We were five minutes into the worst diso...

    Earth Day is one of the world's largest environmental movements. Held every year on April 22, Earth Day turns 50 this year. It was created by US politician Gaylord Nelson, aiming to give a voice to people who wanted environmental protection. 1. Back then, it helped to bring clean air and water laws to the US. Now a global movement, it's facing even bigger environmental threats.

2. One of these is The Ocean Cleanup based in the Netherlands. It has successfully made a device that can gather and collect waste from our oceans and rivers, a majority of which is plastic. For us, plastic is an item we use and then throw away. But if you throw away a plastic bottle today, it is non-biodegradable (不可生物降解的).It will still be around for hundreds of years. Much of this plastic waste ends up in the sea, where it kills more than 100 million sea creatures every year. 3.

It is not just our oceans that are under threat. Over time, deforestation (滥伐森林)，improper farming, and livestock grazing (放牧)can stop green areas from growing. 4. A Chinese non-governmental organizations (NGO) — The China Green Foundation — is working to change this by planting millions of trees. Another NGO that is making big changes is Welfare Togo. Togo is a developing country in Africa. It faces many environmental problems, including air and water pollution and desertification. To help, Welfare Togo opened 31 schools across the country that focus on teaching sustainable development. Its aim is using education to bring positive environmental changes to Togo.

5. However, through small everyday changes, such as recycling correctly, we can also bring about considerable changes to our natural world.

A.This is called desertification.

B.It aims to support environmental protection around the world.

C.His idea was so successful that more than 20 million people joined in Earth Day events.

D.However, because of high demand, we still make more than 300 tons of new plastic every year.

E.It challenges people to promote environmental education.

F.Not all of us can make such large contributions.

G.Fortunately, many NGOs are stepping up to promote positive changes.

    In South Korea, students pay for classes in everything from K-pop auditions (韩流试镜)to real estate (房地产)deals. Now, top Korean firms are using artificial intelligence (AI) in hiring, and job-seekers want to learn how to beat the robots.

From his basement office in Seoul, career consultant Park Seong-jung is among those in a growing business of offering lessons in handling recruitment screening by computers, not people. Video interviews using facial recognition technology to analyze character are key, according to Park.

"Don't force a smile with your lips," he told students looking for work in a recent session, one of many he said he has conducted for hundreds of people. "Smile with your eyes".

Classes in dealing with Al in hiring, are still a tiny part of the country's multi-billion-dollar cram school (补习学校)industry. But classes are growing fast, operators like Park's People & People consultancy claim, offering a three-hour package for Up to 100,000 won ($86).

There's good reason to see potential. As many: as 8 out of every 10 South Korean students are estimated to have used cram schools, and high youth unemployment in the country—nearly one in four young people are not in the workforce—offers a motivation not present in other countries where cram schools are popular, like Japan.

One AI video system reviewed by Reuters asks candidates to introduce themselves, during which it spots and counts facial expressions including "fear" and "joy" and analyses word choices. AI hiring also uses "gamification" to judge a candidate's personality and adaptability by putting them through numbers of tests. Preparing for such tests doesn't necessarily involve simply memorizing answers. Some games don't even have a 'right answer', as they are aimed to spot the problem-solving attitude of the applicant.

Consultant Park said he gave Al firing talks to more than 700 university students, graduates and lecturers in 2019. In an online chat room monitored by Park, with more than 600 participants, numerous messages indicate thanks for the classes and success in AI interview quests. "Students are struggling from the emergence of AI interviews. My goal is to help them be fully prepared for what they will be dealing with," said Park.

1.What does Park Seong-jung do?

① He gives students lectures about Al hiring.

② He handles his company s recruitment.

③ He analyzes character by using Al technology.

④ He keeps an eye on an online chat room.

A.①④ B.②③

C.①② D.③④

2.Gamification is mainly used to judge the following EXCEPT candidates'         .

A.personality B.adaptability

C.problem-solving attitude D.memory ability

3.What's the main idea of this passage?

A.Smile with eyes is better than smile with lips.

B.Companies are increasingly using Al in recruitment.

C.Classes are available in dealing with Al in hiring.

D.Cram schools are popular in South Korea.

4.What may be discussed in the next paragraph?

A.People's attitude towards other types of cram schools.

B.Examples of struggling students who didn't take classes.

C.Companies' strategy against fully prepared applicants.

D.The next step of those who have passed the interview.

    Getting old might not be something that's yet to cross your mind. But ageing is unavoidably going to get the better of us one day. And that’s why scientists are constantly seeking out evidence that will show us what we need to do to achieve longevity.

We all know that regular exercise is good for us. In recent years, although we've been told to aim to walk 10,000 steps a day to remain healthy, other advice to do three quick and energetic 10-minute walks a day is thought to be even more effective. And the latest piece of research might put a spring in your step if you’re someone who walks at a fast pace. That’s because, according to scientists, the speed at which people walk in their 40s is a sign of how much their brains, as well as their bodies, are ageing.

Tests on 1,000 people from New Zealand born in the 1970s found that slower walkers tended to show signs of "accelerated ageing". Their lungs, teeth and immune systems were in worse shape than those who walked fester. And what’s worse, the study found not only did slower walkers' bodies age more quickly, their faces looked older and they had smaller brains.

This might be seen as a wake-up call for people with a slower pace who might feel it's time to work out get fitter. But it might be too late; researchers say they were able to predict the walking speed of 45-year-olds using the results of intelligence, language and motor skills tests from when they were aged three. They also suggest that even in early life, there are signs showing which people will go on to have a healthier life.

So, what's the point of knowing that a slower walking pace might mean a smaller brain? Well, researchers say measuring walking speed at a younger age, and understanding what this might mean, could be a way of testing treatments to slow human ageing. This might help us make lifestyle changes while we're still young and healthy. Any steps we can take to prolong a good mental and physical state is a no brainer!

1.Which of the following is considered to be a better choice?

A.Walking 10,000 steps a day. B.Doing three quick and energetic walks a day.

C.Doing irregular exercise every day. D.Frequently doing sports in spring.

2.What can be inferred from the passage?

A.Faster walkers will get fitter, be younger and have bigger brains.

B.People's health condition can be predicted from their walking speed at 45.

C.This study found that slower walkers age more slowly.

D.People who walk faster are more brilliant than slower walkers.

3.What does the underlined word "prolong" in Para.5 mean?

A.give something up B.transfer something at random

C.make something last longer D.put something off

4.What would be the best title?

A.Walking to Stay Young B.Getting Old and Doing Exercise

C.Having a Happy Life D.Slow Walking and Ageing

    In January 2020, as I watched the news about the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, I kept thinking, “This is not good.” As the situation stepped up, I knew it was only a matter of time before it came to my hometown in Cornwall. And, on February 15, it did.

That day, we found out the government was sending over 100 Canadians citizens who were aboard the Diamond Princess, an infected cruise ship, to a hotel here for a 14-day quarantine. Suddenly, things got very real. As a nurse in the emergency department at Cornwall Community Hospital, I’d be treating any passengers with the virus. I didn't even have time to fully absorb the news—I just grabbed my scrubs (手术衣)and sprang into action.

There are times when it feels like the whole department is on fire. There are moments when we have multiple critical patients hanging in the balance, incoming trauma (创伤)patients, and an overflowing waiting room. After all, in the ER (emergency room), we're still treating car accident injuries, heart attacks, strokes—anything you can think of, and a dozen things you can't. And it's all complicated by this virus.

I’ve been a nurse since 1994, so I’ve helped prepare for my fair share of outbreaks. I've worked through the rise of Ebola, H1N1, and SARS. But COVID-19 is a sneaky virus. This outbreak is scarier because patients can spread the virus while symptom-free. With SARS, it was clearer who was infected. With COVID-19, we have fewer clues that someone might be a carrier.

I felt so bad for the first cruise ship patients we treated—we were the first people they'd seen in a while, and our equipment made us look like aliens? But they were very kind and patient. They were just eager to get home. Luckily, they didn't have the virus. In the end, we prevented disaster.

I don't think we've yet seen the full extent of this situation. However, I believe my hospital will get through this and we will eventually win the battle.

1.Which of the following is TRUE?

A.The author thought the coronavirus would not break out in the hometown.

B.The author managed to put out the fire of her department.

C.Only patients with coronavirus were dealt with in the ER.

D.The author was busier because of the outbreak of the coronavirus.

2.What does Para.4 mainly talk about?

A.The prediction of COVID-19. B.The seriousness of COVID-19.

C.The influence of COVID-19. D.The symptoms of some deadly diseases.

3.What can best describe the author?

A.Positive and determined. B.Emotional and bad-tempered.

C.Pessimistic and warm-hearted. D.Overcautious and aggressive.

4.Which section of a website is the passage probably from?

A.News B.Blog

C.Arts & Culture D.Science &Tech

    Canada is a land filled with fascinating places and amazing adventures. The only problem: Narrowing down your choice of destinations. Here are several of the best places to visit in Canada for any traveler determined to discover the true north.

Churchill, Manitoba

Set on the shores of Hudson Bay, this subarctic（靠近北极的）town has earned international fame as the polar bear capital of the world. So plentiful are the bears that the town actually has a “polar bear prison,” which holds bears that are resistant to people's instruction and wander into town until they can be released back into the wild. Encountering a polar bear in the wild is no doubt an unforgettable experience.

Banff and Lake Louise, Alberta

Set inside the borders of the vast Banff National Park, Banff and Lake Louise is one of the best places to visit in Canada. Here you'll find a Rocky Mountain wonderland; a place of electric blue glacial lakes, waterfalls, and abundant wildlife (from elk to bighorn sheep). Stay either in Banff, the busy center of the area and home to classic hotels like the Fairmont Banff Springs (one of Canada's greatest hotels), or hike trails up into the mountains—and unparalleled(无与伦比的)silence-are just steps away.

Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick

Recently shortlisted in a massive international competition to name a new seven wonders of the natural world, the tides on this big bay, make it truly one of the best places to visit in Canada. The most extreme tides on earth, they rise and fall more than 50 feet in some places. These can be seen most dramatically at a place like Hopewell Rocks, unique stone formations that, at low tide, form towers on dry land but become islands as the water rises.

Quebec City

The oldest walled city in North America, Quebec City holds both British charm and culture alongside its unmistakable French-Canadian character. It also bears the distinction of being the place where, as every good Canadian history student knows, Wolfe defeated Montcalm on the Plains of Abraham, securing Canada for the British Empire.

1.Why are the polar bears put into prison in Churchill?

A.Because there are a large number of bears.

B.Because the government wants to attract more tourists.

C.Because they don't follow people's guidance.

D.Because they resist living in town.

2.What can we learn from the passage?

A.When traveling in Canada, people have narrow choices of destinations.

B.You can enjoy neither busy life nor unparalleled silence in Banff and Lake Louise.

C.Hopewell Rocks stand like islands on dry land but turn into towers when the tide comes.

D.Britain and France once had a war to secure their own rule over Canada in Quebec City.

3.The author writes the text with the intention of        .

A.showing the most worth-visiting country B.helping tourism boost in Canada

C.providing information for travelers to Canada D.proving how knowledgeable the author is