1 . The sharing economy is an economic model known as a peer-to-peer(P2P)based activity of getting, providing, or sharing goods and services that is often promoted by on-line platforms (平台) It allows persons and groups to make money from the assets (资产) which is not
Concerns about the sharing economy often includes the uncertainty about
Another
There is also a fear that lots of information shared on online platforms can create racial or sex bias (偏见) among users. This can happen when users are allowed to
| A．in danger | B．in use | C．in order | D．in hand |
| A．taken out | B．picked out | C．rented out | D．sold out |
| A．services | B．supplies | C．gifts | D．goals |
| A．values | B．customers | C．markets | D．rules |
| A．managed | B．punished | C．provided | D．judged |
| A．offer | B．order | C．accept | D．stop |
| A．higher | B．lower | C．full | D．right |
| A．case | B．opinion | C．topic | D．concern |
| A．impolite | B．impatient | C．improper | D．impossible |
| A．highly | B．widely | C．narrowly | D．deeply |
| A．official | B．special | C．unfair | D．equal |
| A．which | B．who | C．where | D．when |
| A．formal | B．unique | C．dishonest | D．specific |
| A．cheat | B．choose | C．impress | D．recognize |
| A．errors | B．styles | C．details | D．records |
2 . The evidence for harmony (和睦) may not be obvious in some families. But it seems that four out of five young people now get on with their parents.
An important new study into teenage attitudes shows that their family life is more harmonious than it has ever been in the past. “We were surprised by just how positive today’s young people seem to be about their families,” says one member of the research team. “They’re expected to be rebellious (叛逆的) but actually they have other things in their minds; they want a car and other material goods, and they worry whether school is serving them well. There’re more negotiations (协商) between parents and children, and children expect to take part in the family decisionmaking process.”
So it seems that this generation of parents is much more likely than parents of 30 years ago to treat their children as friends. “My parents are happy to discuss things with me and willing to listen to me,” says 17 year old Daniel Lazall. “I always tell them when I’m going out. As long as they know what I’m doing, they’re fine with it.” Susan Crome, who is now 21, agrees. “Looking back on the last 10 years, there was a lot of what you could call negotiations. For example, as long as I’d done all my homework, I could go out on a Saturday night. But I think my grandparents were a lot stricter with my parents than that.”
One of the researchers comments, “Our astonishment that teenagers say they get along well with their parents comes because of a brief period in our social history when teenagers were regarded as different beings. But that idea of rebelling and breaking away from their parents really only happened during that one time in the 1960s when everyone rebelled. Now, the situation has changed.”
1. What does the new study show?| A．Teenagers are more rebellious. |
| B．Teenagers worry more about studies. |
| C．Teenagers dislike making family decisions. |
| D．Teenagers have more negotiations with families. |
| A．They are stricter than before. |
| B．They are more independent. |
| C．They give their children more freedom. |
| D．They care less about their children’s life. |
| A．Surprise. | B．Aim. |
| C．Memory. | D．Option. |
| A．Discussion in family. |
| B．Harmony in family. |
| C．Teenage trouble in family. |
| D．Teenage education in family. |
3 . In recent years, the number of young adults returning to their parents’ homes after leaving has risen. This is the Boomerang Generation, becoming independent only to return to their parents’ homes like boomerangs. A boomerang is a curved(呈弯曲状的) stick that, when thrown in a particular way, comes back to the person who threw it.
One of our family members had a college roommate who dropped out(辍学) and went back to her parents because she was unable to wash her clothes. This is quite a funny example, but stories like these are plentiful. The dropout and many other young adults are often short of basic life skills, so they move out of the family home for a time and then boomerang right back.
We believe having more real-life learning in high school may solve young adults’ inability to become independent. This can be achieved through simply including extra Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills requirements for life skills. The TEKS would include learning about taxes(税), banking, health, voting(选举), job interviews, cooking, and many other important skills.
These areas of study happen to go with required courses. For learning how to do taxes, we would want to include a TEKS in math classes. In an economics class, we would require students to learn about banking and housing. In history class, students would have to learn about the importance of voting. In English class, students could learn about jobs. Cooking would be added to health class.
If in high school we can teach these skills, graduates going to college or trade school won’t need to worry about their living skills and can focus on their education. More students can finish their studies and get degrees. And once out of college or trade school, young people can focus on their jobs and responsibilities as adults. Thus jobs will be done better, people will better understand their role in society and be better rounded as both students and individuals(个人).
1. Which of the following best describes the Boomerang Generation?| A．They depend on their parents. | B．They show great interest in sports. |
| C．They like to take on new challenges. | D．They want to leave their parents’ homes. |
| A．To attract readers with a funny story. |
| B．To offer some advice for college dropouts. |
| C．To explain the cause of boomeranging back. |
| D．To show the Boomerang Generation’s influence. |
| A．It is easy for students to learn the TEKS. |
| B．They can be included in required courses. |
| C．More life skills should be added to the TEKS. |
| D．The TEKS proves to be important to students. |
| A．Teach students life skills. | B．Work together with parents. |
| C．Accept the Boomerang Generation. | D．Offer more support to trade schools. |
4 . Talking to an adult about feelings can be an uncomfortable experience for children and adolescents. While a mental health professional can provide a confidential(私密的)space, the first few interactions can still bring them a sense of uneasiness. But what if they could share how they honestly feel without interacting directly with another human? With this in mind, a recent study from the University of Cambridge tested a robot’s effectiveness in determining children’s well-being.
The study involved 28 children between the ages of 8 and 13 and their parents or guardians completing a well-being questionnaire focused on the young individuals. Then a human-like robot asked the young participants open-ended questions about happy and sad memories over the last week and had them respond to prompts(提示)around pictures. The parents or guardians and research team members observed the interaction from a separate room.
Children with mental well-being issues were likelier to divulge the extent of these problems while talking to the robot. Researchers also found they felt more negative than stated in the initial questionnaire. On the other hand, children without previously stated mental well-being concerns presented an even more positive image to the robot.
Actually, the idea that children would share more with a robot than parents or mental health professionals is easy to understand. “Not all children have a secure attachment style, meaning they feel safe and connected to their caregivers,” says Dr. Katherine Grill, a behavioral scientist. “Children without secure attachments often find comfort in companions like imaginary friends, In this instance, a robot may serve as a viable option for children to open up about their well-being. Even in cases where children have secure attachment styles, a robot may provide them with a non-judgmental relationship where they’ re willing to share their feelings.”
“While this study demonstrates the benefit of robots, it doesn’t remove the need for human interaction in the mental health field. Technology-enabled services mean digital support and even enhanced care, but they don’t replace work with a human being,” says Dr. Aaron Haddock, associate professor of Clark University. “After all, the relationship between clients and providers is a key driver of positive treatment outcomes.”
1. What were the children arranged to do in the study?| A．Share secrets with the other children. |
| B．Finish a questionnaire about their parents. |
| C．Interact with a human-like robot alone. |
| D．Draw pictures about their happy memories. |
| A．Reveal. | B．Assess. | C．Control. | D．Ignore. |
| A．Explain the results of the study. | B．Draw conclusions from the study. |
| C．Make evaluations about kids’ well-being. | D．Analyze the issues with health care. |
| A．Generally unconcerned. | B．Particularly disapproving. |
| C．Totally positive. | D．Relatively objective. |
5 . Managers across nearly every industry believe distraction soars as the temperature rises.
Absences naturally impact productivity
Sure, people travel and do other fun activities year-round, but many people have more going on between May and September than they do any other period.
During these months, you’re far more likely to stay up later, meaning you feel sleepy when it’s time to clock in. It’s not too different than the decline in productivity that follows the Super Bowl or St. Patrick’s Day.
| A．Here are the real reasons |
| B．Temperature is part of the reason |
| C．Here are some tips on how to deal with it |
| D．Your sleep (or lack of sleep) can be a factor |
| E．More vacation time means less progress |
| F．This is really why you’re less product vein the summer |
| G．But in summer, it could be a more frequent occurrence |
1.简要评论现状； 2.你的观点及建议。
注意:1.词数100左右；
2.题目已为你写好。
Score and Ability
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7 . Quantum ( 量子 ) computers have been on my mind a lot lately. A friend has been sending me articles on how quantum computers might help solve some of the biggest challenges we face as humans. I’ve also had exchanges with two quantum-computing experts. One is computer scientist Chris Johnson who I see as someone who helps keep the field honest. The other is physicist Philip Taylor.
For decades, quantum computing has been little more than a laboratory curiosity. Now, big tech companies have invested in quantum computing, as have many smaller ones. According to Business Weekly, quantum machines could help us “cure cancer, and even take steps to turn climate change in the opposite direction.” This is the sort of hype ( 炒作 ) that annoys Johnson. He worries that researchers are making promises they can’t keep. “What’s new,” Johnson wrote, “is that millions of dollars are now potentially available to quantum computing researchers.”
As quantum computing attracts more attention and funding, researchers may mislead investors, journalists, the public and, worst of all, themselves about their work’s potential. If researchers can’t keep their promises, excitement might give way to doubt, disappointment and anger, Johnson warns. Lots of other technologies have gone through stages of excitement. But something about quantum computing makes it especially prone to hype, Johnson suggests, perhaps because “‘quantum’ stands for something cool you shouldn’t be able to understand.” And that brings me back to Taylor, who suggested that I read his book Q for Quantum.
After I read the book, Taylor patiently answered my questions about it. He also answered my questions about PyQuantum, the firm he co-founded in 2016. Taylor shares Johnson’s concerns about hype, but he says those concerns do not apply to PyQuantum.
The company, he says, is closer than any other firm “by a very large margin ( 幅度 )” to building a “useful” quantum computer, one that “solves an impactful problem that we would not have been able to solve otherwise.” He adds, “People will naturally discount my opinions, but I have spent a lot of time quantitatively comparing what we are doing with others.”
Could PyQuantum really be leading all the competition “by a wide margin”, as Taylor claims? I don’t know. I’m certainly not going to advise my friend or anyone else to invest in quantum computers. But I trust Taylor, just as I trust Johnson.
1. Regarding Johnson’s concerns, the author feels ________.| A．sympathetic | B．unconcerned | C．doubtful | D．excited |
| A．His dominance in physics. | B．The competition in the field. |
| C．His confidence in PyQuantum. | D．The investment of tech companies. |
| A．Open. | B．Cool. | C．Useful. | D．Resistant. |
| A．Is Johnson More Competent Than Taylor? |
| B．Is Quantum Computing Redefining Technology? |
| C．Will Quantum Computers Ever Come into Being? |
| D．Will Quantum Computing Ever Live Up to Its Hype? |
8 . A Chinese professor in Los Angeles repelled (击退) an armed robbery attempt by using martial arts last week, Southern Metropolis Daily reported on Tuesday.
Zhou Pigai, a professor at the School of Public Administration of Xiangtan University in Central China’s Hunan province, arrived in Los Angeles to participate in an academic visiting program at the University of Southern California on Oct.31.
The next day, while Zhou was looking for a place to stay in Chinatown, a neighborhood in downtown LA, a robber wearing a black mask got out of a truck parked near him and held him at gunpoint in a narrow street. Zhou, with experience in martial arts, reflexively (条件反射地) disarmed (缴械) the robber, knocking both himself and the robber down with a kick.
After Zhou got up and retreated to a nearby road, the robber pursued him, holding him at gunpoint a second time while Zhou was checking his facial injuries with his phone. Zhou handed over his luggage out of caution, but found the opportunity to strike again when the robber approached to take his backpack. The robber, struck and disarmed a second time, turned and ran with Zhou’s case toward the truck that had followed them out of the alleyway. Not knowing whether the robber had other armed suspects inside the truck, Zhou decided not to attempt to catch the robber himself.
After receiving help from several good people at a nearby Chinese market, including a witness who noted the truck’s license number, Zhou met with the community officer for the LA Chinatown Business Improvement District, and together they filed a police report.
Zhou said in interviews his actions should not be advocated due to the potential risk involved, adding his initial response was more of a reflex than a well-thought-out move. However, he also said he did not panic at the time of the incident and one should not be too quick to compromise or back down, as it would encourage criminals in the area to commit the same crime repeatedly.
1. What did Zhou go to Los Angeles for?| A．Going on a holiday. | B．Visiting one of his relatives. |
| C．Promoting Chinese martial arts. | D．Attending an academic program. |
| A．Cycled in. | B．Moved away. | C．Crawled backward. | D．Drove forward. |
| A．He was sure of the danger ahead. |
| B．He was injured badly and couldn’t move. |
| C．Someone dialed the emergency call and the police arrived. |
| D．He didn’t know if there were other robbers in the truck. |
| A．Stay calm when faced with robbery | B．Martial arts should be learned in case of danger |
| C．Chinese professor pushed robber back with kung fu | D．Chinese professor filed a police report in Los Angeles |
9 . Some of Hawaii’s most popular musical artists have appeared before an unlikely audience, who are from a small elementary school on Oahu’s coast.
They all come with a purpose: The headmaster dreamed up the virtual concerts, presenting artists like internationally famous ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro, as a way of bringing together a community struggling with the pandemic. “We have probably the best ukulele player — one of the best ukulele musicians in the entire world — come and play for you guys tonight,” said Headmaster Keoki Fraser as children and parents tuned in from home computers. Fraser is trying to organize concerts every several weeks as his school, like most public schools in Hawaii, continues to educate its students remotely.
Tabitha Persaud, mom of three students, remembers Fraser coming to the parent-teacher association with the idea of approaching big names. “Can we do that?” she wondered. “Will they do that for us?”
“They’re in the same situation as we are. So, I mean, they don’t have to go anywhere or leave their home. We just hit them up,” said Fraser, who graduated from the local high school. “We love to get people that are influential and the kids look up to.”
During a recent Friday concert, Fraser invited former student Dylan Kunz, now a seventh grader, to play ukulele as one of the student performers to open for Shimabukuro. Kunz, who likes Shimabukuro, was excited. “He’s the reason I started playing,” he said. “It keeps me motivated to keep playing.”
The concerts are open to all. For one performance, about 1,200 viewers tuned in. “I think it’s so much fun to see the smiling, happy faces of all the kids,” said Amy Kunz, Dylan’s mom. “I think Headmaster Fraser, in doing this, is really hitting home from social and emotional aspects. Even though we’re not in school, we can still make these connections and have fun.”
1. What’s Headmaster Fraser’s purpose in organizing the concerts?| A．To encourage his students to learn from the musicians. |
| B．To develop closer ties between educators and kids. |
| C．To get his community united in the pandemic. |
| D．To strengthen the parent-teacher relations. |
| A．Whether her family would be allowed to attend it. |
| B．Whether players like Shimabukuro would show up. |
| C．Whether Headmaster Fraser would agree with her idea. |
| D．Whether the parent-teacher association would break up. |
| A．Cheer them up. | B．Ask them for help. |
| C．Teach them a lesson. | D．Compete with them. |
| A．Grateful. | B．Curious. | C．Doubtful. | D．Worried |
10 . Though the COVID - 19 pandemic has forced museums worldwide to close for some time, Ke Tao, a 26-year-old product manager in Shenzhen, visits a number of these institutions three to four times a week, thanks to digital technology. The digital technology not only helps people continue their “cultural trips” but also revitalizes (使恢复生机) museums in the pandemic.
“Many museums have held livestreamed shows, allowing audiences to appreciate exhibitions by following virtual guides and interacting online with other visitors, which has been a novel experience for me,” said Ke Tao.
According to a report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, museums have been badly affected by the pandemic, with nearly 90 percent of them, more than 85, 000 worldwide, having to close temporarily due to measures taken to combat COVID-19. More than 10 percent of them may never reopen.
But when these museums develop their internet presence to maintain links with the public, they have seen a substantial rise in the number of visitors to their websites during lockdowns. For example, the Louvre Museum in Paris saw visits to its website rise tenfold in the first few days of the lockdown in France. Visitor numbers were later reported to have reached a level three times higher than average, the report said.
Han Bing, chief researcher of culture and entertainment, said going digital is an unavoidable process for the development of museums, even in the post-pandemic era. “Compared with offline museums, virtual institutions are not limited by space, can be more expressive by using technologies, and have a stronger interaction with users,” she said.
“Moreover, virtual museums can experiment with new ideas to offer more flexible, interesting and entertaining forms of education for their audiences.”
Han added that while the pandemic will not totally change people’s habit of visiting museums, it may bring a certain degree of change. “In the post pandemic era, the positioning of offline and virtual museums will be different. Both online and offline models have their advantages and disadvantages with a relatively clear division of functions and features.”
1. What contributes most to Ke Tao’s visit to the museums during the pandemic?| A．An offline museum. | B．A cultural trip. | C．Digital technology. | D．A livestreamed show. |
| A．It is fresh. | B．It is boring. | C．It is fictional. | D．It is worthless. |
| A．They will bring complete change. | B．They will disappear from public view. |
| C．They will have much space for development. | D．They will be attached to traditional museums. |
| A．Seldom can museums reopen again. |
| B．Museums will lose their popularity among people. |
| C．Digital museums will replace traditional museums. |
| D．Digital museums and traditional museums will exist together. |
