I’ve been taking time this week to stop and smell the roses. Literally, I bend over in my neighbors’ front yard, check that nobody is watching, and then bury my head in the flowers.
I’ve also been walking into bakeries, walking around without buying anything.
After having surgery on my broken nose 18 months ago, I haven’t been able to smell or taste things.
This week, however, my nose is back in business.
I’ve been overwhelmed by smells, and it’s given me a new way of thinking. A pleasant smell is just one of the little bits and pieces that make life enjoyable, but which we often ignore. I remember once, when my son was five months old, I was carrying him down the street. Wind swept through and almost tipped us over. He threw his little head back and giggled. He’d never felt the wind on his face. When is the last time I laughed at the weather?
The first time I ate bacon, I rushed home to my parents, determined that we ate this deliciousness at every meal. My father smiled and agreed.
We don’t write postcards about the small things. We don’t frame them in photographs. They aren’t that great or grand, but without them, life is altogether too loud. These quiet experiences give us a chance to enjoy the simple fact of being alive.
As my sense of smell returns to me, it’s like I’m smelling things for the first time. They’re full of memories and magic. Food tastes better, and the air is indeed sweet. I know what the poets mean now. It almost makes my broken nose worthwhile. Now, I am waiting for this bandage to come off. There’s an itch I can’t reach!
1.With the first two paragraphs, the writer mainly tries to .
A.give examples of how she kills time B.show that she loves doing secret things
C.get readers to wonder about her behavior D.discuss new ways on how to enjoy spare time
2.What does the underline phrase “a new way of thinking” in paragraph 5 refer to?
A.A habit of overcoming ignorance.
B.A habit of giving personal consideration.
C.An ability to fully use our limited attention.
D.An ability to discover the pleasure of small things.
3.The tone of the story is .
A.lively B.sad C.calm D.serious
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When you talk to doctors in the hospitals, it often happens that most of them are very serious and speak in a range of terms that may be difficult to understand. But Zhang Wenhong, the leader of the Shanghai team of experts in the treatment of novel coronavirus pneumonia, is one of the exceptions. He caught the public’s attention for his recent frank and funny speech.
Zhang’s words first went viral(走红)on the Internet after he said in late January that he had sent doctors and nurses who are members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to frontline hospitals to treat coronavirus cases. “When becoming CPC members, we vowed (发誓)that we would always put people’s interests first in the face of difficulties,” Zhang said. “This is the moment we live up to the vow. All CPC members must rush to the frontline. No bargaining.”
Such a hardcore declaration of his attitude won widespread applause among Internet users. “A person’s morals are witnessed most in a critical situation. Nothing could win more recognition from the people than the down-to-earth behavior of the CPC members,” said Yang Haiyan, a 32-year-old Shanghai resident.
One month later, when Zhang advised local residents to reduce the risk of spreading the virus by staying at home, he said in Shanghai dialect: “If you don’t stop seeing friends, you will see them again in the ICU.”
Though chased by the media, Zhang described himself as a medical worker who must speak out now, but will return to keeping a low profile after the outbreak ends. “I spoke because of the fear among the public, owing to limited knowledge of the contagion (传染病),” said Zhang on Feb 26. “However, once the curtain of this coronavirus incident falls, it may be hard to find me. I’ll just hide myself in a corner, studying complicated patient cases and doing some reading, silently.”
1.What has made Zhang Wenhong so popular online?
A.His attitude towards his patients. B.His honest and humorous speech.
C.His vow to fight against the virus. D.His broad knowledge of the virus.
2.Zhang Wenhong sent CPC members to frontline hospitals because he believed that .
A.they would not bargain B.they should do as they had vowed
C.they would be calmer in a critical situation D.they could win recognition from the people
3.What can we infer from Zhang Wenhong’s words in the last paragraph?
A.He doesn’t like to speak in public.
B.He is looking forward to taking a break.
C.He is not a person who is after fame and attention.
D.He mainly treats people with complicated diseases.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Press your fingers into the back of your head, just above your neck. If you feel a small bony bump (突起), you may find evidence of human evolution (进化): it could be your body responding to common smartphone use in the 21st century.
According to a recent study, published in Scientific Reports, more young people have bony bumps at the base of their skulls, right above the neck. Medical professionals call them enlarged external occipital protuberances (EEOPs, 枕外隆突).
Australian health scientist David Shahar, the author of the study, told the BBC that he’s seen more and more patients with EEOPs over the past ten years. Together with other researchers from the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia, they examined 1,200 skull x-rays from people aged 18–30. They also measured the bumps and noted each person’s posture. They found that one in four people had developed these growths. This led to their theory that smartphones are the cause.
According to their research, looking down at our phones adds stress onto the top of our spines (脊柱). To prevent damage to our spines, Shahar believes our bodies add fresh bony bump to help reduce the extra stress.
Most of the EEOPs measured just a few millimeters. However, several subjects were found with EEOPs as large as 30 mm.
In his report, Shahar said the results “highlighted the need” for prevention. In other words, we need to change our posture while using our phones.
Many people assume our bones are solid and unmoving once we reach adulthood. In reality, they are alive and covered with blood vessels(血管), which allows them to develop in unique ways for each person.
Aside from EEOPs, other noticeable recent changes in human bodies include shrinking jaws, narrower elbows and generally smaller skeletons. The human body is adapting to modern life, so who knows what people in the future might look like?
1.What did the recent study find about EEOPs?
A.They grow on one’s neck.
B.They can lead to many health problems.
C.They may stop growing when you reach 30.
D.They occur among more and more young people.
2.What is the main cause of EEOPs according to the researchers?
A.Extra stress. B.Aging bones.
C.Smartphone use. D.Gene problems.
3.Which of the following would Shahar probably agree with?
A.EEOPs increase the stress on our spines.
B.EEOPs are actually beneficial to our spines.
C.Young people’s bones adapt in similar ways.
D.Young people should exercise to improve their posture.
4.What’s the writing purpose of the text?
A.To persuade readers to protect their spines.
B.To explain why human bodies develop EEOPs.
C.To show some recent changes in human bodies.
D.To recommend some healthy habits of using phones.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
To many of us, art is obviously a kind of human expression of creativity. But in recent years, you may have read news about artificial intelligence (AI) creating its own art, such as painting or writing poems. Some people worry that AI might someday replace artists.
1.Many artists today are turning AI into a useful tool. Instead of replacing artists, AI is bringing artists more possibilities.
A piece of music created by AI recently attracted attention. AI was used to turn the novel virus into a piece of nearly two-hour long music based on its protein structure. The project was led by Markus Buehler, an American musician and MIT professor of engineering. He assigned (指定) a unique note to each amino acid (氨基酸) in the protein.2.
Listeners found the project to be “mind-blowing”. “It allows me to see the virus from a new angle,” said one listener.3.As The Verge wrote, “AI helps artists play around in unpredictable ways, creating things beyond what they have ever thought was possible before.”
4.For example, in the comic and animation industries, there are now AI tools that can automatically (自动地) color in black-and-white line drawings. Although the results can be unpredictable and require a little cleanup, it “could give artists room to experiment, by cutting down the time it takes to color each frame (画面)”, said Joao Do Lago, animator of Netflix’s Castlevania.
As Peter Ward wrote for The Culture Trip, art of every kind has always been influenced by technological breakthroughs.5.
A.The AI then translated these notes into music.
B.AI has become an important part of our everyday life.
C.But this worry seems to be unnecessary, at least for now.
D.AI can become a useful tool to bring change to the art world.
E.Besides the music industry, AI has entered the world of poetry as well.
F.This surprising marriage between science and art could not be achieved without AI.
G.Apart from co-creating imaginative works, AI can also help artists avoid repeating tasks.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
My two sons are all grown up now. They are 32 and 27 years old this year. Yet they both still have the minds of______. Autism(自闭症)has limited their______growth and they still need to be looked after all the time. When I was a boy, the term used for people like my sons was Mentally Retarded. By the time I was an adult the term had______to Mentally Handicapped. ______, this was switched again to Mentally Challenged.______of these terms truly defined(定义)them, however.
These days the______term is people with Special Needs. I like this one better than the older ones, because it is more______. My sons do have Special Needs______they also have Special Gifts. My oldest boy may only be able to______certain things. But when he______people by name, there is a catching happiness in his mood and manner. He always______love and hugs far more freely than I do. My youngest boy is______in his own world most of the time. But he also has an______to laugh and enjoy life. Often after he finishes crying his happiness will immediately______. My two Special Needs sons have______me more about how to live and and how to love than I could have ever learned______.
The fact is that all of us in this life have Special Needs. All of us also have Special Gifts. It is up to us to______our gifts. It is up to us to______the needs of each other. And it is up to us to______each other with kindness and love. Remember, we are all one______here. We are all Children of the same God.
1.A.students B.fathers C.children D.mothers
2.A.fundamental B.mental C.personal D.physical
3.A.added B.occurred C.referred D.switched
4.A.Later B.Lately C.Still D.Eventually
5.A.All B.Both C.Neither D.None
6.A.first B.last C.newest D.closest
7.A.attractive B.accurate C.admirable D.artificial
8.A.and B.but C.so D.while
9.A.talk about B.bring about C.argue about D.hear about
10.A.confirms B.consults C.cheers D.greets
11.A.gives up B.gives in C.gives out D.gives off
12.A.left B.lost C.trapped D.surrounded
13.A.ability B.atmosphere C.expression D.instruction
14.A.recover B.regain C.return D.rebuild
15.A.impressed B.inspired C.terrified D.taught
16.A.on my own B.of my own C.for myself D.to myself
17.A.gather B.harvest C.share D.form
18.A.answer B.recognize C.admit D.meet
19.A.treat B.forgive C.appreciate D.remind
20.A.village B.family C.team D.league
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假设你是李华，你在美国夏令营时住在Smith夫妇家里，他们写信告诉你下周将来宁波游玩，请按照下列要点给他们写一封回信。
1．表示欢迎；
2．告知他们下周的大致安排；
3．希望告知行程航班信息以便接机。
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: 简单查看答案及解析
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。
I grew up in a small town where elementary school was a ten-minute walk from my house and in an age, not so long ago, when we children could go home for lunch and find our mothers waiting. At the time, I didn't consider this to be so important, although today it certainly would be. Actually, our lunch time together in the past years had had a great influence on my life before I realized it.
Our lunch time when I was in the third grade will stay with me always. I had been picked to be the princess in the school play, and for weeks my mother had painstakingly practiced my lines (台词) with me. But no matter how easily I delivered them at home, as soon as I stepped onstage, every word disappeared from my head. Finally, my teacher took me aside. She explained patiently that she needed a narrator and had written a narrator's part to the play, and asked me to play the role of the narrator. Her words, kindly delivered, still hurt me especially when I saw my part go to another girl.
I didn't tell mother what had happened when I went home for lunch that day. But she sensed my upset, and instead of suggesting we practice my lines, she asked if I wanted to walk in the yard. It was a lovely spring day and the rose vine (藤) was turning green. Under the huge trees, we could see yellow dandelions (蒲公英) appearing unexpectedly through the grass in bunches, as if a painter had touched our landscape with small amounts of gold. I watched my mother casually bend down by one of the bushes. “I think I'm going to dig up all these weeds,” she said, pulling a blossom up by all its roots. “From now on, we'll only have roses in this garden.'' I immediately argued, "But I like dandelions. All flowers are beautiful — even dandelions."
注意：
1．所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2．至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语：
3．续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4．续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1：
“Do you mean that every flower has its own beauty?” asked my mother thoughtfully.
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Paragraph 2：
Having learned what had happened, Mom patted me on the back gently and said, “but you will be a beautiful narrator.”
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难度: 困难查看答案及解析