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. |
Dogs are often called “man’s best friend” and make ideal pets.
Furthermore, dogs are strong animals
And
To sum up, dogs are really friendly, civilized (文明的) and loyal
3 . Binge-watching (刷剧) is when a person watches more than one episode of a show in a row. With developments in the speed and connectivity of the Internet, increases in technology and the rise of on-demand entertainment companies, people can now have their favorite shows stream (流播) directly to their television at their convenience.
This behavior is nothing new. In fact, binge-watching has been officially listed in dictionaries since 2015. The entertainment companies recognize this behavior and many take steps to encourage it. Often, instead of releasing each episode on a week-by-week basis, an entire series will become available concurrently. Once the episode finishes, many platforms will display pop-ups with “you might like” suggestions, or will automatically play the next episode.
However, recent research suggests that out of the more than half of British adults who watch more than one episode of a show back-to-back (一集接一集地), almost a third have admitted missing sleep or becoming tired as a result; and 25% have neglected their household chores (家务活). Next we’ll be missing work!
Bingeing has other connections — binge eating, binge drinking and binge smoking. All of them are often associated with a lack of control and a possible route to addiction. Lindsey Fussell, consumer group director, said, “The days of waiting a week for the next episode are largely gone, with people finding it hard to resist (抗拒) watching multiple episodes around the house or on the move.” If people find binge-watching hard to resist, are we witnessing the birth of a new type of addiction?
The countless number of information and entertainment that television and online media can bring us is, many would say, a good thing. However, when the activity begins to bleed into other areas, causing us to stop functioning, then it becomes a problem. So, what’s the answer? Moderation! Neither a tiny amount, nor too much. After all, as the old proverb says, “A little of what you fancy does you good.”
1. How did the writer develop the first paragraph?| A．By giving a definition. | B．By telling a story. |
| C．By listing some examples. | D．By analyzing the cause and effect. |
| A．For convenience. | B．At the same time. |
| C．In detail. | D．Free of charge. |
| A．people can’t control their feelings | B．people can’t resist the temptation of Bingeing |
| C．people have no patience to do work | D．people are addicted to waiting for a new episode |
| A．To keep online media from stopping functioning. |
| B．To enjoy entertainment as much as possible. |
| C．To learn life lessons from the episodes. |
| D．To watch episodes in a moderate way. |
4 . Scientists have been surprised and impressed with the long-distance travel of a bird recently, a common cuckoo (布谷鸟) which flew from southern Africa to Mongolia.
Onon is a common cuckoo. It’s one of 5 cuckoos who were tagged last summer in Mongolia, far to the north of China. Though cuckoos originally came from Africa, until recently scientists weren’t sure that cuckoos from Mongolia flew to Africa for the winter.
In June, 2019, scientists attached tiny trackers to five cuckoos. These satellite tags allowed the scientists to follow the movements of the birds on a map. Sure enough, Onon spent the winter in southern Africa — in Zambia.
This spring, Onon returned to Mongolia, amazing scientists once again with his long-distance flying. In just a couple of months, Onon flew more than 12,000 kilometers. It crossed 16 countries, flying at an average speed of 60 kilometers per hour.
Long migrations are common among sea birds, but cuckoos are land birds. “It was one of the longest animal migrations which has been recorded for a land bird,” said Chris Hewson, one of the project’s lead scientists.
At times, Onon stopped for a few hours or a few days. But some of the long stretches, like crossing the Indian Ocean, had to be done without stopping. The birds have to travel through strong winds and storms, make sure they find enough to eat, and avoid being eaten themselves.
Luckily, cuckoos seem to have a good sense of weather patterns, allowing them to fatten up as much as possible right before they leave. They also seem to be good at finding helpful winds that allow them to travel long distances without getting too tired. Still, flying such long distances isn’t easy. Onon is the only one of the five tagged cuckoos who made it all the way back to Mongolia.
1. Why were satellite tags attached to five cuckoos?| A．To make them safe. | B．To position the birds. |
| C．To draw a detailed map. | D．To observe them in winter. |
| A．Delighted. | B．Astonished. | C．Puzzled. | D．Annoyed. |
| A．Because it is very dangerous. | B．Because it is well-known. |
| C．Because it is a place to go. | D．Because it is rich in food. |
| A．Cuckoos’ advantages. | B．Cuckoos’ senses. |
| C．Cuckoos’ habits. | D．Cuckoos’ will. |
5 . Nature can be unforgiving, especially when it comes to the animal world. As such, squirrels need every advantage they can get in order to protect themselves from a variety of predators that may want to make them their next meal. Squirrels pay incredibly close attention to their surroundings, and they pick up alarm calls from other nearby animals in reference to nearby predators. Now, a new study reveals that squirrels also listen to nearby birds’ conversations to make sure there is no threat close by.
Researchers from Oberlin University say that if the talk from birds is relaxing and normal, the squirrel knows it is not in immediate danger. The authors said that squirrels were listening to bird conversations and sounds to assess their safety, so in order to test their theory they observed the behavior of 54 wild Eastern gray squirrels scattered across various parks and areas in Ohio.
First, a threat was shown by playing a record of a red-tailed hawk(鹰), an animal known to hunt and eat both squirrels and other smaller birds. Then, researchers played one of two different recordings; one recording was of many songbirds chattering among one another happily, and the other was with no bird noises. After playing these recordings, each squirrel’s behavior was monitored for three minutes.
As expected, after hearing the initial record, all the squirrels displayed defensive attitudes, such as running away, looking around, or freezing their movements. Interestingly, the squirrels that heard the happy sounds of songbirds returned back to a normal, relaxed state much faster than the other group that heard the quiet sounds.
The study’s authors say that this indicates squirrels use the sounds of nearby animals to ensure their own safety. This allows the squirrel to either get back to what they were doing in a faster manner, or prepare for potential threats more efficiently.
“Perhaps in some circumstances, cues of safety could be as important as cues of danger,” the study reads. The study is published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.
1. What does the underlined word “predators” mean in the first paragraph?| A．Animals that hunt squirrels as food. |
| B．Animals that make friends with squirrels. |
| C．Animals that hunt squirrels and birds at night. |
| D．Animals that steal the food from the squirrels’ nests. |
| A．They will stay and freeze. |
| B．They will behave normally. |
| C．They will keep on their guard. |
| D．They will look around and run away. |
| A．By studying the different data. |
| B．By listing the different figures. |
| C．By comparing the different responses. |
| D．By playing different games with the squirrels. |
| A．Three interesting experiments. |
| B．Squirrels listen to birds to stay safe. |
| C．Judging danger from nearby sounds. |
| D．Squirrels can record the dangerous sound. |
6 . Ecofriendly replacement products for single-use plastics are appearing everywhere. But have you heard of edible (可食性的) straws? Now EQUO, a new eco-friendly company in Vietnam has come up with a natural edible solution to plastic or paper straws.
The edible straws are completely plastic free, nontoxic, chemical free, and 100 percent biodegradable according to a company press release.
“It’s well known that plastic straws are harmful to the environment. Most of the 500 million used every day in America end up in oceans where they pollute water and harm marine life. Currently over eight billion straws pollute the world’s beaches,” said Marina Tran-Vu in the press release. “Although there are some plastic and paper straw alternatives on the market, most are environmentally harmful, and we were also unsatisfied with the quality and lasting of paper straws.”
All of the materials are locally from regions that support sustainable farming according to the company’s website and they struggle to have zero-net influence by” using the power of mother nature”. The name of the company was created by combining “ECO” — meaning environmentally friendly — with “STATUS QUO” — meaning the existent state. EQU stands for creating products that have minimal influence on the environment. The company was first shown on Kickstarter on May 18 and hit their funding goal in only 30 days.
Many countries are banning single-use plastics. The EU banned 10 single-use plastic products including straws that will take effect in 2021. Other items that will no longer be made of plastic include cutlery (餐具), and balloon sticks. These 10 items make up a large percentage of ocean waste that harms marine life.
So do your part, use biodegradable cutlery — you can carry your own , edible straws, and reusable water or coffee cups. These small items can contribute to reducing plastic waste.
1. What is the third paragraph mainly about?| A．The popularity of plastic straws. |
| B．The harm of plastic straws. |
| C．The pollution of beaches. |
| D．The necessity of change. |
| A．It means the original aim. |
| B．It means the existent state. |
| C．It means how to create products. |
| D．It means being good for the environment. |
| A．Plastic straws will be forbidden. |
| B．Edible straws will be sold cheaply. |
| C．Ocean waste can be rid completely. |
| D．Single-use plastic products will disappear. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Objective. | C．Tolerant. | D．Approving. |
Science Sunday is for everyone interested in the world around them, whose lectures are designed to make science interesting and “user-friendly” for everyone. Lectures are one hour long. Doors open to the lecture hall at 1:00 pm. Lecture passes are available at the admissions counter at 12:30 pm. Seating is limited and first-come, first-served. No late seating. Lectures include time for a few questions at the end.
Life on the Ranch
Celebrate the warmth of the holiday season with crafts, games, music, and enjoyment from the early 20th century. We’ll busy your hands with holiday wreath-making (花冠), invite you to join in an old-fashioned sing-along around the player piano, and provide you with materials to make Victorian and Mexican holiday crafts. Come play games, take a draft-horse carriage ride, decorate the tree, and create decorations to bring home to your own tree.
Open Studios Tour
Explore the hidden world of art! Visit artists in their studios, learn about their processes, purchase original works of art. Free mobile app and printed guide have artist information and maps. Open Studios is a free self-guided tour, produced by Arts Council Santa Cruz County, which invites the public into more than 300 artist studios across Santa Cruz County.
Roaring Camp
Step into the incredible world of steam power at the Steam & Harvest Festival. Welcome Fall with traditional children’s activities like candle making, and gold panning. See a variety of steam and belt-powered equipment on display. Admission is free for the whole family.
1. What can visitors do if they attend Science Sunday lectures?| A．Show up at 2:30 pm. | B．Explore the hidden world of art. |
| C．Be able to ask questions. | D．Change attitudes to oceans. |
| A．Promote wreath-making. | B．Sing to the piano. |
| C．Make crafts alone. | D．Get close to Victoria. |
| A．Roaring Camp | B．Open Studios Tour |
| C．Life on the Ranch | D．Seymour Marine Discovery Center |
8 . Workers are quitting their jobs. A lot of them. In fact, there are so many people that it seems that we’re still in the middle of the so-called Great Resignation (辞职). In the US, the Labor Department reported that 4.3 million Americans left their jobs in August 2021, making up about 2.9% of the national workforce — the highest number on record. In the UK, the number of open jobs was more than 1 million for the first time ever in August. There are several reasons why workers are walking away — poor working conditions, fears of getting infected with COVID-19 and a better understanding of life during COVID-19.
You may have heard the story that in the golden age of American labor, 20th-century workers stayed in one job for 40 years and retired with a gold watch. But that’s a total myth. The truth is that people in the 1960s and 1970s quit their jobs more often than they have in the past 20 years, and the economy was better off for it. Since the 1980s Americans have quit less, and many held on to valueless jobs for fear that the safety net wouldn’t support them while they looked for a new one. But Americans seem to have put an end to their persistence (坚持). And they’re being rewarded for their lack of patience: Wages for low-income workers are rising at their fastest rate since the Great Recession (大萧条). In fact, the number of the Great Resignation is really great.
Nearly 7 percent of employees in the “accommodations and food services” area left their jobs in August. That means one in 14 hotel clerks, restaurant servers, and barbacks said goodbye in a single month. Thanks to several pandemic-relief checks, a rent moratorium (缓交), and student-loan forgiveness, everybody, particularly if they are young and have a low income, has more freedom to quit the jobs they hate and hope for something else.
1. Which is one of the reasons why lots of workers are quitting their jobs in the US?| A．They find their life meaningless. |
| B．They want to get more freedom. |
| C．They are afraid of picking up COVID-19. |
| D．Their living conditions are very terrible. |
| A．Workers quit their jobs more frequently in the 1980s than in the 1960s. |
| B．Workers working for 40 years were awarded a gold watch in the 19th century. |
| C．All the workers’ wages are rising sharply since the Great Recession in the US. |
| D．Workers’ quitting their jobs more often contributed to the economic growth in the 1970s. |
| A．Legend. | B．Fact. | C．Secret. | D．Experiment. |
| A．The golden age of American labor has gone. |
| B．Americans are leaving their jobs in groups. |
| C．Young workers are fighting for freedom. |
| D．America’s economy is getting worse due to COVID-19. |
China’s Long March 8 rocket set a new record at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Hainan on Feb 27. It’s the first time the rocket has lifted off with 22 satellites,
The technology behind a single rocket lifting off with multiple satellites inside is complex (复杂的), as all the satellites must be put
The design of the rocket must be such that the satellites inside do not touch or block each other
In 1981, China sent three satellites into orbit with one single rocket launch, thus
As we know, the more satellites China can send with a single rocket launch, the more
1.写信目的;
2.个人优势;
3.表达感谢。
注意：
1.词数 100 左右，开头与结尾已给出，不计入总词数;
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Ms. Linda,
I’m Li Hua, a student in our school.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
