When I was five years old, we lived in a small town in the Midwest in an old yellow house with a stream out back. On summer days, I used to play with a neighbor girl named Marie, who was two years older. She would take my hand and lead me down to the stream, where I could lie on the bank and stare at the muddy water. On one such day I was sitting on the bank, with my dirty toes in the soft warm mud, when Marie took something from the pocket of her overalls. It was a little boat, made of paper.
“Papa made this for me,” she boasted. I stared at it, immediately wishing that I had an equally fine object to show. I had nothing in my pocket but a small plastic truck with only three wheels.
Marie placed her boat in the water. Then, the current took hold of it and swirled it downstream. “See?” Marie said in excitement. “See my canoe drifting down the stream? After a while that little stream will turn into a bigger stream and it will go a little faster. Then that stream will turn into an even bigger stream, and the streams will keep getting bigger and bigger until finally it will reach a big river, and it will go faster and faster, and then it will come out in the ocean.”
“Have you ever seen the ocean, Willy?” she inquired softly, inclining her head so that her bright brown eyes looked straight into mine.
I looked down at my muddy toes and shook my head no.
“At the ocean,” Marie explained, “water reaches for miles and miles, as far as you can see, and it’s deep water, dark blue and green.”
“And there’s sailing ships that go on the ocean, where you can get on, and sail for days and weeks and months, until you get all the way to China.”
“Pretend that canoe is a real boat, Willy,” she whispered. “You and I could get in that boat and sail all the way to the ocean.” She looked out at the stream, disappearing around a stand of trees.
Para. 1:
I fingered the useless toy truck in my pocket. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Para. 2:
Then, she looked at me with a sparkle in her eyes._____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2 . Typhoons can be deadly — in 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest ever recorded, was responsible for 6,340 deaths—and cost billions in damages. Current forecast models can only predict these storms 10 days in advance, at most, and they cannot precisely predict how intense the storms will become.
An international team of researchers has developed a model that analyzes nearly a quarter of Earth’s surface and atmosphere in order to better predict the conditions that birth typoons.
“The target problem of this study is how to foretell the birth of typhoons,” said paper author Mingkui Li, associate professor in the Key Laboratory of Physical Oceanography in the Ocean University of China and the Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (QNLM). “We specifically address three aspects: the beginning time, inner pressure and maximum wind speed.”
The researchers also accounted for the influence of one variable(变量) on another, such as wind speed on sea surface temperature. This influence is well understood and accounted for in climate predictions and in weather forecasts, but it has not been fully applied in understanding how long-term climate affects day-to-day weather, according to Li. “We aimed to provide insights on the time scale that can be used to forecast typhoons in advance.”
From their study, the researchers determined that a model with the ability to better understand the relationship between warm sea surface temperatures and weak wind movement— conditions that favor typhoon formation—could improve typhoon predictability.
“Our goal is to develop a 10 to 30-day prediction system that will lead to seamless(无缝的) weather-climate predictions.” Shaoqing Zhang, paper author and professor in the Key Laboratory of Physical Oceanography, said.
1. What is the problem with the present forecast system?| A．It cannot foretell storms in advance. |
| B．It is ineffective in accuracy and timeliness. |
| C．It costs too much and causes great damages. |
| D．It can hardly predict the intensity of typhoons. |
| A．The variable. | B．The climate | C．The temperature. | D．The influence. |
| A．To advance the prediction system. |
| B．To figure out the three main aspects. |
| C．To know how climate affects daily weather. |
| D．To understand the influence of the variables. |
| A．A work diary. | B．A travel guidebook. |
| C．A science magazine. | D．A fantasy fiction. |
3 . Many teens may feel anxious sometimes. It’s the kind of nervousness that makes you bite your nails before a big test. We spend more time online than we should. We feel good about ourselves or bad based on how many Likes and Followers we get on social media. Young people are developing a false view of life.
On the screen, we see what people want to show us. People usually only post photos where they are looking their best. They are surrounded by friends and seem that they are having a great time. No one seems sad or lonely. In short, life is fabulous. But sooner or later, our young people compare their real life to it. They find that theirs doesn’t seem as fun or exciting and grow worried that they may be missing out.
No wonder teachers are reporting more anxious students. It’s reported that a lot more college students feel ―overwhelming anxiety. The percentage jumped from 50% in 2011 to 62% in 2016. Anxiety is now the most common mental-health problem in my country. It affects nearly one-third of teens and adults.
Certainly, we can’t blame it on social media alone. We expect too much from our children and a lot of these expectations aren’t reasonable. Their schedules are packed with sports, clubs and homework. They don’t have enough free time. We want our children to succeed, and we don’t care how much it costs.
As parents, we must have more balance. On one hand, we push too hard, and on the other hand, we make life too easy for children. We shouldn’t and can’t promise our children that they will always be happy. We shouldn’t try to protect them from the problems of everyday life. Let them solve the problems in person.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．What causes teens’ nervousness. |
| B．How to deal with teens’ anxiety. |
| C．What a view of life means to people. |
| D．How to treat social media appropriately. |
| A．Wonderful. | B．Encouraging. | C．Anxious. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．To draw teachers’ attention. |
| B．To show teachers’ mental problems. |
| C．To present the seriousness of teens’ anxiety. |
| D．To show adults have more problems than teens. |
| A．Try to meet their expectations. |
| B．Help them with their homework. |
| C．Give them more free time to play sports. |
| D．Allow them to solve their own problems in life. |
China earlier on Thursday successfully launched Tianhe from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site,
The construction of the space station and a state-level space lab,
China’s most adventurous space attempt, the multimodule space station named Tiangong, will have three main components — a core module
The capsule will be
5 . Wanda Smith always wanted to be a school teacher, but sometimes meeting life’s demanding realities can mean a dream delayed. A mother of three, Smith also needed to
The hours were
During the pandemic, as some of her students
The passion was responded by Brenham’s mayor, Milton Tate Jr, who—using one of Smith’s own signature lines—
Smith’s life is an example as well as an
| A．take over | B．look after | C．turn to | D．give up |
| A．responsibilities | B．conditions | C．circumstances | D．requirements |
| A．flexible | B．free | C．merry | D．hard |
| A．assessment | B．commitment | C．encouragement | D．adjustment |
| A．policy | B．schedule | C．payment | D．experience |
| A．disciplined | B．guaranteed | C．confirmed | D．qualified |
| A．struggled | B．wandered | C．complained | D．continued |
| A．business | B．argument | C．challenge | D．chances |
| A．performing | B．practising | C．folding | D．delivering |
| A．fact | B．wonder | C．regret | D．reality |
| A．operation | B．experiment | C．ceremony | D．holiday |
| A．declaring | B．doubting | C．realizing | D．expecting |
| A．traditionally | B．officially | C．privately | D．specially |
| A．entertainment | B．opportunity | C．adventure | D．inspiration |
| A．leading | B．introducing | C．serving | D．forming |
6 . How to stop life getting you down
We don’t like to talk about our struggles, choosing instead to put on a brave face.
Try out a new hobby. Hobbies don’t just fill time, but they also help to give you a sense of purpose and something to be proud of. Try out a new sport, learn to dance or perhaps join a music club.
Reach out. If you’re struggling or feeling down, always remember that you don’t need to be on your own.
Do things for others.
| A．Try to appreciate the little things. |
| B．They may do wonders for your mood. |
| C．Try not to worry about what people think of you. |
| D．Friends will be happy to help and provide support. |
| E．Do not be bothered by things affecting your mood. |
| F．Few things build self-confidence quite like doing a favor. |
| G．So, when things start to get you down how can you pick yourself back up? |
7 . For 30 years we have been told how temperatures have been rising rapidly to unheard of levels. This is causing polar ice to melt, sea-levels to rise and has brought about a dangerous increase in extreme weather events. These intense climatic changes would likely present challenges to our society and environment.
The causes of climate change are mainly anthropogenic (人为的) in nature. Since the industrial revolution, human activities have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The increased amount of gases which absorb heat has led to more heat being kept in the atmosphere, causing global warming.
The certainty of global warming can be seen through some of the natural phenomena like the effect on crops and extreme weather conditions around the world. The most recent assessment report says that the earth’s average temperature has risen by 0. 74 degrees in the period from 1906 to 2005, and that the average temperature will continue to rise. There have also been more violent downpours, sea levels have risen and the ice at the world’s poles and on its mountains is melting. The rising sea level is flooding the low-lying countries in Asia and small islands in the Pacific. This may lead to the displacement of millions of people, loss of millions of land and consequently billions of dollars.
Troubled by the serious situation, world leaders came together for the 2015 United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference in Paris. The climate talks led to 196 countries reaching a landmark agreement that will, for the first time, commit nearly every country to lowering planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions to address global climate change. That was certainly an encouraging step forward for our earth and mankind!
As the world leaders continue to commit themselves to monitor our sick planet, we need to continue to take small steps to heal the world. We are left with not much of a choice. If only we could just pack our bags and migrate to Mars!
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?| A．The information of industrial revolution. |
| B．The greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. |
| C．The reasons of climate change. |
| D．The result of extreme weather events. |
| A．We have made great achievements. |
| B．Some measures are still required to take. |
| C．Mars is suitable for people’s living. |
| D．Some countries will receive urgent aid. |
| A．Long Live Planet Earth! |
| B．Environment Changes Rapidly! |
| C．What Serious Global Warming! |
| D．How Important the UN Agreement Is! |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
8 . If you are planning to visit the historic capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh, a travel destination that people crowd to from around the world, and want to attend one Festival while you are there, keep on reading to discover more information.
AKA. Imaginate Festival When: 22 May – 2 June 2021
Where: Traverse Theater, Assembly Roxy
A festival where kids take over Edinburgh. With a whole range of free pop-up performances, take your kids to see some of the most inspiring theatre and dance from a whole range of talented performers.
Edinburgh International Film Festival When: 19 June – 29 June 2021
Where: Film House, Festival Theater
Originally the very best in international film, it was established in 1947. The dynamic programme features everything from documentaries to shorts, along with a range of experimental cinema, in an attractive setting with a spray of red carpet charm.
Edinburgh Art Festival When: 25 July – 25 August 2021
Where: City Art Center, The Scottish Gallery
With over 40 exhibitions to attend, the Edinburgh Art Festival is the UK’s largest visual arts event where you can see everything from historical works to contemporary masterpieces.
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo When: 2 – 24 August 2021
Where: Edinburgh Castle
With a different theme every year, over 200,000 visitors crowd to Edinburgh to see the military bands and the symbolic piper set against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.
1. Who is the AKA. Imaginate Festival intended for?| A．Children. | B．Talented performers. |
| C．Parents. | D．Dancers. |
| A．It includes all forms of arts. |
| B．It is about great works in history. |
| C．It is the largest festival in the world. |
| D．It lasts for the longest time. |
| A．Edinburgh Art Festival |
| B．AKA. Imaginate Festival |
| C．The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo |
| D．Edinburgh International Film Festival |
Married for almost 30 years, Paula was living a happy life. One day, Paula was in the bathroom cleaning everything up, from the sink to the floor and the shower. She had a ring that her husband, Michael, bought for their 20th wedding anniversary on her finger. The golden ring with the couple 's names engraved on it was something she would cherish.
As soon as Paula finished washing the bathtub, she moved on to the most unpleasant part—the toilet. Wanting to get it out of the way, she quickly cleaned the inside of the toilet with a brush, and washed the toilet bowl cleaner away.
After finishing, she felt something lost. Paula's heart skipped a beat as soon as she looked down at her ring hand. She was horrified to find that her treasured anniversary gift was gone! Paula couldn't believe that she just let several thousand dollars go down the drain. She searched the rest of the bathroom and even the whole house, hoping that she just dropped it somewhere and forgot about it. She even took the toilet apart and searched inside the pipes with a flashlight, but in vain.
Paula was desperate at the thought that the ring could have been washed away and buried under waste and sewage in a dark pipeline. Even the most experienced sewer worker was unlikely to find it, she thought.
Paula had no idea how she was going to tell her husband about it. Michael worked extra hard for years to save money, so to tell him the incident was unimaginable to her. When Michael came home from work, Paula knew that there was no going back now. Visibly sweaty and nervous, she said that she had bad news to tell him. Michael became worried, but listened. Paula cried and told everything that had happened. Michael was quiet in the whole process, and his face didn't show any anger, which made Paula worried. She thought he was so angry that he couldn't even say anything.
Suddenly, Michael interrupted the silence.
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Several days later, Ted, Director of the Public Works Department, visited Paula unexpectedly.
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10 . Robots have rolled into retail(零售), from free-moving machines in Giant Foods Stores to autonomous shelf-scanners in Walmart. They free up workers from routine tasks, but that's only the beginning.
The real benefit of retail robots is the opportunity to capture more data about the products on the shelves and customer buying patterns, which can increase efficiency and accuracy in stock management. The key is using retail robots as data-collectors within an internet-of-things (IoT), which creates an intelligent digital ecosystem by combining a complex network of connected devices, objects, and sensors gathering data. With robots in stores, retailers already have the beginnings of IoT solution. For example, Auchan Retail Portugal is launching autonomous shelf-monitoring technology in its supermarkets. As the robots move around the stores, they capture photos of every shelf, which are then put into digital form and turned into analysis about out-of-stock goods.
Such detailed data is incredibly valuable in retail. For traditional retailers, however, merely tracking what consumers purchase does not paint the entire picture. The real competitive advantage for retailers comes in knowing what they couldn't purchase but wanted to. That's where robots come in.
In the not-too-distant future, robots may be able to do more than those. Consider a retail robot scanning grocery store and detecting that supplies of sugar-free peanut butter are decreasing at twice the rate of regular peanut butter. That real-time discovery then activates an automated(自动的) order for more sugar-free peanut butter to be sent to a specific store.
As product cycles speed up, retailers will need to become even faster in identifying micro-trends in consumer behavior to produce, distribute, and supply the goods and services that customers want right now. The key to it may be a robot walking around freely, bringing data from the consumer into the data management system in the cloud.
1. The retail robots are mainly used to________.| A．distribute tasks to workers | B．collect sales information |
| C．take pictures of customers | D．analyze digital signals |
| A．By tracking purchasing trends. | B．By monitoring the workers. |
| C．By changing information into analysis. | D．By creating an intelligent ecosystem. |
| A．Draw the whole picture. | B．Capture all data needed. |
| C．Provide all necessary information. | D．Imagine everything might happen. |
| A．The product circles will speed up. | B．Companies will produce more goods. |
| C．Customers can access data in the cloud. | D．Stock management will become automatic. |
