1 . Early fifth-century philosopher St．Augustine famously wrote that he knew what time was unless someone asked him．Albert Einstein added another wrinkle when he theorized that time varies depending on where you measure it．Today’s state-of-the-art atomic(原子的) clocks have proven Einstein right．Even advanced physics can’t decisively tell us what time is, because the answer depends on the question you’re asking．

Forget about time as an absolute．What if，instead of considering time in terms of astronomy,we related time to ecology?What if we allowed environmental conditions to set the tempo(节奏) of human life?We’re increasingly aware of the fact that we can’t control Earth systems with engineering alone，and realizing that we need to moderate(调节)our actions if we hope to live in balance．What if our definition of time reflected that?

Recently，I conceptualized a new approach to timekeeping that’s connected to circumstances on our planet，conditions that might change as a result of global warming．We’re now building a clock at the Anchorage Museum that reflects the total flow of several major Alaskan rivers，which are sensitive to local and global environmental changes．We’ve programmed it to match an atomic clock if the waterways continue to flow at their present rate．If the rivers run faster in the future on average，the clock will get ahead of standard time．If they run slower，you’ll see the opposite effect．

The clock registers both short-term irregularities and long-term trends in river dynamics．It’s a sort of observatory that reveals how the rivers are behaving from their own temporal frame(时间框架)，and allows us to witness those changes on our smartwatches or phones．Anyone who opts to go on Alaska Mean River Time will live in harmony with the planet．Anyone who considers river time in relation to atomic time will encounter a major imbalance and may be motivated to counteract it by consuming less fuel or supporting greener policies．

Even if this method of timekeeping is novel in its particulars，early agricultural societies also connected time to natural phenomena．In pre-Classical Greece，for instance，people“corrected”official calendars by shifting dates forward or backward to reflect the change of season．Temporal connection to the environment was vital to their survival．Likewise，river time and other timekeeping systems we’re developing may encourage environmental awareness．

When St．Augustine admitted his inability to define time， he highlighted one of time ‘s most noticeable qualities：Time becomes meaningful only in a defined context．Any timekeeping system is valid，and each is as praiseworthy as its purpose．

What can we infer from this passage?

A．It is crucial to improve the definition of time．

B．A fixed frame will make time meaningless．

C．We should live in harmony with nature．

D．History is a mirror reflecting reality．

2 . Early fifth-century philosopher St. Augustine famously wrote that he knew what time was unless someone asked him. Albert Einstein added another wrinkle when he theorized that time varies depending on where you measure it. Today’s state-of-the-art atomic (原子的) clocks have proven Einstein right. Even advanced physics can’t decisively tell us what time is, because the answer depends on the question you’re asking.

Forget about time as an absolute. What if, instead of considering time in terms of astronomy, we related time to ecology? What if we allowed environmental conditions to set the tempo (节奏) of human life? We’re increasingly aware of the fact that we can’t control Earth systems with engineering alone, and realizing that we need to moderate (调节) our actions if we hope to live in balance. What if our definition of time reflected that?

Recently, I conceptualized a new approach to timekeeping that’s connected to circumstances on our planet，conditions that might change as a result of global warming. We’re now building a clock at the Anchorage Museum that reflects the total flow of several major Alaskan rivers, which are sensitive to local and global environmental changes. We’ve programmed it to match an atomic clock if the waterways continue to flow at their present rate. If the rivers run faster in the future on average, the clock will get ahead of standard time. If they run slower, you’ll see the opposite effect.

The clock registers both short-term irregularities and long-term trends in river dynamics. It’s a sort of observatory that reveals how the rivers are behaving from their own temporal frame (时间框架), and allows us to witness those changes on our smartwatches or phones. Anyone who opts to go on Alaska Mean River Time will live in harmony with the planet. Anyone who considers river time in relation to atomic time will encounter a major imbalance and may be motivated to counteract it by consuming less fuel or supporting greener policies.

Even if this method of timekeeping is novel in its particulars，early agricultural societies also connected time to natural phenomena. In pre-Classical Greece, for instance, people “corrected” official calendars by shifting dates forward or backward to reflect the change of season. Temporal connection to the environment was vital to their survival. Likewise, river time and other timekeeping systems we’re developing may encourage environmental awareness.

When St. Augustine admitted his inability to define time, he highlighted one of time’s most noticeable qualities: Time becomes meaningful only in a defined context. Any timekeeping system is valid, and each is as praiseworthy as its purpose.

The author raises three questions in Paragraph 2 mainly to________.

A．present an assumption	B．evaluate an argument
C．highlight an experiment	D．introduce an approach

3 . Quantum ( 量子 ) computers have been on my mind a lot lately. A friend has been sending me articles on how quantum computers might help solve some of the biggest challenges we face as humans. I’ve also had exchanges with two quantum-computing experts. One is computer scientist Chris Johnson who I see as someone who helps keep the field honest. The other is physicist Philip Taylor.

For decades, quantum computing has been little more than a laboratory curiosity. Now, big tech companies have invested in quantum computing, as have many smaller ones. According to Business Weekly, quantum machines could help us “cure cancer, and even take steps to turn climate change in the opposite direction.” This is the sort of hype ( 炒作 ) that annoys Johnson. He worries that researchers are making promises they can’t keep. “What’s new,” Johnson wrote, “is that millions of dollars are now potentially available to quantum computing researchers.”

As quantum computing attracts more attention and funding, researchers may mislead investors, journalists, the public and, worst of all, themselves about their work’s potential. If researchers can’t keep their promises, excitement might give way to doubt, disappointment and anger, Johnson warns. Lots of other technologies have gone through stages of excitement. But something about quantum computing makes it especially prone to hype, Johnson suggests, perhaps because “‘quantum’ stands for something cool you shouldn’t be able to understand.” And that brings me back to Taylor, who suggested that I read his book Q for Quantum.

After I read the book, Taylor patiently answered my questions about it. He also answered my questions about PyQuantum, the firm he co-founded in 2016. Taylor shares Johnson’s concerns about hype, but he says those concerns do not apply to PyQuantum.

The company, he says, is closer than any other firm “by a very large margin ( 幅度 )” to building a “useful” quantum computer, one that “solves an impactful problem that we would not have been able to solve otherwise.” He adds, “People will naturally discount my opinions, but I have spent a lot of time quantitatively comparing what we are doing with others.”

Could PyQuantum really be leading all the competition “by a wide margin”, as Taylor claims? I don’t know. I’m certainly not going to advise my friend or anyone else to invest in quantum computers. But I trust Taylor, just as I trust Johnson.

Regarding Johnson’s concerns, the author feels ________.

A．sympathetic

B．unconcerned

C．doubtful

D．excited

4 . Are you afraid that your friend would laugh at you, or would not understand what you are ______ _______?

5 . So by the 1600’s Shakespeare was able to ______ ______ ______ a wider vocabulary than ever before.

6 .
1. Parties at Bruno's house were always dominated by Grandmother's singing, which for some reason always seemed to ___________ the moment when Mother moved from the main party area to the kitchen, followed by some of her own friends.

A．put up with	B．coincide with
C．come up with	D．contradict

2. However, Mother and Father's voices were muffled and hard to___________, Grandfather's was not to be heard at all, while grandmother's was surprisingly blurred.

A．comment on	B．make sense
C．make out	D．weigh up

3. The pyjama people all jumped to attention whenever the soldiers ___________ and sometimes they fell to the ground and sometimes they didn't even get up and had to be carried away instead.

A．assumed	B．saluted
C．vanished	D．approached

4. "Poland,' said Bruno thoughtfully, ___________ the word on his tongue.

A．weighing up	B．making up for
C．insisting	D．winding up

5. An hour before the Fury ___________ Gretel and Bruno were brought downstairs, where they received a rare invitation into Father's office.

A．soaked up the applause of the guests	B．showed off
C．erupted in excitement	D．was due to arrive

6. Shmuel watched him do this and ___________ nervously. "I have to go back,' he said.

A．phrased the question	B．backed away
C．shrugged his shoulders	D．steadied himself

7. Every afternoon when classes were finished Bruno took the long walk along the fence and sat and talked with his new friend Shmuel until it was time to come home, and that had started to___________all the times he had missed Berlin.

A．run into	B．march into
C．make up for	D．glare at

8. ‘We're not close, my father and I,' said Lieutenant Kotler quickly, looking around the table as if he___________. ‘Really, we haven't spoken in years.'

A．was particularly impressed	B．stayed rooted to the ground
C．felt increasingly fed up	D．owed everyone an explanation

9. Gretel opened her mouth and stared at him before_____________. ‘An imaginary friend!' she cried. 'Aren't you a little old for an imaginary friend?'

A．taking a deep breath	B．breaking into a laugh
C．exploding	D．trembling

10. He sat in the living room for several hours but couldn't concentrate on his book and didn't dare to go back to the kitchen until later that evening, when lieutenant Kotler had already come back and ___________ Shmuel and taken him away again.

A．collected	B．investigated
C．irritated	D．confirmed