1 . Have you ever seen a car without a driver? It sounds crazy, but these computer-driven driverless cars will soon be filling roads near you. Tech companies around the world have been designing and testing driverless vehicles and the technology is available already.
So, how do they work? The cars are covered in sensors that can detect other cars and obstacles on the road. Sensors on the wheels also help when parking. Road signs are read by cameras, and satellite navigation systems are used. Finally, a central computer system takes in all the information and processes this to work out when to accelerate, brake and steer. All you have to do is type in the destination.
Sounds like your idea of heaven? Sitting back, looking out of the windows and even watching a film while “driving” will all be possible with this new technology. In addition,computers are generally more efficient drivers than humans, meaning emissions can be reduced.They also drive more safely than people — they don’t get distracted by music or friends, they obey the speed limit and they have quicker reaction times in case of an emergency.
However, there are still many drawbacks of driverless cars. Computers will have difficulties making ethical (道德上的) decisions. If a child ran out into the road, would the computer choose to hit the child or turn aside sharply and potentially hurt the car’s passengers instead? Moreover,there would also be legal questions. Should children or drunk people, be allowed in a driverless car by themselves? Or would there need to be a responsible adult with a driving license in the car at all times?
Although being driven around by a machine would perhaps mean that no one needs a driving license, many people would be put out of a job by the popularization of driverless cars. Bus, taxi and train drivers would be made redundant.(多余的)
I’m not convinced I’d want a driverless car, but it’s only a matter of time before they’ll become more affordable and commonplace on our roads.
1. What do you need to do when using a driverless car?A.Control the sensors. | B.Read the road signs carefully. |
C.Check the satellite navigation systems. | D.Put the address into the computer. |
A.Their emissions. | B.Their testing process. |
C.Their advantages. | D.Their reaction to an emergency. |
A.By raising some questions. |
B.By analyzing their harmful effects. |
C.By making a comparison. |
D.By sharing personal experiences. |
A.indifferent | B.objective |
C.supportive | D.doubtful |
2 . People’s first memories are all autobiographical (自传式的) , or memories of significant experiences in their lives, and these events typically didn’t happen before the age of 2 or 3. In fact, most people can’t remember things from the first few years of their lives ---- a phenomenon researchers have called infantile amnesia (婴儿期失忆症) .
However, research suggests that infants (婴儿) can form other kinds of memories. Within the first few days of life, infants can recall their own mother’s face and distinguish it from the face of a stranger. A few months later, infants can demonstrate (证明) that they remember lots of familiar faces by smiling most at the ones they see most often.
But if so, why do people experience infantile amnesia? Though it still isn’t clear whether it’s because we can’t form autobiographical memories, or whether we just have no way to retrieve (找回) them, scientists have a few guesses.
One is that autobiographical memories require you to have some sense of self. Researchers have tested this ability using a mirror recognition task called the rouge test. It involves marking a baby’s nose with a spot of red lipstick. Researchers then place the infant in front of a mirror. Infants younger than 18 months just smile at the baby in the reflection, not showing any evidence of recognizing themselves or the red mark on their face. Between 18 and 24 months, infants touch their own nose, even looking embarrassed, suggesting that they connect the red dot in the mirror with their own face — they start to form some sense of self.
Another possible explanation is that because infants don’t have language until later in the second year of life, they can’t form narratives (叙述) about their own lives that they can later recall. Finally, the hippocampus, which is the region of the brain that’s largely responsible for memory, isn’t fully developed in the infancy period. Scientists will continue to investigate how these factors might contribute to infantile amnesia.
1. What can infants do in their first few months?A.Memorize most of their family members. |
B.Identify their own reflections in the mirror. |
C.Remember a string of events from the recent past. |
D.Distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar faces. |
A.See their reflections as themselves. |
B.Ignore the marks on their faces. |
C.Enjoy playing with their reflections. |
D.Show a strong interest in the mirror. |
A.Infants have a strong sense of self. |
B.Infants lack communication skills. |
C.The hippocampus isn’t fully developed in the infancy period. |
D.Infants haven’t experienced significant things. |
A.Why is it hard to retrieve lost memories? |
B.Why can’t we remember being a baby? |
C.How do kids form their first memories? |
D.When do babies start remembering things? |
3 . In 2019, after retiring from her career as a social worker, Ane Freed - Kernis decided to build a home workshop and devote all of her free time to stone carving. “I might be covered head to to e in dust but I’m happy — it was something I needed more of in my life when I hit 60,” she says.
This appeal has its origins in Freed - Kernis’ childhood. Growing up on her father’s farm in Denmark, she used to wander through the fields with her eyes fixed on the ground, looking for stones to add to her collection. “I’ve always been drawn to the shapes and textures (质地) of stones,” she says.
After moving to England in 1977 and training as a social worker, Freed - Kernis soon became occupied with her busy career and the demands of raising her son. Stones were the last thing on her mind, until her father died in 2005. “He took a stone carving course in his retirement, and I always thought stone seemed so fun but never had the time to look into it myself,” she says. “After he died, I became determined to learn in his honour.”
Signing up for a week-long stone carving course at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Freed-Kernis began to learn how to turn a block of rock into well-designed shapes. “It was really scary at the start because you would spend hours just hammering (锤打).”
Now 65, Freed-Kernis has a thriving small business built largely through word of mouth. She creates 12 to 15 pieces a year that can take anywhere from a few days to three weeks to complete, while her prices range from £ 200 to £ 3,000. “I’m making smaller ones,” she says. “I don’t have to depend on the money much, so I want to keep prices in the range that people can afford, mainly just covering costs and labour (劳动力).”
1. Freed-Kernis was first attracted by stones when ______.A.she was 60 | B.she was a child |
C.her father died | D.she moved to England |
A.She never cared about her father. |
B.She led a disappointing life in Denmark. |
C.She spent lots of time studying stone carving. |
D.She learned stone carving under the influence of her dad. |
A.Hopeful and proud. |
B.Confident and satisfied. |
C.Nervous and frightened. |
D.Impatient and unprepared. |
A.They are easier to move by her. |
B.They are more affordable to people. |
C.She wants to save costs and labour. |
D.She is too old to focus on making large ones. |
4 . In San Francisco, a large group of sea lions move themselves out of the bay waters and hang out on PIER 39, which is a popular tourist destination. According to dock (码头) officials, this is the most sea lions seen in the region in 15 years.
“Over 1,000 sea lions have been counted this week,” PIER 39 harbormaster Sheila Chandor told many different media. “The surge in sea lions is usually a good sign of their strong population and healthy living environment,” said Adam Ratner, Director of Conservation Engagement at the Marine Mammal (海洋哺乳动物) Center in Sausalito, California.
“California sea lions are sentinels (哨兵) of the ocean,” Ratner said. Their population to some extent reflects the health of the ocean. Therefore, seeing a large number of California sea lions is clearly a good thing.
For nearly 35 years, the slippery (滑的) residents have been a star attraction for tourists. That autumn in 1989, PIER 39 had just been repaired, but the ships had not yet been moved back. At that moment, the sea lions unexpected arrival not only attracted fans but also created enemies. According to a website, some dock residents and workers were scared away by the strong and very unpleasant smell and noise of their new neighbors, while others saw these animals as a bright spot after the destructive Loma Prieta earthquake.
The officials sought help from the Marine Mammal Center to find a way to deal with sea lions. Ratner said that the final decision is to let the sea lions stay and coexist with humans. “The fact proves that this is really a good thing,” he said. “This is just a proof of how we can truly work together and think about how we can share our coasts with marine mammals and other wildlife in a way that benefits all the parties involved.”
1. How does the author start the text?A.By describing a situation. |
B.By answering a question. |
C.By holding a conversation. |
D.By comparing different opinions. |
A.Sharp increase. | B.Tight control. |
C.Slow development. | D.Sudden movement. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Uninterested. |
C.Supportive. | D.Unclear. |
A.Sea lions are pretty cool animals. |
B.Animals and humans can live in harmony. |
C.Watching sea lions might not be a proper action. |
D.Sea lions should be driven out of PIER 39. |
5 . At some point, something will have to be done about the stuffed toys (毛绒玩具). I haven’t counted them because, truthfully, I’m not prepared to know how many there are. Lately, our neighborhood’s message boards are filled with posts about parents trying to make space, to clear out the things their kids no longer need. The tone of some of these posts can best be described as “emergency”. “Help!” they sometimes begin. “I have to get this out of my house.”
“The proliferation (激增) of children’s toys is the outcome of a long, gradual cultural change,”says Gary Cross, a professor at Pennsylvania State University. To understand how we got here — drowning (淹没于) in all those stuffed toys and bricks — it helps to look as far back as the late 19th century. “Parents were no longer passing their jobs on to the children,” Cross says. “Instead, they connect across generations through the gifting process. From the early 20th century on, goods became the things that define relationships between family members, and the way of marking success as a family.”
Then, how can parents deal with the proliferation of children’s toys at home? Naeemah Ford Goldson, a professional organizer, is also a mom of two. In her own home, Goldson likes to include her kids in the work of sorting out their toys. They know that the items they don’t need anymore will be given to people who can use them, to families who might not be as fortunate as theirs. “Doing so helps them build those habits of letting go,” she says, “so then they don’t become adults who are too dependent on material things instead of experiences, or people, and the memories we make with people.”
Her idea made sense. She told her 5-year-old they should pick some to give to kids in their community who came from another country and had to leave their toys behind. She immediately took a pink bear from the pile.
1. Why does the author present the posts in paragraph 1?A.To show the popularity of children’s toys. |
B.To offer suggestions about choosing children’s toys. |
C.To praise the role of social media in buying children’s toys. |
D.To introduce the influence too many children’s toys bring about. |
A.Children’s demands. | B.The growth of technology. |
C.The traditions in the 18th century. | D.The practice of gifting among family members. |
A.Involve her kids in organizing toys. | B.Put away toys for her kids. |
C.Buy her kids fewer toys. | D.Sell unwanted toys to neighbors. |
A.The Rise of Toy Stores in Neighborhoods | B.The Importance of Choosing Proper Gifts |
C.The Challenge of Managing Children’s Toys | D.The Joy of Collecting Children’s Toys |
6 . Tai chi is a wellness practice that combines slow, gentle movements and postures with mindfulness.
In the study, researchers in China randomly assigned 342 adults with prehypertension to one of two interventions. Roughly half the people participated in aerobic exercise, including jogging, climbing stairs and cycling.
After 12 months, those in the tai chi group saw bigger drops in their blood pressure than those in the aerobic exercise group. What’s more, nearly 22% of the people who practiced tai chi saw their blood pressure fall to within normal range.
Tai chi is appealing as a form of exercise because it is low impact and requires little space or equipment. “I think the beauty of tai chi is that you don’t have to have a special gym membership or special clohing, “ Taylor-Piliae says. “Once you learn tai chi, you can do it anytime, anyplace, anywhere.
A.It can help reduce anxiety. |
B.The other half was trained to practice tai chi. |
C.It’s often called meditation (冥想) in motion. |
D.So why does tai chi gain in popularity among people? |
E.So what is it about tai chi that helps lower blood pressure? |
F.By contrast, that number was 16% in the aerobic exercise group. |
G.But you have to practice it consistently to gain the most benefit. |
7 . Arsh believes in the importance of making the world a more beautiful place. The talented boy not only paints but also sells his artwork and donates the money.
It all started when his parents bought him a set of painting tools for his 8th birthday. Once he had his own materials, he began spending much of his free time putting color on his canvas. As Arsh’s paintings began to grow in number, he decided to give them as gifts to friends and family. Receiving a positive response from people around him, he soon realized his pieces had the potential to get much more than smiles and praise.
His light-bulb moment came shortly after: he would sell his artwork and donate the money to charity. His first plan was to raise $1,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which he accomplished in around nine months by selling his paintings on social media and at local art shows. Since then, he’s broadened his reach to benefit other organizations, including childhood cancer nonprofit Compass to Care and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He’s raised over $16,000 for charities so far.
Arsh’s artwork is often colorful and cheery, as one might expect from a youngster, but it showcases the impressive technique of a gifted artist. Some pieces are more abstract in nature; others feature realistic renditions (演绎) of flowers and animals. They range in size and complexity, and, accordingly, price. Small paintings might sell for $10 while larger canvases, up to five feet, have gone for $800.
Last year, Arsh won The Diana Award, an honor presented by a UK charity founded on Princess Diana’s belief that young people have the power to change their country. And the young artist has advice for other kids looking to make a difference. “Helping others doesn’t have to be, like, money or anything. It can be your time, your skills, your talent,” he says, “and overall, just be kind to other people to make their day better.”
1. What made Arsh interested in painting?A.A birthday present from his parents. | B.His parents’ deep love for painting. |
C.The encouragement of others around him. | D.His fascination with the beauty of nature. |
A.To pay for his painting materials. | B.To get more attention from others. |
C.To attract children’s interest in art. | D.To help those people who are in need. |
A.His fundraising plan is going well. |
B.He will turn his attention to his studies. |
C.All his paintings sell at high prices now. |
D.He is going to teach other children to paint for free. |
A.Every child has a unique talent. |
B.Everyone has the ability to help others. |
C.Talent plays an important role in learning art. |
D.Helping others is the responsibility of young artists. |
8 . Popular people are admired and loved by their peers (同龄人).
Avoid offering help in exchange for approval (认可). Trying to be helpful will have the opposite effect.
Be the glue in your social circle. When you have plans to meet a group of friends for a social outing, make a habit of inviting someone who hasn’t met everyone in the group yet. If you re hanging out with a friend and run into another friend, remember to introduce them to each other.
Practice positivity. People who often complain about life and are more pessimistic have fewer friends. Therefore, it’s important to have a positive attitude and avoid constant complaining.
A.Build relationships at work place and school. |
B.Otherwise, your friends might feel awkward. |
C.Make sure you are popular with your friends. |
D.You’ll be regarded as people who need friendship. |
E.And many people want to be associated with popular people. |
F.However, sometimes sharing your problems with others is a good thing. |
G.Peers have a special gift that enables them to make friends wherever they go. |
9 . WELCOME
STUDENT HANDBOOK
The administration, faculty, and staff of American Heritage and American Academy welcome you to the new school year. Please take the time to become familiar with the following information. It can be helpful during the school year for the students and an effective means to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.
Academic ReportingThe-175-day academic year is divided into two semesters, each with two grading periods, and report cards are given at the end of each. Plus, progress reports are issued throughout the year, with their distribution dates listed in the booklet’s back.
Conference Days & Exam DaysConference days are normally held on the Friday, which are required to be attended by all the students, following the distribution of report cards.
Fourth, fifth and sixth graders take exams during exam week at the end of the school year. All students are expected to be present during finals. Any student who must miss an exam date is required to request permission in writing stating just cause for absence.
Requirements for PromotionTo be eligible(有资格的)for promotion, a student must successfully complete all grade level requirements including maintaining a “C” average or higher in Reading and/or Mathematic s for the year and for second semester.
Honors ClassesHonors level classes are offered to scholarly qualified students in Math(Grades 2-6), Language Arts/Reading(Grades 4-6), and Science(Grades 5-6) . Administration recommends placement based on student testing, motivation, teacher recommendation, and the good of the individual and the whole class. Students in Honors Classes will be moved to a regular class at end of semester if a “C—” or lower is earned.
1. What do we know about academic reporting?A.Students have three-time marking periods in a semester. |
B.Students are not sure when they can get reports cards. |
C.Students are well informed to know their grades’ progress. |
D.Students have to go to school to get reports in person. |
A.Get promoted for next year. | B.Attend a meeting on Friday. |
C.Get into Honors Classes. | D.Miss exams without reasons. |
A.To provide rules of managing students’ behavior. |
B.To show students’ rights and responsibilities. |
C.To sign an agreement with students’ parents. |
D.To offer some information about the school year. |
10 . To produce the classic clothing, blue jeans, producers rely on indigo dye (靛蓝染料), the only molecule known to provide jeans’ unique, beloved color. While indigo itself naturally comes from a plant, growing demand for blue jeans throughout the 20th century gave rise to synthetic (合成的) indigo, which is now more commonly used.
Indigo is the dye that makes jeans blue, but it doesn’t mix with water. To dye clothes, usually, chemicals are needed to make the color stick to the cloth. But in Denmark, scientists have created a new way to dye clothes using an enzyme (酶), which is a kind of protein that can cause chemical reactions, instead of harmful chemicals. This new method is better for the environment and doesn’t use poisonous stuff.
The chemical process for dyeing blue jeans has persisted for the last century. Workers are exposed to the poisonous chemicals, which also pollute the environment near factories. Waste water from those factories often ends up in waterways, decimating local ecosystems and even dyeing rivers blue.
Ditte Hededam Welner, the study’s lead researcher, says their new enzyme works really well and is strong enough for making lots of jeans without breaking down. This enzyme makes dyeing with indican, which is like indigo, much less harmful to the planet — about 92% better than the old way.
However, the new method doesn’t fix all the environmental problems of making jeans. Making a single pair of jeans uses a lot of water — enough to fill many bathtubs — from growing the cotton to putting the final touches on the jeans.
Even though the new dyeing process is better for the environment, it’s not always easy or cheap to change to it. Welner’s team isn’t sure if jeans companies will find it easy or affordable to switch to this method. It costs a little bit more — just seven cents extra per pair of jeans — to use the enzyme for dyeing. But Welner believes it’s worth it because it’s much better for the environment.
1. Why was synthetic indigo created in the 20th century?A.It made jeans’ color unique. | B.It was easy to dye cloth with it. |
C.People liked jeans made from it. | D.People were in greater need of jeans. |
A.Troubling. | B.Entering. | C.Destroying. | D.Defeating. |
A.The colour is more beautiful than the synthetic indigo. |
B.The market can keep stable goods supplies. |
C.Enzyme facilitates the advance of science. |
D.The dye is more environmentally friendly. |
A.Production costs. | B.Environmental benefits. |
C.Water consumption. | D.Laborer shortage. |