1 . With so many festivals taking place in the UK, it’s getting harder every year to decide which ones to go to—and more importantly, which ones you can actually afford.
Parklife — Heaton Park, ManchesterDates: 10th — 11th June
Headliners: The 1975, Skrillex and Aitch
Cost: From £149.50 (weekend ticket), from £84．50 (one-day ticket)
Manchester’s favourite music festival is, unsurprisingly, a favourite with the city’s large student population. The weekend usually features a top-drawer line-up with loads of acts. You can’t camp at Parklife, so you also have to factor in accommodation in Manchester.
Latitude — Henham Park, SouthwoldDates: 20th — 23rd July
Headliners: Pulp, Paolo Nutini and George Ezra
Cost: £286.45 (weekend ticket with standard camping), from £90.75 (one-day ticket)
Latitude is one of the pricier festivals out there, but the lineup normally justifies (证明……正确) the dollar. The festival will have big artists alongside its main headliners. It’s a great all-rounder festival, where you can get back to nature by camping and lake swimming before dancing to DJs until the early hours.
Wireless — Finsbury Park, LondonDates: 7th — 9th July
Headliners: Playboi Carti, Travis Scott and 50 Cent
Cost: From £248.39 (weekend ticket), from £88 (one-day ticket)
We’re still a bit upset with Wireless for cancelling the festival’s Birmingham stop, making it a London-only event. Wireless hosts the sounds of grime, hip-hop, rap and R&B in North London’s Finsbury Park. Wireless isn’t a camping festival, so you’ll have to factor in the price of London accommodation for this one.
Victorious — Southsea Seafront, PortsmouthDates: 25th — 27th August
Headliners: Jamiroquai, Kasabian and Ben Howard
Cost: £180 (weekend ticket with camping), £60 (one-day ticket)
Although it has an excellent line-up of big names, this is still a relatively little-known festival. Since there are so many big acts, it’s also a pretty cost-effective option too. Best of all, the Castle Stage is situated in front of the stunning Southsea Castle, making this one of the most picturesque festivals around.
1. What do Parklife and Wireless have in common?| A．They are for students. | B．They are in London. |
| C．They don’t offer campsites. | D．They are in July. |
| A．Heaton Park. | B．Henham Park. | C．Finsbury Park. | D．Southsea Seafront. |
| A．Parklife. | B．Latitude. | C．Wireless. | D．Victorious. |
2 . According to the Houston Health Department, for nearly one-quarter of children living in Houston, Texas, the choice to eat healthily doesn’t exist. Annie Zhu was shocked to find out so many children in Houston lived in food deserts — areas without access to fresh food. She was also shocked to see how much fresh food supermarkets discard (丢弃) every day. So she and her twin sister Shirley went to work.
First, they partnered with the Houston Health Department to give out food at community centres. With the help of Second Servings, they collected surplus food from grocery stores and began organizing monthly markets. They even connected with human service agencies to provide help beyond food. Lastly, they developed a simple app that tells people when and where the markets are. Since the food is fresh, it needs to be picked up right away, so they developed the text and messaging app Fresh Hub.
Each month, Fresh Hub organizes high schoolers who wear green shirts and go to work setting up stands of fresh produce, baked goods and packaged meats. The Zhu sisters and the green dream team have given out over 1,500 pounds of food. And while families are collecting food, volunteers are entertaining kids with art projects that teach healthy eating.
At the end of the day, Annie says the two are happy to be making a difference. “Frustration (沮丧) over the unfair circumstances built into society led us to meet amazing people,” says Annie. “I know I’m not alone on this journey to help the underserved — and I know our journey has only just begun!”
1. Why do one-quarter of children living in Houston eat unhealthy food?| A．They live in deserts. |
| B．The supermarkets waste lots of fresh food. |
| C．They find nowhere to get fresh and healthy food. |
| D．They choose unhealthy food instead of fresh food. |
| A．Extra. | B．Different. | C．Fresh. | D．Sufficient. |
| A．How to use the app Fresh Hub. |
| B．The Zhu sisters’ green dream team. |
| C．How much food they have given out. |
| D．The things volunteers do to help those families. |
| A．She prefers to work alone. |
| B．She will continue to help those in need. |
| C．The members of the team need to be replaced. |
| D．The unfair circumstances are good for the society. |
3 . Jack London, one of America’s major writers of adventure tales, was born in California in 1876. During his life, London worked at many jobs. His broad life experiences would become the background for his writing.
London, loved to read. As a teenager, he spent many hours educating himself at the Oakland, California, public library. He attended college at the University of California at Berkeley, but he stayed for only six months. He though Berkeley was “not lively enough” and wanted to do something more exciting.
London wrote stories about working people and the hard times they had making a living. He knew their problems first hand. He worked as a sailor, farmer, factory employee, railroad worker, and gold prospector, to name just a few of his many jobs.
London grew up near the waterfront in Oakland. He loved the water. When he was fifteen years old, he bought a small sailboat called a sloop. Later he sailed to Japan on a schooner, which is much large sailing boat. Like many people of the time, London caught the Klondike Gold Rush Fever. In 1897, he headed for Alaska. He didn’t find gold, but he discovered something even more valuable. He discovered that people enjoyed listening to the stories he made up with his vivid imagination. London entertained the miners with story after story. Later, using his experiences during the Gold Rush, he created many more colorful stories.
London resolved to live a full, exciting life. He once said, “I would rather be a superb meteor (流星), every atom of me in magnificent glow,than a sleepy and permanent planet.” Each day, he pushed himself. Once London determined that he was going to be a writer,nothing could stop him. His goal was to write at least one thousand words everyday. He refused to stop even when he was sick. In eighteen years, the writer published fifty-one books and hundreds of articles. He was the best-selling and highest-paid author of his day. Many people also considered him to be the best writer. White Fang and The Call of the Wild are his most famous stories and are about surviving in the Alaskan wilderness. Readers can enjoy Jack London’s energy and his talent for telling wonderful stories each time they open one of his novels.
1. Why was Jack London able to write on many topics?| A．He pushed himself to reach goals. |
| B．He had a variety of experiences and jobs. |
| C．He was drawn to the Klondike Gold Rush. |
| D．He was the best-selling and highest-paid author. |
| A．That he was hired to sail to Japan. |
| B．That he traveled to Alaska in 1897. |
| C．That he spent much of his time writing. |
| D．That he was not interested in college life enough. |
| A．is expert at universe. |
| B．aims high and strive to succeed. |
| C．is excited about life of the wildness. |
| D．face a choice between life and death. |
| A．To support the statement that London was the “best writer”. |
| B．To describe life during the Klondike Gold Rush. |
| C．To provide information on Jack’ s life. |
| D．To identify books written by Jack London. |
4 . The World-Famous Nine
By Ben Guterson, illustrated by Kristina Kister
Zander’s grandmother owns the most incredible department store in the world. When a string of mysterious accidents start happening at the store, Zander’s grandmother tells him that a monster called Darkbloom may have returned. The monster, which can control people, wants a magical object that disappeared from the store decades ago. Zander notices that walls on many floors contain mysterious symbols and takes them down in his notebook. Will the 11-year-old boy be able to solve the puzzle and secure the object before Darkbloom does? Packed with suspense, fascination, and a family drama, this mystery may remind you of a cross between Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Ask the Author
The Week: What inspired this book?
Ben Guterson: When I was growing up, Seattle had two big department stores. Something about these big buildings held many possibilities for mystery and discovery to me.
The Week: Why is Zander close to his grandmother?
Ben Guterson: I didn’t want Zander to be alone, so he’s got his loving grandmother there to give him some guidance and keep him safe.
The Week: Do you enjoy mysteries?
Ben Guterson: Yes, I like stories with a mysterious feel to them. I don’t think I have ever been drawn to straightforward realism.
1. What can we learn about Zander?| A．He grows up in Seattle. | B．He lives alone at a store. |
| C．He wishes to be a magician. | D．He wants to defeat Darkbloom. |
| A．A kid loving true-life stories. | B．A kid enjoying fictional works. |
| C．A kid interested in grandma’s dishes. | D．A kid drawn to online store shopping. |
| A．A writer’s profile. | B．An interview outline. |
| C．A children’s story. | D．A book recommendation. |
5 . For eight years, Sophie created realistic-looking limbs (肢) for those who wanted to fit in. But she longed to work on more odd designs that would stand out. Then she met Pollyanna Hope, a young amputee (被截肢者).
“She wanted something a little different on her leg: pictures of a cartoon she loved, Peppa Pig,” said Sophie, who is now based in London. So she designed a unique leg covered in tattoo-like images of Peppa and other pigs riding a bicycle and eating ice cream. Working with Hope made Sophie realize there was a potential market for limbs.
Since then, Sophie founded the Alternative Limb Project (ALP) to make artistic limbs. Her work includes an arm wrapped in sculpted snakes and a leg that looks like porcelain (瓷器) covered in a painted flowery vine. She makes about six limbs per year, always including clients’ ideas so that they receive a personal piece they can celebrate rather than hide.
Of course, a fancy-looking limb won't suit everyone. For Sophie, the basis is that each limb must satisfy a combination of comfort, beauty and functionality, and pushing too hard in one direction can weaken other areas. But for amputees who appreciate novelty, Sophie has some amazing ideas.
“I’d really like to make a candy-dispenser leg with colorful candies inside it” she says. “Or a cuckoo-clock leg with a wooden bird that pops out every hour.” Her goal is to fashion a striking limb.
“It’ll transform the limbs from an elephant in the room into a conversation piece.”
1. Why did Pollyanna Hope come to Sophie?| A．She hoped to have a tailored limb. |
| B．She intended to design a cartoon figure. |
| C．She longed to expand the market for limbs. |
| D．She expected to sell Sophie some odd ideas. |
| A．boost users’ confidence | B．sharpen users’ creativity |
| C．improve Sophie’s sculpture skills | D．extend Sophie’s art business |
| A．The novelty of the pattern tops the list. | B．The balance of multi-needs comes first. |
| C．Fashion is the best policy. | D．Functionality is the key. |
| A．Sophie resolves to lead the fashion of limbs. |
| B．Sophie plans to further transform artistic limbs. |
| C．Amputees will feel at ease to talk about limbs. |
| D．Amputees will have easy access to artistic limbs. |
6 . Twelve-year-old Catherine has a lot of friends—632, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Catherine’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not words with friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platform.
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger. “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual world, we will have little time for our real-world friendships,” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need anyone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To tell about true friends. | B．To start a discussion. |
| C．To encourage online friendships. | D．To summarize(总结) the text. |
| A．In any case. | B．In public. | C．In person. | D．In advance. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Positive. | C．Worried. | D．Confused. |
| A．Teenagers need to focus on real-world friendships. | B．It’s easier to develop friendships in real life. |
| C．It’s wise to turn to friends online. | D．Social media help people stay closely connected. |
7 . Read Yuan Longping’s information and answer the questions.
Name | Yuan Longping | Nationality | Chinese |
Occupation | Scientist | Birthdate | Sept.7, 1930 |
education | Graduated from southwest agricultural college in 1953 | ||
Life goal | Finding ways to produce more rice | ||
Dream | To export his hybrid rice (杂交水稻) so that it can be grown around the globe | ||
Achievement | In 1973, he developed hybrid rice which produced 20% more than normal rice | ||
Hobbies | Listening to violin music, playing mahjiong, swimming and reading | ||
1. Which of the following is Yuan Longping’s favourite music?
| A．Pop music. | B．Country music . | C．Violin music. | D．Piano music. |
| A．His name. | B．His nationality. | C．His birthplace. | D．His occupation. |
| A．Yuan Longping developed hybrid rice in 1972. |
| B．Yuan Longping graduated from Southwest College in 1953. |
| C．Yuan Longping was born in 1930. |
| D．Yuan Longping dreamt to win a big prize. |
| A．Yuan Longping was an expert in agriculture. |
| B．Yuan Longping hoped his hybrid rice could be grown only in China. |
| C．Yuan Longping graduated from college when he was 23 years old. |
| D．Yuan Longping’s life goal was to find ways to grow more rice. |
8 . Livestreaming (直播带货) is a kind of e-commerce and marketing and sales method. It combines live product demonstrations, time-limited pricing promotions, live negotiations, and instant ordering through online streaming services hosted either by an influencer’s (网红) studio, or an online store.
Livestreaming removes barriers between brands and consumers. While it is focused on driving short term sales, livestreaming can enable firms to improve marketing efficiency by combining brand marketing and performance marketing. There are certain factors that will increase the chance of success.
Brands should not use livestreaming as a short-term sales booster but as a long-term way to remove barriers between brands and consumers. Specifically, brands could better show their products in this way, tell fuller brand stories, introduce emotional and cultural elements to their products, obtain instant feedback, conduct product trials, improve marketing efficiency by combining brand marketing and performance marketing, use different livestream hosts to build a bridge for the consumers and cultivate brand loyalty.
Of course, Livestreaming is not without drawbacks. For ads on TV, government has clear rules to forbid brands parading the before-and-after effects of health products. The restrictions are not clear yet for Internet-based livestreaming, and health products are frequently promoted by livestreamers. We need to continue to monitor regulatory updates carefully.
As promoting products through live-streaming has been compared to “turning clicks into cash”, some people have made illegal profits by creating false prosperity (繁荣). Through the purchase of fake followers to increase shares and comments, some live streamers can make up their rate of engagement to cheat brands and companies in an effort to win more trust and make more money. Meanwhile, live-streams have also faced issues like the refund and exchange of products.
1. What does the author advise the brands to do with Livestreaming?| A．To achieve as much sales as possible. |
| B．To focus more on brand marketing. |
| C．To remove barriers between brands and consumers. |
| D．To build a bridge between consumers and government |
| A．Overstating. | B．Comparing. |
| C．Displaying. | D．Describing. |
| A．By promoting the products as hard as possible. |
| B．By creating fake comments and shares. |
| C．By speaking highly of the brands and firms. |
| D．By refusing the exchange and the refund of products. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Objective. |
| C．Critical. | D．Doubtful. |
9 . A first year undergraduate (本科生) student in Chengdu, recently complained (抱怨) online that her mother refused to raise her monthly allowance to 4,500 yuan ($633) even when she said her current allowance (津贴，生活费) 2,000 yuan was not enough to cover her expenses, sparking a debate on how much money a college student needs per month. One expert shares his views on the issue with China Daily: Students should pursue education, not comfort.
Even for a college student studying in a big city in China, 2,000 yuan is enough to cover all his or her monthly expenses. In fact, for a college student in Chengdu, a monthly allowance of 2,000 yuan is more than enough. According to a survey (调查), the average monthly expense for an undergraduate in cities other than Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou was less than 2,000 yuan in 2019; for Chengdu, it was 1,900 yuan.
Claiming that she can hardly afford new clothing and cosmetics (化妆品) with her 2,000 yuan monthly allowance, the undergraduate student in Chengdu criticized (批评) her mother for refusing to raise her pocket money. Her “meager” allowance, she said, prevented her from buying branded goods that her roommates enjoyed.
By the time a person enters a college, she or he should have developed a sensible consumption (消费) habit. And a youth should adjust her or his consumption according to her or his family income. On a deeper level, the money they spend in college should depend on how much they value their parents' hard work. Besides, some college students could take up part-time jobs to meet their needs if they feel their parents don't or can't give them enough money. In this way they can also learn to meet the requirements of life in the future and develop sensible consumption habits. More importantly, they should always bear in mind that education is their top priority in college.
1. What's the expert's attitude to the issue about the undergraduate student?| A．Critical. | B．Neutral. | C．Supportive. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．more than 2,000 yuan | B．633 dollars |
| C．less than 2,000 yuan | D．1,900 yuan |
| A．Empty. | B．Pitiful. | C．Mean. | D．Fruitful. |
| A．College students should keep their expenses in line with their family conditions. |
| B．College students consumption level is determined by their parents. |
| C．College students should take up a part-time job to cover their expenses. |
| D．College students should deal with their living expenses problems reasonably. |
10 . Total solar eclipses (日食) have scared people since time out of mind. The first record of one, preserved on a clay tablet found at Ugarit, once a trade city but destroyed later in Syria, is believed from its age and location to describe either an eclipse that happened in 1375 BC or one in 1223 BC. Legendary explanations for eclipses include the Sun being eaten by dogs, frogs or dragons. The reality is not romantic. Why are total ones, like the one coming on April 8, so rare?
Solar eclipses are a special case of phenomena called transits and occultations, in which an intervening (介于中间的) heavenly body stops light from a star reaching an observer. If the blocking body appears smaller in the sky than the star, the result is called a transit and looks like a dark spot crossing the star’s surface. If the blocking object appears larger than the star, the star disappears completely—an occultation. A total eclipse is an occultation.
Solar eclipses may be either of these things, since the apparent sizes in the sky of the Sun and the Moon, viewed from Earth, are almost identical. If the Moon orbited Earth in the same plane as Earth orbits the Sun, eclipses would happen every month, but would be total only in the tropics (热带地区). In reality, the average interval between total eclipses is 18 months, and they may be seen from time to time all over the world. The path of totality across Earth’s surface is narrow and the period short (a maximum of just over seven and a half minutes). Outside these boundaries, the Sun will appear partially eclipsed, looking like a pie that something has taken a bite from.
The Great North American Eclipse, as it has been called, will be a sight to be hold on April 8. But it should also be cherished, because total eclipses of the Sun will not happen for ever. Tidal friction (潮汐摩擦) causes the Moon to move away from Earth at 3.8 cm a year, making it appear smaller and smaller in the sky. In 600 million years or so the last, short totality will occur.
1. What does the clay tablet of Ugarit represent?| A．Some figures of ancient animals. |
| B．The Sun being eaten by some animals. |
| C．Ancient people who were hunting for animals. |
| D．The earliest total solar eclipse recorded. |
| A．By listing statistics. | B．By giving definitions. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| A．Their duration is relatively longer. | B．They take place every month actually. |
| C．They are visible only from a narrow path. | D．They look like a bite taken out of the Sun. |
| A．The moving-away Moon. |
| B．The stronger tide on Earth. |
| C．The smaller attraction of the Moon for Earth. |
| D．The changing distance between the Sun and Earth. |
