The People’s Republic of China successfully celebrated her seventieth birthday on ________ (十月) 1st, 2019.
Thomas Edison, one of the greatest ________ (发明者), created many useful things that are important to us today.
People all over the world are now taking action to fight against COVID-19. But what they do may depend on their own culture and traditions.
On Feb 26, when an Italian lawmaker (议员) went into the country’s Lower Chamber with a mask to prevent the novel coronavirus, he was criticized (批评) by his workmates for “causing panic (恐慌)”. Articles from Western media carry headlines such as “No, you do not need face masks to prevent coronavirus.” You might be surprised, as in China and other Asian countries, people have willingly put masks on during the outbreak.
Western thoughts about masks
In the West, people are taught to wear masks only when they get sick. Masks are seen as a tool to protect sick people and prevent the disease from spreading, so healthy people don’t need to wear them. Therefore, during the novel coronavirus outbreak, overseas Chinese students said that they would be “stared at like a virus spreader” if they go out with a mask. According to a survey done by Global Times among some European and American people, wearing a mask in public can make them feel “worried”, “shy”, and “afraid of being looked at differently”.
But as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to grow around the world, many people in the West are changing their attitudes (态度). In the US, for example, the need for masks is very high now. The US surgeon general (卫生局局长) has been asking people to avoid hoarding (囤积) masks, as they are more needed in hospitals than by the general public.
Mask culture in the East
In Asian countries like China and Japan, there has been a long tradition of mask-wearing. In China, for example, when doctor Wu Liande invented the modern medical mask during the pneumonic plague (肺鼠疫) in 1910, the mask became a symbol of China’s position as a modern, scientific nation. The 2003 SARS epidemic again led to the wide use of masks as a form of anti-viral (抗病毒的) protection in China and elsewhere in East Asia.
In Japan, wearing masks has long been seen as a manner to reassure (使安心) others when one catches a cold or flu. Some Japanese also turn masks into fashion accessories (配饰), with different colors and styles to match their clothes. Wearing masks is also a way to “hide” for young women when they don’t have their makeup (化妆) on.
In more collectivist (集体主义的) cultures in Asia, wearing masks might also be a symbol of solidarity (团结) during the outbreak, according to Christos Lynteris. “Mask culture in Asia creates a sense of a fate (命运) shared, common obligation (责任) and civic (公民的) duty.” People wear masks “to show that they want to stick together” in the face of danger, Lynteris wrote.
1.Why don’t healthy people in the West wear masks?
A.They don’t think masks can prevent disease. B.They think masks are for sick people to wear.
C.Only medical workers need to wear masks. D.Wearing a mask looks funny.
2.Masks have been widely used in China since ________.
A.the invention of the modern medical mask B.the pneumonic plague in 1910
C.Christos Lynteris wore one publicly D.the outbreak of SARS in 2003
3.What isn’t the reason for Japanese wearing masks?
A.They wear masks to reassure others when catching a cold or flu.
B.Some Japanese wear masks as fashion accessories.
C.Some young women wear masks when they don’t make up.
D.They wear masks to make others feel worried.
4.What does Lynteris mean in the last paragraph?
A.People have no sense of duty if they don’t wear masks.
B.Mask culture creates a sense of collective obligation.
C.Asian people are more united in the face of danger.
D.We are a community with a shared future for mankind.
5.The purpose of the story is to ________.
A.explain why Westerners don’t wear masks
B.prove the importance of wearing masks during an epidemic(流行病)
C.show how opinions about masks differ between different countries
D.explain the history of masks
Once upon a time, there lived a wise man. Everyone respected him. His son, however, was very lazy and did nothing all day.
The wise man was worried about his son’s future. One day, he said to his son, “I want you to go and find some treasure. I have drawn a map to guide you.” Then he handed his son a bag. Inside the bag were clothes, some food, a little money and the map.
The son set out on his long journey the next day. He had to travel across forests, rivers and mountains. Along the way, he met a lot of people. He was helped by some with food and by some with shelter. He also came across robbers who tried to rob him. He saw changing landscapes (风景) and experienced different kinds of weather.
Finally, after a long year, he reached the treasure’s location. He spent two days looking and digging for the treasure, but found nothing.
Disappointed, he headed back to his home. On his way back, he experienced the same changing landscapes and seasons. Sometimes, he would stop to enjoy the beauty of nature. He also learned to hunt and make meals. He had to fix his own clothes and shelter himself. He was now able to tell time by the position of the sun and protect himself from wild animals. He met the same people who had helped him earlier. This time, he stayed and helped them in order to repay them.
When he reached home, he apologized to his father for not finding the treasure.
“There wasn’t any treasure in the very first place, my son,” the father answered with a smile. “But I think you have found your life’s true purpose.”
1.What did the wise man ask his son to do?
A.Draw a map that would guide him to treasure. B.Travel to a faraway place to look for treasure.
C.Make a living by selling clothes and food. D.See the world’s forests and mountains.
2.It can be inferred(推断) that the son _________ during his journey.
A.suffered from hunger, cold and other dangers
B.chose a guide that would easily take him to the treasure
C.had to rob others for food and clothes
D.did not enjoy the natural scenery that he saw
3.What was different about the son’s journey back home?
A.The landscapes were changing. B.He found treasure and became rich.
C.He mastered many life skills. D.He learned how to be a wise man.
4.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A.The son took clothes, some food, a little money and the map with him.
B.It took the son a long year to reach the treasure’s location.
C.The son experienced changing landscapes and four seasons twice before he reached home.
D.The son didn’t find the treasure because he lost his way.
5.What was the father’s purpose of setting this task for his son?
A.To make his son do some interesting activities. B.To see whether his son could deal with difficulties.
C.To test his son’s ability to live in the wild. D.To help his son find his life’s true purpose.
Taking online classes is becoming increasingly popular, but students have different opinions about it.
Wang Qi, 14 | I love taking online courses. They give me a lot more choices and freedom. We can choose to learn whatever we want. Also, online classes enable us to study whenever and wherever we want, which is very convenient. |
Wu Jun, 13 | I don’t think taking online classes is a good way to study. There are many temptations (诱惑) on the internet. Students can be distracted (使分心) from their courses easily. The whole learning process is not as organized as it is in the classroom. |
Zhou Siya, 13 | Online classrooms are beneficial (有益的). We might feel more focused on (集中于)learning when we are alone in front of a computer with no one to distract us. In addition, taking courses online also means we can have more time to use a computer, which is a good way to practice our computer skills. |
Li Chunjie, 14 | I think the idea of taking online courses is crazy. It can increase our exposure (接触) to computers and the radiation (辐射) from them could do harm to the human body, especially our eyes. Also, sitting in front of a computer for a long time without exercising can be harmful to our health. |
1.How many students support online learning?
A.One. B.Two. C.Three. D.Four.
2.Wang Qi thinks that taking online courses is convenient because ________.
A.there are many courses to choose from
B.it helps improve students’ computer skills
C.students can feel more relaxed
D.students can study whenever and wherever they want
3.What’s NOT Zhou Siya’s opinion about taking online courses?
A.Students can feel more focused on learning. B.Students can practice their computer skills.
C.No one can distract students from the courses. D.Students can choose to learn whatever they want.
4.According to Li Chunjie, taking online courses ________.
A.can be beneficial in many ways B.causes a lot of distractions
C.will make students go crazy D.is harmful to students’ health
5.What are these students discussing?
A.Suggestions for taking online courses. B.Different opinions on taking online courses.
C.Suggestions for becoming organized learners. D.Different ways of studying on the internet.
When my brother and I were children, we spent a few weeks in the countryside with our uncle. He was a geologist (地质学家) and loved to go on walks to___________ stones. One day, he bought us _________ and asked us to go to the mountain with him and carry the stones.
The whole day we_________ around. Every now and then he put___________ in our bags. We were a bit___________ that he also took some stones out from our bags at times. But we thought he had just found ___________ stones than the ones we already had. Still, when we returned to the house, we were very_________ . The backpacks were so_________ that we felt great relief(轻松) when we took them off._________ uncle’s backpack was half empty.
“Why did you give us so many stones?” we asked.
“I didn’t. You did,” he said. “You didn’t know it, but I gave you a little attitude (态度) ________ today. Whenever you were complaining, I added a stone to your bags. Whenever you talked about something with positive (积极的) thinking, I __________a stone. And now look at your backpacks.”
The bags were almost ________ .
“Your negative (负面的) thoughts are like stones. You carry them in your____________ just like those stones in a backpack. The more negative thoughts you have, the __________ your mind is.”
With great love, our uncle taught us one of the most important __________ in life – the power of attitude.
1.A.carry B.collect C.research D.kick
2.A.baskets B.ropes C.instruments D.backpacks
3.A.climbed B.jumped C.ran D.walked
4.A.leaves B.stones C.grasses D.sticks
5.A.surprised B.interested C.relaxed D.disappointed
6.A.harder B.better C.stronger D.weaker
7.A.sad B.ill C.tired D.excited
8.A.heavy B.light C.big D.small
9.A.So B.As C.Since D.Yet
10.A.power B.stress C.test D.question
11.A.put off B.took over C.took out D.put back
12.A.full B.empty C.messy D.smooth
13.A.brain B.memory C.mind D.back
14.A.clearer B.easier C.better D.heavier
15.A.suggestions B.lessons C.purposes D.cases
