1 . A new study of 8,000 young people in the journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that although love can make adults live healthily and happily, it is a bad thing for young people. Puppy love may bring stress for young people and can lead to depression(抑郁). The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys, and younger girls are the worst of all.
The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is “loss of self”. According to the study, even though boys would say “lose themselves in a romantic relationship”, this “loss of self” is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls. Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions. They won’t tell that to their parents.
Dr. Marianm Kaufman, an expert on young people problems, says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing. Trying romance often causes the depression. She advises kids not to jump into romance too early. During growing up, it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self. She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends, attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family. Parents should watch for signs of depression—eating or mood changes—and if they see signs from their daughters or sons, they need to give help. The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age. Love will always make us feel young, but only maturity(成熟) gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.
1. What’s the main idea of the passage?| A．Puppy love may bring young people depression. |
| B．Parents should forbid their children’s love. |
| C．Romance is a two-edged sword for adults . |
| D．Romance is good for young people. |
| A．Young people who have a strong sense of self. |
| B．Young boys whose parents watch for their behavior. |
| C．Young girls who always hide their feelings and opinions. |
| D．Careless parents whose children are deep in love. |
| A．Lacking love can lead young people to grow up more quickly. |
| B．The older a woman is, the less likely she seems to lose herself in romance. |
| C．Parents should help their children to be aware of the signs of depression. |
| D．Early love makes young people keep close to their friends and parents. |
| A．Puzzled. | B．Frightened. |
| C．Unconcerned. | D．Disapproving. |
2 . By the time she turned 18, Khadijah Williams had attended twelve schools. She had lived in shelters, in parks, and in motels, never in a permanent residence for more than a few months. She had been laughed at and looked down upon by students at a dozen schools who thought of her as “different”.
Homeless since early childhood, Khadijah struggled all her life to hide her circumstances from teachers and fellow students. However, academic achievement proved to be a way for her to find confidence in herself again. For instance, at the age of 9, she placed in the 99th percentile on a state exam, and her teacher told her she was “gifted”. From that moment forward, Khadijah decided to do whatever it took to keep herself in that category. “I was so proud of being smart. I often heard my fellow students say, ‘You got the easy way out because you're homeless,’” she told The LA Times. “But I never saw it as an excuse about living a less successful life.”
By the second year of high school, she realized that she could not succeed in getting the education she dreamed of without getting help to go beyond what her current school could offer. She talked to teachers and advisers who helped her apply for summer community college classes, scholarships, and enrichment programs. And in the 11th grade, when she enrolled at Jefferson High School, she decided to complete the rest of her school career there—a decision that meant taking a bus each morning at 4 a.m. and not getting home until 11 p.m.
Here's the end of the story—when Khadijah poured the story of her life into her Harvard University college application, she was accepted.
1. What makes Khadijah confident in herself?| A．Her different personality. | B．Her ability to live well alone. |
| C．Her excellent performance in study. | D．Her fellow students' encouragement. |
| A．It's a really pitiful circumstance. | B．It makes her more strong-minded. |
| C．It offers her more ways to succeed. | D．It's an excuse about working less hard. |
| A．Pass a college entrance exam. | B．Apply for more advanced education. |
| C．Make a decision to complete high school. | D．Become a top student in her current school. |
| A．Twelve Schools Make a Successful Student |
| B．Being Different Means Having More Chances |
| C．Khadijah Williams: From Shelters to Harvard |
| D．Khadijah Williams: Inspiration to Homeless People |
3 . My wife and I were at a crowded grocery store not long ago. It was a weekday evening, cold and wet and tense. People were carelessly blocking aisles, complaining and cutting one another off with their carts. At one point, two women quarreled for several minutes in the freezer section.
Things got worse at the checkout line. The cashier scanned a man's discount card, but he misread the savings on her screen as an additional charge. He decided she was acting on purpose and began to argue.
Other customers looked away as the cashier tried to reason with him. She called a manager, who took him to customer service. Shaken, she moved to the next customer in line.
We’ve all witnessed uncomfortable scenes like this in public places. My reaction when I see them is both personal and professional. I am a data analyst and sociologist who studies how and why people interact with one another--or why they choose not to. To me, the grocery scene was another example of how our trust in others has disappeared. But it was also a teachable moment on how we can rebuild our faith — starting with just one person.
Therefore, my wife and I reached the disturbed cashier. I grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby cooler and handed it to her. We learned her name was Beth.
“We felt bad about how that man treated you and wanted to buy this for you.” I said.
Beth’s face lit up, and we talked as she scanned our items. She told us she had been working that evening through severe foot pain and would be having surgery later that week. We wished her well in her recovery, and she thanked us as we left.
That is the balancing act, the moment of countering social and emotional pain with healing, that will add up to restore trust across the United States. You can start that pattern in someone else's life , even in a place as ordinary as the neighborhood grocery store.
1. By describing the arguments, the author wants to show________.| A．the job as a cashier is not easy. | B．people in the U.S are unfriendly. |
| C．arguments in public are very common. | D．confidence in each other has worn off. |
| A．Sad and regretful. | B．Sorry and embarrassed. |
| C．Cheerful and rewarded. | D．Grateful and relieved. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Optimistic. | C．Uncaring | D．Cautious |
| A．A Miserable Cashier. | B．A Helping Hand. |
| C．Learning to Trust Again. | D．Starting a new life. |
4 . On November 4th, 2020, the draft that math should be listed as a major national project during the 14th Five-Year Plan(2021—25)period was adopted at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, reported China Daily.
Katherine Johnson (1918—2020), a former NASA mathematician who calculated and analyzed flight paths for many missions, once said: “Some things will drop out of the public eye and go away, but there will always be science, engineering, and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics.” This may be one of the reasons why our country has listed math and its applications as a major national project into the next Five-Year Plan.
“The policy and financial support for the field of mathematics will be greatly improved between 2021 and 2025 compared with the past five years—it’s unprecedented,” said Yuan Yaxiang, a mathematician and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He also stressed that mathematical research matters because it can help overcome some current technology bottlenecks.
According to Science and Technology Minister Wang Zhigang, basic scientific research, including mathematics, will have a larger focus during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, with funding expected to reach over 8 percent of all research and development (R&D) expenses.
The math project is expected to receive 1.5 billion yuan in funding, according to Yuan. The funding will be used to build new institutions for scientific research and support the current ones with new experimental equipment. More training for young mathematicians has also been urged.
Thịs year, Tsinghua University carried out a leading talent training program in math. It recruits hundreds of outstanding middle and senior high school students from across the country to cultivate leading talents in mathematics and related fields. The “strengthening basic disciplines plan” was launched in 2020 at 36 top universities.
According to the German newspaper Die Welt, China leads the way as far as those with an aptitude for math. Of all those born in China between 2005 and 2009, 24 million have exhibited a talent for math. The number is 1.8 million and 940,000 in Japan and South Korea, respectively. That's why many international companies like Apple have set their research centers in China.
1. Why has our country listed math as a major national project in the 14th Five-Year Plan?| A．Because math has dropped out of the public eye. |
| B．Because the government intends to arouse the public’s interest in math. |
| C．Because math is the basic science that will always be there. |
| D．Because some mathematicians attach importance to it. |
| A．A middle school student talented in politics. |
| B．A high school student good at physics. |
| C．A primary school student gifted in mathematics. |
| D．A postgraduate with a natural gift in chemistry. |
| A．We will overcome current technology bottlenecks. |
| B．China will give unprecedented financial support to math researches. |
| C．1.5 billion yuan will be used to train more young mathematicians. |
| D．Many international companies will set up research centers in china. |
| A．Math has played an important role in the development of a country. |
| B．China carried out some policies to overcome difficulties in math. |
| C．Math has been listed as a major national project in the 14th Five-Year Plan period. |
| D．Leading talents will be admitted for further training. |
5 . Prashant Mandal shares a small hut with his wife and four kids, lives on less than $2 a day and recently suffered medical debts of more than $4,000 after his teenage son got sick last year. Yet, despite Mandal’s modest earnings, he spends 20 percent of his income on solar energy, an expense which is key to drawing in customers and helping his children to study. Across the globe, about 1.2 billion people live without electricity. Such limitations are not only inconvenient, but they put people in low-income countries at a greater risk of developing serious health condition. People living without electricity typically rely on kerosene lamps and other harmful light sources, which can lead to burns, injuries, poisoning and other risks .
Realizing the need for a more efficient energy source, a handful of for-profit companies have developed business models that enable under-served people to purchase (购买) solar energy, and, in turn, protect themselves and the environment in the process. Simpa Networks, which focuses its efforts on rural India, is such a company that has found a way to make solar energy affordable and accessible to people in need. Customers are charged a small down payment. Then, through its “progressive purchase” model, they pay in advance for a designated (指定的) amount of energy consumption. A number of other companies have found ways to get solar energy into the hands, and homes, of people who typically can’t afford electricity. MPOWERD, a New York-based company, invented an inflatable solar light that is powered by the sun, and is also able to store that energy.
The Luci, which can provide light for up to about 12 hours, is marketed in the developed world as an efficient camping light. Those sales allow the company to keep its production costs down so that they’re actually affordable in low-income countries. “Energy poverty is discouraging but solvable if we all work together,” said John Salzinger, MPOWERD’s co-founder. “Every single consumer’s purchase helps us reduce costs, and then we pass those savings on to those who need affordable lights the most.”
1. Why does the text mention Prashant Mandal in Paragraph 1?| A．To introduce Prashant Mandal’s family. | B．To introduce the topic of the article. |
| C．To show that the electricity is expensive. | D．To state Prashant Mandal’s sufferings. |
| A．Those who live without enough electricity. |
| B．Those who have enough electricity. |
| C．Those who can produce their own electricity. |
| D．Those who are not willing to use electricity. |
| A．It is paid step by step. | B．It is just paid later. |
| C．It is fully paid ahead. | D．It is sold at a discount. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Hopeless. |
| C．Disappointed. | D．Optimistic. |
6 . Volunteer Teaching Abroad
TEACH AROUND THE WORLD AND MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF STUDENTS IN COUNTRIES WITH LIMITED RESOURCES
Join a teaching abroad program and help children access the education they need for a brighter future. We know that education is essential for breaking down the barriers of poverty and inequality. We see it every day on our Teaching Projects. By joining us on a volunteer teaching placement, you’ll be able to make this change happen yourself!
This is what you can expect from our teaching volunteer opportunities:
Work with children and young people in elementary schools, high schools or colleges
Learn from and support local teachers as a teaching assistant
Contribute to lessons and get real classroom experience
Get a first-hand perspective on global education and its challenges
We have short and long-term teaching abroad placements available. If you’re passionate about a specific subject or have the experience, let us know. We can make sure you’re at a project that’s the best fit for you. We have:
Programs for volunteers wanting to teach English
Placements for volunteers interested in teaching basic computer skills
Opportunities for volunteers wanting to teach physical education abroad
Our programs run year-round, and you can join a trip at any time. It’s ideal if you’re looking for summer teaching programs abroad, or interested in teaching during the school year.
Interested? Just click the following link to fill in an application form!
1. What can volunteers expect from the teaching volunteer opportunities?| A．Receive support from the local teaching assistants. |
| B．Choose any subject and work place as he like. |
| C．Experience the teaching process in person. |
| D．Help to deal with problems in global education. |
| A．Call on readers to be a volunteer teacher to teach abroad. |
| B．Introduce a volunteer organization. |
| C．Explain why teaching abroad is important. |
| D．Persuade the readers the importance of volunteering. |
| A．On a text book. | B．On a website. |
| C．On a travel guide. | D．On a newspaper. |
7 . Robots that can cook are in growing demand in the United States. The increased demand comes at a time when restaurants are trying to put some distance between their workers and customers during the COVID-19.
In a few weeks, White Castle restaurants will test a robot arm that can cook French fries and other foods. The robot, called Flippy, is a product of Miso Robotics, a company based in Pasadena, California.
Robot food service was becoming popular even before the coronavirus pandemic (冠状病毒). Hospitals, college dining areas and other places tried to meet demand for food while keeping labor costs low. Robot chefs appeared at places like Creator, a restaurant in San Francisco. Now, some say, robots may become necessary for the food service industry. “I expect in the next two years you will see much more robotic adoption (采用) in the food space because of COVID-19,” Jain said.
Some people say, robots can lower the demand for labor. At the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, cafe workers used to spend six hours per day making salads, notes Tonya Johnson, the school’s director of nutrition services. But two years ago, the university added a Sally, a kind of robot that now makes around 40 salads per day. By adding Sally, the school was able to cut a job opening in its cooking staff. Johnson said, “I think the pandemic has made us realize how much we need more equipment like Sally.”
Miso Robotics co-founder and chief Buck Jordan said fast food restaurants are already having trouble finding workers, partly as a result of a losing population of young workers. Jordan added that his company’s position is that “automation (自动化) is not a choice”. He added, “You must automate in order to survive in the future.”
1. Why is robot food service becoming popular?| A．It can take the place of human beings in the future. |
| B．It can shorten the distance between workers and customers. |
| C．It can make all kinds of delicious food in a very short time. |
| D．It can meet the demand for food and reduce the cost of labor. |
| A．It is just a common robot like others. | B．It is useless to improve the speed of work. |
| C．It helps the school employ fewer workers. | D．It makes as many salads as workers. |
| A．Worried. | B．Supportive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Indifferent |
| A．To tell us an increasing need for robot cooks in US restaurants. |
| B．To advertise robot cooks. |
| C．To introduce a new food service to deal with COVID-19. |
| D．To complain about the difficulties in finding enough labor workers. |
8 . Nowadays, kuakuaqun or praise groups have become more and more popular on the Internet, Their aim is to comfort young people. These groups provide words of support for those who are unhappy.
Spending just a little money, you can enter such a group. Share your problems or success, and you will receive positive messages soon. These messages, mostly from strangers, will help you feel better. A leader of one of the groups talks about his first purpose, “I want to help people learn to praise others and accept others, praise.”
I like the idea of kuakuaqun. However, I think getting praise from strangers online isn’t very useful in the long run. This is especially true when you are paying for the praise. These people don’t know you, so the praise may not be earnest. Real and meaningful praise comes from the people you know.
With this in mind, we should try to praise our friends and family members when they need some encouragement. Simply saying to a classmate, ‘I like you’, can lift his or her confidence. Being kind to others is easy. And it adds the necessary sweetness to make everyone’s life better.
1. Words of support of kuakuaqun are mainly from _________.| A．Students | B．Strangers | C．Relatives | D．classmates |
| A．to fight with others | B．to make friends with others |
| C．to draw some pictures | D．to praise others and accept others’ praise |
| A．勇敢的. | B．大量的. | C．真诚的. | D．虚拟的. |
| A．a book | B．a magazine | C．a computer | D．an online group |
9 . Children born in the past four decades had the luxury of being the center of their parents’ attention. The entire family’s resources were poured into their education and well-being.
However，when the same resources are split between two children，the amount distributed to each one is going to shrink.
According to the Hangzhou Daily，when there are two children in the family，parents tend to choose public schools instead of private schools，which are usually more expensive. Each child is enrolled in fewer after-school training classes.
But having a second child may cure some deep-rooted problems in China’s traditional family education.
Having two children in the family can help to prevent one child being spoiled by too much attention，according to People’s Daily. It also spares the only child from the pressure of shouldering parental expectations all alone. Taking care of a sibling also enables children to gain a sense of responsibility，cooperation，obedience and caring.
China’s public education system is also expected to shift. Currently，there are not enough vacancies in kindergarten and schools to accommodate the potential increase in children.
“It’s not only the enrollment capacity of educational institutions that will feel the pressure. People are also placing more emphasis on the quality of education，”Peng Xizhe， director of the Population and Development Research Policy Center at Fudan University，told China Education Daily.
He predicts the government may have to invest more to support the educational system as a result of the new family planning measure.
1. What can children benefit from a two-child family?| A．They can have less pressure. |
| B．They can study in private schools. |
| C．They can get much more attention. |
| D．They can take more after-school training classes. |
| A．hold | B．adapt | C．solve | D．consider |
| A．People are placing more emphasis on the quality of education. |
| B．The government may have to invest more to support the educational system. |
| C．The new family planning measure will challenge the current educational system. |
| D．The educational institutions will feel the pressure that their capacity is not enough. |
| A．To show benefits of owning two children. |
| B．To persuade people to bear more children. |
| C．To encourage people to have only one child. |
| D．To introduce the impact of two-child policy. |
10 . New technology is making it possible for people to make videos of people appearing to say things they never actually said. The videos are known as “deepfakes”.
The word “deepfake” is a combination of “deep learning”(an important part of artificial intelligence) and “fake” (not real). Deepfake software allows people to replace part of a video with another video image. The result is a fake video.
The software allows you to put your face over the face of a talking president or movie star. This process will make your face speak in the voice of that president or movie star. Many people are worried the technology will be used to trick voters. Lawmakers, intelligence officials and media experts have expressed concern about deepfakes. They warn the false videos could be used to threaten America’s national security.
“We have entered a new world where it is going to be difficult to know how to believe what we see,” said Hany Farid, a researcher at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. He added, “the opposite result is also worrying. People will become so used to seeing false videos that they will be more likely to doubt a real video. ”
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency(DARPA) is already working to develop technologies to identify fake images and videos. But Senator Rubio says, now the identification is difficult and takes a very long time.
“It takes advanced technology to be able to show that it’s not real. And by the time that’s done, it’s been widely used.”
Rubio and other lawmakers say people will need to take more responsibility to identify fakes.
1. What is “deepfake” software used to do?| A．Kill some virus. | B．Make fake videos. |
| C．Make excellent movies. | D．Benefit stars and leaders. |
| A．False videos might mislead people. |
| B．It was too difficult to use the software. |
| C．Private information might be given away. |
| D．Some people might be addicted to “deepfakes”. |
| A．It is really difficult to identify fake videos. |
| B．The technology “deepfake” has been banned. |
| C．The government is responsible for identification. |
| D．National security is being threatened by “deepfake”. |
| A．Ways to identify fake videos. |
| B．People’s different views on “deepfake”. |
| C．A new technology with a bright future. |
| D．A worrying new technology “deepfake”. |
