IT’S a scene in many homes around the world: tired-eyed teens wake to the sound of their alarm clock. Another school day begins, and we all wish we could have just one extra hour of sleep.
For lucky high school students in England, they’re now going to reset their alarm and get an extra hour of sleep. Instead of starting school at 9 am, students will begin the academic day at 10 am.
This is part of a huge study by Oxford University. The experiment will see whether later classes can improve exam results.
More than 100 schools across England will join the four-year experiment, which includes tens of thousands of students. It is based on（以…为基础） scientific evidence（证据； 迹象）that teenagers are out of step with traditional school hours.
“We know that something funny happens when you’re a teenager,” lead sleep researcher Colin Epsie told The Telegraph. “Your parents think it’s because you’re lazy and everything would be OK if you could get to sleep earlier. But science is telling us that teenagers need to sleep more in the mornings.”
A similar experiment in 2009 saw an improvement of 19 percent in exam scores for major subjects – such as math and science.
Teenagers’ sleep cycles, on average, begin two hours after adults. Neuroscientists (神经科学家) say teens have a built-in clock, which makes them more likely to go to sleep around midnight. As well as not feeling fully awake until between 9 am and 10 am. This body clock stays until the age of 19 for females and 21 for males.
Schools are places for learning, as well as education laboratories – finding out the best ways to learn and increase knowledge. Yet we’ll have to wait until 2018 to find out these exciting results!England high school students usually start school __________.
| A．at 7 am | B．at 8 am | C．at 9 am | D．at 10 am |
Teenagers feel hard to get up early because _________.
| A．they are too lazy |
| B．their sleep cycles are later than adults |
| C．they stay up late at night |
| D．they hate going to school |
The aim of the experiment in 2009 was to __________.
| A．find out whether later classes can improve exam results |
| B．test how students’ body clocks work |
| C．compare teenagers’ and adults’ sleeping styles |
| D．help teachers to find the best way to teach |
The article is focused on（聚焦）the topic that _________.
| A．teenagers need more sleep than adults |
| B．students might need more hours’ sleep in the morning |
| C．boys need more sleep in the morning than girls |
| D．it is important to do more experiments on education |
"Have you finished your lesson，George？" said Mr.Prentice to his son，who had laid aside his book and was busy making a large paper kite.
"No，father，"replied George，hanging down his head.
"Why not，my son？"
"Because it is so difficult，father.I am sure that I shall never learn it.Besides，I could not remember it after I had learned it，my memory is so bad."
"If I were to promise you a holiday on the thirtieth of the month after next，do you think you would forget the date？"
"No，I am pretty sure that I should not."
"You are first﹣rate at skating，and flying a kite，and playing at ball and marbles，are you not？"
"Yes，father."
"And yet you cannot learn your lesson!My dear boy，you are deceiving（欺骗） yourself.You can learn as well as anyone，if you will only try."
"But have I not tried，father？" again urged George.
"Well，try again.Come，for this afternoon lay aside that kite you are making，and give another effort to get your lesson ready.Be in earnest，and you will soon learn it.To show you that it only requires perseverance， I will tell you a story：
"One of the dullest boys at a village school，more than thirty years ago，went up to repeat his lesson one morning；and，as usual，did not know it. ‘Go to your seat！' said the teacher angrily.
‘If you don't pay more attention to your lessons，you will never be fit for anything.'
The poor boy stole off to his seat，and bent his eyes again upon his lesson.
‘It is of no use；I cannot learn.' he said in a whisper to a companion who sat near him.
‘You must try hard，'replied the kind﹣hearted boy.
‘I have tried，but it is of no use；I may just as well give up at once.'
‘Try again，Henry！' Whispered his companion，in an earnest and encouraging tone.
These two little words gave him a fresh impulse，and he bent his mind again to his task.
Gradually he began to find the sentences lingering in his memory；and soon，to his surprise and pleasure，the whole lesson was mastered!
"From that day，" continued Mr.Prentice，"there was no boy in the school who learned more rapidly than Henry.From that day till the present hour he has been a student；and he now urges his son George to ‘try again' as he tried. "
"And was it indeed you，father？" asked his son，eagerly looking up into the face of his kind parent.
"Yes，my child.That dull boy was your own father in his early years."
"Then I will try again." said George，in a decided tone；and，flinging aside his half﹣made kite，he turned and re﹣entered the house，and was soon bending in earnest attention over his lesson.
"Well，what success，George？"asked Mr.Prentice，as the family gathered around the tea﹣table.
"I learned the lesson，father！" replied the boy， "I can say every word of it."
"Did you find it hard work？"
"Not so very hard，after I had once made up my mind that I would learn it.Indeed I never stopped to think，as I usually do，but went right on until I had mastered every sentence."
"May you never forget this lesson，my son！" said Mr.Prentice， "You now get the secret of success.It lies in never stopping to think about a task being difficult or tiresome，but in going steadily on，with a fixed determination to succeed."
（1）The meaning of the underlined word"perseverance"is ．
A.the quality of continuing trying
B.the quality of being brave enough
C.thinking about what will happen next
D.thinking about what's the best thing to do
（2）Which is the correct order of the things below？
a.Mr.Prentice told George his own story.
b.George learned the lesson successfully.
c.George was busy making a large paper kite.
d.George gave up his lesson halfway.
e.The family gathered around the tea﹣table.
A.c﹣d﹣a﹣e﹣b
B.c﹣d﹣a﹣b﹣e
C.d﹣c﹣a﹣b﹣e
D.d﹣c﹣a﹣e﹣b
（3）According to the passage，we can see Mr.Prentice .
A.was encouraged by his teacher
B.was a top student at first
C.is always impatient with his son
D.is a kind and wise father
（4）Which can be the best title for the passage？
A.A dull boy.
B.Try again.
C.A strict father.
D.Finish your lesson.
In December 2020， "the Super Apple" appeared at supermarkets across China，sweeter and juicier than usual ones，without pesticide residue（农药残留）.Before reaching the market，the products had been tested over 500 times.Blockchain（区块链） technology in recording farmers' actions is widely used to avoid nonstandard pesticide use.Digital technology at the apple storage helps to group apples，which can keep the stability（稳定性） in the quality. "The future of agriculture lies in the modern technology." Huang Jikun，Professor of the China Centre for Agricultural Policy at Peking University，told Beijing Review.
At China's Central Rural Work Conference in 2020，President Xi stressed that efforts must be made to increase the quality of agriculture.Xi also pointed out the importance of speeding up technologies.
China's agriculture has entered a stage of high﹣quality development，as the country is meeting people's increasing need for high standard products.So agriculture should turn to technology.
Three years ago，Yuan Longping led a program of planting rice in saline﹣alkali（盐碱） soil in areas，including Xinjiang and Heilongjiang.Through hybrid technology，Yuan's team have been able to raise improved rice for saline and alkaline soils.If China could put 6.67 million hectares of saline﹣alkali soil into rice production，it would be very likely to increase by around 30 million tons，a huge contribution to the country.
In Lushui，Yunnan Province，one can rarely see farmers working on the farm.All common tasks are completed automatically（自动化地）.Data（数据） is gathered by the system to improve future production.
"More information and technology centres will be built so that basic data and big data can be improved，and technologies like 5 G and the BeiDou Satellite Navigation System can be used in the field."said Han Fujun，Deputy Chief Engineer of the Information Center of MARA.
Since 2010，the Chinese government has been organizing technology exchanges，training，field trips and other activities for the agricultural technology talents to better understand the situations of each area.
Because of the COVID﹣19，companies begin to rethink better agricultural models，as more people want to eat healthier foods.Science and technology will play a more important role in the future.
（1）Which of the following makes "the Super Apple" sweeter and juicier？
A.The apple storage.
B.The modern technology.
C.The product test.
D.The record of farmers' actions.
（2）From the passage we know that .
A.traditional Chinese agriculture is out of date now
B.farmers will pay less attention to technologies
C.China's agriculture plays a lead role in the world
D.people now need more quality agricultural products
（3）Which of the following is true according to the passage？
A.Yuan's program is a huge contribution to China.
B.Farmers are busy collecting the data in Lushui.
C.5 G and BeiDou system are rarely used in the centres.
D.Talents organize activities to understand each area.
（4）The passage mainly wants to tell us .
A.Yuan Longping is a great Chinese scientist in farming
B.China's agriculture develops fast to meet people's need
C.science and technology improves China's agriculture
D.more agricultural models will appear after COVID﹣19
We are what we eat.From high﹣calorie meals to low﹣fat lunches，much of our health depends on what we eat.We know about the benefits（益处） of eating fittingly for our physical health，but food，and cooking it，is proving to be good for our mental（心理的） health as well.
Some people are now supporting the therapeutic value of cooking food.It's not just about the end result but also the experience someone goes through.Dr Mark Salter，a consultant psychiatrist，told the BBC： "Baking and cooking are good therapies.They help patients develop planning skills，short﹣term memories and social skills—lack（缺乏） of which may lead to mental illness."
TV chef（大厨） and author Nadiya Hussain agrees that cooking is great for helping our mind.She loves to bake and became the champion of the TV show，The Great British Bake Off.She says that "Baking's always been about therapy...It's never really been about the cake." And she thinks that baking is an important tool for our socialization and mental health.
Certainly，creating some delicious food takes our mind off things and gives us something to do，helping us get through the recent lockdown.People have said that mixing dough（生面团）to make bread，for example，has given them a sense of calm and control.Research has shown that doing creative tasks，like cooking，makes us feel happier.Nicole Farmer，who studies how food influences our biology，behavior and mental health，told BBC online that "Cooking represents the human experience of food，and growing people through food，so there is no doubt it can bring us timely positive feelings."
Of course，cooking can be a very sociable activity and sharing the end result，a rewarding experience.Hopefully，as we start to mix with friends and family again，we can enjoy the benefits once more and put us all in the right state of mind.
（1）What is baking in Nadiya Hussain's eyes？
A.It's helpful for our mind.
B.It's a kind of TV programme.
C.It's always about the cake.
D.It's a tool for physical health.
（2）Creative tasks can help people get through the lockdown because they .
A.give people a lasting sense of calm and peace
B.mark the start of the experience of cooking food
C.make people feel more confident and stronger
D.help people take their mind off unhappy things
（3）Which of the following is right according to the passage？
A.Dr Mark Salter is a consultant psychiatrist of the BBC.
B.Hussain once got the first prize for her books on baking.
C.The Great British Bake Off is a TV show about cooking.
D.Nicole Farmer is a British scientist who studies biology.
（4）What is the article trying to convince（使确信） the reader of？
A.Eating fittingly for physical health.
B.Enjoying the course of cooking.
C.Sharing delicious food with others.
D.Developing our planning skills.
◆More than 22，000 pubs（酒馆） have a weekly quiz（智力测试） night.Some people say that the success of modern﹣day pub quizzes is caused by a board game from the 1980s，called Trivial Pursuit.In the game players had to answer questions about unimportant details.But whatever the reason，pub owners now say they hold quiz nights because quizzers drink like fish，so it is good business for them. |
◆In the quiz，the quiz master reads questions out loud and people answer questions in teams.A lot of the time，people choose funny names for their teams.There are normally several rounds，and a quiz can go on for 2 to 3 hours!Each round can be about a different topic，or questions can be mixed.Topics can be about nature，culture，life，health，food，science，sports，music and more. |
◆Many pubs have old names referring to monarchs（君主），such as The King's Head or The Queen Victoria，but of course this doesn't mean they are only for kings or queens.Pubs have always welcomed people from all classes and parts of society.In some pubs you can get drinks on the house，meaning they are free.If you've paid to be in the quiz，there is usually a surprising prize. |
◆More than half of the people in a recent survey on the Internet answered these questions incorrectly：How many countries make up Great Britain？What is the world's largest desert？ Study!Make sure you know the names of the winners of sporting events，Oscars and TV shows.Also there is need to have a look at the world map.Besides studying，it's very important to choose your team wisely.Try to have a mix of men and women，and no more than five people.Don't choose someone who is always completely sure that they're right，in fact sometimes they're wrong!Once you've got your team together，always trust your first answer，and don't think about it too much.Make sure that not everyone in your team drinks too much，otherwise the last round is going to get really difficult！ |
（1）Pub owners are willing to hold the quiz night because .
A.it is held freely once a week to meet customers
B.they can ask quizzers some difficult questions
C.it can provide a good chance for their business
D.they believe Trivial Pursuit is still popular now
（2）Which of the following is true according to Parts 2&3？
A.Quizzers usually group their teams with funny names.
B.Normally each round will go on for two to three hours.
C.Pubs with names of monarchs are for kings and queens.
D.Every quizzer will receive a surprising prize in the end.
（3）In order to win the quiz，quizzers had better .
①have a complete understanding of different topics
②be in a mixed team no more than five members
③trust their first answers to the questions
④drink as much as they can till the last round
A. ①②
B. ②③
C. ①④
D. ③④
Have you ever wondered how a book is made？It takes a lot of people to make a book.It can take months，or even years，for a book to go from an idea to a finished product.
A book begins when an author comes up with an idea for a book.Authors get ideas in different ways.They may get ideas from their own lives，from watching the world around them，or from reading.
Next，an author may plan the book by making an outline （提纲）.Sometimes authors do research to gather information.They may read books or articles.They may interview people or visit places.
Then，the author begins to write.Authors may write for months or years to finish a manuscript.A manuscript is the text an author produces for publication.
Finally，the author sends the completed manuscript to a publisher.If the publisher decides to publish the book，the author works with an editor.An editor reads the manuscript.Then he or she recommends changes to improve the book.A copy editor reads the manuscript to correct any grammatical mistake.
After an author makes the suggested changes，a designer may decide how the book will look.The designer may choose the size，shape，and type styles for the book.Some picture book authors create their own illustrations（插图）.If not，an illustrator is chosen to create pictures for the book.
The illustrator makes sketches of pictures that will go on each page.The sketches are sent to the publishing company.The editor makes sure the pictures clearly tell the story.The designer checks how the words and pictures will fit together on the pages.
After the design changes are made，the illustrator begins creating the final pictures.He or she may change the colours，the perspective，or the composition of pictures.It may take months to create all the pictures.
The finished art is then sent to the publisher.The designer adjusts（调整） how the pictures and words fit together on the pages.The completed pages are sent to the printer.Many books are still made into books with paper pages.
The printer uses huge printing presses to make the pages.The pages are fixed together.The book cover is added.The finished books are then sent to the publisher's warehouse.They are stored there until they are bought by libraries and bookstores.
E﹣readers have changed how some books are made.Some authors do not use a publisher at all.Instead of sending a manuscript to a publisher，some authors turn their manuscripts into e﹣Books themselves.Finally，an author's eBook is uploaded（上传） to virtual bookstores on the Internet.Customers can buy and download e﹣Books from these websites.
（1）According to the passage，the designer's job is to .
A.create pictures for the book
B.make an outline of the book
C.decide how the book will look
D.correct grammatical mistakes in the book
（2）Your first book will be published soon.What will first happen to it after the illustrator has created the final pictures？
A.
A designer often chooses a style for the book.
B.
The editor and the designer check the words and pictures.
C.
The designer finishes the pages.
D.
The printer prints the pages.
（3）The writer uses the LAST paragraph to .
A.introduce the history of e﹣Books
B.describe the disadvantages of e﹣Books
C.show the development of making a book
D.ask customers to support authors in making a book
（4）The writer explains how to make a book by .
A.giving causes
B.showing steps
C.providing examples
D.expressing opinions
（5）What is the best title for the passage？
A.From Idea to Book
B.Different Kinds of Books
C.Workers in the Publishing House
D.Between Publishers and Customers
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