We know that reading is good for children. Now, a new study suggests that just being around books has its benefits. A team of researchers in Australia finds that growing up with a large library at home improves literacy( 读写能力) ,number-sense , and even technological skills in later life. It appeared in the journal Social Science Research.
The researchers were exploring the advantages of scholarly culture. They were interested in a curious observation that some call the “radiation effect".“Radiation effect is a situation where children grow up around books , but they don't read books. But somehow books benefit them, even though they don't read them as much as their parents wish them to,” said Joanna Sikora , a sociologist in Australia. Joanna and her colleagues analyzed data collected between 2011 and 2015 by the Organization for Economic Development. The survey assessed the literacy，numeracy(计算能力) , and technological competency of more than 160 , 000 adults from 31 countries. And it included a question about how many books participants had in their homes during adolescence.“What we were able to make clear was that people growing up around books had better literacy , numeracy and digital problem-solving skills than people who had fewer books growing up but had similar education levels , similar jobs ，and even similar adult habits in terms of reading or working at various numeracy-improving activities," she said.
In fact , teens who only made it through high school but were raised in a bookish environment did as well in adulthood as college graduates who grew up in a house without books. Now , how might mere exposure lead to intellectual improvement?“If we grow up in a house , in a home where parents enjoy books , where books are given as birthday presents and valued , this is something that becomes a part of our identity and gives us this lifelong urge to always come close to books and read more than we would.”
So keep shelves piled with books. Your kids will not only be grateful, they'll be more likely to be able to spell “grateful" correctly as well.
1.What's “radiation effect" according to the text?
A.The terrible effect of radiation on the persons and things.
B.The good influence of the bookish environment on adolescents.
C.The beneficial effect of reading books on adolescents.
D.The bad effect of the environment without books on adolescents.
2.How does the exposure to books improve intellect?
A.Books bring a sense of identity and eagerness to read more.
B.Books help to provide a chance to come close to society,
C.Books are always given to adolescents as valuable presents.
D.Books will offer the teens an urge to make great achievements.
3.What's the author's attitude towards bookish environment?
A.Opposed. B.Neutral.
C.Indifferent. D.Supportive.
4.What's the best title for the text?
A.Reading More Helps Improve Children's Abilities
B.Reading at Home Brings Children Many Advantages
C.Growing Up Around Books Benefits Children a Lot
D.Creating a Bookish Environment for Children Is of Much Importance
Self-driving cars have been backed by the hope that they will save lives by getting involved in fewer crashes with fewer injuries and deaths than human-driven cars. But so far, most comparisons between human drivers and automated vehicles have been unfair.
Crash statistics for human-driven cars are gathered from all sorts of driving situations, and on all types of roads. However, most of the data on self-driving cars' safety have been recorded often in good weather and on highways, where the most important tasks are staying in the car's own lane and not getting too close to the vehicle-ahead. Automated cars are good at those tasks, but so are humans.
It is true that self-driving cars don't get tired, angry, frustrated or drunk .But neither can they yet react to uncertain situations with the same skill or anticipation of an attentive human driver, nor do they possess the foresight to avoid potential perils. They largely drive from moment to moment, rather than think ahead to possible events literally down the road.
To a self-driving car, a bus full of people might appear quite similar to an uninhabited corn field. Indeed, deciding what action to take in an emergency is difficult for humans, but drivers have sacrificed themselves for the greater good of others. An automated system's limited understanding of the world means it will almost never evaluate ( 评估) a situation the same way a human would. And machines can't be programmed in advance to handle every imaginable set of events.
Some people may argue that the promise of simply reducing the number of injuries and deaths is enough to support driverless cars. But experience from aviation (航空) shows that as new automated systems are introduced, there is often an increase in the rate of disasters.
Therefore, comparisons between humans and automated vehicles have to be performed carefully. To fairly evaluate driverless cars on how well they fulfill their promise of improved safety, it's important to ensure the data being presented actually provide a true comparison. After all, choosing to replace humans with automation has more effects than simply a one-for-one exchange.
1.What makes the comparison between self-driving cars and human-driven cars unfair?
A.Self-driving cars never get tired. B.Statistics are collected differently.
C.Machines can make decisions faster. D.Self-driving cars know the world better.
2.What does the underlined word”perils” in Paragraph 3 most probably mean?
A.Dangers. B.Self-driving cars. C.Pedestrians. D.Human-driven cars.
3.In which aspect can self- driving cars beat human-driven cars?
A.Driving steadily. B.Climbing steep slopes.
C.Evaluating the cost of loss. D.Making complex decisions.
4.Where is the text most likely from?
A.A poster. B.A novel. C.A brochure. D.A magazine.
My name is Matthew. I'm not someone who has many secrets，because I'm a terrible liar. But there is one huge secret that I kept for years- -I failed my driving test. I had never failed a test before, and had never even come close. Driving made me anxious , but my parents told me I had to. They signed me up for driving lessons. I had gotten a perfect score for my written permit exam , but getting behind the wheel was a different story.
But when October 30th rolled around ,my pride set in. I wanted to be like everyone else at my school , showing off the brand new license they'd gotten. Looking back on that special day,I can't remember if I was nervous. What I do remember is starting the test , pausing at a stop sign after a few seconds , and being asked by the instructor to pull over. I had received an auto-fail since my pause was indeed a pause and not a real stop. I wasn't upset that I was leaving without a license, but I was scared everyone would know that I had failed. So when I got to class, I told everyone I didn't want to take the test on my birthday.
One Friday a month later, I went to the test spot again and passed. Later that night I drove for the first time by myself, which brought to me an amazing feeling I've never experienced——but sill, I couldn't imagine ever telling anyone the truth. So I didn't. It wasn't until midway through college that I came clean. It turned out plenty of my college friends had failed too! And I gathered enough courage to speak the fact out. Yes ,I had also failed.
Now I realize failure and imperfection are two things everyone has to experience , without which one couldn't make a true man.
1.What can we learn about Matthew?
A.He was a slow learner of driving. B.He relied heavily on his parents.
C.He was afraid of taking exams. D.He was bored with telling lies.
2.Why did the instructor ask Matthew to pull over?
A.To put an end to his lest. B.To check his parking skills.
C.To give him a second chance, D.To show him a better way of driving.
3.W hat made Matthew feel extremely worried after his first attempt?
A.Failing to get a driving license. B.Missing his birthday celebration.
C.Making his parents disappointed. D.Losing face before his classmates.
4.W hat did Matthew learn from his own experience?
A.Honesty is the best policy. B.Failure is a way to grow up.
C.Truth stands the test of time. D.Imperfection is another form of perfection.
Great Activities for Nature Lovers
Hiking
One of the easiest and most accessible ways to get close to nature is by setting out on a good old fashioned hike. Hiking generally doesn't require any fancy equipment or special skills, just a piece of map and a thirst for adventure. This activity can be as relaxing as you make it.
Backcountry Camping
Why limit yourself to just a day hike when you can have a full weekend for a longer adventure? Backcountry camping involves packing your tent，sleeping gear ,food, and water on your back to set up camp in a remote location. I you’re an experienced hiker and camper ,this is an excellent way to test your survival skills and explore the wilderness.
Mountain and Road Biking
Unlike long hikes through the woods , biking allows you to cover more ground and travel farther in nature. Mountain biking typically involves riding up and down steep slopes , between trees , and over rocks. If this sounds too intense or your tires aren't suited for rugged terrain( 地形) , consider taking a road bike on paved trails through forest preserves or along country roads.
Gardening
Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to travel beyond your own backyard to experience the beauty of nature every day. If your personality is less adventurous or your mobility restricted, consider planting a garden to grow your own vegetables , fruit , herbs，or flowers. There's something truly satisfying about mixing up a salad with fresh ingredients you grow yourself. One of the best parts about spending time in gardening is that it doesn't have to break your budget and anyone can do it.
1.W hat do hikers need for hiking?
A.Practical skills. B.Necessary equipment.
C.A useful map. D.A relaxed mood.
2.W hat's NOT the advantage of gardening according to the text?
A.You don't need to go far to enjoy the beauty of nature.
B.It gives you a sense of satisfaction when cooking with fresh ingredients.
C.It doesn't take any energy or money to do it.
D.I’s easy to start it for anyone who likes it.
3.Which of the following can take you to travel farthest?
A.Hiking. B.Backcountry Camping.
C.Mountain and Road Biking. D.Gardening.
Directions: Write an English composition in 120 - 150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
同学们经历了十多年的课堂教学，也体验了两个多月的新型线上教学模式。两种教学模式各有特点。请表明你更偏爱哪种教学模式，并通过比较，阐述你偏爱的理由。
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Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets.
1.应该高度重视对这种常见病的预防。(importance)
2.我们看似正常的行为也许会冒犯其他地方的人。(seem)
3.在科学家和医护人员共同努力下，治疗方法日趋完善，感染病毒的人数大幅下降。(so that)
4.短短两周，300多节精心设计的网课如期上线，并大受赞誉，这使他确信互联网将加速教学改革。(convince)
