South Korean artist Young-Sung Kim has a very special talent, he can paint photographs. That may sound like kind of exaggeration (夸张).
Most of Kim’s paintings describe small ______ interacting with man-made objects. The artist admits that he has been greatly ______ by insects and reptiles (爬行动物) since he was a young boy, keeping them in his room and ______ them. From that days on, he ______ to become a painter.
“It wasn’t ______ to paint their structure and color well. It was much harder than I had expected. I promised myself I would train myself at art school ______ I could paint them perfectly,” the ______ told Yonhap News Agency.
____, his parents didn’t approve of his decision to focus his studies on art,______ that he would not be able to land a good job. In high-school, their ______ only made Kim rebel (叛逆) even more. After two years of this, his family finally ______ and allowed him to follow his dream.
In the end, Kim ______ his parents that they made the ______ decision. Not only does he get to earn a living doing what he ______ most, but he became one of the world’s most highly-regarded ______ painters, earning between $10,000 and $130,000 per artwork.
Youn-Sung Kim paints for more than 12 hours a day,______ on weekends. Despite the ______ realism of his paintings, Young-Sung Kim never completely ______ with his work. He ______ his artworks on a 100-pomt scale, and none of his dozens of paintings have ever scored above 90 points. Kim hopes to ______ himself and get as close to that 100-point mark as possible.
1.A. kids B. plants C. animals D. toys
2.A. attracted B. confused C. frightened D. attacked
3.A. feeding B. counting C. training D. painting
4.A. managed B. decided C. agreed D. demanded
5.A. easy B. useless C. necessary D. impractical
6.A. even if B. so that C. unless D. while
7.A. photographer B. architect C. artist D. biologist
8.A. Surprisingly B. Basically C. Naturally D. Unluckily
9.A. fearing B. assessing C. suggesting D. predicting
10.A. requirement B. opposition C. comment D. announcement
11.A. turned away B. settled down C. gave in D. took over
12.A. guaranteed B. reminded C. informed D. convinced
13.A. similar B. right C. quick D. normal
14.A. needs B. consumes C. trusts D. loves
15.A. realistic B. international C. abstract D. simple
16.A. just B. seldom C. even D. yet
17.A. splendid B. digital C. magical D. positive
18.A. popular B. content C. busy D. familiar
19.A. charges B. advertises C. scores D. improves
20.A. face B. express C. accustom D. better
Any woman can be strong. I don t just mean strong in mental aspect. 1. You may think that strong women are born, not made. You may be thinking of Olympic weightlifters lifting dozens of kilos over their heads, or of bodybuilders posing.
2. It is a requirement for everyday life. Strength is what you need if you carry your luggage. You need to be strong to pick your child up off the floor. And, most of all-especially as you get older-you need strength simply to stand up without falling over.
As we age, we progressively lose muscle mass, which can make us weaker.3. We might have trouble going up and down steps, picking up something heavy, even standing up from a seat. But while ageing is unavoidable, building muscle through strength training is meaningful.
A programme that is becoming more and more commonly used is Starting Strength. The basic Starting Strength programme consists of four different lifts. Trainees learn these lifts step by step.4. Three times a week they perform three of the lifts. If they are successful in a period, they then add 2.25kg in the next period.
But barbell (杠铃) lifting doesn’t just offer physical strength; it also gives women emotional and mental confidence.5.
A. But strength is not just about appearances.
B. I mean simply being able to fight against gravity.
C. Being strong doesn’t mean having a stony heart, either.
D. However, this condition can be improved by working out.
E. Most people begin to learn the lifts using an empty bar weighing 20kg.
F. In daily life, the actions we take for granted become more and more difficult.
G. However you feel about your body, you can become the strongest version of yourself.
Ever wondered whether punishment actually makes people cooperate (合作)? A team of scientists created an experiment to figure it out and the results were pretty unexpected.
To understand what they found, you have to know why these scientists were studying punishment. They were trying to figure out why people cooperate when it’s often so easy to profit at others expense. Why don’t friends steal from each other? Why do parents bother to feed their children? If the answer to these questions is obvious to you, congratulations, you are ahead of scientists. They’re still trying to figure it out.
In this experiment, researchers had 225 Chinese students play a game, where if the students cooperated, they’d all get a number of points. But if one defected (变节) and everyone else cooperated, the defector would get a lot of points, and the cooperators would lose out. This game represents a lot of real life situations where you struggle with a decision: work together and do OK, or run off with the rewards, ruining everybody else’s day.
This is actually a pretty ordinary economic experiment. But the researchers added two changes to see if they could mimic(糢拟〉the real world better. Change one: some students played many rounds together, so they’d learn who they could trust. Change two: people could punish each other, sacrificing a point or two to destroy another player’s score.
In the end, the researchers found that playing multiple rounds made people cooperate more, which definitely mimics human society. But the whole punishment thing led to a surprise: punishing didn’t actually make people cooperate more. In fact, it made them cooperate less.
So the scientists still don’t know why people cooperate, though it looks like it has more to do with groups sticking together than it does with punishment.
1.What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Why friends don’t steal from each other.
B. Why researchers are studying punishment.
C. Why people always profit at others’ expense.
D. Why people cooperate rather than take advantage of others.
2.What happened to a defector in the experiment?
A. He lost out. B. He benefited more.
C. He got punished. D. He became the leader.
3.What conclusion is drawn from the experiment?
A. Punishing helps people realize their mistakes.
B. Cooperating is a win-win policy to all.
C. Punishment won’t work as expected.
D. People who choose to cooperate are selfless.
4.What might be the best title for the text?
A. Does punishing people actually work?
B. Why is punishment applied to cooperation?
C. How can punishment contribute to cooperation?
D. What is the best way to make punishment effective?
Japan has long been known for both its strong traditions and being on the cutting edge of technology, and this new inn combining the classic Japanese surroundings with high-tech slippers and furniture is a perfect reflection of this.
Nissan Motor Co. developed a system in which slippers park themselves at the entrance of the traditional inn, called “ProPilot Park Ryokan,” waiting for guests to use them upon arrival. When guests have finished using them, the slippers will drive themselves back to their original position. Each slipper features two tiny wheels, a motor, and sensors to drive it across the wooden floor.
The same technology features in Nissan’s all-battery electric Leaf car. High-tech sensors and cameras allow the vehicle to safely back into parking spaces without any input from the driver. Four cameras and 12 sensors assess the vehicle’s surroundings. ProPilot Park handles the accelerator, braking and steering (转向) input when the car is parking. Drivers operate the system with the press of a button, which they must hold down the entire time. Lifting a finger off the button will result in the car stopping immediately.
The inn, located in the resort town of Hakone, about 75 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, is currently most famous for its view of Mount Fuji. However, the new self-driving slippers, released by Nissan in March, is the unique feature of the high-tech inn.
“The self-parking slippers are meant to raise awareness of automated driving technologies, and their potential, non-driving applications,” Nissan spokesman Nick Maxfield said in a statement.
In addition to the slippers, office chairs, floor cushions and traditional low tables in the inn also wheel themselves back into place after use.
1.What is the typical feature of the slippers?
A. They are eco-friendly. B. They are automatic.
C. They are recyclable. D. They are rechargeable.
2.How can a driver stop the Nissan’s electric Leaf car?
A. By pressing a button. B. By using the brake of the car.
C. By removing the finger from the button. D. By handling the accelerator.
3.Why did Nissan develop the slippers according to Nick Maxfield?
A. To attract more customers.
B. To advertise the Nissan Motor Co.
C. To lessen work load of the workers.
D. To promote non-driving technologies.
4.What can we know about the inn mentioned in the text?
A. It uses robots to serve the guests.
B. It is famous for its good service.
C. It is a combination of tradition and modem.
D. It is known for its beautiful decoration.
Winter sports tend to be more dangerous than summer sports — they take place mostly outside at the mercy of ice or snow, involving (牵涉) metal edges, extreme speeds and crashes. Skeleton (俯视冰梭), however, stands apart as one of the most difficult and least accessible of all the winter sports. Adam Edelman, Israel’s first Olympic skeleton athlete, would like to change that.
Edelman was the 10th athlete named to the 2018 Israeli Olympic Team. Qualifying for the Olympics in any sport is impressive. But it’s more impressive if you qualify for the Olympics after only four years in the sport — and without a coach.
Edelman was first introduced to skeleton watching the game on television in late 2013. Sports have always been a part of his life. He grew up playing football and was a goalkeeper on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology football team. Ready for a new challenge, he set his sights on the Olympics.
Without a coach, Edelman learned to drive by watching endless hours of YouTube videos and taking more runs than anybody else on the track. “When everybody else would take three runs per day, I would take six to eight.” he recalled.
Succeeding in skeleton takes a large amount of athletic ability and technical skill, but there’s one more element (因素) required, one that can’t be taught. “These tracks but built in the middle of nowhere, and it’s gray and cold. You haven’t seen your family in seven months and you really just want to give up. To continue, it takes tenacity.” Edelman said.
Edelman is already looking beyond Pyeongchang. The 2022 Olympics could be in his future, but whether he continues to compete or not, he promises to stay in Israeli sports as long as possible-as instructor or as a coach.
1.What might impress people most?
A. Edelman’s gift in winter sports.
B. The challenges Edelman has met.
C. Edelman entering for the Olympics.
D. Edelman’s successful story as a skeleton athlete.
2.Which word can be used to describe Edelman?
A. Modest. B. Generous.
C. Ambitious. D. Reliable.
3.What does the underlined word “tenacity” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?
A. Will power. B. Extra strength.
C. Good luck. D. Financial support.
4.What might be Edelman’s plan for the future?
A. Setting up a team of his own.
B. Passing on his skills and experience.
C. Calling on more people to take up sports.
D. Ending his sports life after the Olympic Games.
Hear the Wind Blow by Mary Downing Hahn
On a cold, snowy night, 13-year-old Haswell Magruder makes an important decision. A wounded Confederate soldier appears at the family’s farm, and Haswell convinces his mother to take the man in. Unfortunately, this sets off a horrific chain of events that leaves their house burned to the ground and their farm in ruins. With no home left, Haswell sets out in search of his older brother, a Confederate soldier.
Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford
Thirteen-year-old Milo is, once again, spending the winter holidays stuck in a house full of guests who are not what they seem. There are fresh clues to uncover as friends old and new join in his search for a mysterious map. The exciting ending to the beloved book is sure to thrill both fans and newcomers.
Marge in Charge by Isla Fisher
Jemima and Jake Button don’t know what to make of their new babysitter, Marge. When she first arrives, she’s dressed like a grandma and looks very serious. But as soon as Mommy and Dad are gone, Marge lets down her hair and the adventures begin. Jemima and Jake aren’t supposed to shoot apple juice out of water guns, or throw impromptu (即兴的) concerts during music class—but with Marge here, everything’s gone messy!
Max Tilt: Fire the Depths by Peter Lerangis
When 13 year old Max Tilt finds his great-great-grandfather Jules Verne’s unfinished, unpublished manuscript (手稿), The Lost Treasures, he doesn’t realize that he’s found the answers to all his problems. He realizes that the book holds the key to something incredibly valuable. A treasure that can save his house — and maybe his entire family.
1.Why did a Confederate soldier enter the family’s farm?
A. He was injured.
B. He wanted to search for a mysterious map.
C. He desired to destroy the farm.
D. He was familiar with Haswell’s brother.
2.What might happen after Mom and Dad leave?
A. Marge becomes more cruel.
B. Marge dresses herself like a grandma.
C. Jemima and Jake will make apple juice.
D. Jemima and Jake start doing something crazy.
3.What can be learned from the last paragraph?
A. Max Tilt is fond of reading fictions.
B. Max Tilt’s family has been wealthy.
C. The unfinished book matters a lot to Max’s family.
D. Max Tilt has been hunting for some lost treasures.
