1 . New independent booksellers are setting up shops across Britain. In the 20 years after 1995, the number of bookshops dropped (减少) sharply, followed in 2016 with their number increasing. Having lost more than 1,000 bookshops in the UK, this turnaround (好转) was interesting. Then, in 2018, a total of 12 bookshops opened their doors for the first time.
In the summer of 2018, Sam Taylor came across a note in the window of an empty shop, asking locals what they would like to see in the space. Taylor wrote that he would open a bookshop. After careful consideration, Taylor and his wife Jessica Paul drew up a business plan, gave up their jobs, and opened their bookshop in September. “The community really supported the bookshop that was here before, so we knew that it could work,” says Taylor.
But why, given that prices are often slightly cheaper online, are people turning back to independent bookshops? “Locals really know the importance of an independent bookshop and what it brings to the community. I think it makes people stop and think: ‘actually I’m going to endorse my local shop, and this will improve our community as a whole,’ ” says Emily Ross, another bookseller.
“The threat (威胁) of online retails and e-readers exists, of course, but some booksellers do not necessarily consider them direct competition. We want people to know that bookshops aren’t highbrow (高雅的) places to visit,” says Ross.
However, it is sales of e-readers and e-books that have slowed, with the latter dropping by 17 percent in 2016 alone. It is possible that people decide that they already spend long enough staring at screen and then have no interest in doing anything else. By contrast, there was a 31 percent increase in the sales of hardback books in 2017. “There’s just no comparison to holding and smelling a book. Books are collectable things to have and keep,” says Ross.
1. What most probably drove Taylor to open a bookshop?| A．His wife’s dream to own a bookshop. |
| B．His wish to continue the tradition of the UK. |
| C．His recognition of the locals’ need for a bookshop. |
| D．His desire to raise young people’s interest in reading. |
| A．Support | B．Recall | C．Trust | D．Leave |
| A．Worried | B．Uncertain | C．Pleasant | D．Objective |
| A．Some of them would were of poor quality. |
| B．Much screen time might cause people’s tiredness. |
| C．They offered fewer services than bookshops. |
| D．They would result in poor memory. |
2 . Many of us live with a roommate at some stage. Sometimes, there can be problems. Who hasn’t had an argument about whose turn it is to take out the rubbish or who should be the one to clear up after dinner? However, living with another person also comes with many benefits.
You know that there’s always someone else around, which can help you feel safer. There is always someone to talk to, so you never feel lonely. Besides these obvious benefits, there are some you may not notice. For example, we’re actually more likely to eat healthier food when living with others.
To examine the effect of living alone, Australian university researchers did much research and found that people living alone tended to eat less fresh food, which can have a significant negative effect on long-term health. However, those living with others generally benefited from a more varied diet compared to those living alone.
What could explain these findings? The researchers believe the social and cultural roles played by cooking, food preparation and eating may be important considerations. For example, those living with friends have someone else to go shopping with, and thus are likely to buy higher-quality fresh food regularly.
Cooking skills may be another factor. If people living alone find they do not have the knowledge required to prepare a particular dish or cook a certain food, they may fall back on ready-made, less healthy food. However, if they live with at least one other person, they may be able to ask for help.
In addition, people living alone can eat whatever they want at any time of the day or night. However, it’s helpful to have someone around who questions your decision to eat frozen pizza at 3 am. In other words, roommates can draw your attention to unhealthy routines.
So, if you now live alone and find yourself fighting a losing battle against poor eating habits, why not consider sharing a home with someone else? You could encourage one another to be healthier and more well-being.
1. The author uses the first paragraph to________.| A．introduce the topic of the text |
| B．remind readers of their roommates |
| C．show the problems of living with others |
| D．recall the experience of sharing a room |
| A．the reasons for living with others |
| B．the benefits of having a roommate |
| C．the way of dealing with a roommate |
| D．the importance of communicating with others |
| A．hunt for | B．cut down on |
| C．depend on | D．give up |
As of June, China had about 285 million Internet users living in rural areas,
The report said the Internet is playing a
Meanwhile, the report shows that e-commerce livestreaming (直播) grew increasingly active in the first half of the year. China saw over 10 million livestreaming marketing
Thirty years ago, an elderly Canadian couple
Their efforts resulted in the birth of a 1985 book, Understanding China Through Cartoons. They
The husband said, “China is a nation,
In fact, communication has been the best way
5 . In life, we always feel as if our bad circumstances will never change. However, when we meet troubles or problems in our lives, we are eager for a
When in this mindset(心态), I think back to a
When
We need to
| A．sign | B．mistake | C．job | D．symbol |
| A．hidden | B．settled | C．defeated | D．gone |
| A．memory | B．case | C．problem | D．story |
| A．opened | B．tasted | C．touched | D．ate |
| A．notes | B．books | C．stories | D．messages |
| A．Anyhow | B．Otherwise | C．However | D．Therefore |
| A．changed | B．ran | C．happened | D．showed |
| A．protected | B．kept | C．forbade | D．stopped |
| A．good | B．bad | C．right | D．wrong |
| A．doubt | B．know | C．guess | D．hope |
| A．things | B．memories | C．questions | D．chances |
| A．make up | B．search for | C．take out | D．wrestle with |
| A．family | B．work | C．future | D．business |
| A．spirit | B．heart | C．mind | D．will |
| A．easy | B．difficult | C．common | D．special |
| A．turned | B．adjusted | C．stuck | D．agreed |
| A．expected | B．left | C．talked | D．remembered |
| A．fetch | B．catch | C．take | D．bring |
| A．important | B．unnecessary | C．inevitable | D．impossible |
| A．situations | B．environment | C．conditions | D．states |
6 . In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition. Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity(繁荣). Others say that competition is bad; that it sets one person against another; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied on how well they performed at tennis and other skills. For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit(追求) of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.
However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude. In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary player, they strongly blame competition. Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society. Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail. They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success. By not trying, they always have an excuse: “ I may have lost, but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try.” What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot. Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves. Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others. Both are afraid of not being valued. Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve(缓解) can we discover a new meaning in competition.
1. What does this passage mainly talk about?| A．Competition helps to set up self-respect. |
| B．Opinions about competition are different among people. |
| C．Competition is harmful to personal quality development. |
| D．Failures are necessary experiences in competition. |
| A．It pushes society forward. | B．It builds up a sense of duty. |
| C．It improves personal abilities. | D．It encourages individual efforts. |
| A．those who try their best to win |
| B．those who value competition most highly |
| C．those who are against competition most strongly |
| D．those who rely on others most for success |
| A．One’s worth lies in his performance compared with others’. |
| B．One’s success in competition needs great efforts |
| C．One’s achievement is determined by his particular skills. |
| D．One’s success is based on how hard he has tried. |
| A．Every effort should be paid back. |
| B．Competition should be encouraged. |
| C．Winning should be a life-and-death matter. |
| D．Fear of failure should be removed in competition. |
