1 . Facial recognition software has found an unlikely new application: scanning the faces of thousands of British children in school canteens.
Nine schools in North Ayrshire will today start taking lunch payments by scanning the faces of pupils, claiming that the new system speeds up queues and is more secure than the card payments and fingerprint scanners they used previously. “It’s the fastest way of recognising someone at the till,” said David Swanston, the managing director of CRB Cunninghams, the company that installed the systems. “In a secondary school you have around a 25-minute period to serve potentially 1,000 pupils. So we need fast productivity at the point of sale.” He said the average transaction time was cut to five seconds per pupil.
However, privacy campaigners say there is little need to spread out facial recognition technology, which has been criticized for often operating without gaining approvals from the owners. Swanston argued that CRB Cunningham’s system, which uses cameras to check against coded face-print modes stored on servers at the schools, was different from live facial recognition systems that scan through crowds to identify faces. Live facial recognition has previously caused debate after being used by schools for security or to monitor attendance.
North Ayrshire committee said that 97 percent of children or their parents had given agreement for the new system. “Pupils often forget their PINs and unfortunately some have also been the victim of PIN cheating, so they are supportive of the planned developments and appreciate the benefits to them,” the council said.
But some parents said they were unsure whether their children had been given enough information to make their decision, and suggested that peer pressure had also played a role.
1. What can we infer from Swanston’s word?| A．He speaks highly of the system. |
| B．The software is intended to promote the sales. |
| C．The technology has previously caused debate. |
| D．The system will be helpful when the students forget their PINs. |
| A．It speeds up the queues. |
| B．It is safer than the previous payments. |
| C．It operates without being approved of. |
| D．It benefits the pupils who often forget their PINs. |
| A．Supportive | B．Disapproved |
| C．Objective | D．Critical |
| A．Facial recognition has been the best way adopted so far. |
| B．Parents disagree with the application of facial recognition system. |
| C．The facial recognition system can benefit the pupils who are forgetful. |
| D．Schools speed up canteen queues with facial recognition technology. |
2 . Some interesting places in Barcelona
Barcelona is now Europe’s sixth most visited city. If you’ve never visited it before, a plan to go there is worth making because there’s so much to see. The following will definitely leave a deep impression on the first-timers in Barcelona.
Grab a fresh snack at La Boqueria Market
Barcelona’s biggest market is found right in the middle of the famous La Rambla. Its central location means that it’s always packed with people, so prepare to push your way through the stands! The selection and quality of ingredients are excellent. Grab a milk shake and get lost in the crowds.
Look down on the city from the majestic Park Guell
The mosaic-covered buildings of Park Guell have come to be the postcard photo of Barcelona! The park itself is remarkably beautiful and has one of the best views of the whole city. The best way to reach Park Guell from the city centre is to take Bus 24 from Placa Catalunya. Some areas of the park are free, while the best pats require you to buy a ticket.
Appreciate 4,000 original Picassos at the Picasso Museum
The Picasso Museum in Barcelona showcases one of the most extensive Picasso collections in the world, with a particular highlight on much of his early work. Picasso spent his adolescent years in Barcelona, and it is the place where he developed his artistic training. The Museum is located in the heart of the Old Town, in the very streets where the young Picasso lived his Barcelona life.
Take a tour of historic Camp Nou
The second biggest association football stadium in the world is home to one of the most historic clubs of all time. A tour at Camp Nou includes access to the Camp Nou Museum where you will be able to see 22 Liga and 4 Champions League trophies in the same room. Explore an area solely dedicated to Barcelona’s hero, Leo Messi.
1. What can you do at La Boqueria Market?| A．Buy souvenirs for friends. | B．Enjoy freshly-made food. |
| C．Meet the footballer, Messi. | D．Buy postcards in the market. |
| A．Those who like beautiful scenery. | B．Those who like western paintings. |
| C．Those who are interested in football. | D．Those eager to taste delicious food. |
| A．To advertise for a grand park. | B．To attract more visitors to Barcelona. |
| C．To introduce a famous artist Picasso. | D．To praise delicious snacks in Barcelona. |
3 . If you are currently learning English, 1 highly recommend you check out the apps below.
Quizlet
When learning English, you probably have to memorize a lot of words. If you want to grow your vocabulary as fast as possible, a flashcard app like Quizlet is a great shortcut. With Quizlet, you can create a set of flashcards with new English words you are trying to learn, and practice typing them out until you know them by heart. It's a simple concept, but it's highly effective.
Spotify
Spotify is not a language learning app. But chances are that you already use it or a similar app for listening to music or podcasts（播客）, and one of the effective ways to study is combining something you already use into your existing habits. If Spotify is already on your phone, you can subscribe to some podcasts for English learners or download playlists of songs for learning English, or make your own.
Beelinguapp
Beelinguapp makes reading in English as convenient as possible. It shows you a text in your own language with the English translation side-by-side. Texts are short enough so that you can really dig into every word. They cover topics from fairytales, to science, to current news articles. There's even a "karaoke" feature where you can read along to audio, which helps you match up the English pronunciation with the English spellings.
Tandem
Tandem is a language exchange app which connects learners from all over the world. It can help you find a native English speaker who is trying to learn your native language, so you can swap language skills. If you only have five minutes to spare, you can simply exchange messages with a native English speaker. If you have more time, you can have a longer, digital language exchange" by sharing voice notes, or using video chat. It's a great way to test your English skills out with real people.
1. What is Spotify intended to help people do?| A．Develop a good habit. | B．Listen to music or podcasts. |
| C．Learn a foreign language. | D．Memorize words with flashcards. |
| A．Learners can use their native language as a reference. |
| B．It's convenient for learners to translate voice notes. |
| C．It provides learners a chance to tell their own stories. |
| D．Learners can sing English songs along to the music. |
| A．Quizlet. | B．Spotify. | C．Beelinguapp. | D．Tandem. |
4 . Ways to Show Gratitude (感激)
COVID-19 has a way of making people feel like their world was turned upside down overnight. They struggle with feeling frightened and feeling like everyone is overreacting (反应过度).
Give thanks for everyday things
One way to make gratitude a regular part of your day is to make it a habit to think of three things you are thankful for each day. It doesn’t really matter whether you perform this exercise first thing in the morning or just before you go to bed. The important thing is that you’re taking time and reflecting on what you are grateful for.
Keep track of everything you’re grateful for
Using a phone app like Gratitude Plus, you can record the things you’re grateful for. Another option is to use social media or even post-it notes to express your gratitude.
Reflect on past negative experiences
Look back on the worst moments in your life.
| A．Make gratitude a daily habit. |
| B．Stick to expressing gratitude in public. |
| C．Then, compare those with where you are now. |
| D．Gratitude doesn’t have to be over the top or something significant. |
| E．You can hardly stay strong while recalling the moments that ever happened. |
| F．But learning to practice gratitude every day can bring some changes to your life. |
| G．The key is to use a method to help you remember the things you are grateful for. |
A MOTHER’S DAY SURPRISE
The twins were filled with excitement as they thought of the surprise they were planning for Mother’s Day. How pleased and proud Mother would be when they brought her breakfast in bed. They planned to make French toast and chicken porridge. They had watched their mother in the kitchen. There was nothing to it. Jenna and Jeff knew exactly what to do.
The big day came at last. The alarm rang at 6 a.m. The pair went down the stairs quietly to the kitchen. They decided to boil the porridge first. They put some rice into a pot of water and left it to boil while they made the French toast. Jeff broke two eggs into a plate and added in some milk. Jenna found the bread and put two slices into the egg mixture. Next, Jeff turned on the second stove burner to heat up the frying pan. Everything was going smoothly until Jeff started frying the bread. The pan was too hot and the bread turned black within seconds. Jenna threw the burnt piece into the sink and put in the other slice of bread. This time, she turned down the fire so it cooked nicely.
Then Jeff noticed steam shooting out of the pot and the lid starting to shake. The next minute, the porridge boiled over and put out the fire. Jenna panicked. Thankfully, Jeff stayed calm and turned off the gas quickly. But the stove was a mess now. Jenna told Jeff to clean it up so they could continue to cook the rest of the porridge. But Jeff’s hand touched the hot burner and he gave a cry of pain. Jenna made him put his hand in cold water. Then she caught the smell of burning. Oh dear! The piece of bread in the pan had turned black as well.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右。2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
As the twins looked around them in disappointment, their father appeared.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The twins carried the breakfast upstairs and woke their mother up.
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