1 . As most children have a natural interest in both cooking and screens, playing free cooking games online with your child may be an excellent way to introduce them to the world of food at an early age.     1    . They provide a number of developmental and educational benefits as well.

Cooking games for kids develop creativity.     2     by letting them experiment with raw materials, recipes, and preparation methods. Such games can help kids develop a growth mindset, creativity, and the freedom to make their own choices.

Cooking games can improve social skills. Most cooking games offer an in-built social space. For example, playing multiplayer or two-player games allows children to interact with others, solve problems in cooperation, and so on. This is especially convenient for those who have difficulty reaching out to others in the real world. Online games can help them practice their communication skills.     3    .

Cooking games boost confidence and independence. When kids take the initiative, finish a task, or follow directions correctly, they feel good about themselves and proud of what they’ve done.     4    , they are more likely to grow up with a feeling of confidence, responsibility and independence.

    5    . The act of cooking, whether virtual or in the real world, requires a lot of counting and measuring, which promotes the development of fundamental mathematical abilities. Additionally, they require kids to perform various kitchen tasks or read the recipes or lists of raw materials and then follow the directions, teaching them to read, and improving their vocabulary.

A．If they have trust in their own skills

B．When they learn how to solve disagreements

C．Cooking games promote math and reading skills

D．Many cooking games are more than just a fun activity

E．Playing in the kitchen helps kids learn to solve problems

F．They encourage kids to try new things and think outside the box

G．Therefore, they eventually feel more confident making friends in real life

2 . What do you do when you have a few minutes to spare? There are thousands of puzzles to choose from that can be worked on at your convenience. They all have something in common: they test your skills or knowledge. Here are four of the most common.

Word puzzles

One of the most popular word puzzles — the crossword — has been around for nearly 110 years. Crosswords can be done with paper and pencil or online. Sometimes word puzzles involve finding new words within a large group of letters. This type of word puzzle is called a word search. Word puzzles usually test your vocabulary. Knowing the language that the game is designed in is required for success, however.

Math puzzles

Math puzzles involve numbers, words or objects and the use of math. Surprisingly, the ever-popular Candy Crush is classified as a math puzzle. Math skills are required for players to successfully move and match colored candies.

Mechanical puzzles

Mechanical puzzles have pieces that must be arranged in some way. The world’s best-selling puzzle, the Rubik’s Cube, is a mechanical puzzle. As of 2020, over 450 million Rubik’s Cubes had been sold. Jigsaw puzzles also fall into the category of mechanical puzzles. They typically involve putting pieces in the right place to form a picture. Jigsaw puzzles have from two to over 550, 000 pieces — the largest one on record.

Logic puzzles

Figuring out the solution to a logic puzzle requires careful thought rather than guessing. Sudoku and Mine Finder are examples of logic puzzles. In Mine Finder players must determine where the mines are hidden in a grid.

1. Which puzzles contribute to word learning?

A．Word puzzles.	B．Math puzzles.
C．Logic puzzles.	D．Mechanical puzzles.

2. What do Rubik’s Cubes and Jigsaw puzzles share in common?

A．Both are best-selling puzzles.

B．Both have more than 550, 000 pieces.

C．Both have pieces that must be put in the right place.

D．Both test mechanical engineering skills or knowledge.

3. In which section of magazine can you probably read this passage?

A．Life skills.

B．Pop culture.

C．Technology.

D．Games.

3 . 阅读短文,用括号内所给动词的适当形式补全短文。

In the modern workplace, the     1     (adopt) principles of games are now playing an important role in successfully building teams of problem solvers.

HackerRank is a company     2     (hire) to set a series of programming challenges and competitions for promising employees.

“What we do is give people the opportunity to connect with any company on the planet by building a set of challenges that apply the skills     3     (require) to a job there,” says Vivek Ravisankar, HackerRank’s co-founder. “Some companies have introduced computer games into the hiring process in order to test interviewees’ skills. It’s only a matter of time before this becomes a widely     4     (accept) way of thinking.”

These principles are now being introduced to schools, too. While there has been much criticism of the time     5     (spend) in front of screens, many experts believe that some games of     6     (advance) technology can help young people unlock their creative characters, and give them more practicable life lessons for the future than traditional subjects.

4 . Read the text. Whom do you think this text is written for? What is the purpose?

MY EXPERIENCES WITH COMPUTER GAMES

I clearly remember the fast time I played a computer game. I was seven years old. My friend had gotten a computer for his birthday. He invited me to play a game, which was very simple by today’s stand ads, but we loved it. We played for hours. We would meet after school every bay to play it. My addiction to computer games started then. Not long after that, my friend moved to the city. I missed him, but got my own computer and began playing by myself.

Over the years, computer games developed rapidly. Technology improved, and there were always raw and better games to play. You could then play games over the tenet with people from all over the world, using either computers or smart oh ones. The nine games were fascinating and it was always exciting to play.

At first, I played games over the internet after I had done my homework and eaten dine. Then I started playing as soon ail got home each day. My parents stooped me, so I started playing it the mode of the night. I went to school and often be asleep in d ass. My teacher wound solid me buts would often do the same thing the next day! Shortly after that, I began to skip meals and play through the night. My parents found out and took away my computer and smart phone. I knew I had gone too far. My love of computer games had become an addiction. It was affecting my schoolwork and my health, and I felt decreased.

Then one day I bumped into my friend again! He had moved back to our hometown. We hadn’t seen each other for ages. He joked happy and healthy We take d about the past and the good times we had, playing that old game. He still played computer games, but he also did many other things. He invited me to play basketball with some friends. I got tired quickly, but I loved it. Afterwards, we played a board game. We laughed and talked and played for hours. It was very sociable and great fun. Playing games with my friends in real life was much more enjoyable than doing so online.

Computer games are great fun and I still play them sometimes. New technology is making more amazing things possible. I’ve learnt that some games can even teach us to train our brains to salve problems. However, games can also be addictive, so balance is important for a healthy lifestyle. We can spoil good things by doing them too much. Now I enjoy playing games even more because I am able to maintain a good balance between work and play.

Read the passage again and answer the questions below.
1. How did the writer’s love for computer games begin?
________________
2. Why did the writer’s parents take away his computer and smartphone? Do you think they were right? Why?
________________
3. Why do you think the writer felt tired after playing basketball?
________________
4. According to the writer, what is more fun than playing games online?
________________
5. What did the writer learn by recovering from his game addiction?
________________

5 . Whenever my nine-year-old daughter approached me, eyes wide, with a notebook and a pen, telling me she wanted to engage in a game of school, something inside me froze. There was a mental block so huge that it felt like I was being asked by Elon Musk to make a presentation about artificial intelligence. So, nine times out of ten, I made an excuse.

Why is it so hard to play with my child? I realize this is because I have no idea how to play. I have many happy memories of my youth, but absolutely none involves playing dolls or building blocks with my parents. I don’t blame them because they were never played with as children either. When I ask them what their own childhoods were like, my dad tells me a story about being locked in a cupboard, while my mum recalls the box of buttons she was told to amuse herself with.

There are studies showing how important play is for a child’s growth, and no end of people campaigning for our young to get more of it at school. The poet Michael Rosen, in his Book of Play, argues play is not an extra and all of us, whatever age, could do with more silliness in our lives.

As Rosen explains, “The need for adults to be productive member’s of society means we end up thinking of things that make us laugh, or which are fun to do, as not being very significant or having very little value.” This is exactly why we need to play more. It lightens the load of life and allows us to get back to a childlike state of wonder.

Play is vital to health. And it is why I’ve started playing school games with my daughter. I managed an entire hour and a half the other day—and afterwards, I felt happy. A good 20 years younger.

1. How did the author use to respond to her daughter’s request for a game?

A．She pretended to be surprised.	B．She apologized for being busy.
C．She chose to avoid involvement.	D．She turned to artificial intelligence.

2. What does the author focus on while giving an explanation in paragraph 2?

A．The game category.

B．Memory strategies.

C．The generation gap.

D．Childhood experiences.

3. Which of the following would Rosen probably agree with?

A．Laughter is the best medicine.	B．Play is not only intended for children.
C．Thinking like a kid frees people of stress.	D．Staying curious makes a productive worker.

4. What does the author want to convey in the text?

A．Children grow up well in a fun environment.

B．Family interaction strengthens the parent-child tie.

C．Parents owe it to their children to play more with them.

D．Games are essential for children both at school and at home.

6 . 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Imagine a time     1     people feel like they’re inside their favorite video games, or can travel the world without leaving home. This     2     (become) possible as virtual reality (VR) continues to develop. Experts say VR was a hot topic at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES)     3     (hold) on January 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Of the     4     (approximate) 3,900 exhibitors at the show, more than a dozen showed off their achievements on VR technology.

VR technology started with games, but developers say it has the potential to transform     5     aspects of our life.

Manuel Gutierrez-Novelo, co-founder of Immersion-VRelia, says VR can be a great tool for     6     (educate). “We can create an animation of the solar system or the molecular (分子的) structure of water,” he says. “If you see them in a virtual reality environment, not reading about them in a book     7     watching a video, I believe you will be able to learn about these things better.”

According to Nick Nassiri of Razer, innovations (新发明) in virtual reality will keep     8     (come) up. He believes they'll happen first in gaming, then extend     9     other areas including medicine and education. “The key is getting it right in gaming,” he says. “And then     10     rest will come.”