2 . As the shift from traditional farming to modern farming is progressing, the use of technology such as drones (无人机), robots and machinery has also begun, producing favorable results and increasing efficiency in the industry. A farmer from the Philippines, Rey Kent Dejesica, wanted to help and contribute to the agriculture industry. Through an advertisement, he saw DIAGRAS drones and was interested in the idea of drones being used for farm applications.

In the Philippines, when people think of farmers or agriculture, they usually picture long hours working in the sun. Farming is an onerous process, especially for young people, who like everything instant. “Rice and bananas are the primary sources of income in my city. I want to contribute to the agriculture industry in a way to reduce growers’ expenses and make the usage of pesticides (农药) more precise and efficient because I’ve seen how innovative individuals are and how they always find ways and methods to make tasks easier,” Rey Kent Dejesica said.

“Using drones as a sprayer (喷雾器) also lessens human labor. Besides that, we can obtain a bird’s-eye view of fields and spay crops precisely and effectively with drones,” Rey Kent Dejesica said. Moreover, farmers stated that the use of drones also minimized the Panama disease. “After we switched to drone technology, our field became more beautiful,” they added.

Agriculture is the main source of income for some Asian regions. Parts of Asia are now going through a rapidly aging farmer population and a fear of food shortage. That is why the youth must be part of the trade to ensure food security in the future. Advancements in agricultural technology such as drones can attract the youth back to the farming scene.

Armed with his knowledge of drone technology and having a positive attitude, Rey Kent sets an example for the next generation of farmers. May this be a stepping stone showing that farming is not something to be embarrassed about, but to be accepted through applying new technology.

1. Why was Rey Kent Dejesica interested in using drones for farming?

A．He was influenced by his parents.

B．He was doing experiments with drones.

C．He wanted farmers to stop using pesticides.

D．He aimed to use them to help the agricultural industry.

2. What does the underlined word “onerous” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Simple.

B．Creative.

C．Heavy.

D．Dangerous.

3. What do the farmers think of the use of drones?

A．Helpful.

B．Harmful.

C．Useless.

D．Funny.

4. What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?

A．The aging farmer population in Asia.	B．The importance of food security in the world.
C．The youth’s role in high-tech agriculture.	D．The advancements in agricultural technology.

3 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The “Understanding Contemporary China” Foreign Language Contests were held in Beijing from December 4 to 8．

Nearly one million college students from more than 1,300 universities participated , with about 2,500     1     (enter) the national final. The contests aimed to     2     (deep) college students’ understanding of China, enhance their linguistic (语言的) abilities and intercultural communication     3     (competent), and provide a platform for them to tell China’s stories well.

The champion of the English group     4     (determine) through a simulated (模拟的) “Global Youth Summit”. Three contestants discussed     5     (topic) including cultural diversity and the future development of mankind with Xinhua News Agency’s reporter Simon Keith Robinson,     6     tested their knowledge and ability to handle diverse subjects.

Xu Chengcheng, from Beijing Foreign Studies University, won     7     national championship of the International Communication Contest. She demonstrated a high-level of English proficiency(熟练)and strong communication skills in the prepared speech     8     the Global Youth Summit session(会议).

A special session of “Multilingual Champions Showcase” was part     9     the closing ceremony, where champions used their foreign language skills     10     (share) stories about their understanding of China and communication with the world, showcasing youthful insights.

4 . Being approachable brings you many advantages. However, you often struggle to make friends and network when you are perceived as not being friendly. So how do you make yourself approachable?     1     .

Avoid isolating yourself

The first step is to consider whether you open yourself to contact with others. Looking angry and crossing your arms can suggest to others that you are not to be approached.     2    . Besides, avoid corners and spaces where you can’t be seen if you want others to find you.

Listen actively

The basic skill to master to be someone’s go-to person is to listen first.     3    . We might feel like we get the hang of everything or just want to provide the advice and get it over with. However, listening is often important and even more important than being able to fix the problem.

Avoid a judgmental attitude

    4    . It depends on how you choose to respond to them and what you say. Sometimes, we might make a judgment. It has certainly happened to you before. Usually, it hurts, even if it could be true. It makes others less likely to come back and talk to you again. Instead, offer listening and reserve your judgments.

    5    

If you want to be seen as more approachable, you can also invite people to come to you. Do it only if you mean it and be sincere in offering your support. Open some time in your schedule to welcome people or, if you can’t, schedule a follow-up meeting.

A．Invite people to come to you

B．Persuade people to come back later

C．Here are a few ways to help you enhance this aspect

D．It allows you to share your troubles with others honestly

E．Often, we get the urge to interrupt or rush the conversation along

F．The way you respond also encourages others to come to you again

G．So you can try to appear more approachable by focusing on your body language

6 . Sarkar is a nanotechnologist (纳米技术专家) and assistant professor at MIT. She is conducting her research on brain diseases that _________ the minds of millions of people worldwide.

Born in Kolkata, India, Sarkar credits both of her parents as early _________. Her courage as a researcher comes from her _________, who as a young woman went against social norms (常态) in her village by _________ to fund her own education. Meanwhile, Sarkar’s father _________ her interest in engineering. Sarkar recalls her father finding time for his _________, fashioning devices to make home life more _______, including an electricity-free washing machine. “That got me very _________ in science and technology.” Sarkar says.

After _________ a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Dhanbad, Sarkar __________ California to study nanoclectronics. There, she tested new ways to __________ nanodevices that could reduce the amount of __________ consumed by computers and other everyday electronics. __________, she made a breakthrough by developing a standout nanodevice.

Along the way, Sarkar became fascinated with the __________, which she calls “the lowest energy computer”. She hopes to put nanodevices between human neurons (神经细胞) to improve the computing speed of the processor in our brains. “Our brains are __________, but we could be better than what we are.” she says.

1.

A．enrich

B．read

C．affect

D．poison

2.

A．birds

B．researchers

C．failures

D．inspirations

3.

A．aunt

B．mother

C．sister

D．grandmother

4.

A．working

B．pretending

C．refusing

D．waiting

5.

A．protected

B．switched

C．stimulated

D．supported

6.

A．job

B．holiday

C．discomfort

D．passion

7.

A．complex

B．convenient

C．peaceful

D．meaningful

8.

A．interested

B．honest

C．lucky

D．disappointed

9.

A．starting

B．carning

C．needing

D．introducing

10.

A．adapted to

B．related to

C．headed to

D．belonged to

11.

A．create

B．fix

C．operate

D．sell

12.

A．water

B．money

C．power

D．time

13.

A．Unfortunately

B．Immediately

C．Obviously

D．Eventually

14.

A．computer

B．brain

C．exercise

D．fashion

15.

A．empty

B．busy

C．relaxed

D．remarkable

7 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

“Alice, you spend too much time on your phone,” her father said. “You need to focus on your studies.”

“But Dad, I’m doing my best,” Alice replied. “I’m balancing my phone time with my studies.”

In the tense meal, Alice and her parents argued about her recent changes. They were focused on her increased attachment to her phone and its impact on her studies. Her parents were concerned that she was neglecting (忽视) her studies and worried about the impact it might have on her future. They felt that her attachment to the phone was taking her away from her studies.

Alice said, “I know you’re worried about me, but I’m trying my best. I just want to have some fun with my friends and take a break from studying sometimes.” However, her parents didn’t seem to understand or accept her explanation. They felt that she needed to focus more on her studies and less on the phone.

The argument escalated (升级) when Alice announced that she wanted to leave the science club she had been a member of for years to join a new social media club. Alice explained, “I’m not sure if leaving the science club was a right decision or not. I just feel like I need a change.” Her mother was shocked and said angrily, “You made this decision without thinking it through. You’ve done well in the science club, and you have a lot of potential to go further. You’ll regret it if you don’t keep going.”

After that argument, Alice, feeling increasingly frustrated, withdrew into herself and spent more time in her room. She started to avoid her parents as much as possible and didn’t want to talk to them about anything related to her studies or her future.

Her parents saw that the little girl who had come back laughing and talking was gone, and now they saw a face that was alternately angry and sad. She did spend less time on her phone, but she became increasingly unhappy.

注意：1.续写词数应为150个左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

One night, Alice’s parents knocked on the girl’s door and said they wanted to talk to her.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

At this point, Alice seemed to see some hope of joining the social media club.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . Retired Army Col. Farrell Patrick taught computer science at West Point during the 1970s and then at two private universities through the 1990s, so he isn’t surprised by the progress technology has made over the decades. But when the 91-year-old got his first virtual reality (VR) experience recently, he was amazed.

Sitting in a conference room at John Knox Village, Patrick sat up straight as his eyes and ears experienced what it would be like to be in a Navy fighter jet flying off the Florida coast. John Knox Village was one of 17 senior communities around the country that participated in a recently published Stanford University study.

During the study, the seniors were picked from seven-minute virtual experiences such as riding in a tank, watching stage performances, playing with dogs and cats or visiting places like Paris or Egypt. The participants wore headsets that gave them 360-degree views and sounds, making it seem like they had been all but dropped into the actual experience.

The study, working with the company Mynd Immersive, found that almost 80% of the seniors reported having a more positive attitude after their VR session and almost 60% said they felt less isolated socially. The enjoyment lessened somewhat for older respondents whose sight and hearing had deteriorated (恶化). Those who found VR less enjoyable were also more likely to dislike technology in general.

The company has worked on the biggest complaints the seniors in the study had about VR—the headsets were too heavy and the heat they generated made the seniors’ foreheads sweat. The new headsets weigh about six ounces (189 grams) instead of a pound (454 grams). Besides, they have a built-in fan for cooling, and the videos aren’t as jumpy.

Patrick says he hopes to live to 100 because he believes the next five years will see momentous changes in VR. Still a technology enthusiast, he believes the cost of systems will drop dramatically and become part of everyday living, even for seniors.

1. What is the function of the first paragraph?

A．To lead in the topic.	B．To reach a conclusion.
C．To present an argument.	D．To make a definition.

2. Why does the author mention “Paris or Egypt” in paragraph 3?

A．To illustrate the two cities’ support for VR.

B．To explain why seniors are crazy about traveling.

C．To compare the differences between the two cities.

D．To show the VR experiences the seniors can choose from.

3. What did the study find?

A．Most seniors enjoyed VR.	B．Old people preferred socializing.
C．Seniors’ sight and hearing became worse.	D．Most retired people disliked high-tech products.

4. What do the figures in paragraph 5 indicate about Mynd Immersive?

A．Its products hardly appeal to seniors.	B．Its goal is to produce high-quality videos.
C．It has made improvements on the headsets.	D．It has got a lot of complaints from teenagers.