1 . Practical Guides to Gift Giving
Many people find special occasions and holidays to be stressful. Trying to get the right gift for everyone is no easy task. To make your life easier during those times, follow these simple tips:
Don’t go overboard in trying to find the most perfect gift. If you try way too hard, it creates resentment and extreme disappointment if the recipient’s reaction is not what you have hoped.
Avoid buying cosmetics (化妆品) for people whose taste you don’t know.
Avoid giving large items for the home such as paintings or furniture.
Include a gift receipt whenever you can. If the recipient does not like the gift, he or she will really appreciate the opportunity to return it or exchange it for something they like.
| A．Keep it simple and reasonable. |
| B．Start looking for a gift in advance. |
| C．Choose proper presentation and packaging. |
| D．How you give is as important as what you give. |
| E．Some people feel guilty buying things not absolutely necessary. |
| F．Most people are very picky about the brands, fragrances and colors. |
| G．It puts the recipients in a really bad position if they don’t like your gift. |
2 . Wildflower meadows are beautiful; so beautiful in fact that a village in Britain has found they act as natural speed traps from motorists slowing down to look at them.
The village of Long Newnton in Gloucestershire has a problem with fast-moving traffic between nearby towns. Almost all drivers moving through areas they frequent will break posted speed limits, and neither a 30 mile per hour limit, nor warning signs made any difference.
Officials first planted flowers along the roadside during the pandemic to help improve biodiversity. But they noticed that as well as attracting more wildlife, motorists also slowed down when they passed the flowers. The village, between Tetbury and Malmesbury, has traffic regularly travelling between them, and the small parish council(教区行政机构) receives limited funds from the government for traffic control measures.
Putting two and two together, the village is now relying on its flowers to do the work that the road signs could not, paying for the blooms with crowdfunding(众筹) in the village.
Why exactly people slow down isn’t entirely clear. “Evidence has shown that if you introduce things like wildflowers, drivers will slow down because they feel like they’re coming into somewhere that’s looked after,” said Jenny Forde, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Cotswold District Council. A crowdfunding campaign has raised almost £8,000 for traffic-calming measures, which will be used to fund a three-year care program for the wildflowers.
A sign that flashes and records data when people are breaking the 30 mph(48 kmph) speed limit was also fixed by the council. According to the data, 90% of motorists drive below the speed limit. It goes to show that something the homeschooling revolution in America is getting right applies elsewhere too, and that rewards for good behavior will always outperform(胜过) punishment for bad behavior.
1. What problem are villagers in Long Newnton facing?| A．Drivers often overspeed through the village. |
| B．Warning signs are unserviceable inside the village. |
| C．Traffic accidents often happen between the towns. |
| D．Large numbers of people are pouring to visit the village. |
| A．Acting as traffic signals. | B．Attracting more tourists. |
| C．Increasing plant diversity. | D．Advising drivers to slow down. |
| A．The longest journey begins with the first step. |
| B．Rewards outweigh punishment in some way. |
| C．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
| D．A good beginning is half of success. |
| A．Pay for Flowers with Crowdfunding | B．Natural Traps Found in Long Newnton |
| C．More Measures Taken to Regulate Traffic | D．Handle Speeding with Wildflowers’ Help |
3 . Arthur Lih of Massapequa sold his first LifeVac, a device to help save people’s life, to a fire department about 18 months ago, when the Jericho Fire Department purchased 21 of the devices. Now about 10 Long Island fire departments have purchased Lih’s invention, which is designed to draw foreign objects from the throats of choking victims when procedures such as the Heimlich Maneuver (海姆立克急救法) don’t work. He has sold about 5,000 LifeVac devices in the United States and abroad since the device went on the market in August 2014.
The Freeport Fire Department is one of Lih’s clients. It bought about 25 LifeVac devices to put on trucks, as well as in chiefs’ vehicles, said Ray Maguire, the department’s executive director. “It’s an extra tool in the toolbox,” Maguire said. “I’d be surprised if anyone who sees it doesn’t purchase it. It’s that tool you may only need once, but it’s the tool you really want in case you need it. It’s affordable. I have it in my car. I have one at home, too.”
Dr. Lee Smith at Northwell Health said that if a choking victim can’t breathe, he or she becomes a candidate for the Heimlich. If the Heimlich doesn’t work, the victim would probably lose consciousness because of a lack of oxygen.
A challenge for any new medical device is convincing potential users that it works and is safe. In tests, the LifeVac successfully removed an obstruction (阻塞物) from the throat of a dead human body on the first try 49 out of 50 times, according to an August research article in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
Lih invented the product in his garage, inspired after he went with a friend to a hospital while the friend’s mother was going through tests. The friend said the last time he was there, a 7-year-old child had choked to death on a grape.
1. What’s the function of the LifeVac device?| A．To put out the fire. | B．To remove foreign objects. |
| C．To design procedures. | D．To treat victims’ throats. |
| A．Its target users. | B．Its practical necessity. |
| C．Its major advantages. | D．Its reasonable price |
| A．A kid’s death. | B．His client’s suggestion. |
| C．A garage accident. | D．Material rewards. |
| A．A productive inventor. | B．A convincing cure. |
| C．An anti-choking device. | D．An important toolbox. |
4 . Vinny Proscia, 41, who works at Bagels 101 on Middle Country Road, has won praise for an unusual act of kindness to a family he hardly knew.
Proscia drove nearly six hours on Saturday night to northeast Pennsylvania to drop off a set of car keys that customer Diana Chong left in his shop that morning before she headed to a Friendsgiving celebration near Scranton.
Chong left her keys near the front counter before returning to her SUV to begin the family’s 185-mile trip to Honesdale, Pennsylvania, where they were meeting childhood friends for a pre-Thanksgiving celebration. Her SUV has an automatic start device that allows the vehicle to continue running without keys but the SUV is needed to restart once it’s turned off. Luckily, the Chongs never shut the engine off during the long drive, saving them from potentially being stranded at a highway rest stop. But panic set in when they arrived in Honesdale and searched for the keys.
Diana Chong reached Proscia, who offered to ship the keys to her overnight. But Proscia could not find a delivery service open on Sunday or capable of sending them to her before Monday. That’s when Proscia, who had been working since 5 a.m., stepped up, telling his wife, Renee, that he was taking a road trip to Pennsylvania.
Proscia hit the road at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday and arrived in Honesdale at 10:30 p.m. because of heavy traffic. When Proscia got there, he received a hero’s reception. Chong’s sister, Gina Sulrzycki, posted an item about Proscia’s kindness on the Internet on Saturday night and the story got around, getting shared nearly 1,800 times.
Chong, meanwhile, said there will forever be a seat at her holiday table for Proscia and his family. “We had a great Friendsgiving because of him,” Chong said. “It’s an act of kindness that needs to be spread.”
1. Why did Proscia drive to northeast Pennsylvania?| A．To attend a Friendsgiving celebration. | B．To take the car keys back to Chong. |
| C．To spend the weekend with his family. | D．To see his childhood friends off. |
| A．Lost. | B．Concerned. | C．Discouraged. | D．Stuck. |
| A．He promised to help her the next day. |
| B．He continued working at Bagels 101. |
| C．He went to search for a delivery service. |
| D．He told his wife to step up immediately. |
| A．Caring and warm-hearted. | B．Grateful and patient. |
| C．Helpful and curious. | D．Sympathetic and adventurous. |
5 . Best US National Parks for Road Cycling
Glacier National Park, Montana
It is one of the best places for road cycling in national parks. Note that you’ll be meeting this popular road with cars and RVs(野营车), so wearing bright clothing for increased visibility is a good idea.
•When? Summer
•Where to stay? Many Glacier Hotel
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
Crater Lake with its impressive Rim Drive is one of the best national parks for road cycling. Fed by snow and rain, this is the deepest lake in the USA. This collapsed volcanic peak is one of the most remarkable natural attractions in the country, a must-visit destination for any nature lover.
• When? Summer has the best weather
• Where to stay? Crater Lake Lodge
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt National Park consists of three separate units, but the best one for wildlife watching and cycling is the South Unit. Keep your binoculars close and watch for bison and wild horses, sightings of which are almost guaranteed.
• When? For the best weather conditions, visit in summer
• Where to stay? Medora
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio
For cyclists, the park’s most interesting feature is the multi-purpose Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. This is such an iconic feature in the park that a casual bike ride is a must for any visitor. Consider combining a bike ride with a journey on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. You can bike down the entire trail and simply catch the historic train back up.
• When? Spring and fall are most beautiful
• Where to stay? Stanford House
1. Which national park shares the cycling road with other vehicles?| A．Glacier National Park. |
| B．Crater Lake National Park. |
| C．Cuyahoga Valley National Park. |
| D．Theodore Roosevelt National Park. |
| A．Many Glacier Hotel. | B．Crater Lake Lodge. | C．Medora. | D．Stanford House. |
| A．Cyclists should wear bright clothes. |
| B．Spring and fall are the best time to go there. |
| C．Visitors can take the train first and bike back. |
| D．The volcanic peak is a must-see place for cyclists. |
6 . Four Strange American Traditions
Let’s look at four traditions Americans celebrate without even considering how strange the rest of world consider them.
Baby Showers
The custom of celebrating a new child has been around forever and is part of most cultures. In the US, however, it’s honored differently: with a baby shower. The baby shower began during the 1950s. It involves an afternoon party for the mom-to-be attended by close female friends and families. The guests play baby-themed games, and there’s always plenty of food.
Trick-or-treating
Many cultures have strong historic traditions like dressing up around the time of Halloween, but few of these involve children going door-to-door asking for candy with the words, “Trick or treat!” Typically, their parents wouldn’t allow them to talk to strangers, begging for candy in the streets at night. But all of a sudden they support such behaviors on one magical evening each fall.
Presidential Turkey Pardons
Thanksgiving in general seems to puzzle those who aren’t interested in American traditions, but perhaps no part of that turkey festival seems more unusual than the annual ceremony during which modern presidents give an official pardon to a live turkey. Interestingly, there’s also a great deal of confusion among Americans concerning the actual origins of this strange tradition.
Black Friday Shopping Sprees(疯狂购物)
People in the US have no problem lining up before the sun even rises to cash in on big deals on Black Friday. Just hours after millions of turkeys are eaten in the United States on Thanksgiving each year, the shoppers head out to get a start on their yearly Christmas gift list. Black Friday sales promotion traditionally launches this national weekend shopping activity, which continues with Small Business Saturday and ends with Cyber Monday.
1. What can the children do in Trick-or-treating?| A．Ask for candy from strangers. | B．Play some baby-themed games. |
| C．Hold a historic traditional party. | D．Support their parents to make a trick. |
| A．Baby Showers. | B．Trick-or-treating. |
| C．Presidential Turkey Pardons. | D．Black Friday Shopping Sprees. |
| A．They are fond of shopping activities. | B．They can buy some discounted goods. |
| C．They want to improve its popularity. | D．They have to prepare candy for strangers. |
7 . Whether you are struggling with work, stress or badly images with body confidence, feeling constantly unhappy is an incredible, tiring state of mind. But there are simple ways to introduce a more positive mindset, according to a treatment expert, Richard Nicholls.
Keeping a personal diary is a great way of helping to gain a better view on things. Research has even shown it has similar benefits to asking professional advice from psychological doctors. But it needs to be done properly. Writing a journal isn’t about losing yourself in self-pity.
Learn “thought stopping”
Putting a “stop thought” in the middle of negative and positive thoughts will help focus your attention and give you more control over what your mind is doing. Next time you have an negative thought, shout very loudly in your head “STOP” for at least three seconds.
Try mindful meditation.
Put yourself first.
If you are constantly putting everyone else before yourself, it can lead to low self-respect and deep unhappiness.
| A．Seek professional advice |
| B．Write in a diary |
| C．Learning to say no can fight against this |
| D．Write about an event that made you feel unhappy that day |
| E．Imagine something that represents a stop, such as a red light |
| F．Mindfulness is about learning to relax and be at peace with your thoughts |
| G．It’s a tool to help you see optional ways of thinking, feeling and behaving. |
8 . Reading is the key to school success and, like any skill, it takes practice. A child learns to walk by practicing until he no longer has to think about how to put one foot in front of the other. An excellent sportsman practices until he can play quickly, correctly and without thinking. Educators call it “automaticity (自动性)”.
Children learn to read by sounding out the letters and finding the meaning of the words. With automaticity, they can read faster because they don’t have to think about the meaning of the words, but give all attention to the meaning of the text.
It can begin as early as the first grade. In a recent study of children in Illinois schools, Alan Rossman of Northwestern University found that automatic readers in the first grade not only read almost three times as fast as the others, but also got better results in exams.
According to Rossman, the key to automaticity is the amount (数量) of time a child spends on reading, not his IQ. Any child who spends at least 3.5 to 4 hours a week reading books, magazines or newspapers will probably reach automaticity. It can not happen if a child turns off TV just one night for reading at home.
You can test yourself by reading something new that is suitable (适合) for your level. If you read aloud with expression, with a sense of the meaning of the sentences, you are probably an automatic reader. If you read brokenly, one word at a time, without expression or meaning, you need more practice.
1. “Reading is the key to school success” means that reading ________.| A．helps schools develop faster |
| B．is the key to a successful school |
| C．helps students go to a key school |
| D．can improve students’ learning results |
| A．They know how to read the words |
| B．They do not have to think while reading |
| C．They read by themselves without any help |
| D．They pay full attention to the meaning of the text |
| A．Anyone who turns off TV one night 4 weeks. |
| B．Anyone who reads books by the word quickly. |
| C．Anyone who spends an hour reading every day. |
| D．Anyone who gets the same grades as others in exams. |
| A．IQ Is the Key to Automaticity |
| B．TV Is Bad for Children’s Reading |
| C．Automaticity Depends on Practice |
| D．Automatic Readers Will Be Successful |
9 . As the government encourages “social distancing” in the fight against coronavirus, people are facing the prospect of being told to stay at home for weeks. But what if a parent or older person in your life doesn’t already have access to video calling tech?
“You might want to consider getting a specialized device to make video calls to your loved ones,” says Kate Bevan, an editor of a consumer magazine. “Once they’re set up, they’re very simple to use but you do have to dig through settings in their apps to connect them and that’s not always as easy as it might be.”
Age UK, the charity for older people, says that the choice of technology should be “as user-friendly as possible” for those unaccustomed to controlling video-chat software. “Something integrated like a video call app on a smartphone, tablet or a laptop with a built-in camera, for example, will often be easier,” says Caroline Abrahams, the charity director. “Older people may also prefer physical interfaces (界面) like a mouse rather than a touchscreen.”
“To protect people’s privacy, it will be important to ensure that any new devices are secure and not likely to be hacked (非法入侵), and that anyone using a new device has access to ongoing support to help them learn how to use it and deal with any issues or problems,” she adds.
An integrated kit can be the easiest solution. Amazon, Google, and Facebook all have smart devices with screens for video calls. One problem with all these devices is their expense and another is their need to be on a stable wi-fi connection at all times. Sometimes, a smartphone might be the better option.
But a new smartphone, even a mid-range one, can be much more expensive. And Bevan warns against hand-me-downs past a certain age. Apart from lower camera quality, there can be security concerns. “If you’re considering passing old smartphones and tablets on to a relative, do be careful that they’re still getting security updates,” she says.
1. What difficulty might older people face during the fight against coronavirus?| A．They cannot use video calling tech. |
| B．They are not interested in video calling. |
| C．They fail to afford to buy video devices. |
| D．They have to stay at home for several weeks. |
| A．The device which is user-friendly and portable. |
| B．The device which employs physical connection. |
| C．The device which is equipped with special apps. |
| D．The device which has a camera and touchscreen. |
| A．Mid-range devices with a built-in camera. |
| B．Expensive smartphones sold by Amazon. |
| C．Smart devices with screens for video calls. |
| D．Integrated gadgets with a stable wi-fi connection. |
| A．We have to buy the elderly an expensive one. |
| B．We should help the elderly set up proper apps. |
| C．We can give a high-quality phone to the elderly. |
| D．We must ensure the smartphone gets security updates. |
10 . Nowadays as countries across Europe begin easing their coronavirus (新冠) lockdown, a key question governments face is how to get their populations moving again without chaos on the road and rail.
With reduced public transport services and social distancing rules, preventing traffic jams on the roads will be a priority. So governments across the continent have been coming up with innovative ways to encourage people to cycle or walk instead.
The UK
The government has announced a $2.48 billion package to put cycling and walking “at the heart of” the country’s post COVID-19 transportation plan to relieve the pressure on public transport. $310 million of the package will be used to improve cycling and walking infrastructure, including building wider sidewalks and the introduction of cycle-only streets.
Italy
The Transport Minister Paola de Micheli has announced a package for its citizens to claim a $548 subsidy (补贴) on newly bought bikes.The offer applies to people living in a municipality with more than 50,000 inhabitants and can be claimed when they buy a traditional or electric bike, scooter, hoverboard, Segway, etc.
France
The French government has asked people to use bicycles to commute to work instead of their cars when the full COVID-19 lockdown ends on 11 May. An initiative from the Energy and Transport Ministry includes developing temporary bike lanes and up to $21.94 million worth of subsidies towards the cost of repairs. People will be allowed up to $55 for repairs while employers are supported to cover up to $438 of travel costs of staff who commute by bike. The plan also includes an increase in bicycle parking spaces and training for people who haven’t ridden for a while to get them back in the saddle.
Spain
Spain’s Environment Minister Teresa Ribera has asked mayors to extend bike lane coverage, reduce car speed limits and provide more bike parking in a bid to “overcome resistance generated from habits and conceptions that are well-established”. Cities such as Madrid and Barcelona already have a good bike system in operation, although they are being improved. Old lanes in the cities are being widened so that cyclists can follow the social distancing measures, whilst completely new lanes are also being formed.
1. Who can apply for the subsidy in Italy?| A．One who lives in a small village. |
| B．One who wants to buy a new energy car. |
| C．One who has the intention to go out by bike. |
| D．One who lives in Rome and is buying a new bike. |
| A．Italy. | B．Spain. | C．France. | D．The UK. |
| A．Build wider sidewalks. |
| B．Provide more bike parking. |
| C．Offer citizens a discount if they buy bikes. |
| D．Put cycling and walking at the core of its transportation plan. |
