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Unplug Your Weekends or Ruin Your life

Researchers have found that people who unplug(不插电)over the weekend have higher satisfaction with life than people who spend their Saturday stuck in their electronics. 1. Give yourself an Internet break and keep yourself busy with other activities, and consider taking up any of the following pastimes:

Reading

Reading may seem like a very boring activity, though, in comparison to visiting social media for hours on end, it's attractive. You don't need to read the classic novels, but pick some text. Reading

will keep your stress at bay.

2.

It is the most ancient set of activities in the world. Playing a sport is not only good for your health, but it is good for developing intelligence and motivation, too. Going for a run and listening to your favorite music may increase your self-confidence and productivity. Going for a walk is also a good choice for you.

Spend time with your famely

3. They have always supported you, helped you whenever you were in trouble and when they're gone, you' 11 be regretful that you didn't make the most of the time you had.

Learn new skills

Learn a new language, play a musical instrument, make something with your own hands, try cooking or anything really. The best part about learning something new is that you will meet new people. 4.

Above are the suggestions on what to do when you are unplugged. However, there is no need to abandon your social network accounts, but at least try to turn off your computer and do something different on weekends. 5.

A. Running

B. Playing a sport

C. Don't abandon your family.

D. Spend more free time with your family and friends.

E. Moreover, by choosing a new thing to make a try you' 11 get inspiration and moral satisfaction.

F. It's important for us to live in a real world to have fun with the real life people who are close to us.

G. What's more, more time spent unplugging will lead to more lasting relationships.

Section B (10 marks)

Directions: Read the following passage. Answer the questions according to the information given in the passage and required words limit. Write your answers on your answer sheet.

The tasty cream-filled golden sponge(海绵) cakes have been an American favorite for decades. These are just a few of the sugary treats made by the beloved Hostess brand. But after more than 80 years, Americans have to say goodbye to these iconic (标志性的) desserts. Early last week, Hostess announced it is going out of business.

"Many people have worked unbelievably long and hard to keep this from happening," said Hostess CEO Gregory F. Rayburn. "Hostess Brand has no other alternative than to begin the process of getting down and preparing for the sale of our iconic brands." Along with Twinkles (奶油蛋糕) and Wonder Bread, cupcakes and other sugary treats may disappear from the shelves.

In the past decade, Hostess has experienced difficulties with its management and high labor costs. The company had money troubles in the past, but this time there was no way to recover. Along with the loss of sugary treats comes the loss of nearly 20,000 jobs. Hostess fans hope that another company will buy out the Hostess.

The downfall of Hostess is due not just to the company's financial problems, but also to a changing America. Our country's tastes and lifestyles are not the same as they were eighty years ago. Americans have become more health-conscious, and they are demanding more healthful food products. As a manufacturer of high-calorie products, Hostess does not fit into this new way of life.

To make matters worse for Hostess, Americans do not eat as much bread as they once did. "More and more people are choosing one-dish meals," said Harry Balzar. "The tradition of bread as a side dish is going out." Americans are finding alternatives to their morning toast too. Instead they’re choosing quick snacks like yogurt and energy bars.

Will Twinkles become an image of a bygone(过去的) America? Hostess fans hope that it will secure its spot on supermarket shelves for years to come. We can only wait. And maybe eat fruit for dessert instead.

1.What caused Hostess to be in trouble in the last 10 years? (no more than 7 words)

_____________________________________________________________________

2.Can you list three disappearing sugary desserts by Hostess? (no more than 5 words)

_____________________________________________________________________

3.What makes Hostess's situation more severe? (no more than 9 words)

_____________________________________________________________________

4.What's the hope of Hostess fans about this spongy snack's future? (no more than 20 words)

_____________________________________________________________________

Wikipedia (维基百科) is a non-profit website funded by donations, started on 15th January, 2001. “Wiki” means “quick” in the Hawaiian language. These days, most people go straight to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia (百科), to look something up. But how reliable is it?

The site attracts 78 million visitors every month, and it is available in more than 270 different languages. It’s one of the most comprehensive (综合的) resources available, and it’s got much more information than an ordinary encyclopedia. The site is updated on a daily basis by thousands of people around the world. Anyone with an Internet connection can look through and edit the contents or add a new page at any time. And you don’t need any formal training.

Of course, there are some controls. Wikipedia has a team of more than 1,500 administrators who check for false information. And main targets for horrible comments (such as politicians) are forbidden to public editing. But with more than 16 million articles to keep an eye on, it isn’t easy. So, while Wikipedia benefits from being constantly updated with information from all over the world, it’s also open to “vandals”(故意捣乱者).

Some of the damage is easy to notice. Someone drew horns and a moustache on Microsoft chairman Bill Gates’ photo. But other things are harder to spot. The most common form of vandalism involves adding tiny items of false information into the biography of a famous person. Unbelievably, some of this misinformation has appeared in newspapers, with The Daily Mail, The Guardian and The Independent all having fallen victim to the tricks. For example, in an obituary (讣告) for British comedian Sir Norman Wisdom, one newspaper claimed that he co-wrote Dame Vera Lynn’s wartime song “There’ll be Bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover”. In fact, he did no such thing.

So if you’re going to use any information from Wikipedia, make sure you double-check it first.

1.What do we know about Wikipedia?

A. It makes profits from its users.

B. It is run by the Hawaiian government.

C. It provides a huge amount of information.

D. It is the most popular website worldwide.

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. 78 million people visit Wiki each day

B. To forbid wrong public editings is quite easy

C. Formal education is needed to do editing for Wifi

D. Some people change the information on Wiki just for fun

3. The example of Norman Wisdom’s obituary is used to show _________.

A. Wikipedia sometimes contains false information

B. some newspapers like The Guardian are irresponsible

C. Norman Wisdom is unpopular with some people

D. Wikipedia affects people’s lives greatly

4.What does the author advise readers to do?

A. To look through Wikipedia frequently.

B. To update Wikipedia on a daily basis.

C. To turn to other websites for valid information.

D. To be careful when using the information from Wikipedia.

Studies over the past decade at the University of Utah show that hands-free cellphones are just as harmful to drivers as hand-held ones because it is the conversation, not the phone, that is distracting(分散) their attention. “Even though your eyes are looking right at something, when you are on the cellphone, you are not as likely to see it,” says Professor David Strayer. “Ninety-nine percent of the time, it's not that critical(危急的), but that l% could be the time a child runs into the street,” he adds.

Dr. Strayer’s studies have also found that talking on a cellphone is far more distracting than talking with a passenger. Listening to the radio, to music or to a book on tape also isn’t as distracting, because it doesn’t require the same level of interaction as a conversation. But even drivers may miss some details of a book on tape if their attention is focused on driving tasks. Some people can train themselves to pay extra attention to things that are important—like police officers learn to search faces in crowds.

And the Utah researchers have found a rare group of “super-taskers”—about 2.5% of the population—who seem able to attend to more than one thing with ease.

Many more people think they can effectively do several things at the same time, but they are really turning their attention rapidly between two things and not getting the full effect of either. Clearly, it is easier to put some tasks together than others.” Not all distractions are the same,’’ says Dr. Strayer. Things like cleaning and working out can be done automatically while the mind is focused elsewhere. But doing homework and texting at the same time isn’t possible. Even talking and watching TV is difficult. “Just try talking with your wife while watching football. It’s impossible,” jokes Dr. Strayer.

1.What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A. The harm in using phones while driving.

B. The advantages of hand-held phones.

C. The danger of running in the street.

D. The causes of road accidents.

2.What does the example of police officers in Paragraph 2 show?

A. Searching for faces requires more attention than driving.

B. Talking to a crowd calls for a high level of attention.

C. One’s attention can be easily distracted in crowds.

D. The ability to attend to two tasks can be trained.

3.“Super-taskers” can be best described as people who can .

A. do several things effectively at the same time

B. turn their attention rapidly to two things

C. handle all difficult tasks with ease

D. pay full attention to one task

4.Which of the following can you do while talking on the phone?

A. Doing homework. B. Writing a letter.

C. Working out. D. Watching TV.

Unique New Year's Traditions from Around the World

How do you celebrate New Year’s? If I had to take a guess,you probably celebrate New Year’s surrounded by family and friends,enjoying drinks of your choice and watching the ball drop with Dick Clark.1.Listed below are five of the top ten“Unique New Year Traditions from Around the World.”

1.Breaking Dishes on Neighbor’s Door

A strange Danish New Year tradition,depending on how you look at it, is throwing dishes at neighbor’s door.2.The family with the tallest tower of broken plates,glasses,cups and other crockery is considered to be the luckiest person because it symbolizes their large amount of loyal friends.

2.Talking to Spirits

Talking to spirits is a part of Mexican belief.Mexicans strongly believe that they can communicate with the souls of their dead loved ones.3.And this is not done at home on an individual basis but is a legal Mexican practice.Taos Inn,in New Mexico for example,offers 15 minutes session of spiritualism and meditation for $15.6.Not a bad price for some helpful guidance!

3.Wearing Polka Dots

Imagine streets full of people wearing polka dots and dining room tables full of round shaped food and fruits on one single day of the year.4.Philippines believe that this will bring them prosperity by associating the round dots to coins and wealth.

4.Burning Scarecrow Dummy

Ecuador has a unique custom of crafting Scarecrows and then burning them at midnight.They adorn them and fill the scarecrows with newspapers and pieces of wood.As midnight approaches,everyone gathers outside their home and each family burns their own scarecrow.5.The scarecrow also scares away bad luck,which in rurn,fills their new year with luck and happiness.

A.New Year’s Eve is considered the best time to communicate with dead spirits to convey a message or ask for guidance.

B.It is also believed in the Irish culture that this act will help them get rid of bad luck.

C.Have you ever imagined how New Year’s would look in another country?

D.This all actually happens in the Philippines on New Year’s Eve every year.

E.Strangely,this makes them happy instead of annoying them.

F.We all want to start a new,fresh year with renewed enthusiasm and hope.

G.The tradition says that this destroys all the bad things that took place in the past months.

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