1 . Managers across nearly every industry believe distraction soars as the temperature rises.     1    . More than anything, our environment impacts our productivity

    2    . Think about your morning commute: It’s sticky and humid even at 8 a. m., and by the time you get into your air-conditioned office, you’re already exhausted. Heat causes many people to feel lethargic, making it much more difficult to focus on that meeting you have first thing.

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.     3    . “Even if you’re not taking an exciting vacation, perhaps your coworkers are out of the office a lot,” Schinke says. “This can impact the productivity of the whole team.”

    4    . The sun won’t set until past 8 p. m., so it’s natural to want to soak up every moment after you escape your overly air-conditioned office.

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.     5    .

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

2 . When Christopher Moore isn’t jumping rope, shooting baskets or playing the board game Chutes and Ladders, the 8-year-old can often be found at home using his fighting skills, protecting the world from would-be enemies. “I’m trying to save the other people from being hurt,” he said of his Avatar video game adventures.

The Moore household, in Birmingham, Alabama, enjoys a good mix of at-home entertainment, something they are doing more and more during these precarious financial times, “They’re always in competition,” the boys’ mother, Lisa Moore, said with a laugh. “It keeps them busy. It keeps them occupied.”

Numbers show that at-home entertainment is doing better than ever, flying in the financial face of so many industries that are struggling in this difficult time.

The gaming experience, too, has changed with the years. Five years ago, online gaming was considered a one-person activity. And although games can still be played alone, the social factor is growing quickly. “Over a third of families will play games together online.” said David Williams, who heads up the Kids and Family Games Group. “They’re staying home more, and they’re using games to connect with one another.”

When it comes to the games children play, many parents such as Lisa Moore may choose to sit it out. But Christina Vercelletto, a senior editor at Parenting magazine, says that engaging in the games with them can do a family good. “It can be an opportunity to bond with your kids,” she said. If parents express interest, kids “will probably be heated. And you’ll get a little window into what has them so excited.” Plus, by playing the games, parents can determine how comfortable they are with what their kids are doing.

For those who want to get the opinions of others, Christina Vercelletto points out that the Entertainment Software Rating Board provides feedback and that parents are always learning from one another on discussion boards.

1. What does the underlined word “precarious” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Appropriate.

B．Precious.

C．Stable.

D．Tough.

2. Which of the following shows the benefit of at-home entertainment?

A．Controlling children’s behavior.	B．Helping solve financial trouble.
C．Making a good family relationship.	D．Forming a sense of independence.

3. What should parents do while their kids are playing games according to Christina?

A．Join in.

B．Sit out.

C．Watch out.

D．Walk around.

4. What is the main topic of the text?

A．Family relationship.	B．At-home entertainment.
C．Benefits of playing games.	D．Ways to connect with kids.

3 . 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

2. What leads to Taylor’s optimism about quantum computing?

A．His dominance in physics.	B．The competition in the field.
C．His confidence in PyQuantum.	D．The investment of tech companies.

3. What does the underlined word “prone” in Paragraph 3 most probably mean?

A．Open.

B．Cool.

C．Useful.

D．Resistant.

4. Which would be the best title for the passage?

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?

6 . The legal age to drive a car in the United States is 16. Getting a driver’s license on the day you turn 16 has long been a major life event for many young people in America.

But interest in driving among today’s teenagers has dropped sharply over the past 35 years. In 1983, 80 percent of 18-year-olds in America had a driver’s license — the document that permits a person to drive a motor vehicle. By 2018, that number had dropped to 61 percent. Among 16-year-olds, the number decreased from 46 percent in 1983 to 25 percent in 2018.

Young people say they have many reasons for delaying or avoiding getting a driver’s license. Some choose more environmentally friendly transportation choices. Others find driving to be stressful. And some simply do not care about cars at all.

Carmakers want to make their vehicles more attractive to young people. They seek to make cars more interesting to a generation raised on technology.

Mark Rushbrook is global director of Ford Performance Motorsports. “A big screen” is what today’s teen drivers want, he said. “I think what is important to them is staying connected in a safe way,” Rushbrook said. “The vehicle is an extension (延伸) of their iPhone or their screen device, they want to stay connected and bring their music and everything else with them into the car.”

Mark Reuss is president of General Motors. He said he believes there is still a market for young people who care about more than just their music and connectivity (连接功能). “You still have to deliver connectivity in something people love to look at and be seen in.” he said. “That generation has not been lost. They still want a great looking car...” He added, “There’s lots of different ways to make cars appealing and that doesn’t go away.”

1. How is paragraph 2 developed?

A．By giving examples.	B．By following the time line.
C．By giving reasons.	D．By making comparisons.

2. Which can be a reason for young people avoiding getting driving licenses?

A．Feeling anxious when driving.	B．Lacking a sense of direction.
C．Not caring about the environment.	D．Hating public transportation.

3. What can be inferred from Rushbrook’s words?

A．Smarter cars will attract teens more.

B．Cars with iPhones are being expected.

C．Music connectivity is the most important for teens.

D．The car screen will be bigger and bigger.

4. How does Mark Reuss say about young people?

A．They are not the biggest customers.	B．They prefer to drive in different ways.
C．They still want good-looking vehicles.	D．They will never change their driving taste.

7 . 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.

2. What does the underlined word “retreated” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Cycled in.

B．Moved away.

C．Crawled backward.

D．Drove forward.

3. Why did Zhou decide not to catch the robber himself?

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.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

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

8 . 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.

2. What concerned Tabitha Persaud before the concert?

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.

3. What does the underlined part “hit them up” in the paragraph 4 mean?

A．Cheer them up.	B．Ask them for help.
C．Teach them a lesson.	D．Compete with them.

4. How did Amy Kunz respond to Headmaster Fraser’s behavior?

A．Grateful.

B．Curious.

C．Doubtful.

D．Worried

9 . I’m Jack. I live on Renmin Road in Shanghai.There are six pay phone booths in my neighborhood. Many people like to visit the booths.They don’t make phone calls.They go there to read books.The booths are now small libraries.

There are three kinds of booth libraries.One is Library Booth. People can take the books in the booth.When they finish reading,they need to bring the books back.One is Celebrity (名流) Exhibition Hall. In the booth, people can learn about some great people, like Ba Jin and Ke Ling. The last one is One Book Booth. There is always a new book in it.

Now there are over 200 booth libraries in Shanghai. People love them very much. “They are fantastic places to enjoy reading and have a rest,” they say. Can people use the phones in the booths？Sure! And they can make emergency (紧急的) calls, like 110 and 120 for free.

1. Many people go to the pay phone booths to ______ .

A．make phone calls	B．read books
C．meet friends	D．learn some people

2. From the reading,we know Ke Ling is ______ .

A．a great person	B．Jack’s friend
C．a student in Shanghai	D．a common man

3. The passage mainly talks about ______ .

A．my life in Shanghai	B．how to make emergency calls
C．some famous people	D．the booth libraries in Shanghai

10 . We’ll finally grow up someday, leaving our parents and facing the challenges in life. Parents may not be able to solve every problem for us. Instead, we should have enough life skills to deal with the problems that come our way.

This is what our country tries to do now: Helping more students gain working spirit.To stress the importance of hardworking spirit education among students of different ages, the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council released a guideline recently.The guideline calls for students to respect work.Students should learn basic life skills and form good working habits through such education.

The government has been trying to stress the importance of hardworking spirit education. But this has been overlooked in recent years.Many teens do not value the importance of working hard and are uninterested in doing so. According to a study of nearly 3,000 students that was done by Ningbo Evening News in March, only 22 percent of primary and middle school students help with everyday chores around the house.

Schools and families play an important role in teaching students about the value of working hard, the guideline says. Primary and middle schools should provide students with hardworking spirit classes every week, according to the guideline. Schools can also hold activities to give students real- world work experiences.For example , schools can teach children how to plant trees on Tree-Planting Day.

As children’s first teachers, parents should also encourage children to learn how to do chores at home. Students should master one or two life skills every year.

These skills can include cooking,washing their own clothes and tidying their rooms.
1. The guideline was released in order to ______ .

A．teach students how to do chores at home	B．call for students to respect work
C．help students solve life problems	D．ask students to be more independent

2. What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Challenges in life.	B．Basic life skills.
C．The recently released guideline.	D．Hardworking spirit education.

3. What is Paragraph 3 trying to tell us?

A．Only 3,000 students help with housework.

B．Students pay no attention to work spirit.

C．About one- fifth of students help with housework.

D．Students are very dependent on their parents.

4. According to the guideline,schools should ______ .

A．provide both guidance and chances for real work	B．hand out the guideline to every student
C．teach students how to plant trees	D．give parents homework