1 . A state in Australia is fixing cameras as part of an effort to reduce the number of people using wireless devices (设备) while they drive. Road safety experts are worried about the growing number of accidents because of drivers using smartphones on the state’s roads. They say drivers who use phones while driving greatly increase their chances of causing an accident.
The units use AI to set aside drivers who are not touching their phones. Human beings then make sure if the pictures show illegal behavior before a notice is sent to the vehicle’s owner. A violation (违反) carries a fine of $232. Some cameras will be set up on roadsides forever. Others will be moved, from time to time, around the state.
Two fixed cameras took photos of 8. 5 million vehicles as part of a six-month test earlier this year. The cameras took photos of more than 100, 000 drivers with their hands on phones. One driver was using a phone and an Apple iPad at the same time. Another driver had a passenger guide the vehicle while they both held phones.
Not everyone agrees with the new program. Peter Khoury is a member of Australia’s National Rosds and Motorists’ Association. He accused (谴责) the government of using secret methods to cut down on phone that does not follow the law. The association supports stricter action against drivers who pay too much attention to their phones. However, the association wants the government to set up signs warning drivers that phone cameras are operating in an area.
Government modeling found that the phone cameras could prevent 100 deaths and serious injuries over five years.
Drivers are allowed to use phones in hands-free carriers and through wireless connections (连接). But it does not follow the law to touch a phone while driving except to pass it to a passenger. Drivers who are sitting at red lights or stopped in heavy traffic should also follow the new law.
1. Why is the Australian state setting up cameras on the roads?| A．To protect drivers. |
| B．To warn drivers of traffic jams. |
| C．To encourage the use of phones. |
| D．To reduce traffic accidents. |
| A．Drivers holding a phone. |
| B．Drivers touching their nose. |
| C．Passengers talking with the driver. |
| D．Passengers using two devices at the same time. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Against. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Supportive. |
| A．Use a passenger’s phone. | B．Touch the phone at red lights. |
| C．Ask passengers to answer the phone. | D．Make a phone call while trapped in traffic. |
2 . Chimney swift (烟囱雨燕) numbers have fallen by more than 70 percent since the 1960s, scientists believe, and by more than one-third over the past 16 years. That large drop have made the International Union for the Conversation of Nature regard chimney swifts as“vulnerable(脆弱的)”. That is the last step before they are considered “endangered”.
Chimney swift numbers are becoming smaller as the shape and design of the nation’s buildings change. People are tearing down old factory buildings and schools. Many of these buildings have chimneys. Today, most American homes do not have chimneys. And many homeowners who do have chimneys cover up the top to keep out.
People across the United States are putting up tall, narrow buildings to help chimney swifts. They hope they will use these buildings as nesting areas and resting places.
Bird lovers, Georgean and Paul Kyle, are often praised for starting the present interest in building towers. “It does give us hope that if we put them up, they will use them,” the Kyles said. They have put up more than 100 towers in Central Texas. Eighty percent of those buildings before the birds’ March arrival get nests in their first year. Hundreds of migrating swifts make use of the towers.
But the link between the drop in chimney swift numbers and chimney loss is not clear. The flying insects that swifts eat also appear to be dropping.
Professor Rubega thinks the cause of the birds’ drop could be in South America. “Chimney swifts are basically a South American bird that stays in North America for four months, ” she said. Rubega said a big problem is that scientists have only a few reports of small numbers of chimney swifts in the upper Amazon Basin. So, they do not really know where the little birds spend the winter, let alone what may be happening to them there.
1. Where are chimney swifts used to living?| A．In rooms with humans. | B．In useless old buildings. |
| C．In the woods near villages. | D．In chimneys of buildings. |
| A．Give them much food. | B．Build homes for them. |
| C．Add chimneys to new houses. | D．Open chimneys for them to get in. |
| A．Chimney swifts suffer a lot in South America. |
| B．It’s necessary to build homes for chimney swifts. |
| C．Scientists know only a little about chimney swifts. |
| D．Chimney loss has nothing to do with the birds. |
| A．Chimney Swifts Numbers Are Dropping |
| B．Chimney Swifts Will Change Their Lifestyle |
| C．Chimney Swifts Prefer Their New Homes |
| D．Chimney Swifts Live in Peace with Humans |
3 . A new study has found that the number of young Americans who watch online videos each day has more than doubled in the past four years. The findings were based on a survey of about 1,700 young people aged 8 to 18.
Fifty-six percent of 8 to 12-year-olds taking part in the survey said they watched online videos each day. That rate (比率) jumped to 69 percent for 13 to 18-year-olds. A 2015 survey by Common Sense Media found the rate was 24 percent for 8 to 12-year-olds and 34 percent for 13 to 18-year-olds.
The survey found that overall screen time for young Americans did not change much over the past four years. On average, preteens spent just under five hours of screen time on devices (设备) each day. Teens had about seven and a half hours of screen time. The numbers did not include time young people spent doing homework, reading books or listening to music.
The findings suggest a continuing change by young people to move away from traditional television to streaming video services on their phones and other personal devices.
In answer to the survey, YouTube said the company is rethinking the way it deals with children and families. A spokesman for YouTube, Farshad Shadloo, repeated the company’s terms of use on age: "YouTube is not a site for people under 13. The company said YouTube Kids and its restriction tools are designed to limit (限制) site usage for preteens. But experts say it is easy for many children to get to the videos they want to watch, whether on YouTube or another streaming service.
Sarah Domoff is a professor at Central Michigan University who studies the effects of technology on youth and families. She told the AP that parents often do not have the time or skills to limit what their children are watching effectively.
1. What are the rates in paragraph 2 about?| A．Ages of different kids. | B．Screen time kids spend. |
| C．Kids taking part in the survey. | D．Kids watching online videos. |
| A．It has increased fast. | B．It has dropped sharply. |
| C．It remains almost the same. | D．It continues to change quickly. |
| A．Useless. | B．Wise. | C．Effective. | D．Unfair. |
| A．More and More Kids Do Their Homework on Devices |
| B．American Kids Are Spending Too Much on Online Videos |
| C．Parents Are Worrying About Children’s Use of the Internet |
| D．Number of Kids Watching Online Videos Doubled in 4 Years |
4 . When you were at school, the last thing you probably wanted to do was to spend your weekends going to work. There was homework to do, sports to play and fun to have. But our parents probably persuaded us to find a job to earn some money and get some life experience. When I was a teenager I delivered newspapers to people’s homes. I then progressed to a Saturday job in a supermarket: stacking shelves and working at the checkout.
Today in the UK you are allowed to work from the age of 13, and many children do take up part-time jobs. It’s one of those things that are seen almost as a rite of passage(成人仪式). It’s a taste of independence and sometimes a useful thing to put on your CV(简历). Teenagers agree that it teaches valuable lessons about working with adults and also about managing their money.
Some research has shown that not taking up a Saturday or holiday job could be deleterious to a person later on. A 2015 study by the UK Commission on Employment and Skills found that not participating in part-time work at school age had been blamed by employer’s organizations for young adults being ill-prepared for full-time employment, but despite this, recent statistics have shown that the number of schoolchildren in the UK with a part-time job has fallen by a fifth in the past five years.
So, does this mean that British teenagers are now afraid of hard work? Probably not. Some experts feel that young people feel going out to work will affect their performance at school, and they are under more pressure now to study hard and get good exam results and a good job in the long term. However, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told BBC News that “Properly regulated part-time work is a good way of helping young people learn skills that they will need in their working lives.” In reality, it’s all about getting the right balance between doing part-time work and having enough time to study and rest.
1. How did the author feel about doing part-time jobs on weekends when he was a teenager?| A．Delighted. | B．Interested. | C．Unwilling. | D．Angry. |
| A．Learning to be independent. | B．Gaining some life experience. |
| C．Being prepared for future jobs. | D．Spending what they earn as they like. |
| A．Valuable. | B．Harmful. | C．Necessary. | D．Impossible. |
| A．Students should spend all their time on studies. |
| B．Students should have as many part-time jobs as possible. |
| C．Doing part-time jobs must affect students’ school results. |
| D．It’s important for students to balance part-time jobs and studies. |
5 . “Preventing obesity and smoking can save lives, but it doesn’t save money,”reported researchers. “ It was a small surprise, for it is against the common belief,” said Pieter van Baal, who led the study. “But it makes sense. If you live longer, then your costs of the health system will be more.”
The researchers found that from age 20 to 56, fat people had the most expensive health costs. But on average, healthy people lived 84 years. Smokers lived about 77 years, and fat people about 80 years. Smokers and fat people tended to have more heart disease than healthy people. Therefore, in the long run, the thin and healthy group spent about $417,000, from age 20 on. Smokers spent about $ 326,000 and fat people $371,000.
“The result throws a bucket of cold water onto the idea, based on guesswork, that obesity is going to cost trillions of dollars,” said Patrick Basham, a professor of health politics. “If we’re going to worry about the future of obesity, we should stop worrying about its financial impact,” he said.
“The benefit of obesity prevention may not be seen immediately in terms of cost saving in tomorrow’s budget, but there are long-term gains,” said Baal. “These are often immeasurable when it comes to people living longer and healthier lives.” In the meanwhile, he said that governments should recognize that successful smoking and obesity prevention programs mean that people will have a higher chance of dying of something more expensive later in life.
“Lung cancer is a cheap disease to treat because people don’t survive very long. But if they are old enough to get Alzheimer’s(早年性痴呆症) one day, they may survive longer and cost more. We are not advising that governments stop trying to prevent obesity,” Baal said.” But they should do it for the right reasons.”
1. Among middle-aged people, whose costs of the health system is the most?| A．Those who are heavy smokers. |
| B．Those who are overweight. |
| C．Those who are too thin. |
| D．Those who are suffering from heart attacks. |
| A．It turns out to be innocent. |
| B．It comes from scientific studies. |
| C．It is based on medical evidence. |
| D．It has changed over the past years. |
| A．reducing the risk of suffering cancer |
| B．weakening obesity’s financial impact |
| C．making sure of people’s long and healthy life |
| D．reducing the money spent on medical programs |
| A．A Recent Medical Study Shows the Truth about Health |
| B．Preventing Obesity and Smoking May Cost More |
| C．Obesity and Smoking Lead to Expensive Diseases |
| D．Governments Change Attitude towards Obesity and Smoking |
6 . One form of social prejudice (偏见) against older people is the belief that they cannot understand or use modern technology. Activities like playing computer games, going on the Net and downloading MP3s are only for the youngsters. Isn’t it unfair that older people enjoying a computer game should be frowned upon (反对) by their children and grandchildren?
Nowadays older people have more control over their lives and they play a full part in society. Moreover, better health care has let more people in their sixties and seventies feeling fit and active after retirement. Mental activity, as well as physical exercise, can contribute to better health. Playing computer games is a very effective way of exercising the brain. So that’s why grey gamers are often seen now.
When personal computers were first introduced, most older people didn’t believe they would ever get familiar with them. Now computers have been around for a few generations and retired people have gradually become more relaxed about using them for fun. Gamers over 65 prefer playing puzzle games and card games. Kate Stevens, aged 72, says, “I find it very relaxing. It’s not very demanding, but you still need to concentrate.”
Another development that has favored “grey games” is a change in the type of video games available on the market. There’s a greater variety of games to choose from, including more intellectual and complex strategy and simulation (模拟) games. For example, Internet Chess and Train Simulator are among the most popular of these. Train Simulator is based on real — world rail activities. Players can choose from a variety of challengers, such as keeping to a strict timetable and using helper engines during a winter storm.
Some people argue that “grey gamers” simply don’t have the skills required for computer games, and that teenagers are better. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Most computer games require the kind of analytical thinking that improves with practice, which means that the “grey gamers” may well be far better than the young. In games where speed is the main consideration, older people would be at a disadvantage because they may have slower reaction. time. On the other hand, “grey gamers” have a preference for slower — paced, mind challenging games.
1. The second paragraph is intended to___________.| A．show the best way to exercise the brain | B．stress the importance of good health |
| C．explain why grey gamers exist | D．teach how to play video games |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Concerned. | C．Enthusiastic. | D．Supportive. |
| A．offering numbers | B．giving examples | C．making comparisons | D．providing details |
| A．mind challenging games are not suitable for older people |
| B．teenagers should improve their skills with practice |
| C．playing computer games requires analytical thinking |
| D．older people may perform well in computer games |
7 . Kids are three times more likely to choose to be Internet celebrities (名人) than astronauts, a survey found recently. Many are already on their way - more and more children are now making and sharing videos on social media.
Meanwhile, education experts worry that going after Internet fame won’t be good for children in the long run. Their biggest concern is that kids don’t know how being on the Internet today might affect them in the future. The parts of the brain that people use to make decisions don’t fully mature until around age 25, so children cannot imagine how their future might be affected by what they share now.
What’s worse, some parents, who are crazy about becoming famous on their own, can’t watch out for the best interests of their own children. A young mother, Michelle Hobson, was accused of starving and kicking her children when they didn’t do what she wished for in the videos. She was charged with child abuse and ordered to distance herself from kids.
Keeping famous on the Internet takes much time and patience, too. It can distract students away from homework, sports and other activities. For example, one of the superstars, 14-year-old Emma Garza, dropped out of school to become a Vlogger (video blogger). She said that making videos was so tough that she couldn’t make time for study and even suffered back pain and weakening eyesight.
Although we don’t yet know the effects on a child’s development by constantly performing to entertain others, we can easily imagine that the effort to attract viewers will be less helpful to a kid, compared with spending that time reading a book. For a kid today, becoming an Internet superstar might not only be more popular than being an astronaut. It might also be more dangerous.
1. What problem is discussed in Paragraph 1?| A．Internet affects kids’ growth. | B．Young kids seek Internet fame. |
| C．Social media mislead children. | D．Children watch too many videos. |
| A．Security. | B．Family. | C．Study. | D．Future. |
| A．To highlight her success. | B．To introduce a new career. |
| C．To show the impact on students. | D．To encourage kids to be Vloggers. |
| A．Exciting. | B．Doubtful. | C．Beneficial. | D．Negative. |
8 . The hit movie Notting Hill begins with a famous scene. Hugh Grant bumps into Julia Roberts and spills orange juice all over her. After the collision, Grant repeatedly says, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”
His actions in this scene are very British. If Roberts’ character were from the Britain, then she would probably apologize repeatedly as well—even if the crash were not her fault. But this doesn’t happen in the movie, as Roberts is from the US.
A report in The Telegraph once said that three quarters of British people apologize when they bump into someone in the street—regardless of whether they are responsible or not. In fact, Britons use “sorry” in many situations. For example, if they mishear someone, they say “Sorry?” The person they are talking to will also apologize by replying, “No, I am sorry!” This can go on for up to five minutes as they compete over who is the most sorry.
Why are Britons so sorry? Mark Tyrell, a psychology writer in the UK, thinks that their apologetic tendencies are rooted in British class system. “We say sorry because historically the new middle class in Britain had to apologize for not being the working class, but also for really being the upper class.” Another theory is that they apologize to avoid conflicts. For example, if they bump into someone, he might get angry. To avoid this, they instantly say “Sorry!”
True manners are about being considerate, and today’s constant use of apologizing shows that we are perhaps not as thoughtful as we once were. The word “sorry” has lost some of its meaning.
Do you see my point? Sorry, it might just be a British thing.
1. Why does the author mention a scene in the movie Notting Hill at the beginning?| A．To give an example of British modesty. |
| B．To introduce different ways of saying sorry. |
| C．To show what kind of men are considered gentlemen in the UK. |
| D．To draw our attention to when and how British people say sorry. |
| A．People should not apologize if they are not responsible. |
| B．Americans care less about manners than British people do. |
| C．That British people apologize so much is linked to the class system. |
| D．British people care too much about which social class they are from. |
| A．It’s unnecessary for British people to be so polite. |
| B．The overuse of apologizing shows Britons are truly sincere. |
| C．People should not stick to the traditional use of the word “sorry”. |
| D．Using “sorry” more doesn’t necessarily mean people are more polite. |
| A．To show the best way of saying sorry. |
| B．To explain why Britons overuse the word “sorry”. |
| C．To show how saying sorry has changed over time. |
| D．To suggest many British people lack traditional manners. |
9 . 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. |
10 . With the development of our society, cellphones have become a common part in our lives. Have you ever run into a careless cellphone user in the street? Maybe they were busy talking, texting or checking updates on WeChat without looking at what was going on around them. As the number of this new "species" of human has kept rising, they have been given a new name—phubbers (低头族).
Recently a cartoon created by students from China Central Academy of Fine Arts put this group of people under the spotlight. In the short film, phubbers with various social identities bury themselves in their phones. A doctor plays with his cellphone while letting his patient die. A pretty woman takes a selfie (自拍) in front of a car accident site. And a father loses his child without knowing about it while using his mobile phone. A chain of similar events will finally lead to the destruction(毁灭) of the world.
Although the ending of the film sounds unrealistic, the damage phubbing can bring is real. Your health is the first to bear the effect and the result of it. "Always bending your head to check your cellphone could damage your neck," Guangming Daily quoted doctors' words. "The neck is like a rope that breaks after long-term stretching." Also, staring at cellphones for a long time will damage your eyesight gradually, according to the report.
But that's not all. Being a phubber could also damage your social skills and drive you away from your friends and family. When getting together with family or friends, many people prefer to play their cellphones while others are chatting happily with each other and this creates a strange atmosphere, Qilu Evening News reported.
It can also cost your life. There have been lots of reports on phubbers who fell to their death, suffered accidents, and were robbed of their cellphones in broad daylight.
1. Why does the author give the example of a cartoon in Paragraph 2?| A．To suggest phubbers will destroy the world. |
| B．To call for people to go walking without phones. |
| C．To tell people the bad effects of phubbing. |
| D．To advise students to create more cartoons like this. |
① Destructing the world.
② Affecting his social skills.
③ Damaging his neck and eyesight.
④ Getting separated from his friends and family.
| A．①②④ | B．②③④ | C．①③④ | D．①②③④ |
| A．Supportive. | B．Confident. | C．Disapproving. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．Ways to avoid the risks of phubbing. | B．Bad effects of phubbing. |
| C．Daily life of phubbers. | D．Behaviours of phubbers. |
