1 .

What do you see in the image? The image can be challenging to interpret, and most people need a clue to see the pattern. It shows a Dalmatian dog. An interesting aspect of this experience is that once you’ve perceived the pattern, you can’t unset the dog.

Whether we like it or not, our brains look for patterns in various contexts. Much of our everyday understanding is linked to the concepts we learn in school and through interaction with others. On top of this, there are learned cultural patterns to interpret works of art, music, poems, etc. Once we know the patterns, they profoundly influence how we perceive cultural products. So we see the world through patterns we have acquired.

These patterns can be applied in all forms of teaching. The great benefit of seeing a pattern in an area of knowledge is that it can be applied to new problems. A student who has understood a pattern can not only answer questions taken directly from the learning material but can use it in other types of tasks. The key question, therefore, is how a student can discover the relevant patterns and create real understanding.

There are different ways to highlight patterns. Analogies (类比) are powerful tools for creating understanding. An example is the number line (数轴) in elementary mathematics. When children learn addition, it is easy for concrete combinations of objects: three apples plus two apples make five apples. The same is true for subtraction (减法): If you have six apples and remove four, you are left with two.

But this doesn’t work when it comes to negative numbers. How do you explain that if you have three apples and remove five, two are missing? Then, an effective analogy is to see the number line as something you walk along — the line becomes a path. Addition with three is like walking three steps forward, and subtraction with five is like walking five steps backward. No wonder that if you walk three steps forward and then five steps back, you are two steps behind where you started.

In this way, the negative numbers acquire a meaning rooted in experience. More patterns of numbers can now be understood.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．The underlying effect of patterns.

B．The ability to acquire the art skills.

C．The way to find the Dalmatian dog.

D．The benefit of interacting with others.

2. Why should patterns be used in education?

A．It is easy for students to master them.

B．All types of tasks have the same pattern.

C．They can help students solve new problems.

D．They are the necessary learning materials.

3. What does the example in paragraph 4 and paragraph 5 suggest?

A．There are different ways to acquire experience.

B．Analogies are good methods for teaching patterns.

C．Addition is much easier than subtraction in maths.

D．The number line can solve all mathematics problems.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．Understanding Is Seeing a Pattern.

B．The Best Principle for Learning

C．Walking Back and Forth on a Number Line.

D．Using Patterns to Learn Mathematics

3 . 5 Proven Ways to Improve Your Concentration

We’re all suffering from poorer concentration nowadays.     1     Here are some simple habits to try.

Minimize distraction.

    2     Work in a different room if you can. If you find yourself sidetracked (转移目标) by digital devices, turn off notifications (通知) and train yourself to check them at set intervals. Set a timer.

    3    

Whether it’s music, white noise or even silence, you might find there’s a particular sound that helps you maintain your attention. This enhances alpha waves—brain waves that promote relaxation and are thought to play a role in cognition (认知) and, according to a small 2015 American study, make you more creative.

Focus on the right foods.

You might get help from certain so-called “brain foods”.     4     One of the best ways to keep your brain fit is to eat a healthy diet.

Move your body.

When you exercise, your heart rate increases, causing your body to release a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, which aids nerve cell growth.     5    

Sleep well.

Who doesn’t suffer from brain fog after a bad night? Everyone needs different amounts of shuteye but aiming for seven to nine hours is considered the ideal.

A．Structure your life.

B．Find the right sound.

C．These include fish, nuts, blueberries and dark chocolate.

D．This is important for concentration, memory and learning.

E．But there are ways you can improve your focus and get stuff done.

F．But even news platforms, and emails can be highly attention sapping.

G．Removing yourself from people and devices will allow you to concentrate better.

4 . Is an electric vehicle right for you?

Many people will ask themselves that question for the first time this year. Prices are falling, battery range is rising and mainstream brands are adding new EVs at a breakneck pace.

Here are three things anybody seriously considering buying an EV should know:

1. The price to install a 240v charger

Anybody who owns an electric vehicle needs a 240-volt charger at home. With one, you can recharge overnight, so you start every day with the equivalent of a full tank.

Just a few years ago, home 240v EV chargers cost $2,500-$3,000, including installation, but prices have declined as competition grows with the number of EVs on the road.

2. The time it takes to charge

About 80% of miles driven in EVs are powered by electricity charged at home, but you’ll need to charge elsewhere occasionally. That’s when charging time becomes a big deal, but how long it takes depends on a couple of factors.

First, voltage from the charger. Getting 250 miles of range in seven hours from a 240v charger is fine when you’re charging overnight at home, but it’s a deal breaker if you’re going 300 miles for a weekend getaway. In that case, you’ll want to look for a 400v DC fast charger. They’re not as common as 240v public chargers yet, but they’re becoming more widespread.

There’s another factor: the on-board charger. It regulates how fast the battery can accept electricity. A vehicle with a higher-capacity on-board charger accepts electricity faster.

3. Where to charge

Good route-planning apps will help you find chargers on a road trip.

“Most people have no idea how many public charging stations are within, say, a 10-or 15-mile radius(半径) because they’re small, people don’t look for them or even don’t know what to look for, and they’re rarely signposted,” said journalist John Voelcker, who has studied EVs and charging exhaustively.

4. On the horizon

If an EV doesn’t meet your needs now, watch this space. They’re coming closer, but large numbers of gasoline vehicles will remain in production for years. Beyond that, companies will keep making spare parts for oil-burners for decades.

1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The price of installing a home EV charger has remained stable in the past few years.

B．It’s quite easy to identify the public charging stations with the help of striking signposts.

C．Popular brands are introducing new EVs at an incredibly fast rate.

D．An electric vehicle can’t provide the same amount of energy as a completely filled fuel tank.

2. The underlined phrase “watch this space” in the last paragraph probably means “________”.

A．give up the plan to purchase an EV

B．make space for an EV

C．find an alternative to EV

D．keep an eye out for future developments

3. This passage is mainly intended to ________.

A．illustrate the factors charging time depends on

B．offer advice on purchasing an electric vehicle

C．look forward to the future of electric vehicles

D．explain the reason for the falling prices of electric vehicles

5 . Feel like you’re trying to keep pace with your friends? Envious of the classmates who have got progress in math?     1    . Comparison has been hardwired in our DNA for thousands of years.

When used in a positive way, comparison can actually help us become better.     2    . We may wonder why we are unable to do the same as those who appear to have it all, which will lead to anxiety and low self-esteem. But we have ways to help prevent unhealthy comparisons.

You may start with staying in your lane. Focus on your own goals and work on achieving them in your own time.     3    , as this can be demotivating and you’ll be less likely to achieve your targets.

    4    . People often only share positive highlights, which are what you may be comparing yourself to. So, if you’re feeling discouraged by the fantastic lives of others, remember that you’re not seeing the full picture. Everybody has a “behind the scenes” version of their life, complete with good and bad days.

Do you often dig for information on social media about your old school friends to see how they are going?     5    . Therefore, unfollow unhelpful social media accounts, and question your motivation when being curious about others.

A．Sometimes, you should also be realistic

B．Comparing yourself to others is something that we all do

C．This behavior often involves you into comparison-led self-pity

D．It is advisable to be true to yourself both in person and online

E．Avoid getting distracted by the “noise” of what others are doing

F．There’s no doubt that social media exposure plays a big part in it

G．However, the damage happens when we use it to determine how we fall short

6 . Water and Education

In every society on earth, water and education are closely inter-related. The relationship between water and education can be seen in two ways: We need to be educated on water-related issues and on water management but we also need to have access to water to receive education. On this web page, you will find information on the double relationship, illustrated by examples of already existing plans complemented by links to useful and related websites and pages.

Part One: Educating on Water-related Issues

Water-related problems need to be discussed and reflected upon in order for everyone to take action. Everyone can contribute, whether it is by not letting the tap run while brushing one’s teeth, or campaigning against poor sewage (污水) systems in developing countries. There are already several important plans implemented (实施) with educational objectives. Some organizations have developed water education tools that enable groups, such as teachers, school children, students and communities to gain knowledge of water resources and management. Click on the title of this section to read more about these projects as well as their results.

Part Two: Access to Water to Receive Education

The second part of the relationship between water and education is to provide water to communities where there is water scarcity (缺乏). An implementation of water systems will often result in a better access to education for children. Firstly, they will not have to walk far every day to fetch water; secondly, if water systems are implemented in schools that lack water facilities, children have an even greater chance to receive education. Many important projects have been, or are in the process of being accomplished. Please click on the title to discover some of the organizations that achieve these results as well as precise examples of the impacts a water source can have on education.

1. What is this web page designed for?

A．To introduce how to go on website education.	B．To encourage people to have water campaign.
C．To advertise how to start the water education.	D．To offer information on water and education.

2. What plan is implemented with educational objectives?

A．Cleaning polluted water.

B．Building sewage systems.

C．Educating groups to understand water resources and management.

D．Implementing water systems in rural schools.

3. What can make a better education for children?

A．Offering more resources.	B．Walking far away to fetch water.
C．Implementing water systems.	D．Not wasting water any more.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下问题。
1. What are the speakers talking about?

A．Managing the reading workload.

B．Deciding which books to read.

C．Choosing the right pen for marking.

2. What does the man use to mark new vocabulary?

A．Orange color.

B．Blue color.

C．Yellow color.

3. What is the man's system for marking?

A．He prefers to mark as little as possible.

B．He marks after reading the entire paragraph.

C．He uses smiley faces to identify amusing areas.

8 . Surveys have found that public speaking has long been one of the things Americans fear most.     1     Here’s what you can do in advance to make the actual speaking part as smooth as possible.

Know your audience.

It’s as important to understand your audience as it is to understand the subject you’ll be discussing in front of them. Josephine Lee, third place winner in the 2016 Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking, emphasizes that even if she’s giving the same speech to two different audiences, she’ll take time to customize it. She always asks herself, “    2    ”

Plan and structure your speech.

    3     But if your words and structure are all over the place then people are not going to remember what you said. It is 100% about simplicity. If you have multiple points and if you go off at a tangent and if you don’t stay on one simple path then people won’t remember what you were speaking about.

Memorize your first and last lines.

    4     But you also don’t want to sound like a robot regurgitating (照搬) a pile of words you wrote down. If you memorize everything word for word, it’s not going to sound very natural. Instead, try to memorize the opening sentence and the closing sentence. The goal is to insure you start and end strong while still giving yourself the room to speak naturally in between.

    5    

Finally, remember that everyone gets nervous. Those executives many levels above you whose presence is making you sweat probably get nervous when they speak, too, Goodfellow points out. “Give yourself a little bit of grace,” she says, “and do the best that you can.”

A．Don’t be so hard on yourself.

B．You can have great presentation skills.

C．Remember the audience is on your side.

D．What is the specific audience and why are they there?

E．What are you feeling when audience burst into laughter?

F．You’ll want to have a pretty clear idea of what you’re going to say.

G．Unfortunately, in many professions, some amount of public speaking is necessary.

10 . It is quite true that nowadays more and more people have come to realize the importance of health. On the other hand, being healthier can be a huge challenge, especially if you don’t have the time or the energy.     1    That is because there are small changes you can make to your life where you can improve your health and still be lazy. Just start with eating well.

Eat your meals with your non-dominant hand.

Which is your non-dominant hand? For example, if you’re a right-hander, then your left hand is. Usually fork in your left hand, right? OK!     2     You’ll eat more slowly and probably consume less food.

Add in healthy food.

You can buy those Milano cookies, but also make an effort to buy frozen fruits for smoothies (奶昔) and snap pea crisps to snack on, too.     3    

Drink a glass of water before every meal.

Water will fill you up a little bit, so you won’t be hungry as a wolf at meal. Make it a habit to keep a water bottle nearby at all times, whether you’re in your house or on the go. That we should drink at least 8 cups of water every day makes sense.

Drink coffee.

Right!    4    More importantly, people who drink three to five cups of coffee a day are less likely to show early symptoms of heart disease. Don’t skip out of your morning cup of coffee or that afternoon pick-me-up.

    5    

People who eat on smaller plates end up eating less food. Buy a few inexpensive smaller plates and bowls if yours are large. You’ll think you’ve eaten more than you have.

Besides, just stretching your legs after meals every day will help a lot more.

A．Eat on smaller plates.

B．Never a coach potato!

C．A lucky dog you are now.

D．Caffeine truly refreshes you.

E．Stop eating when you feel full, never overeat.

F．Try using your right hand as your fork hand, rather than your left one.

G．Over time, fewer cookies and more healthy snacks you will have on hand.