1 . You’ve heard that plastic is polluting the oceans — between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes enter ocean ecosystems every year. But does one plastic straw or cup really make a difference? Artist Benjamin Von Wong wants you to know that it does. He builds massive sculptures out of plastic garbage, forcing viewers to re-examine their relationship to single-use plastic products.
At the beginning of the year, the artist built a piece called “Strawpocalypse,” a pair of 10-foot-tall plastic waves, frozen mid-crash. Made of 168,000 plastic straws collected from several volunteer beach cleanups, the sculpture made its first appearance at the Estella Place shopping center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Just 9% of global plastic waste is recycled. Plastic straws are by no means the biggest source (来源) of plastic pollution, but they’ve recently come under fire because most people don’t need them to drink with and, because of their small size and weight, they cannot be recycled. Every straw that’s part of Von Wong’s artwork likely came from a drink that someone used for only a few minutes. Once the drink is gone, the straw will take centuries to disappear.
In a piece from 2018, Von Wong wanted to illustrate (说明) a specific statistic: Every 60 seconds, a truckload’s worth of plastic enters the ocean. For this work, titled “Truckload of Plastic,” Von Wong and a group of volunteers collected more than 10,000 pieces of plastic, which were then tied together to look like they’d been dumped (倾倒) from a truck all at once.
Von Wong hopes that his work will also help pressure big companies to reduce their plastic footprint.
1. What are Von Wong’s artworks intended for?| A．Beautifying the city he lives in. | B．Introducing eco-friendly products. |
| C．Drawing public attention to plastic waste. | D．Reducing garbage on the beach. |
| A．To show the difficulty of their recycling. |
| B．To explain why they are useful. |
| C．To voice his views on modern art. |
| D．To find a substitute for them. |
| A．Calming. | B．Disturbing. |
| C．Refreshing. | D．Challenging. |
| A．Artists’ Opinions on Plastic Safety |
| B．Media Interest in Contemporary Art |
| C．Responsibility Demanded of Big Companies |
| D．Ocean Plastics Transformed into Sculptures |
2 . Writer and journalist Cristina Odone aroused widespread anger by suggesting that her daughter was being pressured to take science for graduation exams and this was unreasonable for a child with a literary bent. She even claimed that “this focus on STEM[Science,Technology,Engineering and Mathematics] subjects sends a message that makes her and me uncomfortable:doing a man's work is more impressive than doing a woman's.”
Like many others, I totally disagree with her position as a scientist. Taking science to age 16should simply be seen as part of obtaining a well-rounded education. Furthermore, identifying STEM as a man's subject leads in part to our serious lack of diversity（多样性）in the scientific workforce. Meanwhile, many male authors and poets might be surprised to learn that literature is“woman's work”.
Novelist Lucy Ellman once wrote,“The purpose of artists is to ask the right questions, even if we don't find the answers，whereas the aim of science is to prove some silly points.” But proving some silly points might save your life，light your home，allow you to surf the web or visit your relatives living far away. Only someone who has never considered how extensive the outputs of science are in our society could write such a“silly”sentence.
However, having said that, I am not trying to denigrate the work of the humanities. I do not see this as an either/or situation but it's all part of being human. I admire and appreciate those who try to express things hard to be described in words, but it simply isn't my strength. I may wholeheartedly believe that science is vital but that doesn't mean I think the humanities（or indeed the social sciences）are not. Since science costs more to do than arts subjects, more funding should go to science. That statement is not equal to saying that the humanities should not be properly funded. Somehow, we are constantly being put in opposition, a divide that is damaging to both scientists and non-scientists.
So why are the humanities important to me？I would say it is exactly because I am human. I sit here typing listening to a Schubert piano trio. I have been reading EP Thompson's The Making of the English Working Class to try to understand how our society was and is the shape it is. Scientists may be capable of dealing with the ethics（道德标准） of their work, but they cannot and should not answer the question of whether we should do this in isolation. Answering the many questions that our developing scientific capabilities throw up requires the input of researchers from many fields.
So let us enjoy our capabilities on all fronts, recognizing that we each have different strengths and weaknesses. It's time to ban the damaging divide that sets one part of the research community against another and celebrate our humanity as well as the Humanities.
1. The writer quotes words from Cristina Odone and Lucy Ellman to show that________.| A．doing a man’s work is more impressive than doing a woman’s |
| B．some people may have a narrow understanding of science |
| C．the purposes of artists and scientists are totally different |
| D．a well-rounded education is crucial to the diversity in society |
| A．“I am not an expert in the work of the humanities” |
| B．“I don't think the work of the humanities important” |
| C．“I don't want to play down the work of the humanities” |
| D．“I admire and appreciate the work of the humanities” |
| A．To explain how extensive the outputs of science are. |
| B．To call on scientists to understand the society and the shape of it. |
| C．To prove that the humanities are important to scientists too. |
| D．To advise scientists to deal with the ethics of their work. |
| A．reveal people’s weakness in expressing complex thoughts in words. |
| B．reject the idea that science only proves some silly points. |
| C．illustrate that scientists have strengths and weaknesses. |
| D．appeal to stop treating humanities and science as opposites. |
3 . People think children should play sports. Sports are fun, and children keep healthy while playing with others. However，playing sports can have
Many researchers believe adults, especially parents and coaches, are the main
We really need to
| A．restrictive(限制的) | B．negative | C．active | D．instructive |
| A．knocked | B．glanced | C．smiled | D．shouted |
| A．impression | B．concept | C．taste | D．expectation |
| A．resource | B．cause | C．course | D．consequence |
| A．question | B．understand | C．copy | D．neglect |
| A．winning | B．practising | C．fun | D．sport |
| A．praises | B．orders | C．remarks (言论、评论) | D．insults(侮辱) |
| A．proudly | B．ambitiously | C．aggressively | D．bravely |
| A．acceptable | B．impolite | C．possible | D．accessible |
| A．By contrast | B．In addition | C．As a result | D．After all |
| A．look up to | B．face up to | C．make up for | D．come up with |
| A．in particular | B．in all | C．in return | D．in advance |
| A．techniques | B．means | C．values | D．directions |
| A．respect | B．relax | C．forgive | D．enjoy |
| A．body | B．fame | C．health | D．spirit |
Colleges are attaching too much importance to tests. Students who receive higher scores on the SAT and the ACT are considered to be more intelligent and as a result they are usually admitted to better schools.
However, these tests don’t necessarily ensure one’s future success in life. To become better test-takers than others, some students would like to make more preparations. Several SAT and ACT classes are offered by various companies and individual tutors, giving rich students a better chance to improve their scores. Some students even take medicine before tests. Although it is not proved that taking these drugs will increase a student’s score, the nature of the drug is to increase alertness, concentration, and mental processing speed.
In addition, these tests can’t show the skills and characters that are a key part to success. According to Bob Schaeffer of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, creativity, perseverance and self-discipline(自律) are a few basic qualities that are useful in the world that aren’t measured by these tests. A high test score tells you nothing about how a student will handle the future life or how well they will adapt to their surroundings.
What colleges can do is to weigh the students’ academic track, such as what classes they took and how difficult they were, or what extra curricular activities the students were involved in. These things don’t necessarily predict what the students will do in college, but if the admissions would pay more attention to four years of hard work, they might get a more successful and well-rounded group of graduates.
注意：
1. 概要词数应为60左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应的位置作答。
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5 . Life can be challenging for teens. They must deal with schoolwork, family life and friends at the same time to fit. Feelings of sadness, frustration and irritability are common.
It's easy to think that depressed people simply feel sad or hopeless. For many teens that may be true.
Even depressed teens may not realize they have this problem.
Dee says, peers should also seek for signs of depression. Keep an eye on your friends, she recommends. Watch for symptoms of isolation (孤立) or hopelessness.
Overall, knowing who—and how—to help is essential for successfully treating depression in teens.
| A．And the share of those affected is high. |
| B．Some may start abusing alcohol or drugs. |
| C．Teens should be honest with their answers. |
| D．The problem is that depression in teens can be hard to spot. |
| E．There is a link between mental illness and suicide in teens. |
| F．But for some teens, those emotions take a more extreme turn. |
| G．Even skipping classes can be a sign that something serious is going on. |
How do students spend their spare time after finishing their homework? Watch TV, play computer games, or go outside to relax? Here's a good example.
Tim and Kerry Meek are both teachers. They live in the UK with their two daughters: eleven-year-old Amy and nine-year-old Ella. Recently, the Meek family has become the focus of the whole country after they completed 100 different outdoor activities in one year.
The Meek couple didn't want their children to spend all their free time in front of the TV and become "couch potatoes". So about one year ago, the Meeks decided that watching TV and playing computer games were not permitted. Instead, they set 100 tasks for the two girls to do outside. Although Mr. and Mrs. Meek are not outdoor activity fans, they took part in all the activities to encourage their daughters. It turns out that the two sisters really had a good time joining activities.
Every holiday and weekend, whether it's sunny, rainy or snowy, the Meeks' would set off to try the activities on their list, including hiking, sailing, climbing, skiing, and so on. The two little girls not only had a wonderful time, but also learned a lot of skills from the activities. They were even able to stand up in front of their school to give a talk for charity. "Our friends spend a lot of their free time doing things which are harmful to their health. Luckily, we've had the chance to experience something different." Amy and Ella also helped their parents to draw up a new list of challenges for the next 12 months.
1. Why did the Meeks become the focus of the UK? (no more than 10 words)2. What does the underlined phrase "couch potatoes" mean? (no more than 15 words)
3. When did the Meeks go out to do the activities? (no more than 5 words)
4. What did the two little girls learn from the activities?(no more than 5 words)
5. What have you learnt from the story? (no more than 25 words)
7 . The Assassin's Creed series has been about building immersive （沉浸式的）and accurate historical worlds. As their newest game releases f Assassins Creed Origins, they have also released their Discovery Tours. These tours give players a chance to walk the streets of ancient Egypt, explore Alexandria and the pyramids, and learn about wildlife and geography. For students, experiencing the ancient world in this interactive way can be more interesting and effective than just reading a textbook or watching a documentary about what they are studying.
Assassins Creed is not the only game series that can be educational either. What is important about the role of historical games is the level of choice. When watching a film, students are passive receivers of content. However, when playing a game students have an active role to play in history. A focus on choice and consequence is an important element of teaching and understanding history, so historical games can be a valuable teaching tool even if they aren't completely historically accurate. They have the power to immerse students in faraway worlds and allow them to think critically about cause and consequence, think about why historical events unfolded the way they did, and even think about possible alternative outcomes. All of these are critical for historical thinking processes. No longer do students need to rely only on reading textbooks or on instructors for knowledge.
When carrying this out in your class, remember that not all students enjoy playing video games, but they can still be a valuable learning tool. The instructor also needs to be an active facilitator and taking note of teachable moments. A video game is not going to teach a class ； it requires an awesome instructor to make everything come together. With the power of video games, ancient worlds no longer need to be limited to the pages of a textbook.
1. What does the underlined phrase “this interactive way“ in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Walking an ancient street. | B．Playing a new game. |
| C．Reading a textbook. | D．Watching a documentary. |
| A．Why it is different from the film. | B．Why it gains popularity. |
| C．How it benefits teaching. | D．How it came into being. |
| A．The teachers. | B．The players. |
| C．The designers. | D．The audiences. |
| A．A vivid description of ancient architecture. |
| B．An account of a new history learning method. |
| C．A detailed explanation of a social problem. |
| D．An online advertisement of a stylish trend. |
8 . Top College Graduates Get Paid More, but do They Perform Better?
It’s generally believed that better universities attract better students and provide better training, so it makes sense to use the university rank as a predictor of employee performance. But is it a good hiring strategy? Do university rankings predict job performance? Our research suggests yes — but only to a degree.
In a recent study, we tested the relationship between the university rank and performance of graduates. We tracked the performance of 28,339 students from 294 universities that ranked from Top 10 to about top 20,000 in the Webometrics global university rankings.
Our results offer some comfort to the traditional recruiters. After controlling for age, gender, and the year of study, we found that graduates from higher-ranked universities performed better, but only nominally and only on some dimensions of performance.
Second, higher-ranked universities should provide better training. Top universities employ better instructors, offer access to better-equipped facilities, attract better speakers and guests to campus, which in turn, should lead to better training and subsequent performance.
Finally, it might be expected that higher-ranked institutions might provide a more stimulating academic environment.
Despite their slightly better overall performance, hiring graduates from higher-ranked institutions could have a downside. Our data suggest that students from higher-ranked universities might damage team cooperation, sometimes carelessly.
| A．Indeed, education is not only lectures and seminars. |
| B．However, our study revealed no difference in the following aspects. |
| C．They clearly know that interpersonal relationships at work play a critical role in career success. |
| D．They tend to excessively focus on the instrumental tasks, paying insufficient attention to interpersonal relationships. |
| E．We also found several reasons why the graduates from the top universities performed better than those from the lower-ranked schools. |
| F．We observed the students’ performance for two months as they were working in global virtual teams on real-life business consulting projects. |
No More Food Waste
Last week Meituan co-published a proposal with a number of business organizations, including the China General Chamber of Commerce and China Cuisine Association, calling on restaurants to stop food waste and help
“Restaurants should innovate means of publicity using official accounts on social media and live-streaming to promote and advocate food-saving actions,” the proposal said.
Meituan and the organizations are advocating that merchants offer
Catering associations in more than 18 provinces have also joined the campaign to eliminate food waste. On Friday the China Cuisine Association announced that it had
The Wuhan Catering Association
To curb (限制) portrayals of food waste on social media platforms, popular Chinese video platforms such as Douyin and Kuaishou have stepped up content
Now if users search certain keywords, such as “eating show” or “competitive eaters”, a cautionary message pops up to remind them to cherish food and maintain a
Across the country, about 40% of all the food Americans buy ends up in the trash. That food waste costs the average family of four about $1,500
The state of Vermont has long been a leader in environmental issues. Now it has just
As of July 1st, it became the first state in the nation to make it illegal for residents to throw their food scraps into the trash. That means everyone in the state — from businesses to residents — must now keep their food waste out of the garbage.
10 . Do Brain Training Games Work?
With an ageing population worried about cognitive (认知的) decline, brain training apps have soared in popularity. Search “brain training”, and you will find
At least that’s the idea. And there are a lot of people who are
In 2014, the Stanford Center on Longevity published an open letter
Two years later, another team of psychologists reviewed every scientific study cited by major brain training companies
If the science is so
That’s
| A．endless | B．advanced | C．protective | D．imaginary |
| A．outcome | B．tryout | C．workout | D．outlook |
| A．set out | B．set back | C．set off | D．set aside |
| A．buying | B．engaging | C．overlooking | D．inquiring |
| A．By contrast | B．For instance | C．Of course | D．In conclusion |
| A．reliable | B．precious | C．secret | D．empty |
| A．signed | B．secured | C．received | D．sought |
| A．in presence of | B．in support of | C．in case of | D．in memory of |
| A．expectation | B．solution | C．criticism | D．standard |
| A．report | B．design | C．produce | D．negotiate |
| A．effortlessly | B．temporarily | C．seriously | D．unfairly |
| A．dependable | B．understandable | C．comparable | D．achievable |
| A．experiment | B．theory | C．practice | D．performance |
| A．altogether | B．therefore | C．however | D．likewise |
| A．movement | B．cooperation | C．evaluation | D．function |
