Up in the air—a history of ballooning
The first kind of air transportation was the balloon. People traveled by balloon one hundred years before there were planes or jet aircraft. Those early days of ballooning were exciting, but they were also risky. 1. However, the danger did not stop the balloonists.
The first real balloon flight was in France in 1783. Two French brothers made a balloon. 2.Hot air is lighter than cold air, so it goes up. The hot air balloon went up 1,000 feet in the sky.
3.They built a fire under the balloon to make the air hot. This made the balloon stay up in the air for a few hours. But their balloon was tied to the ground. So it could not go anywhere.
Soon balloonists tried longer flights. In 1785, an American and a Frenchman flew over the English Channel. They left England on a cold, clear January day. Halfway across, their balloon began to drop toward the water. They threw out some equipment and food to make the balloon lighter. The balloon continued to fall, so they threw out almost everything in the basket -even some of their clothes. 4.
During the nineteenth century, ballooning became a popular sport and balloons were also used by scientists to study the air and by armies in war time. After the airplane was invented, however, interest in balloons decreased dramatically. But some people today still like to go up in balloons. 5.What’s more, they have a wonderful view of the world below.
A.They filled a very large paper bag with hot air.
B.High up in the balloon basket, they find quiet.
C.Sometimes the balloons fell suddenly and sometimes they burned.
D.Back then, few people understood how they were able to fly so far.
E.Finally, after about three hours, they landed in France, cold but safe.
F.Balloon races and displays remain popular all over the world to this very day.
G.Later that same year, two other Frenchmen ascended in a basket under a balloon.
Algorithms (算法) affect nearly every part of a person's experience on the Internet. Search engines are most people' s entry to the Internet.If a person wants to find information about something, they usually start with a search bar.As soon as they start typing or choosing links,the algorithm starts gathering data about every choice users make and uses that data to try to find the websites or information that most directly relate to what the user is looking for.
The problem with algorithm is that they can limit the kinds of information people see,says MacMillan,a reading researcher with Project Information Literacy (能力). He argues this can be harmful to people's critical thinking and lead them to believe that only one point of view is correct.
Companies also pay to post advertisements for products that could relate to users' search data. For example,if you search for places to take a vacation,you will likely start to see ads for travel companies, flights or hotels.
Renee Hobbs, director of the Media Education Lab at the University of Rhode Island, however, argues that algorithms are not all bad. She says search engine algorithms can help you find what might be the most useful information faster. But she says it is in the interests of Internet companies to keep users on the Internet for as long as possible so they see more ads.
The current generation of young people grow up using the Internet and they are prone(易于遭受) to distrustful information.That is why schools must train students how to use the Internet more wisely in their Studies.It is the duty of education to keep students informed about the world around them. Yet it is not the duty of education alone. And lawmakers should consider increasing data protection rules. Individuals can also use a wide variety of websites to avoid algorithmic controls.
1.How do algorithms affect users' Internet experience?
A.They lead to slower Internet connection.
B.They block ads for users automatically.
C.They always help users get reliable links.
D.They determine the content users receive.
2.What is Hobbs' attitude to algorithms?
A.Doubtful. B.Supportive.
C.Objective. D.Indifferent.
3.What can be concluded from the last paragraph?
A.Young people fall victim to the Internet.
B.Data protection rules are already enough.
C.Education is fully responsible for algorithmic controls.
D.Joint efforts are needed to handle algorithmic controls.
4.Which column of a magazine is the text most likely from?
A.Science. B.Entertainment.
C.Advertisement. D.Fashion.
The low percentage of women in science ，technology，engineering，and mathematics(STEM) careers is often attributed (归因于) to men being believed to be better at the sort of thinking those fields require. Though studies have debunked the view,they have largely been based on results acquired from various several standardized tests. Now, researchers from Pennsylvania' S Carnegie Mellon University have found evidence that is hard to overlook; MRI (磁共振成像) proves that young girls and boys use the same mechanisms and networks in the brain to solve math problems.
The groundbreaking study to evaluate the biological gender differences in the math talent of young children was led by the university' s professor of neuroscience, Jessica Cantlon. For their study ,the team selected 104 young children, between 3 and 10 years old, divided almost equally by gender. The scientists used a functional MRI to observe their brain activity as they engaged in math tasks. These included watching age appropriate educational videos and doing math exercises such as counting and addition,as well as reading for comparison.
“We looked at which areas of the brain respond more strongly to mathematics content in the videos and tasks, compared to non math content like reading or the alphabet, Cantlon said.“When we do that in lite girls, we see a particular network of the brain respond,and when we do that same analysis in boys, we see the exact same regions.”
So why do girls and young women tend to avoid math and STEM careers in general? Cantlon thinks it may be rooted in social and cultural conventions. Previous studies have indicated that parents tend to spend more time with young boys in play that inspire spatial cognition (空间认知)-such as toys that involve learning number skills and shapes and solving puzzles. Educators were also observed to spend more time with boys during math class.
1.What does the underlined word“debunked” in paragraph 1 mean?
A.Disproved. B.Supported.
C.Confirmed. D.Overlooked.
2.What does paragraph 2 mainly focus on?
A.The purpose of the research.
B.The process of the research.
C.The participants of the research.
D.The findings of the research.
3.What contributes to the lack of women in STEM careers?
A.Mental capacity. B.Gender difference.
C.Traditional prejudice. D.Family background.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.MRI- A Great Helper in Research
B.Toys- Boosters for STEM Potential
C.Boys and Girls: Equally Talented in Math
D.STEM Careers: Calling for More w omen
Rioghna and Hannah Pittock spent the first few minutes feeling sorry for themselves. Rioghna,a junior at Rochester Mayo High School, had spring sports to play. Hannah,a senior at University of Chicago , was going to have a spring break in Aruba. However , both were canceled because of COVID-19. But they soon recovered and now they are sitting at home , solving Rochester's problems in their way. Pointing to the computer screen, Hannah tells her sister,“She is a nurse and her child needs to be matched.”
The two sisters birthed their plan last Saturday on the drive home from picking up Hannah in Chicago. As more medical workers were sent to work, fighting against the fierce pandemic (流行病), the sisters knew many of their families would need childcare. At the same time, teens throughout Rochester were off school. So on Sunday, Hannah and Rioghna launched Step Up To Sit. Already they're paired more than 40 families with sitters.
“The young people in the community are stepping up to do their part,” Hannah says, “We are delighted that we' re having an impact on people's lives in this hard time.”For the last four days,160 teens have registered to help, most wiling to work free. if paired with a family in need. With more and more teens joining in, the two sisters decide to launch Step Up To Shop,a platform for teens to deliver groceries to seniors.
Rioghna acknowledges people of her age get a bad reputation as smartphone-addicted and selfish. The Pittock sisters are proving otherwise,“Amid the pandemic，people should be allowed to be upset and allowed to be a little bit down about the upset in their lives, but it's about something bigger and recognizing we all have our part to play here,”Rioghna says.
1.Why did the two sisters feel sorry for themselves?
A.They would join in activities separately.
B.They had to give up their planned activities.
C.They were infected with COVID-19 seriously.
D.Their parents were sent to battle COVID-19.
2.Step Up to Sit is a platform to .
A.pair medical worker families with teen sitters
B.call on teens to deliver groceries to seniors
C.spread basic health knowledge to people
D.instruct teens to study online at home
3.Which of the following best describes the two sisters?
A.Tolerant. B.Humble.
C.Caring. D.Stubborn.
4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.Smartphone addiction makes teens selfish.
B.The Pittock sisters acted on a low profile.
C.People can do nothing against pandemic.
D.There is some misunderstanding of teens.
Admission to Angkor
Angkor pass
Admission to the Angkor Archaeological Park is through the Angkor pass. This pass is needed to visit any of the temples within the park. It is valid (有效的) for all monuments in the area, except for Beng Mealea and Phnom Kulen. Be sure to have a valid pass, and tickets are regularly checked at most of the monuments and at the check points.
Where to buy the Angkor pass
The main ticket sales office is the Angkor Conservation Area ticket booth on Charles de Gaulle road. All Angkor passes are available here. Ticket booths are open daily from 5a. m. to 5:30 p. m. Hotels, guest houses, shops etc. are not authorized to sell Angkor passes.
Types of passes
Passes for several durations are available:
◆1day at US $37
◆3days at US $62
◆7days at US $72
The 3-day ticket is valid for any 3 days within a week,the 7-day ticket for any 7 days within a month. Admission for children younger than 12 is free. Prices are quoted in US Dollars, but can also be paid in Cambodian Riel, Thai Baht or Euro.
The information board at the ticket booths list strict rules:
◆Passes are not refundable.
◆Passes are not transferable. The pass contains a photo that is taken with a webcam at the ticket office.
◆Passes are not valid after their validity date. Passes have validity from and to date printed on them.
Tickets bought before 5 p. m, are valid the same day. It is not possible to buy a one-day pass for the next day. Tickets bought after 5 p. m. are valid the same day until sunset and the next day. Make sure the pass is not stamped or holes aren't punched (打孔) into it,which invalidates it,
1.Where can the Angkor pass be purchased?
A.At the check points. B.At the ticket booths.
C.In the hotels. D.In the shops.
2.How much should a couple with an 8- year-old pay for a 3-day trip to Angkor?
A.US $74. B.US $124.
C.US $144. D.US $62.
3.What do we know about the Angkor pass?
A.It includes access to all sites.
B.It must be paid in US Dollars.
C.It can be transferred to others.
D.Stamped tickets are invalid.
假定你是李华，是北方某城市一所中学的学生。你的美国网友Peter听说你校冬季由于雾霾严重经常放假，非常担心你的学习和健康。请你根据以下内容给他发一封电子邮件：
1. 感谢他的关心；
2. 说明在家学习情况；
3. 政府采取措施减少雾霾。
注意：1. 词数100左右。
2. 开头和结尾已经给出，但不计入总词数。
参考词汇：雾霾haze
Dear Peter，
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Your,
Li Hua
