1 . There will eventually come a day when the New York Times ceases to publish stories on newsprint. Exactly when that day will be is a matter of debate. “Sometime in the future,” the paper’s publisher said back in 2010.

Nostalgia (怀旧) for ink on paper, there are plenty of reasons to abandon print. The infrastructure (基础设施) required to make a physical newspaper — printing presses, delivery trucks — isn’t just expensive; it’s excessive at a time when online-only competitors don’t have the same set of financial restrictions. Readers are migrating away from print anyway. And though print ad sales still overshadow their online and mobile counterparts, revenue (收入) from print is still declining.

Cost may be high and circulation lower, but rushing to eliminate its print edition would be a mistake, says BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti.

Peretti says the Times shouldn’t waste time getting out of the print business, but only if they go about doing it the right way. “Figuring out a way to accelerate that transition would make sense for them,” he said, ‘‘but if you discontinue it, you’re going to have your most loyal customers really upset with you.”

Sometimes that’s worth making a change anyway. Peretti gives the example of Netflix discontinuing its DVD-mailing service to focus on streaming (流媒体). “It was seen as a mistake,” he said. The move turned out to be foresighted. “If I were in charge at the Times, I wouldn’t pick a year to end print,” Peretti said “I would raise prices and make it into more of a legacy product.”

The most loyal customers would still get the product they favour, the idea goes, and they’d feel like that they were helping maintain the quality of something they believe in. “So if you’re overpaying for print, you could feel like that you were helping,” Peretti said. “Then increase it at a higher rate each year and essentially try to generate additional revenue.” In other words, if you’re going to print product, make it for the people who are already obsessed with it, which may be what the Times is doing already. Getting the print edition seven days a week costs nearly $500 a year -- more than twice as much as a digital-only subscription.

“It’s a really hard thing to do and it’s a tremendous luxury that BuzzFeed doesn’t have a legacy business,” Peretti remarked. “But we’re going to have questions like that where we have things we're doing that don't make sense when the market changes and the world changes. In those situations, it's better to be more aggressive than less aggressive.

1. The New York Times is considering ending its print edition partly due to ________.

A．the high cost of operation	B．the pressure from its investors
C．the complaints from its readers	D．the increasing online ad sales

2. Peretti suggests that in face of the present situation the Times should ________.

A．seek new sources of readership	B．end the print edition for good
C．aim for efficient management	D．make strategic adjustments

3. Peretti believes that in a changing world ________.

A．legacy businesses are becoming outdated

B．cautiousness helps problem-solving

C．traditional luxuries can stay unaffected

D．aggressiveness better meets challenge

4. Which of the following would be the best title of the text?

A．Shift to Online Newspapers All At Once.

B．Cherish the Newspapers Still in Your Hand.

C．Make Your Print Newspapers a Luxury Good.

D．Keep Your Newspapers Forever m Fashion.

2 . Spanish-American Institute

Student Cub Notes

Free and Low Cost Gyms, Health Clubs and Pools

NYC Department of Parks Recreation Centers

www.nycgovparks.org

Recreation Centers: The NYC Department of Parks has many Recreation Centers throughout New York City. Recreation Centers offer a wide range of free and membership programs and services. Some have indoor swimming pools. Almost all have weight rooms, basketball courts, dance studios, boxing rings, art studios, game rooms, etc. 

All Recreation Centers offer a wide range of programs such as aerobics, dance, tai chi, fencing, computer classes, and art. Many programs are free and open to the general public but many require membership. 

You do not need to be a New York City resident to use a Recreation Center. You may use your annual membership at any and all Centers. Use one near the Spanish-American Institute and then use one near your home. 

Costs: Free and membership programs. Standard annual membership is $50 for Recreation Centers and $75 for Recreation Centers with pools. (Do you know anyone 55 and older? The senior membership is only $10 a year.)

Standard annual membership provides scheduled access to the gym, pool, and all the other facilities. Instructor-led courses such as aerobics, martial arts, music, or yoga may require an additional fee. 

Membership and Program Information: Go to the www.nycgovparks.org home page. On the “Facilities” menu, click on “Recreation Centers.” On the “Recreation Centers” page, you will find information about membership and fees. You will also see links to Recreation Facilities by borough (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island).

On the “Facilities” menu, you may also want to check out other NYC Department of Parks facilities such as beaches, ice skating rinks, nature centers, running tracks, soccer fields, etc.

Recreation Centers: There are several Parks Department Recreation Centers in each borough. After you go to the “Recreation Centers” page and click on a borough, you will find a list of the centers in that borough with their addresses, phone numbers, and web links. The list will look like that for Manhattan below. Click on the link for a particular Center to learn more about its services, schedules, and programs.

1. What special benefits can an annual member of Recreation Centers enjoy?

A．Having access to all the facilities all year.

B．Experiencing all programs and services free.

C．Taking free Instructor-led courses.

D．Using only the center near your home free.

2. If your parents and grandparents (both over sixty) want to get the memberships, how much will they pay?

A．At least $20.

B．At least $120.

C．At least $180.

D．At least $220.

3. You will probably fail to find ________ on the www.nycgovparks.org home page.

A．the cost for various memberships	B．the locations of recreations centers
C．the staff and provided services	D．the facilities, phones and web links

3 . Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which means “Doctors Without Borders”, was established in 1971. It is now one of the world’s largest organizations that provide emergency medical relief. In 1999, it won the Nobel Peace Prize. Its aim is to help people who have suffered badly in wars or natural disasters, such as earthquakes or floods.

Each year, about 3,000 people are sent abroad to work in more than 60 different countries worldwide.     1     In most projects, there are about seven local members to every one of foreigner. Volunteers are paid about $1,400 each month and receive travel expenses. They usually work on a project for six months to a year. Many volunteers go on more than one mission.

One volunteer reports, “Working in politically sensitive areas with limited resources can be frustrating, but there is huge satisfaction in making even a small or temporary difference to people. What better recommendation than to say, “I’m about to leave on a third mission!”

    2     You have to be able to deal with stress, and you need to be able to work independently as well as in a team. You are not required to have medical qualifications. Besides medical expertise, MSF needs the skills of technical staff such as building engineers and food experts.

           3     “One of my biggest challenges was organizing a team to open a new hospital in a town that had had no medical care for three years,” one volunteer said. This volunteer said the project was a success because of the reduction of deaths and the fact that the local people were so thankful. Another volunteer says, “With MSF, I have had the chance to travel and test my skills to the limits both professionally and personally.     4    ”

A．In some countries, there are even more volunteer professionals than locally hired staff.

B．The rewards can be enormous.

C．MSF relies on volunteer professionals but also works closely with about 25,000 locally hired staff.

D．What do volunteers have in common?

E．What qualities and skills do you need to become a volunteer?

F．The reaction of volunteers returning from MSF speaks for itself.

4 . Care for a zoom-in observation of animals with no bars between you and the observed opposed to ordinary zoos? Where to have close-up encounters with some of the world’s most rare animals? We are revealing for you.

       

Right whales, Bay of Fundy, Canada

Northern right whales are on the brink of extinction, but survivors arrive in the Bay of Fundy each summer (May through October) to feed east of Grand Manan Island. They are recognized by a broad back and no dorsal fin, which distinguish them from other whales entering the bay.

Planning: Whale-watching tours operate out of Digby Neck peninsula on Nova Scotia and nearby islands, such as Brier Island, St. Andrews, Grand Manan Island, and Deer Island.

Grizzly bears, Alaska, USA

Grizzlies like salmon. In mid-July and again in mid-August, grizzlies make for Alaskan rivers to hook out the fish with their formidable claws. The bears gather in large numbers at rapids and pools, sometimes fighting for the best sites. Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, and Fish Creek, near Hyder, have viewing platforms.

Planning: Most fishing sites are accessed by chartered light aircraft and a hike. Hyder is off the Stewart-Cassiar Highway.

Monarch butterflies, Sierra Chincua, Mexico

Each fall, millions of North American monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles to the oyamel fir forests of the Transvolcanic Mountain Range, in the state of Michoacán. They flock intimately on tree trunks, bushes, and on the ground, fully showing their gregarious nature and occupy Sierra Chincua and four neighboring hills that make up the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve.

Planning: Chincua is one of two hills in the reserve open to the public from November through March.

Komodo dragons, Komodo Island, Indonesia

Landing on Komodo, you would feel like stepping back to a time when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, as park maps reported, “Here be dragons!” This mountainous volcanic island is home to the world’s largest living lizard – the Komodo dragon. Weighing 79 to 91kg, the Komodo dragon has a tail as long as its body. You can hike to a viewpoint at Banugulung and watch as park rangers feed food to the lizards, some of which are more than 10ft long.

Planning: Komodo is reached solely by boat from Bima (on eastern Sumbawa) or Labuan Bajo (on western Flores).

Wildebeest migration, Serengeti, Tanzania

Undoubtedly the world’s most spectacular wildlife sight is the annual wildebeest migration, when 1.4 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebras and gazelles are on the move across the Serengeti plains. The animals are trekking to chase the clean water and fresh grass. Along the way, lions and hyenas stalk them, and crocodiles lie in wait.

Planning: The herds migrate across Tanzania from December through July, and then pass through the Masai Mara in Kenya in August and September.

1. In which place can a variety of types of animals be viewed?

A．Alaska.

B．Sierra Chincua.

C．Komodo Island.

D．Serengeti.

2. The underlined word “gregarious” probably means ______.

A．being able to climb	B．preferring group living
C．migrating in huge numbers	D．moderate in temper

3. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Right whales are distinguished from other whales by unique appearance features.

B．Viewing spots for grizzly bears can be reached through air and on foot.

C．Komodo dragons are similar to dinosaurs in living period.

D．Wildebeest herds travel to pursue favorable food conditions.

5 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

    1     I think about the beauty and appeal of Chinese culture, one of the first things that enter my mind is images of complicated Chinese calligraphy. I love to watch the older folks in the park dip and sweep their brushes across the stones. I imagine as they swing their arms that their movements are part of     2     dance and the watery messages left behind are the words to the song playing in their head. Unfortunately, just as the water slowly evaporates from sight, so, too, the art of Chinese calligraphy seems     3     (fade) away gradually.

This is the fear of Cui Zhiqiang, a senior calligraphy master with the China Calligraphers Association. “The style of writing among Chinese people today has been changed or ruined,” he laments. He explains this as the unavoidable effect     4     the everyday use of cellphones and computers. With the help of the pinyin system, people     5     “write” the characters by simply spelling out the phonetic equivalent. Skillful strokes have been replaced with tapping and typing.

It isn’t just the written form of Chinese that is being impacted by this phenomenon, though. The English language has been impacted, too. Computer skills are now considered so basic that the time once spent     6     (teach) cursive writing in elementary school is now being used to teach keyboarding. Furthermore, people have become so dependent on the spellcheck and autocorrect features     7     their ability to spell is suffering.

Language and culture are inextricably linked. The written form of the Chinese language     8     (carry) with it the stories of the traditional characters and the reasons for each and every change through the years. In light of its value, many people celebrated CCTV’s summer show,     9     brought together groups of Chinese youth to compete in a dictation contest. The show was well received and generated an interest in young people to improve their handwriting skills and encouraged parents to enroll their children in calligraphy classes.

Not all see the changing forms of our written languages as a negative thing. If you look at language solely as a tool for communication, then perhaps you might agree. Modern ways of writing are efficient and effective. But if you also see language as an art form, then we are truly losing something     10     (beautiful).

6 . An interesting question in humankind’s development is, when did we begin to think critically? In other words, when did we turn from animals focused only on the daily struggle to avoid starvation to humans who could think symbolically about the word around us? However, answering this question is not easy as thinking leaves no fossils to discover.

A commonsense assumption is that higher levels of thought go hand-in-hand with verbal language, because higher thinking, such as creative thought, would naturally seek a means of expression. So tracing the development of language could give an approximate idea of when humans began to think critically.

Interestingly, we do have some fossil evidence related to speech. Animals whose larynx (voice box) is placed high in their throats are unable to produce the variety of sounds necessary for speech. Fossil bones tell us that in early humans, the larynx was originally high in the throat. However, by about 200,000 years ago, it had moved lower in the throat. This lowering provided a larger sound chamber (the space in the throat and the mouth) in which passing air could be controlled by the tongue, making a wide range of sounds and rhythms possible.

So humans were physically able to speak around 200,000 years ago, but when did they actually start doing so? Estimates range from 35,000 to 100,000 years ago. But with no physical evidence of ancient language use, we need another approach to determine more precisely when humans began to speak - and to think critically.

Professor Richard Klein of Stanford University suggests that art may be the key. After all, ability to create or appreciate art is a uniquely human train. If ancient humans had the imagination to create a work of art (which in itself is a means of communication), then it seems highly likely that they would possess the primary means of communication: language. This suggests that the first works of art can be considered indicators of when language and critical though began.

Until recently the earliest art was believed to be cave paintings, carved figures, and jewelry found in southwestern Europe and thought to data from about 40,000 years ago. This suggested that humans first became capable of critical thought about 40,000 years ago. However, this time frame was recently overturned by an exciting discovery in South Africa. Anthropologist Christ Henshilwood spent more than ten years exploring a cave there. He found many well-made tools, but more intriguing were the 8,000 pieces of ochre, a soft stone that can be turned into paint. Hensilwood’s breakthrough came in 1999 when he found an ochre piece with lines cut in a careful pattern. In other words, it was deliberate artistic design. Henshilwood had found the oldest piece of art yet, its date of origin set at 70,000 years — nearly 30,000 years before the art in Europe.

Based on Henshilwood’s discovery, it seems that humans began to speak and think critically at least 70,000 years ago.

1. ______ made humans physically able to speak.

A．The evolution of the tongue

B．The lowering of the larynx

C．The appearance of various sounds

D．The higher thinking

2. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．No other animals than humans can enjoy art.

B．Before 1999, Africa was thought to be the origin of art.

C．Without creative though, humans would be unable to speak.

D．Evidence of ancient language use was once found in Europe.

3. According to the passage, the oldest deliberate artistic design dates back to ______ years ago.

A．30,000

B．40,000

C．70,000

D．200,000

4. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A．How did humans stop struggling for starvation?

B．When did humans become able to create art?

C．How did humans communicate more freely?

D．When did humans begin to think?

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.

A．She asked classmates for advice.	B．She made use of online courses.
C．She took some short university courses.	D．She majored in film making.

2.

A．Because they are important but neglected.

B．Because she majors in environment at university.

C．Because they will definitely attract more followers.

D．Because she is dissatisfied with the previous videos.

3.

A．Guilty.	B．Surprised.
C．Inspired.	D．Disappointed.

4.

A．It’s advisable to keep a low key online.

B．A successful vlogger must be knowledgeable.

C．New ideas help arouse interest among viewers.

D．Updating frequency is the most important to keep viewers.

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.

A．Exhibition.	B．Facilities.
C．Entertainment.	D．Films.

2.

A．It’s meaningful but no fun.

B．It’s entertaining and instructive.

C．It’s innovative and well-received.

D．It’s informative but has its limitation.

3.

A．A film review on zoos.

B．A report about a film release.

C．A survey on zoological facilities.

D．A documentary about endangered species.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.

A．They are both worried about the negative impact of technology.

B．They differ greatly in their knowledge of modern technology.

C．They disagree about the future of AI technology.

D．They work in different fields of AI technology.

2.

A．Stimulating and motivating.

B．Simply writing AI software.

C．More demanding and requiring special training.

D．Less time-consuming and focusing on creation.

3.

A．There could be jobs nobody wants to do.

B．Digital life could replace human civilization.

C．Humans would be tired of communicating with one another.

D．Old people would be taken care of solely by unfeeling robots.

4.

A．It will be smarter than human beings.

B．Chips will be inserted in human brains.

C．It will take away humans’ jobs altogether.

D．Life will become like a science fiction film.

10 . One of the roles of the Nobel Prize for literature is to shine a light on someone who has been less visible than they deserve. That role was _______ this year in the announcement of Abdulrazak Gurnah as winner.

Unlike previous popular recipients living in Britain, he is not a _______. He could, as he said after the announcement, have reached more readers, but his publications _______ to grant him that. His publisher felt sorry for the fact that he “is one of the greatest living African writers; yet no one has ever _______ him,” but with this he did not agree: “I didn’t think I was ignored.”

There is a(n) _______ , here, that has to do with who is doing the looking, and what counts as officially being noticed. There is also a point of _______: calling Gurnah an African writer. In fact, while that seems to broaden horizons, it narrows and distances what he is doing. Gurnah was born in Zanzibar, and left for Britain when he was 18, _______ regional conflicts for what he hoped would be calmer waters, which turned out to be stronger dark current. He has lived in Britain ever since.

He began and stuck to writing to _______, to himself, of the shock -- of racism, rejection, poverty and loneliness. His ten novels return to it _______, which begins in 1996’s Admiring Silence. His work exists because of Britain as well as Zanzibar; it may ________ both or wholly neither. It arrives out of a(n) ________ of English literature (Gurnah is professor of literature at the University of Kent), and his first language, the rhythms and stories of Islam.

________, many of the UK's thirteen Nobel-winning writers were born elsewhere as by 2019, 14% of the UK’s population were born abroad. People might also be astonished at how many of those countries were once part of the British empire. Gurnah has spoken of how much of the world is still processing the wounds that colonialism ________, especially the experience of “losing your place in the world”-- where place is not just ________, but also belonging, status and culture.

In this sense, Gurnah’s work, which ________ those who might not have been remembered in history--shopkeeper, homemakers, students and refugees, could not be more British. But, more importantly, it could not be more universal.

1.

A．assumed

B．fulfilled

C．interpreted

D．handled

2.

A．household name

B．black horse

C．new face

D．walking dictionary

3.

A．demanded

B．tended

C．qualified

D．failed

4.

A．cast doubt on

B．shown sympathy for

C．taken any notice of

D．put trust in

5.

A．bridge

B．gulf

C．opposition

D．association

6.

A．illustration

B．definition

C．navigation

D．accusation

7.

A．prizing

B．initiating

C．fighting

D．escaping

8.

A．take care

B．take charge

C．make sense

D．make sure

9.

A．repeatedly

B．periodically

C．scarcely

D．accidentally

10.

A．bother with

B．contribute to

C．consist of

D．admit to

11.

A．spite

B．knowledge

C．empathy

D．necessity

12.

A．Obviously

B．Naturally

C．Consequently

D．Strikingly

13.

A．imposed

B．healed

C．received

D．examined

14.

A．psychological

B．geographical

C．ideological

D．demographical

15.

A．discounts

B．awards

C．spotlights

D．evaluates