Running late after several wrong turns, I made a final, desperate attempt to locate Elliott's home. Down a dirt path, past a group of geese, there it was: the two-acre property, on which Elliott grows nearly all the food she feeds her family. The Elliotts' three-bedrooms house was among a chicken cage, a pigpen, a rabbit hutch, and three gardens, the sum total of which Elliott refers to as her “homestead(农)”— a nod to the back-to-basics movement that inspired her lifestyle.
Elliott "homesteads" because modern technology “has rid people of their purpose”. In hopes of “drawing on and learning things of the past,” she has for eight years rejects an increasing number of modern conveniences. She lives a life like the 19th-century homesteaders. Unlike the pioneers, however, she enthusiastically broadcasts her life to an audience of Instagram followers, book buyers, and 100,000 monthly readers of her blog. Elliott belongs to a growing network of bloggers who have fueled the growing homesteading movement, which encourages self-reliance through the employment of traditional skills. Broadcasting on the net while trying to escape technology’s uncontrolled pace may seem incongruous, but Elliott insists that social media provide advice and moral support, which are lacking in the remote areas where many homesteaders settle.
Elliott’s day passes in a series of chores: weeding, cleaning up after the chickens, feeding the pigs, weeding again... She rejects the idea that success should involve anything more that maintaining a home. “We live in a culture where everything needs to be epic (宏大的) and awesome... Living a very average life? That’s seen as you not living up to your potential. And I really fight against that. I think the everyday is the point of our life,” she said. “It’s okay to be in the kitchen working with a baby on your back. That isn’t a step backward; it is an intentional thing”.
1.What do we know about Elliott’s “homestead”?
A. Noisy. B. Dirty. C. Difficult to find. D. Hard to maintain.
2.What influence does the Internet have on homesteading?
A. It reduces homesteaders’ everything.
B. It connects homesteading farms.
C. It helps promote homesteading.
D. It disturbs homesteader’s life.
3.What does the underlined word “incongruous” in paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. Strange B. Ambitious C. Natural D. Impossible
4.What will Elliott probably agree with?
A. Keep off the outside world B. Stay with your family
C. Wish for something epic D. Lead your own life
Large gatherings such as weddings and conferences can be socially overwhelming. Pressure to learn people's names only adds to the stress. A new facial-recognition app could come to the rescue, but privacy experts recommend proceeding with caution.
The app, called Social Recall, connects names with faces via smartphone cameras and facial recognition, potentially avoiding the need for formal introductions. “It breaks down these social barriers we all have when meeting somebody," says Barry Sandrew, whose start-up, also called Social Recall, created the app and tested it at an event attended by about 1,000 people.
After receiving an invitation to download Social Recall from an event organizer, the user is asked to take two selfies and sign in via social media. At the event, the app is active within a previously defined geographical area. When a user points his or her phone camera at an attendee's face, the app identifies the individual, displays the person’s name, and links to his or her social media profile. To protect privacy, it recognizes only those who have agreed to participate. And the app’s creators say it automatically deletes users’ data after an event.
Ann Cavoukian, a privacy expert who runs the Privacy by Design Center of Excellence praises the app’s creators for these protective measures. She cautions, however, that when people choose to share their personal information with the app, they should know that “there may be unintended consequences down the road with that information being used in another context that might come back to bite you”.
The start-up has also developed a version of the app for individuals who suffer from prosopagnosia, or “face blindness”, a condition that prevents people from recognizing individuals they have met. To use this app, a person first acquires an image of someone's face, from either the smartphone’s camera or a photograph, and then tags it with a name. When the camera spots that same face in real life, the previously entered information is displayed. The collected data are stored only on a user's phone, according to the team behind the app.
1.Social Recall is used to_________.
A.identify people B.take photos C.organize events D.make friends
2.Paragraph 3 is mainly about_________.
A.what people can do with the app B.how the app was created
C.what makes the app popular D.how the app works
3.Social Recall helps people with prosopagnosia by ________.
A.giving names to the photos kept in their smartphone
B.showing the person's information when it spots a stored face
C.providing the information of a person when they first meet
D.collecting information previously entered in the phone
4.What can we learn about Social Recall from the passage?
A.It can cure people’s “face blindness”.
B.It has caused unintended consequences.
C.It may put people's privacy at risk.
D.It is praised by users for its protective measures.
Think you have already reached your peak in life? You might want to think again. According to a new research, we're happiest at two periods in our lives — not just one. Researchers at the London School of Economics and Political Science asked 23,000 German volunteers aged 17 to 85 to rate their life satisfaction. Participants predicted how happy they would feel in five years, and then, after five years' time, reported back on how they actually felt.
Their results? Anything but unpleasant! The study found that happiness tends to follow a U-shaped curve over an individual's lifetime, with satisfaction reaching higher levels during the extremes of the study’s age range and swinging down in middle age. Plus, the researchers noted the two most important years when happiness peaks: ages 23 and 69.
As is shown in our daily life, it makes a lot of sense. In our early 20s, we're energetic and excited about the changes that come along with young age: new jobs, new places to travel, and new people to meet. By the time we reach our 60s and 70s, though, we have likely retired and can now find the time — not to mention the money — to book a flight to Hawaii at a moment's notice. After all, your 40+ years are a busy time filled with raising families, climbing the corporate ladder, and you know, it's the life in general.
Of course, that's all the more reason to find easy ways to be happier without really trying, regardless of your age! Experts recommend prioritizing (优先考虑) small yet rewarding tasks like taking a walk or spending time with family. Just remember, now you have one more reason to look forward to getting older: an increase in happiness!
1.What does the author think of the research results?
A.They are predictable. B.They are annoying.
C.They are satisfactory. D.They are surprising.
2.What does the underlined word "it" refer to in Paragraph 3?
A.The outcome of the research. B.The second peak in life.
C.The study's age range. D.The first peak in life.
3.When does people’s satisfaction reach the lowest in a lifetime?
A.In one’s teens. B.In one's forties.
C.In one's twenties. D.In one's sixties.
4.Which of the following might be the best title for the text?
A.The shape of happiness. B.The older, the happier.
C.How to be happy. D.The happiest ages in life.
One Story is a non-profit literary organization, devoted to celebrating the art form of the short stories and supporting the writers who write them. If you're skilled at short stories and want to join us, pay attention to the following.
Submission Periods: Jan. 15th — May 31st / Sept. 1st — Nov. 14th.
What Kinds of Stories Is One Story Looking for?
One Story is seeking literary fiction. Because of our format, we can only accept stories between 3,000 and 8,000 words. They can be in any style and on any subject as long as they are good. More importantly, we are looking for stories that leave readers feeling satisfied.
Does One Story Accept Published Material?
No. One Story is looking for previously unpublished material. However, if a story has been published in print outside of North America, it will be considered. Stories previously published online on blogs, personal websites, or online literary magazines will not be accepted.
Does One Story Consider Translations?
Yes. Please include the name of the original author and language, as well as the name of the translator on the first page of your submission.
How Do I Submit to One Story?
We have an automated system for you to send us your work. It will securely send our editors your story and email you a confirmation that it has been received. To use the automated system, you need to have a One Story account. You already have one if you have subscribed to One Story or One Teen Story, joined our mailing list, or submitted a story to either magazine. When you are ready to submit, please visit our Submission Manager.
1.One Story judges whether a work is good mainly based on ______.
A.its name. B.its originality.
C.editors’ comments. D.readers’ response.
2.What should you do when handing in your work?
A.Include your creative inspiration. B.Register an account beforehand.
C.Write a short recommendation for it. D.Attach your private information to it.
3.What type of writing is this text?
A.A story review. B.A magazine advertisement.
C.A submission guide. D.A magazine introduction.
假设你是李华，得知为成功举办2020年北京世界体育大会，市政府决定招募学生志愿者若干名，负责接待来访的外国运动员。请给负责此事的Mr. Black写封信，申请做名志愿者， 内容包括：
1.写信目的；
2.自我简介；
3.你的优势。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头语和结尾语已为你写出。
参考词汇：世界体育大会Sport Accord
Dear Mr. Black,
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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：在错的词下划一横线，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 Sir/ Madam,
I am one of your customer. I ordered a pair of shoes for my mum as a gift on Women's Day. To my disappoint, there are the followed problems.
To begin with, it didn't arrive on schedule, which misses Women's Day. Besides, not only it the wrong size but it is also of wrong colour. That bothers me most is the quality of the shoes. They are not made of genuine leather, and give off bad smell. I'm so annoyed to have received such poor service that I hope you give a due attention to the matter. I'd like you to either return my money and deliver a new pair to me.
It would be high appreciated if I could handle the matter at your earliest convenience.
Yours,
Li Hua
