1 . A community canteen at the Zhanongkou Community in Shangcheng, Hangzhou recently launched “happiness blind boxes”, which cost just 6 yuan per box. Sales start at 7 p. m. each evening.
The dishes are packaged in transparent (透明的) containers, but to maintain an element of surprise, stickers are placed over the lid (盖子) of the “main dish” section of each box. The “blind boxes” have become popular since being introduced, and on some nights they sell out by about 8 p. m.
A meal assistance program introduced in Zhanongkou subdistrict ensures the elderly can access meals within a 10-minute walk of their homes or have them delivered within five minutes. The service has also been welcomed by younger people living and working in the area.
Yan Xuyang, a professor at Beijing Union University’s Tourism College, predicts that by 2035, those born from the 1970s to the 2000s will comprise the main group of customers for such canteens. “This generation has a reasonable level of disposable (可自由支配的) income, and many of its members may also lack the willingness to prepare meals for themselves,” Yan said.
The successful operation of community canteens depends on their ability to integrate into the daily lives and culture of local residents. In addition to serving dishes to suit local tastes and fostering a welcoming environment for diners, it is important to widen the functions of these canteens. They have been used for cultural activities and other events, which helps raise awareness and foster a positive perspective on these canteens among local communities.
In the latter part of last year, the Weikang community canteen in Ziyang subdistrict, Hangzhou, experienced a significant transformation from being a canteen for seniors to catering for the whole community. Its services have been broadened beyond regular operations to include services for hospitals and businesses, complete with home delivery options. Some other community canteens have also made efforts to appeal to more residents.
1. What can we know about the “happiness blind boxes” from the passage?| A．They are sold out every night before 8 p. m. |
| B．They are beautifully decorated with stickers. |
| C．They offer a sense of mystery with the unknown main dishes. |
| D．They are only offered to the residents in the Zhanongkou Community. |
| A．Promising. | B．Cautious. | C．Unclear. | D．Objective. |
| A．Reasonable prices. | B．Fast delivery service. | C．Various functions. | D．Unexpected surprises. |
| A．To highlight the popularity of community canteens. |
| B．To emphasize the importance of community canteens. |
| C．To discuss the wide functions of community canteens. |
| D．To show the innovative reform of community canteens. |
2 . Many cities around the world today are heavily polluted. Careless methods of production and
A recent study showed that two
Only a few years ago, it was impossible to find green products in supermarkets, but now there are hundreds. Some supermarket products
The
| A．part | B．lack | C．lots | D．varieties |
| A．applied to | B．contributed to | C．exposed to | D．devoted to |
| A．possibility | B．chance | C．result | D．effect |
| A．Therefore | B．Furthermore | C．Similarly | D．However |
| A．After | B．Though | C．Before | D．Unless |
| A．reused | B．safe | C．friendly | D．returned |
| A．of | B．on | C．from | D．out of |
| A．rhyme | B．way | C．section | D．branch |
| A．carry | B．take | C．include | D．make |
| A．advantage | B．technique | C．point | D．attraction |
| A．concern | B．hope | C．care | D．plan |
| A．what | B．how | C．whether | D．when |
| A．saying | B．trust | C．attitude | D．fashion |
| A．pressure | B．pleasure | C．discussion | D．interest |
| A．enlarging | B．sharing | C．cleaning | D．improving |
3 . To know parents’ influence on students’ learning, researchers studied 438 kids and their parents. Before a school year started, the researchers asked parents to write down how anxious they would feel in different situations connected with math like planning their money spending or checking their house’s size. They also checked their children’s math ability and math anxiety in a school year.
The study found kids whose parents were anxious about math learned less math over the school year. And these kids didn’t perform as well on the tests as those who hadn’t been exposed to math anxiety. Besides, these kids also were more likely to become nervous about math themselves. But these kids only “ caught ” that anxiety if their parents had often tried to help with their homework. This is an example of good intentions having a bad result.
The study’s result appeared in Psychological Science. Erin Maloney led the study. As someone who has personally experienced math anxiety, she says, “ I was always very nervous about math, not only taking tests but also learning the new concepts. So I really tried to balk at math, including finding excuses to miss math tests and not wanting to do math homework. ” It was only after she saw how math could be applied to her passion that she started to enjoy math.
Parents with math anxiety should still support their kids as the kids work on math homework, though. But they should know helping kids with schoolwork requires more than just going over facts and concepts. Parents should help kids look for ways to have fun with math, like playing math-based games. When kids have difficulty in learning, encourage them to bravely face it but don’t make them nervous.
What can students do if they’re already nervous about math? Maloney says, “ My earlier study showed that students who wrote about their fears of math for 7 to 10 minutes before taking a math test performed better on that test. After the writing process，many students said their fears weren’t such a big deal. ”
1. The 438 kids’ parents were asked to present ______ .| A．their attitudes to school education | B．their opinions on kids’ math ability |
| C．their ways to solve kids’ math anxiety | D．their math anxiety levels in their daily life |
| A．Kids are more likely to be afraid of math. |
| B．Some parents pay little attention to their kids’ study. |
| C．Kids can pick up negative thoughts about math from their parents. |
| D．Parents should help with their kids’ homework as little as possible. |
| A．Enjoy. | B．Avoid. | C．Learn. | D．Understand. |
| A．Working closely with their math teachers. |
| B．Seeking help during their learning process. |
| C．Sparing some time to go over their notes daily. |
| D．Removing math anxiety by admitting it to themselves. |
5 . Charity is simple in theory: A heart warms, a hand reaches out. In practice, though, charity can become a troubled mix of motives (动机) and consequences. Giving can be driven by guilt (负罪感), duty, praise, or perhaps the hope that giving will somehow make up for past cruelty (残酷) or ignorance. Too little charity is far less than valuable. Too much can cause dependence, which makes the receiver continuously ask for more.
Giving from the heart is good. But critics (批评家) have long worried about misdirected charity that does more harm than good. In his 2012 book, Harmful Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (And How to Solve the Problem), Robert Lupton, an experienced social worker of 40 years of community work in inner-city Atlanta, argues that charity must not do for the poor what they can do for themselves.
Due to emergencies such as natural disasters, the afterward financial aid is greatly welcome. Mr. Lupton advocates (提倡) it should focus on the development of self-supporting. The task can be carried out via, for instance, offering microloans (小微贷款), hiring local builders and suppliers, and trying to found self-supported, locally owned and operated factories. What seldom works, he argues, are untargeted handouts from far-off providers and the sudden arrival of inexperienced volunteer-tourists hoping to earn personal reputation by digging wells or mending roofs that locals are perfectly able to take care of themselves.
Getting charity right isn’t easy. But from money raising to the rising in volunteering among Millennials (千禧一代), from the increasing worldwide willingness to give to the efforts by charity organizations to become more effective and fruitful, there is strong evidence that human beings’ ability of taking care of others is growing along with their ability to help without harming.
Charity can be as simple as holding the door for a stranger and as complex as a global campaign to get rid of malaria (疟疾). Charity works best when it returns the weak to strength, and helps a small town shaken by an earthquake get back on its feet. A successful charity is one that eventually is no longer needed.
1. What have critics worried about?| A．There is much less charity than needed. | B．Charity can be driven by guilt and praise. |
| C．Some charity providers are inexperienced. | D．Misdirected charity may cause dependence. |
| A．Hiring local workers. | B．Founding factories. | C．Building houses for victims. | D．Giving untargeted handouts. |
| A．It’s easy to give charity without harming. | B．Millennials enjoy earning personal reputation. |
| C．People’s ability of giving charity is improving. | D．Charity organizations are spreading all over the world. |
| A．To appeal for more charity. | B．To advocate getting charity right. |
| C．To introduce Robert Lupton’s book. | D．To criticize unjust motives for charity. |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Many little drop of water make an ocean, as the saying goes. A small action may lead to major changes in society. My friends and I participated a voluntary activity at a nursing home last week. We first did some cleaning or washing. After that we spend half an hour chat with the old people living there. Though it was a tired day, we were happy with that we did. I felt a sense of responsibility by visiting the old. If all of us lend a hand to the people in the need, we can live in harmony with each other. Our society is just like a big family. If they are willing to help others, our small action can certain make a big difference.
7 . Findings coming from a new report by the Pew Research Center of Washington D. C. show that Americans are worried about new technology. They are concerned that machines, including robots, will take over work now done by humans.
About 75 percent of Americans questioned by Pew said automation (自动化) will increase income inequality between the rich and the middle class and the poor. And 64 percent of people expect automation to be so common in America that people will face difficulty finding things to do with their lives.
Some of the concerns about technology come from a distrust about whether machines will always make the right decision. Many Americans believe humans have better judgment in dealing with complex matters. One example is selecting a person for a job. Three quarters of Americans said they would not want to apply for a job that uses a computer program to choose the most qualified person.
Most Americans want the government to limit automation. For example, 87 percent support a requirement that all driverless vehicles have a human in the driver’s seat, who can take control when needed. And 85 percent want to limit machines to mostly doing jobs that are dangerous or unhealthy for humans. And only 25 percent expect more jobs to come from automation. Pew said.
Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder of Facebook, spoke last May to graduating seniors from Harvard University in Massachusetts. His talk centered on the uncertain future facing young people. “Our generation will have to deal with tens of millions of jobs replaced by automation like self-driving cars and trucks,” Zuckerberg told the graduates.
Zuckerberg said young people will have to find projects that will bring both jobs and direct benefits to the people of the world. He said in his speech that 300, 000 people worked to put a man on the moon, and millions of people built the Hoover Dam as well as other great projects over the last 100 years.
1. What do Americans think of technology?| A．Useful. | B．Helpful. | C．Effective. | D．Undependable. |
| A．To reduce the cost. | B．To ensure safety. |
| C．To test the new technology. | D．To entertain the passengers. |
| A．Fight against robots. |
| B．Consider large projects. |
| C．Explore new job chances. |
| D．Refuse self-driving vehicles. |
| A．New Technology Creates More Jobs |
| B．Americans Worry Robots Will Take Jobs |
| C．New Technology Makes New Unfairness |
| D．Robots Make Work Easy to Do for Workers |
8 . Last year, 138,000 San Francisco residents used Airbnb, a popular app designed to connect home renters and travelers. It’s a striking number for a city with a population of about 850,000, and it was enough for Airbnb to win a major victory in local elections, as San Francisco voters struck down a debatable rule that would have placed time restrictions and other regulations on short-term rental services.
The company fiercely opposed the measure, Proposition F, with a nearly $10 million advertising campaign. It also contacted its San Franciscan users with messages urging them to vote against Proposition F.
Most people think of Airbnb as a kind of couch-surfing app. The service works for one-night stays on road trips and longer stays in cities, and it often has more competitive pricing than hotels. It’s a textbook example of the “sharing economy”, but not everyone is a fan.
The app has had unintended consequences in San Francisco. As the San Francisco Chronicle reported last year, a significant amount of renting on Airbnb is not in line with the company’s image: middle-class families putting up a spare room to help make ends meet. Some users have taken advantage of the service, using it to turn their multiple properties into vacation rentals or even full-time rentals. Backers of Proposition F argued that this trend takes spaces off the conventional, better-regulated housing market and contributes to rising costs.
“The fact is, widespread abuse of short-term rentals is taking much needed housing off the market and harming our neighborhoods,” said ShareBetter SF, a group that supported Proposition F. Hotel unions have protested the company’s practices in San Francisco and other cities, saying that it creates an illegal hotel system.
San Francisco is in the middle of a long-term, deeply rooted housing crisis that has seen the cost of living explode. Actually, explode is a generous term. The average monthly rent for an apartment is around $4, 000. Located on a narrow outcropping of land overlooking the bay, San Francisco simply doesn’t have enough space to accommodate the massive inflow of young, high-salaried tech employees flocking to Silicon Valley.
As the Los Angeles Times reported, some San Francisco residents supported the measure simply because it seemed like a way to check a big corporation. Opponents of Proposition F countered that the housing crisis runs much deeper, and that passing the rule would have discouraged a popular service while doing little to solve the city’s existing problems.
1. The intention of Proposition F is to ________.| A．place time limits in local election. | B．set limits on short-term rental. |
| C．strike down a controversial rule. | D．urge users to vote against Airbnb. |
| A．It shrinks the living space of middle-class families. |
| B．Users are taken advantage of by the service financially. |
| C．It makes the house market more competitive. |
| D．It indirectly leads to high house rental price. |
| A．explosion of the living cost | B．its geographic characteristics |
| C．generosity of local enterprises | D．inflow of migrant population |
| A．objective | B．supportive |
| C．negative | D．indifferent |
9 . Up to 40% of all food in the United States is wasted. Producing food that people don’t consume swallows up roughly 20% of America’s cropland and agricultural water, and produces greenhouse gas emissions(排放物) equal to 37 million passenger vehicles each year. Yet, 37 million Americans lack consistent access to adequate and nutritious food.
NRDC’s Food Matters Initiative partners cities to confront food waste. Food Matters is piloting all-round, cutting-edge strategies that are easy to follow and share. The first two strategies--and arguably the most critical ones--are to estimate a local baseline level of food waste and then assess the potential for rescuing surplus food. A baseline is necessary in order to understand the scale and natural of the problem. It is also a prerequisite(先决条件) to assessing any progress made, which will help inform future program development.
Using a calculator tool NRDC developed based on the Food Matters research models ,the Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Resilience had a better understanding of the qualities of wasted food and where it was likely occurring. This allowed the city to focus the attention on the solutions that were more closely related to the situation in Atlanta.
As in many cities across the U.S., much of the food wasted in Atlanta occurs in households and consumer-facing businesses such as restaurants. Armed with this information, the Mayor’s Office of Resilience, creates a restaurant challenge encouraging restaurants to work on the entire system of reduction, rescue, and recycling. After 90 days and participation from 6 restaurants at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson airport, the program rescue 21,000 meals and saved owners over $62000.
Atlanta’s restaurant challenge is one of a handful of examples where cities have engaged(吸引) consumer-facing food businesses to reduce their food waste. New York led the charge with a Mayor’s challenge to restaurants .Denver recently completed a series of neighborhood restaurant challenges. Nashville has an ongoing Mayor’s Food Saver Challenge including not just restaurants but other food businesses as well. Several other cities and countries throughout the country have similar business engagement success stories.
1. What are the data mainly about in paragraph 1?| A．the harm of food waste | B．the cause of food pollution |
| C．the importance of food safety | D．the solution to food waste. |
| A．It makes new plans for banning food waste |
| B．It helps the city better work on the solutions. |
| C．It tests the work efficiency of the government |
| D．It increases the potential for recycling food waste. |
| A．Inspiring customers to order food based on actual need |
| B．Teaching waiters to deal with food waste in the greener way. |
| C．Encouraging restaurants to reduce food waste in every process . |
| D．Making restaurants compete with each other in waste recycling. |
| A．Restaurant challenges only work in America |
| B．More and more cities are focusing on food waste . |
| C．Food businesses are the main sources of food waste . |
| D．It is difficult to complete the restaurant challenges. |
10 . More than 30 volunteers organized by the village Party committee were participating in a group effort to produce gauze (纱布) masks, alcohol liquid and sterilizing powder (消毒粉) at a factory in southwest China's Yunnan Province to help arm the fight against the novel coronavirus (新型冠状病毒). Some villagers also had given away their sewing machines for the production work at Yunnan Xiangsha Medical Material Company in Anning City.
Volunteers addressed the labor, shortage during the Spring Festival holiday at the factory, which had begun to produce on. Friday. They received body temperature checks and training before the work started, with volunteers able to use the sewing machines being more than 50 years old on average. Seventy-nine-year-old Chu Shudong, who had 30 years of tailoring experience, volunteered to repair the sewing machines.“I've not done tailoring for 20 years. I'm old and my eyesight is poor. I hope to do what I can here and make more masks so that people are protected, ”he said. The youngest volunteer, 22-year-old Bi Qiling, joined the: team. She's available because the new semester at her university in Beijing was delayed because of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
“With the volunteers, our production capacity is higher. We have 65 people, divided into two groups, and work on two shifts (轮班) a day. All the machines are working around the clock,”said Hang Kaijin, head of the factory, which has the ability to produce two tons of alcohol liquid and 200 kilograms of sterilizing power every day.
It sent its production information to the city government on a daily basis and the products were all allocated by the government.
1. What did villagers donate for the production?| A．Raw materials. | B．Clean gauze. |
| C．Sewing machines. | D．Alcohol liquid. |
| A．The average age of the volunteers able to use sewing machines was over 50. |
| B．Chu Shudong, an experienced tailor at the age of 78, offered to do some sewing. |
| C．Volunteers having 30 years of tailoring experience should receive body temperature checks. . |
| D．Bi Qiling, a girl, was turned down by the university because of the novel coronavirus outbreak. |
| A．Most of the volunteers worked twice a day. |
| B．All of the volunteers. worked. 12 hours in the daytime. |
| C．Two groups of volunteers took turns to work 24 hours a day. |
| D．Volunteers were divided into two groups, each working 8 hours. |
| A．great minds think alike | B．more hands produce a stronger flame |
| C．two heads are better than one | D．God helps those who help themselves . |
