Books can't stop a global pandemic. But, for a short while, they can let us forget the world around us and transport us to different places, allowing us to travel in spirit. Here are some picks for this month:
Rohinton Mistry: A Fine Balance
Mistry's novel focuses on the lives of four central characters whose lives are on a downward spiral, from poverty to outright destitution and, ultimately, death.
Mistry does not whitewash the reality of urban poverty in India. But as readers, we become absorbed in his characters lives we hope with them, we fear for them and, at the end, we cry for them.
Elena Ferrante: Mу Brilliant Friend
Elena Ferante'r novels take us straight to the Italian city of Napoli Starting with My Brilliant Friend, the four novels chart the intensive relationship between two girl, Elena Greco (Lenù) and Raffaella Cerullo(Lila) who grow up in a poor neighborhood in the 1950s.
Reading Ferrante's description calls forth images of Napoli and makes us feel like we are standing in the Piazza del Plebiscito. We can fell, hear and smell Napoli around us.
Patrick Modiano: The Search Warrant
The Search Warrant pieces together the real-life story of Dora Bruder, a young Jewish girl who went missing in Paris in December 1941. Modiano attempts to retrace Dora's movements across Paris and his book is full of evocative descriptions of quiet squares and streets.
By tracing Dora's possible steps, Modiano evocatively recreates the twilight atmosphere of Paris under occupation.
Kazuo Ishiguro:The Remains of the Day
The Remains of the Day tells the story of Stevens, the aged butler of Darlington Hall, and his ill judged life choices that saw him being involved with British fascism in the interwar years.
This allusion to British fascism in particular is something that makes this novel stand out；it is a subject matter not often discussed or even taught.
1.Which book is set in India?
A.A Fine Balance. B.My Brilliant Friend.
C.The Search Warrant. D.The Remains of the Day.
2.What do My Brilliant Friend and The Search Warrant have in common?
A.Both novels tell real life stories.
B.Both novels take place in Italy.
C.Both are related to interpersonal relationship.
D.Both give a vivid description of the surroundings.
3.What is special about The Remains of the Day?
A.Its moving story. B.Its miserable character.
C.Its rarely mentioned subject. D.Its skillful techniques of description.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
I’d been retired for four years, when a friend suggested university. I thought he was joking—I was rubbish at school and failed my 11-plus. But we love to compete over Mastermind and University challenge, and he thought I’d make it. And he was absolutely right!
I did a foundation course first, which was part time at the University Lifelong Learning Centre(LLC), two nights a week and the odd Saturday. I did quite well, and that gave me the confidence to do a full time, three year degree. I’m passionate about art and I always wanted to be here for the journey and not the destination. That sounds really corny, but it was the truth in my case.
Initially it was a bit strange fitting in with my course mates. They were all 18, straight out of sixth form or college. Over time, though, they’ve all been fine — now, we all get on really well and there is no issue. I’ve made plenty of friends as a member of the mature students society, and I do some volunteering through the LLC, chatting to prospective students about my experience of coming to university. I tell them my story and basically encourage them to give it a go because you’ve got nothing to lose. I like to think I’ve convinced a few of them.
I have no regrets at all. Enrolling in university was the best piece of advice I’ve received in years, especially post-retirement. I needed routine in my life; I needed purpose. I’m not going to spend my day in the bookies or the pub. If you’ve got a passion for something, you should pursue it.
1.What do we learn from Paragraph 1?
A.The author often competed with his friend at university,
B.The author was satisfied with his performance at school,
C.The advice of his friend was a big challenge for the author.
D.The author’s friend told a joke when suggesting university.
2.What was it that made him determined to pursue a full time degree?
A.His long held passion for art.
B.His boring retirement life.
C.His success in the foundation course.
D.His desire to travel to the destination.
3.What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?
A.How he got along with his course mates
B.How he helped his friends at university.
C.What activities he took part in at school
D.What he experienced as a volunteer.
4.Which of the following can serve as the title of the passage?
A.Knowledge is power.
B.It’s never too old to learn.
C.Failure is the mother of success.
D.A friend in need is a friend indeed.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Tech giants Apple and Google are teaming up to create a system that would let smart phone users know when they've come into contact with someone who has COVID-19.
The technology would rely on the Bluetooth signals that smart phones can both send out and receive 1aperscn tests positive(阳性) for COVID-19, they could inform public health authorities through an app. Those public health apps would then warn anyone whose smart phones bad come tear the infected person's phone in the previous 14 days. The technology could be used on both Google Android phones and Apple iPhones.
The companies insist that they will preserve smart phone users' privacy and their technology will be used only by public health authorities to trace the spread of COVID-19. Smart phone users can choose to use it. The software will not collect data on users' physical locations or their personally identifiable information. People who test positive would remain unknown to the public, both to the people who came in contact with them and to Apple and Google. “Privacy is of greatest importance in this effort,” the companies said in a joint statement.
The American Civil Liberties Union has warmed that using cellphone data to handle the pandemic carries risks of “destruction of privacy”. In a statement on Friday, ACLU cyber security counsel Jennifer Granick said, The system also can't work well if people don’t trust it”. She said that the joint Apple and Google project “appears to reduce the worst privacy risks, but there is still room for improvement.” She added that the contact tracing app should be used only for public health purposes and only for the duration of this pandemic.
Public health officials say the contact tracing -finding people who have been in contact with an infected person will be a key step in lifting shelter in-place restrictions.
It would allow people who are known to have been exposed to the virus to isolate themselves, while letting others recover normal activities.
1.What is the main purpose of the passage?
A.To advertise for public health. B.To introduce a contact tracing system.
C.To warn the public of risks of COVID-19. D.To raise people's awareness of privacy protection.
2.What do the companies promise to do in particular?
A.Warn people who test positive. B.Protect infected people's privacy.
C.Work with public health authorities. D.Collect data on users physical locations.
3.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 suggest?
A.Public health issues are traced accurately. B.Only people's trust influences the system.
C.The system is at the risk of being destroyed. D.Jennifer thinks the system should be better.
4.The system is mainly designed to .
A.ensure infected people's recovery B.guarantee people's normal activities
C.help prevent the spread of COVID-19 D.encourage all the people to isolate themselves
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The government's top Great Barrier Reef scientist says a third mass coral bleaching (珊瑚白化) event in five years is a clear signal that the marine wonder is “calling for urgent help on climate change. Corals can recover from mild bleaching, but severe bleaching can kill corals.
Prof Terry Hughes, director of the Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University, surveyed 1,036 reefs from a plane over nine days in late March.
The marine park authority also had an observer on the flights. The survey has released maps showing that serious levels of bleaching occurred in 2020 in all three sections of the reef northern, central and southern. Some 25% of the reefs were seriously bleached-meaning that more than 60% of the corals on each reef had bleached.
The Great Barrier Reel has experienced five mass bleaching events-1998. 2002,2016, 2017 and 2020 -all caused by rising ocean temperatures driven by global heating. Hughes said there probably would not be the same level of coral death in the north and central regions in 2020 as in previous years, but this was partly because previous bleaching outbreaks had kill off the less heat -tolerant species The 2020 bleaching was second only to 2016 for severity(严重性), Hughes said.
Dr. David Wachenfeld，chief scientist at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, told Guardian Australia "My greatest fear is that people will lose hope for the reef. Without hope there's no action. People need to see these bleaching events, They are clear signals that the Great Barrier Reef is alling for urgent help and for us to do everything we can”.
Measures to improve the ability of recovery of the reef include improving water quality, controlling outbreaks of coral-eating starfish, and research and development to improve the heat tolerance of corals. " However, climate change brings a new scale of impact unlike anything we have seen before. Thus, dealing with the climate problem is the basis for everything else to work, ” Wachenfeld said.
1.What does the underlined word “mild” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A.Serious
B.Strong.
C.Steady.
D.Slight.
2.What can we learn from Paragraphs2 & 3?
A.The majority of the corals on each reef were bleached.
B.The survey was carried out on a plane by Hughes alone.
C.The 2020 bleaching killed off the less heat tolerant species.
D.The 2020 bleaching was worse than those of all the previous years.
3.We can infer from Wachenfeld’s words that people seeing the bleaching events .
A.have done everything they can for the reef
B.are sure to lose hope for the reef
C.will care more about the reef
D.will have no action at all
4.Which is the essential measure to improve the ability of recovery of the reef?
A.Improving water quality.
B.Making efforts to prevent global warming.
C.controlling outbreaks of coral-eating starfish.,
D.Doing research on the heat tolerance of corals.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you? Truth be told, no one has the right to judge you. People can't feel what you are going through；they aren't living YOUR life. So forget what they say about you, 1..
Follow your own unique path and work on your goals, Every new day is a chance to change your life. Work hard for what you believe, and remember realistic goals are the key to success, People know success is directly connected with daily action. 2..
Adjust your goals and dreams as life changes. A great deal of pain in life comes from having a specific dream that you've fallen in love with, and when it doesn't work out exactly as planned, you become angry that you now have to pursue a different path,3., but it provides plenty of opportunities to make dreams come true, Just don't forget that sometimes taking a positive step forward requires you to slightly adjust your dreams, or plan new ones.
4.. When you are feeling down or dealing with failure,don't be ashamed. There's nothing to be ashamed of. You are going through a difficult time, and you are still pushing forward. That's something to be proud of. Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will keep your head high and keep on smiling.5.The only time you run out of chances is when you stop taking them. Don’t cry over the past, but cry to get over the past. Don’t smile to hide the pain, but smile to heal the pain. Don't think of all the sadness in the world, but think of all the beauty that still remains around you.
A.Life is unpredictable
B.Fight through your failures
C.Focus on how you feel about yourself
D.Every day of your life is a page of your history
E.Doing small things brings them closer to their dreams
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
I had plans to meet two of my friends downtown, so I took a shower and left home despite the rain, It was just an ordinary day, but deep in my heart, there was a shadow of_______.
It was because of the novel coronavirus（新冠肺炎）) At that time, there weren’t yet _______ cases in our city. But still I could smell the fear_______among the crowd. We had lunch together and hung about for some time in the busiest district before I returned home.
That evening, _______, began to cough slightly at first. and then it got worse.I took my body _______ again and again to make sure I didn't have a fever. In spite of the _______words from my parents that I just caught a cold from going out in the _______ after a shower, I was terribly frightened. For a few nights，I lay _______ in my bed, worrying that I had already got the disease -and possibly the virus was in my body..
I took my mom's _______to exercise at home. I also read, watched films and painted，just to ________ my anxiety. And it worked, A few days later, I was fully ________ .
As I watch the news about how many people are dying of the disease and how brave medical workers are________ their own lives to help their patients, I'm deeply ________ that I'm one of the lucky ones.
Now, I'm sitting at my desk and taking a class ________. The little insects of early spring fly around my bedroom, and a beam (束) of sunlight shines on my windows. It's just another ordinary day. But after that incident, I've learned to________ the day's beauties, however small they are.
1.A.joy B.expectation C.surprise D.Fear
2.A.studied B.confirmed C.observed D.Selected
3.A.declining B.complaining C.spreading D.surviving
4.A.instead B.rather C.therefore D.however
5.A.temperature B.shape C.size D.weight
6.A.criticizing B.comforting C.laming D.greeting
7.A.storm B.wind C.cloud D.rain
8.A.bored B.still C.awake D.pleased
9.A.advice B.attempt C.condition D.conclusion
10.A.hesitate B.require C.relieve D.admire
11.A.arranged B.recovered C.charged D.rescued
12.A.risking B.donating C.threatening D.suffering
13.A.sensitive B.ashamed C.grateful D.determined
14.A.at school B.at home C.in the hospital D.in the library
15.A.ensure B.adjust C.obtain D.value
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
根据每句句意和相关汉语提示写出单词的正确形式。
1.Doctors and nurses have made great____(贡献) to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
2.Eeryone should be___(关心，关注) about the impact of information of technology on future life.
3.May people are entirely __(未意识到) of the amount of energy they have consumed.
4.We'd better build up the speed of economic development ___(逐渐) and steadily.
5.He was__（原谅） by his parents after apologizing to them.
6.It is illegal to reproduce this book without___（许可）from the publisher.
7.His___（慷慨的）offer greatly reduced our stress and anxiety.
8.He really____（应得，值得） praise for his excellent daily performance in class.
9.___(留下印象) the interviewers with your neat appearance is a key step in job hunting.
10.Some may think the more __（独立）you are, the better your life will be.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假如你是学生会主席李华，下周学校计划举行一次书法讲座，请你给喜爱中国书法的外教Mark写封邮件，邀请他来参加。要点如下：
1.讲座的目的；
2.活动时间、地点、内容；
3.表达期盼。
注意：1.词数：100词左右；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头和结尾已为你写好,不计入总词数。
提示词：书法calligraphy
Dear Mark,
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析