Screen time increases by 300 percent between the ages of 1 and 3 according to a recent study. In a perfect world, parents would always choose outdoor time over screen time. But for many parents, decreasing screen time isn't as simple as it sounds. That's because screens are increasingly used as an entertainment and distraction(分心)tool for kids which parents think is necessary due to a lack of quality childcare.
The United States government defines affordable childcare as care costing no more than 7 percent of a family's total income, yet more than 40 percent of families say they set aside more than 15 percent of their total income for it, according to a 2019 survey published by Care. com.
Affordable childcare in America is a dream. “Screen time is used as a last substitute for childcare for many families,” says licensed child therapist(治疗师)Katie Lear. “Particularly for parents who work from home, it can be hard to justify hiring a caregiver or paying for daycare. And yet children need to be able to keep themselves occupied during important work calls. Turning on the TV can buy the parent some valuable time during what can be a very tiring day."
If affordable childcare wasn't just a daydream, if the system we have wasn't dependent on two incomes, if parents could actually afford not to work 50+ hours a week, if childcare centers could afford to pay their workers a desirable wage, then maybe, we'd see screen time decrease instead of increase. We know our kids should be interacting with something other than You Tube videos and flash games for hours a week. But before we fix our broken system and before affordable, quality childcare becomes a reality, parents and caregivers are going to do whatever they can to make it, and that includes using screens as passive childcare.
1.Why do parents allow their children to spend much time on screens?
A.To please their children.
B.To make up the lack of quality childcare.
C.To attract kids' attention to classes online.
D.To help children learn about necessary technology.
2.What do the statistics in Paragraph 2 indicate?
A.Childcare workers have high income.
B.Childcare centers are popular in America.
C.Childcare is a heavy burden for parents.
D.Childcare is supported by local government.
3.Why is Lear mentioned in the text?
A.To uncover the reason for screen time as childcare.
B.To prove the advantages of adopting c-products.
C.To present the ways of parents' improving childcare.
D.To explain the benefits of hiring a caregiver.
4.What's the key in reducing children's screen time?
A.Enough company time. B.High income in the family.
C.Turning off the TV. D.Hiring a caregiver.
In the 1970s, chemist James Lovelock and microbiologist Lynn Margulis developed the Gaia hypothesis(盖亚假说): all organic and inorganic components on the planet are part of one self-regulating system, working to maintain life on earth. Scientists agree that we need take significant action to control emissions(排放). But where scientists and popular movements have thus far failed to convince the world to act, it seems that Mother Earth may have succeeded, with the never-before-seen COVID-19.
COVID-19 is estimated to have reduced carbon dioxide emission in China by a quarter. It caused factories to shut down, and slowed construction activities. Recent analysis shows a 70 percent drop in flights in February compared with January. And even getting into a car and going to a restaurant, shopping mall, or concert poses a risk of infection, which means that many people are choosing to stay at home and are consuming less, resulting in a significant reduction of their carbon footprints.
Of course, China and the rest of the world will hope to restart normal production and consumption as soon as the virus is under control. However, some positive measures have already been taken as a result of COVID-19. As the virus is thought to originate from wildlife, Chinese authorities are revising laws and regulations regarding the country's massive wildlife trade in order to prevent future epidemics(流行病)—a win for biodiversity.
The deaths of thousands of people worldwide should also serve as a lasting reminder of the fragility of life. We humans frequently ignore or repress uncomfortable thoughts of death and extinction. We would rather get on with our lives as usual, thinking everything will somehow work out in the end. Only in the face of suffering and death are we forced to view the bigger, longer-term perspective—and this is what is needed in order to react appropriately to climate change. COVID-19 has sent alarm bells ringing throughout the world.
1.What does the author mention the Gaia hypothesis for?
A.To tell the main idea of the text.
B.To introduce the topic for discussion.
C.To show the need to protect the planet.
D.To stress the importance of self-regulating system.
2.What is the second paragraph mainly about?
A.The unexpected benefit of COVID-19.
B.The economic influence of COVID-19.
C.The preventive measures for COVID-19.
D.The possible causes of COVID-19.
3.What does the underlined word "repress" in the last paragraph refer to?
A.Control. B.Hold.
C.Vary. D.Test.
4.What does the writer want to tell us in the text?
A.It's urgent to fight the virus.
B.The virus has caused many deaths.
C.Life is fragile in face of disasters.
D.Action is needed for climate change.
Four Inspiring Movies
Forrest Gump(1992)
Forrest Gump is a simple man with a low IQ but good intentions. This movie follows the fictional story in which the simple man makes his way through some of the more turbulent(动荡的)times from the 1960s through 1980s. This film took home six Oscars, inspired a “Weird Al” song, and proves that a big heart is the most important thing.
It's a Wonderful Life(1946)
No movie list would be complete without a nod to the past. Let's go with this Christmas classic, about a man with serious financial troubles who intends to commit suicide(自杀)by jumping off a bridge. His guardian angel Clarence Odbody stops him and tells him what life would have been like for those close to him had he never been born. Realizing how much he means to others, he rushes back home and all sorts of happy, inspirational, Christmassy things happen.
Dead Poet's Society(1990)
John Keating(Robin Williams)is a high school English literature teacher at a famous all-male boarding school who gets into trouble with the school administration after encouraging his students to challenge authority and think for themselves. It is certainly inspirational, if not also frustratingly sad.
A Beautiful Mind(2001)
This movie tells the story of John Nash(Russell Crowe), a professor at Princeton, a US university, who revolutionized the field of game theory and fell into madness as a result of paranoid schizophrenia(精神分裂症). With the love and support of his family as well as the help of medical professionals, he managed to overcome his mental illness and continued to make contributions to the field of mathematics.
1.What can we know about It's a Wonderful Life?
A.It proves a big heart important.
B.It has a happy ending.
C.It tells a story of friendship.
D.It is famous for the leading role.
2.Which film are Robin Williams' fans more likely to watch?
A.Forrest Gump. B.I's a Wonderful Life.
C.Dead Poet's Society. D.A Beautiful Mind.
3.At the end of A Beautiful Mind,the professor___________.
A.became a famous expert in psychology
B.got his family's support for studying game theory
C.gained lots of experience in treating schizophrenia
D.defeated the disease and went on to pursue maths
假定你是李华。你的英国朋友George来信,询问你的近况及上大学准备报考什么专业。 请你回复邮件,内容包括:
1. 正在认真备考;
2.学医学专业;
3.报考理由。
注意:1.词数100左右;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
Dear George,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文,请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共 有10处语言错误,每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
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:在错的词下画一横线,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。
Dear Jim,
How is everything going? Known that you are curious about Peking Opera, I'm more than glad to introduce it to you.
Dating back to late 18th century, Peking Opera becomes fully developed and recognized during the Qing Dynasty. As a combination of music, vocal performance or dance, Peking Opera can offer audience with a feast for the eyes and ears. Performer wear colorful costumes and make-ups, that are in line with the personalities of the roles that they play.
I high recommend you visit the Mei Lanfang Theater to see a Peking Opera show. Hopefully, my introduction has helped you well understand Peking Opera than before. If you have any question, don't hesitate to ask myself.
阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Most of us have recently experienced quarantine (隔离) to minimize the risk of meeting somebody who may be carrying the virus. It is certain 1. being under quarantine is no fun. However, with our access to food, 2. (deliver) services and the entertainment 3. (offer) by the internet, we're actually very lucky. Let's take a quick look at the history of quarantines.
The idea of quarantining sick people dates 4. ancient times. Yet the word "quarantine" first came into use in the 14th century Europe during the Black Death. People were dropping like flies from the mysterious disease, and as the death toll climbed into the millions—eventually killing 5. (approximate) half of the European population, cities began to take 6. (measure) to protect their citizens. The port city of Venice, Italy, was an important trading center with ships 7. (come) from all corners of the Earth every day. If a ship 8. (suspect) to be harboring the plague (瘟疫),it was sent to 9. offshore quarantine and ordered to wait there for 40 days when those abroad either recovered, or 10. (likely), died. The waiting period gave rise to the term quarantinario, from the Italian word for 40.