1 . “Walt Disney World is banning selfie-sticks from its theme parks because selfie-sticks have become a growing safety concern for both our guests and cast,” Disney World spokeswoman Kim Prunty said.
Under a new policy, which takes effect Tuesday, the poles won’t make it past the bag check at any Disney World theme park. The sticks also won’t be allowed in Disney World water parks or Disney Quest, a gaming attraction at Downtown Disney. Selfie-sticks will also become forbidden at Disneyland Resort in California on June 30. The prohibition begins at Disney’s parks in Paris and Hong Kong on July 1st.
Guests will be checked for the equipment during the routine bag check that happens near the parks’ entrances. They will have an option of turning in their selfie-sticks for pick-up later or to go back to their cars or hotel rooms to keep them. Visitors will be told of the policy in locations such as the parking lots and at the resort’s hotels. The prohibition will be added to the park rules post on Disney World’s website.
The issue has been building at Disney. Previously, the sticks were prohibited from its rides, and “no selfie-sticks” signs were at select rides, such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom. Cast members have given oral warnings to rule breakers.
Selfie-stick users put smartphones and cameras on the ends of poles to extend their reach, frequently capturing theme-park moments through self-portraits. The tools have been banned in public places-including some museums and stadiums — worldwide for obstructing views or causing safety issues.
Disney World already prohibits items such as skateboards, inline skates, wagon, folding chairs and glass containers, according to its official website, which also lists “other items that we determine may be harmful”.
Universal Orlando has banned selfie-sticks and other loose items from certain thrill rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks, but it has not set parkwide bans.
1. Which of the following objects has already been banned in Disney World before the new policy takes effect?| A．Smartphones. | B．Folding chairs. | C．Cameras. | D．Containers. |
| A．abandon them at the bag check | B．get fined and pick them up later |
| C．turn them in to the police | D．put them in the trunk of their cars |
| A．changing | B．broadening | C．blocking | D．narrowing |
2 . Playgrounds for All Kids
Most of us are all too familiar with the typical playground set-up, monkey bars, swings, and slides, all accessed by steps and surrounded by a sea of sand or wood chips.
Goldberg describes the idea behind designing these playgrounds as completely inclusive. They don’t strictly cater to (迎合) children with disabilities and are not meant to prevent any child from having access to play.
| A．What are their accessible playgrounds like today? |
| B．Harper’s Playground was created for just this problem. |
| C．Harper’s Playground began to work on its initial designs. |
| D．The equipment and layout provide access to a fun experience for all. |
| E．Slides are built extra wide so a caregiver and a child can go together. |
| F．It hopes to eventually spread across the country and, ultimately, the world. |
| G．The intention of these public playgrounds is to give kids a safe and fun place to play. |
3 . Are you a moviegoer? If, like me, you’re a fan of film, then there’s no better place to watch something than on the big screen at the cinema. You enter the dark theatre and take your seat, ready to be entertained. But while you are absorbed in some movie magic, many others are now getting their film fix at home.
Over the last few years, cinemas have seen a comeback. Customers have been attracted by comfortable seats, and lots of choice of things to watch. Multiplexes in particular can screen up to twenty films at the same time, suiting all different tastes. In addition, 3D and even 4D movies can give the audience an extra immersive experience. So, what’s not to like about a trip to the cinema?
One answer to that question is convenience. Rather than going out, it’s so much easier to stay in and watch movies on a TV screen via an online streaming service. There’s plenty of choice, and it’s relatively cheap as well. But, personally, I find there’re too many distractions, and watching at home is not such an event. I miss the cinema!
The coronavirus pandemic has put the future of cinemas under the spotlight. Some have had to close because of reduced ticket sales. In the UK, it’s brought about a surge in TV watching and online streaming. It’s reported that half of UK adults will keep and continue using their new streaming subscriptions.
This isn’t great news for cinemas. They rely on the release of a big blockbuster to bring the crowds back, but the launch of new films, such as James Bond: No Time To Die, are being delayed. Disney has released its $200m blockbuster, Mulan, online instead of in movie theatres. John Fithian, from the National Association of Theatre Owners, told Variety magazine: “This idea of waiting out the pandemic to make your movies more profitable doesn’t make sense to me. There won’t be as much of an industry left to play your movies in if you do that.”
1. What’s mainly talked about in paragraph 2?| A．Why people don’t like to go to the cinema. |
| B．What has helped cinemas make a comeback. |
| C．How cinemas have developed in the last few years. |
| D．Whether cinemas can remain popular in the future. |
| A．It can hardly suit all different tastes. | B．It’s time-consuming due to distractions. |
| C．It offers a variety of films free of charge. | D．It’s not as enjoyable an experience as going to cinemas. |
| A．Sudden increase. | B．Short-term benefit. |
| C．potential influence. | D．Fierce competition. |
| A．The release of blockbusters cannot bring the crowds back. |
| B．The pandemic hasn’t had a great effect on the film industry. |
| C．Delaying the release of blockbusters can bring in more profits. |
| D．Releasing films online is an alternative during the pandemic. |
4 . You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860-1935)Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community (社区) by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907-1964)If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness(意识) of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-present)When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator (参议员) and in 1981, the first woman to join the U. S. Supreme Court (最高法院). O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks(1913-2005)On December 1,1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rasa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott (抵制). It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.
1. What is Jane Addams famous for in history?| A．Her social work. | B．Her teaching skills. |
| C．Her efforts to win a prize. | D．Her community background. |
| A．Not having training in law. | B．Her little work experience in court. |
| C．Her identity as a woman. | D．Her poor financial conditions. |
| A．Jane Addams. | B．Rachel Carson. |
| C．Sandra Day O’Connor. | D．Rosa Parks. |
| A．They are highly educated. | B．They are truly creative. |
| C．They are pioneers. | D．They are peace-lovers. |
Once upon a time, eating alone was just that: sitting down in a restaurant on one’s own and eating a meal. Everyone did it sometimes, and when they did so they might be a little embarrassed. To eat alone might suggest that you didn’t have any family or friends, or didn’t like people. There was a kind of shame attached to it. Nowadays, however, there is more and more solitary(独自的) eating.
People choose to eat alone for various reasons. “Foodies”—people who have a passionate interest in different cuisines(美食)—do it because all they need for their pleasure is the chance to eat good food. They don’t want company or conversation, but only the joy of eating some special dish.
Other people eat alone because it’s simply practical for them to do so. For instance, it’s estimated that nearly a third of all the customers of fast-food restaurants eat alone. They are served with their food fast, eat it fast and then leave fast—because they have a meeting to make or a child to pick up from school.
But for others, the appeal of eating alone is quite different. It’s an experience of freedom. For the hour that it takes to have a meal, they can forget all the pressures of their lives. For a brief window, they don’t have to deal with their family or job. They can relax and let their mind wander. Maybe they will bring a book, a newspaper or perhaps they will shyly spy on the people around them. Part of the appeal of this new trend is surely that a meal taken alone is like a little holiday from the busyness of modern life, in which we have so much to do all the time. David Annand, editor of US-based Conde Nast Traveler magazine, who delights in dining alone, speaks of his pleasure in the “rhythm of a meal in a restaurant—its ebb and flow(人来人往), the regular arrival and departure of the waiter.” This restaurant rhythm allows him and others, he writes, to sit back, observe, and think.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6 . A survey of 1,000 people showed that an incredible 60 percent of workers ate at their desks every day while two thirds take 30 minutes or less for lunch. This means they are working an extra 180 hours a year—equal to 16 eight-hour days. Even when staffs do manage to leave their desks, they are usually on business with nearly a quarter admitting to regularly using the time to catch up with professional contacts.
An academic expert in the science of workplaces said employees were putting their health at risk by refusing to take a lunch break. Dr Tissington, Associate Dean of Business Partnerships at Aston University, said people feel “under pressure” at work, with many spending long hours at their desks, “tapping away at keyboards, staring at screens and sitting with bad posture in awkward positions.”
He said it was important for workers to take regular breaks, get up, move and walk around a bit. “Resting, or taking a break in the middle of the day helps to clear out the mind and prepares us for a productive afternoon,” he said. “The feeling of guilt for taking lunch breaks is a subject that is concerning and probably requires proper investigation,” he added.
Dr. Tissington mentioned he makes sure to get away from his desk at lunchtime and deliberately chooses to get lunch from different places—changing his route to get there. “This has the added benefit of exercise,” he explained,” and, working in a large organization, it gives me the opportunity to meet different colleagues along the way.”
Office workers had admitted to sacrificing their lunch breaks to further their careers. PR assistant Tammy Phillips, 24, said he hadn’t taken a lunch break since past two years. “The way I view it is that I can get on with work when it’s quieter at lunch time and it never hurts your career for the bosses to see you at your desk when your colleagues swan out for a sandwich,” he said.
“The competition for jobs now is so fierce that I’ve known friends who have quit smoking because they don’t want to be seen to go out for a cigarette during the day.”
1. We can learn from the first paragraph that ________.| A．workers want to escape from their work |
| B．many workers do not take a full lunch break |
| C．different workers have different lunch breaks |
| D．most workers are not permitted to have a full lunch break |
| A．He enjoys physical exercise. |
| B．He feels guilty at taking lunch breaks. |
| C．He likes to stay away from his colleagues. |
| D．He takes different routes to have lunch purposely. |
| A．Time for Having a Lunch Break |
| B．An Increasingly Popular Working Style |
| C．Lunch Skippers Work Extra 16 Days Yearly |
| D．Giving up a Lunch Break: Risk Your Health |
7 . Crossing your legs is an extremely common habit. While you may find it comfortable to sit with one knee crossed over the other, it might be causing health problems that you are not aware of.
A study published in Blood Pressure Monitoring stated that sitting with your legs crossed can increase your blood pressure. The reason this happens is because the blood in your legs has to work against gravity to be pumped back to your heart, crossing one leg over the other increases resistance, making it even harder for the blood to circulate. You won’t feel any immediate effects, but sitting for long periods of time will hurt you forever.
Crossing your legs can also lead to neck and back pain. Ideally, it’s best for our bodies to sit with our feet planted flat, hip width apart, on the floor, but it’s not easy to maintain perfect posture all day at the office. When you sit with your legs crossed your hips are in a twisted position, which can cause one of your pelvic bones(骨盆) to rotate. Since your pelvic bone supports your neck and spine（脊椎）, this can cause pressure on your lower and middle back and neck.
You also might notice that when you sit with your legs crossed for long periods of time your feet and legs get painful or have the feeling of being asleep. This is because when one leg sits on top of the other it causes pressure on the veins（静脉） and nerves in your legs and feet. It can cause numbness and/or temporary paralysis in the legs, ankles, or feet. While the feeling of discomfort may only last a minute or two, repeatedly crossing your legs until they feel numb can cause permanent nerve damage.
So next time you sit down, try to get yourself in the habit of sitting with both of your feet on the floor. Not only will it help your posture and stability, but it will also save your health in the long run.
1. Which of the following is not the consequence of crossing legs?| A．Neck and back get hurt. |
| B．Feet and legs become numb. |
| C．Blood pressure goes up. |
| D．Pelvic bones keep perfect postures. |
| A．break seriously |
| B．hurt greatly |
| C．move casually |
| D．straighten suddenly |
| A．How to choose a proper sitting posture |
| B．It is advisable not to sit with legs crossed |
| C．How to develop beneficial habits |
| D．Blood pressure harms our bodies. |
高中生在成长的过程中会碰到一些烦恼。就这一话题你班正积极筹备召开一次主题班会。请你依据下表进行必要的思考，并用英语准备一篇到会发言的材料。词数100左右。
注意：1. 开头已写好，不记入词数。
2. 语言通顺，结构严谨。
Boys and girls,
We high school students do have some growing pains, but we can get rid of them correctly and wisely.
_____________________________________________________________________________
University tuition fees (学费) are currently capped at £3,000 annually, but this will be reviewed next year and the Government is under enormous pressure to raise the ceiling.
In the researeh, the teenagers were presented with die terms of four different loans but 76 per cent failed to identify the cheapest. The young people also predicted that they would be earning on average £ 31.000 by the age of 25, although the average salary for those aged 22 to 29 is just £ 17,815. The teenagers expected to be in debt when they finished university or training, although half said that they assumed the debts would be less than £ 10.000. Average debts for graduates are £ 12，363.
Stephen Moir, head of community investment at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group which owns NatWest, said. "The more exposed young people are to financial issues, and the younger they become aware of them, the more likely they are to become responsible, forward-planning adults who manage their finances confidently and effectively."
Ministers are deeply concerned about the financial pressures on teenagers and young people because of student loans and rising housing costs. They have just introduced new lessons in how to manage debts. Nikki Fairweathcr. aged 15. from St Helens, said that she had benefited from lessons on personal finance, but admitted that she still had a lot to learn about money.
1. Which of the following can be found from the five-year researeh project?
| A．Students understand personal finances differently. |
| B．University tuition fees in England have been rising. |
| C．Teenagers tend to overestimate their future earnings. |
| D．The students' payback ability has become a major issue. |
| A．to raise the student loans | B．to improve the school facilities |
| C．to increase the upper limit of the tuition | D．to lift the school building roofs |
| A．are too young 10 be exposed 10 financial issues |
| B．should learn 10 manage their finances wellC- should maintain a positive attitude when facing loans |
| C．benefit a lot from lessons on personal finance |
| A．Many British teenagers do not know money matters well |
| B．Teenagers in Britain are heavily burdened with debts. |
| C．Financial planning is a required course at college. |
| D．Young people should become responsible adults. |
