Can you remember a world before the Internet? If your answer is “No”, then you are probably a millennial. Millennials are the new generation of young Americans. They were born between 1982 and 1992. There are 33 million of them, and they are just starting to enter the workforce(劳动力). Many experts believe that millennials are different from young Americans of past generations. They also believe that millennials will change the workforce in important ways.
How are millennials different? They are the first generation born in the computer age. The Internet has always been a part of their lives. They spend about 16 hours a week on the Internet, and this doesn’t include e-mail. And they spend 72 hours a week using other electronic media, including mobile phones and video games. They are “ nation speakers” of the language of the computer age. People who were born earlier will never be native speakers of that language. Why not? They did not grow up “ speaking” it.
How will millennials change the workforce? To answer that question, it is important to understand how millennials use the Internet. They use the Internet to communicate. They visit websites such as Face Book and My Space every day. They share ideas, music, information, games and friendships with people all over the world. When they start working, they will want to share their work and ideas with others.
It is also important to understand the way millennials grew up. Their parents and teachers gave them a lot of attention. They taught them that their opinions were valuable(有价值的). As a result, many millennials are very confident. At work, they will expect their co-workers and bosses to listen to their opinions.
Millennials also grew up with a lot of structures in their lives. Many of them went to school from the age of two or three and played on sports teams. At work, they will expect the rules to be clear. They will also expect a strong but fair boss, like a coach on a sports team.. They will follow the person in charge(主管) if he or she is fair. But they will not follow an unfair boss. They will also expect their work to be fun and creative, similar to their experience on a sports team.
These are a few of the changes that experts believe millennials will bring to the American workforce. But the world is changing very fast. There will probably be more changes that are difficult to imagine today.
Choose the best answer according to the passage.According to the first paragraph of the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A.Millennials belong to a new generation. |
B.Millennials were born about ten years ago. |
C.Millennials are entering the workforce. |
D.Millennials know little about the world before the Internet. |
Which is the main reason that makes the experts believe millennials are different from young Americans of past generations?
A.Millennials can speak a better native language. |
B.Millennials grow up with computers and Internet. |
C.Millennials use mobile phones and e-mails often. |
D.Millennials spend long hours playing video games. |
Why do the millennials expect to share their work and ideas with others?
A.Because they know how to use the Internet to make new friends.
B.Because they understand how to communicate with new friends.
V.Because they grow up sharing ideas, music, information, games and friendships with others by the Internet.
D.Because the Internet can provide all the information they need.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A.Millennials grow up with more attention from their parents and teachers. |
B.Many millennials are showing more confident than others at work. |
C.Many millennials give more valuable opinions to their co-workers and bosses. |
D.Many of the millennials have had fun and creative experiences when they are on sports teams. |
From the passage we know that_________.
A.the number of the millennials had come to 33 million by the end of 1982. |
B.Most of the millennials learn native computer language in schools. |
C.Millennials require their bosses to be healthier and the rules clearer at work. |
D.More changes will probably be brought to the American workforce by millennials. |
Four years ago when I was a boy of 11, I got into the biggest trouble as a kid. It was a Saturday morning. Both my parents were out, leaving me and my 10—month—old sister became alone. Anyway, my sister was still asleep in her room. In fact I had the house to myself. I decided to do some drawing. Soon I gave up. Nothing was on TV, so I felt bored and touched the candles on the shelp…I had an idea! What would happen if I see fire to some kitchen paper? Well, of course it went on fire, but it wasn’t the tiny flame(火箭)I’d expected, and I couldn’t blow it out. I threw it on the floor, and then luckily got my dad’s boots(靴子)and stamped it out.
I thought I was safe until there was a HCGE hole in my room. When my mum came home later, she smelt the smoke immediately. She dropped the shopping bag, luckily for me, over the hole. I thought this meant she would never see it. However, after running round the house checking for a fire, she of course picked up the bag and saw the hole. Next I was grounded(关禁闭)and in trouble for months. Even though, the hole was still there, reminding me of what I did.How old was the writer when he wrote the passage?
A.11 years old. | B.13 years old. |
C.15 years old. | D.17 years old. |
The underlined words “stamp out” in the first paragraph mean ____.
A.吹灭 | B.扑灭 | C.杀灭 | D.浇灭 |
Put the sentences in the right order according to the passage.
①The boy set fire to some kitchen paper.
②The boy did some drawing.
③The boy was grounded.
④The boy stamped the fire out.
⑤His mother checked for a fire.
A.②④③①⑤ | B.②①④⑤③ |
C.②①④③⑤ | D.①③④②⑤ |
Who put out the fire at last?
A.The writer. | B.The writer and his sister. |
C.The writer’s mother. | D.The writer’s father. |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.It’s difficult to put out a fire. |
B.The boy didn’t look after his sister. |
C.The boy made a big trouble when he was 11. |
D.Don’t leave children home alone while shopping. |
Pakistani girl Malala Yousafzai is the youngest ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She has become the voice of girls throughout the world.
Born in Swat Valley in Pakistan in 1997, Malala lived a quiet life until 2009, when the Taliban(塔利班), an Islamic organization of violence(暴力)took control of her village. they believe educating girls is against Islam. But Malala didn’t agree. She wouldn’t give up her education and kept going to school.
“What is wrong with us girl students? We want all girls to get their schools back," she wrote. Her hard work encouraged many young girls in Swat Valley.
On Oct 9, 2012, when Malala was taking a bus home, a Taliban man got on the bus with a gun in hand. A bullet immediately hit her in the face. Luckily, the shot didn’t kill her. She was taken to a hospital in the UK. The shot didn’t kill her courage, either.
Her courage made her famous.
She has spoken at the United Nations, met world leaders and written a book, I Am Malala.
On Oct 10, 2013, the EU awarded Malala their top human rights prize. They said, “She is an icon(符号)of courage for all teenagers who dare to follow their aspirations(愿望).”
A. However, her actions also put her in danger. B. They stopped girls from getting an education. C. Now she is still calling for education rights for girls. D. And she started to write a blog against the Taliban. |
What may be the best title for this passage?
A.Dreams of peace | B.A gun shot in Pakistan |
C.Voice of courage | D.Education rights for girls |
Have you noticed your life becoming a little easier? Now, when you go to a certain shopping mall, you can enjoy its free Wi-Fi there. When you want to take a taxi, you can book one with your phone. In fact, all these can be seen as the basic parts of a smart city.
The idea of a smart city was brought up by US company IBM in 2010. Generally, a smart city is a city that uses digital technologies such as the Internet to improve city planning, save money and resources, and make our life convenient. How smart can a city be? Here are great examples that we can learn from.
In 2009, Dubuque became the first smart city in the US. The city used smart water meters to take the place of traditional water meters. They can detect(探测〉water waste and leakage(泄漏)and send data to let the house owner know. The same system is used for other city resources like electricity and natural gas. This way, people know how they use their resources and are glad to help reduce waste.
Santander in Spain also gives us a look at the future. If people point a phone toward a nearby bus stop, the phone immediately shows all bus lines that serve the stop as well as their arrival times. The government organized a research team and provided an App(应用程序〉that collects data on almost everything: light, temperature, and the movements of cars and people. Opening the App near a supermarket provides immediate information on specialAccording to the passage, which of the following is RIGHT?
A.Digital technologies are used in smart cities. |
B.An English company first raised the idea of a smart city. |
C.A smart city is mainly made up of free Wi-Fi and phones. |
D.A smart city is still an idea and hasn’t come into being. |
The underlined word “convenient” is the closest in meaning to _____.
A.useful | B.normal | C.suitable | D.easy |
Compared to traditional water meters, smart water meters do better in .
A.cleaning water | B.supplying water |
C.saving water | D.producing water |
The example of Santander shows the use of smart systems in aspects(方面)EXCEPT _____.
A.business | B.health care |
C.traffic controlling | D.public transportation |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
A.Digital technologies help improve city planning. |
B.Smart cities will make our future life better and smarter. |
C.Smart cities are very common in both Dubuque and Santander. |
D.Spain and the US take the leading position in building smart cities. |
Canada Day
Since 1982, July 1st has been officially known as Canada Day. Canadians of all ages take part in this festival across the country.
Canada Day is the year’s biggest national party. In many towns and cities, the government organizes a lot of events, often outdoors. These include parades(游行), concerts, festivals, firework displays and ceremonies for new Canadian citizens(公民).The celebrations often have a patriotic mood. Canada’s national flag, a symbol for Canada Day, can be seen everywhere and a lot of people paint their faces red and white, which are Canada’s national colors. The celebrations in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, are especially grand and exciting.
In the province of Quebec, many home rentals(租赁)start on July 1st and last for exactly one year, and many people in Quebec spend Canada Day moving from one house to another. So in Quebec, Canada Day is also known as Moving Day.
Many organizations, businesses and stores are closed this day. Only some bookstores, hospitals and gas stations may be open. Post offices are closed, too. As Canada Day falls in the Canadian summer holiday period, all schools are closed as well. In some areas, special services are provided for large events. The concerts, parades and festivals may cause some traffic jams.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A.Canada Day falls on the first day of June. |
B.Canada Day was celebrated before 1982. |
C.Canada Day is celebrated throughout Canada. |
D.Canadians except new citizens celebrate Canada Day. |
The underlined word “patriotic” means _____ in Chinese.
A.温馨的 | B.爱国的 | C.肃穆的 | D.紧张的 |
Canada Day is known as Moving Day in Quebec because on this day _____.
A.people think it lucky to move to new houses |
B.people look for houses from one place to another |
C.people like moving from house to house to visit friends |
D.people move home when new home rentals go into effect |
From Paragraph 4, we know that on Canada Day _____.
A.no student goes to school |
B.traffic jams happen everywhere |
C.all Canadians stop working |
D.few businesses and stores are closed |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned about Canada Day?
A.Background | B.Symbol. |
C.Public life. | D.Events and activities. |
Flow like the river of change
Little stream ran down from a high mountain through many villages and forests. Then it reached a desert. “I went through so many difficulties. I should have no problem crossing the desert,” she thought. As she started, she found herself slowly disappearing into the sand. After many tries, she still failed. “Maybe I can’t reach the ocean,’’ she said sadly to herself.
At this time, a deep voice said, “If a breeze(微风)can cross the desert, so can a river.” It was the voice of the desert. But the little stream answered, ‘‘That’s because a breeze can fly, but I cannot.”
“That’s because you can’t give up what you are. Let yourself evaporate(蒸发)into the breeze, and it can take you across,” said the desert. “Give up what I am now? No! No!” The little stream could not accept this idea. “The breeze can carry the vapor(蒸汽)across the desert and let it leave as rain. The rain will form a river again,” said the desert. “And whether you’re a river or vapor, your nature never changes.” Hearing this, the little stream went into the open arms of the breeze. It carried her to the next stage of her life.
The course of our lives is like the experience of the little stream. If you want to go through difficulties in your life to head for success, you should also change the way you are.The little stream aimed to reach _____.
A.the forest | B.the ocean |
C.the desert | D.the river |
The little stream _____ before she got to the desert.
A.didn’t meet much difficulty |
B.was worried about herself |
C.knew well about the desert |
D.was confident about herself |
At first, the little stream didn’t accept the desert’s advice because _____.
A.she failed many times |
B.she was afraid of the breeze |
C.she wasn’t able to fly |
D.she wouldn’t give up what she was |
The little stream finally crossed the desert by _____.
A.evaporating into the breeze |
B.forming a river |
C.disappearing into the sand |
D.changing her nature |
What does the story mainly tell us?
A.The road to success is not always easy and smooth. |
B.Whatever others say, we should always be ourselves. |
C.To succeed, we should change the way we are if necessary. |
D.We may experience difficulty in life just like the little stream. |