1 . For many, Labor Day weekend signals the end of summer and an opportunity to host a socially-distanced barbecue (an outdoor meal). But this national holiday—celebrated every year in the United States and Canada on the first Monday in September—has revolutionary (革命性的) origins.
By the late 19th century, the Industrial Revolution had made working life miserable for people around the world. In many places, workers toiled for at least 12 hours a day six days a week in mines, factories, railroads, and mills. This holiday actually originated in the US on May 1, 1866, in what came to be known as the Haymarket Riot, workers flooded Chicago streets to demand an eight-hour workday.
It would take another conflict in the American Midwest to make Labor Day a national holiday. On May 11, 1894, workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company, a railroad car manufacturer near Chicago, went on strike to protest their low wages and 16-hour workdays. In August 1893, James Kyle introduced federal legislation (立法) to make Labor Day a public holiday, but for ten months the legislation was put on hold. To quiet the strikers and their supporters, the Senate quickly passed the bill on June 22. The bill passed the House four days later and President Grover Cleveland signed it into law on June 28, 1894.
The holiday is more information May Day labor celebrations. Many observers relax at home or head to outdoor recreational activities, such as boating, barbecues, and camping. It may also be marked with fireworks shows and other events. Labor Day has also become associated with retail sales, as many shop owners try to take advantage of the customers’ day off. It is one of the largest sales events of the year. meaning retail employees actually have to work more on this day. Parades are the most common model of celebration, which often feature processions of labor groups.
1. What do we know about the workers in the late 19th century?| A．They were paid well. | B．They had long workdays. |
| C．They often had a barbecue. | D．Their contributions were recognized. |
| A．Put off. | B．Introduced. | C．Got through. | D．Protected. |
| A．On May 1, 1886. | B．On August 22, 1893. | C．On May 11, 1894. | D．On June 28, 1894. |
| A．The origins of Labor Day. | B．The labor groups achievements. |
| C．The ways to celebrate Labor Day. | D．The official activities on Labor Day. |
2 . Life on earth evolves (进化) through the passing on of genes. How does culture evolve?
The evolutionary biologist, Richard Dawkins, coined the term “meme” in his book The Selfish Gene. According to Dawkins, while genes are the pieces of biological information from our parents which determines our appearance and how we grow, memes are units of cultural information — ideas and beliefs — that “pass from brain to brain”. Like genes, memes must compete for survival — if a meme cannot gain our attention. it disappears.
Basically, any shared idea related to culture is a meme. Myths, for example, are memes. Every society has its own stories that have survived, with some variations, for hundreds or thousands of years. The mythological dragon in Chinese culture is an idea that has been successfully passed among people for generations and is therefore also a meme.
Historically, memes have spread very gradually by word of mouth. Within Internet culture, though, a successful idea can be shared among millions of people within a few hours. Internet memes (which may for example, take the form of an image, a video or a website) may not last long, but they are particularly catching. They are shared “liked” copied and thus rapidly grown.
Then why do some ideas succeed in gaining our attention while others fail to attract us? It’s difficult to say, but humor is generally a factor. People are most likely to forward something to their friends if they think it is funny and the easier it is to digest the further the meme travels. Other memes may gain ground because they are something out of the ordinary. Aside from pure entertainment. Internet memes have a commercial aspect. Given their mass appeal, it is no surprise that advertisements turn up alongside them.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “coined” in Paragraph 2?| A．Accepted. | B．Preferred. | C．Invented. | D．Understood. |
| A．They are genes passed down from our parents. |
| B．They are cultural units that spread among people. |
| C．They belong to myths in different cultures. |
| D．They determine the development of the Internet. |
| A．It spreads faster and wider. | B．It takes fewer forms. |
| C．It’s harder to digest. | D．It lasts longer. |
| A．The distance a meme can travel. | B．Achievements of Internet memes. |
| C．Reasons for the success of some memes. | D．The uniqueness of a meme. |
3 . A double chin occurs when a layer of fat around your neck sags (下垂). Overweight and aging are closely related to double chins.
Pout (撅嘴)
It sounds a little odd, but stretching your head up to whistle at the ceiling can help strengthen your muscles. Tilt the head back and look at the ceiling while sitting.
Chew gum
Not only is chewing gum a small exercise for the facial muscles, but it can also help you lose those extra pounds to rid you of your double chin. Studies have found that people who chewed gum felt more satisfied after their meal and were less likely to snack. By resisting the urge to snack, you’re reducing the amount of calories in the diet.
| A．Whistle at the ceiling |
| B．Stretch your neck forwards |
| C．Close your lips into the whistling position. |
| D．This will help you lose the fat causing your double chin. |
| E．This is an effective way to strengthen the jaw and neck muscles. |
| F．A bad posture can also weaken the muscles around the neck and the chin. |
| G．Doing facial exercises is a natural way to make your face look younger. |
(1) 从下表中选择对你影响最大的一位伟人，描述他（她）的主要事迹；
(2) 谈谈该伟人对你产生的激励作用。
注意：
(1) 字数100-120； (2) 标题和开头结尾不计入总词数。
参考词汇：动物学家zoologist (n.) 黑猩猩 chimp (n.) 青蒿素artemisinin (n.) 杂交稻 hybrid rice
| Jane Goodall(1934-)，Britain | Tu Youyou(1930-), China | Yuan Longping(1930-2021), China |
| 动物学家, 前往非洲研究黑猩猩多年,在研究和保护野生动物方面做出巨大贡献。 | 药学家,多年从事中西药结合研究,创制了新型抗疟药青蒿素,首位获诺贝尔科学奖的中国人。 | 农业专家, 致力于杂交水稻研究, 在消除世界饥饿方面做出巨大贡献。 |
The Great Person I Admire
Ladies and gentlemen,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for your listening.
5 . Fast walkers may live longer than dawdlers (缓慢的人)— regardless of their weight, a new study suggests.
Researchers at Leicester University analyzed data on 474, 919 people with an average age of 52 in the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2016. They found women who walked briskly had a life expectancy of 86.7 to 87.8 years old, and men who kept up the pace had a life expectancy of 85.2 to 86.8. Slow walkers hadn’t much encouraging prospects (前景): women had a life expectancy of 72.4, and men of 64.8 years old, if they were more leisurely in their movements. According to the paper, published last week, that ratio held true even if the fast walkers were severely overweight. It does not necessarily mean fast walkers will live longer. Experts say it suggests walking speed could be a simple way for doctors to judge their patients’ general health alongside other tests.
It is hardly the first study holding up walking speed as a powerful evidence that appears to improve and determine our health.
In 2011, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study by Stephanie Studenski, who found the same: walking speed was a reliable predictor of life expectancy.
In 2013, US researchers found walking pace was linked to lower heart disease risk and longer life expectancy. In 2018, a study from the University of Sydney found picking up your walking pace to even an “average speed” could cut your risk of premature death by a fifth.
And Tom Yates, the physical activity professor at Leicester who's behind the latest study, has been publishing findings on this connection for years.
In 2017, he analyzed the same UK Biobank data and found walking speed appeared to affect the risk of dying from heart disease — concluding that the slowest walkers were twice as likely to suffer a heart-related death compared to quick walkers.
1. What does the underlined word “briskly” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Casually. | B．Quickly. | C．Actively. | D．Energetically. |
| A．Most fast walkers are overweight. |
| B．Fast walkers have a simple way of living. |
| C．Walking speed can help doctors know about their patients’ general health. |
| D．Doctors will surely have better ways to cure their patients of their illness. |
| A．Walking slowly is bad for people's health. |
| B．Walking speed can predict a person’s life expectancy. |
| C．People won't die early by increasing their walking pace. |
| D．Lower heart disease risk is determined partly by walking pace. |
| A．Fast Walkers May Have a Long Life Expectancy |
| B．Life Expectancy Is Determined by Exercise |
| C．Researchers Try to Improve Life Expectancy |
| D．The Public Doubt Researches on Walking Speed |
6 . Recent research discovered that a low-cost computer training program can help older persons drive less dangerously.
“We developed a training program, called Drive Aware, which could be used by anyone who has a computer,” says Jing Feng, co-author of the study and a professor of psychology at NC State. “Drive Aware is a cognitive (认知的) training program for older persons that helps them notice traffic risks more effectively. The purpose of our recent study was to see how much Drive Aware changes trainees’ driving behaviors once they get behind the wheel.”
The researchers found 27 persons aged 65 and up to test Drive Aware. In a driving simulator (模拟器), all of the study participants (参与者) experienced a basic driving exam. The “active training” group was made up of nine of the study participants. Every two weeks, the active training group had two Drive Aware trainings. A group of nine additional study participants was asked to take “passive training”. This group watched videos of others receiving the Drive Aware instruction. This happened twice, with each lasting about a week. The control group, which was made up of the remaining nine study participants, received no training. After that, all 27 study participants performed a second driving exam in the simulator.
The study participants in the active training group experienced 25% fewer “unsafe incidents (事件)” following the training, according to the researchers. There was no obvious change in the number of dangerous incidents among study participants in the passive training and control groups.
“This testing was done with a fairly limited number of study participants,” Feng says. “If we can succeed in getting the fund, we’d like to further our testing with more people to clearly prove how effective this training is at reducing accidents among older drivers.”
1. What does the underlined phrase “get behind the wheel” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Take a risk. | B．Start a program. |
| C．Drive a car. | D．Use a computer. |
| A．Experience no training. | B．Receive two Drive Aware trainings. |
| C．Take three driving tests. | D．Observe videos of Drive Aware trainings. |
| A．By quoting former figures. | B．By investigating car accidents. |
| C．By operating the driving simulator. | D．By comparing participants’ performances. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Worried. | C．Positive. | D．Doubtful. |
7 . You will have an opportunity to meet your new neighbors after you move into the neighborhood. And getting to know your neighbors will help you feel like you're at home and settle into your new space.
Careful observation.
What if you have nothing in common? No problem. There's absolutely nothing wrong with just walking up to the from door, and introducing yourself or inviting them to a small get-together. Let them know you just moved in and where you moved from. If that still feels uncomfortable, then ask about garbage pick-up or recycling centers in the neighborhood. Remember that you live on the same street, in the same neighborhood.
Host a get-together. Though it might be the last thing you warn to do while you're still unpacking, hosting a casual get-together is a great way to meet your neighbors all at the same time.
| A．Meet neighbors outdoors. |
| B．Spend more time walking. |
| C．Check out your neighborhood. |
| D．If the weather is nice, host it outside. |
| E．That's enough to start any conversation. |
| F．If they're interested, they'll say so or even invite you in. |
| G．The following suggestions do necessarily make it easier to do. |
8 . High school is difficult for everyone whether you want to admit it or not. You are going through an awkward time. But joining a club will be beneficial to you.
Meeting new people
Joining a club is a great way to meet new people, especially if you are new to the school.
College applications
Most teens go to schools, then come home and spend the rest of the day in front of the television or phone, but activities prohibit this. Teens are also very impressionable and if they fall into the wrong crowd, they could fall into consequences such as drug use, or other problems. Clubs are a great way to spend time with good people.
Long term benefits
Things such as meeting and speaking to new people, keeping and eye on the time, and being organized are things you will use every single day of your lives.
| A．Good use of your time |
| B．Learning more knowledge |
| C．Here is why joining a club is beneficial |
| D．Another benefit of joining a club is to ensure that you get to a top college |
| E．You will use these skills in different settings whether you realize it or not |
| F．Another really nice thing is that it looks really good on college applications |
| G．Joining a club forces you to interact with peers that have similar interests as you |
9 . China has announced that couples will be permitted to have up to three children in a major policy shift from the existing two-child limit, after recent data showed a dramatic decline in births in the world's most populated country.
"To actively respond to the ageing of the population…a couple can have three children," state media Xinhua reported on Monday, citing a committee meeting hosted by President Xi Jinping
Early this May, China reported the slowest population growth since the early 1960s, despite scrapping its one-child policy in 2015 to encourage more births and avoid a potential population crisis.
A once-a-decade survey showed that the overall population of China grew to 1,41178 billion in the 10 years to 2020, up by 5. 38%. The increase reflects an average annual rise of 0.53%, down from 0.57% reported from 2000 to 2010.
The announcement drew a chilly response on Chinese social media, where many people said they could not afford to have even one or two children. "I am willing to have three children if you give me 5 million yuan (£554,350)," one user posted on Weibo. As a matter of fact, experiment of the three-child policy in Heilongjiang province in the last few years also resulted less effectively than expected.
It is not only China that is facing such a population challenge. Across east Asia, authorities have, for years, been struggling to persuade couples to have more babies. South Korea and Japan both have used allowance to encourage.
The policy change will come with "supportive measures, which will be beneficial to improving our country's population structure, fulfilling the country's strategy of actively coping with an ageing population and maintaining the advantage of human resources", Xinhua said. It did not specify the support measures.
1. Why did China announce the three-child limit this May?| A．To completely stop the population from ageing. | B．To show concern over the ageing population. |
| C．To increase the birth rate of the country. | D．To remove the two-child limit. |
| A．Issuing. | B．Changing. | C．Adopting. | D．Canceling |
| A．China has a smaller population in 2020 than in 2010. |
| B．Many couples can't afford to raise two or more children. |
| C．Hei Longjiang has the smallest population among the provinces. |
| D．Korea and Japan have managed to cope with ageing population. |
| A．A book review. | B．An online newspaper | C．A travel brochure. | D．A biology textbook. |
Here’s something that’s been bothering me recently. My daughter will be five years old. She is happy, well-mannered, loving and pretty. She has attended a Montessori school since she was 16 months old and has made two friends. The three girls are always together, or talking with each other.
But recently the girls told my daughter that they would not play with her if she kept playing with the boy who was disliked by most of the class. My daughter always finds good things in others and insisted they play with him, too. Then one of the friends told my daughter she didn’t have straight hair and shouldn’t play with them. Then she started ignoring my daughter. My mother-in-law decided to iron my girl’s beautiful curly hair (卷发).
With her birthday coming, my child decided to invite her friends to her party. When I asked her why, she said because they were always together, but I know one of the girls will not attend her party.
I’m concerned about her. I feel lost, not knowing how to help my child.
Jenny
Dear Jenny,
It’s always painful to a mother when someone hurts her child. Your daughter’s friends weren’t nice to her, but little kids are still learning how to get along with others. As a result, young friendships are often fleeting, even changing from day to day. Judging from you letter, your daughter seems to be remarkably loving, outgoing and mature (成熟的) beyond her years. Perhaps you need to be proud of the way she treats people.
Ironing your daughter’s hair won't send your daughter or the other girls a good message. It implies that there is something wrong with the way she is. You have no choice but to let your daughter know that one of the girls won’t be attending her birthday party. If she seems upset, remind her that other friends will be there. My guess is that she will rise to the occasion.
Hope this helps.
Mark
1. What’s the mother’s problem?| A．Her daughter doesn’t respect other children. |
| B．Her daughter seems to be losing her friends. |
| C．Her daughter cares too much about her friends. |
| D．Her daughter doesn’t want to change her hairstyle. |
| A．kids value friendship very much |
| B．young friendships don’t last long |
| C．kids are good at dealing with others |
| D．young friendships are very important |
| A．teacher and parent | B．doctor and patient |
| C．editor and reader | D．agent and client |
