Put "crottin de chevre," into Google Translate, and you'll be told it means goat dung (waste). So if it appears on a menu, you may pass. Alas! You will rule out a delicious cheese made of goats5 milk that is often served as a starter in France.

Such misunderstandings are why Google Translate is not intended to replace human translators. Tourists might accept a few misunderstandings because the technology is cheap and convenient, but when in business, law or medicine, these services often fall short. " Using Google Translate can lead to some serious errors, especially when words have multiple meanings, which is often the case in fields such as law and engineering, " says Samantha Langley, a court-approved French — to — English legal translator in France.

That is not to say professional translators do not use computer assisted translation (CAT) tools. One of the most popular new tools is the translation earpiece. Usually paired with a smart-phone app, they pick up spoken foreign languages and translate them. For conferences, wearable translation tools like Waverly's are undoubtedly popular. But even this new generation tech has limitations. Users must wait at least a few seconds for a phrase to be translated, or more if the Internet connection is poor. And computers still lack the subtlety (微妙之处)of human communication.

"If you want to create a relationship with the user, you need a human translator to make sound natural and capture the sentiment, which often involves restructuring a sentence completely, says Zoey Cooper, director at Wordbank. "I believe CAT tools get in the way of creativity, " says Antonio Navarro Gosalvez, an English-to- Spanish translator in Spain.

Mr. Ochoa Spencer, chief executive of US start-up Waverly Labs, thinks this problem could be resolved within the next 10 years. "When it comes to expressing emotion and intonation, we need sentiment analysis, which may well be in ten years time, " he says. Yet, nowadays foreign language skills are still in demand in the labour market.

1.The writer uses the example of "crottin de chevre" to ______.

A.criticize Google Translate B.regret missing the cheese

C.bring in the main topic D.introduce a starter in France

2.How is Google Translate according to Paragraph 2?

A.Precise and cheap. B.Cheap but inaccurate.

C.Convenient and effective. D.Fast but incorrect.

3.Who might have a different opinion on Al translation?

A.Samantha Langley. B.Zoey Cooper.

C.Antonio Navarro Gosalvez. D.Ochoa Spencer.

4.What is the text mainly about?

A.The various disadvantages of Google Translate.

B.The chances of human translators being replaced by AI.

C.The difference between computer and human translation.

D.The disappearance of human translators in the near future.

Let’s play a word game. What word can be put in front of the words “stick, maker and point” to make three new compound words? Ready for the answer? Match. Match will combine to make the words “match-stick, match-maker and match-point”. And the point of tasks like this is to measure creativity.

Maybe you have music playing as you think about the words. And, of course, many listen to music while they work. So Emma Threadgold, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Central Lancashire in England, and her colleagues recently used such word puzzles to investigate whether listening to music affects creativity. They asked volunteers to solve 19 puzzles, while listening to either a foreign-language tune, an instrumental version of the same song, a familiar English-language tune, or silence. In every case, volunteers listening to music solved fewer puzzles than their counterparts in total quiet, suggesting that background music does not really aid this kind of creative task. Besides, the researchers tested library noise as well, like the sounds of typing and rustling papers. None of those noises decreased volunteers’ performance at all, compared to the silent control group.

The results are in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology. Still, if you do insist on listening to music while working, you might try something a little more low-key than Lady Gaga, says Threadgold’s colleague John Marsh. A sound with a lot of changes in state information or pitches is more disruptive (干扰的) than one with fewer of those changes. So if you compared a modern pop song with some classical music, you’d expect less disruption from that classical music, just as in actual silence.

1.What is the purpose of the word game mentioned in the passage?

A.To make fun with others. B.To test memory.

C.To evaluate creativity. D.To create new words.

2.Why can the volunteers in total quiet solve more puzzles?

A.Because they can concentrate on the problems.

B.Because other groups are not as clever as them.

C.Because other groups are into listening to music.

D.Because they are better at word puzzle games.

3.What can we infer from Emma Threadgold and her colleagues’ experiment?

A.Volunteers in library can do as well as the ones in quiet.

B.Library noises can affect the volunteers’ performance.

C.Sound has a negative influence on one’s creativity.

D.Those who listen to foreign songs perform worse.

4.If you do insist on listening to music while working, which one is the best?

A.Fast-paced songs. B.High-key songs.

C.Pop music. D.Classic music.

    It was Christmas Eve 1949. I was 15 and feeling sad because there was not enough money to buy the dress I wanted. After supper, I was still feeling sorry for myself. It was a cold, clear night, and Pa came in. "Come on, Elizabeth,” he said. "Get dressed. It's cold out. " Pa was dragging me out in the cold. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door.

Outside, I asked, "Pa, what are you doing?” Have you met Mrs. Clark lately?" he asked. Mrs. Clark lived about two miles down the road from us. Her husband had died the year before, leaving her with three children to raise on her own." Yeah, " I said. "Why?” "I rode by just today, " Pa said. Little Jake was trying to find a few woodchips. They're out of wood. " That was all he said. Pa then loaded the truck with a big ham, a sack of flour and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. "What's in the smaller sack?" I asked. "Shoes. They're out of shoes. I got the children a little candy too."

We rode the two miles to the Clarks' place in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. I knew we didn't have much money. The Clarks had closer neighbors than us. Why was it our concern?

When Mrs. Clark realized what was happening, she bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling as tears ran down her cheeks. She looked at Pa as if she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out. I wasn't the same person when I got the wood unloaded. We gave each of the kids a hug and said goodbye. Thank you, Brother Cotton,"  Mrs. Clark said.

On the way back, Pa explained that he and Ma had saved all year long to buy me a dress for Christmas. 441 spent that money on some shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand, he said. I understood very well. My father had given me a gift much greater than a dress.

1.I felt sorry for myself because ______

A.I didn't get the present I desired

B.Pa forced me to go out in the cold

C.Pa didn't have money for Christmas

D.I did a lot of housework after supper

2.What can we learn about Mrs. Clark?

A.She lived on others' help.

B.She was our closest neighbor.

C.She led a hard life that winter.

D.She was a warm-hearted woman.

3.What does the underlined sentence "I wasn't the same person..." in Paragraph 4 mean?

A.I understood what Pa was doing then.

B.I helped with unloading the wood.

C.Mrs. Clark didn't recognize me.

D.Mrs. Clark noticed my change.

4.What can be a suitable title for the text?

A.Christmas Gifts from Heart B.A Cold Christmas Eve

C.Helping Our Neighbors D.Clark and Her Children

    Not sure how to treat the special person in your life who has a daily chocolate requirement? We pulled together a list of different gifts ranging from traditional hot chocolate kits to chocolate soaps that will take their favorite to a whole new level.

1. HOT CHOCOLATE ON A STICK KIT, $36

Rather than traditional powder, inside you'll find eight different chocolate sticks with flavors like peanut butter, peppermint, and salted caramel. All your giftee needs to do is steam some milk, stir in their preferred flavor, and enjoy the sweet, warm goodness.

Buy it: Amazon

2. PRECISION COOKER, $178

The secret to the right chocolate texture is finding the perfect temperature. This one promises to bring the professional temperature control technique to the home cook. And your giftee won't even have to stay in the kitchen to reap the benefits. The tool's iPhone and Android apps allow users to control the temperature and time from far away.

Buy it: UncommonGoods

3. CHOCOLATE SOAPS, $30

The magic of chocolate goes beyond the kitchen. Help your favorite chocoholics start their day off right —— with the smell of warm chocolate. Each of the soaps, which include Amber Chocolate, Chocolate Bar, and Raspberry Drizzle, are made from olive oil, coconut, refined sweet almond oil, fragrance, and cocoa butter.

Buy it: Amazon

4. CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES KIT, $35

This kit is easy to use, so even if someone has never made chocolate before, they can experiment with all sorts of flavors and combinations without any previous experience. Inside the kit is a thermometer, two bags of dark chocolate chips, organic cocoa powder, organic coconut flakes, sea salt, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract.

Buy it: UncommonGoods

1.What is special about PRECISION COOKER?

A.It can teach users temperature control technique.

B.It can be controlled from a distance by its users.

C.It can make chocolate of different flavors.

D.It can cook dishes with better smell.

2.Which one is suitable for a chocolate making beginner?

A.HOT CHOCOLATE ON A STICK KIT.

B.PRECISION COOKER.

C.CHOCOLATE SOAPS.

D.CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES KIT.

3.You can find this webpage on ______.

A.the website of UncommonGoods B.the website of Amazon

C.a website for chocolate recipes D.a website for gift shopping

假定你是李华，准备参加某国际中学生文化探索夏令营。请你用英语写一篇发言稿，介绍一项你最喜欢的中华传统艺术形式，如中国书法（calligraphy），国画、京剧等。

内容包括：

1.自我介绍；

2.简介该艺术；

3.欢迎大家体验。

注意：1.词数100左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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:在错的词下画一横线，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。

When my father left a store and returned to his car yesterday, he suddenly realised that he' d lock his keys and cell phone inside and didn't know why he could get his spare key. A teenager ride a bike saw him kick about a tire and asked what was wrong. My father explained his situation. The teenager handed my father his cell phone, "Call your wife but tell her I'm coming get the key.” That was a round trip of seven mile, but the teenager didn't mind. An hour late, he returned with the key. My father offers him some money, but they refused. Then, like a cowboy in movies, he rode off into the sunset.

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

In La Paz, Boliva, zebras dance among the cars. Well, all right, they are actually people 1. are dressed up in zebra clothes. They are Las Cebras de la Paz (“The Zebras of Peace") and they are much loved in the Bolivian capital.

The zebras can be seen waving, hugging children, and high-fiving pedestrians. Their joy is endless. The program 2. (create) in 2001 to address two of La Paz's most serious problems: noisy traffic and a high accident rate. 3. (name) after the zebra crossings on streets, Las Cebras trained its participants to educate and talk 4.( driver) into better habits — but to do so in 5. playful and joyful way.

The program handles a second problem as well. It is a chance for underemployed young people 6. (earn) a small amount of money and make a positive 7.(contribute) to the community.

The original 24 zebras have now expanded to 265 working 8.(active) in La Paz. They have both calmed traffic and improved the mood of their city. They may be dressed up 9. zebras, but they defend what 10. (be) human about the city.

    I’ve done almost every sport I can think of, so I’ve had a lot of coaches. And my best coach was my _______ teacher, Mrs. Lane. It seemed she knew everything, _______ about you.

One Wednesday I practiced _______ a balled-up sheet of paper into the wastebasket from ten feet out. _______ it left my fingertips, Mrs. Lane came in and said, “_______!”

She pulled my ball of paper out from the wastebasket and _______ it to me. Then she walked to the _______ of the room and set the wastebasket in the comer.

“You did so well that I’d like to see some more,” she said “Get up and join me.”

We _______ the door. “I'd like to see 10 more shots, from here. Every time you miss, you _______ me one hour of detention（放学后留校）”.

The class became ____________. Any kid who's ever thrown a balled-up sheet of paper knows that there’s barely enough ____________ to get it all the way across the room, let alone accurately.

I ____________ the ball as tightly as I could and took my first shot. Enough ____________ but wide left. The class ____________ One hour of detention. Next shot: short. Two hours. At last I made three shots and ____________ seven. Seven hours of one-on-one with Mrs. Lane.

Later I ____________ why she was my best coach. I was ____________ to the school, having moved from Miami this summer. I was significantly ____________ in math, but I' d been able to hide what I didn’t know. Actually Mrs. Lane had ____________ what I didn’t know. Each detention was tailored to address a ____________ that she had spotted. It was thrilling to finally understand the things that I’d pretended to know. I grew comfortable with her.

1.A.football B.language C.science D.math

2.A.normally B.especially C.generally D.usually

3.A.throwing B.breaking C.rolling D.cutting

4.A.Each time B.Since C.If D.The instant

5.A.Terrible B.Nice C.Careful D.Casual

6.A.donated B.folded C.handed D.changed

7.A.back B.front C.middle D.entrance

8.A.closed B.answered C.approached D.watched

9.A.offer B.lend C.send D.owe

10.A.empty B.noisy C.crowded D.lonely

11.A.weight B.skill C.shape D.strength

12.A.squeezed B.caught C.kicked D.played

13.A.range B.height C.distance D.force

14.A.shouted B.agreed C.jumped D.sighed

15.A.added B.missed C.avoided D.found

16.A.set down B.showed off C.figured out D.made sure

17.A.small B.local C.new D.young

18.A.well B.behind C.quick D.around

19.A.discovered B.predicted C.ignored D.remembered

20.A.business B.sadness C.kindness D.weakness

    With high rents and low wage growth, it's hardly surprising that young adults increasingly rely on parents for financial support. 1. A survey last year estimated that the $500 billion in financial help that parents give adult children is double what those same parents manage to save for retirement. Nearly 75% parents reported they put their adult kids' needs ahead of retirement.

2. The less you have saved for retirement, the more likely you will feel money-stressed in retirement---that' s not the goal, right? —and you may end up needing to rely on your kids for help in your later years. That' s surely not an outcome the entire family wants.

The decision to provide financial support for an adult child is, of course, personal. That said, if you have even the tiniest worries about retirement security, you owe it to your entire family to reconsider your support. Not overnight, but by setting a timeline expectation for when your child will be independent. 3.

Let adult kids contribute to family expenses. Once an adult child has a job, even if they are still living at home, it's time to have them participate in paying bills. At least, they should pay their share of a family cellphone plan.

4. Helping an adult child get established is one thing, but often help can extend into financing a nicer — than — needed lifestyle. For example, give money for groceries so they don't exist on a poor diet. 5. However, buying for a new car (which should be a used car) or contributing to rent for their own place (rather than shared) is you not setting smart limits.

Anyway, you must have enough savings to take care of yourself.

A.Set limits on what you will help with.

B.Make a major financial sacrifice for adult kids.

C.Besides, helping rent a shared apartment is also reasonable.

D.While the support is financial, we' re not talking pocket money.

E.And most importantly, you can also establish clear financial boundaries.

F.You should reduce your budget to come up with the extra cash to help.

G.Parents who make that choice could set everyone up for a difficult future.

    I’ve been teaching college for many years, long enough to note the steady relaxation of attention in matters of student dress. I’ve long grown used to the tom jeans, flip-flops, shorts in the dead of the Maine winter, and ball caps worn backward. Still, I took note recently when one of my students showed up in pajama bottoms. I couldn’t help stopping him and remarking, “Did you just roll out of bed?”

His response: “Five minutes ago.”

I'm familiar with the school of thought that says that how students dress is irrelevant, so long as they’re learning. I deposit it in the same category as “Grammar and spelling don’t matter, so long as they’re expressing themselves.” Perhaps. But I also wonder about the wisdom of confusing the line between bed and desk. I should think that dressing properly before entering a formal environment, such as a college lecture hall, is a sort of visible reminder to oneself (and one’s teachers) that impressions are important and that we have come together to get down to business.

I smile when I think back on the occasions that my parents associated with needing to look presentable. Once, when I was 11 and my brother 9, my father announced that he was taking us into Manhattan (just a subway ride away) to see the film of “2001: A Space Odyssey.” My brother and I were happy at the prospect, but were soon deflated when my father directed us to put on our best clothes, including jackets and ties. “But why?” I begged, not wanting to change out of my comfortable jeans, T-shirt, and sneakers.

“Because,” he said, “we’re going to New York. Other people would observe and assess us based on our appearance.”

So yes, I’m all for freedom of choice in matters of dress, and yes, I do want my students to be comfortable. But I also want to pay my respects to those students who believe that appearances count.

1.Why did the author stop the student?

A.He got up too late.

B.He was late for class.

C.He disobeyed the rules.

D.He wore pajama bottoms.

2.What does the underlined word “deflated” in the fourth paragraph mean?

A.Discouraged. B.Relaxed.

C.Surprised. D.Worried.

3.Why does the author mention his childhood experience?

A.To introduce the topic.

B.To entertain the reader.

C.To remember his father.

D.To support his argument.

4.What does the author argue in the passage?

A.Students should have a dress code.

B.Pajama bottoms should be banned.

C.Bad behavior leads to poor learning.

D.School uniforms matter to students.

    Shanghai, the first Chinese mainland city to carry out a compulsory garbage classification regulation in July, is using intellectual platforms that can count the amount of garbage residents dump（倒）to promote recycling.

A residential area in Shanghai's Baoshan district is using 10 sets of such smart bins. Through data shown on the screen, staff of the platform will know the amount of garbage collected and when and who dumped them. The smart bin can also help social workers. For example, for elderly people living alone, a social worker will go to their home to check if the elderly people failed to dump garbage.

The "green fortune can!'' issued in 2016 by Shanghai environmental authorities is the base of the big data platform. The card is meant to encourage daily garbage sorting and to build an eco-friendly way of life in the city, according to the city government's website. Residents can swipe （刷）the card after selecting the waste type on a screen above the smart bins, and the bin will open automatically. After the trash is dumped, residents will receive corresponding points which they could exchange for small gifts.

The city government said more than 7.28 million Shanghai families have joined the project, and 6.31 million cards have been distributed.  Residents and experts welcomed the use of high-tech equipment in garbage recycling, saying it is more convenient than expected.

But proper garbage handling and necessary construction should catch up to avoid such a good idea from becoming a formalism project, Luo Yameng, a Beijing-based urban-planning and eco-city expert, told the Global Times on Thursday.

In the future, the community's management company would also issue garbage bags attached with QR codes, which would make it convenient for management departments to track residents who break garbage recycling regulations.

The Global Times reporter found that similar measures have been applied in some areas in Beijing, which is drafting its own garbage recycling regulations.

1.How does the smart bin help social workers?

A.By signaling when garbage is dumped.

B.By offering data about where garbage is put.

C.By tracing the people who dumped garbage.

D.By showing how much garbage is collected.

2.Which of the following is the first step for residents to use the dustbin?

A.Swiping the card.

B.Dumping the garbage.

C.Selecting the waste type.

D.The bin opens automatically.

3.What can be learned from the expert Luo Yameng?

A.More and more families will be likely to join the project.

B.Garbage classification needs to be open to further discussion.

C.The use of high-tech equipment is much better than expected.

D.Follow-up measures should be taken to guarantee the success.

4.What is the best title for the passage?

A.Green fortune card一a card for your family

B.Shanghai gets tough with incorrect trash sorting

C.Big data, smart devices help Shanghai sort garbage

D.Compulsory garbage classification regulation in Shanghai

    At first, Michael Surrell didn't see the black smoke or flames shooting from the windows of his neighbor's home. He had just parked around the comer from his own house when he got a call from his daughter: "The house next door is on fire!" He went to look. That's when he saw an old woman crying outside.

"The baby's in there!" she cried. Though the fire department had been called, Surrell, then 64, ran inside without hesitation. Entering the burning house was like "running into a bucket of black paint," Surrell says. The thick smoke burned his eyes and made it impossible to breathe. The conditions would have been dangerous for anyone, but for Surrell, who had lung disease, they were life-threatening.

After a few minutes in the smoke - filled house, he retreated outside to catch his breath. "Where is Tiara?" he asked desperately.

“The second floor," the old woman shouted back.

Taking a deep breath, Surrell went in a second time. Because the house had a similar layout to his, he found the stairs and made it to the second floor.

“Baby girl, where are you?”

His throat and lungs burned as if he'd breathed fire instead of the smoke in the air. He couldn't open his eyes. All he could hear was the crackling （破裂声）of burning wood. Then a soft sound came out. Still unable to see, Surrell fell to his knees on the hot wood floor and climbed toward the sound, feeling around for any sign of the girl.

Finally, he touched something. A shoe, then an ankle. He pulled the baby toward him. Her body was weak and she wasn't breathing. He carried her into his arms and ran blindly into the blackness. The next thing he knew, he was at the front door, then outside.

1.Why was the old woman crying outside?

A.She lost the baby in the fire.

B.The baby was hurt in the fire.

C.The baby was in the burning house.

D.She couldn't call the fire department.

2.What can be learned from the first two paragraphs?

A.Surrell's daughter worked in a fire department.

B.Surrell would probably have been killed by the fire.

C.The smoke blanketed Surrell' s house from next door.

D.A bucket of black paint blocked Surrell's way to the house.

3.How did Surrell find the baby on the second floor?

A.By searching on his knees.

B.By opening the back door.

C.By shouting repeatedly'

D.By turning on the light.

4.Which of the following best describes Surrell?

A.Determined and patient.

B.Independent and devoted.

C.Generous and reliable.

D.Courageous and caring.

The Best Destinations for Cheap Flights In 2020

Cheap flights are the secret sauce of travel. Whether it' s a luxury destination or a backpacker's paradise, finding airfare for less means you can spend more on the road, so use this list as a jumping off point for your 2020 travels.

1.If you intend to travel to Hawaii, which airline should you check?

A.West Coast. B.Aerolineas Argentinas.

C.American. D.LATAM.

2.If you travel from Seattle, which destination can you choose to go to?

A.Nairobi. B.Buenos Aires.

C.Kuala Lumpur. D.Fiji.

3.Which airline offers tickets accessible to stops in both countries?

A.United. B.Eugene.

C.Kalispell. D.Australia.

假定你是李华，你的美国朋友Tristan对你校正在举行的“中华好书分享”活动很感兴趣，希望你介绍此活动，并推荐好书。请你写封信，内容包括：

1. 该活动的意义；

2. 同学们参与的情况；

3. 你推荐的书籍及理由。

注意：1. 词数100左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Tristan,

____________________________________________________________________________________________

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：在错的词下画一横线，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只限一词；

2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。

Our class are discussing what to wear when receive the British students in next month. I recommend the traditional Chinese dress when Li Hua prefers the school uniform.

I would be happy wear traditional Chinese clothes at the welcome ceremony. Firstly, this is exactly that the British visitors are expecting. They come to learn about Chinese culture with our own eyes. Their Chinese peers in the typical Chinese dress would be high impressive. The school uniforms are not special enough to give an unique Chinese flavor. Secondly, the inconvenience is not a problem but a way that display the richness, delicacy and great fascination of Chinese culture with a history of thousand of years.

In my opinion, the traditional Chinese clothes will make the occasion very Chinese and inviting to the British guests.

    With the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China 1. (approach), the younger generation celebrate the country’s birthday through their own 2. (experience). They participate in an online program Me and My Motherland, and have their voices 3. (hear) during the show, the title of 4. comes from a popular song of the same name from 1985.

In each show, after short videos5.(broadcast), a group of guests discuss them. In one video, a young woman plays three roles from different generations to show 6. fashion trends have been changed in China.

“I see many young people7. (admire) traditional culture,” says a well-known singer after he watched a video about overseas Chinese celebrating traditional culture abroad.

“When they voluntarily establish clubs abroad promoting tradition among local communities, they8.(able) Chinese culture to be better understood by the public overseas.”

Many users of Douban. com left messages saying they watched the show9.(initial) because their idols(偶像) were taking part, 10. they soon became absorbed by what was shown.

A cup of coffee helps for a quieter life.

Last year my children _______ me a stainless steel(钢)coffeepot. I couldn't _______ to use it and looked forward to the following morning's coffee making, knowing that I probably wouldn't break this pot as _______ as I had done so often in the past.

But as I _______ my first cup of coffee, the pot spilled(洒)all over the table. _______ no one was around to see my disappointed face! I kept trying, but each morning would _______ me spilling the coffee. Then I realized that if I poured very slowly there would be no spilling. This was at first a very _______ experience. My normal _______ was to rush through breakfast so that I could get on with my day.

But in time I learned not only to pour slowly but to enjoy the experience: the smell, the taste, and the _______ of a new day.

It reminded me to __________ whether there were other areas of life I was rushing through. __________ of life, it seemed.

I started to leave extra time to do even the most __________ tasks. When shop owners would __________ for keeping me waiting, I'd say. ''Not a problem, I'm not in a hurry. '' Even listening to the __________ singing in the trees around me became part of my __________.

__________, one of my favorite experiences living in the inner city was leisurely __________ time with strangers. We sat on the steps, each of us with a cup of coffee in our hands, listening to each other's stories. It was one of the __________ things about living in a busy land. It was as if the world around us slowed to a pace we could both __________.

Stillness and quietness not only slow the pace of life, but also __________ the soul, helping us to enjoy the world's small pleasure.

1.A.awarded B.gifted C.lent D.threw

2.A.stand B.believe C.spare D.wait

3.A.easily B.rarely C.hard D.far

4.A.ordered B.drank C.made D.poured

5.A.Undoubtedly B.Unfortunately C.Surprisingly D.Thankfully

6.A.bring B.see C.have D.worry

7.A.boring B.interesting C.painful D.frightening

8.A.reaction B.answer C.practice D.use

9.A.preference B.excitement C.hope D.quietness

10.A.reflect upon B.agree on C.look through D.leave behind

11.A.Little B.Most C.None D.Any

12.A.unimportant B.difficult C.ordinary D.challenging

13.A.prepare B.pay C.look D.apologize

14.A.children B.worms C.birds D.strangers

15.A.routine B.influence C.time D.task

16.A.Therefore B.Besides C.However D.Instead

17.A.spending B.wasting C.keeping D.setting

18.A.most hopeful B.most adventurous C.warmest D.kindest

19.A.force B.continue C.improve D.handle

20.A.saves B.ruins C.feeds D.shows

    You don’t have to break your back to create a yard that’s both beautiful and kind to Mother Nature. These environmentally smart ideas will turn your home turf(草地)into a little slice of Eden. 1.

Let the grass grow. Cut grass less often, so it gets a few inches longer than you’re used to. 2. That’s because roots will grow deeper and grass thicker, which means fewer pests, less disease, and a decreased need for chemical intervention.

Water the grass right way. Water before 10 a. m. , when the air is cool and not as much moisture will be lost to evaporation. 3. Water near the base of plants, slowly delivering the good stuff right to the roots. For lawns, water long and deep once a week.

Get keen on composting(制堆肥). Compost isn’t called gardener’s gold for nothing. It keeps kitchen leftover out of landfills and enriches soil with much-needed nutrients. 4. Veggie and tea bags, eggshells, dry leaves, and untreated grass clippings are all fair game.

5. Honeybees help pollinate(授粉) 75 percent of our flowering plants and nearly 75 percent of our food crops. There is increasing evidence that many of the vital pollinators are in decline. Creating a garden that includes plants that flower at different times of the year will benefit pollinators throughout the growing season. Whenever possible, choose native plants with a variety of flower colors and shapes.

A.Many will save your money, too.

B.Dry leaves add nutrients to the soil.

C.Give bees the green-carpet treatment.

D.Make the backyard as beautiful as possible.

E.Watering in late afternoon is the next best option.

F.It also reduces dependency on chemical fertilizers.

G.It will help it survive dry periods of time in warmer months.

    As to the question what is a best age to learn a language, many would rush to the conclusion that it’s best to start young. Though it is true to some extent, now science offers a much more complex view of how our relationship with languages evolves over a lifetime-and there is much to encourage late beginners.

Broadly speaking, different life stages give us different advantages in language learning. As babies, we have a better ear for different sounds s as toddlers(幼儿), we can pick up native accents with astonishing speed. As adults, we have longer attention spans and important skills like literacy that allow us to continually expand our vocabulary, even in our own language. And a wealth of factors beyond ageing—like social circumstances, teaching methods, and even love and friendship—can affect how many languages we speak and how well.

“Not everything goes downhill with age, “says Antonella Sorace, a professor of developmental linguistics and director of the Bilingualism Matters Centre at the University of Edinburgh. She gives the example of what is known as “explicit learning”: studying a language in a classroom with a teacher explaining the rules. “Young children are very bad at explicit learning, because they don’t have the cognitive(认知) control and the attention and memory capabilities,” Sorace says. “Adults are much better at that. So that can be something that improves with age.”

A study by researchers in Israel found, for example, that adults were better at grasping an artificial language rule and applying it to new words in a lab setting. The scientists compared three separate groups: 8-year-olds, 12-year-olds, and young adults. The adults scored higher than both younger groups, and the 12-year-olds also did better than the younger children. They suggested that their older participants may have benefited from skills that come with maturity—like more advanced problem-solving strategies—and greater linguistic experience. In other words, older learners tend to already know quite a lot about themselves and the world and can use this knowledge to process new information.

1.What is the correct understanding of the underlined sentence in paragraph 1?

A.We should stay up late to learn a language.

B.Late beginners strive hard to learn a language.

C.Late beginners can also learn a language well.

D.We should give much encouragement to late beginners.

2.According to the passage, language learning is NOT affected by          .

A.our inborn abilities B.our native accents

C.our cognitive control D.our attention spans

3.Why do the adults score higher than both younger groups in the test?

A.They have already known quite a lot about the words.

B.They draw upon their existing knowledge to help.

C.They have been taught the way to learn a language.

D.They are better at learning artificial language rules.

4.What is the purpose of the passage?

A.To compare and evaluate. B.To examine and assess.

C.To argue and discuss. D.To inform and explain.

    NANCHANG - In the Chinese Lunar Year of the Pig, pigs have attracted a large amount of attention as there has been a huge rise in the price of pork, China’s major meat, resulting in high living costs. China’s pig herd(群) has shrunk considerably due to multiple factors including an outbreak of African swine fever(非洲猪瘟) and the bad effect of the last market cycle when low pork prices drove many out of business.

Xiong Lijiao, a resident in Nanchang, a major pig-breeding region, said her family eats less pork now. “Prices of pork have doubled, making it much more expensive.” said Xiong. The weekly average price of a carcass-weight hog(胭体瘦肉型生猪) in 16 provincial-level regions was 37. 57 yuan($5. 3) per kg in mid-September, up 94. 1 percent year-on-year, according to the information center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. It is not only pork prices that are being affected, demand for soybeans, used as food for hogs, as well as other kinds of meat prices are also being affected.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said favorable government policies and market conditions have boosted some farmers’ confidence in restoring production. China has rolled out 17 measures to support hog production since the end of August, and most of them have been carried out. To meet the market gap, China is increasing imports and releasing frozen pork from its central reserves. But eyeing a long-term solution, China is encouraging large-scale pig farming. The industry concentration will further increase with many small and medium-sized breeding companies leaving the business. Despite the current challenges, China’s pig breeding industry is heading toward a more intensive, environmental-friendly and risk-resistant growth model.

1.Which is NOT a cause of the rise of the price of pork?

A.The spread of African swine fever.

B.A supply shortage of pork.

C.The high living cost in recent years.

D.Marketable hogs on the decline.

2.What kind of phenomenon is described in paragraph 2?

A.Butterfly effect—small change leads to great variation.

B.Buckets effect—the weakest influences the whole.

C.Pygmalion effect—expectation influences performance.

D.Anchoring effect—first information affects later decisions.

3.Which of the following measures can get to the root of the problem?

A.Releasing frozen pork from the stock.

B.Importing pork from overseas markets.

C.Establishing industrial-scale pig farms.

D.Encouraging small breeding companies.

4.In which section of the newspaper can you read this article?

A.Editorial & Opinion. B.Health & Wellbeing.

C.Home & International News. D.Celebrities & Social.

    I’d been trying for weeks to come up with an idea for my next book. And then suddenly the idea came: Why not write about a celebrity reporter signing up as a hospital volunteer so she could gain access to a movie star who was a patient of the hospital? The heroine would be motivated totally by her career until she learned that in helping others, we help ourselves.

Sounded like a romantic comedy with uplifting message, but first, there was the matter of research. I’d have to observe hospital volunteers. I headed over to my nearby hospital and asked the director of volunteers if I might hang around for a day or two just to research my story. Her answer, “No. If you really want to see what it’s like to be a volunteer, you should become one.”

Become a volunteer? I was not wild about being in close to people with germs (细菌). I would just skip the research, I thought, then reminded myself that I did need to spend quality time at the hospital if I wanted to write credibly about my heroine’s journey. So I signed up, was given my uniform and ID badge (徽章), and reported for duty. My “job” was to wheel a magazine cart throughout the large facility and, in the process, be a shoulder to lean on.

At the beginning, my focus was on my novel. And then a funny thing happened: I stopped researching and started realizing that I might actually be making a difference in people’s lives. A woman who’d just been diagnosed with lung cancer thanked me for brushing her hair and applying her lipstick. A man who was wasting away from AIDS called me his “angel”, simply because I took twenty minutes to note down the letter he dictated to his mother.

Now long after finishing my book, I continued to volunteer. Friends would ask, “Isn’t it depressing at that place?” “On the contrary,” I’d say and mean it.

1.Why did the author want to observe hospital volunteers?

A.She intended to write stories about them.

B.She was preparing for her volunteering jobs.

C.She hoped to gain access to a movie star.

D.She wanted to make her heroine’s story realistic.

2.What can we infer from paragraphs 3&4?

A.The author was determined to become a volunteer in the beginning.

B.The author was meant to shoulder the responsibility of the patients.

C.The patients the author met and the appreciation she received changed her.

D.The patients relied on the author to help them survive in the hospital.

3.In what way is the author similar to the heroine of her book?

A.Motivated by their career, they succeed.

B.By lifting other’s spirits, they lift their own.

C.Being volunteers, they spread uplifting messages.

D.By providing support to others, they are appreciated.

4.What can be a suitable title of the passage?

A.My Turn: Life as a Hospital Volunteer.

B.My Discovery: I Can Make a Difference.

C.My Investigation: Celebrities in Hospital.

D.My Identity: a Volunteer in a Hospital.

    There are so many breathtaking famous castles in the world and it’s very hard to make a list. Here are some director’s picks. You’re welcome to add a comment with your favorite castles.

Castle Howard, Yorkshire

C. Howard, Yorkshire is one of the grandest and most famous castles as well as the private residence in Britain. This beautiful palace of Europe has been home to the Howard family for over 300 years. It is 15 miles north of York. Today, it is part of the Treasure Houses group of heritage houses.

 Location: Castle Howard, York Y060 7DA, UK

 Timing: The Garden is open daily from loam－4pm

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

This castle is one of the most famous castles in the world. This Castle was built by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a personal refuge. After he died in 1886, Neuschwanstein opens to the paying public and has over 60 million visitors in a year. Neuschwanstein is a 120-year-old luxury Castle, which has a remarkable view of two lakes, two castles, towns, and localities.

Tickets can be reserved online or you can buy at the Ticket center in the village of Hohenschwangau below the castle.

 Location: Neuschwansteinstra Be 20, 87645 Schwangau, Germany

 Timing: Sunday to Saturday 8am-5pm

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

This castle is a historic fortress (城堡) which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh. In this castle, different parts of the castle were constructed in different centuries, from the 12th to the 20th century. It is the most famous landmark and one of the most famous castles in the world. The castle is still in use today for ceremonial and military purposes and also rented for wedding receptions.

 Location: Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG, UK

 Timing: Sunday to Saturday 9:30am-5pm

1.Which of the following demand(s) admission fees?

A.Castle Howard, Yorkshire. B.Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany.

C.Edinburgh Castle, Scotland. D.All of them.

2.What do we know about Castle Howard?

A.It boasts lake view. B.It is the landmark of the UK.

C.It once served as a private house. D.It has the longest opening hours.

3.Which is NOT available in Edinburgh Castle?

A.Having a good view of Edinburgh.

B.Holding a wedding ceremony there.

C.Appreciating ancient art and architecture.

D.Honoring the nation’s military tradition.

阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。 续写的词数应为150左右。

When Jayce Crowder was in kindergarten, he began noticing that he looked different from his classmates. They had two hands. But he had only one.

It started when one boy teased him. Jayce was in a bad mood. He'd return home in Des Moines, Iowa, with questions: Why am I different? Why me? Why? “He actually told us that he was mad at looking so different from others，" said his mother, Cortney Lewis. “That really hurt him."

Lewis admitted she didn't know what to do at that point. How could she provide answers to her son's questions when she had never found those answers herself?

A few weeks later, Lewis came home from her job and turned on the TV to a news story about Trashaun Willis, an eighth grader from Washington, Iowa. The boy, then 14, had become an Internet star after posting videos of his slam clunks（扣篮）,and, like Jayce, he was missing most of his left arm. Lewis called Jayce in. He was shocked, staring at one dunk after another.

At the time, it seemed that watching Trashaun would simply be an inspiring moment for Jayce---he'd see a shining role model with a seemingly similar born disability. And had it stayed just that, Lewis would have been happy. But little did she know that a family friend had already reached out to the Des Moines Register, asking the newspaper to help set up a meeting with Trashaun to build Jayce‘s confidence.

“It reassured me，" said Lewis. “I know in my heart that everything's going to be OK. Trashaun has grown up to be a wonderful kid. And I know Jayce is too."

Trashaun did get serious with Jayce. Finally, the boys met at Washington Middle School on a Saturday afternoon a couple of months later, in April 2017, and they instantly bonded.

假定你是李华，你的英国朋友Frnank及想学习太极。最近恰巧你校在网上直播太极课程。请给他写一封电子邮件，内容包括：

1.发出邀请；

2.介绍课程（上课方式、时间及授课人等）；

3.期待相见。

注意：

1.词数80左右；

2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

3.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

    Battling coronavirus is an experience that will forever stay in my mind. I had what's considered a mild case, but even in its weakest form, this virus is 1. (violence) and cruel.

My husband, Louis, and I have been trying to figure out where we first came into contact2. the virus, and we think it was the Friday night when we went out 3. (celebrate) his sister's birthday in early March. We went to a Mexican restaurant, 4. we shared lots of laughs and food. We didn't think anything of it at the time. 5. (look) back now, we think that must have been the start of it all. Sharing food and drinks 6.(be) one of the everyday habits that should change forever after coronavirus.

Louis began showing symptoms on Monday, but we assumed it was 7. typical cold. It didn't seem a cause for concern. Then it took 8.(I) down. The doctor was certain I would test positive for coronavirus, but gave me the option to test 9. I wanted to know for sure. I opted to be tested.

Now that I 10. (recover) , I'm sharing my story because I want people to take this situation seriously. We have to fight this battle together and we have to win.

    Luther Younger is a 99-year-old loving husband. His wife came down with cancer nine years ago, and doctors __ she'd have just five years to live. ____, the couple have remained strong.

Over the last nine years, Luther takes a six — mile ____ every day to visit his wife in the hospital. He always stays by her side, encouraging her, showering her with ____, and their daily kiss. Luther could get a ride or even take the bus, but he ____ to walk the whole journey to help clear his mind and to ___everything about his wife. Passersby often recognize Luther and stop to offer him a ride, but he __ their kindness. His daily walk is __ of how much he loves his wife.

Luther's daughter hoped he could ___accept rides, especially on extremely hot and snowy days, but Luther __ walking himself so she just lets him have it his way.

__ walking six-miles each day in the heat and snow would be too much, when you've walked through ____ with someone, what's another six miles? Luther is always ____ to leave his love before returning home, but he knows that each tomorrow, ___the weather, he will be on his way again. He can't bear to live a single day without ___his wife.

1.A.reported B.imagined C.advised D.thought

2.A.However B.Therefore C.Instead D.Besides

3.A.drive B.walk C.ride D.flight

4.A.relief B.trust C.love D.sympathy

5.A.agrees B.hesitates C.fails D.prefers

6.A.recall B.suspect C.ignore D.discover

7.A.dislikes B.corrects C.declines D.considers

8.A.motivation B.proof C.trial D.origin

9.A.actually B.gradually C.finally D.occasionally

10.A.insists on B.turns to C.sets about D.takes up

11.A.Because B.If C.While D.Until

12.A.life B.growth C.marriage D.adulthood

13.A.grateful B.sad C.eager D.guilty

14.A.thanks to B.rather than C.apart from D.regardless of

15.A.supporting B.mentioning C.seeing D.calling

    It's impossible to provide an exact number of words in English, since new words are being added to the dictionary, and falling out of use constantly. 1.

The short answer is: about a million. Doubt you know anything even close to a million words? That number includes any number of legal, medical, scientific, and mechanical terms that most people will never meet in their day-to-day lives. 2.

The “million" number also includes the many, many words that have fallen out of use throughout the time.3. Consider the word “diddle"，a slang term from the 1700s that means “gin". Many English speakers would recognize “gin"，but far fewer would recognize “ diddle”.

If a million words is the absolute upper level, how does that compare with the general vocabulary of most English speakers? 4. Most English-speaking adults know between 20,000 and 30,000 words. And in addition to those many thousands of words, they're probably able to comprehend a good 20,000 more just from context clues.

5. You won't find a single dictionary that includes anywhere close to the total million words. One of the reasons is that general-usage dictionaries don't include lots of technical terms—both because of how uncommon they are and, in some cases, because of length. The longest word in the English language is a term from chemistry that is used to identify a certain kind of protein. It is 180,000 letters long. So you certainly won't see it in the dictionary.

A.But what's the number?

B.More than you might think!

C.That doesn't amount to a whole lot, though!

D.Then, how many words are there in the book?

E.While words like these are very uncommon, they still count.

F.If you recognize these uncommon words, we sadly no longer use them.

G.Though removed from the dictionary, they still count as English words.

    Few people doubt the value of developing students' thinking skills. A focus on critical thinking is common in education. In the Australian Curriculum, critical thinking and creative thinking are known as “general capabilities”. The US has a similar focus through their “common core".

Many approaches to developing critical thinking are based on Philosophy for Children. One strategy that has a large impact on students' ability to analyse and evaluate arguments is argument mapping, in which a student's reasoning can be visually displayed by capturing the inferential pathway from assumption to conclusion. This type of argument-based intellectual engagement can show high outcomes in terms of the quality of thinking in any classroom. Research also shows deliberate attention to the practice of reasoning in the context of our everyday lives can be significantly improved through targeted teaching.

Teachers at one high school in Australia, who have much training in critical thinking teaching methods, developed a task that asked students to determine Australia's greatest sports person. Students needed to construct their own criteria for greatness. To do so, they had to analyze the Australian sporting context, create possible evaluative standards, explain and justify why some standards would be more acceptable than others and apply these to their candidates. They then needed to argue their case with their classmates to develop criteria that were solid, defensible, widely applicable and produced a choice that seized significant and relevant aspects of Australian sport.

Researchers looking at the gains made in a single term of teaching critical thinking with argument mapping said the critical thinking gains measured are close to those that could be expected to result from three years of undergraduate education. Students who are taught to think well also do better on subject-based exams and standardized tests than those who do not.

In terms of developing 21st century skills, which includes setting up students for lifelong learning, teaching critical thinking should be core business.

1.Which of the following can explain the underlined word “capturing" in Paragraph 2?

A.Describing. B.Attracting. C.Designing. D.Blocking.

2.What’s the purpose of Paragraph 3?

A.To construct the criteria for being great.

B.To acknowledge the teachers' outcomes.

C.To present how to teach critical thinking.

D.To emphasize the importance of reasoning.

3.What is the author's attitude toward teaching critical thinking?

A.Objective. B.Supportive. C.Doubtful. D.Cautious.

4.What does this text imply?

A.Teaching methods should vary among schools.

B.Research on education deserves more attention.

C.Critical thinking should be valued in education.

D.Concepts of critical thinking aren't well received.

    Telling someone they are not hired is never an easy job, but all hiring managers will face this difficult situation many times in their careers. While everyone fears denial on some level, it is important to understand that not everyone will fit in every job. Further, there are times when the applicant quality will be so great, a decision to reject an applicant may not reflect on that applicant's abilities but the overall quality of the field.

There are a number of methods that can be used to get the message across that a person is not hired. In many cases, especially for those who were never called for an interview, a simple form letter may be sufficient. In other cases, where someone may have been called for an interview, a phone call or letter could be chosen to deliver the message that they were not hired. In cases where there may be an ongoing relationship with the person not hired, it may be best to break the news in person, though this has the obvious potential of being more uncomfortable. Above all, it is best to always be honest with those who didn't get the job. Lying is never acceptable.

Generally, it is not a good idea to tell someone specific reasons why they are not hired for a job. This can only lead to resentment（怨恨）and regret. However, there may be specific times when this could be a good idea. For example, if an applicant is promising and the hiring manager believes another position will be opening up that suits the applicant's skills, this could be a way to let that person know they may soon have another opportunity.

In all cases, even if you feel someone has cheated to obtain an interview, never behave in a way which shows you are superior to them. This is unprofessional and reflects very poorly not only on the hiring manager, but the organization as a whole.

1.Why are some applicants refused according to Paragraph 1?

A.They are interested in other fields.

B.They don't qualify for the position.

C.They are afraid of making decisions.

D.They lack the courage to face failures.

2.How may a not-interviewed applicant be informed of the rejection?

A.By receiving a formal phone call.

B.By getting a simple form letter.

C.By checking a message online.

D.By attending a personal meeting.

3.In what case will applicants be told exactly why they are not hired?

A.They regret applying for the job.

B.They demand specific explanations.

C.They may be capable of another post.

D.They have submitted false information.

4.What can be inferred about the position of hiring managers?

A.It calls for professional skills.

B.It attracts the applicants most.

C.It doesn't allow for any mistake.

D.It requires honesty and ambition.

    Philadelphia's Magic Gardens makes up a folk art center, gallery space, and a nonprofit organization showcasing the works of mosaicist（镶嵌设计师）Isaiah Zagar.

Zagar devoted himself to beautifying the South Street neighborhood in the late 1960s, when he moved to the area with his wife Julia. The couple helped the area by purchasing and repairing some old buildings, often adding colorful mosaics on both their private and public walls. The first such project was Julia's still-busy folk art store, the Eyes Gallery at 402 South Street.

Zagar started working on the Magic Gardens in 1994 in the deserted parking lot near his studio. He spent the next fourteen years sculpting multi-layered walls and decorating the 3, 000 square foot space. The installation（装置艺术），primarily consisting of found objects and contributions from the community, finally covers half a city block with countless patterns and colors. It shows Zagar's many artistic influences, as well as the events and experiences of his life.

In 2002，the owner of the once-unused parking lot decided to sell the land in response to rising South Street property values. Unwilling to witness the destruction of Zagar's neighborhood art environment, the community rushed to support the artist. His creation, newly titled Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, turned into a nonprofit organization with the intention of preserving and promoting Zagar's works at the site of the Magic Gardens and throughout the South Street region.

The Magic Gardens is now a permanent art institution that is open to visitors throughout the year. Trained guides are available to lead tours of the Magic Gardens and Zagar's surrounding public wall paintings. In addition, it offers monthly mosaic workshops led by Zagar himself, and regularly hosts concerts, dance performances, and other public events.

1.How did Zagar help the South Street neighborhood?

A.He moved to the area with his family.

B.He worked to improve its surroundings.

C.He opened a folk art store with his wife.

D.He managed to buy all the old buildings.

2.What does Paragraph 3 intend to tell us?

A.Great achievements of Zagar.

B.Special skills of installing art.

C.Location of the Magic Gardens

D.Early history of the Magic Gardens.

3.What do the local residents think of Zagar's works?

A.They harm environment.

B.They can bring in profits.

C.They should be removed.

D.They are precious treasures.

4.What can tourists do in Philadelphia's Magic Gardens?

A.Paint the walls on the spot.

B.Put on music performances.

C.Enjoy some Zagar's works.

D.Attend some dance courses.