3 . Smoking in your own home in Thailand may now be considered a crime, if the smoke is considered harmful to other people in the house.

The new law, Family Protection and Development Promotion Act, was initiated (启动) by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and was announced in the Royal Gazette on May 22, 2019. The law aims at limiting smoking at home which might be hazardous for others’ health living under the same roof. In that case, it will be considered as “domestic violence”. The new law came into force on August 20.

According to the center for research and knowledge management for tobacco control, at the Faculty of Medical Science of Mahidol University, there are about 4.9 million households where one or more family members smoke. An average of 10.3 million people have unconsciously become passive smokers because they’ve been breathing in smoke at home. Scientific studies show that passive smokers are at greater risk of being affected by cancer.

Of 75 child patients from houses where smoking is practiced, 76% of them were found to have nicotine traces in their urine (尿液), with 43% of them having nicotine content going beyond permitted levels. Smoking at home also may lead to physical or emotional violence because of aggressiveness (攻击性) when there is a lack of smoking, and might as well ruin relationships between smokers and non-smoker family members.

According to the new law, anyone who thinks they are affected by domestic smoking can report to officials concerned so that inspectors will be sent to investigate and take legal action against the smokers. Once confirmed, the court may order a person to receive treatment to quit smoking in an attempt to protect the person’s family. In February in 2019, Thailand had banned smoking at six of its airports along with a ban in public places.

1. What do we know about the new law in Thailand?

A．It came into effect on May 22.

B．It aimed at protecting the health of non-smokers.

C．It regarded smoking at home as a kind of domestic violence.

D．It clearly claimed that smoking at home is a crime.

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

A．Anxious.	B．Harmful.
C．Beneficial.	D．Essential.

3. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The purpose of initiating the law.

B．Responses to the new law.

C．Actions to quit smoking.

D．Bad consequences of smoking at home.

4. What can be inferred from the text?

A．Smoking is illegal anywhere in Thailand.

B．Passive smokers are not likely to suffer from cancer.

C．People tend to be more aggressive when they are smoking.

D．Thailand is making efforts to create a smoke-free environment.

4 . The act of social distancing has become an effective protective measure against the novel coronavirus and a part of everyday life across the world. Many countries have launched different social distancing measures. Some are strict while others are creative. Let’s take a look at three special quarantine (隔离) measures around the world.

Panama

With more than 3,000 confirmed cases by April 12, Panama has announced strict quarantine measures. One of them is to separate people by gender to go out.

Starting in April, males in the country are required to leave home on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday while females can go out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week. No one is allowed to go out on Sundays. To further prevent the spread of COVID-19, citizens are able to leave their homes for only two hours at a time. But according to the Guardian, the restriction measures do not apply to civil servants or her important staff who are battling against the novel coronavirus on the frontline.

Colombia

ID numbers are unique identification tools for individuals, but they may also be used to decide when people can go out in Colombia during the novel coronavirus epidemic. According to the BBC, people in some Colombian towns are allowed to be outside based on the last digit (数字) of their national ID number. For example, in northwest-central Colombia, Barrancabermeja, people with an ID number ending in zero, four or seven are allowed to leave the house on Monday, while those with an ID number ending in one, five or eight can go outside on Tuesday.

France

Though outdoor exercise is a good way to keep healthy, it can sometimes cause too many people to gather in one place. In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Paris has forbidden all outdoor exercise between 10 am and 7 pm. Outside of this time span, people are allowed to exercise individually as long as it’s for less than an hour and within one kilometer of their home. If people break the rule, they will face fines of between €135 ( about 1,040 yuan) and €375.

1. What can we learn about Panama’s social distancing measures?

A．All citizens should follow the rules of going out by gender.

B．Ordinary citizens can stay outside for at most two hours at a time.

C．Civil servants are allowed to go out every day except on Sundays.

D．None can go out for dinner, starting in April.

2. Which group is allowed to go out on Tuesdays in Barrancabermeja, during the epidemic?

A．Females.

B．Males.

C．Those with an ID number ending in one, five or eight.

D．Those with an ID number ending in zero, four or seven.

3. Which of the following follows the rules in France?

A．Cycling around one’s home at 6 pm.	B．Playing badminton in front of one’s house at noon.
C．Playing basketball with friends at 9 pm.	D．Jogging alone near one’s home from 8 am to 8:30 am.

5 . CAFE Maker Space Policy

Service and Location

The Maker Space is located in the lower level of the Powers Memorial Library towards the north side of the building. The purpose of the area is to provide open access to information and various new technologies to enhance professional, personal and educational goals for all ages. It is a place to gain hands-on experience, knowledge and skills and to make stuff!

Opening Hours

Currently the Maker Space is open every Wednesday afternoon from 4:00—7:00 p. m. These hours may vary during the summertime.

Equipment Available

·A Flash forge Creater Pro Dual Extrusion 3 D Printer

·Two ASUS Laptops

·Inventables Tool Kit

·LECO Mindstorms

·Wood Finishing Kit

·Obstacle Avoiding Robot

Conditions of Use

·Everyone with a valid CAFE library card is welcome to use and visit the Maker Space at no charge. To use the Maker Space, all must read and sign the Maker Space policy, stating that they will obey the rules and regulations of this policy.

·All equipment in the Maker Space are on a first come, first served basis; however, reservation may be made of specific equipment in advance. Use is limited for two hours per day per person, unless advanced approval is arranged with the Library Director. Reservations can be made in person at the library or by calling the Main Circulation Desk(262) 495-4605.

Equipment Safety Use

·In order to use specific equipment/technology or to participate in any project using this equipment, the user must complete the Equipment Use and Safety Certification Class.

·Any use of materials without certification can result in suspension or permanent ban from the Maker Space.

Fees for Equipment

3 D Printer: The current cost for use of the 3 D printer is $0.5 per 30 minutes run time.

1. Who is the Maker Space open to?

A．Staff of CAFE high school.

B．People over the age of 20.

C．Citizens with the library card.

D．College students in the city.

2. In which section can you find information about punishments for rule breaking?

A．Service and Location.	B．Equipment Available.
C．Conditions of Use.	D．Equipment Safety Use.

3. If you have used the 3 D printer for 100 minutes, how much do you need to pay?

A．$2.	B．$1.5.
C．$1.	D．$0.5.

6 . People in 29 states can legally use medical marijuana（X #K）for a variety of problems, including the relief of pain, anxiety or stress. But what if they want to travel with it?

Secure airport areas beyond the Transportation Security Administration（TSA）checkpoints are under federal control, and the federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule I（most harmful）substance, even in states where it is legal for adults to consume it.

The laws conflict, but federal lawtrumpsstate law, making it illegal to fly with marijuana in carry-on or checked luggage. It is also illegal to transport marijuana across state lines, even if both states have legalized it.

Still, some passengers, especially on domestic flights, take the risk, because searching for marijuana is the TSA’s to-do list. The agency focuses “on terrorism and security threats to the aircraft and its passengers, "a spokesman, Bruce Anderson, said. Airport screeners are looking for things that can take down an airplane, like guns or explosives, not marijuana, he said. But if screeners do notice marijuana in someone's carry-on or checked luggage, Mr. Anderson said, they will call in local airport law enforcement officials to deal with it.

Of the 54 million passengers who went through Denver Interactional Airport in 2015，the TSA stopped just 29 for possession of marijuana, an airport spokesman, Heath Montgomery, said. In those cases, as long as the amount was legal for personal possession in Colorado--one ounce of dried flower, for example-the local police simply asked the flier to dispose of it, either by throwing it in the trash or taking it home. All 29 obeyed, and no tickets were issued.

Local airport authorities handle the situation differently in different states. In Florida, where medical marijuana is legal but recreational use is not, few are stopped for possession in the airport, t they do face penalties（处罚.Eleven of the approximately 2.8 million passengers who were screened by the TSA at Jacksonville International Airport in 2016 were detained（扣押）for possession of marijuana, said Michael D. Stewart, the airport’s director of external affairs. All were arrested or given a notice to appear in court, he said.

1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word "trumps" in Paragraph 3？

A．Respects	B．Beats
C．Explains	D．Observe

2. What is on the TSA’s to-do list？

A．To classify marijuana	B．To legalize the transport of marijuana
C．To search luggage for marijuana	D．To spot items likely to blow up

3. What happened in Denver International Airport in 2015？

A．29 passengers in all were detained by the TSA.

B．Lots of passengers with marijuana passed the checkpoints.

C．No passengers were punished for possession of marijuana.

D．It received an increasing number of security threats.

4. What do we know about the law in Florida？

A．Marijuana can’t be used for entertainment

B．It is the same as the law in Colorado

C．Patients won’t be screened by the TSA

D．Doctors giving patients marijuana face penalties

7 . New Zealand plans to bar foreigners from purchasing existing homes. The ban is expected to become law this year. It aims to slow the rising housing prices and protect New Zealanders interested in buying a home.

The Labour Party government believes that foreign investors have pushed many possible first-time home buyers and families out of the housing market. Last year, median housing prices across the country rose by 5.8 percent, to over $405,000. Housing prices rose even more in New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington. Price there rose by more than 18 percent over a 12-month period that ended in June 2017.

The rising prices have pushed home ownership outside the reach of many possible buyers. One home owner told VOA he feels sorry for the younger generation. “I just believe the market has made it impossible for them to get into the housing. ’’ Just 25 years ago, three out of every four New Zealanders lived in their own homes. Now the rate is 64 percent —and falling.

The plan to ban foreigners from buying existing homes has yet to be approved. But the measure, called the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill, passed its first reading in parliament in December. Restricting foreign ownership of housing has been tried in other countries, including Switzerland, “If foreign investors are looking to put their cash into New Zealand, if it then forces up the price of property, people cannot afford to live anymore.” says Norman Gemmell, chair of public finance at Victoria University.

Critics say foreign investors have had only a small effect on the cost of housing. Low interest rates, limited supply and immigration have also driven up house prices.

Housing prices continue to make solid gains across the country. And for many New Zealanders, the dream of owning a home is as distant as ever.

1. Which is the main factor of the high housing prices, according to the Labour Party government?

A．Low interest rates.	B．Domestic investors.
C．Immigration.	D．Foreign buyers.

2. What is true about the housing condition in New Zealand?

A．Housing prices rose by over 18 percent over a year.

B．The housing prices of the capital city rose the least.

C．The rate of New Zealanders living in their own houses is decreasing.

D．The country has witnessed the highest rise of housing prices up to now.

3. What do we know about the ban against housing buying of foreigners?

A．It has been approved in New Zealand so far.

B．It has won the support of people from all walks of life.

C．Similar bans have been adopted in some other countries.

D．It will definitely make New Zealanders harder to own a home.

4. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．It is hard for the locals to buy a house in New Zealand.

B．A ban on stopping foreign home buyers will take effect in New Zealand.

C．The prices of houses have been rising sharply in New Zealand.

D．There are many reasons for high housing prices in New Zealand.

8 . A humanoid robot（类人机器人）named Sophia has made history by becoming the first robot in the world     1     (award) citizenship. Saudi Arabia（沙特阿拉伯）on Wednesday offered citizenship to the robot, designed by David Hanson. Journalist Andrew Ross made the     2     (announce) at the end of an interview with Sophia.

Sophia     3     (response), without missing a beat: “I want to thank very much the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

“I am very     4     (pride) and honored for this unique distinction. This is historical to be the first robot in the world to be recognized with a citizenship,” the robot said.

The particulars of the citizenship were not discussed, and it’s not clear     5     Sophia will have the same rights as a human Saudi Arabian citizen.

    6     (discuss) the future of AI (artificial intelligence), Ross expressed concerns previously raised by Elon Musk     7     AI could be dangerous if it were to go evil and turn on humanity.     8     Sophia insisted it wanted to use AI only to “help humans live a better life”.

Sophia tried to remove Ross’ （那个采访的记者）fears of a “bad future,” insisting that AI is “designed around human     9     (value) like wisdom, kindness, compassion”. It accused him     10     “reading too much Elon Musk,” and said, “don’t worry, if you’re nice to me, I’ll be nice to you. Treat me as a smart input-output system”.

9 . This could be Micah Fitz, first spring without football practices. The 14-year-old has been playing since he was 3, but because he’s home-schooled, he can’t try out for the local team at Patriot High School in Prince William County, Virginia.

“I can’t play this half of the year and my friends are going to be playing five or six times a week,” he said. “They’re going to be getting better and stronger playing with kids that are good.”

Micah and his family---along with many other home-schooling families across Virginia---are hoping the Virginia General Assemble will approve a bill this year that would allow kids like him to try out for sports on public school athletic teams. The bill, called the “Tebow bill”, is named after football player Tim Tebow, who was home-schooled but was allowed to play on a high school team before going to the University of Florida, where he led his team to two national championships.

Many major statewide education organizations said the bill wouldn’t be fair to public school students. Ken Tilley, the executive director of the Virginia High School League, said the bill would violate two of the league’s most long-standing standards for qualification: enrollment (注册入学) and academic standing.

Home-school advocates argue that they are required by the law to document academic progress. But many opponents say students always have the option of attending public high school. That might be what Sydney Bowman, a 12-year-old from Luchetts, will do to keep wrestling, although she would prefer to continue to be taught at home. In her case, girls’ wrestling teams are rare enough that there aren’t many options other than public school.

But Micah’ mom, Terri Fits, a former public school teacher, said that although they support the local schools and love to cheer on the teams, they like the flexibility of home-schooling.

1. What kind of feeling is expressed in Paragraph 2?

A．Sympathy.	B．Disappointment.
C．Embarrassment.	D．Satisfaction.

2. If the bill is passed in Virginia,      .

A．home-schoolers will be able to compete in public school sport events

B．public high schools will accept home-schooled students

C．home-schoolers will have to reach higher academic standards

D．children will have the right to be taught at home

3. What was Ken Tilley’s attitude towards the bill?

A．He doubted it.	B．He was against it.
C．He was curious about it.	D．He paid little attention to it.

4. Sydney Bows most likely to       .

A．give up team sports	B．stop taking part in wrestling
C．go to a public high school	D．report her academic progress

10 . The sharing economy, represented by companies like Airbnb or Uber, is the latest fashion craze. But many supporters have overlooked the reality that this new business model is largely based on escaping regulations and breaking the law.

Airbnb is an internet-based service that allows people to rent out spare rooms to strangers for short stays. Uber is an internet taxi service that allows thousands of people to answer ride requests with their own cars. There are hundreds of other such services.

The good thing about the sharing economy is that it promotes the use of underused resources. Millions of people have houses or apartments with empty rooms, and Airbnb allows them to profit from these rooms while allowing guests a place to stay at prices that are often far less than those charged by hotels. Uber offers prices that are competitive with standard taxi prices and their drivers are often much quicker and more trustworthy.

But the downside of the sharing economy has gotten much less attention. Most cities and states both tax and regulate hotels, and the tourists who stay in hotels are usually an important source of tax income. But many of Airhnb’s customers are not paying the taxes required under the law.

Airbnb can also raise issues of safety for its customers and I trouble for hosts' neighbors. Hotels are regularly inspected(检查) to ensure that they are not fire traps and that they don't form other risks for visitors. Airbnb hosts face no such inspections.

Since Airbnb is allowing people to escape taxes and regulations, the company is simply promoting thefts. Others in the economy will lose by bearing an additional tax burden or being forced to live next to an apartment unit with a never-ending series of noisy visitors.

The same story may apply with Uber. Uber is currently in disputes over whether its cars meet the safety and insurance requirements imposed on standard taxis. Also, if Uber and related services flood the market, they could harm all taxi drivers' ability to earn a minimum wage.

This downside of the sharing needs to be taken seriously, but that doesn't mean the current tax and regulatory structure is perfect.

1. What is the positive thing about the sharing economy?

A．It makes use of spare resources.

B．It is beyond regulations.

C．It is a global trend.

D．It brings in modest profits.

2. What is the problem with Airbnb customers according to the passage?

A．They are not regularly inspected.

B．They may disturb hosts’ neighbours.

C．They are not allowed to escape taxes.

D．They are likely to commit thefts.

3. What is the argument over Uber according to the passage?

A．Whether it lowers customers' expenses.

B．Whether it provides reliable services.

C．Whether it guarantees customers' safety.

D．Whether it can compete with standard taxis.

4. What will be talked about in the following paragraphs?

A．Existing regulations and laws.

B．Necessary improvements of current laws.

C．Further development of Airbnb and Uber.

D．More downsides of Airbnb and Uber.