2 . Anyone who has studied a foreign language knows how difficult it is to become really fluent.
Find a conversation partner
Try to find someone in your school who is a native speaker and ask him or her to meet with you regularly to have conversations in that language.
Watch TV
Try to find a foreign language TV station and watch often. At first the actors will seem to speak too quickly, but try to recognize a few words or phrases.
Go out and practice
If you are visiting a foreign country and trying to learn the language, you’ll want to take every chance to go out and practice.
| A．They actually became less fluent speakers. |
| B．Later it’ll become easier to follow the dialogues. |
| C．Any situation can be an interesting learning experience. |
| D．Are you trying to learn a new language in a foreign land? |
| E．Here are some suggestions to help you practice your language skills. |
| F．Each day make a habit of going to a place like a shop, restaurant or bank. |
| G．Talking to someone with whom you feel comfortable is a great way to get experience with actual usage. |
3 . British researchers say they have created an artificial intelligence (AI) model that is highly effective at predicting rainfall within the next 90 minutes.
The model was built by scientists at Google-owned research company DeepMind in London. The company partnered with researchers at the University of Exeter in Britain and the Met Office, the British government’s national weather service. The team says tests of the system showed it produced more accurate predictions, or forecasts, for short-term rainfall than other existing systems.
Accurate nowcasting can be a very important tool for preparing for possible weather emergencies. It can be used by officials in the areas of water management, agriculture, air and ground traffic control and outdoor event planning. “We were especially interested in the ability of these models to make predictions on medium to heavy-rain events, which are the events that most impact people and the economy,” the team said. The scientists said their model aims to create predictive “movies” of immediate weather patterns. They said that, unlike other systems, theirs can accurately capture large-scale events, as well as several different rain possibilities. This combination permits “rainfall uncertainties” to be deeply explored.
During the testing process, the team said the model showed “statistically significant” improvements in these areas compared to competing methods. In addition, the researchers reported that a group of more than 50 weather experts from the Met Office rated the AI model to be more accurate and useful in 89 percent of cases than existing forecasting systems.
Despite the study results, researchers admitted that the model still has limitations. They said “more work is needed to improve the accuracy of long-term predictions and the accuracy on rare and intense events.” The team said it will now center on developing new methods to test and measure the model's performance. It will also work to create more specialized systems to work in real-world conditions.
1. What do we know about the new AI model?| A．The model is created by researchers of Met Office. |
| B．The model can predict any rainfall within 90 minutes. |
| C．The model needs improving in long-term forecasting. |
| D．The model has been used in real-world conditions. |
| A．The difficulty of accurate nowcasting. |
| B．The relationship between weather forecasting and economy. |
| C．The necessity of building the new AI model. |
| D．The principles of the new model. |
| A．To prove the advantage of the new model. |
| B．To compare the new model with the old systems. |
| C．To explain the rule of weather forecasting. |
| D．To show how the existing system works. |
| A．Existing Forecasting system Needs Improving |
| B．AI Predicts Immediate Rainfall Better than Existing Systems |
| C．New Explorations in Weather Predictions |
| D．New Methods on Testing the AI Model's Performance |
“Dad,” whispered Tarig. “Are you awake?” Dad opened his eyes. “What’s the matter, son?” Tarig couldn’t sleep and he felt that it was too hot. Maybe there’s a storm coming. All day long he felt like something was about to happen. Dad whispered back to his son, “You could be right. Go back to bed, there’s a good boy.”
Tarig shook his head. “I’m going downstairs where it’s cooler. Why don’t you come with me?” Dad refused, saying that he would stay there. Tarig went down the landing. He and his father were alone in the house. His mother and sister had gone to visit relatives. He went into the kitchen and lay on the floor. He felt cooler and fell sleep at last.
Suddenly he awoke with a shock. In the distance he could hear a roar, like thunder. It seemed to be coming closer and closer. The storm must have arrived, just as they expected. But this was no ordinary storm. Within seconds the whole house began to shake. The vase fell off the shelves with a crash. Tarig could feel the floor moving beneath him. What on earth was happening? He jumped to his feet and tried to turn on the light. It didn’t work. He reached the back door, but just then came aloud cracking noise. Next moment a pile of bricks came down around him. A terrible choking(窒息的) smell filled the air.
At last the dust cleared. Tarig was amazed to find that he was still alive. The framework of the doorway must have saved him. He called out, “Dad? Dad, are you all right?”
No answer. But he heard a rescue dog barking. He struggled to know what was going on outside, but he couldn’t move. Maybe someone was approaching here. “Are they my family? Or my relatives?”
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。
Without any more thought, Tarig determined to call for help.
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Tarig asked where his dad was but nobody replied.
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5 . Are you a book lover? Here are some of the hottest books of the season.
The One Thing You’d Save
The One Thing You’d Save is about a homework assignment. Ms. Chang has students choose what they’d save if their home was on fire. Some choose baseball cards or animal toys. One picks a sweater that was passed down for generations. Another chooses a box of memories about a sister who died. This book helps readers learn to figure out what matters most in life.
War and Millie McGonigle
It’s 1941. Millie McGonigle, a 12-year-old girl, was supposed to be living a carefree life. However, she lives in the shadow of World War Ⅱ. War and Millie McGonigle is an inspiring story that tackles the topic of life and death. The story line is driven by vivid characters and their relationships. The interaction between Millie and her little sister, Lily, mirrors the real-life sibling (兄妹) relationships in many families.
Simon B. Rhymin’
Simon is starting fifth grade and hopes to become a famous singer. But he’s shy about using his voice to express his ideas and thoughts. When a teacher asks the class to give an oral presentation, Simon must find the strength to change and overcome his fears. Simon B. Rhymin’ is a book that gives confidence to readers who are going through similar struggles.
Rez Dogs
Rez Dog is a book about an eighth grader named Malian. She’s visiting her grandparents on a Wabanaki reservation when COVID-19 hits. To stay safe, Malian has to stay away from school” and her friends. Many kids will understand this tough situation. During the lockdown, Malian learns to think about what other people have gone through and how they are feeling during the pandemic (疫情).
1. How can The One Thing You’d Save influence us?| A．It gets us to preserve sweet family memories. |
| B．We may find it essential to ensure home safety. |
| C．We will try our best to improve our academic performance. |
| D．It reminds us to discover what we should treasure most in life. |
| A．They are both inspirational stories. |
| B．They are both set in cruel war times. |
| C．They both reflect character weaknesses. |
| D．They both involve principles of survival. |
| A．The One Thing You’d Save. | B．War and Millie McGonigle. |
| C．Simon B. Rhymin’. | D．Rez Dogs. |
Twenty years ago, Chase Poust was only 7. On Sunday morning just before the Memorial Day, he, his dad Steven, and his 4-year-old sister, Abigail, were out for a family boating trip on Florida's St. Johns River, which was trackless and almost nobody knew about it. And there's no rescue center nearby. Chase and Abigail were swimming at the back of the anchored boat while Steven was on deck (甲板) fishing.
It was a perfect outing- it was so peaceful and quiet and the colors of the deep blue sky, the light green river water and the mild late May sunshine mixed to create a magic scene. Everything was sound until a strong current emerged and loosened Abigail's grasp and she let go of the boat. Instantly realizing his sister would be swept away, Chase let go of the boat as well to try and reach her. At the same time, Chase screamed at his father desperately.
Without thinking twice, Steven jumped into the water and swam towards the two kids with all his efforts. But after realizing he couldn't keep up with both kids, he was faced with a heartbroken decision. He told them he loved them very much because he wasn't sure what's going to happen. Steven tried his best to stick with both of his children. He wore himself out. But his little daughter was washed away from him. Directing Chase to swim to shore for help Steven stayed behind, keeping as close as he could to Abigail as the life-vest that was keeping her above the waves floated further and further from his reach.
It was a tough go for the 7-year-old, but rather than attempting to swim all out, Chase wisely paced himself. Stopping to float or dog paddle when he was tired, he'd rest and then set off again. The current was going the opposite way of going to the boat and the shore, so it was very hard to swim that way for Chase.
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。
An hour later, Chase swam to the shore, anyhow.
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Luckily, Steven and Abigail were found and rescued.
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One morning, my family and I woke up and went to eat breakfast——until we heard barking and scratching at the door. When my mom opened the door, we saw a puppy(小狗). We looked around to see if we saw its owner, but there was no one. We took it inside and fed it.
Regardless of how badly I wanted to keep the puppy, we decided to look for the owner. We looked all day, but we failed. We talked about whether we should keep looking or if we should look the next day. We all agreed to look for its owner the next day.
So, the next day my family and I looked for the dog's owner. It was so hard looking for its owner. We were looking for flyers(传单)that involved the puppy, but no luck. We wouldn't have quit because it's a puppy.
“We won't stop looking,” my mom and dad said. We were going to take care of the puppy until we found its owner.
When we woke up in the morning, we went to a pet shop to buy the puppy some dog food. After that we went back home to feed the puppy the dog food that we had just bought. After we fed the puppy, we gave it a nice bath. It was so dirty that the fur was black and sticky, but after we gave it a bath, it turned white.And I noticed there was a collar (狗项圈)on him, which said “Coby”. After we gave him a bath, we went to look for the p uppy's owner, but my mom stayed at home, and it was only my dad and me this time.
We continued looking more and more until we found flyers. “We looked at it.”it said.
“Lost Dog: Please Help if Found.” Then we looked at the picture;it looked exactly like Coby. We were all happy we found a flyer that was for Cody.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；2.请在答题卡的相应位置作答。
There was a phone number on the flyer.
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We found the lady’s house, and then we knocked on the door.
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8 . The garden that Sijo Zachariah and his father planted made sure their family had food to eat. But it also helped their
With the pandemic(疫情)
Zachariah came to learn that farming should work with nature instead of trying to control the land. In the past, Zachariah worked in Wales in Britain as an teacher. He
Zachariah is now considering a(n)
| A．neighbors | B．teachers | C．colleagues | D．employees |
| A．attitude | B．direction | C．experience | D．quality |
| A．breaking in | B．dying off | C．running away | D．breaking out |
| A．crowded | B．clean | C．full | D．empty |
| A．bought | B．collected | C．planted | D．ate |
| A．land | B．wall | C．roof | D．grass |
| A．gardening | B．teaching | C．cooking | D．singing |
| A．found out | B．passed down | C．searched for | D．stood for |
| A．transport | B．praise | C．surprise | D．feed |
| A．doubted | B．checked | C．wondered | D．acquired |
| A．fresher | B．bigger | C．cheaper | D．heavier |
| A．gradually | B．suddenly | C．directly | D．occasionally |
| A．old | B．new | C．strange | D．ordinary |
| A．difficulty | B．habit | C．job | D．change |
| A．shocked | B．embarrassed | C．confused | D．happy |
It is often said
English is the most
When children reach high school, they continue their French studies. They
In certain schools, children also learn Latin. This language is no longer spoken,
Most children in Britain do not enjoy learning languages. They think they are more difficult and less fun than other
10 . Our library buildings are home to a wide range of subject-specific resources and facilities to support your studies, which will remain open during the summer holiday.
The COVID-19 safety measures
* Face coverings must be worn at all times inside the library, including at study space.
* Keep your distance: Please sit at your designated study space and keep your distance from others.
* Food is not allowed in our libraries. Drinks are permitted but please replace your face covering immediately.
PS: To help keep everyone safe, anyone failing to follow the COVID-19 safety measures above will be asked to leave the library and will be unable to book study space for seven days.
About opening hours
* The library is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends.
* You must bring your Library Card for entry to the library.
* Advance booking is not required for study space from 9 p.m.
* Library staff’s service is available until 8 p.m. every day to answer any questions about resources or facilities. After this time, the library spaces are monitored by Octavian Security.
Fine rates and lost books
*You will be fined at a rate of ￡1 per day on any book that is returned late.
*When you reach a limit of ￡10 in fines your library account can no longer be used until you pay the outstanding charges.
*You can pay fines/charges through your library account, or your credit card.
*Tell us if you’ve lost a book and we’ll let you know the replacement cost.
1. Which of the following will get you kicked out of the library?| A．Drinking water. | B．Eating sandwiches. |
| C．Wearing a face mask. | D．Keeping a safe distance. |
| A．For 7 hours. | B．For 8 hours. | C．For 12 hours. | D．For 13 hours. |
| A．Cover the fine of ￡1 per day. | B．Pay the cost of replacement. |
| C．Provide a replacement copy. | D．Stop using your library account. |
