1 . 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. |
2 . On many travelers’ lists of things to do before they die, you’ll find “See the northern lights” written down. Rightfully so these lights are one of nature’s most jaw-dropping views.
In Sweden, the northern lights usually appear from late March or early April. Your best chance of catching a glimpse of them is on cold winter nights when the sky is clear, dark with little to no moonlight, and cloudless. You need to be away from city lights and go to the countryside. For those willing to brave the cold on winter nights, here are some of the best locations.
Abisko National Park
Abisko Natinal Park is a main location. The scientifically confirmed “blue hole”, a piece of sky over the Tornetrask lake that usually remains clear despite cloudy weather nearby, gives Abisko its own microclimate (局部地区气候), which is suitable for catching the lights.
Jukkasjarvi
The village of Jukkasjarvi only has about 550 people. But don’t let the small population size fool you: Jukkasjarvi owns the world’s first ice hotel and is one of the best places to view the northern lights. The ice hotel organizes guided tours for guests to the Esrange Space Center. There you can eat at a camp outside and see the Arctic winter sky for aurora borealis (北极光). Or why not try to get closer to the northern lights and watch them through an aeroplane window? The ice hotel arranges flights for the amazing northern lights experience.
Gallivare
You can drive a snowmobile to the mountain top in Gallivare for a private light show, or head a few kilometers to nearby villages to watch those lights shining across the dark winter sky. But remember if you do get the chance to see the northern lights in person, never whistle to them. According to ancient Sumi fairy, it brings you bad luck.
1. When are you likely to best enjoy the northern lights in Swede?| A．On cold winter nights with clear sky and a little moonlight. |
| B．On freezing winter nights in the rural area without moonlight or cloud. |
| C．On chilly winter nights in the city center with few lights and little cloud. |
| D．On winter nights when the sky is dark with little moonlight and no cloud. |
| A．It has up to 550 people. |
| B．It owns the world’s first hotel. |
| C．It is among the best places to view the northern lights. |
| D．You can eat at a camp inside and see the aurora borealis. |
| A．A science report. | B．An art magazine. | C．A travel guide. | D．A botanical book. |
In this day and age, we need a password for everything — to access our computer, our phone, our bank account, all of our favorite websites and email... the list goes on. Sometimes, it can be troublesome just to remember them all or keep track of them securely.
Luckily, there’s LastPass! As the name implies, LastPass is the last password manager app you will ever need. Through the app, all you need is one password to have secure access to all of your passwords and private information. By using the LastPass Authenticator, you can use biometrics (生物识别技术) to log on with your face or fingerprint. It’s that easy!
CalmCalm is packed with dozens of features and hundreds of recordings designed to improve your mindfulness, reduce stress and improve sleep. The free version includes select features such as daily meditations (冥想), breathing exercises, a mood tracker, as well as demo sleep stories, relaxation music tracks and guided meditations. Through a paid subscription, the app tailors itself to your needs.
PocketWhen browsing the web, we often come across interesting articles that we’d love to read through more, but just don’t have the time right there and then. But later when we have free time, we completely forget about the articles we wanted to read!
This is where Pocket can help. The main appeal of Pocket is to add a handy save function to your favorite browser ready to click whenever you want to save something for later.
MintWith digital payment methods, it is easy to get overwhelmed (不堪重负的) when one keeps financial records due to how fast and convenient it is to make purchases on a variety of platforms.
Thankfully, Mint is here to help! This free app can automatically track and organize all of the purchases you make, whether it is through digital payment, cash, credit or debit cards. You can also link and keep track of your debit and savings accounts, investments and properties, and even your digital subscriptions so you’ll know if there’s been a cost increase.
1. If people want to better manage their budgets, they can turn to ________.| A．LastPass | B．Calm |
| C．Pocket | D．Mint |
| A．LastPass is the newest password manager app in the market. |
| B．Calm meets all kind of requirements from every user. |
| C．Most users can choose Pocket to save something they want to read later. |
| D．Mint doesn’t charge but it only keeps financial records through digital payment. |
| A．Energy-saving. | B．Money-consuming. |
| C．Mind-blowing. | D．Peace-keeping. |
4 . As we close out the final days of this year, treat yourself to a deliciously distracting new book —a book that you can dip into and out of throughout the holidays. Read up, rest up, and enjoy yourself.
Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth and beyond
A must-have guide for yoga-loving mamas, Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond offers helpful relaxation techniques and breathing exercises that are tailored to each pregnant woman. The book also lays out valuable techniques for labor and staying in touch with your body as it continuously changes.
Mindfulness Activities for Kids
We could all use a little more peace in our lives. Uniquely suited for children and parents to do together, the 40 mindfulness exercises recommended here —from pausing to fully enjoy a tasty sandwich to taking chalk walk together—will not only teach children calm and gratitude, but also bring grown-ups and their littles closer together.
Before She Disappeared
Frankie Elkin is a recovering alcoholic who devotes her time to solving cold cases, especially those involving people of color. A new investigation brings her to Boston, searching for a Haitian teenager who disappeared months ago. But as Frankie starts asking questions, someone else will stop at nothing to keep the answers hidden.
Oak Flat
Lauren Redniss’ Oak Flat tells the story of the land near the San Carlos Apache Reservation through an Apache family fighting to protect the land which the U. S. government and two world-power mining enterprises are attempting to seize and destroy for its copper resources. Visually striking and deeply reported, Oak Flat tells a larger story of endless westward expansion and native resistance.
1. Which book can help to improve family relations?| A．Oak Flat. |
| B．Before She Disappeared. |
| C．Mindfulness Activities for Kids. |
| D．Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond. |
| A．It’s a brief account of mining enterprises. |
| B．It centers on an Apache family’s struggle. |
| C．It sings high praise of the US government. |
| D．It supports westward expansion and native resistance. |
| A．Teenagers. | B．Men. | C．Kids. | D．Grown-ups. |
5 . Social media is a great resource for you to find and share inspiration for your classroom on a daily basis. You will be able to find neat activities, fun games and creative crafts (手艺) to include in your teaching plans. Give them a try and they will be able to take your teaching style to the next level.
Teach Like You Mean It
Teach Like You Mean It posts tons of ideas for you to make your classroom feel more like home. It posts exciting ways that can make your classroom a fun place for your students to stay. It will show you quick DIYs with short videos and pictures.
Technically Its Kinder
Technically Its Kinder has so many great ideas for you to use in your kindergarten (幼儿园) classrooms. It posts tons of activities and games on a regular basis. It also provides ways to include technology in your lesson plans, which will help your students feel more comfortable with technology.
Madly Learning
Madly Learning was created by Patti, who is a teacher and blogger. She shares very helpful videos where she shows you different DIYs that will help you come up with new things to add to your classroom. She also shares stories and pictures from her personal experiences as a teacher and mom as well.
Teachers Pay Teachers
Teachers Pay Teachers is a website where teachers can sell teaching products to other teachers. And they also have an Instagram account. You will be able to get inspiration for your classroom from other teachers. They share quotes, crafts, classroom ideas and so much more.
1. Who are the intended readers?| A．Students of senior schools. |
| B．Advocates for education reform. |
| C．Parents of preschool children. |
| D．Teachers of schools and kindergartens. |
| A．It offers tons of lesson plans. |
| B．It renews the posts on a daily basis. |
| C．It helps apply technology to teaching. |
| D．It teaches technology to the students. |
| A．Teachers Pay Teachers. | B．Teach Like You Mean It. |
| C．Technically Its Kinder. | D．Madly Learning. |
6 . Fun facts about Antarctica
At the southernmost point of the world, you find Antarctica a giant mass of ice that’s its own continent. You, may not know much about the continent, so why not read on?
There’ s a lake that runs blood red in Antarctica.
As though someone has cut into the ice, the properly named Blood Falls come out over the Taylor Glacier. The water is extremely high in iron and salt, and when it comes into contact with the air, it shows the special red color against the pure white surroundings. The water here is three times saltier than ocean water, and therefore, too salty to become ice.
Antarctica has its own treaty (条约).
Because the environment of Antarctica is so delicate and unique, there is a treaty saying that only peaceful research can be done there. In 1959, 12 countries signed this treaty, with the number now sitting at 53. This also makes it certain that Antarctica doesn’t end up being caught in an international conflict, and that the continent is only used for scientific purposes and sensible traveling. The treaty prevents army and nuclear activities, and also mineral mining.
There is a unique phenomenon in Antarctica called diamond dust.
While there are low levels of precipitation (降水) in Antarctica, that doesn’t mean the air is clear of nature’s beauty! The air is so cold there that moisture (水汽) can condense while air-borne. This results in ice falling to the ground. The sun’s light will cause the ice to shine, creating a shining shower called diamond dust. It happens when the skies are clear, known as clear-sky precipitation.
If any of these Antarctic facts have increased your interest in visiting this unique continent, be sure to get in touch with the team al Aurora Expeditions today.
Phone：+61 (0)2 9252 1033
1. What do we know about the Blood Falls?| A．The water has been polluted. | B．The water comes from a river. |
| C．The water is rich in iron and salt. | D．The water usually freezes in winter. |
| A．where moisture comes from | B．how diamond dust is formed |
| C．where diamond dust can be found | D．how precipitation can be increased |
| A．A tour report. | B．research plan. |
| C．An advertisement. | D．An exploration guide. |
7 . Learning to read provides foundation for future learning in all areas of study. And experts say students need to have a working knowledge of 10,000 words. Now, a new vocabulary program claims to greatly speed up a child’s understanding of language.
Sofia Fenichell created the system.
Each word in the Mrs. Wordsmith system of teaching has a child-friendly definition.
For example, the word shriveled is defined as “ wrinkled, like hippo skin that’s been in the bath too long. ” Underneath the definition is a drawing of a very wet hippopotamus. There are also exercises to help strengthen the student’s understanding.
Fenichell spoke at a recent education technology show in London.
Mrs. Wordsmith is now set to expand into schools in other countries, including the United States.
| A．Words bring meaning to life |
| B．It is called Mrs. Wordsmith |
| C．Children will search for the right words to use |
| D．And each word has a picture showing how the word is used |
| E．She said the Mrs. Wordsmith system has been popular in schools across Britain |
| F．She worked with researchers from Cambridge University in Britain to develop the list of words |
| G．These words are typically the words they find in the books they read, in newspapers, in adult conversation |
8 . America’s youth is turning its back on tobacco. According to a study recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette smoking among US high school students is at an all-time low. One in 5 US high school students in 2016 reported using a tobacco product within the past 30 days, an improvement from 1 in 4 students just one year before.
“These findings show the importance of continuing to implement the evidence-based strategies that we now work to reduce all forms of tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes, among our nation’s youth,” says Brian King, of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health and senior author of the study.
And it’s not just tobacco: Drug use among US teens is down across the board. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has published annual reports on US teens’ drug use since 1996, and the 2016 survey shows the lowest rates of illegal drug and alcohol use. Marijuana (大麻) use remained “mostly steady”. “It is encouraging to see more young people making healthy choices not to use illegal substances,” says former National Drug Control Policy Director Michael Botticelli.
All individual forms of tobacco such as cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, and smoke-less tobacco saw declines in usage in 2016. Experts are especially encouraged by the decline in cigarettes, the most popular tobacco product among teens. In 2016, 11.3 percent of high school students reported using e-cigarettes, down from 16 percent in 2015.
Dr. King says adaptation is key to the decline of e-cigarettes. “We have over a half-century of science telling students about the harmful effects of tobacco use and what works best to prevent it,” says King. “E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco product among our nation’s youth, and it’s critical that our proven strategies are modernized to keep pace with the changing tobacco product landscape.”
1. What does the underlined word “implement” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Delay. | B．Perform. | C．Schedule. | D．Control. |
| A．US teens’ drug use has decreased. |
| B．There are many forms of tobacco. |
| C．E-cigarettes are popular among US teens. |
| D．The strategies are put forward by experts. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Suspicious. | C．Favorable. | D．Ambiguous. |
| A．US teen tobacco use declines. | B．High percent of teen tobacco use. |
| C．The harmful effects of tobacco use. | D．The strategies to reduce tabasco use. |
9 . During my career in the past years, I’ve been fired a few times. The last time was about five years ago.
At the time, I co-owned a literary agency. I agreed to take on a giant project for a major client. I worked my tail off about a year, focusing just on this one client. Meanwhile my partner and associates took care of everyone else. We all thought it was a good bet. But in the end, the client fired me and cooperated with an agency who promised to get him a major book deal with a New York publishing house and an appearance on Oprah. I was left high and dry with nothing to show for my year-long investment.
The worst part was that I did not see it coming. I thought I had done a great job, and we had enjoyed a long-term personal relationship. But my client had his eye on bigger things and decided I couldn’t take him there, so he abandoned me without discussion.
The thing I finally learned from this experience was that clients and customers can be changeable. So never put all your eggs in one basket.
This wasn’t the only mistake I’d made in my career. Some of the mistakes I had made got me fired. That got my attention and furthered my education in the school of hard knocks.
Chances are that you are going to be fired at some point in your career. Last May, 1.7 million workers in America were laid off or fired. And according to the Labor Department, that was during month of generally good economic news. The trick — after being fired — is to try to push bitterness aside and learn from it. Failure can be a great teacher, but we have to listen.
1. Why did the author only focus on one project?| A．His client required him to do so. |
| B．He considered it would be a safe bet. |
| C．It can give him an appearance on Oprah. |
| D．There were no other projects in his agency. |
| A．He caused some trouble for his client. |
| B．His client wanted to teach him a lesson. |
| C．He couldn’t satisfy his client’s demands. |
| D．His client was afraid of destroying their friendship. |
| A．He should have spread his risk. |
| B．He should have tried his best to do better. |
| C．He shouldn’t have worked on giant projects. |
| D．He shouldn’t have made friends with his clients. |
| A．To show the importance of failure |
| B．To tell us how to face getting fired. |
| C．To share a most horrible experience. |
| D．To explain why people easily get fired. |
10 . A wildlife photographer was waiting, hoping to get a shot of a relatively rare bird, a particular kind of heron(鹭). He’d waited several frustrating hours in the woods, but with no luck at all. Suddenly, to the photographer’s delight, a heron settled on a branch right in front of him. The photographer raised his camera and took the shot. Feeling particularly pleased, the photographer looked at the image. To his astonishment, he saw that behind the heron, his photograph had also captured a very, very rare woodpecker flying past. He hadn’t seen it, but without even trying, he’d photographed an even rarer bird than the one he was aiming for. This is an example of serendipity.
Cases of serendipity can be found in numerous fields, such as science. Back in the 1800s, a man called Wellswas at a demonstration (演示) of laughing gas. After being given the gas, the patient started laughing, as expected. But then he suddenly fell over and cut his le g rather badly. To everyone’s surprise, the man reported that he couldn’t feel any pain. Wells hadn’t been looking for it, but he’d made a medical discovery — certain gases reduce and can even almost eradicate pain. Had Wells not been there that night, anesthesia (麻醉) might have taken longer to be discovered.
Most of us can probably think of at least one example of serendipity in our own lives. Jane, a friend of mine,was trying to come up with an idea for an article but got completely stuck. Frustrated, she decided to go out to a local café. As she was sipping her coffee, she heard two people talking behind her. A man was telling a story that sounded so unbelievable that she knew it had to be true. She asked the people if she could interview them for the article. They agreed and her article turned out to be one of the top trending articles of the week.
1. The word “serendipity” in paragraph 1 means the fact of __________.| A．observing rare birds in person | B．achieving important aims in time |
| C．finding valuable things by chance | D．taking interesting photos by mistake |
| A．The gas’s hidden damage. | B．The gas’s pain-killing effect. |
| C．The patient’s scientific discovery. | D．The patient’s balance-losing moment. |
| A．To take a break. | B．To meet a friend. |
| C．To write an article. | D．To do an interview. |
| A．To explain a concept. | B．To promote a culture. |
| C．To introduce a person. | D．To recommend a method. |
