It is a common sight on campus or in the streets: a young person rides by on an electric scooter, traveling quickly and proudly. But Beijing’s traffic authorities have said that starting on Sept.5, people who are caught riding electric scooters on public roads or bicycle lanes will be fined 10 yuan. They will also be given a warning not to use the vehicles on public roads again.
The announcement was made after traffic police in Shanghai started a campaign to get electric scooters off public roads, with police officers stopping riders because the scooters could cause traffic problems.
The Beijing Consumer Association said it had tested more than 20 electric scooters of different brands recently and found that most had substandard brakes. It added that 16 of the tested scooters could go faster than the maximum 20 km per hour set for electric bikes. According to the traffic police, people who ride electric scooters at certain speeds can easily bump into the vehicles in the vehicle lane and hurt people who walk in the bicycle lanes.
But seeing the benefits that electric scooters have brought to young people, experts are worried that the ban may take effect slowly.
Electric scooters are a great answer to the ‘last mile problem’ of getting from a public transport station to one’s home. They’re light enough to throw over your shoulder. They’re easy to ride just about anywhere and don’t need a lot of physical effort. The scooter can travel 25 km on one charge. It’s convenient and easy to control.
They are also good for environment. Unlike cars and buses, electric scooters produce no carbon dioxide, need no fuel and make almost no noise.
For many young people, they use them to copy cool celebrities they have seen in videos.
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2 . Have you ever heard a rumor spread around by students at your school? Rumors, like fake news, can often misinform individuals and lead them to believe false information.
In an attempt to settle this problem, the country of Singapore has passed a bill that bans companies and individuals from publishing false information online.
This law, known as The Protection From Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Bill, has caused a public outcry (强烈的抗议), as the government has been given the power to remove content that it considers inaccurate or against the public’s interest.
Since Singapore’s citizens are part of different racial and religious groups, the government fears that rumors or fake news can increase tensions within an already small country.
With the new law coming into effect, Singapore’s government now has the authority to monitor news sites, social media platforms, and other databases of information to determine whether the content is falsified. The government can order for the removal of fake news, and publishers of this information can receive prison time and fines up to one million Singapore dollars!
Critics fear that the bill threatens their freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Since national issues and world news are generally discussed on online platforms, many are concerned that this new bill will prevent individuals from talking freely and having healthy conversations.
Several companies, including Google, Facebook, and Twitter, have offices situated in Singapore, meaning that the new law will affect their company operations. Social media companies in Singapore could face a decline in activity, as users may fear posting their opinions and being punished by the government.
Others are concerned that the law does not clearly state what a “false statement” is. Such an ambiguity might allow the government to misuse their power, even though the intention is to curtail the mow of false information and rumors throughout Singapore.
This law does give rise to several concerns related to freedom and privacy and it will be interesting to see what Singapore’s government will do to deal with this problem.
1. Why are some people against the bill?| A．They think the bill can’t get rid of fake news. |
| B．They belong to different racial and religious groups. |
| C．They think their freedom of speech may be harmed. |
| D．They don’t want to increase tensions in their country. |
| A．Punish publishers of fake news. |
| B．Monitor telephone conversations. |
| C．Prohibit certain people from going online. |
| D．Fine fake-news makers any amount of money. |
| A．Their users’ privacy may be disturbed. |
| B．Their income will increase very slowly. |
| C．Their illegal activities will come to light. |
| D．Their social media may become less active. |
| A．prove | B．accelerate |
| C．promote | D．decrease |
3 . Traveling by subway can sometimes be quite an adventure, especially during rush hour. There are the times when you have to avoid cups of coffee that could spill (溅) on you. The smells of some passengers’ food are very strong, too. According to the Beijing subway passenger regulations, which went into effect on May 15th, passengers except babies and the sick are no longer allowed to eat or drink on the subway. Violators (违反者) who do not stop after being asked to will be asked to get off. The violation will also be recorded in the violators’ credit record.
Some support the rule. The reason is that the smell of food and drink can annoy other passengers. “The smell of food fills the carriage, causing people discomfort, especially in the hot summer, Besides, eating on the subway produces rubbish. And on subway trains, people often spill their drinks,” said Zheng Yiou, 17, a student from Hefei.
However, others question this rule. “Some citizens live so far from their work places that they have limited time to have breakfast before they go to work. Eating while they travel saves them time and decreases the chance that they will be late for work,” He Songlin, a 17-year-old student from Chengdu said, “And some people, like those with low- blood sugar levels, get sick if they can’t eat when they must.”
Other Chinese cities like Nanjing and Chengdu have similar regulations. Some foreign cities also ban eating and drinking on the subway. For example, eating and drinking have long been banned on the subway in Washington DC. Singapore fines people who eat or drink on the subway up to 500 Singapore dollars, which is RMB 2,417 yuan.
Chen Yanyan, a professor from Beijing University of Technology, believed we should consider the need of some people to eat or drink on the subway. “Commuters (上班族) and travelers are sometimes too busy to eat. Maybe we could learn from Tokyo, where there are many subway stations equipped with services, allowing passengers to eat and drink,” she said.
1. In which city was subway passenger regulations carried out on May 15th?| A．Chengdu. | B．Nanjing. |
| C．Washington DC. | D．Beijing. |
| A．Eating on the subway. | B．Drinking on the subway. |
| C．Being fined up to 2417 yuan. | D．Being asked to get off the train. |
| A．Worried. | B．Sympathetic. |
| C．Doubtful. | D．Uninterested |
| A．Food and Drink Banned on Subway. |
| B．The Adventure of Subway Traveling |
| C．Ways to Eat and Drink on Subway. |
| D．The Services on Subway Stations |
4 . Moving to Orange County
If you're thinking of moving to Orange County, with its wealth of sandy beaches, wineries and tourist attractions then there’re several things that you’ll need to know.
Visas for the US
The US has a number of options, and if you are relocating due to work commitments or family ties, you’ll be alongside the majority of applicants.
A green card holder, for instance, can apply for an immigration visa for a spouse（配偶）or (unmarried) child. A US employer can apply on behalf of a non-national person, and there are five preference categories for companies sponsoring immigration visas, the majority of which require exceptional skills, master’s training or experience of a particular profession. If you are being sponsored by an employer, your spouse and any child under the age of 21 can apply for immigration visas alongside you.
Temporary worker visas, on the other hand, are typically easier, but still not necessarily easy, to obtain and allow for limited stays.
Finding accommodation
The three largest cities in the county are Anaheim, an industrial center, Santa Ana,10 miles from the coast with a perfect safety record, and Irvine, an wealthy planned city with a number of highly regarded schools. If you’re looking for a metropolitan lifestyle, expect to pay an average of 1,600 USD in rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center, rising to 2,900 USD a month for a family-size, three-bedroom apartment; an approximate 600 USD premium（溢价）on similar apartments outside of the city center.
If you would like to settle outside of a city, there are a number of suburbs in Orange County with plenty to offer young professionals and families. Perhaps one of the most renowned is Newport Beach, noted as one of the cleanest beaches in the county and famous for its many restaurants and fantastic schools. If you’re looking for an inland town, Aliso Viejo is an excellent option. This compact（紧凑的）town is easy to navigate and is ideal for young families.
1. If you want to get a US immigration visa, you must meet one of the requirements that ________.| A．you should have an unmarried child |
| B．your employer should be a non-national person |
| C．your spouse should be a lawful permanent resident |
| D．you should be qualified for five immigrant visa preference categories |
| A．a settler’s sponsor | B．a settler’s professional level |
| C．a settler’s company location | D．a settler’s needs and the type of lifestyle |
5 . The United States Congress is responsible for making and approving federal laws—rules that everyone in the country must follow.But exactly how do those laws get made? The process is not easy，and it takes a long time.
A law begins when someone puts forward an idea.The idea can come from anyone，but it has to get to a U.S.lawmaker who wants it to become legislation.In time，the idea is further developed into a written proposal，called a bill.
Then，a member of Congress officially proposes the bill.After the bill is introduced，it is sent to a small group of lawmakers，called a“committee”.Sometimes committee members seek more information about the proposal by holding hearings.Sometimes the committee changes the bill.Sometimes it decides not to take any action.In that case，we say lawmakers“table”the bill，or let it“die in committee”.
But now and then，the bill is offered to lawmakers not on the committee.Those lawmakers debate the bill further.They might change the bill again.Finally，the full House or Senate votes on the bill.If it does not earn the majority of votes，the bill does not advance.
Finally，the agreed-upon bill is sent to the president.If the president signs it，the bill becomes a law.If the president does nothing and Congress is officially meeting，the bill becomes a law.But if the president does nothing and Congress is not in session，the bill does not pass.Or the president can officially reject the bill.If that happens，the bill is not stopped.Instead，it is returned to both the Senate and the House.If two-thirds of the senators and two-thirds of the House members approve the bill once again，even with the president objecting，they turn the bill into a law.
1. Who is the first to propose a bill?| A．A lawyer. |
| B．A citizen. |
| C．A member of Congress. |
| D．A committee member. |
| A．After it is sent to a committee. |
| B．When the president signs it. |
| C．After it returns to the Congress. |
| D．While Congress is not in session. |
| A．Not every bill can be turned into a law. |
| B．Anybody can put forward a proposal. |
| C．If“tabled”，the bill has to be voted on. |
| D．Once proposed，the bill can't be changed. |
6 . Parking Information
There is a mix of paid and free parking on Granville Island. Below you will find all relevant information to parking and traffic management.
FREE PARKING STALLS（停车位）
Free parking throughout Granville Island for all motorized vehicles is intended for visitors only. Free parking stalls are available and vehicles are limited to occupy one stall, once per day, and within the maximum posted time limit. When the posted time limit is reached you move your vehicle, or should you require additional parking during the same day, your vehicle must be parked in a pay parking stall.
Free Parking restrictions are strictly enforced from 7 am to 7 pm, 7 days a week.
Once your vehicle is parked, you are not permitted to move to another free stall on Granville Island at any other time through out the day. You may move to any of the pay stalls.
PAID PARKING STALLS
Pay parking restrictions are strictly enforced from 7 am to 7 pm,7 days a week.
Daily Parking
The Daily Pass is valid for 24 hours from the time of purchase. The pass is VOID（无效） if not placed face up with the date and time visible. The pass is VOID if not parked in a pay parking lot.
Weekly Parking
The Weekly Pass is valid for 7 days from the time of purchase. The pass is VOID if not placed face up with the date and time visible. The pass is VOID if not parked in a pay parking lot.
Monthly Parking
Monthly parking is limited and available on a first come first serve basis and sold starting on the twenty-sixth (26) of every month. Monthly Parking Passes are available at the Granville Island Administration Office from 8:30am-5:00pm.
A monthly parking pass allows a vehicle to be parked in an appointed parking stall only when it is clearly displayed.
Lost monthly passes cannot be replaced.
1. Visitors to Granville Island can .| A．park their cars for free as long as they wish |
| B．move their cars to different free stalls |
| C．pay the parking when the time limit is reached |
| D．use the same free stall for many times |
| A．paid parking pass is valid only when it is clearly displayed. |
| B．Cars with the Daily Parking Pass can be parked in a free stall. |
| C．One can buy the Monthly Parking Pass on any day of the month. |
| D．One can apply for a new Monthly Parking Pass if it is lost. |
7 . Thanks to new rules, many students in Zhejiang and Heilongjiang provinces can now stay in bed longer than
On Feb 23, the Zhejiang Department of Education published a new guideline that
These changes are aimed
8 . They hide in trees, hang from helicopters, even follow people down on motorcycles—all so that they can snap a shot of a celebrity. They are paparazzi—photographers who make a living by taking pictures of the rich and famous.
This September, California, a state with plenty of celebrities, passed a law aimed at taking action against paparazzi. The law forbids photographers from entering private property to take pictures, from using high-tech devices to take pictures of people on private property, and from “persistently following in order to take a picture.” Violators can be fined or spend time in prison. The United State Congress is considering passing a similar law.
Supporters of the California law say it will protect the privacy of celebrities, whom paparazzi have been bothering for years. Opponents (反对者) say the law restricts photojournalists from doing their job.
Most celebrities seem to like having their pictures taken when they are in public at award shows or other events. After all, it’s free publicity. But when they’re not in public, they say, photographers should leave them alone. Yet paparazzi have been known to secretly look in windows and worse. Actor Michael J. Fox said that paparazzi have even “tried to pretend to be medical personnel at the hospital where my wife was giving birth to our son.”
Celebrities have as much right to their privacy as anyone else, supporters of the law state. Supporters further argue that the California law is a fair way to keep the press at bay, because the law still allows photographers to do their job. It only punishes them, supporters say, when they violate celebrities’ privacy.
Opponents of the law say it violates the First Amendment to the United States Constitution (美国宪法第一修正案), which guarantees that no laws will be made to limit “the freedom of speech, or of the press.”Although some people might not consider paparazzi a part of the legal press, the California law does not single out paparazzi. It applies to photographers working for any publication.
Opponents of the law are also concerned about its wording. “Does ‘persistently’ mean following someone for six minutes, six seconds, or six days?” asked lawyer Douglas Mirell. The wording of the law is too vague, critics complain, and could be used to punish almost any news photographer.
The United States needs a free press to keep the public informed about important news, paparazzi law opponents say. Limiting the press in any way, they argue, limits the freedom of all.
1. Which of the following will be considered illegal by the new California law?| A．Paparazzi slipping into the house of a famous person to take a shot. |
| B．Paparazzi taking photos of famous people with high-tech cameras. |
| C．Paparazzi hiring helicopters as a fast means of transportation. |
| D．Paparazzi rushing towards filming sites on motorcycles. |
| A．it prevents the media from getting worse |
| B．it gives photographers a fair way to compete |
| C．punishment forces paparazzi to quit their job |
| D．privacy of famous people needs special protection |
| A．it will violate paparazzi’s privacy |
| B．the First Amendment will be changed |
| C．some photographers will be wrongly accused |
| D．people will not be informed of important news |
| A．Critical. | B．Neutral. | C．Approving. | D．Skeptical. |
9 . Visitor Code of Conduct
Please help us maintain a healing environment for our patient. Visiting hours and policies vary throughout the hospital. Please ask a staff member about the policy on the unit you wish to visit. We ask that you comply with the following visitor rules:
• Do not visit if you are sick (fever, cough, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting) or have been exposed to chicken pox (水痘) or other contagious (传染的) illness within the past three weeks.
• Clean your hands each time you enter and leave the patient’s room.
• Follow isolation precautions (隔离预防措施) that are posted on the patient’s door.
• You must wear shoes and shirts at all times. Clothing must be clean and neat.
• Visitors are limited to two per patient each time.
• Do not use waiting rooms on a unit if you are not visiting a patient in that unit.
• Waiting rooms are not for overnight stays.
• Children must have adult supervision (监护) at all times and must be respectful of the hospital’s healing environment. Some units do not allow children’s visiting.
You will be asked to leave for violating (违反) any of the above rules or for the followings:
• Your behavior creates a risk to patients, families or staff.
• You appear to be ill.
• You refuse to follow isolation precautions.
• You are not respectful or considerate of others.
• You fail to supervise children.
If you believe someone is violating these rules, or you need assistance, please notify security by dialing 7363 on the hospital phones or 813-844-7363 on your mobile phone. Security is available at all times.
Waiting areas are monitored at all times by a security video camera.
1. The underlined phrase “comply with” in Paragraph 1 probably means ________.| A．obey | B．study |
| C．discover | D．pass |
| A．make an appointment | B．ask permission from the doctor |
| C．check the visiting policy | D．ring up the patient first |
| A．stay at the waiting room of any unit | B．be supervised at all times |
| C．refuse to follow isolation precautions | D．create a new environment for patients |
| A．touch patient equipment | B．visit patients in group of two |
| C．stay overnight in the waiting room | D．change into slippers in the patient room |
| A．Children can go to visit patients by themselves. |
| B．If you seem to be ill, you can still visit the patients unless it is contagious. |
| C．Visitors who violate the rules will not be allowed to visit again. |
| D．You can ask for security’s help at any time. |
10 . In 2011, British wildlife photographer David Slater traveled to the Tangkoko Nature Reserve on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. After following about 25 endangered black monkeys in the forest, Slater set up his camera. The monkeys went up to it, and were attracted by it immediately. Finally, they began playing with the camera and took photos of themselves. One monkey took many photos, some of which appeared with a July 2011 Daily Mail article about Slater playing with the monkeys. One of the photos became the cover of a book of Slater’s work. Wildlife Personalities, which was published in 2014 by Blurb, Inc., in San Francisco. Slater is considered as the copyright (版权) owner of the photos.
In September 2015, however, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) considered the monkey it calls Naruto as the copyright owner of the photos. Through his “friends” at PETA, Naruto was suing (控诉) the photographer and the publishing company Blurb for copyright: “The photos resulted from the purposeful actions of Naruto and were not helped by Slater, resulting in works of authorship… by Naruto.”
“If a human had taken a photo with Slater’s camera, that person would own the copyright to the photo,” says Jeff Kerr o£ PETA. “Naruto should be treated no differently.”
The lawyer for Slater and Blurb, Andrew Dhuey, required that the case be dismissed (被驳回) in November 2015. Dhuey mentioned a 2004 case in which the court had to decide whether whales could sue the US Navy for the danger they’d received from machines used by the Navy. The court ruled that they could not.
In January, the court ruled in favor of dismissing the case. PETA lawyer Jeff Kerr objected, “We believe it has been stated clearly in the Copyright Act. The Act allows courts to fill in decisions like this one.”
1. What’s the purpose of Paragraph 1?| A．To tell a story to support the topic. | B．To give the background information. |
| C．To express the author’s opinion. | D．To attract readers’ attention. |
| A．The camera was not Slater’s. | B．Slater did harm to Naruto. |
| C．The photos were taken by Naruto. | D．Slater just helped a little. |
| A．He made a public speech. | B．He had a talk with PETA. |
| C．He turned to the US Navy. | D．He gave an example. |
| A．Naruto can’t own it. |
| B．Naruto and Slater should share it. |
| C．Slater can’t use the photos anymore. |
| D．Slater should pay some money to PETA. |
