1 . While Jenny Loucas had enjoyed a wonderful holiday in Greece, her luggage disappeared after she had checked it in for the flight home to London. Two months later, Easyjet has confirmed that her luggage has been permanently lost.
Ms. Loucas’s case is far from unique. One insurance firm, Spain’s Mapfre, said that the number of passengers reporting missing luggage this summer was 30% higher than in 2019, the last year of normal travel before the pandemic. That year 19 million bags and suitcases were late arriving around the world, and 1.3 million were never seen again.
The situation has been blamed on staff shortages both at the carriers, the airport security staff that have to scan all the checked-in luggage, and the ground handling firms that are employed to get all these suitcases and bags onto the planes and then back to the moving belts.
To try to keep tabs (标签) on their items of luggage, a growing number of passengers are turning to technology.
Apple has reportedly seen a rise in sales of its AirTag tracking device. The AirTag works by sending out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby devices in the Find My network. These devices send the AirTag’s location to the iCloud, allowing the user to go to the Find My app and see it on a map.
Other travelers are attaching trackers that use GPS to their luggage. Yet while such tagging devices may give a passenger peace of mind, travel industry expert Eric Leopold says they don’t solve the core issue -- stopping the accumulation that prevent bags from catching the same flights as their owners.
SeeTrue is one company that hopes to help airports and airlines get luggage onto planes more efficiently. The firm makes software that can do the security scans on check-in luggage much faster than human security staff.
For UK tech firm AirPortr, its approach is to remove the need for passengers to have to queue up at the airport to check in their luggage before their flight. Instead passengers can use its app and website to arrange for their luggage to be taken door-to-door.
1. Why is the story of Jenny Loucas mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To prove airport service is far from satisfying. |
| B．To show losing luggage can ruin a great holiday. |
| C．To explain the risks of traveling outweigh its benefits. |
| D．To introduce the topic of airlines losing luggage. |
| A．Staff’s careless handling. | B．Unreasonable flight schedules. |
| C．Lack of airport hands. | D．Low efficiency of scanners. |
| A．Unfavorable. | B．Approving. | C．Objective. | D．Interested. |
| A．Apple | B．Mapfre | C．AirPortr | D．SeeTrue |
2 . Gossip (八卦) has long been considered bad for our mental well-being, but it’s really not. During the Middle Ages, the word gossip evolved to describe women who supported other women during childbirth. Over time and after a number of spelling changes, the term gossip took on the meaning of a familiar person, a friend, and“anyone engaging in idle talk (闲聊)”. There was no derogatory meaning attached to gossip until around the time of the European witch hunts (猎巫运动) in the 16th to18th centuries. At that time, gossip was considered a tool for witches to do something evil. Thus, gossip’s bad reputation began.
At the same time, what was ridiculous and hard to understand was that gossip as men’s talk spread throughout the 17th and 18th centuries in English coffee houses. The learned men and their male students (there is little evidence of women in coffee houses, unless as servants) went there to demonstrate their intellectual talents. However, the myth that women gossip but men have serious conversations was born then. Today, gossipy women are over-represented in popular images of gossip, but research shows that men and women engage in the same amount of gossiping activity.
New research also damages the impression that gossip is inconsiderable or dangerous women’s talk. When interviewed about their experience of gossip at work, men often begin by saying “I’m not one to gossip,but…”, and then go on at length to gossip. They may prefer indirect phrases for gossip, such as “shop talk” and “corridor conversations”. Rather than asking “What’s the gossip?” on your return from holiday, men are more likely to ask “What’s been going on?”. Such expressions may soften the shame associated with being gossipy men. Similarly, words often used to describe people who gossip are “good listeners” and “people with good communication skills”.
There is a lot of material advising gossip to be removed in the workplace. Popular ideas of gossip overemphasize the negative judgement made in gossip, but it can be associated with compassion, empathy and noticing suffering. It does not mean that all gossip is good. There are times when gossip can do harm to the reputation of people and organizations. The decision to gossip or not is always a decision related to someone’s virtue.
1. What does the underlined word “derogatory” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．True. | B．Original. | C．Negative. | D．Exact. |
| A．Gossip is very popular among males. |
| B．Men are often shy in social activities. |
| C．Gossip can be conveyed in different forms. |
| D．Men like making friends with gossipy people. |
| A．It is a double-edged sword. |
| B．It should be removed in the workplace. |
| C．Its supporters usually have a bad character. |
| D．Its disadvantages outweigh its advantages. |
| A．To share the strengths of gossip. |
| B．To remind people to avoid gossiping. |
| C．To illustrate the origin of the term gossip. |
| D．To correct people’s misunderstanding of gossip. |
1. Where did the man read about the effort?
| A．In a newspaper. | B．In a magazine. | C．On the Internet. |
| A．Taking trash out of the ocean. |
| B．Stopping trash going into a river. |
| C．Raising money for pollution control. |
| A．The long rainy season |
| B．Too much food waste. |
| C．The application of many steel screens. |
| A．Costly. | B．Great. | C．Inconvenient. |
4 . Experts often tell students to centre their efforts on a narrow field to get a job after school. But recent research into Nobel Prize winners suggests that wider interests are important. Michele Root-Bernstein and Robert Root-Bernstein published their study in the Creativity Research Journal.
They said Alexis Carrel won his Nobel Prize in medicine in 1912 by using techniques he learned from the clothing business. He realized that people who used thread(线) to make and fix clothing had a skill that could be used in operations to put new organs into people’s bodies.
In 1978, a professor from Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania won the Nobel Prize in economics. His name was Herbert Simon. He worked in many parts of the university during his career and supported projects in computer science, artificial intelligence, psychology, philosophy and economics. Outside of work, he played the piano, wrote music, painted, made drawings and played chess.
They found that most professionals are not like the prize-winners. The prize-winners are special in that they regularly look for the chances to learn new things, even outside of their jobs.
Dario Fo won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1997. He talked about drawing and painting as a way to solve problems that came up in his writing. “When I’m having difficulty with a play, I stop writing so I can draw out the action in pictures,” he said.
The researchers say that, even among people who do not win big prizes, those with many interests are often successful. They pointed to a 2012 report about students who study two major fields in college. That study plan is called a “double major”. Double majors are often more creative and more interested in starting their own businesses than those who centred on only one study area.
Other researchers have found that having an outside activity that makes you think can help predict future success in a job. Some of those activities include playing chess, performing music or creating art.
1. For what did Alexis Carrel win the Nobel Prize?| A．His wide range of knowledge. |
| B．A major breakthrough in organ transplant. |
| C．The new effective medicine he invented. |
| D．His achievements in the clothing industry. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. | B．Never too old to learn. |
| C．Knowledge is no burden(负担). | D．The early bird catches the worm. |
| A．Their spare time life is colourful, |
| B．They may be open-minded and creative. |
| C．They will win big prizes in the future. |
| D．They stick to the same job for a long time. |
| A．Good Foundation for Your Future Success |
| B．Basic Quality of Creative Talents from Nobel Winners |
| C．Study: Future Students with One Profession and Many Capabilities |
| D．Study: Nobel Prize Often Goes to People of Wide Interests |
5 . Historians are often asked to examine the actions of our ancestors so we can repeat their wisdom and avoid their mistakes. But the present is just too different from the past. It is a waste of time to study Hannibal’s strategies in the Second Punic War so as to copy them in the Third World War. What worked well in cavalry battles will not necessarily be beneficial in cyber war. Studying history aims to loosen (松开) the hold of the past.
A young couple building a new home may ask the architect for a nice lawn (草坪) in the front yard. Why a lawn? “Because lawns are beautiful,” the couple might explain. But why do they think so?
The idea of growing a lawn at the entrance to private houses and public buildings was born in the castles of French and English aristocrats in the late Middle Ages. Well-kept lawns demanded land and a lot of work. In exchange, they produced nothing of value. The neat grass at the entrance to castles was a social position symbol nobody could pretend to have. Later the new parliaments (议会), supreme courts, presidential residences increasingly showed their power in row upon row of neat green grass. Humans came to identify lawns with political power, social position and economic wealth.
When you now come to plan your dream house, you might think twice about having a lawn in the front yard. You are of course still free to do it. But you are also free to shake off the cultural cargo given to you by the upper class. This is the best reason to learn history: not in order to guess the future, but to free yourself of the past and imagine different lives. Of course this is not total freedom — we cannot avoid being shaped by the past. But some freedom is better than none.
1. Why does the author mention Hannibal and cavalry battles in paragraph 1?| A．To illustrate why future cyber war is difficult. |
| B．To highlight how important historical warfare is. |
| C．To show that past experience may not suit the present. |
| D．To explain what strategies historical figures developed. |
| A．Its connection with power and wealth. | B．Its high maintenance requirements. |
| C．Its origin from European castles. | D．Its outstanding natural beauty. |
| A．Cultural mistakes. | B．Cultural standards. |
| C．Historical buildings. | D．Historical knowledge. |
| A．guess events in the future | B．repeat wise decisions |
| C．understand cultural changes | D．reduce the control from the past |
6 . Over the past 50 years, it turns out that high-speed trains are not just reducing journey times, but most importantly, it’s driving economic growth, creating job opportunities and bringing communities closer together.
Although Japan started the trend with its Shinkansen “Bullet Trains” in 1964, it was the coming of France’s TGV in the early 1980s that really promoted a global high-speed train revolution that continued to speed up. China has built around 42, 000 kilometers of high-speed railways since 2008 and plans to top 70,000 kilometers by 2035.
But the United States detoured the revolution. For the rich and economically successful nation on the planet, with an increasingly urbanized population of more than 300 million, it is increasingly difficult to give a good reason. Cars and airplanes have dominated long-distance travel in the United States since the 1950s.Now Americans still almost entirely depend on crowded highways or airline networks that are easy to collapse.
“Many Americans have no concept of high-speed rail and fail to see its value,” says William C. Vantuono, editor-in-chief of Railway Age, North America’s oldest railroad industry publication.
“It’s logical that the United States hasn’t yet developed a nationwide high-speed network, "says Scott Sherin, chief commercial officer of train builder Alstom’s US division. “For decades, traveling by car wasn’t a hardship, but as highway congestion (堵塞) gets worse, we’ve reached a stage where we should start looking more seriously for the alternatives.”
“The magic numbers are centers of population with around three million people that are 200 to 500 miles apart, giving a trip time of less than three hours — preferably two hours, where those conditions apply in Europe and Asia, high-speed rail reduces air’s share of the market from 100%to near zero. The model would work just as well in the USA as it does globally.” adds Scott Sherin.
1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．The value of high-speed trains. | B．The growth of high-speed trains. |
| C．The hardship of high-speed trains. | D．The revolution of high-speed trains. |
| A．To introduce a new topic. | B．To give a possible explanation. |
| C．To define a meaning. | D．To draw a comparison. |
| A．Didn’t get involved in. | B．Didn’t change. |
| C．Didn’t give up. | D．Didn’t protest. |
| A．It is developing high-speed rail. | B．It should be cautious. |
| C．It is losing its market share. | D．It should be flexible. |
7 . Todd and Donna woke up early one day to take pictures of the sunrise. While walking along the shoreline and enjoying the sights, Todd suddenly
Tyler Volpe, a
Volpe started chest compression (按压) while Roy, another surfer, breathed into Todd’s mouth. Then, they switched
The tide was starting to come in. Other surfers used their boards to form a
Doctors used a defibrillator (除颤器) to shock his heart and
Todd and Donna planned to drive back home to New Jersey that morning, but decided to first take a walk on the beach. “It is lucky we didn’t
Donna
| A．took | B．sat | C．fell | D．broke |
| A．sleeping | B．joking | C．lying | D．thinking |
| A．red | B．orange | C．green | D．blue |
| A．surfer | B．doctor | C．reporter | D．worker |
| A．loud | B．sudden | C．normal | D．lasting |
| A．cloths | B．positions | C．boards | D．apartments |
| A．dead | B．cold | C．safe | D．lucky |
| A．Before | B．After | C．Once | D．Instantly |
| A．sight | B．barrier | C．link | D．bridge |
| A．warm | B．positive | C．alive | D．brave |
| A．start | B．develop | C．continue | D．end |
| A．record | B．review | C．repeat | D．restore |
| A．pay | B．pause | C．leave | D．speed |
| A．answered | B．learned | C．posted | D．heard |
| A．thank | B．meet | C．accept | D．miss |
8 . Polleras are traditional skirts worn by Indigenous (本土的) Aymara and Quechua women. Now a group of women athletes in Bolivia (玻利维亚) has made polleras popular in the city, wearing the skirts during skateboarding exhibitions (滑板表演).
“The pollera is connected with the countryside, with ignorant (无知的) people,” says Danicla Santivanez, a co-founder of ImillaSkate, a skateboarding group that has made the skirts a centerpiece of its performances. “We want people to understand that there is nothing wrong with wearing a pollera.”
“The polleras are very valuable to me,” says Deysi Tacuri Lopez, 28, another member of the skating group. “I wear them with pride.”
Tacuri and fellow members of ImillaSkate are among those with Indigenous ancestors. Some of their relatives still wear polleras. “Here in Bolivia, many women in polleras are the head of their families,” Tacuri says. “For me, women in polleras can do anything.”
Apart from “bringing all kinds of people together,” Tacuri says ImillaSkate has also helped its members accept their own roots (根). “We ourselves have decided to get to know our culture and our identity. We have decided to revalue our clothing,” says Tacuri.
Once the skaters decided to use polleras to show the pride they feel for their heritage, they faced a challenge: getting more familiar with the skirts themselves. They didn’t know where to find polleras, so they turned to their grandmothers for help. The young women then went on a hunt for stores in the city that sold them. When they showed up at the Mercado de Punata, a market for food and used clothing in Cochabamba, “everyone was surprised that we were looking for this kind of clothing. We are young and from the city,” says Santivanez.
In a video posted on YouTube, seven member of the group wear their colorful skirts as they skate in parks, and other places.
“Our goal is to encourage the practice of skateboarding, to develop the sport,” says Tacuri. “But we also want to send out a message: Let’s not forget our roots.”
1. Why is ImillaSkate special?| A．Its main purpose is to respect women. | B．Its members wear polleras every day. |
| C．It connects sport with tradition. | D．It is rooted in the countryside. |
| A．Honest. | B．Powerful. | C．Hard-working. | D．Single-minded. |
| A．How to afford the valuable traditional skits. | B．How to win support from their grandmothers. |
| C．How to deal with questioning looks from people. | D．How to have a good understanding of the traditional skirts. |
| A．Skating in polleras with pride | B．Dancing in polleras |
| C．Remembering your roots | D．Skateboarding in Bolivia |
9 . Kansas City Girls Academy has a program for girls struggling in life. It is designed to help girls build inner strength to overcome challenges. If your girls have emotional difficulties or failing in school, this program is designed just for them.
Group Treatment. It is made up of several small groups weekly, led by our counselors (顾问) and staff. These include problem-solving, positive friend relationship, emotional management and special group designed for special treatment needs. All group processes develop emotional growth in a safe and confidential (机密的) setting.
Individual Treatment. It is provided to each student with a minimum of one part every other week. The parts help students gain insights into their individual behaviors and establish a trusting relationship with their counselor. In this setting, students process issues that are too sensitive for them to share with a group.
Family Treatment. It is provided by a weekly telephone meeting. Parents give treatment as an necessary part of the program. Kansas City Girls Academy encourages families to visit during planned family weekends. Family and students meet with their counselor for treatment. Parents and children also participate in parent support groups, parent-teacher meetings, workshops, and graduation ceremonies (典礼).
Horse Treatment. In partnership with Returning Glory, we offer each girl horse treatment. Horses are powerful and effective in helping people, whether child, youth or adult. They have much to teach us about our patterns of behavior, communication, and relationships. Horses are excellent “teachers,” coupled with trained teachers. Interacting with horses can often provide invaluable assistance in addressing challenging life issues in a fun, non-threatening learning environment.
1. Which treatment can have an emotional growth effect?| A．Individual Treatment. | B．Family Treatment. |
| C．Horse Treatment. | D．Group Treatment. |
| A．By holding a weekly telephone meeting. | B．By holding a daily telephone meeting. |
| C．By giving a weekly interview. | D．By giving a daily interview. |
| A．Nurses. | B．Doctors. | C．Schoolgirls. | D．Parents. |
10 . Wildlife researchers in Georgia and Florida are concerned about the population of endangered whales. The winter birthing season just ended, but no newborn sightings have been reported.
At present, there are only about 450 North Atlantic right whales according to calculation.
Last year, the number of right whale deaths was greater than the number of births. In the U.S. and Canada, there were 17 right whale deaths recorded, while only five right whale births were reported.
Research on the whales has found that most female right whales are only living to half their expected years. Research on the whales that gave birth last year showed that they were having babies for the first time in seven or eight years. That is more than double the usual time between pregnancies.
Philip Hamilton is a scientist at the New England Aquarium in Boston. Hamilton has studied right whales for 30 years. He said, “Following a year of such great number of deaths, it’s clear that the increase of the population can’t be guaranteed.”
This is why researchers are saying more needs to be done to protect the species.
Examinations of the 17 bodies showed that a ship had hit at least four of the right whales. Another two of the deaths were caused by fishing equipment.
Philip Hamilton called for more restrictions on the fishing industry. Placing speed restrictions on ships in certain areas will help protect the whales further.
However, there is still hope for the right whale population.
Charles Mayo is a right whale researcher in Provincetown, Massachusetts at the Center for Coastal Studies. Mayo remains hopeful about the possibility that right whale babies were born this season a little further north, as far up as Virginia’s coast.
In Cape Cod Bay last year, two calves (幼崽) were seen that had not been seen earlier in the south.
It is also possible that after a light birthing season this year, a baby boom could happen next year. This has happened before. In 2000, only one newborn birth occurred while in the following year there were 31 births.
Mayo said, “I do think we can turn this around. But what’s our will power to do so? This is a time for all to work together.”
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．The reasons for the right whale’s low birthrate. |
| B．The need to be done to protect the right whale. |
| C．The hope for the right whale population. |
| D．Wild life experts’ worry about lack of newborn right whales. |
| A．An unexpectedly shorter lifetime. |
| B．The high speed of the fishing ships. |
| C．A longer cycle of the pregnancies. |
| D．The decrease of the number of births. |
| A．More baby whales can be seen in Virginia’s coast. |
| B．The birthrate may grow sharply. |
| C．31 calves will be born. |
| D．The birthing season will be earlier. |
| A．Positive. | B．Uncertain. |
| C．Worried. | D．Indifferent. |
