1 . How to Avoid an Internet Addiction
It may seem like everyone surfs the web these days. But if you can’t have interest in other aspects of your life because of the Internet, you may be on your way to an Internet addiction. You might fear you’re the only one who has experienced that feeling.
More and more people in the world are becoming addicted to the Internet, and you are not the only one with this problem. So do not be embarrassed. Just be brave to admit that you are on your way to an Internet addiction. And then find others with the same problem and help each other beat it.
Set aside limited time for computer use.
Make sure not to turn it on too many times a week. If you have a laptop, make sure to put it somewhere that you can remember but not somewhere that you see every day. Try keeping the lid closed when you are not using it.
Call people instead of sending instant messages or texts.
If you are free on weekends, call friends and ask them to go outside to do something you enjoy, like playing a sport. This will take your mind off the computer.
Use an alarm clock or timer (计时器).
Before using your computer, decide on a time limit such as 30 minutes. Set the clock or timer and make sure that you get away from the computer when the time is up. Alternatively create a shutdown timer on your desktop.
A.Being addicted to it is quite normal. |
B.Admit you are at risk of an addiction. |
C.The truth, though, is that it’s quite common to be an addict. |
D.When the computer is not looking at you, you are less likely to use it. |
E.This can be programmed to shut down your computer after the set time. |
F.If you have a problem on weekdays, phone your friends or ask for help in person. |
G.This will prevent you from using the Internet so often or going on to another page. |
2 . Taylor Swift showed very early promise as a singer of country songs, performing from the age of nine. She learned the guitar and persuaded her family to move to Tennessee so she could further her career. She holds numerous records for achievements in music, has been named among the top 100 most influential people on more than one occasion and was named as Woman of the Decade and Artist of the Decade in the 2010s. Swift’s musical style has evolved from country to pop and her fans number in the millions.
Taylor Swift has a firm belief that we should all be ourselves. She tempers this by saying that we must be respectful of others, honest and strong-willed. Strength of purpose will carry a person through life and see them achieve great things. Do not, she says, be average. Stand out and be the best person that you can.
Her view of life is simple. We each have one life, and we must make sure we do not waste it. Life is there to be enjoyed and to be fulfilled. Only we can control what happens in our lives, and must not allow others to judge us or create false opinions of us.
To live a life that has meaning, we must be prepared to learn from mistakes and failures and deal with them without getting discouraged or distracted from our path. No one should tell you what you can’t do, and you must not let a mistake tell you that either. When someone tries to stop you from doing something, be eager to prove them wrong. Be keen, too, to show that your mistakes won’t hold you back.
Taylor Swift puts great store in happiness. Seeking happiness is a wonderful ambition, and everyone should see it as an aim. Success without happiness is a meaningless achievement. Aiming for happiness can go along with other goals too. Swift doesn’t rest when she has achieved one goal, but picks up another and pursues that with the same vigor and determination.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?A.She moved to Tennessee to get a degree. |
B.She has been named among the top 100 most influential people once. |
C.Her musical style is single. |
D.She has had a talent in music since childhood. |
A.We should accept that we are only ordinary people. |
B.We are masters of our life. |
C.Never let mistakes block our moving-forward way. |
D.Without happiness, success equals zero. |
A.Patient and passionate | B.Positive and ambitious |
C.Hard-working and optimistic | D.Intelligent and humorous |
A.A brief introduction to Taylor Swift. | B.Taylor Swift’s autobiography. |
C.Taylor Swift’s influence. | D.Taylor Swift’s childhood and dream. |
3 . A year back I received a full scholarship to attend the University of San Francisco. All of my hard work had paid off. My mom had spent a lot in my attending a private high school, so I made sure to push myself: I volunteered, joined different clubs, and graduated with honors.
I was so excited to start a new life. I had totally packed two weeks and wanted to go to college at once before it was time to leave.
Soon enough, the big day came, but it wasn’t like what I had thought. The first two weeks were the most difficult days of my entire life. Every night I would cry myself to sleep.
I was so homesick (想家) and I didn’t know how to deal with my broken heart. To distract myself, I threw myself into my studies and I applied for a lot of jobs. In any remaining free time, I started forcing myself to the gym. I wanted to keep every part of my day busy so I wouldn’t think how lonely I felt.
Soon after, I began to limit food, and then I became worse. Finally, I went to see a doctor. When the doctor weighed me, I was crazy about the number of my weight. So I continued to lower my goal, and convinced that controlling this number was the solution to my homesickness. But when I was told that I had no choice but to spend time on my studies. I quickly started recovery in my mind.
How could I do? I told myself that school was what I was best at. I decided to get rid of my homesickness and took exercise actively. My first term of college had passed by at last and I had gotten straight A’s. That’s why I want to share my story—to help other students feel less lonely.
1. How was the author during the two weeks before she left for the college?A.She was as normal as before. |
B.She couldn’t wait to leave for the college. |
C.She was afraid to leave her home. |
D.She didn’t enjoy her mother’s company. |
A.Her weight. | B.Her diet. |
C.Her homesickness. | D.Her bad study habit. |
A.achieve my dream | B.earn money by myself |
C.improve my studies | D.take my attention away |
A.To look back at her past middle school life. |
B.To help girls to lose weight. |
C.To help lonely college students. |
D.To increase her own confidence. |
4 . At one time or another, we have all wished that our animals could speak to us. But our pets do use another form of communication to tell us what they are thinking — body language. Sometimes this form of communication is easy to understand, but in some instances it can be much more complex.
Animals communicate in a variety of ways using their ears, eyes, mouth, tail, degree of muscle tension and posture. When figuring out what an animal is trying to say to us, we have to look at their overall behavior as well as what the different parts of their body are doing. We also need to consider their environment and what may be causing them to act as they are.
A wagging (摇动的) tail, for example, doesn’t always mean a happy dog. If the dog’s tail is wagging at the same time that their body is loose and their owner has just gotten home, it’s safe to assume that this is a happy dog. If the dog’s tail is between their legs and wagging while their body is bending low, ears are pulled back and they are licking their lips, this dog is more anxious and fearful. Our pets’ body language doesn’t just send us messages; our own body language sends them messages, too. It’s important to avoid staring directly at an animal or approaching them head-on — they can interpret these actions as threatening. It’s best to approach them sideways and to use your peripheral vision to look at them. Instead of leaning over an animal or reaching out toward them — which can also be seen as threatening — let them approach you when they’re comfortable.
While animals can’t speak to us using our language, they do communicate with us constantly through their body language — it’s up to us to pay attention and listen to what they’re telling us!
1. What can we know about animals’ body language from the first two paragraphs?A.It is a difficult skill for animals to master. |
B.People can understand it easily and clearly. |
C.It occurs when animals communicate with humans. |
D.People can respond to the needs of animals through it. |
A.Straight. | B.Surrounding. | C.Tough. | D.Unique. |
A.Walking right up to them. | B.Making an indirect eye contact. |
C.Reaching out to them from the side. | D.Keeping a certain distance from them. |
A.The Mystery Behind Animal’s Behavior |
B.Difference Between Various Body Language |
C.Body — Messenger Between Animals and Man |
D.Animal’s Body Language: A Form of Communication |
5 . Four famous classic Italian writers
When it comes to Italian literature, many people come up with Dante. But there are many other famous Italian authors. Below are four recommended writers and their masterpieces.
Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533)
Ariosto is best known for his epic(史诗般的) poem Orlando Furioso, which was published in 1977. As a poet always with new ideas, Ariosto invented the way of“singing the poem to the audience”. The poem presents a rich variety of characters, which has been an encouragement for many paintings and musical works.
Italo Calvino (1923-1985)
Calvino was the author of If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler published in 1979. The novel differs from others for its unique description of a frame story — a unifying story within which several tales are related. It has encouraged musicians like Sting to create their works. At the time of his death in 1985, Calvino was one of the world’s most translated Italian writers.
Umberto Eco (1932-2016)
Eco wrote The Name of the Rose, a historical murder mystery novel published in 1980. In the story, he skilfully applied the use of signs and symbols to it. A number of his books deal with the meaning and understanding of communication.
Alessandro Manzoni (1785-1873)
Manzoni is most famous for his novel The Betrothed published in 1827. The novel was regarded to be connected with Risorgimento, the Italian unification movement in the 19th century. Probably we can say, without this great novelist and this masterpiece of world literature, Italy wouldn’t be Italy.
1. What can we know about Orlando Furioso?A.It has influenced musical works. | B.It was published in 1979. |
C.It was written by Manzoni. | D.It has been translated into many languages. |
A.A unique describing style. | B.The use of signs and symbols. |
C.A mix of new ideas. | D.The history of a movement. |
A.Ludovico Ariosto. | B.Italo Calvino. |
C.Umberto Eco. | D.Alessandro Manzoni. |
6 . In a recent email to an old friend, I mentioned that our family planned on taking our fourweek road trip in our motor home. My friend emailed back and said he thought I was very “brave” to set out on such an adventure with two young children (aged two and five). I laughed when I read his email and wondered if he knew how much he was missing out on by giving up the idea of such a fun RV trip (房车旅) with one’s family.
My husband and I have been “RVing” for over ten years. When we first started traveling, we certainly had some troubles that were not so funny at the time but seem to be funny now. We forgot our pillows and failed to cook dinner on an outdoor grill (烤架) for lack of a flashlight. Then we decided to make our dinner in the motor home but could not get the oven lit! So we went to bed a little hungrier than we had planned!
However, that's nothing compared with the amazing geological and natural wonders we experienced during our RV trips. In addition, we have discovered a new world of family fun and family bonding. We saw the Grand Canyon when our son was only six months old. We play games inside and out, walk together, talk together, read, solve puzzles, and enjoy music and movies. We have got used to doing things with one another. Our kids love to pick out good, oldfashioned postcards to send off via “snail mail” to different family members on every trip.
As our world gets more and more overloaded with cell phones, texting, emails and video games, our family sticks more and more tightly to the wonderfully simple idea of unplugging for a while and jumping into the seat to take a trip in our motor home. Then we come home with fun pictures of our wanderings, and we're able to build special memories for our kids. Now we want to spread the word and tell families of all kinds what enjoyment can be had from packing the family up for a trip in the RV.
1. What did the author’s friend think of her travel plan?A.A family trip should not last four weeks. |
B.It was wise of her to take children on RV trips. |
C.A family RV trip might bring unexpected troubles. |
D.It was an opportunity to teach children to be brave. |
A.They found many things lost. |
B.It was ruined by bad weather. |
C.They didn’t prepare well for it. |
D.It was quite a scary experience. |
A.To appeal families to take RV trips together. |
B.To show how to make RV trips interesting. |
C.To encourage kids to take part in RV trips. |
D.To share an unforgettable traveling experience. |
7 . How similar are language and music?
Language is part of our daily lives, no matter where we live in the world.
Both language and music have a writing system.
Both language and music have their own systems of notation. Language uses alphabets to represent sounds and create meaning.
Listening to the language someone speaks can provide valuable clues about their geographical origin. In the same way, we know that styles of music are different around the world, giving us the opportunity to explore many different cultures through their music and providing us with music for every situation.
Both share emotion.
A.Both are expressive. |
B.Both vary with culture. |
C.How do you know that I am annoyed? |
D.Similarly, music is part of many people’s lives. |
E.Equally, music uses notes to represent pitches and rhythms. |
F.We use language to express our thoughts. |
G.In contrast, you probably also listen to sad music when you are feeling down. |
8 . It’s always exciting to receive a letter in the mail. Even today, when the world is digitally connected, receiving an actual letter in your mailbox from a distant land is a great way for children to make new friends.
The Peaceful Pen Pals Project is a beautiful initiative that combines global connection and self-expression. The project is part of the nonprofit Kids for Peace, founded by Jill McManigal and Danielle Gram in California, in 2006. Letter writing is most certainly hands-on and helps strengthen relationships throughout the world.
The Peaceful Pen Pals Project is open to all children, ages 2 through 17. To date, there are 1500 children from 17 countries participating in the program. Each child is assigned a pen pal of a similar age. This establishes a point of connection right off the bat for the children and promotes a stronger bond. If the letter writers are in the same grade, they can chat about their schools, teachers, and what they are studying. They can also compare and contrast what different states or countries learn about and how the dynamics of the classroom are, whether socially or academically.
Children may be more inclined to write about their issues if they feel like they are speaking to a peer in a similar situation. They also write about the local weather, who the letter writer lives with, and their favorite things to do at home. This will give the pen pal a good sense of the writer’s home life, and they may relate to certain aspects, such as their parents, the number of siblings, or if they share a room. Although pen pals may live in different countries, they may find common ground according to this information.
“Hearing first-hand stories from an international pen pal can encourage teens to take someone else’s perspective and to think outside of themselves,” writes Rebecca Fraser-Thill on Very Well Family. “It can also encourage interest in geography, politics, and history, and promote many key skills, including reciprocation, empathy and mutual concern.”
1. What is the purpose of paragraph 2?A.To prove the importance of making friends. |
B.To briefly introduce the Peaceful Pen Pals Project. |
C.To present the history of the nonprofit Kids for Peace. |
D.To encourage kids to communicate with others by letters. |
A.Visit different countries with their parents. | B.Learn foreign languages online. |
C.Share their lives by writing letters. | D.Solve difficult problems for their pen pals. |
A.It is necessary for every teenager to have a pen pal. |
B.Writing letters helps teenagers to make more friends. |
C.Communicating by letters benefits teenagers in many aspects. |
D.Teenagers make great progress in their studies by writing letters. |
A.The benefits of having a pen pal from another country. |
B.New ways for kids to communicate with their friends. |
C.Letter writing is becoming popular among kids worldwide. |
D.The Peaceful Pen Pals Project connects kids around the world. |
9 . Inside а tiny shop in Manchester, Adam Birce carefully carves at а woodblock. He looks carefully at each piece to ensure they fit and match before gently setting them together. Adam Birce, the owner of Four Strings, restores stringed instruments like violins, and his passion is restoring and appreciating what has already been crafted and loved.
Birce started playing the violin in grade school and grew to truly appreciate it. He played semiprofessionally out of high school and later got his degree in music at Virginia Commonwealth University as a violinist. After graduating, he landed a job selling violins. “As fate would have it, I was asked by my employer to learn to fix violins 15 years ago,” he says. “I soon moved off on my own to do restoration.” Since 2014, he has been on a mission with Four Strings to offer excellent fine-instrument restoration services to the community.
Violin restoration isn’t a self-taught skill. Each summer for the past decade, Birce has traveled to the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts for up to two weeks to study under famous violin restoration expert Hans J. Nebel. Here, students learn everything from delicate edging repair to violin identification. “A lot of the work itself is learning as you go,” Birce says. “It’s a lot of problem-solving and critical thinking, like coming up with a woodworking plan.
“How long а job takes varies. Most are about 3-6 months for major work, unless a full top-to-bottom restoration is needed, which can take even longer,” Birce explains. “I leave that up to the client if they want to commit to that.” One of his longest jobs was working on a Scottish violin from the early 1800s that had been water-damaged. “I had to use every skill in my toolbox to fix it,” Birce laughingly recalls. “It was a very onerous job.”
If there’s one thing to be learned from Birce’s passion, it’s that each violin is unique in its own right. He compares the fine instruments market to the fine arts market. “A lot of these instruments are fine art,” he says. “I kind of say this is a Picasso I’m playing or a Degas. I’ve worked on a few, which is always a joy.”
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?A.The special features of Four Strings. | B.The procedures of violin restoration. |
C.Birce’s life experience with the violin. | D.Birce’s influence in the music industry. |
A.It’s effortless. | B.It’s self-taught. | C.It’s extremely dull. | D.It’s highly professional. |
A.Creative. | B.Well-paid. | C.Dangerous. | D.Demanding. |
A.Birce prefers art to music. | B.Birce has a deep love for his job. |
C.Birce wants to be as famous as Picasso. | D.Birce has become a master of violin restoration. |
10 . Now more companies are experimenting with the concept of connected clothes. Among the pioneers is London based Cute Circuit, which has been creating fashionable smart clothing since 2004. The company’s latest innovation is the “Sound Shirt”, which allows deaf people to “feel” live music by transforming the tunes into touch sensations (感受) in real time.
The fashionable jacket uses software that changes the music into data and wirelessly sends it to the 16-micro motors fitted inside the clothing’s fabric (布料). The devices shake with the intensity (强度) of the music being played, allowing the wearer to feel each instrument individually. For example, violins can be felt on the arms, while the deeper, heavier bass notes can be felt close to the stomach. The series of touch like sensations across the wearer’s body enable him or her to feel the entire music, resulting in a musical experience.
To ensure the shirt is comfortable, the designers chose to leave out wires and instead wove conductive textiles (导电纺织品) into the garment’s fabric. Francesca Rosella, chief creative officer of Cute Circuit, explains, “There’re no wires inside, so we’re only using smart fabrics — we have a combination of micro-electronics and very thin and flexible and conductive fabrics. All these little electronic motors are connected with these conductive fabrics so that the garment is soft and stretchable.”
Cute Circuit, which has been testing the Sound Shirt for three years, expects to make it available to the general public shortly. Priced at $3,673, the smart jacket won’t be cheap. However, twin sisters Herman and Heredia Breanne, who lost their hearing at a young age, believe the hi-tech garment is a worthwhile investment, especially for deaf people with a passion for dancing. “It’s almost like feeling the depth of the music,” says Herman. “It just feels as though we can move along with it.”
1. Why does the writer mention smart clothing in the first paragraph?A.To show the development of technology. |
B.To introduce the topic of the passage. |
C.To demonstrate the latest trend of music. |
D.To summarize the main idea of the whole passage. |
A.The software used in the shirt. |
B.The musical instruments felt by the wearers. |
C.The way the shirt functions. |
D.The experience the wearer gains with the shirt. |
A.Affordable and fashionable. | B.Cheap and comfortable. |
C.Interesting but useless. | D.Expensive but comfortable. |
A.The shirt will be popular with deaf dancing-enthusiasts. |
B.They will invest in the “Sound Shirt” industry. |
C.The shirt should be marketed as soon as possible. |
D.They love music very much. |