release published by the FDA — it’s hoped that the days of painful trips to the hospital, or even death, are over for leukemia sufferers.
“We’re entering a new frontier in medical innovation(创新) with the ability to reprogram a patient’s own cells to attack a deadly cancer,” FDA representative Scott Gottlieb said in the release. “New technologies such as gene and cell therapies hold the potential to transform medicine and our ability to treat and even cure many incurable illnesses.”
1. What is the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?| A．To compare different ways of curing leukemia. |
| B．To report on a breakthrough in cancer treatment. |
| C．To explore the potential of gene and cell therapies. |
| D．To show scientists’ efforts in search of a cure for cancer. |
| A．By using changed T-cells to destroy cancer cells. |
| B．By replacing sick blood cells with healthy ones. |
| C．By removing sick blood cells during marrow transplant. |
| D．By using chemotherapy to improve the patient’s immune system. |
| A．It can save them many more trips to the hospital. |
| B．It can improve their ability to fight off all kinds of cancer. |
| C．It can give them a better chance of survival and recovery. |
| D．It can reduce their pain in the process of marrow transplant. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Optimistic. | C．Worried. | D．Casual. |
