1 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. struggling       B. focused       C. threatened       D. release       E. predict     F. alarming G. maintained     H. dramatically       I. approaches       J. concerned       K. entirely

The Future of Publishing: E-publish or die?

The iPad and its kind are both good and bad for book publishers.

Like many other parts of the media industry, publishing is being     1     reshaped by the growth of the Internet. For years, e-books have     2     to cut sales of the old-fashioned kind. In response, publishers are trying to support their traditional business while preparing for a future in which e-books will represent a much bigger chunk of sales.

For some time, publishers have operated a “wholesale” pricing model with Amazon. This has enabled Amazon to set the price of many new e-books at $9.99. Amazon has     3     prices low in order to boost demand for its Kindle.

However, publishers are     4     that this may make consumers expect lower prices for all kinds of books. And they worry the downward trend will further cut their thin margins and make     5     bricks-and-mortar booksellers(实体书商)suffer more. Some in the industry even     6     that publishers will suffer a similar fate to that of music companies, whose fortunes disappeared when songs can be cheaply sold online. This is particularly     7     for publishers because digital margins are almost as thin as print ones.

Some publishers try delaying the     8     of electronic versions of new books for months after the print launch to increase print sales. Some are starting to build their own online target reader groups. Sourcebooks, a medium-sized publisher that has developed an online group     9     on poetry, found that book sales rose by 50% after poems had featured on the site.

The publishing firms that survive the tough transition will be those who use flexible     10     and learn quickly to think. Not all of them can turn that particular page successfully.

2 . For many students, maths and science have always been boring subjects, too bogged down (陷入困境) with technical details to ever be fun or exciting. Teachers have long tried a variety of strategies to get students excited about STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and maths.     1    

The use of robotics is on the rise in today’s world, and allowing students to play with robots and learn how they work can have huge benefits for them. Not only does it give them a head start in subjects like computer programming, maths and science, it can also develop an interest in careers students may have never considered before.

Robots Teach More Than Tech Skills

Robots are most often associated with technology and other STEM-related fields. However, playing with robots has educational benefits beyond simply learning to build and program the robots themselves. Robots can be used to develop problem-solving skills, get students working cooperatively and more.

One of the most popular uses for robots is in problem-based learning. In this learning model, students are presented with a problem they must solve.     2     This inspires creativity, critical thinking and cooperation which are important 21s-century skills.

Robots Help Students with Disabilities

Robots aren’t just for students who need a challenge.     3     Students with autism (自闭症), in particular, can react quickly to robots.

Students with autism who may shy away from interaction with a human being are more likely to open up to a robot, and the risk of failure or embarrassment in front of the robot is much lower.     4     Research into this possibility has already begun.

Robots are only going to become a bigger part of everyday life in the future. Using robots in the classroom is a proven way to get kids excited and increase learning.

A．It turns out, one of the best ways to get kids interested in STEM is through the use of robots.

B．STEM is an education curriculum that focuses heavily on the subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

C．Instead of following a teacher’s directions, students work out their own solutions to the problem.

D．Here’s how applying modern technology can benefit students in PE class and enhance cross-curricular engagement.

E．Robots can provide a way for students with autism to practice social skills without the pressure of interacting with a real person.

F．Playing with robots can have additional benefits for students with disabilities.

3 . Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, a Vietnamese kid, would watch his parents play chess for hours on end. Before he was three years old, he asked them if he could join in. Expecting the pieces to end up on the floor, they let him play. Not for one minute had they imagined what would happen next. The boy not only set up the pieces correctly, but also began playing according to the rules. Within weeks he was _________ his parents. Within months he was playing in national games against _________ twice his age and twice his size. He became world under-10 champion in 2000 and was a grandmaster at 14.

For Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son’s parents, it was nothing short of a(n) _________. They were teachers who took home less than $100 a month combined. They had not trained their boy to be a chess prodigy (天才). _________, they hadn’t even taught him the rules of the game. For Nguyen, it just came naturally. No sooner had he started playing than he was able to _________ complex strategies.

How do child prodigies become what they are? The subject has been a constant source of mystery to both the public and scientists. These _________ children have been labeled as overly demanding, treated as money-making machines, and studied like lab rats. Rarely have they been understood.

Perhaps the key question is whether they are born or _________. Numerous studies have looked at inheritability of intelligence. Overall, they confirm that it can be _________through the generations of a family, but the studies do not confirm the link between intelligence and particular traits of prodigies. Prodigies are not smart in any general kind of way; they are able to master highly specific activities and skills. ‘I just see things on the board and know what to do.’ he said.

There is one thing that the experts are beginning to agree on, however: the importance of _________. Educator Wu Wutien says, ‘Prodigies are half born, half made.’ Only if they are in a(n) __________ home environment will their natural talents develop. When parents have a house full of books and interesting objects, read to their child from an early age, or take them to museums and places of natural beauty, these all stimulate the child.

1.

A．winning

B．conquering

C．failing

D．beating

2.

A．candidates

B．opponents

C．friends

D．inspectors

3.

A．lesson

B．investment

C．miracle

D．prediction

4.

A．In fact

B．To sum up

C．On average

D．As a result

5.

A．introduce

B．adopt

C．avoid

D．adapt

6.

A．troublesome

B．mysterious

C．well-known

D．gifted

7.

A．made

B．based

C．brought

D．settled

8.

A．taken over

B．handed down

C．put off

D．turned out

9.

A．upbringing

B．wealth

C．communication

D．personality

10.

A．actual

B．secure

C．stimulating

D．restricted

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。1.

A．Misunderstanding of family life.

B．Rapid economic development in Britain.

C．The liberation movement of British women.

D．Reasons for changes in family life in Britain.

2.

A．Because millions of men died in the war.

B．Because women had proved their worth.

C．Because women were more skillful than men.

D．Because factories preferred to employ women.

3.

A．The attitudes towards religion.

B．The effective way of birth control.

C．The concepts of authority and tradition.

D．The idea of “the family” as a social unit.

5 . As the latest crop of students pen their undergraduate application form and weigh up their options, it may be worth considering just now the point, purpose and value of a degree has changed and what Generation Z need to consider as they start the third stage of their educational journey.

Millennials were told that if you did well in school, got a decent degree, you would be set up for life. But that promise has been found wanting. As degrees became universal, they became devalued. Education was no longer a secure route of social mobility. Today, 28 percent of graduates in the UK are in non-graduate roles, a percentage which is double the average among OECD countries.

This is not to say that there is no point in getting a degree, but rather stress that a degree is not for everyone, that the switch from classroom to lecture hall is not an inevitable one and that other options are available.

Thankfully, there are signs that this is already happening, with Generation Z seeking to learn from their millennial predecessors (前辈), even if parents and teachers tend to be still set in the degree mindset. Employers have long seen the advantages of hiring school leavers who often prove themselves to be more committed and loyal employees than graduates. Many too are seeing the advantages of scrapping a degree requirement for certain roles.

For those for whom a degree is the desired route, consider that this may well be the first of many. In this age of generalists, it pays to have specific knowledge or skills. Postgraduates now earn 40 per cent more than graduates. When more and more of us have a degree, it makes sense to have two.

It is unlikely that Generation Z will be done with education at 18 or 21; they will need to be constantly up-skilling throughout their career to stay employable. It has been estimated that this generation, due to the pressures of technology, the wish for personal fulfillment and desire for diversity, will work for 17 different employers over the course of their working life and have five different careers. Education, and not just knowledge gained on campus, will be a core part of Generation Z’s career trajectory (轨道).

Older generations often talk about their degree in the present and personal tense: “I am a geographer” or “I am a classist”. Their sons or daughters would never say such a thing; it’s as if they already know that their degree won’t define them in the same way.

1. The percentage of UK graduates in non-graduate roles reflect ________.

A．the shrinking value of a degree

B．Millennial’s opinions about work

C．the desired route of social mobility

D．public dissatisfaction with education

2. The author considers it a good sign that ________.

A．school leavers are willing to be skilled workers

B．Generation Z are seeking to earn a decent degree

C．parents are changing their minds about education

D．employers are taking a realistic attitude to degrees

3. What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．The employers’ preference for high school leavers.

B．A wider variety of choices besides pursuing a degree

C．A change in parents attitudes towards college education.

D．More emphasis put on lecture hall rather than classroom.

4. What can be concluded about generation Z from the last two paragraphs?

A．They will have a limited choice of jobs.

B．Lifelong learning will determine what they are.

C．They will focus more on personal accomplishment.

D．Education will no longer be a core part in their life.

6 . Kids take risks.

According to Laurence Hammerstein, professor of psychology at Temple University, there’s not much parents can do to stop that._________ seems to be pre-programmed into young brains, especially in adolescence (青春期).

Trying to get kids not to take risks, he says. “is an uphill battle against evolution, and we’re not going to _________ it,” he says. “Going out in the world is a(n)_________ risky thing to do.” Kids have to take those risks in older to become adults. So how can parents start _________ that help kids take the healthy risks—and avoid dangerous ones?

To start with, it’s never too early for parents to encourage kids to think about _________, both good and bad. So if kids have questions about risky situations, parents can _________ questions of their own, like “Why do you want to do this? Do you think something good will happen? Do you think anything bad might happen?”

Middle school kids are approaching adolescence, when body chemistry makes them more likely to _________ risks—both good and bad. So parents can talk with them about the fact that they’re going to need to take more risks as they grow up, and start conversations about how to _________ whether something is a good risk or a bad one. This is also a good time for parents to _________ kids to think about questions like, what are the chances this will turn out well? What are the chances something might __________?

The risks high school kids are likely to take might seem __________. But Hammerstein says it’s important for parents to realize that from the kid’s point of view, “there’s a positive side that may only be __________ to the adolescent.” That’s a good place to start a conversation. Understanding what motivates a kid to take a risk can help parents direct that motivation in positive ways and kids __________ dangerous risks. Kids don’t take those dangerous risks because they don’t know better, says Hammerstein. If you ask teenagers __________ about risky behaviors, “they all know that they’re risky because they have read many articles on the psychology of risk-taking.”

__________, “while they are taking risks,” says Hammerstein, “the reasonable part of kids’ brains is often overpowered (被打败的).”So part of helping kids managing risk is helping them think about the kind of situations they do and don’t want to be in before they get into them.

1.

A．Problem-solving

B．Science-learning

C．Risk-taking

D．Brain-washing

2.

A．win

B．afford

C．take

D．start

3.

A．extremely

B．naturally

C．amazingly

D．disappointingly

4.

A．instructions

B．requests

C．explanations

D．conversations

5.

A．wishes

B．solutions

C．results

D．measures

6.

A．answer

B．discover

C．ask

D．discuss

7.

A．engage in

B．suffer from

C．turn down

D．show up

8.

A．tell

B．wonder

C．express

D．admit

9.

A．cause

B．forbid

C．encourage

D．order

10.

A．go wrong

B．take place

C．work well

D．prove itself

11.

A．courageous

B．unpleasant

C．endangered

D．incomprehensible

12.

A．visible

B．practical

C．hidden

D．available

13.

A．select

B．avoid

C．affect

D．arouse

14.

A．in fact

B．in total

C．in theory

D．in detail

15.

A．Otherwise

B．Similarly

C．Therefore

D．However

7 . Directions: Write an English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
短视频（short videos）一般是指在互联网新媒体上传播的时长在5分钟以内的视频；随着移动设备的普及和网络的提速，短视频近来倍受人们的欢迎，成为许多人的茶余饭后的娱乐消遣方式之一，许多人甚至自行创作拍摄，并且更有甚者以此谋生。常见的短视频平台有抖音（TikTok）和哔哩哔哩（Bilibili）等。请撰写一篇文章，谈谈你对短视频的态度，并对比其与传统视频（纪录片、电影、电视剧等）的区别。
内容包括：1.陈述你对短视频的态度。
2.结合你对短视频的态度，对比短视频和传统视频的区别。
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . More Clarity Needed on Wage Debate

These days, the minimum wage has become something of a big issue in America.     1     For supporters, 16.5 million low-wage workers could see an increase in their weekly earnings and 900.000 people could rise above the poverty line.

Gap Inc. has decided to increase the minimum hourly rate it pays employees to $9 this year and then S10 next year. The company's announcement will effect 65.000 Gap employees by 2017. Clearly (iap officials believe the money they invest in higher wages will pay off in increased sales and customer satisfaction. There's certainly nothing wrong with that.     2    

Also last week, Wal-Mart found itself at the center of the wages gossip when it was reported that the company was looking at supporting an increase in the minimum wage.     3    

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said the company remains neutral on the idea of a minimum wage increase, but "obviously it’s something that we look at closely, as any other company would". She said that more than 99 percent of company associates are paid above the cunent minimum wage. It has been discussed how increased income ibr low-wage workers might translate into increased spending. So it's reasonable to say that a company like Wal-Mart could see a jump in sales if the minimum wage rose.     4     "That is assuming that consumer behavior would be. 'If they have more money, they'll spend more money." she said. "That isn't always necessarily true. If we had a crystal ball, we could guess what consumer behavior would be i:i the future if a minimum wage increase goes through. But you just can't."

A．That turned out to be not exactly correct.

B．But Buchanan warned against such an assumption.

C．But a number of business organizations say it should remain untouched.

D．But what works for a clothing company might not work for a different one.

E．Raising the minimum wage is identified as a key way to address the income gap.

F．For opponents a wage increase, increasing the minimum wage could reduce total employment by about 500.000 jobs.

9 . A warning from science

When you're bored of some very boring task, what do you do? If you're like many, the answer is a no brainer: You reach for your phone. If that sounds familiar, a new unpublished study has bad news.    1    

The problem isn't taking a break. Previous studies show that we get more done overall if we take regular, short breaks. The problem is your phone. Dutch research shows most of us carry around a boredom-increasing machine in our pockets. To figure out the relationship between phones and boredom, A Dutch research team fixed an app on the phones of 83 volunteers to track how often they used their devices. They also asked these volunteers to keep diaries for three days, recording their level of tiredness and boredom every hour.

    2     “Phone breaks were frequent: In the 20 minutes following each survey, participants (参与者) picked up their phones 52 percent of the time. They spent an average of around 90 seconds on it each time,” reports the findings on the British Psychological Society Research Digest blog.

Equally unsurprising was the second finding:     3     The real unexpected thing was the final finding. While we look to our phones to relieve tiredness and boredom, screen time seemed to increase feelings of boredom. “Participants actually reported higher levels of boredom after having used their smartphones,” notes BPS.

    4     Switching from work to your phone and back may end up being more mentally tiring than refreshing. Picking up your phone from time to time might serve as a reminder of all the things out there you could be doing if you didn't have to fill out paperwork.

This one study can't definitively say if either of these explanations is right, but the idea it communicates is clear. You think a glance at your phone is going to make you feel less bored, but it's actually going to make your brain feel more tired.

A．The researchers' first discovery was no shocker.

B．The research team made guesses why this might be so.

C．Reaching for your phone is likely to leave you feeling more bored.

D．The more tired we are, the more likely we are to reach for our phones.