Robert Downey Jr. is famous for being a beloved Hollywood actor, but now he is adding “robotics environmentalist” to his list of good qualities. Earlier this week, the Iron Man actor took to the stage at the Amazon Re: Mars conference in Las Vegas to announce the creation of his new foundation which will use nanotechnology (纳米技术) and robotics as a means of cleaning up the planet.
Downey Jr. did not show many details on how the organization will begin its clean-up job, but a website went live shortly after the actor’s announcement. As of right now, the website only includes a sign-up sheet for future newsletters and latest news, but Downey Jr. says that he will be spending the next 11 months working together with UN experts and building up the organization so the group can get to work by April 2020.
After that, Downey Jr. says that “between robotics and nanotechnology we could probably clean up the planet noticeably, if not entirely, within a decade.” Downey Jr. also explained how his failure to look after the environment in the past is now inspiring him to take action, “I have this quiet sense of crisis (危机),” he said, according to reporters. “I’m a person who spends a lot of energy on things like plane trips, but I want to change.” Regardless of the actor's plan, Downey Jr’s net worth is about $81 million-more than enough to start tidying up the planet.
The Re: Mars conference, which stands for “Machine learning, Automation, Robotics and Space”, hosted a lot of speakers who gave lectures on the benefits of artificial intelligence. In addition to announcing the start of his organization, Downey Jr. also talked about how he and his wife Susan will be the managing producers of a new documentary series on the wonders of AI.
1.Downey Jr. set up the organization in order to ________.
A.release his newly-made film Iron Man officially
B.devote his spare time to environmental protection
C.inspire his crazy fans not to damage the environment
D.Braise enough money to make films with high technology
2.What can be inferred from the text?
A.Downey Jr. founded his organization while making his film.
B.Downey Jr. joined in cleaning up the planet ten years age.
C.Downey Jr. regretted not leading a greener life in the past.
D.Downey Jr. hosted a live conference on AI on the Internet.
3.Which of the following words can best describe Downey Jr. in the text?
A.Environmentally friendly.
B.Generous.
C.Warm-hearted.
D.Popular.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
One of the most exciting parts of senior year is deciding where your class will go on your senior trip. It’s a time when you get to relax and celebrate getting through the past thirteen years with your class. Many schools use money their class has saved over the years and organization of the trip is done with the student union and teachers. If your school doesn’t organize class trips, you can gather your closest friends and take a trip.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California is the center of the entertainment industry. In Los Angeles enjoy Universal Studios amusement park and Hollywood Walk of Fame for entertainment.
Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida is a great location to go for your senior trip. It is the home of Walt Disney World, where thrill seekers can enjoy the roller-coasters and other rides. Others may want to enjoy the environment and Disney atmosphere, which is enjoyable for adults and children alike.
Salt Lake City
For a colder trip, spend the days skiing and take the evening to curl up (蜷作一团) in front of a fire and socialize in the mountains of Utah. Try different restaurants in the area or visit local attractions for a change of pace. Most ski popular holiday centers close for the season in mid-April so if this is a choice, plan for the trip in March or earlier.
New York City
New York City, the Big Apple, is a great location for students that attend countryside schools. Students that live in farm country without the noise of a large city will enjoy the action that is happening continuously, no matter what time of day or night. Students can visit well-known areas such as the Statue of Liberty and Central Park, along with visiting some museums. There are multiple hotels and restaurants to suit any tastes.
1.What’s the purpose of the author in writing the text?
A.To recommend good trips for seniors in high school.
B.To introduce some famous American cities to readers.
C.To remind students to prepare graduation celebration.
D.To encourage schools to organize short holiday trips.
2.Los Angeles and Orlando have a lot in common with ________.
A.fine food
B.thrilling scenery
C.history museums
D.entertainment industry
3.You can go to ________ if you prefer winter snow.
A.Los Angeles
B.Orlando, Florida
C.Salt Lake City
D.New York City
4.New York City is best-known as ________.
A.home to Apple company
B.the land of fruit
C.the center of amusement parks
D.a sleepless city
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Smiling really can make people feel happier, according to a new study. American psychologists (心理学家) looked at nearly 50 years of data testing whether facial expressions can lead people to feel the emotions related to those expressions. They found smiling made people feel happier; frowning (皱眉) made them feel angrier or sadder.
However, the effects are not so strong, and the researchers warn this should hardly be held up as a way to offset weak mental health conditions like depression. Lead researcher Nicholas Coles said: “Ordinary wisdom tells us that we can feel a little happier if we simply smile. Or that we can get ourselves in a more serious mood if we frown. But psychologists have actually disagreed about this idea for over 100 years.”
The research team says the disagreements became more pronounced in 2016, when 17 teams of researchers failed to copy a well-known experiment showing that the physical act of smiling can make people feel happier. Coles said: “Some studies have not found evidence that facial expressions can influence emotional feelings. But we can’t focus on the results of any one study. Psychologists have been testing this idea since the early 1970s, so we wanted to look at all the evidence.”
Using a data technique called meta-analysis (荟萃分析), the team collected data from 138 studies testing more than 11, 000 people from all around the world. The results of the meta-analysis suggest that facial expressions have a small influence on feelings.
Coles added: “We don’t think that people can smile their way to happiness. But these findings are exciting because they provide evidence about how the mind and the body affect each other to shape our experience of emotion. We still have a lot to learn about these effects, but this meta-analysis put us a little closer to understanding how emotions work.”
1.What did the latest study find?
A.Facial expressions could show how happy people are.
B.Acting happy and feeling happy have weak connection.
C.Researchers share the same idea in the influence of smiling.
D.Smiling is the best way to fight with mental health conditions.
2.The underlined word “offset” in paragraph 2 can be replaced by ________.
A.recognize
B.test
C.suffer from
D.make up for
3.What might be the best title for the text?
A.Smiling Really Can Make People Feel Happier
B.Meta-analysis Provides Strong Evidence for Scientists
C.Negative Feelings Will Get You in a Worse Mood
D.Secrets of Emotions Have Been Finally Unlocked
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
How to stay healthy living in a city
Staying in a city is a great way to live a safer and more environmentally friendly lifestyle. City living provides you with plenty of chances to stay healthy. You’re only a few steps away from being your healthiest self!
1. Invest (投资) in a bike to save time and money traveling. While cars seem faster, you can have more mobility by riding a bike. Check and see if your city has any bike routes built into the street that allow you to travel more safely.
2. Search online or look through your local newspaper advertisements to see if gym or fitness club near you. While gyms are a bit more expensive, you can get special equipment. 3. If anything, exercising in a busier place can help you feel more motivated (有动力的).
Run to stay in shape. 4. If you don’t feel like driving or biking, running can also be a great choice for getting from place to place. Whenever you go out make sure that you’re running in comfortable shoes and wearing a reflective shirt.
Plan healthy meals for each week. Create a calendar for mealtime, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 5. So you can shop for what you need early on. If you’re going to be busy on a certain day of the week, choose a frozen meal instead.
A.Join a local gym to stay healthy.
B.Travel by bike instead of car to get places.
C.Don’t worry about the places being too crowded.
D.Check the area in walking distance from your home.
E.Order from healthier restaurants instead of going for fast food.
F.Decide ahead of time what you’d like to eat throughout the week.
G.Use the large number of sidewalks around you to get some exercise.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Sophie is blind and went to my elementary school. She changed the way I think about people. She showed me that you shouldn’t _______ them without getting to know them. The minute she said _______ to me, I knew that we would become great friends.
We met on the bus. She sat next to me. She could not _______, she had trouble talking sometimes and she couldn’t _______ well. I was nervous, so I _______ how to talk to her. When she turned to _______ me and said hi to me, I knew right then we would become good friends. She _______ my name and my appearance. I made a stuttering (结巴) reply at first. After a while, I _______ found the words and started to describe _______ the best I could so she could __________ me.
She told me what her family was like and her __________. She liked singing and playing the piano. She read Braille. She began __________ at age eight and won many Braille prizes. It took me a while to __________ the fact that Sophie would sit next to me for the year. It’s __________ to remember that on the bus we __________ together, talked about school and homework, and even played games.
I was __________ when I first saw her. I judged her too ____________. Now I have entirely changed my __________. She can do anything I can do __________ she is blind. We will always be __________, since she said hi to me on the bus.
1.A.dislike B.judge C.doubt D.attack
2.A.hello B.sorry C.thanks D.congratulations
3.A.run B.stand C.see D.hear
4.A.read B.sleep C.remember D.express
5.A.wondered B.understood C.determined D.learned
6.A.beg B.face C.persuade D.ignore
7.A.knew B.mentioned C.asked D.forgot
8.A.finally B.actually C.regularly D.frequently
9.A.myself B.himself C.ourselves D.themselves
10.A.recognize B.picture C.admit D.introduce
11.A.opinion B.request C.hobbies D.sufferings
12.A.recovering B.escaping C.traveling D.competing
13.A.get used to B.think highly of C.stand for D.set down
14.A.hopeful B.amazing C.upsetting D.peaceful
15.A.worked B.ate C.walked D.sat
16.A.frightened B.grateful C.nervous D.calm
17.A.wrongly B.quickly C.perfectly D.fairly
18.A.attitude B.taste C.mind D.identity
19.A.now that B.so that C.as if D.even though
20.A.neighbors B.volunteers C.friends D.roommates
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
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。将答案填写在答题纸的相应位置。
In order to encourage literacy (读写能力) among kids who are more used to playing on their smart devices. LA County 1.(library) are no longer charging library late fees for young readers. To make it even 2.(easy) for the kids, their schools have also signed up for library cards for them.
For those 3. already have a late fee balance, the library offers a unique way to pay it back by reading it away.
Kids can now go to their local library and tell the librarian that they would like 4.(pay) off their balance. In turn, the Librarian will start a timer and for every hour kids spends reading $5 5.(take) off of their debt. At least 100 students every week 6.(read) away their debt and a total of 3, 500 blocked accounts have been cleared. This debt relief can also be used for paying off lost or 7.(damage) books as well.
The program has already had a major effect 8. readership in the county. 15,000 kids have used their new library cards and parents said they allowed their children to check out books due to the 9.(decide).
10. seems that the smell of old books can still have a place in the younger generation’s hearts — they just need a bit of encouragement.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
根据下列句子及所给单词的首字母,写出空缺处各单词的完全形式。(每空只写一词)
1.I’m too busy and I’m afraid I can’t help you just at p__________.
2.Annie has got t__________of looking at nature through dirty curtains and dusty windows.
3.She b__________ her face in her hands and began to cry.
4.A r__________ for the return of the necklace has been offered by the owner.
5.She fell and i__________ her shoulder in the earthquake.
6.When the clock stopped, he took it a__________, found what was wrong, and put the whole thing together again.
7.It was wrong that they thought money would s__________ all their problems.
8.The children walked silently, one after a__________, into the schoolhouse to begin their lesson.
9.A m__________ phone is now a must-have for everyone.
10.Look! The new bridge has been finished two years ahead of s__________ because of the builders’ hard work.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
假设你是李华，请你给一位美国高中的笔友Mike写一封电子邮件，把你校最近一次运动会的情况告诉他，内容包括：
1. 举行时间；
2. 印象最深的比赛项目；
注意：1.词数80左右, 开头已为你写好；
2.可适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯。
Hi Mike,
I hope everything goes well with you!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
难度: 简单查看答案及解析