I grew up in a small village in Ohio, where everyone knew a man called Tom. Uneducated, he couldn’t talk_______. And because he was_______and not very smart, everyone teased him. I guessed he was an easy mark.
One day, he came walking by. I was about 12 and thought it would make me feel grown-up to_______him like the adults did.
He asked how I was doing. I told him my father was______, and that we lacked money. I could hear my friends_______in the background so I went on with the lie. I had him_______so completely that every time he inquired about the______, I would make it seem increasingly worrying.
I knew he made a_______by doing odd jobs（打零工）, so it seemed_______when he asked me if we needed anything. I told him that we didn’t know if we would_______ He responded, “You poor thing, I will_______for you. ”
That night I heard the_______rattle（作响）softly. Thinking it was the wind beating against it, I_______it. Later when I opened the door to go outside, I found a box of_______ I knew who had given the food. I_______the small box of canned food with tears in my eyes. I felt______, and wanted to return the groceries.
My father would not let me take the box______. He said it would hurt Tom. Each day when we were to have dinner, my father would ask, “What side dish are we having from the_______box today? ”
It was_______for me to eat the food. I knew Tom had given sacrificially. He gave the best he had, but I did not_______the gift.
1.A.fluently B.carefully C.slowly D.frequently
2.A.ill-treated B.bad-tempered C.warm-hearted D.good-natured
3.A.remind B.annoy C.tease D.abuse
4.A.delayed B.deserted C.prohibited D.unemployed
5.A.laughing B.whispering C.cheering D.clapping
6.A.absorbed B.amused C.fooled D.struck
7.A.atmosphere B.situation C.address D.reason
8.A.difference B.profit C.fortune D.living
9.A.funny B.impossible C.practical D.moving
10.A.panic B.starve C.remain D.succeed
11.A.pray B.manage C.operate D.purchase
12.A.window B.door C.fence D.box
13.A.investigated B.explored C.fastened D.ignored
14.A.vegetables B.groceries C.snacks D.fruits
15.A.held up B.took over C.looked through D.packed up
16.A.frustrated B.thrilled C.touched D.ashamed
17.A.out B.away C.back D.apart
18.A.ice B.gift C.money D.check
19.A.hard B.amazing C.pleasant D.precious
20.A.get B.refuse C.deserve D.appreciate
Real-life Room Escape Games
Real-life room escape games are a type of physical adventure game in which people are locked in a room with other participants and have to use the things in the room to settle a series of puzzles, find clues, and escape the room within a set time limit.
The game is based on Escape the Room video games, such as Crimson Room and QP-Shot, created by TAKAGISM Ine. by Toshimitsu Takagi in 2005, in which the player is locked inside a room and must explore his or her surroundings in order to escape. 1. Other inspirations include adventure board games and movies. Real-life room escape games are becoming popular in the United States, Japan, and China. 2. For example, some games require you escape prison cells while others require you escape space stations.
3. Soon, they were exported to North America, Asia and Australia. Examples include the two pioneer companies Hint Hunt and Adventure Rooms.
The games were so successful that new locations began opening up across China, in cities big and small, according to Want China Times. In the southern city of Shenzhen, for example, the first escape game location opened last August. 4.''These real-life escape games can help those who stay at home on their computers and iPads all day to experience real social circles, '' Tian Xiaochuan, who owns two room escape game stores in Jinan, told Want China Times. Earlier this year, The South China Morning Post said the real-life escape games are a hit among '' highly stressed students and overworked young professionals ''. 5.Some players get so involved that they tear down equipment or decorations inside their ''prisons'', as Zhu Yumeng, chief operating officer of Beijing room escape game store Taoquan told China Daily.
A. Players must be observant and use their critical thinking skills to escape the room.
B. They should also be brave enough to face their fears.
C. Permanent real life escape games in a fixed location were first opened in Europe.
D. Sometimes the excitement becomes a bit much, though.
E. Weekend or day event escape games have been held in some stores.
F. And seven new game locations quickly followed.
G. Each game adds local themes to settings.
Being able to take advantage of truly unlimited data is a smartphone user’s dream, but everyone I’ve talked to about 5G is more excited about the usage unlocked by next-generation wireless devices. From smart home security to self-driving cars, all the Internet-connected equipment in your life will be able to talk to each other at lightning-fast speed with reduced delay.
“5G is one of those forerunners, along with artificial intelligence, of this coming data age.” said Steve Koenig, senior director of market research for the Consumer Technology Association. “Self-driving vehicles are emblematic in this data age — they show application of data completely. With one single task, driving, you have large amounts of data coming from the vehicle itself, and a variety of sensors (传感器) are collecting a lot of information to model its environment as it moves. It’s pulling in data from other vehicles about conditions down the road. There’s lots of data behind that task, which is why we need the speed and lower delay (延迟).
AR glasses and virtual (虚拟的) reality headphones haven’t yet been inside the mainstream, but tech companies are joyfully saying that such equipment will eventually replace our smartphones. With 5G, that could actually happen. This is notable because companies such as Apple are reportedly developing AR glasses to improve — or even replace — smartphones.
Ericsson showed at February’s Mobile World Congress in 2019 how smart glasses could become faster and lighter with a 5G connection, because instead of being weighed down with components, the glasses could rely on outside equipment for processing power.
But don’t get too excited. There’s still a lot of work to be done in the meantime, including some necessary testing to make sure the radio plays nicely with basic systems and service construction so that 5G isn’t only concentrated in big cities, but universally.
1.What does the first paragraph focus on?
A.The potential of 5G. B.The super speed of 5G.
C.Usage of smart equipment. D.The future of smart equipment.
2.Which word can replace “emblematic” underlined in paragraph 2?
A.available. B.productive. C.representative. D.popular.
3.What is tech companies’ attitude towards the replacement of smartphones?
A.indifferent. B.Optimistic. C.Cautious. D.Disapproving.
4.Why does much work still need to be done according to the last paragraph?
A.To make radio play nicely. B.To construct big 5G cities.
C.To do 5G trials effectively. D.To expand 5G coverage fully.
Record fires sweeping across the Amazon this month have been grabbing global headlines as scientists and environmental groups are worried that they will worsen climate change crisis and threaten biodiversity.
As the largest rainforest in the world, the Amazon is often called “the lungs of the world”. It is also home to about 3 million species of plants and animals, and 1 million native people. The vast areas of rainforest play an important role in the world’s ecosystem because they absorb heat instead of it being reflected back into the atmosphere. They also store carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, ensuring that less carbon is released, mitigating the effects of climate change.
“Any forest destroyed is a threat to biodiversity and the people who use that biodiversity,” Thomas Lovejoy, an ecologist at George Mason University told National Geographic. “The overwhelming threat is that a lot of carbon goes into the atmosphere,” he stressed. “In the midst of the global climate crisis, we cannot afford more damage to a major source of oxygen and biodiversity. The Amazon must be protected,” U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.
Data from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) show that the number of forest fires in Brazil quickly increased by 82 percent from January to August this year from a year ago. A total of 71,497 forest fires were registered in the country in the first eight months of 2019, up from 39,194 in the same period in 2018, INPE said. “We estimate that the forest areas in the Brazilian Amazon have decreased something between 20 and 30 percent compared to the last 12 months,” Carlos Nobre, a researcher at the University of Sao Paulo, told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.
Brazil owns about 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest, whose degradation could have severe consequences for global climate and rainfall. The extent of the area ruined by fires has yet to be determined, but the emergency has transcended (超出) Brazil’s borders, reaching Peruvian, Paraguayan and Bolivian regions.
1.What is the second paragraph mainly talking about?
A.The effects of climate change. B.The role of the Amazon rainforest.
C.The results of the Amazon rainforest fires. D.The causes of the decreasing biodiversity.
2.What can we learn from Thomas’s and Antonio’s words?
A.The biodiversity makes the rainforests unique.
B.The rainforest fires result in serious consequences.
C.The global climate crisis brings more rainforest fires.
D.The dry weather leads to the rainforest fires.
3.Why does the author list the numbers in Paragraph 4?
A.To prove the importance of rainforest. B.To show the influence of forest fires.
C.To explain the process of the research. D.To present the reduction of rainforest areas.
4.What is the best title of this passage?
A.The climate change crisis is worsening. B.The forest areas are on the decline.
C.“The lungs of the earth” is burning. D.The world’s ecosystem is under attack.
Desiree was only four when she lost her Dad. Instead of gradually adjusting to his death, Desiree refused to accept it and even wanted to die so as to be with her father. Concerned about her daughter, Rhonda turned to her mother, Trish Moore, for help.
November 8 of 1993 would have been Ken’s 29th birthday. So Trish advised Desiree to send her father a card. Desiree’s eyes lit up as she dictated a letter, “Happy birthday, Daddy. I love you and miss you. I hope you get this and can write to me on my birthday.” Trish wrote the message and their address on a small piece of paper and tied it to the end of the string on a balloon with a drawing of the Little Mermaid (美人鱼). Finally, Desiree released the balloon.
On November 12 in eastern Canada, Wade MacKinnon was duck-hunting. Suddenly something in the bushes caught his eye. Curious, he approached to find a silver balloon. The letter finished with a mailing address in Live Oak, California. The balloon traveled 3,000 miles. What a coincidence! A Little Mermaid balloon landed at Mermaid Lake. To help Desiree, the MacKinnons wrote her a letter with a birthday card and an adaptation of The Little mermaid.
The MacKinnons’ package arrived later on Desiree’s birthday. The letter read, “Happy birthday from your daddy. You must be wondering who we are. Well, it all started... There are no stores in heaven, so your daddy picked us to do the shopping. We know your daddy loves you very much and wants you to be happy and not sad. Lots of love, the MacKinnons.”
Tears in eyes, Desiree said, “I knew Daddy would find a way not to forget me.” Next, Trish began to read the Little Mermaid to her, in which the mermaid was finally carried away by angels. “The mermaid goes to heaven just like Daddy!” Desiree said with delight. She understood then her father was with her always.
1.Why did Rhonda ask her mother for help?
A.Her husband passed away too young.
B.She wanted to free Desiree from sorrow.
C.Desiree kept her distance from her father.
D.She had no time to read books to Desiree.
2.What do we know about the balloon?
A.It travelled a long distance for several days
B.It was decorated with some silver strings.
C.It landed just at the MacKinnons’ house.
D.It was tied with the book the Little Mermaid.
3.Which of the following best describes the MacKinnons?
A.Demanding. B.Humorous
C.Caring. D.Generous.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.A Fantastic Adventure of a Balloon B.A New Story of the Little Mermaid
C.A Heartbreaking Experience of a Girl D.A Magic Response from “Heaven”
It can be tough to pull kids away from their computers and mobile devices these days. While they' re playing games, wouldn't it be great if they could be learning at the same time? Good educational apps offer fun challenges that teach specific grade - level skills. Here are four that combine fun and learning.
Understanding Math ( $ 3.99 ； iOS)
Understanding Math goes beyond basic comprehension to gain a deeper understanding of the whys and hows of math. The app tracks your child's progress to determine strengths and weaknesses in different skill areas, and you can customize (订制) your child's learning experience to suit the needs.
Word Creativity Kit ( $2.99； iOS)
Word Creativity Kit aims not only to make creative writing fun but also build up grammar rules. The app presents a series of words from seven categories, such as space or fantasy. Kids add their own words to finish the complete thoughts that these words have inspired.
Barefoot World Atlas ( $4.99； iOS)
Barefoot World Atlas helps kids learn about geography and world cultures with a touch of the screen. Each region features a set of sub - topics, from wildlife and natural features to native people ,landmarks, and architecture. These facts and illustrations are delivered in photographs, sounds, and hundreds of mini videos.
My Grades & Homework ( $0.99； iOS)
A combination of grades and homework tracker, My Grades & Homework can help your child stay organized and on top of the progress in school. A convenient calendar and course list format and offer a glance at your child' s assignment schedule that he or she might not normally get from standard homework planners.
1.Which app is beneficial to children's writing skills?
A.Understanding Math. B.Word Creativity Kit.
C.Barefoot World Atlas. D.My Grades Homework.
2.What is the common part of the four apps?
A.They need purchasing when downloaded.
B.They help children improve their grades.
C.They make studies fun because of mini videos.
D.They inform parents of their children's progress.
3.What is the purpose of the text?
A.To wish readers to bing in more similar apps for children.
B.To encourage parents to allow their students to play apps.
C.To design the educational apps to combine fun and learning.
D.To introduce four educational apps for readers to buy and use.
