1 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. amused       B. common       C. complete       D. disconnecting       E. means F. mission       G. perform       H. positive       I. prepared       J. spreading K. struggle

The world of live action role-playing

For many people, the days of playing make-believe (假扮) ended in childhood. But for some, the game of make-believe lives on in Live Action Role-Playing, or LARP. This is a game where people act out characters in a(n)     1     plot. A gamemaster creates the plot and then puts together an event where people     2     the story. Those who find a particular plot interesting sign up for the event. Then the gamemaster, or the players themselves, make up their characters for the story. At the event, each person comes in costume and behaves as their character.

Although pretty much anything goes in LARP, nearly every event involves players completing a(n)     3     together. A gamemaster writes a goal into the plot and usually prepares challenges for the players. For example, a character may hold up the mission, making it hard to     4     the goal. LARP events can be as long as the gamemasters want them to be. They can last anywhere from a few hours to several days.

The genius of LARP is that each event can be any kind of story. The most     5     ones come from fantasy, historical, horror or science fiction genres (体裁). With such a variety of story types, LARP attracts all kinds of people. Some players enjoy LARP as a(n)     6     to practice creating or costume-making. Other players enjoy the challenge of going into different worlds and using their brains to solve puzzles. There are also those who simply want to have fun and make friends.

One     7     LARP players have is coming out of their LARP experiences and returning to the real world. This is especially common after a long event. Most players experience a “bleed,” which describes parts of their LARP experience     8     into their everyday life. Since all the senses — seeing, hearing, touching, smelling and tasting — are at work,     9     becomes difficult. However, researchers agree that the overall effects of LARP are     10    . People of different backgrounds come together to grow their skills, play and express creativity.

2 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. acquisition             B. advocates             C. decision-making              D. displeasure              E. distinguish F. evidence             G. exhibit                    H. frustrating                    I. messier             J. puzzled              K. undeveloped

Nobody who has witnessed a young child splashing in the bath or reaching out to grab a bunch of shiny keys will be in any doubt that kids love to use their senses, and do so without any inhibitions! But it’s not just about having fun. Sensory play is a vital part of a child’s physical and psychological development, contributing to a range of skills such as hand-eye coordination, concentration and    1    .

Even the sensory skills of newborn babies are nowhere near as    2    as we might imagine. Although their sight is not good, we know that they are comforted by the feeling of being cuddled and rocked, and they also    3    marked reactions to music or strong smells. In addition, they will already have begun to hear sounds while still in the womb and — incredibly — are able to    4    their mother’s voice from other voices at birth.

Their sensory reactions also cause them to exhibit    5    , for example, at the feel of a wet nappy against their skin, or the unfamiliar texture of a new kind of food. Failure to recognise the cause of the ensuing screaming can be extremely    6    for the parent or carer as well as the child. That is why more and more parents are turning to a form of ‘baby sign language’, which can be taught from the age of six months. Not only, say its    7    does it eliminate the need for guesswork when your baby is awake and crying at 3 a.m., but it also results in higher educational attainment in later life.

Sensory play can also help with language    8    , particularly if the parent explains clearly what is going on: ‘Can you feel the fur? Hmm, smell this soap.’ And of course, from the moment children begin to speak, they bombard their parents with questions, all of which contributes to their speech and learning.

It’s obvious that children enjoy using their senses, and all the    9    points to the fact that we should allow them the freedom to do so. Sand, mud, water; think of them as educational tools: the    10    the better!

3 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. objects       B. cease       C. removed       D. substitutions       E. justified F. engaging       G. responsible       H. present       I. companions       J. employ K. exposing

Smart Toys that Spy on Kids

Americans are becoming more and more alert of the ways their personal information is being collected on the Internet. A recent national survey found that 72% of respondents are not sure whether Facebook is using the data it collected on them in a(n)       1     way. And 70% of respondents said they believed their smartphones are being monitored in ways they haven’t agreed to. That doubt is     2    . Concerns about personal privacy are on the rise all the time.

But adult gift-givers may not realize that some children’s toys are collecting personal data, too. Toys with cameras, mobile apps, and requirements to set up online accounts that store data about the toy and its user all     3     privacy concerns.

Toys that     4     Bluetooth connections, for example, could be sensitive to being hacked from outside the home, perhaps     5     the child to inappropriate content or gathering sensitive info. The famous car race Mario Kart Live Home Circuit installs a camera that uploads images of the room in order to create virtual racetrack. But these images of the room’s layout(布局) and the     6     in it could be exposed if the game’s website were ever hacked.

Most toy manufacturers are trying to build in protections. And the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act provides another layer of defense by requiring parents to be involved in setting up the toy and giving adults the right to have their children’s online data     7    .

The worldwide market for smart toys is expected to reach almost $70 billion in the next five years. These toys can be wonderfully     8     and even educational, such as an interactive globe that speaks to children about a country as they touch it on the map. Action figures, robots, or dolls that talk back and hold conversations can become smart     9    . Yet, in an environment where so much information can be collected through interaction with devices, children     10     to be mere “players” or “consumers”. They become “data subjects” that disclose information or “personal data” about themselves, both consciously and unconsciously.