1 . Digital technology -email and smart phones especially - have vastly improved workers’ ability to be productive outside of a traditional office. Even so, most white-collar work still happens in an office. One reason is that, according to findings of a new survey of office workers conducted by Wakefield Research for the IT company Citrix, most bosses are doubtful about remote working. Half of the workers say their boss doesn’t accept it and only 35 percent say it’s tolerated.
Skeptical bosses will likely have their doubts reinforced by the same survey, which shows that 43 percent of workers say they’ve watched TV or a movie while “working” remotely, while 35 percent have done housework, and 28 percent have cooked dinner.
It is true, however, that working at home makes people much more efficient(高效的), because it allows workers to take care of annoying housework while still getting their jobs done. It’s much faster, for example, to shop for groceries at a quarter to three than to stand in line during the after-work rush.
The fact that such practices remain officially unaccepted reflects how far we haven’t come as a society from the days when we expected every full-time worker to be supported by a full-time homemaker.
More broadly the Wakefield survey suggests that employers may be missing a low-cost way to give workers something of value. Sixty-four percent of those survey participants who haven’t worked remotely would rather give up some bonus in order to get even one day a week working from home. Under such circumstances, smart firms need to find ways to let their employees have enough flexibility to manage their time efficiently.
1. Why do some employers hesitate to allow remote working?| A．They fear losing control of their workers. |
| B．They want to stick to their routine practice. |
| C．They have little trust in modern technology. |
| D．They are used to face-to-face communication. |
| A．take care of the annoying children |
| B．watch TV or a film while working |
| C．save a lot of time to get their job done |
| D．enjoy the long wait in the after-work rush |
| A．Favorable. | B．Doubtful. | C．Reserved | D．Disapproving |
| A．Shorten their office hours. | B．Adopt flexible work patterns. |
| C．Give employees a pay raise. | D．Reduce their staff’s workload. |
A Nation of Animal Lovers
The British are traditionally a nation of animal lovers. This is clear from the large number of animal programmes on TV. There are programmes about wildlife in Britain and other countries, and about pets at home. There are programmes like Animal Hospital about sick animals and the working lives of animal doctors. Some programmes try to find new homes for unwanted or homeless animals. All these programmes are very popular. There is a pet in more than half of the homes in the UK(52.3%). The most popular pets are cats.
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in London is a very famous home for unwanted dogs and cats. It was started in 1860 by Mrs. Mary Tealby, because she was worried about all the homeless animals on the streets of London. Since it opened, the home has taken in more than 3 million dogs and cats. In 2006, over 11,000 dogs and cats came to the home. By the end of the year, homes were found for 5,000 of them. The home even has its own magazine, Paws.
| It Can Only Happen in Britain! The Echo January 13 The rat at platform one has just made your train late! An officer was called to Stirling station today because passengers were worried about a large white rat on the line. Three trains passed over it, but the rat was unhurt. The Scottish railway company, Scotrail, closed the line. Then passengers watched as the officer carefully caught the rat. It bit him, but he took it away safely. An officer from Scotrail said, “We try to protect all wild animals and pets. At first the rat was very frightened, but now he’s fine.” “We’ve called him Ronnie. He needs a good home. People think rats are dirty. But they make great pets!” |
2. How many homes in the UK raise pets?(no more than 10 words)
3. Why did Mrs. Mary Tealby started Battersea Dogs and Cats Home?(no more than 15 words)
4. What was the result of the rat in the train station?(no more than 10 words)
5. How will you react if you see some wild animals in cities? Please further explain that.(no more than 20 words)
3 . The Right and Left Brain
It is common today to identify, in some way, with one side of the brain. You may think, for example, that you are more “right brain” than “left”. When we make such statements, we are referring to the fact that the two halves of the human brain deal with information from the senses, and hence the world, in different ways. In general, the left hemisphere(半球)is responsible for our processing of language and logic and the right deals with aspects of thought like emotions and spatial(空间的)relationships. The hemispheres also control our movements, though the left hemisphere controls the right side of our bodies, and vice versa.
The fact that the two hemispheres of the brain work in different ways on different tasks is a relatively new discovery. That discovery was made by a psychobiologist(精神生物学家)named Roger Sperry and it won him a Nobel Prize in 1981. Sperry uncovered the inner workings of normal brains by studying the brain function of people who had a certain kind of brain damage. In most brains, the nerves, which serves as a “bridge” of sorts between the two hemispheres; allowing them to communicate with each other. The people Sperry studied had had their corpus callosa cut, and because of this, their left and right brains couldn’t exchange information.
In a famous experiment, Sperry showed one such subject two pictures. The subject saw a picture of a knife with his right eye(controlled by the left brain)and a picture of a spoon with his left(controlled by the right). When asked to name what he saw, the subject said knife, because it is the left brain that deals with language and the naming of things. However, when asked to reach over with his left hand to a nearby table on which was placed both a knife and a spoon, and choose, without looking, the object he saw, the subject chose the spoon. This is because his left eye (controlled by the right brain)saw the spoon and his left hand(also controlled by the right brain)chose this rather than the knife. The subject himself was not at all conscious of the fact that he was seeing and choosing two different objects.
Until recently, it was thought that there was a strict division of labour. Today, however, we are aware that, for example, while the left brain is responsible for most of the language functions, the right brain plays a role in some language functions like following a story and interpreting humour. Tasks such as face recognition require both halves in different ways. Unfamiliar faces are interpreted and processed by the right hemisphere while familiar faces are processed and recognized by the left. Similarly, non-musicians will interpret a melody with their right brain, but musicians will process music with their left.
1. The right hemisphere of the human brain is responsible for ______.| A．language | B．emotions |
| C．sense of touch | D．the right side of the body |
| A．the connection between vision and touch |
| B．people with damaged brains |
| C．people with normal brains |
| D．the corpus callosum |
| A．only found in abnormal human brains |
| B．found between the two hemispheres |
| C．part of the left hemisphere. |
| D．where memory is stored |
| A．one half of the brain processes language and the other processes touch |
| B．people are not conscious of the left and right halves of their brain |
| C．the two hemispheres of the brain function in different ways |
| D．people see differently with each eye |
| A．thought the spoon was a knife |
| B．was not aware that he was seeing two images |
| C．was unable to process visual information accurately |
| D．could not tell the difference between a spoon and a knife. |
| A．the left side of the brain processes music more efficiently |
| B．the left side of the brain deals with familiar material |
| C．listening to music requires both halves of the brain |
| D．musicians are born with more developed left brains |
Moderator(主持人)
Today marks the last day of the Social Media Detox, Brenton High’s fundraising campaign for new sports equipment. At the start of the detox, over 100 students had been persuaded to stop using social media, in ANY form, for seven days. This meant no messaging friends, no posting photos, no blogging - nothing. They had been promised money by family and friends for each day spent without using social media. They were excited. They were nervous. But could they do it?
With the detox finished, they’ve switched on their devices and they’re back online. I bet you’re as eager as I am to find out just how many have been motivated enough to last the full seven days! And what, if anything, have been learnt from the experience?
Anna 17
I lasted two days. The detox was more difficult to tolerate than I had expected. I felt like I had lost an arm! Not eating for two days would have been easier! But on reflection, I can see how much of my time had been occupied with checking my phone. I’m now trying to spend less time online and more time picking up my hobbies.
Devon 16
I lasted four days. On Monday, our classmate and I spoke about what we did at the weekend — it felt strange not to already know what he had done. We would have posted pictures and updated our profiles. Doing the detox meant we had to talk and explain what we were doing and thinking! It made me realise the value of real contact that I had forgotten.
Cindy 18
I managed the whole week! At first, I really felt I was missing out. Then, instead of messaging my friend, I went around to her house. Without our phones, we had a proper conversation for over two hours. Without being distracted by messages from other people, it felt so good! Then I decided to visit a different friend every day. By the fifth day, I wondered – was I really missing out by not constantly checking my phone to see what everyone else was up to?
George 16
I did all seven days, too! To be honest, I didn’t find the detox too difficult, but I did give my phone to my father to avoid giving in! My brother thought I should make full use of the time without my phone; so he took me to check out our local sports centre. An hour’s sport each day left me tired out and sent me early to bed. The detox made me healthier!
Max 17
I’m embarrassed to say that I threw in the towel on the first day! I knew there was a party happening that evening, but I without access to social media I couldn’t remember where it was! In the end, I turn on my phone to check, but couldn’t resist having a quick look at my social media accounts. What’s worse, I then spent so much time catching up on news, I almost missed the party.
Moderator(主持人)
The detox raised a total of $1,632.82 for. new school sports equipment! Well done, everyone who took part! After, reading the posts on this forum, it seems that something rather than money has also been raised through the detox. Awareness of just how much we rely on social media can help us step away from it and communicate with each other better.
1. What was Devon’s reflection on the Social Media Detox?| A．He realised the value of real contact. |
| B．He felt healthier because of the detox. |
| C．He found it more difficult to tolerate than expected. |
| D．He thought too much of his time had been occupied by the phone. |
| A．Critical. | B．Irresponsible. | C．Positive. | D．Unwilling. |
| A．Max. | B．George. | C．Devon. | D．Anna. |
| A．Strengthening family relationships. |
| B．Raising money for new sports equipment. |
| C．Sharpening students’ communication skills. |
| D．Reducing students’ reliance on social media. |
| A．Phones. | B．Picking up hobbies. |
| C．Sports equipment. | D．Putting up posts. |
5 . You have to get to your job interview, but you don’t have access to an automobile. How would you solve this dilemma (困境)? Most people would probably call an Uber or perhaps ask a friend or family member for a ride. But not this Indiana woman. Kasia Shelton from Muncie has been arrested for stealing a vehicle from a local dealership (经销商). According to police reports, the 20-year-old used the 2013 Kia Optima to drive to a job interview in Indianapolis.
The auto theft happened on Monday, October 9. On the day, Shelton arrived at RDI Motors in Muncie and asked an employee to see a certain 2013 Kia Optima. He showed the car to Shelton and we can only assume he talked in length about its great condition for its age, the features, and the reliability. The employee later told the police that Shelton seemed interested in the car and asked to take it for a test drive. But while he was talking to her and preparing the car for a drive, the dealership’s telephone kept ringing and ringing. He said that he had to excuse himself constantly to go pick up the phone, yet there was never anybody on the other end of the line. The last time the phone rang was just as the employee had gotten the car ready for Shelton to take it for a test drive. When he got back from the phone, Shelton and the Kia were gone.
The RDI employee immediately called the Muncie Police Department. The police then began using the Flock camera surveillance system (监控系统) in an attempt to spot the car. A while later, they saw the car again, this time returning to Muncie. After that, the cameras lost the car, but we now know that Shelton drove it back to RDI Motors. Finding out wasn’t too difficult. The police said they were able to connect the car to Shelton because she had filled out an online form on RDI Motors’ website.
When the police later showed up at Shelton’s door, she seemed confused and thought the officers were pulling off some kind of a joke. She genuinely didn’t seem to understand what she was getting arrested for. After all, she returned the Kia to the dealership once she was done with her trip. She didn’t plan to keep it, so what’s the big deal?
Whether she understood the reason why or not, Shelton was arrested. She has been charged with auto theft, which could land her in prison for up to two and a half years.
1. Why was Shelton arrested?| A．Because she got a job interview. | B．Because she didn’t call an Uber. |
| C．Because she stole a car. | D．Because she drove a 2013 Kia Optima. |
| A．Uninterested. | B．Negative. | C．Responsible. | D．Intolerable. |
| A．Some other clients. | B．Mysterious phone calls. |
| C．Shelton’s attitude. | D．His colleagues’ calls. |
| A．By searching the Flock camera surveillance system. |
| B．Through the interview company. |
| C．By inquiring RDI motors’ employees. |
| D．Through the personal information she left on the site. |
| A．Don’t you think that’s the reason you arrest me? | B．Is this small thing worth an arrest? |
| C．Is this a deal? | D．Do you think I should buy the car? |
6 . The skin is an essential part of your body and its largest organ. You have three layers (层) of skin which act as a barrier against disease, poisons and the sun’s harmful rays. The functions of your skin are also very complex: it keeps you warm or cool; it prevents your body from losing too much water; it is where you feel cold, heat or pain and it gives you your sense of touch. So as you can imagine, if your skin gets burned it can be very serious. First aid is a very important first step in the treatment of burns.
Causes of burns
You can get burned by a variety of things: hot liquids, steam, fire, radiation (by being close to high heat or fire, etc. ), the sun, electricity or chemicals.
Types of burns
There are three types of burns. Burns are called first, second or third degree burns, depending on which layers of the skin are burned.
• First degree burns
These affect only the top layer of the skin. These burns are not serious and should feel better within a day or two. Examples include mild sunburn and burns caused by touching a hot pan, stove or iron for a mordent (熨烫熨斗).
• Second degree burns
These affect both the top and the second layer of the skin. These burns are serious and take a few weeks to heal. Examples include severe sunburn and burns caused by hot liquids.
• Third degree burns
These affect all three layers of the skin and any tissue and organs under the skin. Examples include burns caused by electric shocks, burning clothes, or severe petrol fires. These burns cause very severe injuries and the victim must go to hospital at once.
Characteristics of burns
First degree burns
• dry, red and mildly swollen
• mildly painful
• turn white when pressed
Second degree burns
• rough, red and swollen
• watery surface
• extremely painful
Third degree burns
• black and white and charred
• swollen; often tissue under them can be seen
• little or no pain if nerves are damaged; may be pain around edge of injured area
1. According to Paragraph 1, the functions of the skin include ________.| A．regulating body temperature | B．reflecting the sun’s harmful rays |
| C．speeding up water loss | D．absorbing poisons automatically |
| A．Boiling oil. | B．Hot chocolate. | C．Electric shocks. | D．Heart attacks. |
| A．Depending on the speed of the burn. |
| B．Depending on the location of the burn. |
| C．Depending on how many layers of skin there are. |
| D．Depending on how deep they burn the surface of the skin. |
| A．Your skin may be bright red, swollen, and look wet. |
| B．The bur site appears white or charred and there is no feeling in the area. |
| C．Your skin may be red and painful, and you may experience mild swelling. |
| D．Instead of turning red, your skin may appear black, brown, white or yellow. |
| A．A course guide. | B．A first aid brochure. |
| C．A hospital advertisement. | D．A business magazine. |
On 8th August, 1914, 27 men who had replied to an advertisement in The Times boarded a ship leaving for the Antarctic (南极洲). The name of the ship was the Endurance and the captain was an Irishman called Ernest Shackleton.
The aim of the journey was to cross the frozen continent via the South Pole — a journey of 1, 800 miles. Shackleton thought the journey would last six months.
But when land came into sight, the Endurance became trapped in the ice and began to break up. Shackleton and his men watched the Endurance sink into the icy sea. They then headed north, pulling three lifeboats behind them.
After six days, bad weather forced them to give up and the men set up camp on a sheet of ice which began slowly moving across the Antarctic Circle.
They survived on the ice for five months. Then, on 16th April, 1915, Shackleton saw land. It was Elephant Island — a large rock with nothing growing on it, but much better than a floating piece of ice. When they reached the island, Shackleton came up with an idea — it was a risk but he would have to take it. He and five men would take one of the lifeboats, and sail 800 miles to South Georgia, where there was a permanent camp. They could then return to rescue the rest of the men.
It took Shackleton 17 days to reach South Georgia. Unfortunately he landed on the wrong side of the island, and had to walk 36 hours over mountains to reach the camp. The whale hunters at the camp couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw the six men walking down from the mountains. Shackleton kept his promise. More than three months later, be returned to Elephant Island to rescue the crew he had been forced to abandon. He had failed to reach the pole — but he had saved the lives of all his men.
1. What was the goal of the adventure? (no more than 8 words)2. Why did they leave the Endurance? (no more than 6 words)
3. What does the underlined word mean in Paragraph 5? (1 word)
4. How did Shackleton save the lives of all his crew? (no more than 15 words)
5. What do you think of Shackleton? Please explain. (no more than 20 words)
8 . Countries around the globe are spending billions of dollars and lots of time on various space missions, whether to Mars or other planets much further away. Some people argue that we should stop wasting time and money exploring space. Instead, we should feed the world’s poor and find immediate solutions to other problems, such as pollution and fatal diseases (致命疾病). However, others feel this is a shallow view which fails to realise how exploring space helps us.
Firstly, exploring space has already made a difference in the fight against world hunger. It has directly resulted in the many satellites that now orbit Earth. A number of the satellites record data on land and weather patterns. Then the data is transmitted (传送) to scientists on Earth. After careful analysis, the scientists can provide useful recommendations and advice for farmers. As a result, space-based science has helped farming in its efforts to grow enough food to feed Earth’s increasing population.
Secondly, space exploration has already promoted technological improvements that benefit us all. High-end products around the world are made to a higher standard now because of advanced technology which was first created to meet the requirements for space exploration. For example, space technologies have helped the research and development of different types of new material. They have also helped companies make better heart monitors and other machines that doctors regularly use. Today, space technologies are widely used in all kinds of industries, and everyday products such as GPS, memory foam pillows (记忆棉枕头), and smartphone cameras are changing our lives.
Finally, sending astronauts into space has helped people to think about the world’s problems and even to find ways to solve them. Seeing pictures of our planet as an island in a black sea made people realise that our planet’s resources are limited. In order to provide for such a rapidly increasing population, scientists are trying to find other planets that could one day be our new home. The greatest attention at present is on Mars because it is closer to Earth. In the future, humans may live on both planets.
In closing, exploring space provides the world with many different benefits. Therefore, it should continue so as to provide new and better solutions to people’s short-term and long-term problems.
1. In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to ________.| A．propose a definition | B．make a comparison |
| C．reach a conclusion | D．present an argument |
| A．They can collect information of the land and weather changes. |
| B．They can provide useful recommendations for farmers. |
| C．They can fight against world hunger directly. |
| D．They can analyze the data and make suggestions. |
| A．Space exploration no longer requires high-end products. |
| B．High-end products cannot meet the needs of space exploration. |
| C．Our daily life has benefited from the development of space technology. |
| D．The development of new material is a must for space exploration. |
| A．Space exploration has changed the way our planet works. |
| B．Space exploration helps to discover and solve Earth’s problems. |
| C．In the future, all humans may have to move to Mars. |
| D．Resource shortage and population growth are already serious problems. |
| A．To provide guidance on how to carry out space exploration. |
| B．To stress the need of promoting technology. |
| C．To state the importance of exploring space. |
| D．To suggest a way of meeting the requirements for space exploration. |
9 . Is it possible to make machines think like humans? This is one question in research in the field of Artificial Intelligence, or “AI” To think like a human, it involves feelings, morality, hopes, and dreams. Humans are capable of making decisions by themselves without input from others, and they can learn from experience. In addition, humans are able to create things from their own inspiration for their own pleasure. The question is whether machines can ever really think in all these aspects. The idea of a computer that is all-powerful and can think and make decisions for itself terrifies many people. In some films, AI even decides that all humans must be killed. Many people are also concerned that AI will be used to replace humans.
Yet others are comforted by the thought of AI. Maybe with AI. robots can be made to replace loved ones who have died. Today, the creation of an all-powerful computer capable of human thought is still in progress. We have companion (陪伴) robots, and it is likely that they will grow more important in our lives as time goes by. However, the need for such robots does not seem to be as critical as our need for intelligent machines that can solve problems by learning from their observations and experience.
For example, AI is already being used with great success in Internet search engines and as a personal assistant in our smartphones. It learns from our habits to help us find what we want and like. AI is also used to diagnose (诊断) problems and suggest solutions. Researchers are also experimenting with the use of AI in driverless cars which can sense their surroundings and decide on the best way to reach a destination. It is also being used in education, particularly in online courses. Furthermore, industries that use robots for repetitive or dangerous work often turn to AI to manage these electronic workers. In addition, virtual assistants are also being used in some homes today. In the near future, it is likely that AI will be used to manage smart homes and handle an even greater variety of tasks such as setting out favourite clothes and helping us with our personal grooming (梳妆). The AI of today has already proven its superiority to humans in many areas. Do you think that we can create a robot that thinks like a human or one that is even more intelligent? If so, is there truly a difference between AI and a human?
1. What can we learn from Paragraphs 1 and 2?| A．We already have all-powerful computers with the power of human thought. |
| B．One day the AI will decide on its own to wipe out humans. |
| C．Robots with AI have the potential to replace our loved ones. |
| D．In contrast, humans need artificial intelligence machines to help us solve problems rather than companion robots. |
| A． AI will eventually be used to manage workers. |
| B．AI is often used to manage robots on production lines. |
| C．Industrial robots are completely different from electronic workers. |
| D．Industrial robots often turn to AI. |
| A．Smartphones already have AI technology. |
| B． AI technology for driverless cars is already mature. |
| C． AI has been being used to mange smart homes. |
| D．Artificial intelligence has proved its superiority over humanity in all fields. |
| A．Short-sighted. | B．Wait-and-see. | C．Optimistic. | D．Skeptical. |
| A． AI Thinks Like Humans | B．AI Robots |
| C．AI and Human Beings | D．The Future of AI |
10 . Foreign visitors to the UK might be disappointed when they learn that not everyone there speaks like Harry Potter and his friends. Usually, there’s an assumption by many non-Brits that everyone in Britain speaks with what’s known as a Received Pronunciation (RP，标准发音) accent, also called “the Queen’s English”. However, while many people do talk this way, most Britons speak in their own regional accents (口音).
Scouse, Glaswegian and Black Country — from Liverpool, Glasgow and the West Midlands — are just three of the countless non-RP accents that British people speak with. There are even differences in accents between towns or cities just 30 kilometers apart. What is even more disappointing is that not speaking in a RP accent may mean a British person is judged and even treated differently in their everyday life.
In a 2015 study by The University of South Wales, videos of people reading a passage in three different UK accents were shown to a second group of people. The group then rated how intelligent they thought the readers sounded. The lowestrated accent was Brummie, native to people from Birmingham, a city whose accent is considered working class.
However, there is no need to be disappointed though you are not speaking in a RP accent. In fact, doing the opposite may even give you strength.
Kong Seongjae, 25, is an Internet celebrity from Seoul. After studying in the UK, he picked up several regional accents. He’s now famous for his online videos, where he shows off the various accents he’s learned. “British people usually get really excited when I use some of their local dialect words, and they become much friendlier. I think it makes a bit of bond between local people and foreigners to speak in their local accent,” he said.
So if you’re working on perfecting your British accent, try to speak like someone from Liverpool, Glasgow or Birmingham. You may not sound like Harry Potter, but you are likely to make more friends.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 1?| A．Non-Brits usually hold that all Britons speak in a RP accent. |
| B．Only “the Queen’s English” is accepted in the UK. |
| C．Foreign visitors are disappointed at their on spoken English. |
| D．Any Received Pronunciation around the world is also called “the Queen’s English”. |
| A．Favored by foreign visitors to the UK. | B．Closest to the RP accent. |
| C．Smart and easy to understand. | D．Spoken by people of lower class. |
| A．Speaking in a RP accent. | B．Speaking in regional accents. |
| C．Speaking the Brummie accent. | D．Speaking like Harry Potter. |
| A．A study about the most intelligent accent in Britain. |
| B．A comparison between different British accents. |
| C．How much British people value the RP accent. |
| D．The influence of regional accents on people’s lives. |
