【1】How many people will there be in the party?

A. Twelve. B. Fourteen. C. Twenty.

【2】Where will the party be held?

A. In a park. B. At the office. C. At a co-worker’s house.

A. to have cheated, promising B. cheating, promised

C. to cheating, promised D. having cheated, promising

Some robots already cost less to operate than the salaries of the humans they replace, and they are getting cheaper. Boston Consulting Group predicts that, by 2025, the operating cost of a robot that does welding (焊接) will be less than $2 per hour, for example. That’s more affordable than the $25 per hour that a human welder earns today in America.

Uber and many other companies are working on developing cars and trucks that don’t need a driver in the driver’s seat. According to the American Trucking Associations, approximately 3 million truck drivers were employed in the United States in 2010, and 6. 8 million others were employed in other jobs relating to trucking activity. So roughly one of every 15 workers in the country is employed in the trucking business. We could be talking about millions of jobs disappearing in the early 2020s.

And then there is the “Gig Economy (零工經(jīng)濟(jì))” that has some businesses moving toward part-time, on-demand employment. Uber has already done this to taxi drivers, and other technology companies are doing it to a wide range of jobs. A study by Intuit predicted that, by 2020, 40% of American workers will be self-employed, and that full-time jobs will be harder to find. We are talking about 60 million people in this category. The problem is that not only do such part-time workers lack reliable full-time jobs and sick pay, but they can’t enjoy health insurance and longer-term benefits.

The measures to be taken are to raise trade barriers. But closing the doors to foreign trade won’t bring jobs back. It will only slow the global economy and hurt American exports, shrinking the U. S. economy and accelerating job loss.

【1】The underlined word “decimate” in Paragraph 1 can be replaced by “______”.

A. make someone interested inB. equip someone for

C. wipe outD. bring back

【2】What will happen with technologies developing according to the text?

A. Robots will become smarter and smarter.

B. Uber’s labor cost will be lower and lower.

C. More and more truck drivers will be needed.

D. Taxi drivers can enjoy more health insurance.

【3】Which of the following is an advantage of a full-time job?

A. It may be flexible.

B. It may offer sick pay.

C. It is full of adventure.

D. It is always well-paid.

【4】Which of the following does the writer agree on?

A. Welcoming foreign trade.

B. Offering more part-time jobs.

C. Using fewer robots to stop job loss.

D. Developing more new technologies.

【5】What’s the writer’s main purpose in writing the text?

A. To show technology advances in our daily life.

B. To prove technologies cause low incomes.

C. To introduce what the Gig Economy is.

D. To warn the Gig Economy is coming.

Long before I could read on my own, she shared with me the strength and beauty of McCloskey’s language a story of a little girl and her mother out in nature, co-existing with a mother bear and her own baby. The power of the story, of language and of my mother all came together. And it happened many times after that, over and over. The read aloud made me a reader.

Years later, I was reading aloud a picture book to a small child in a classroom. His life, so far, had not been easy. His childhood was troubled by poverty and loneliness. In that moment, in the joy of the read aloud, he had an idea that started something big.

What he said was this: “Mrs. Allyn, let’s make sure everyone knows how good this feels. Let’s have a holiday for the read aloud” Therefore, my organization, LitWorld, created a grassroots movement World Read Aloud Day in 2010 to honor this young boy’s wish for everyone to be able to have a read aloud every day.

Since the day he shared that good idea with us, World Read Aloud Day has become a worldwide event reaching over one million people in more than 65 countries around the world. This year we are over 600 cities strong, a number that is growing every day.

Children who grow up as readers become engaged citizens of the global world, and every child deserves the right to read. When I say that reading aloud will change the world, I know it sounds simple. But one of the many great things about giving kids access to the power of stories and sharing them together is that it is simple. It is also cheap and easily done. And the impact is huge.

【1】How did the author’s parent change her life?

A. By reading aloud to her.

B. By listening to her reading.

C. By buying many books for her.

D. By encouraging her to read aloud.

【2】According to Paragraph 3, the author was probably the little boy’s .

A. motherB. teacher

C. best friendD. favorite writer

【3】What does the small child’s idea in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A. To start a holiday.B. To reduce poverty.

C. To found LitWorld.D. To overcome loneliness.

【4】What can we know about World Read Aloud Day from Paragraph 5?

A. Its origin.B. Its future.

C. Its purpose.D. Its development.

【5】What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A. Sticking to reading isn’t easy.

B. Reading gives a high rate of return.

C. Reading aloud isn’t actually simple.

D. Kids should try to change the world.

A. Have a picnic.

B. Learn about science.

C. Study math by himself.

—No wonder I couldn’t get through last night.

A. out of dateB. out of placeC. out of orderD. out of reach

Born in the U.K. in 1963, Michael was an enthusiastic downhill skier whose dream was to compete for Britain in world-class competitions. He would have liked to represent his country in the 1984 Winter Olympics, but there were a large number of downhill competitors, and Edwards didn't qualify. Seeing his chance elsewhere, he switched to ski jumping. Ski jumping didn't cost nearly as much, and there was almost no competition for a place on the Britain team.

But number of hurdles (障礙)could have meant the end of Edwards' dream. He weighed more than most competitors, which put him at a disadvantage. He had no financial support for his training. Poor eyesight meant that he had to wear glasses under his goggles (護(hù)目鏡)- not a good thing when they steamed up at high altitudes. But he couldn't let any of this discourage him. He saw himself as a true lover of the sport who simply wanted the chance to compete. Winning wasn't the point. Having the opportunity to try was all he cared about. And nothing could stop him from trying.

In the end, Edwards took 55th place in the 1987 World Championships. He then went on to the Calgary Olympics in 1988, where he finished last in both of his events. Many athletes would have been embarrassed by this result, but he is proud of his achievement to this day. His determination to fight against all the odds made him a global hero, and in 2016, the inspiring film Eddie the Eagle was made about his life.

【1】What is the purpose of the first paragraph?

A. To add some background information.

B. To uncover the secret of success.

C. To expect an answer from readers.

D. To introduce the topic.

【2】Why did Michael Edwards choose ski jumping?

A. It took less skill.

B. The equipment was cheaper.

C. There was little competition.

D. It was easy to win the championship.

【3】After the Calgary Olympics, Edwards _________.

A. felt he had reached his goal

B. was embarrassed by his results

C. switched to film making

D. was glad it was over

【4】What made Michael Edwards outstanding?

A. His determination to win.

B. His enthusiasm for the sport.

C. His attitude towards the Olympics.

D. His ability to overcome physical disabilities.

A. His mother. B. His teacher. C. His dentist.

amazing, arrange, creative, fan, include, personal, season

【1】Yao Ming not only plays basketball well but he is also nice to his __________.

【2】I was __________ at the change in her appearance.

【3】The Smiths have many pets in their big yard, __________ two cats.

【4】He likes designing so much that he hopes to __________ new dress styles for ladies in the future.

【5】__________, I think playing computer games is a waste of time.

【6】As we all know, selling Christmas cards is a __________ business.

【7】The __________ of the furniture gave the room a new and pleasing look.

【1】What is the important weather news?

A. There will be rain all night.

B. There will be a storm this morning.

C. There will be sunny skies tomorrow.

【2】When will the storm pass?

A. On Tuesday. B. On Saturday. C. On Sunday.

【3】Where is the tornado starting?

A. in Tulsa. B. In Springfield. C. in Oklahoma City.

【4】What supplies does the speaker suggest people prepare in the end?

A. Umbrellas. B. Rain boots. C. Water and food.