1 . I had worried myself sick over Simon's mother coming to see me. I was a new teacher, and I gave an honest account of the students' work. In Simon's case, the grades were awfully low. He couldn't read his own handwriting. But he was a bright student. He discussed adult subjects with nearly adult comprehension. His work in no way reflected his abilities.
So when Simon's mother entered the room, my palms (手掌心) were sweating. I was completely unprepared for her kisses on both my cheeks. "I came to thank you," she said, surprising me beyond speech. Because of me, Simon had become a different person. He talked of how he loved me, he had begun to make friends, and for the first time in his twelve years, he had recently spent an afternoon at a friend's house. She wanted to tell me how grateful she was for the self-respect I had developed in her son. She kissed me again and left.
I sat,surprised, for about half an hour, wondering what had just happened. How did I make such a life changing difference to that boy without even knowing it？What I finally came to remember was one day, several months before, when some students were giving reports in the front of the class, Jeanne spoke quietly，and to encourage her to raise her voice, I had said, “Speak up. Simon's the expert on this. He is the only one you have to convince, and he can't hear you in the back of the room.” That was it. From that day on, Simon had sat up straighter, paid more attention, smiled more, and became happy. And it was all because he happened to be the last kid in the last row. The boy who most needed praise was the one who took the last seat that day.
It taught me the most valuable lesson over the years of my teaching career, and I'm thankful that it came early and positively. A small kindness can indeed make a difference.
1. We can infer (推断) that when Simon’s mother entered the room, the writer felt________.| A．nervous | B．satisfied |
| C．happy | D．surprised |
| A．Because she worried about her son's poor work. |
| B．Because Simon asked her to do so. |
| C．Because she wanted to show her thanks to the writer. |
| D．Because she wanted to know her son's performance in the school. |
| A．unconfident | B．lonely | C．clever | D．outgoing |
| A．share a valuable lesson with readers |
| B．tell teachers how to be kind to students |
| C．advise the readers to be kind to others |
| D．tell the story of Simon |
2 . Alida Monaco doesn't spend her summers doing the usual teenage work ,like working at the mall. Instead ,she's studying.
It used to be that a summer job was considered a teenage thing. Today ,Monaco ,who has never had a summer job ,is part of growing trend(趋势) teenagers concentrating on their studies ,even during the summer. That's down from 72% of Americans aged 16 to 19 who worked in July of 1978 ,according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Fierce competition (竞争) older workers to the workforce and weak economic（经济的）growth are all adding to the decrease of teenagers in the workforce. But as schoolwork grows increasingly heavy and homework eats up more time ,current data suggests the biggest reason why some teens won't be working this summer is that they simply don't have time.
For college-bond teens ,some teachers even advise students no t to waste time on a summer job. " Some of my students only have about six weeks off in the summer ,"said Shannon Reed ,a lecturer at the University of Pittsburgh and a former high school English teacher. " I could never advise that they got jobs during that short break. They should rest. "
Young people who don't work may miss out on valuable skills that they'll need later in life. Early work experiences teach reliability ,financial intelligence ,self-control and help people learn to deal with adult situations. But Monaco ,who plans to attend Harvard ,isn't fazed by her lack of work experience. " May be I have missed out on a couple of life skills , she said. " But I don't think it will harm in any way. "
1. What is the trend of American teenagers ?| A．They are becoming lazy. |
| B．They are becoming interested in doing holiday jobs. |
| C．They are focusing more on studies than on jobs. |
| D．They are becoming particular（挑剔的）about holiday jobs. |
| A．The reasons for teenagers giving up work. |
| B．The fierce competition teenagers face. |
| C．The structure of American workforce. |
| D．The effects of American's weak economy. |
| A．Uncaring | B．Favorable（赞成的） | C．Worried | D．Doubtful |
| A．Motivated. | B．Helped |
| C．Bothered (烦扰). | D．annoyed |
3 . The COVID-19 has changed every aspect of our lives, including our eating habits. Comfort food was made for times like these, and it seems the healthy-food trend that took root in recent years is reversing (彻底转变), at least for the time being. Shopping habits have changed. To be in favor of old processed foods like frozen pizza, hot cakes and canned spaghetti, convenience foods with long shelf life are designed.
No judgment here. Money is tight in many families, and busy parents are putting breakfast, lunch and dinner on the table in between video conference meetings. Besides, convenience foods are engineered to taste good and make us feel good (at least in the short term).
But you might want to save room for something green on your plate, if you can find it at the store. That’s because a growing body of research is showing that our food choices don’t just affect our shapes. What we eat also may affect our mood and behavior—and not in the “I can’t believe I ate a dozen cookies in one sitting” sort of way. Indeed, there may be something in the food we’re eating (or not eating) that's influencing our state of mind.
The emerging(新兴的) field of nutritional psychology states that modern Western diets have contributed to increased rates of mental illness, particularly depression and anxiety. Diets that follow a Mediterranean pattern of eating—with a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, fish and olive oil—have been connected with lower rates of depression. A diet change of just a few weeks has been found to change moods.
As a third of all Americans are reporting that the coronavirus pandemic has done harm to their mental health, we might need nutritious food more than ever.
1. Why are convenience foods with long shelf life designed?| A．To change shopping habits. |
| B．To change the taste of food. |
| C．To show the healthy food. |
| D．To meet customers’ shopping habits. |
| A．Cookies is a kind of food you like while sitting. |
| B．Food choices may influence our mood. |
| C．A growing body needs proper sports. |
| D．Busy work can make you feel depressed. |
| A．It’s beneficial to health. |
| B．It includes too much fat. |
| C．It may cause mental illness. |
| D．It’s connected with higher rates of depression. |
| A．Can healthy food provide relief? |
| B．Do food choices affect our shapes? |
| C．What can contribute to mental illness? |
| D．How can we beat the COVID-19? |
4 . ﹡After the fire, what now?
Bishop Patrick Chauvet, Notre Dame’s (巴黎圣母院) manager, admitted that the famous building would close for “five to six years” as he spoke with local business owners Wednesday. He added that it was unclear what the church’s 67 employees would be doing in the future. French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that he wanted the church rebuilt in five years.
﹡What are the new rules?
While tourists can’t go inside the site itself, the area still may prove popular to those paying their respects. Visitors are welcome to write messages of support in both the main and local city halls.
The island that houses the church has been closed and the people there have been evacuated since the fire. Paris businessmen who depend on Notre Dame tourism are worried about the church’s future as well as their own.
﹡_______
It’s known that spring is a busy time for tourists in Paris. The travel company recommends（推荐） people visit other places, like the Basilique Saint-Denis, the Sacre-Coeur and so on. Those who tend to observe church services during Holy Week are advised to go to Saint-Eustache.
﹡Looking ahead to rebuilding
It seems rebuilding can begin, since firefighters put out the fire early Tuesday, more than 12 hours after nearly 400 firefighters had battled the flames that changed the city’s skyline. Two policemen and one firefighter were not badly injured, according to the Paris Fire Service.
A large campaign to raise money already is underway to rebuild the church. Up to Wednesday, donations（捐款） came to $1 billion.
1. How long would Notre Dame close for after the fire?| A．One year | B．Three to four years |
| C．Five to six years | D．Ten years |
| A．removed | B．examined | C．checked | D．ruined |
| A．Saint-Eustache is favored by tourists. |
| B．Tour companies offer other choices. |
| C．Church culture develops fast in Paris. |
| D．The best time to visit Paris is spring. |
| A．The government will arrange work for 67 employees. |
| B．Visitors will be forbidden to leave messages anywhere. |
| C．Churches in Paris will also be examined and repaired. |
| D．More money will be donated for the rebuilding project. |
5 . “Nomophobia”, NO Mobile Phone phobia(恐惧) is a 21st-century term for the fear of not being able to use your smartphone. Smartphone addiction is on the rise, surveys show, and a new study released adds to a growing body of evidence that smartphone addiction is harming our minds literally.
Smartphone addiction affects many people from all across the globe. Over 1.8 billion people own smartphones and the average owners check their screens 150 times a day. Considering those numbers, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when 44% of people (compared with 20% in 2011) admit feeling anxious when they can’t have access to their phones.
Researchers from Harvard University used brain imaging to study the brains of 19 teenage boys who were diagnosed with smartphone addiction. Compared with 19 teenagers who were not addicted, the brains of the addicted boys had significantly higher levels of GABA, which decelerates neurons (神经元)， than levels of glutamate-glutamine, which energizes brain signals. That results in poorer attention and control, which you don’t want to have, because you want to stay focused. So that means you are easier to get distracted.
“Addicted teenagers in the study also had significantly higher scores in anxiety, depression and levels of impulsiveness (冲动) ,” said Dr. Leslie Perlow, who led the study.
If you seem to have the symptoms of smart device addiction, experts have some suggestions in addition to mindfulness training. First, turn off your phone at certain times of the day, such as in meetings, when having dinner, playing with your kids, and of course, driving. Remove social media apps, like Facebook and Twitter from your phone, and only check-in from your laptop. Try to stop yourself to 15-minute intervals at set times of the day when it won’t affect work or family life. Don’t bring your cellphone and its harmful blue light to bed, and use an old-fashioned alarm to wake you. And last, try to replace your smart device time with healthier activities such as meditating or actually interacting with real people.
1. What is the conclusion of the research?| A．Smartphone addiction leads to distraction. |
| B．Smartphone addiction easily causes anger. |
| C．Smartphone addiction is harmful to the mind. |
| D．Smartphone addiction brings about anxiety and depression. |
| A．In Paragraph 2. | B．In Paragraph 3. |
| C．In Paragraph 4. | D．In Paragraph 5. |
| A．Speeds up. | B．Slows down. |
| C．Adds to. | D．Cuts down. |
| A．To use an old-fashion cellphone. | B．To participate in more social activities. |
| C．To stop fifteen-minute intervals. | D．To turn off the blue light on bed. |
The past thirty years
People hold different views about the future of cyberspace. Some pessimistic experts have a lot of worries, one of
Many other people, on
Some experts say virtual reality, the use of computers with sounds and pictures that make us feel as if we are
7 . Hundreds of children are being treated for sleep problems in Wales every year. In some cases，babies，infants (婴儿)and teenagers have been admitted to hospital in north Wales alone.
The Children’s Sleep Charity said many children were suffering from lack of sleep mainly because of technology use. Public Health Wales said sleep was as important to a child’s health as healthy eating and exercise，and children with poor sleep patterns were more likely to be fat.
Statistics obtained (获得) under the Freedom of Information Act by BBC Wales found at least 408 children have been admitted to hospitals across Wales suffering from sleep disorders since March 2013.
Children aged between 0 and 4 made up the highest number of inpatients (住院病人)，with some newborns being treated for sleep-related problems from the day of birth.
Vicki Dawson，who set up the Children’s Sleep Charity (CSC)，said sleepless nights were putting both children and parents in anxiety. “Their weight and growth may also be affected as well as their mental health，”she said.
Teachers said children showing signs of sleep shortage and tiredness in class were a concern as they couldn’t concentrate for long periods.
Psychologist Amy McClelland，of Sleep Wales，saida common problem was that children were “over excited”before bed and that families should get back to basics. “Think 1950s family home. Dinner as a family，read，chat，a film maybe，lights off and then bed. ”She added.
1. What’s the main reason why children are short of sleep？| A．Less exercise. | B．Eating habits. |
| C．Technology use. | D．Sleep patterns. |
| A．Infants. | B．Teenagers. |
| C．Teachers. | D．Parents. |
| A．Chatting and films make children sleep more. |
| B．It is difficult for children to read before bed. |
| C．Being too excitedis good for sleep habits. |
| D．Relaxation has a bad effect on children. |
| A．Ways to Treat Sleep Problems | B．Sleep Problems of Welsh Children |
| C．Sleep Habits of Welsh Children | D．The Problems of Welsh Children |
8 . William I, who conquered England some 930 years ago, had wealth, power and an army. Yet although William was very rich by the standard of his time, he had nothing like a flush toilet(抽水马桶)，or riding lawn mower(除草机). How did he get by ?
History books are filled with wealthy people who were poor compared to me. I have storm windows, Croesus did not. Entire nations trembled before Alexander the Great, but he couldn,t buy cat food. Czar Nicholas lacked an electric saw.
Given how much better off I am than so many famous dead people, you,d think I,d be content. The trouble is that, like most people, I compare my wealth with that of living persons: neighbors, school classmates, famous TV people. The greed I feel toward my friend Howard,s new kitchen is not reduced by the fact no kings ever had a refrigerator with glass doors.’
There is really no rising or falling standard of living. Over the centuries people simply find different things to feel sad about. You,d think that simply not having disease would put us in a good mood, but no, we want a hot bath too.
Of course, one way to achieve happiness would be to realize that even by today,s standards the things I own are pretty nice. My house is smaller than the houses of many investments bankers, but even so it has a lot more rooms than my wife and I can keep clean.
Besides, to people looking back at our era from a century or two in the future, these bankers, fancy counter tops and my own worn Formica will seem equally shabby. I can,t keep up with my neighbors right now. But just wait.
1. What does the underlined phrase “get by” in the first paragraph mean ?| A．Succeed as a king. | B．Deal with complaints. |
| C．Live in s satisfactory way. | D．Get some extra money. |
| A．3. | B．4. |
| C．5 | D．6 |
| A．tell us to be content with life |
| B．warn us to live in a simple way |
| C．teach us to learn lessons from life |
| D．encourage us to struggle for wealth |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Optimistic. |
| C．Uncaring. | D．Cautious. |
9 . Getting less sleep has become a bad habit for most American kids. According to a new survey(调查) by the National Sleep Foundation, 51% of kids aged 10 to 18 go to bed at 10 pm or later on school nights, even though they have to get up early. Last year the Foundation reported that nearly 60% of 7- to 12-year-olds said they felt tired during the day, and 15% said they had fallen asleep at school.
How much sleep you need depends a lot on your age. Babies need a lot of rest: most of them sleep about 18 hours a day! Adults need about eight hours. For most school-age children, ten hours is ideal(理想的). But the new National Sleep Foundation survey found that 35% of 10- to 12-year-olds get only seven or eight hours. And guess what almost half of the surveyed kids said they do before bedtime? Watch TV.
“More children are going to bed with TVs on, and there are more opportunities(机会) to stay awake, with more homework, the Internet and the phone,” says Dr. Mary Carskadon, a sleep researcher at Brown University Medical School. She says these activities at bedtime can get kids all excited and make it hard for them to calm down and sleep. Other experts say part of the problem is chemical. Changing levels of body chemicals called hormones not only make teenagers’ bodies develop adult characteristics, but also make it hard for teenagers to fall asleep before 11 pm.
Because sleepiness is such a problem for teenagers, some school districts have decided to start high school classes later than they used to. Three years ago, schools in Edina, Minnesota, changed the start time from 7:25 am to 8:30 am. Students, parents and teachers are pleased with the results.
1. What is the new National Sleep Foundation survey on?| A．American kids’ sleeping habits. | B．Teenagers’ sleep-related diseases. |
| C．Activities to prevent sleeplessness. | D．Learning problems and lack of sleep. |
| A．7 hours. | B．8 hours. |
| C．10 hours. | D．18 hours. |
| A．They are affected by certain body chemicals. |
| B．They tend to do things that excite them. |
| C．They follow their parents’ examples. |
| D．They don’t need to go to school early. |
