Brook wanted a dollhouse and some sugar cookies. So the 6-year-old asked Alexa to get them. Alex, a vice-activated home assistant powered "by artificial intelligence"(Al), made Brooke's wishes come true. A few days later, much to her parents' surprise, four pounds of cookies and a $170 dollhouse showed up. And that's not the end of the story. When a news anchor told Book's story on TV, Alexa devices in many listeners' homes woke up and tried to order dollhouses!
Alexa isn't the only Al willing to order. Apple HomePod has Siri, Google Home has its Assistant, and the upcoming Galaxy Home device will have Bixby. People who own these devices use them mainly for listening to music, checking the weather and setting timers. But many experts predict a boom in voice shopping in the near future. Is that a good thing?
Convenience is the main benefit of voice shopping. You can shout out an order as soon as you think of it, even if you're cooking, cleaning, or driving. In addition, people with disabilities who are unable to use a keyboard or mouse can shop without assistance.
But voice shopping has its downsides. Unwanted dollhouses aren't the biggest problem. It's usually very easy to cancel an order or return items. The thing that creeps some people out is that these assistants are always listening. They have to be able to respond when you want them. So they listen for "Alexa" or "OK Google" or another command. When they hear it, they start recording the conversation. Some have worried about what happens to these recordings. Should companies be allowed to use them to learn about people's shopping habits? Should police access them to solve a crime? And what if someone hacks the device? The CIA found a way to hack smart TVs to turn them into spies that listen all the time. Others could do the same with any smart device.
1.The writer mentions Brook and Alex in the first paragraph to __________.
A.share an interesting experience B.show Brook's eagerness for cookies
C.introduce the topic of voice shopping D.show the functions of a new smart device
2.What does the underlined phrase "creeps... out" in the last paragraph most probably mean?
A.Terrifies. B.Affects.
C.Impresses. D.Excites.
3.According to the passage, what's the major disadvantage of voice shopping?
A.The return policy is complicated.
B.There are safety and privacy concerns.
C.Quality of the goods can't be guaranteed.
D.The device is not smart and reliable enough to process orders.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Somewhere between 40,000 and 110,000 tons of plastic waste produced by Americans ends up in the ocean, according to a study published in the journal Science.
It's difficult to point out where all that waste comes from, and researchers think that much or most of it probably comes from the nation's seriously-populated coasts. But there's also evidence that the nation's inland waterways serve as a passage for plastic to travel thousands of miles into the oceans.
While researchers have documented plastic and human trash floating in the world's oceans, there has been relatively little attention paid to plastics in rivers, streams and lakes. "To my knowledge, no one has studied particular routes, with the exception of places like L.A, and Baltimore Harbor where there are measures in place to prevent trash in rivers from entering the ocean." said Kara Lavender Law, an oceanographer.
The few studies that exist, however, suggest that it may be a huge problem. A 2011 study of two southern California urban rivers---including Santa Ana River---found that every square meter of water contained from 125 to 819 pieces larger than 4.75 millimeters. Another survey of the Meuse River, which flows 575 miles through France, Belgium and the Netherlands to the North Sea, found that it contained 70,000 pieces of plastics per square meter of water, about 500 of which were roughly an inch or bigger in size.
If there's anything positive in this, it's you that can do something, at least on a personal level, to reduce the amount of plastic that goes into the oceans. "Put trash where it goes." said Jenna Jambeck, an associate professor of environmental engineering at the University of Georgia. "Use reusable items---bags, cups and bottles---to reduce waste."
Finally, Jambeck urges people to pick up litter along waterways, and record it with a phone app called the Marine Debris Tracker. The data you provide can help scientists to get a better handle on the trash problem.
1.According to the text, the least polluted place might be __________.
A.Santa Ana River B.Meuse River
C.Baltimore Harbor D.The North Sea
2.How does the author prove plastic waste in rivers is a huge problem?
A.By referring to experts' views. B.By listing statistics.
C.By making comparisons. D.By following time order.
3.What does Jenna Jambeck advise us to do?
A.Make use of plastic items. B.Reduce the size of waste we throw away.
C.Stay positive about the oceans' future. D.Start from small things to deal with waste.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Green therapy: how gardening is helping to fight depression
A growing movement is promoting the role gardening can play in patient recovery.
Sydenham Garden feels out of step with its surroundings in urban south London. Surrounded by houses on most sides, with a school on its doorstep, it is hard to imagine that this small patch of green space is bringing a new life to people struggling with their mental health. The site, run by the Sydenham Garden charity trust, is just under an acre and has a well-being centre with gardens, a nature reserve and activity rooms. Therapeutic（治疗的）gardening activities are held weekly, and are run by experienced staff, who are in turn supported by a team of volunteers.
Christine Dow, 63, was originally referred to the garden by her GP to help overcome her depression. After a year of "green" therapy, she became a volunteer, for the past decade she has spent a few hours every week supporting others referred to the project.
During 2017-2018, Sydenham Garden received 313 patient referrals（转诊）from health professionals. A typical referral will be between 6 and 12 months. Most people referred will score in the low well-being category-according to the Warwick-Edinburgh scale-when starting, but score in the moderate well-being category upon completion. It is part of a growing movement devoted to increasing the role that gardening and other forms of "green" therapy cam play in patient recovery. It is also one of the 1,500 organizations signed up to Growing Health, a national project set up by the charity Garden Organic and the membership organization Sustain.
"Gardening is not for everyone," says Maria Devereaux, a project officer at Sustain. "But，increasingly now, we've got evidence that even people who aren't gardeners are able to harvest the benefits of being outside working with nature and all the things that come with it." Evidence collected by Growing Health found simply viewing a green space trough a window could help people relax and reduce stress levels. Other evidence confirmed that the physical activity of gardening could improve mental wellbeing.
1.What do we know about Sydenham Garden?
A.Sydenham Garden Can't keep pace with is surroundings.
B.Sydenham Garden is beneficial to people with mental health.
C.Sydenham Garden is very large with a well-being centre.
D.Sydenham Garden holds therapeutic gardening activities monthly.
2.What can we infer from Christine Dow's example?
A.She helped others overcome depression.
B.She was an experienced staff in Sydenham Garden.
C.She devoted herself to referring others to the projects.
D.She might be grateful to this "green" therapy.
3.What does the first "it" refer to in Paragraph 4?
A.A typical referral. B.Green therapy.
C.Sydenham Garden. D.Sydenham Garden charity trust.
4.What's Maria Devereaux's attitude towards Gardening?
A.Optimistic. B.Critical.
C.Indifferent. D.Disapproving.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
You're at home, and the work is piling up. Deadlines are fast approaching, and yet you can't seem to focus. The kitchen, the laundry, the television...they're all right there teasing you into switching them on, cleaning them, using them.1.
Distinguish between work and home mode
One of the biggest advantages of working from home-slowly moving from bed to the sofa five minutes before you start-can also be your biggest challenge. Don't forget that you are there to work. Get out of your pajamas, and get dressed like you are going to work.2.
Be realistic about what you can achieve
A wide, open day working from home can feel full of possibilities. 145 things on the to-do list? No problem!3.Be realistic and then you will possibly achieve more than you set out to. You'll end up feeling satisfied, rather than feeling disappointed you didn't do everything.
Work in short bursts
In the office your day is broken up by everything from meetings to water-cooler chats, and lunch breaks, but a day at home can be very unstructured. In order to be productive, you should impose structure on yourself.4.This can be an effective way to maintain your concentration levels.
5.
Distractions, distractions, distractions! You know the ones, they are everywhere at home and they're always calling your name! To stay focused, make a dedicated workspace away from potential distractions like TV, an Internet connection, and chores. Keep things that interrupt your focus limited to short breaks in between periods of focused work.
A.Manage distractions.
B.Put what you need at hand.
C.However, don't fall into the trap of being over-ambitious.
D.For example, a 45-60 minutes' focused work can be followed by a short break.
E.This will change your mindset and help you switch from home to work mode.
F.Well, here are a few tips to help you take control of your time and productivity when working from home.
G.You tell yourself you will spend just a few short minutes on Facebook or YouTube only to pick your head up an hour later and glance at the clock in disbelief.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
My personality has been designed for animals. I love everything about them.1 feel like animals are to be admired and ___________, never abused. Today, this ___________ really showed!
I went out for a simple walk to my library, when I ___________ a dog! The dog looked like a German Shepard, and I being an animal ___________, approached it. I noticed it had a ___________, but no leash. I tried asking multiple people around the dog if it ___________ them, but everyone said no. I felt so sad, and didn't know what to do. It was so friendly and sweet that I felt ___________ about just leaving it there.
Then, what do you know? It started ___________ me! I couldn't help but smile at that.1 was the only one Who showed any ___________ in it, petting it, talking to it and walking with it. So, together, we walked towards the____________. I finally got a chance to __________ the number on its collar, but no one picked up! I was so ____________about this animal, and I was determined to not just leave it ____________ around. I planned to head to a pet store.
However before I even got to a store, a car ____________ up in front of me with a father and two kids. It __________ that it was their dog, and had gotten ____________ when the little boy opened their fence! They were so ____________ to find it, and ____________ me non-stop. I was relieved too! The dog ____________ jumped into the car and I said goodbye to it.
I felt such a ____________ of accomplishment afterwards, knowing I had bonded with an animal in need, and helped make sure it got to its rightful owners.
1.A.accused B.hunted C.ignored D.respected
2.A.belief B.case C.principle D.sense
3.A.aided B.covered C.spotted D.witnessed
4.A.owner B.lover C.partner D.receiver
5.A.collar B.phone C.store D.wound
6.A.benefited from B.belonged to C.suffered from D.turned to
7.A.curious B.innocent C.guilty D.sensitive
8.A.biting B.attacking C.following D.escaping
9.A.interest B.mercy C.food D.attention
10.A.home B.library C.hospital D.shelter
11.A.call B.find C.gain D.remove
12.A.fond B.eager C.grateful D.worried
13.A.dashing B.lying C.barking D.hiding
14.A.drew B.came C.pulled D.sped
15.A.turned back B.turned out C.turned down D.turned up
16.A.lost B.mad C.frightened D.reliable
17.A.fortunate B.pleased C.relieved D.urgent
18.A.consulted B.reminded C.suspected D.thanked
19.A.fluently B.constantly C.occasionally D.instantly
20.A.chance B.help C.feeling D.description
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
You have heard about tea's health benefits, but not all the news 1.（be） good. The latest study, led by Farhad Islami, from the American Cancer Society, has found that 2.（drink）too hot tea may double your risk of esophagus（食道）cancer.
While previous studies have found a link 3. hot drinks and this type of cancer, this is the first study to 4.（accurate）figure out the temperature at which a hot liquid becomes risky. Dr. Islami and his colleagues find that the constant damage of stomach 5.（cause）by swallowing the hot liquids may speed up the growth of cancer. While the 6.（result）are unsettling, it may help you to know that out of the more than 49,000 tea drinkers in 7. study, only 317 developed esophagus cancer. In other words, the overall risk is still small.
The study has also showed that although black and green teas have antioxidants（抗氧化剂）8. can help reduce cancer risk, there are other unknown compounds（化合物）in the teas that may have a harmful effect on your body when they 9.（make）too hot. Before drinking hot teas, 10. is wise to wait until they cool down.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
假如春天社区（Spring Community）要招募社区志愿者以应对新型冠状病毒（novel coronavirus），请你用英文写一篇书面通知，以便张贴到布告栏上。内容如下:
1. 对志愿者的要求；
2. 志愿者需注意事项；
3. 报名方式及截至日期。
注意:1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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难度: 困难查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
A change took place within the heart of one boy, all because of one teacher, who cared.
Steve, a twelve-year-old boy with alcoholic parents, was about to be lost forever, by the education system. In spite of his reading skills, Steve had been failing since first grade, as he was passed on from grade to grade. Steve was a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a twelve-year-old, yet, Steve went unnoticed…until Miss White.
Miss White was a young and beautiful lady with a smile. For the first time in his young life, he couldn't take his eyes of his teacher. Yet, still he failed. He never did his homework, and he was always in trouble with Miss White. When he was punished for failing to turn in his homework, he felt just miserable! Still, he did not study.
In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things. One day, Miss White's impatient voice broke into his daydreams.
“Steve! Pay attention!” Frightened, he turned to look at her.
Steve locked his gaze on Miss White, as she began to go over the test results for the seventh grade.
“You boys all did pretty well,” she told the class, “except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but…” She hesitated.
“…The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!”
She just stared at Steve, as the class spun around for a good look. Steve dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.
“Just try it! ONE WEEK!” He was unmoved.
“You're smart enough! You'll see a change!” Nothing touched him.
“Give yourself a chance! Don't give up on your life!” Nothing.
“Steve! Please! I care about you!”
Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it!! Someone cared about him? Someone, totally unattainable and perfect, CARED ABOUT HIM??!!
That afternoon, Steve stayed at home, thoughtful. And then he quickly gathered up his camping gear, a loaf of bread, a bottle of water, and this time...his schoolbooks. Grim faced and determined, he headed for the woods.
注意:1. 所续写的短文词数应为150左右；
2. 应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为二段，每段的开头语已经为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
The following Monday he arrived at school on time, and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom.
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Paragraph 2:
After checking through his quiz paper, Miss White's face was in total shock!
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析