1 . It may seem as if Mother's Day was invented by a company named Hallmark, but people have been taking time on the calendar to give a shout-out to Mom for a long time. The Greeks and Romans had mother goddess festivals — although their celebrations didn't involve the menfolk taking their underappreciated mothers out to dinner. A more recent tradition was Mothering Sunday, which developed in the British Isles during the 16th century. On the fourth Sunday in April, young men and women who were living and working apart from their families were advised to return to their mothers’ houses.
Mother's Day as it is observed in the United States started in the 1850s with Ann Jarvis, a West Virginia woman who held “Mothers' Work Days” to promote health and hygiene(卫生 ) at home and in the workplace. During the Civil War, Jarvis organized women to improve sanitary conditions for soldiers on both sides, and after the war she became a peacemaker, furthering the cause by bringing together mothers of Union and Confederate soldiers and promoting a Mother's Day holiday.
Jarvis's work inspired another 19th-century woman, Julia Ward Howe. In 1870 Howe published her “Mother's Day Proclamation”, which envisioned(设想) the day not as appreciation of mothers by their children but as an opportunity for women to exercise their collective power for peace. Howe started holding annual Mother's Day celebrations in Boston, her hometown, but after about a decade she stopped footing the bill and the tradition faded away.
It was Jarvis's daughter Anna who succeeded in getting Mother’s Day recognized as a national holiday. After her mother died, in May 1905, Anna started holding yearly ceremony on the anniversary and conducting a tireless PR campaign to have the day made a holiday. In 1908 she succeeded in enlisting the support of John Wanamaker, the Philadelphia department store magnate and advertising pioneer, and by 1912 West Virginia and a few other states had adopted Mother's Day. Two years later, President Woodrow Wilson signed a resolution declaring the second Sunday in May a national holiday.
It wasn't long, though, before whatever ideals the day was supposed to celebrate were buried under an amount of greeting cards and candy. By the 1920s Anna Jarvis was campaigning against the holiday she had been instrumental in creating. “I wanted it to be a day of emotionalism, not profit,” she said.
1. It can be inferred from the first paragraph that .| A．mothers didn't get enough appreciation in the past |
| B．Mother's Day was invented by Hallmark |
| C．young people all returned to their mothers' houses |
| D．Greeks and Romans were the first to celebrate Mother's Day |
| A．Ann Jarvis. | B．Julia Ward Howe. |
| C．Woodrow Wilson. | D．Anna Jarvis. |
| A．Because it was extremely emotional. |
| B．Because the festival was not profitable. |
| C．Because the celebrations went against the original spirit. |
| D．Because the day was celebrated in the form of exchanging greeting cards and candy. |
| A．The Definition of Mother’s Day |
| B．The Argument on Celebrating Mother's Day |
| C．The Story Behind the Creation of Mother's Day |
| D．Different Forms of Celebration on Mother's Day |
2 . The Impossible Burger is entirely free of meat. But it looks, smells, feels and-most importantly-tastes so much like real hamburger beef. In fact, plant-based burger alternatives have set off a strong resistance from the beef industry. The Center for Consumer Freedom, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of the fast food and meat industries has launched an "informational" campaign targeting plant-based meats. The campaign has included TV and online ads, as well as print ads in newspapers. The ads seem to imply that not only is an artificial burger too processed, but that it might be even less healthy than the average beef burger.
While it's true that a plant-based meat alternative is processed and it's true that eating one is not as healthy as a pile of raw vegetables, it's best to take the ads with a generous pinch of salt.
For instance, the additives and preservatives in plant-based meat highlighted in one ad sure sound scary. Who wants something called titanium dioxide(二氧化钛)in their meal? But the truth is that additives such as those listed in the ads are regularly used in all sorts of packaged foods. And if methylcellulose, a food thickener, sounds unpleasant, it's really nothing compared with salmonella(沙门菌)poisoning you can get from regular meat.
Also, the ad campaign misses the bigger point. Choosing an Impossible or Beyond burger isn't just about healthy eating Burgers, whether they are made from processed pea protein or processed meat, will never be as healthy as organic raw vegetables.
What's appealing is the prospect or enjoying a juicy burger without the bitter aftertaste of guilt.
Let's face it, there are huge environmental costs to eating cows. Cattle raising is contributing to climate. change, and not just because methane(甲烷)from cows and cattle is responsible for about 14.5% of greenhouse gas. More broadly, our global food production system releases more than a third of the world's greenhouse gases. Yet we can't seem to control our meat appetite even knowing that large areas of the Amazon forest have been ruined, and continue to be cut down to make room for more cattle to feed the growing demand for beef. Humans also know full well that many animals live short, cruel lives in awful conditions for the purpose of becoming foods for humans to enjoy at dinner.
A plant-based meat that satisfies meat desires and delivers protein but with a smaller climate footprint is a potential environmental game changer and the reason Impossible Foods was one of those receiving the UN, Global Climate Action Award in 2019. No wonder the meat industry is on guard.
1. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?| A．These ads deserve little consideration. |
| B．We should spread the message of these ads. |
| C．These ads tell people a lot about plant-based burgers. |
| D．We'd better be cautious when reading these ads |
| A．Their use is within the normal range. |
| B．They are likely to cause poisoning. |
| C．They are used to ensure burgers taste good |
| D．Some have not been used in hamburgers. |
| A．Doubtful | B．Supportive | C．Disapproving. | D．Neutral |
I: Introduction P: Point Sp: Sub-point(次要点) C: Conclusion
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
3 . As summer turns to fall and parents are buying children their new backpacks, it is time to think of how our schools work and whether they are inspiring true learning. The schools of today are largely those of our great-grandparents. While white boards may have replaced blackboards and DVDs are used instead of projectors, schoolroom atmosphere is remarkably unchanged. Teachers deliver inert (无活力的) information to eager and empty minds who will soon lose what Ellen Galinsky described as the “fire in their eyes”.
Our view of leaning is trapped in the learning illusion (错误观念) that content is all that matters. Of course, content is important. Who would not want to have the multiplication tables memorized? But content is constantly changing. Pluto? No longer a planet. If memorization of content is everything, children’s knowledge will be out of date. Classrooms at all levels need to emphasize “the six C’s”: content, collaboration, communication, confidence (risk-taking), critical thinking and creative innovation (创新).
Our approach to the economic threats we see on our borders is to push for 19th century memorization in a 21st century world. Yet the facts will be as close at the Google generation’s fingertips. We need to teach our children how to learn, and how Sally and Pedro can together figure out how to use technology to understand why some trees never lose their leaves while others do. We need John and Qonick to argue about the best way to solve that math problem, rather than just listen to what the teacher tells them. Today’s schools should be active places where kids are actually thinking together about problem-solving.
None of this is to say that children cannot learn in school. They can. But children are often expected to sit still, listen and repeat disembodied content. The “keys to the kingdom” of the 21st century will go to those who love to learn and can transform their knowledge in innovative ways.
1. The underlined part “fire in their eyes” in Paragraph 1 probably means “_______”.| A．desire for knowledge | B．determination to succeed |
| C．anger shown to the teachers | D．patience for the exam results |
| A．To explain the meaning of the planet. | B．To emphasize the school education. |
| C．To show knowledge is changeable. | D．To advise children to work hard. |
| A．Scientists in the 19th century. | B．The students in the 21st century. |
| C．Famous people in the 20th century. | D．Experienced teachers in the world. |
| A．students should sit still in the classroom | B．it is better for children to learn at home |
| C．creative learning is very important now | D．white boards can’t be used at school |
4 . Make 2020 your most adventurous year yet by signing up for one of these trips of a lifetime. Sail to Aldabra Atoll for a fascinating journey, hike along the frontiers of Georgia, explore different habitats of human and animals: These journeys are unlike any trip you've ever taken before.
Exodus Travels  This once -in-a- lifetime journey visits Aldabra Atoll, one of the most remote UNESCO World Heritage sites on the planet. Hidden away from the impact of humans，Aldabra has managed to sustain a population of 152,000 giant tortoises. This is the trip for wildlife enthusiasts: The clear waters of the Seychelles are home to 850 species of brilliantly colored fish that you'll visit on snorkel and dive excursions (旅行). |
Wild Frontiers Adventure Travel  Wild Frontiers Adventure Travel's Georgia Walking Tour showcases the country's wild side, with plenty of hikes in the Svaneti Mountains mixed with cultural experiences like a visit to the remote village of Adishi, home to just 12 families. |
Natural Habitat Adventures  A nine-day adventure centered around Natural Habitat's unique luxury base camp near the edge of the Greenland ice sheet. You'll be in one of the world's most remote locations (with a maximum of only 11 other travelers in your group) , but still have access to hot showers and well-prepared meals. You'll spend your days exploring the surrounding water, meeting the local Inuit villagers, kayaking (独木舟),and more. |
Mountain Travel Sobek  Accompanied with expert guides, you'll track gorillas through Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, getting a rare chance to see these majestic creatures up close. You'll also focus your search on another rare creature—the golden monkey. |
1. Who will be most likely to choose Aldabra Atoll as a perfect destination?
| A．A UNESCO officer. |
| B．An experienced hiker. |
| C．A passionate animal lover. |
| D．An active environmentalist. |
| A．enjoy a cold bath |
| B．make dinners alone |
| C．prepare a folding tent |
| D．take waterproof overcoats |
| A．A culture report. |
| B．A reference book. |
| C．A tourism magazine. |
| D．A geography textbook. |
Most people know a leap year is every four years and that it has something to do with the earth circling the sun. But many may not be aware of
