1 . During the ongoing battle against the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (NCP)(新型冠状肺炎), you may have read news that garlic can quickly kill the virus but it proved to be misinformation. While the nation continues to fight against the NCP, it’s also stepping up efforts to fight the spread of misinformation.

In the Internet era, the nature of how information spreads has changed largely. Information and misinformation can spread to thousands of people in seconds.

For most people, fact-checking is an afterthought — if it is a thought at all. Therefore, misinformation spreads, said The Washington Post. People simply prefer passing on information that will lead to an emotional response(反应) from readers. Whether or not it is factual is not always important.

Misinformation could be a greater danger than the virus itself. Misinformation is “making the work of our heroic workers even harder”, World Health Organization(WHO) Director-General Tedros told China Daily. He said misinformation “causes confusion and spreads fear”.

During the fight against the NCP, Ghebreyesus said that “at the WHO we’re not just fighting against the virus, we’re also battling conspiracy(阴谋) theories that undermine our response. ”

It is true that as China races to contain the NCP and minimize(减少到最低限度) its spread across countries, fears and rumors(谣言) surrounding the virus are creating their own problems on social media. “Ironically(讽刺地), speed is important on those things,” US professor Gabriel Kahn told The Los Angeles Times. “But.... those are the ones you have to be most certain about verifying (验证) before you share.”

As ordinary people, we may not be able to devote ourselves like those medical staff. But we could think twice about what we read. If you can be careful about sharing information, it’s your contribution to the fight against the outbreak.

1. According to the article, what is the main cause of the spread of misinformation?

A．The lack of fact-checking.

B．An increase in viruses.

C．People’s desire to trick others.

D．Changes in the way people view information.

2. What does the underlined word “undermine” in Para.5 probably mean?

A．Test.

B．Harm.

C．Guide.

D．Explain.

3. What problem has been found during the battle against the NCP?

A．People have fears caused by misinformation.

B．It is hard to deal with misinformation across countries.

C．Rumors about the virus travel too fast to be controlled.

D．Social media creates problems for people to verify misinformation.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the article?

A．To share tips on how to fight against misinformation.

B．To introduce some misinformation about the NCP.

C．To call on people to watch out for misinformation.

D．To tell people what China has done to deal with misinformation.

2 . Growing up, we are constantly reminded that young people are heavily affected by technology. We are the “antisocial club”, those who prefer to text our friends in the same room rather than make eye contact with them. And even though never-ending studies reveal to us the extent of our social media addiction, we should at least consider that it’s not only our young people’s problem any more.

There’s the rise of the Instagram mums, who like to post an abundance of cute baby pictures, share their mom feelings along the way and show their wonderful lifestyles. They are the so-called “Facebook mum generation”, a growing group of parents that like to overshare.

While all of this might be fine, and even a little humorous, new research suggests that parents’ technology addiction is negatively affecting their children’s behavior. According to the study, 40% of mothers and 32% of fathers have admitted having some sort of phone addiction. This has led to a significant fall in verbal interactions within families and even a decline in mothers’ encouraging their children.

There is no denying that I get annoyed when receiving the words “I’ll be with you soon” from a parent, when all I want to do is ask one question. But, at the same time, every day leaving the room to wait until my father is finished with his “serious business” (Farmville), has now become the norm. Whether you want to escape your disturbing children for a bit, or want to stay up late flicking through Twitter, know that wanting to do all of these is normal. We, your children, know how addictive it can be and how difficult it is to switch off. But before telling us to put our phones away at the table or even worse, listing statistics of how damaging social media can be for us, maybe lead by example, considering how much time you spend on the phone and how this is impacting your children and your relationship with us. Maybe in this way we can work on our addiction together.

1. From Paragraph 1, we can know that teenagers nowadays ________.

A．enjoy socializing with their friends	B．send messages to their friends every day
C．hate to make eye contact with their friends	D．are heavily addicted to their mobile phones

2. What does the author think of mums’ oversharing?

A．Boring.

B．Selfish.

C．Funny.

D．Meaningful.

3. The underlined word “norm” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.

A．security

B．standard

C．routine

D．custom

4. What’s the main purpose of the article?

A．To share the author’s own experience with the readers.

B．To call on parents to get rid of their own media addiction.

C．To reveal that parents are always addicted to mobile phones.

D．To show the author’s dissatisfaction with parents’ phone use.

3 . Happy, angry, amazed – these are some of the emotions we like to express these days when we're sending a message on our smartphones! Many of us now add little pictures to our texts to brighten up someone’s mobile screen.     1    . Emojis have become a vital tool for communication.

The emoji was first invented in Japan in the late 1990s and the word 'emoji' comes from the Japanese words for 'picture' and 'character'.     2    Now we have a picture for every mood or situation.

So now we have the option to give this new creation the visual 'thumbs-up' but have you thought (puzzled face) why we've become so addicted to using emojis?     3    . Emojis are a sort of substitute for the visual or non- verbal signals we normally give when we speak to someone face-to-face.

Another advantage of emojis is that they are an international language – they don't use words but tell a message in pictorial form so they can be easily interpreted whatever your native language. However, the emojis you send need some thought.     4    – if a friend sends you an emoji of a hammer, you may think he is angry when he is saying he has hurt himself or he is clumsy!

Emojis are a good way for showing empathy—they are a virtual hug or a loving pat. But as linguist Neil Cohn says, "    5    ; to others, they are posing a threat to our language." It does show there is a lot more to our communication than words alone but does this mean the decline in traditional writing?

A．They can sometimes be misinterpreted

B．They are widely adopted in people’s daily communication

C．To many, emoji are an exciting evolution of the way we communicate

D．The number of different images has dramatically increased since then

E．We're also using them as a quick way of telling someone how we're feeling

F．They really do enable us to express our emotional selves much more effectively

G．To many, emojis are taking over conventional face-to-face communication

4 . It's good to share, right? Growing up as kids we are told to share our toys and not be selfish. We also live in an age where discussing our feelings is encouraged. But when does it all become too much? With new fashion trending all the time, such as dance challenges and wearing a pillow as a dress, the question is: when can sharing become oversharing on social media?

What is oversharing? The term has become associated with social media, but it doesn't only belong to this platform. Imagine you head to a party and you meet someone. Within five minutes they have given away details about their personal life. While some of us may try to escape these people, according to marriage therapist Carolyn Cole, this form of oversharing could come from a strong desire to connect with someone. But how does this translate to social media?

Dr. Christopher Hand, a lecturer in internet psychology, says the more details people disclose, the less sympathy we express when things go wrong. This could be due to a belief that we attract our own negative experiences the more we share them. It seems that the idea of searching for sympathy by oversharing, is generally viewed as negative rather than the cry for help it could actually be.

However, Dr Hand's research also seems to suggest that the more positive posts we share on a platform, the more socially attractive we become. Even back in 2015, Gwendolyn Seidman PhD, said that we should avoid complaining and being negative online. We are supposed not to show off, as it's now known—especially about our love lives. It makes sense—if your date is going 'that well', would you really have time to share a photo with text?

So, how can you know if you are oversharing? Well, why not ask your friends in real life. They would probably be more than happy to tell you if your posts about your breakfast or your complaint about your lack of money really are too much.

1. Why do some people try to overshare at parties?

A．Because they want to catch others' attention.

B．Because they just want to show off something.

C．Because they have a strong desire to pour out their emotions.

D．Because they may expect to make a connection with someone.

2. What does the underlined word in Para.3 mean?

A．explore

B．expose

C．display

D．discuss

3. What can we know from the passage?

A．We will become more socially attractive if we post more on a platform.

B．We tend to show sympathy when things go wrong.

C．We may be considered negative when seeking for sympathy by oversharing.

D．We can show off something positive especially about our love lives.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To inform.

B．To inspire.

C．To advertise.

D．To condemn.

5 . Speed-reading is a crucial skill in the Internet age. We skim over articles, e-mails and tweets to try to _________ key words and the essential meaning of a certain text. _________ with information from our electronic devices, it would be impossible to cope if we read word by word, line by line.

But a new trend calls on people to _________ and enjoy reading slowly, using the linear (线性的) pattern, left-to-right sequence.

A recent story from The Wall Street Journal reported on a book club in Wellington, New Zealand, where members meet in a cafe and turn off their smartphones. They _________ comfortable chairs and read in silence for an hour.

Unlike traditional book clubs, the _________ of the Slow Reading Club isn’t exchanging ideas about a certain book, but to get away from electronic devices and read in a quiet, _________ environment. According to the Journal, the Wellington Book Club is just one example of a movement _________ by book lovers who miss the old-fashioned way of reading before the Internet and smartphones.

Slow readers, such as The Atlantic’s Maura Kelly, say a regular reading habit sharpens the mind, improves concentration, _________ stress levels and deepens the ability to empathize (有同感).

Some of these benefits have been backed up by science. _________, a study of 300 elderly people published by the journal Neurology last year showed that regular engagement in __________ activities like reading slowed the rate of memory loss later in life.

Another study published last year in Science showed that reading novels helps people understand others’ mental states and beliefs, a crucial skill in building __________.

Slow reading means a(n) __________ to an uninterrupted, linear pattern, in a quiet environment free of __________. Aim for 30 minutes a day, advises Kelly from The Atlantic. “You can squeeze in that half hour pretty easily if only during your free moments — whenever you find yourself __________ firing up your laptop to check your favorite site, or scanning Twitter for something to pass the time — you pick up a meaningful work of literature,” Kelly said. “__________ your e-reader, if you like. Kindles make books like War and Peace less heavy, and also ensure you’ll never lose your place in the book.”

1.

A．highlight

B．grasp

C．determine

D．underline

2.

A．Flooded

B．Armed

C．Obsessed

D．Impressed

3.

A．unlock

B．uncover

C．unplug

D．unpack

4.

A．straighten in

B．rise from

C．shift in

D．sink into

5.

A．point

B．cause

C．impact

D．duty

6.

A．protected

B．interactive

C．relaxed

D．addictive

7.

A．defined

B．urged

C．initiated

D．performed

8.

A．increases

B．maintains

C．evaluates

D．reduces

9.

A．In brief

B．For example

C．Above all

D．By contrast

10.

A．recreational

B．professional

C．intellectual

D．educational

11.

A．confidence

B．endurance

C．awareness

D．relationship

12.

A．return

B．answer

C．end

D．barrier

13.

A．misunderstandings

B．sufferings

C．obstacles

D．distractions

14.

A．purposely

B．automatically

C．occasionally

D．leisurely

15.

A．Cope with

B．Reach for

C．Believe in

D．Stick to

6 . The English language is changing, and you are responsible! Whether we consider changes in grammar, spelling, pronunciation, or the very vocabulary of the language, you have played your part and continue to do so.

When we first learned basic grammar and spelling, perhaps in elementary school, we might have gotten the impression that these things were sacred. The rules that apply to such things might have been presented as unchanging and unchangeable. While this way might be helpful for teaching children, it is far from accurate.

The English language, like many others, is a living, growing, ever-evolving thing. Like it or not, you are involved in this change. These changes take many forms. Grammar and spelling have changed greatly over the years and centuries, with the spelling differences in different countries today a reflection of this. While the language of a thousand years ago might be called English, most of us would hardly recognize it today as the same language.

The first involves changes in the pronunciation of words. Many are familiar with the differences between the British and American ways of pronouncing certain words. In addition to these differences, the pronunciation of many words has changed over the years because of how you have decided to pronounce them. For example, consider the word "err." The traditional pronunciation of this word rhymes with the word "her." Older dictionaries show this to be the primary or only pronunciation. However, in recent years, more and more people have been pronouncing it so that it sounds like "air." Another change in the language involves the addition and removal of words. The makers of dictionaries decide which words deserve to be officially adopted as part of the English language. Through the centuries, many words have come from other languages. In fact, English has probably done this more than any other language in the world, which is why spelling and pronunciation rules for English have so many exceptions.

Of course, many slang words have been just short-lived fashions that have died out quickly. Others, though, have been adopted by mainstream society and become respectable, as have many technical terms. So then remember, the next time you repeat the newest expression to hit the street, or make up your own words, you may be contributing to the future of the English language.

1. When we begin to learn English, we think _________.

A．it is interesting to pick up a new language	B．English rules are wrongly presented in fact
C．grammar and spelling rules are unchangeable	D．only adults have the ability to affect a language

2. From paragraph 3 we can know that_________.

A．we can change the English language

B．many languages are changing over years

C．English has changed little in the past 1,000 years

D．there were main changes in grammar and pronunciation

3. Why is the pronunciation of words changing?

A．people speak in different ways	B．people have adopted foreign words
C．it has been affected by American English	D．makers of dictionaries often change them

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Foreign words involved in English.	B．The British speaks differently from Americans.
C．English language is changing over years.	D．You can change the English language.

7 . Have you ever run into a careless cell phone user on the street? Perhaps they were busy talking, texting or checking updates on WeChat without looking at what was going on around them. As the number of this new “species” of human has kept rising, they have been given a new name — phubbers (低头族).

Recently, a cartoon made by students from China Central Academy of Fine Arts put this group of people under the spotlight. In the short film, phubbers with various social identities（身份）are buried in their phones. A doctor plays with his cell phone while letting his patient die, a pretty woman takes selfie (自拍照)in front of a car accident site, and a father loses his child without knowing about it while using his mobile phone. A chain of similar events eventually leads to the destruction of the world.

Although the ending sounds overstated (夸大), the damage phubbing can bring is real. Your health is the first to bear the effect and result of it. “Continuously stretching (伸展) your head to check your cell phone could damage your neck,” Guangming Daily quoted doctors as saying, “the neck is like a rope that breaks after long-term stretching.” Also, staring at cell phones for long periods of time will damage your eyesight gradually, according to the report.

But that’s not all. Being a phubber could also damage your social skills and drive you away from your friends and family. At reunions with family or friends, many people tend to（往往） stick to their cell phones while others are chatting happily with each other and this creates a strange atmosphere, Qilu Evening News reported.

It can also cost you your life. There have been lots of reports on phubbers who fell to their death, suffered accidents, and were robbed (抢劫) of their cell phones in broad daylight.

1. The author gives the example of a cartoon in Paragraph 2 ________________.

A．to advertise the cartoon made by students.

B．to inform people of the bad effects of phubbing.

C．to show the world will finally be destroyed by phubbers.

D．to warn doctors against using cell phones while treating patients.

2. Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “be buried in” ?

A．hide

B．use

C．cover

D．pay all attention to

3. A phubber may have all the possible problems except ____________?

A．His social skills could be affected.

B．His neck and eyesight will be gradually harmed.

C．He will cause the destruction of the world.

D．He might get separated from his friends and family.

4. The author’s attitude towards phubbing is ___________.

A．negative (消极的).	B．supportive.
C．optimistic.	D．objective (客观的).

8 . Interactions between people and elephants have a long history. Elephants have been trained and used by human beings for thousands of years, for everything from transportation to construction to logging to war.

In more recent times, Asian elephants have been used in entertainment and as a living ''machine'' to help move logs through the jungle as part of the logging industry. The latter changed in Thailand in 1989, when the Thai government banned the use of elephants in the logging industry. Owners of elephants had very little choice but to turn to tourism to earn enough to care for themselves and their elephants by offering elephant riding to tourists.

Mahouts (象夫) are the elephant handlers who you will see riding or managing the elephants at any camp you visit. The traditional mahout life isn't easy. They are bonded to their elephant and they rarely have time off or time for family.

These years, younger mahouts in Thailand have been more likely to leave the mahout life to find jobs in the city, resulting in elephants having to get used to multiple mahouts. This can lead to additional stress on the elephant, or result in abuse by a mahout trying to manage an elephant that hasn’t built any level of trust with him.

Opponents of elephant riding may suggest that elephant rides be illegal. My worry is that an immediate ban could lead to another massive change in how elephants are treated, similar to ending elephant logging in 1989. How will mahouts that are currently making a living and supporting their elephants through rides be able to continue to do so? The average lifespan of an elephant is 60 years. Any solution needs to take into account the long-term effects on the elephants currently employed giving rides.

1. What happened in 1989 in Thailand?

A．Elephants lost their jobs.	B．Elephants joined in tourism.
C．Entertainment was forbidden.	D．The government banned logging.

2. What will cause the ill treatment of some elephants?

A．The great stress to make money.

B．The former masters’ leaving them.

C．The heavy load on the elephants.

D．The owners' mistrust of the elephants.

3. What's the best title for the passage?

A．Will You Go to Thailand?

B．Why are Elephants Trained?

C．How do Mahouts Train Elephants?

D．Should You Ride Elephants in Thailand?

4. Why does the author write this passage?

A．To present a problem.	B．To criticize mahouts.
C．To introduce Thailand.	D．To record his experience.