Ask a man in the street what education is for, and an immediate response might be “for equipping young people with the skills to get a job”. Well, yes，but is education not about a lot more than that?
Indeed, I would argue that it is because our British education holds a higher ideal (理想)- equipping young people with self-confidence and an understanding of the world around them-that it is booming internationally.
Yet I believe that what makes our education great is being threatened by the ever increasing focus on teaching to the test. The focus has arisen because only by testing children can we know what progress they have made. It's a paradox(自相矛盾)，since the curriculum（课程）changes that are taking effect were designed to widen young people's knowledge of the world around them.
But please do not misunderstand me. I am not suggesting that tests should be withdrawn. I am saying that schools need to have the confidence to aim much higher and wider than teaching to the test. They should put a rich learning experience for students first; the test should be used to validate(证实) learning, not an end in itself.
Teachers count. A good many subject teachers know their departments have been short-changing their students, but they lack the self-confidence and support to move away from teaching to the test. So, what is the secret to getting back on track? What good schools have known all along is that a staffroom full of teachers with a good knowledge of what they are teaching, together with a passion and skill for communicating it, lies at the heart of the best education. Teachers' insistence on putting their love of subjects first will produce more engaged(参与) students. And with more engaged students often come better examination results, greater self- confidence and so on.
Schools should also find the self-confidence to put a focus on inspiring teachers who are keen to broaden what they teach. In this way, I believe educational achievement will improve.
1．Which belongs to the purpose of education according to the author?| A．Helping young people to have a job. |
| B．Preparing students for all kinds of tests. |
| C．Making young people behave confidently. |
| D．Enabling young people to succeed in life. |
| A．Formal and competitive. | B．Necessary but imperfect. |
| C．Standard but worthless. | D．Important and functional |
| A．Arrange interesting classes to students' taste. |
| B．Train students according to new teaching standards. |
| C．Encourage students to express their love of subjects, |
| D．Feel confident to care about more than examinations. |
| A．What is the future of British education? |
| B．What is the true purpose of British education? |
| C．Schools must aim higher than teaching to the test |
| D．Schools should withdraw tests for the sake of students |
Yours,
Li Hua
| A．Three months. | B．Four months. | C．Seven months. |
| A．Grands Mulets hut. | B．Refugio Emilio Frey. | C．Brandenburger Haus. |
| A．Have overnight stays. |
| B．Enjoy the views of the Alps. |
| C．Go through some complicated routes. |
A new study combining linguistic, genetic and archaeological evidence has traced the origins of the family of languages including modern Japanese, Korean, Turkish and Mongolian and the people who speak them to millet (粟) farmers who inhabited a region in northeastern China about 9,000 years ago．
The findings detailed on Wednesday document a shared genetic ancestry for the hundreds of millions of people who speak what the researchers call Transeurasian languages across an area stretching more than 8,000 kilometers.
The findings illustrate how humankind’s embrace of agriculture following the Ice Age powered the movements of some of the world’s major language families. Millet was an important early crop as hunter-gatherers transitioned to an agricultural lifestyle.
There are 98 Transeurasian languages. This language family’s beginnings were traced to millet farmers in the Liao River valley, an area including parts of the Chinese provinces of Liaoning and Jilin and the region of Inner Mongolia. As these farmers moved across northeastern Asia, the descendant languages spread north and west into Siberia and east into Korea and over the sea to Japan over thousands of years.
The research stressed the complex beginnings for modern populations and cultures.
“Accepting that the roots of one’s language, culture or people lie beyond the present national boundaries is a kind of surrender of identity, which some people are not yet prepared to make,” said comparative linguist Martine Robbeets, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature.
“Powerful nations such as Japan, Korea and China are often pictured as representing one language, one culture and one genetic profile. But a truth is that all languages, cultures and humans, including those in Asia, are mixed,” Robbeets added.
The origins of modem Chinese languages arose independently, though in a similar fashion, with millet also involved. While the ancestors of the Transeurasian languages grew millet in the Liao River valley, the originators of the Sino-Tibetan language family farmed millet at roughly the same time in China’s Yellow River region, paving the way for a separate language expansion.
1．What is the new study mainly about?| A．The migration routes of millet farmers. |
| B．The ancient origins of a large language family. |
| C．The different ancestries of Transeurasian speakers. |
| D．The shared features of some neighboring languages. |
| A．The transition of power. | B．The diversity of lifestyles. |
| C．The interaction of cultures. | D．The adoption of farming. |
| A．Those from agricultural countries. |
| B．Those who deny their cultural identity. |
| C．Those with a strong sense of nationalism. |
| D．Those who are afraid to cross boundaries. |
| A．To draw a conclusion. |
| B．To present likely consequences. |
| C．To highlight the theme. |
| D．To offer additional information. |
It was a cold Saturday night in February. Some 200 New Yorkers carefully made their way to the reservoir (水库) in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the magical snowy owl, who had touched down in the park the week before in what was reported as the first visit there by the species in more than 130 years.
Except for a few excited screams from children, people were quiet — patiently awaiting the owl’s arrival at the reservoir’s north gatehouse. The snowy owl did not disappoint. She flew down from the darkness and surveyed the water and the people holding phones and cameras before taking off into the night to the applause of her many fans. They simply wanted to see this lovely creature whose improbable appearance seemed to signify hope after the lockdown.
New Yorkers who had long taken Central Park for granted felt a renewed love for this rectangle of green in the heart of the big city and, of course, its amazing wildlife. That the park is a beautiful and essential refuge is something that humans have only come to fully appreciate during these recent times of uncertainty.
Central Park was originally planned and constructed during another difficult time in the nation’s history — in the years before and during the American Civil War. Unlike many European parks that had originally been built for the aristocracy (贵族), Central Park was designed as a public space. In its chief architect Frederick Law Olmsted’s words, the poor and rich alike could “easily go there after their day’s work is done” and “stroll for an hour, seeing, hearing, and feeling nothing of the noise of the streets.”
As spring turns into summer, we see people sitting on the grass or benches — catching some sun, having family picnics, or tapping away on their laptops and iPads. Just being in proximity to other people in Central Park gave us a sense of community — the sense that we would somehow persevere.
1．What did people do in Central Park on that Saturday night?| A．They cheered for each other. | B．They paid their first visit. |
| C．They came for a rare sight. | D．They appreciated a water event. |
| A．Give some examples. | B．Make a comparison. |
| C．Introduce a new opinion. | D．Add background information. |
| A．close to | B．free from |
| C．at a distance from | D．in comparison with |
| A．Find Refuge in Central Park |
| B．Take Your Breath by Snow Owl |
| C．Trace Central Park to difficult times |
| D．Meet an improbable “visitor” in person |
I was a ten-year-old girl who loved to sports and build tree houses in the woods. I would spend time with friends — just as I did on the night my life
I
I was adopted by a family — Sue and Chris and their two sons. I had to
Sue encouraged me to try
Finally, I found a(n)
| A．worsened | B．changed | C．paused | D．progressed |
| A．Excited | B．Satisfied | C．Tired | D．Amazed |
| A．came | B．happened | C．remembered | D．awoke |
| A．meaningless | B．severe | C．temporary | D．mild |
| A．sentenced | B．applied | C．limited | D．committed |
| A．parental | B．financial | C．civil | D．individual |
| A．live by | B．rely on | C．adjust to | D．toy with |
| A．regardless of | B．let alone | C．far from | D．rather than |
| A．mental | B．physical | C．chemical | D．technical |
| A．work | B．match | C．matter | D．heal |
| A．what | B．how | C．when | D．where |
| A．beginner | B．adolescent | C．adult | D．wheelchair |
| A．won | B．made | C．got | D．favored |
| A．age | B．goal | C．cost | D．situation |
| A．go on | B．stand by | C．speed up | D．reach out |
After my graduation from college, I was always worried about my income. I was hopeful when I got a part-time job at a library, and happier when I got a
My eyes came to rest on a tree outside. A squirrel (松鼠) was making his way down the trunk. It was
| A．similar | B．popular | C．good | D．second |
| A．deal with | B．apply for | C．depend on | D．give up |
| A．cried | B．thought | C．expected | D．explained |
| A．frightening | B．necessary | C．difficult | D．dangerous |
| A．experience | B．survive | C．change | D．manage |
| A．skillful | B．thankful | C．careful | D．useful |
| A．cleared | B．reached | C．left | D．dug |
| A．unfinished | B．disagreeable | C．incredible | D．irregular |
| A．carry | B．protect | C．package | D．hide |
| A．tree | B．road | C．window | D．squirrel |
| A．move | B．trial | C．advice | D．lead |
| A．promised | B．stopped | C．forgot | D．pretended |
| A．regularly | B．anxiously | C．safely | D．secretly |
| A．dream | B．draw | C．explore | D．arrange |
| A．competitions | B．victories | C．mistakes | D．challenges |
Outside the Box
The Harvestfest contest was falling on Friday and everyone in school was talking about it. All the students would show up in their self-made costumes and a winner would be chosen by the principal.
“Do you have your costume for the Harvestfest contest?” Alice asked. “I’m going as a chocolate bar. My mom and I have been working on it all week.”
“Yeah, I have a costume,” said Jordan Eastman, popping up the two front wheels of his wheelchair as he waited for his dad to pick him up. “But it’s boring.”
“Why? What is it?” Alice asked.
“MaxMag the superhero, but Danny, Tom and Izzy are all going as MaxMag too.” Jordan shook his head. “That’s too many to stand a chance at winning the contest.” He waved to his dad, who had just pulled up in front of the school.
Jordan rolled his wheelchair toward his dad, and Alice walked with him to the minivan.
“Maybe you should go as something else.”
“The contest is Friday night.” Jordan sighed. “It’s too late to change costumes.”
“Jordan, you have to think outside the box. Look around your house and see what you have. There’s hidden potential in everyday items.” She took a sip of her drink, and told Jordan that her chocolate-bar costume was made from old fabric her mom had lying around and recycled plastics.
On his way home, Jordan was quiet. He kept thinking about Alice’s words: Think outside the box. There’s hidden potential in everyday items. When he got home, he found his mum handling with some wooden pieces. She was putting a new desk together. On top of the desk was the huge empty cardboard box the pieces had come in. Mom smiled at Jordan, pointing at the desk, “What do you think?”
In WALL-E, a science fiction movie, a little robot is responsible for cleaning a world covered in garbage; a world where there is no longer room for anything else, not even humans! The film encourages common people, worldwide leaders and businessmen to ask the obvious question: What can be done to prevent something like this happening? For some, microfactories could become the most promising answer.
Veena Sahajwalla, a materials scientist and engineer in Sydney, Australia, has discovered a solution to the challenging waste problem. Her one-stop approach could go beyond the existing recycling processes. Her waste microfactories mainly target electronic waste and plastic, and are essentially little trash processors. These can transform waste into new materials with the help of thermal(热的) technology.
“Using our green manufacturing technologies, these microfactories can transform waste, enabling local businesses and communities to not only solve local waste problems, but to develop a commercial opportunity from the valuable materials that are created,” she explains.
Humans generate 2.01 billion tons of solid waste annually. And as the fastest growing waste stream, approximately 53.6 million tons of e-waste were generated globally by 2019. Despite current efforts, only 17.4 percent of this is known to have been collected and properly recycled. Meanwhile, worldwide e-waste generation is expected to continue to grow, reaching almost 80 million tons by 2030.
Although the most effective solution to the waste challenges would not generate as much trash, Sahajwalla microfactories provide hope for all the waste that already exists. Her solution not only decreases the amount of waste, but it also improves its management and enables new manufacturing opportunities around the new materials created.
WALL-E shows us the best and the worst of what human beings have to offer. It shows where the world is headed unless the human species slows down and stops developing at the current pace. But it also provides hope, showing that we also have a great power to change and improve.
1．What’s the aim to write the first paragraph?| A．To tell us what WALL-E is about. | B．To show the wide future of robots. |
| C．To introduce the use of microfactories. | D．To praise Veena Sahajwalla’s contribution |
| A．She is a top scientist in Australia. | B．She has been devoted to garbage factories. |
| C．Her waste microfactories are practical. | D．Her trash processors are being widely promoted. |
| A．By making contrasts. | B．By listing relevant figures. |
| C．By summarizing the above. | D．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Unclear. | D．Indifferent |
Like many teenagers, I was once troubled by anxiety and dissatisfaction-feelings that my parents often met with puzzlement rather than sympathy. They were already in their 50s, and having grown up in postwar Britain, they struggled to understand the sources of my discontentment.
“The problem with your generation is that you always desire to be happy.” my mother once said. I was puzzled. Surely happiness was the purpose of living, and we should spare no efforts to achieve it at every opportunity. I simply wasn’t prepared to accept my unhappiness as something that was beyond my control.
But I have noticed a shift in thinking, and I am now coming to the conclusion that my mother’s judgement was spot on. Over the past 10 years, numerous studies have shown that our obsession (痴迷) with happiness and high personal confidence may be making us less content with our lives, and less effective at reaching our actual goals. Indeed, we may often be happy when we stop focusing on happiness altogether.
While greater contentment is achievable, don’t expect miracle, and accept that no matter how hard you try, feeling of frustration and unhappiness will appear from time to time. In reality, certain negative feelings can serve a useful purpose.
When we feel sad, it’s often because we have learned something painful but important, while stress can motivate you to make some changes to your life. The last thing you should do is to blame yourselves for occasionally feeling bad when plans don’t work out.
Eventually, you might adopt the old saying “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best and be unsurprised by everything in between.” As my mother tried to teach me all those years ago, ease the pressure off yourself. and you may find that contentment arrives when you’re least expecting it.
1．Which of the following best explain “spot on” underlined in Paragraph 3?| A．Confusing. | B．Correct. | C．Ridiculous. | D．Controversial. |
| A．High expectations. |
| B．Low living-purposes. |
| C．Inadequate efforts. |
| D．Improper preparations. |
| A．Stress in your life will probably ruin your happiness and life. |
| B．Higher personal confidence makes us more satisfied with our life. |
| C．You needn’t be guilty of feeling awful since you may learn a lot from it. |
| D．If we try hard, feelings of frustration and unhappiness will disappear from our life. |
| A．Can we benefit from negative feelings? |
| B．Why it’s time to stop fighting for happiness? |
| C．How can we overcome our unhappiness? |
| D．Can we generation be happier than our parents? |
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