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素材2-禁止孩子用手机，真是件好事吗？背景材料：儿童使用电子设备的情况已经非常普遍了，与此同时，关于这一问题的讨论声音也不绝于耳：儿童是否应该使用电子设备？一方面，儿童可以通过电子设备获取丰富的信息，收获趣味的互动方式；另一方面，长时间使用电子设备不仅会对孩子的视力造成损伤，还会造成负面的精神影响。
如何在二者之间寻求平衡，的确成了父母们亟需解决的问题。
本篇课程首发于2019年2月27日，节选自the Economist 长文章"How children interact with digital media" （文字稍有改动）原文：How children interact with digital media①Children are starting on digital devices at ever younger ages, and opinions on the effects of children's digital-media habits are deeply polarised.②Jean Twenge, a psychology professor, thinks excessive use of the internet and social media makes children lonely and depressed and poses serious risks to their physical and particularly their mental health, sometimes to the point of driving them to suicide.③However, Daniel Kardefelt-Winther of the Innocenti research office of Unicef examined various evidence and found less cause for alarm than is often suggested.④Most of the studies he examined seem to show that the technology helps children stay in touch with their friends and make new ones.⑤The relationship between the use of digital technology and children's mental health, broadly speaking, appears to be u-shaped.⑥Researchers have found that moderate use is beneficial, whereas either no use at all or extreme use could be harmful.⑦What worries some experts more is that screens are becoming part of the middle-class armoury for perpetuating social advantage.⑧Children from well-off homes are enrolled in private classes to learn skills like "How to be a YouTuber", which poorer parents cannot afford.生词好句digital media: 数字媒体polarise /'p?ul?raiz/: vt. 两极化excessive /?k?ses?v/: adj. 过度的；不节制的depressed /d?'prest/: adj. 压抑的；抑郁的pose serious risks to: 给……带来风险Unicef /'ju:nisef/: 联合国儿童基金会broadly speaking: 一般地说（常位于句首）moderate /'m?d(?)r?t/: adj. 温和的；有节制的armoury /?ɑ?rm?ri/: n. 武器装备；武器库；宝库perpetuate /p?'pet??e?t/: vt. 使延续、永恒well-off /?wel??f/: adj. 富裕的enroll /?n'r??l/: vt. 注册；参加（某个课程、学校）private class: 一对一教学词汇拓展1. digital media: 数字媒体·print media: 纸质媒体2. ever+比较级: 越来越……·近义词：increasingly, constantly3. polarise: vt. 两极化The debate is getting polarised without any middle grounds.争论越来越两极化，没有任何中间立场。
3.30-4.5 一周英语阅读材料外刊阅读：阻断疫情的伤亡太惨了Paying to stop the pandemic阻止疫情付出的代价Thestruggle to save lives and the economy is likely to present agonising choices 拯救生命和经济的斗争可能会带来痛苦的选择[文章来源]经济学人【感想】最近，武汉中心医院又有医生因新冠病毒病逝，该医院伤亡惨重，主任、副主任医生等一个个相继离世，书记和院长还是要负责任的，作为4000多员工的领导者，有责任、也有义务确保医护人员的安危。
医院伤亡如此惨烈，背后的原因可想而知。
自我保护意识是最基本的权利。
戴口罩、穿防护服确实会给人们带来紧张感，紧张的结果不一定都是坏的。
对于病毒，我们必须保持高度警惕，否则就会像现在一样变成流行病。
如果医院领导是慈悲为怀的、受过高等教育的专业人士，可能中心医院就不会有这么大的伤亡了，培养一个优秀的医生太不容易了。
无论是高校、还是医院等单位，迫在眉睫的事情是要去行政化。
领导者首先要德行高尚，其次还要是专业人士。
非专业人来领导专业人士存在很大的风险，决策失误会草菅人命的。
请善待医生、善待下属、善待周遭的芸芸众生吧。
PLANET EARTH is shutting down. In the struggle to get a grip on covid-19, one country after another is demanding that its citizens shun society. As that sends economies reeling, desperate governments are trying to tide over companies and consumers by handing out trillions of dollars in aid and loan guarantees. Nobody can be sure how well these rescues will work.But there is worse. Troubling new findings suggest that stopping the pandemic might require repeated shutdowns. And yet it is also now clear that such a strategy would condemn the world economy to grave—perhaps intolerable—harm. Some very hard choices lie ahead.Barely 12 weeks after the first reports of people mysteriously falling ill in Wuhan, in central China, the world is beginning to grasp the pandemic’s true human and economic toll. As of March18th SARS-CoV-2, the virus behindcovid-19, had registered 134,000 infections outside China in 155 countries and territories. In just seven days that is an increase of almost 90,000 cases and43 countries and territories. The real number of cases is thought to be at least an order of magnitude greater(大一个数量级).Spooked（惊吓的）, governments are rushing to impose controls that would have been unimaginable only a few weeks ago. Scores of countries, including many in Africa and Latin America, have barred travellers from places where the virus is rife（流行的prevalent）. Times Square is deserted, the City of London is dark and in France, Italyand Spain cafés, bars and restaurants have bolted their doors. Everywhere empty stadiums echo to absent crowds.It has become clear that the economy is taking a much worse battering than analysts had expected. Data for January and February show that industrial output in China, which had been forecast to fall by 3%compared with a year earlier, was down by 13.5%. Retail sales were not 4%lower, but 20.5%. Fixed-asset investment, which measures the spending on such things as machinery and infrastructure, declined by 24%, six times more than predicted. That has sent economic forecasters the world over scurrying to revise down their predictions. Faced with the most brutal recession in living memory, governments are setting outrescue packages on a scale that exceeds even the financial crisis of 2007-09.This is the backdrop （背景） for fundamental choices about how to manage the disease. Using an epidemiological model, a group from Imperial College in London this week set out a framework to help policymakers think about what lies ahead. It is bleak .One approach is mi tigation, “flattening the curve” to make the pandemic less intense by, say, isolating cases and quarantining infected households. The other is to suppress it with a broad errange of measures, including shutting in everybody, other than those who cannot work from home, and closing schools and universities. Mitigation curbs the pandemic, suppression aims to stop it in its tracks.around 2.2m deaths in America and500,000 in Britain by the end of summer. In advanced economies, they concluded, three monthsofcurve-flattening, including two-week quarantines of infected households, would at best prevent only about half of these. Moreover, peak demand for intensive care would still be eight times the surge capacity of Britain’s National Health Service, leading to many more deaths that the model did not attempt to compute.If that pattern holds in other parts of Europe, even its best-resourced health systems, including Germany’s, would be overwhelmed.（〔问题等〕使不可解决）No wonder governments are opting for the more stringent(strict) controls needed to suppress the pandemic. Suppression has the advantage that it has worked in China. On March 18th Italy added 4,207 new cases whereas Wuhan counted none at all. China has recorded a total of just over 80,000 cases in a population of 1.4bn people.For comparison, the Imperial group estimated that the virus left to itself would infect more than 80% of the population in Britain and America.rates relatively low, it leaves many people susceptible to the virus. And since covid-19 is now so widespread, within countries and around the world, the Imperial model suggests that epidemics would return within a few weeks of the restrictions being lifted. To avoid this, countries must suppress the disease each time it resurfaces, spending at least half their time in lockdown. This on-off cycle must be repeated until either the disease has worked through the population or there is a vaccine which could be months away, if one works at all.This is just a model, and models are just educated guesses based on the best evidence. Hence the importance of watching China to see if life there can return to normal without the disease breaking out again. The hope is that teams of epidemiologists can test on a massive scale so as to catch new cases early, trace their contacts and quarantine them without turning society upside down. Perhaps they will be helped by new drugs,such as a Japanese antiviral compound which China this week said was promising.But this is just a hope, and hope is not a policy. The bitter truth is that mitigation costs too many lives and suppression may be economically unsustainable. After a few iterations （反复）governments might not have the capacity to carry businesses and consumers. Ordinary people might not tolerate the upheaval （激变）. The cost of repeated isolation, measured by mental well-being and the long-term health of the rest of the population, might not justify it.In the real world there are trade-offs （平衡）between the two strategies, though governments can make both more efficient. South Korea, China and Italy have shown that this starts with mass-testing. The more clearly you can identify who has the disease, the less you must depend upon indiscriminate （不加思考的；任意的）restrictions. Tests for antibodies to the virus, picking up who has been infected and recovered, are needed to supplement today’s which are only valid just before and during the illness. That will let immune people go about their business in the knowledge that they cannot be a source of further infections.A second line of attack is touse technology to administer quarantines and social distancing. China is using apps to certify who is clear of the disease and who is not. Both it and South Korea are using big data and social media to trace infections, alert people to hot spots and round up （聚集） contacts. South Korea changed the law to normal times many democracies might find that too intrusive （侵扰的）. Times are not normal.Last, governments should invest in health care,even if their efforts take months to bear fruit and may never be needed. They should increase the surge capacity of intensive care. Countries like Britain and America are desperately short of beds, specialists and ventilators （人工呼吸机）. They should define the best treatment protocols, develop vaccines and test new therapeutic drugs. All this would make mitigation less lethal and suppression cheaper.Be under no illusions. Such measures might still not prevent the pandemic from extracting a heavy toll.Today governments seem to be committed to suppression, whatever the cost. But if the disease is not conquered quickly, they will edge(缓慢移动) towards mitigation, even if that will result in many more deaths. Understandably, just now that is not a trade-off （折中方案） any government is willing to contemplate （盘算 ）. They may soon have no choice.【习语】a sting in the tailan unpleasant feature that comes at the end of a story, an event, etc. 煞风景的结局；悲剧的结局:[例]Roald Dahl’s stories often have a sting in the tail; that’s why I like them.罗德·达尔的小说结尾往往具悲剧性，那正是我喜欢它们的原因。
2020年高考英语全国乙卷阅读a篇全文共6篇示例，供读者参考篇1The 2020 Gaokao English Test Reading Passage AHi everyone! My name is Lily and I'm in 5th grade. Today I want to tell you all about the reading passage on the 2020 national Gaokao English test for Paper 2. It was a pretty long passage, but I'll do my best to explain what it was about in a way that's easy to understand.The passage was titled "The Art of Revitalization" and it talked about how some old and rundown areas in cities can be made nice again through something called urban revitalization. That just means fixing up buildings and neighborhoods that aren't looking so great anymore.It started off by describing this city neighborhood called the Baoshan District in Shanghai, China. A long time ago, this area had a lot of old factories and warehouses from when it was an industrial zone. But over the years, those old buildings became abandoned and rundown as industries moved away. The whole neighborhood looked kind of messy and ugly.That's when the city government decided to revitalize or renew the Baoshan District. They made a plan to renovate and repurpose all those old, vacant buildings instead of just tearing them down. Some of the old factories were turned into art galleries, museums, shops and restaurants. The abandoned warehouses got transformed into creative spaces for artists, designers and small businesses.Green spaces and parks were also added throughout the neighborhood to make it more livable. The article said this urban renewal project helped bring new life, creativity and economic opportunities to the Baoshan District without having to completely rebuild from scratch. It allowed the area's unique industrial heritage to be preserved too.Next, the passage talked about another revitalization project, but this time in Detroit, Michigan in the United States. Just like Baoshan District, parts of Detroit used to be booming industrial and manufacturing hubs back in the 1900s. But when a lot of the car factories and businesses left or closed down, many neighborhoods fell into disrepair and became sort of abandoned.So community leaders and residents in Detroit started grass-roots efforts to clean up and repurpose vacant lots andbuildings in creative ways. For example, they turned some empty lots into urban gardens and farms to grow fresh produce. Abandoned houses were renovated to become community art centers, small businesses incubators or affordable housing. There were even projects to install colorful outdoor murals and sculptures throughout the neighborhoods using recycled materials.The passage explained how this type of "placemaking" can help revive struggling urban areas by engaging local residents, promoting economic growth, and making neighborhoods more lively and beautiful again. Both Baoshan District and Detroit showed how thoughtful urban revitalization doesn't have to mean wiping the slate clean, but can instead celebrate an area's unique history and character.Towards the end, the reading passage gave some tips and principles for successful urban renewal projects:First, involve the local community in the planning process and get their input. Listen to residents' needs and ideas instead of just imposing plans from the top-down. Revitalization should serve the existing community, not displace them.Second, look for ways to preserve an area's cultural heritage and iconic architecture if possible, while still modernizing andintroducing new uses. The goal is to strike a balance between old and new.Third, prioritize sustainability and eco-friendly practices like green buildings, public transit access, walking/biking paths, etc. Urban revitalization shouldn't come at the cost of the environment.Fourth, promote a mix of uses like housing, businesses, cultural spaces so neighborhoods don't become lifeless after working hours. Lively, mixed-use areas tend to be safer and more vibrant.Finally, the passage emphasized how revitalization doesn't happen overnight. It requires long-term vision, planning and investments - but can pay off tremendously for a city by breathing new life into neglected areas.Phew, that was a lot to cover! But I hope I was able to explain the main points and examples from that reading passage about urban renewal in an easy-to-follow way. Let me know if any part was still confusing. Reading comprehension can be tough sometimes, but practice makes perfect!篇2The 2020 High School Test Was So Hard!Hi friends! My name is Lily and I'm 10 years old. I just took the 2020 national high school English exam last week and boy, was it difficult! The reading passage in section A was really long and had some very big words. But I'll do my best to tell you all about it.The passage was titled "The Evolution of Language" and it talked about how human languages have changed over time. It said that languages are always evolving and new words get added while old words get dropped. It gave some examples of modern English words that came from other languages like "kindergarten" from German and "candy" from Arabic. Isn't that so cool?It also explained how the way we speak can be influenced by things like geography, culture, and technology. Like how people from different regions have different accents and dialects. And how the internet has led to new slang words being created and spread around quickly. I think the author made some good points there.But then the passage got really complicated and started discussing linguistics, which is the study of languages. It used all these technical terms like "phonology", "morphology", and"syntax" that went right over my head. It talked about the different components that make up a language's structure. I had to re-read those parts a few times to try and understand.Towards the end, the author raised some interesting questions about whether languages could become too different over time until people can't communicate anymore. Or if globalization and technology could eventually lead to just one common global language. Those were some deep thoughts to ponder!Overall, while parts of the reading were pretty confusing for a 10-year-old like me, I enjoyed learning about how languages evolve and change. It seemed like the main idea was that linguistic diversity is really important for cultural identity. But finding ways to bridge language barriers is also crucial in our interconnected world today.I just wish the passage could have used simpler words and explanations for complex topics. Maybe included some more engaging examples or stories to illustrate the points. However, I know these national exams have to be challenging to test our English abilities properly.Well, those are my thoughts on that crazy reading section! I'll have to wait and see how well I scored. No matter what, I'mproud that I put in my best effort in understanding the passage. Let me know if you have any other questions! Thanks for reading, friends!篇3A Long Time Ago, There Were Some Cool AnimalsA really really long time ago, there were some super cool animals that lived on the Earth. These animals were called dinosaurs and they were huge! Some were really big, like the biggest buildings you've ever seen. And some were kinda small, but still way bigger than any animals today.The biggest dinosaurs were called sauropods. Saur-o-pods. That's kind of a funny word, right? These dinos were massively massive. They had long necks and tails and could reach the tops of tall trees to munch on leaves. Their legs were like tree trunks! Can you imagine an animal that massive? It would be like seeing a building walk around. Crazy!Other big dinos were the theropods. Ther-o-pods. These guys walked on two legs like people, but they were not people at all! They had huge jaws full of sharp teeth for munching on other dinos. The most famous theropod is probably the T-Rex. You'vedefinitely seen the T-Rex in movies with its tiny little arms and massive head. I wouldn't want to run into that guy in a dark alley!There were tons of other dinosaurs too, with all sorts of weird features. Some had horns or frills or plates sticking out. Some could fly and some could swim. Dinosaurs lived all over the world in all different environments like jungles, deserts, plains, you name it.Paleontologists, which are scientists who study dinosaurs, are still figuring out new things about these prehistoric creatures all the time. They dig up fossilized dinosaur bones, teeth, footprints, eggs, and sometimes even some dinosaur poop! Can you imagine studying poop for your job? Gross!Anyway, dinosaurs lived on Earth for like 165 million years. That's a loooooong time. They ruled the planet and there were no humans around at all. Then around 66 million years ago, something crazy happened that made almost all the dinosaurs go extinct.Scientists think a huge asteroid, which is like a massive flying rock from space, slammed into the Earth near the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. This would have thrown tons of dirt and rocks into the air, blocking out the sun. It also would have causedmassive tsunamis, earthquakes, and even volcano eruptions all over the planet. Yikes!With no sunlight, a lot of the plants died off first. Then the plant-eating dinos had no food. And the meat-eating dinos had no plant-eaters to eat. It was a real mess. Only a few small species managed to survive, and those are the ancestors of the birds and reptiles we have today.So while the dinosaurs may be gone, we still get to learn all about them from the fossils they left behind. If you find something that looks like an old bone sticking out of a rock, be sure to tell a grown-up scientist! You could discover a brand new species of dinosaur that no one has ever seen before. How awesome would that be?Well, that's the story of the dinosaurs as far as I know it. They were the coolest, biggest, weirdest animals to ever roam the Earth. I wish they were still around today so I could see one in person! Maybe if I wish really hard, I'll wake up tomorrow morning to find a brachiosaurus eating all the trees in my backyard. A kid can dream, right? Let me know if you want to hear more stories about these prehistoric pals. I've got tons of dino facts stored up in this brain!篇4My Amazing Adventure at the English ExamHi everyone! Today I want to tell you all about my incredible experience at the English exam that I took a while ago. It was the 2020 national exam for high school students in China, and I was so excited to show off my English skills!The exam had a reading section, and I remember the first passage called "A Trip to the Zoo." It was all about different animals and their habitats. I felt like I was going on a real adventure as I read the passage.The passage described how elephants live in the wild and how they use their long trunks to drink water. It was fascinating! I imagined myself standing right next to an elephant, getting sprayed by water as it took a sip. It made me giggle!Then, the passage talked about lions and their amazing hunting abilities. I imagined being a lion, prowling through the tall grass and stalking my prey. Roar! I even scared my cat with my fierce roar!After that, the passage introduced monkeys, which are known for swinging from tree to tree. I imagined myselfswinging through the jungle just like them. It felt like I was in a Tarzan movie!The second passage was about a young boy named Tom who loved playing soccer. I could relate to him because I love soccer too! It was all about his journey to becoming a professional soccer player. I was so inspired!Tom's story reminded me of my own soccer dreams. I imagined myself scoring the winning goal in a big tournament. The crowd cheered, and my teammates lifted me up in the air. It was such an amazing feeling!The last passage was about a famous scientist named Marie Curie. She discovered radium and became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. I was in awe of her achievements and felt inspired to pursue my own scientific interests.Marie Curie's story made me dream about becoming a scientist in the future. I imagined myself wearing a lab coat and conducting experiments in a fancy laboratory. Maybe one day, I'll make a groundbreaking discovery too!Overall, the English exam was a thrilling adventure for me. I traveled to the zoo, played soccer with Tom, and even became ascientist like Marie Curie. It was like stepping into different worlds and experiencing amazing things.I'm so grateful for the opportunity to take the exam and share my thoughts with you all. It was an unforgettable experience that I will always cherish. Who knows, maybe one day I'll be writing my own passages for other young students to read!That's all for now, my friends. I hope you enjoyed hearing about my amazing adventure at the English exam. Remember, never stop dreaming and exploring new possibilities. Anything is possible if you believe in yourself!Take care and keep smiling,[Your Name]P.S. Thank you to all the teachers who prepared the exam and made it such a fun experience for us students! You're the best!篇5A Day in the Life of MeHi there! My name is Jamie and I'm a 10-year-old kid who loves going to school, playing sports, and hanging out with myfriends. Today I'm going to tell you all about a typical day in my fun-filled life!The day starts bright and early at 6:30am when my mom comes into my bedroom to wake me up for school. I never want to get out of my cozy bed, but she is super nice and makes me yummy breakfast like pancakes or eggs to help me start the day right. After getting dressed in my school uniform, I brush my teeth really well and put on my favorite sneakers.At 7:30am, my dad drives me to Oakwood Elementary. The car ride is only 10 minutes but we always listen to music and sing along together. My dad has a pretty good voice but sometimes I have to cover my ears when he gets a little too loud and off-key!When I get to school, I head straight to my classroom and put my backpack in my locker. Mrs. Thompson is my teacher this year and she is the best! She always has the biggest smile and makes learning so much fun. My favorite subjects are math and science because I love solving tricky problems.The first few hours of the day are spent on those main subjects, with some reading practice mixed in too. We just started a super cool science unit all about the human body. I can't wait to learn about all the different body systems and maybe even get to see real anatomy models!Around 11am, we get a break for snack time and recess. My friends Jack, Emily, and I usually eat our snacks together and then head out to the playground. We love playing fun games like tag, jump rope, or bouncing a ball back and forth. Sometimes we even bury things in the sandbox and have treasure hunts!After recess, we have special classes like art, music, gym, or computers. Art is definitely my favorite because I love drawing, painting, and getting creative with all kinds of materials. Last week we learned how to make pinch pots out of clay and I made a little bowl for my mom. She said she would use it to hold her jewelry which made me really happy.Lunchtime is at 12:30pm and the cafeteria always has pretty good food. My favorite days are when they serve chicken nuggets, but I also really like their cheese pizza and the salad bar with all the yummy toppings. I try to drink milk every day to help me grow big and strong. After eating, we have some free playtime outside again to run around and burn off some energy before afternoon classes.In the afternoon, we focus more on subjects like social studies, writing, and reading. We just learned all about Christopher Columbus and his voyages across the Atlantic Ocean.I thought it was so cool how he sailed for months acrossdangerous seas without really knowing what was out there. I don't think I could ever be that brave!At 3:15pm, the final bell rings and it's time to head home. Either my mom or dad picks me up and we talk about all the highlights from my day over a snack like an apple or some crackers. When we get home, I change into play clothes and have a little downtime before starting on any homework I have that night.If the weather is nice, I love going outside to play for a while. We have a big backyard with a swing set, trampoline, and area for riding bikes, bouncing balls, or running around. Sometimes I'll play made-up games with my neighbors or just explore the little creek in the woods behind my house.Around 5:30pm, my mom starts making dinner. She always makes something different and yummy like tacos, spaghetti, or chicken stir-fry with tons of veggies. While she's cooking, I set the table and get everything ready for when my dad gets home from work. We all eat together as a family and talk about our days. My little sister Lucy is only 5 but she always has the funniest stories to share.After dinner, I take a bath and get my pajamas on. If I don't have too much homework, I get some sweet free time to watch a show, play篇6Hi friends! My name is Lily and I'm in 5th grade. Today I want to tell you all about this really cool reading passage I had to do for my big sister's high school English exam last year. It was called "Reading Passage A" and it was part of the 2020 National High School English Exam.The passage was all about these amazing animals called naked mole-rats! I had never even heard of naked mole-rats before, but after reading about them, I am totally obsessed. They are these teeny tiny rodents that live underground in huge colonies with one queen naked mole-rat who is the mama of them all.Isn't that crazy? They are like little bundles of wrinkly pinkness that look kind of like baby moles or tiny sausages. But they are actually more closely related to porcupines and guinea pigs than real moles. The name "naked mole-rat" comes from their weird hairless, wrinkly bodies and their love of burrowing underground like moles.What makes them even more amazing is how they live in these massive families of up to 300 mole-rats! And they are one of only two mammal species that are considered "eusocial" which means they are super cooperative and live in colonies kind of like ants or bees. Each colony has strict roles - there is one queen who does all the breeding, some mole-rats who are workers digging tunnels, others who are soldiers protecting the colony, and even some babysitters who take care of the pups!The queen is incredible - she can live over 30 years which is super old for a rodent. And get this - she got her queen title by being the most aggressive and fighting off all the other females when she was younger to become the matriarch. How fierce is that?!While the queen mole-rat just focuses on having babies, the rest of the colony works together like a little mole-rat society. The workers dig the complicated tunnel systems that can stretch super far underground. The tunnels have special chambers for nursing the pups, toilet areas, and even gardens where they grow the underground roots and tubers that they munch on.The soldiers are no joke either - they are a bit bigger than the workers and use their big buck teeth to defend the colony from anything that tries to invade, like snakes or other mole-rats.If a soldier gets stuckin a tunnel, it can actually turn around because its head can swivel almost all the way around its body! Freaky but useful.One of the coolest things I learned is that naked mole-rats are basically immune to cancer and don't feel much pain from things that would hurt other animals a lot. Scientists are studying them to try to understand these super powers.They are also probably the ugliest cute animals ever. I mean just picture hundreds of these wrinkly, hairless, sausage-like things with tiny teeth wriggling around in tunnels. But they are so interesting and unique that you can't help but love them!Reading about the naked mole-rat colonies in this passage was like diving into an whole other little world underground. Their lifestyle is so different from other rodents. I have so much respect for how hard they work together and how each little mole-rat has a vital role to play to keep their society going.I wish I could actually visit a naked mole-rat colony and see the queen and the workers and soldiers all doing their jobs. Maybe I could be a mole-rat babysitter for a day! Just don't make me fight the queen to try to take over - she sounds very tough.If you ever get a chance, you have to read more about these bizarre but amazing buck-toothed, wrinkly wonders. Learning about them was honestly the highlight of my big sis's English exam for me! Who knew getting an assignment about a reading passage could be so fascinating? Naked mole-rats, you have my heart.。
The Dutch boy mop ping up a sea of plastic荷兰男子制造“海洋吸尘器”清理海洋塑料垃圾“When I was 16 years old, I was scuba diving (水肺潜水) in Greece, but I was disappointed because I saw more plastic bags than fish.” These are the words of Boyan Slat, 25, an engineer who designed the world’s first ocean plastic cleanup system.Every year, more than 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans, according to the UN Environment Programme. Every day, plastic items, fishing equipment, and ship parts are dump ed (倾倒) into the seas. These can take up to 500 years to decompose (分解) .If left alone, sea animals become entangled (缠绕的) in them and can even die if the plastics are ingest ed (摄入). Worse, humans can be affected when these plastics break down. “Smaller pieces enter the food chain, and that’s a food chainthat includes us humans,” Slat said.In 2018, the World Economic Forum predicted that the weight of ocean plastics will match the weight of all the fish in our oceans by 2050. To prevent this grim (令人沮丧的) reality, Slat created The Ocean Cleanup, an environmental NGO, in 2013 and put his plan for an ocean plastic cleanup device (设备) into action.After years of research and development in the Netherlands, a device called System 001/B successfully started gathering plastic on Oct 2, 2019.The device uses a 600-meter-long “C” shaped tube to gather all the floating debris (垃圾). Unlike other cleanup methods, the system floats freely according to the direction of the waves, which allows waste to flow into and stay within the device.A sea anchor (锚) is attached to either end. This slows down the system as it floats through the water and allows the faster-moving rubbish, carried by the waves, to flow into its mouth. System 001/B can also collect waste below the surface using a 3-meter-deep skirt (挡板) attached to the end. After being gathered, the trash will be dragged back to shore by boat and recycled.In a news conference, Slat said, “In a few years we will have the full-scale fleet (舰队) out there.”Currently, the system operates in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area that is three times the size of France. Once operational, the Ocean Cleanup expects a full fleet to be able to clear 50 percent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in fiveyears.It remains to be seen if this dream will become a reality, but it is undeniable that humanity must work together to reduce our plastic use and repair the damage our waste has caused.“We are starting to see a young generation that gets that and is excited about a sustainable (可持续的) future, but the question still comes down to: Are we going fast enough, and how much damage will have been done before we get there?” Slat said.（节选自Telegraph）1. What do the first four paragraphs mainly talk about?A. Slat’s scuba diving experiences in Greece.B. Slat’s research on ocean environments.C. How ocean environment relates to humans.D. How Slat got the idea for an environmental NGO.2. What do we know about System 001/B?A. It’s a cleanup device put into use last October.B. It collects and recycles garbage at the same time.C. It can only collect waste that floats in water.D. It aims to clear the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in a decade.3. What does Slat intend to tell us according to the last paragraph?A. He is positive about the future of the ocean.B. It is hard to repair the damage to the environment.C. Humans should work hard to reduce plastic pollution.D. The younger generation lacks environmental awareness.译文：“当我16岁的时候，我在希腊进行水肺潜水，但我感到失望的是，因为我看到的塑料袋比鱼还要多。
导读自20世纪初期开始，人们凭着望远镜中看到的火星影像和头脑中的想象，认为火星上可能存在生命，乃至火星人。
正是这种对神秘星球的无限遐想，促使人类一次一次地进行探索，一次一次地将遥远星际之外的秘密带回地球。
最近“好奇号”又给人类历史上增添了怎样的光彩呢？一起来看看吧。
阅读短文并回答问题NASA’s Curiosity vehicle recently recorded the largest level of methane（甲烷）ever measured during its seven-year Mars mission. The discovery is exciting because the existence of methane gas could support the case for life on Mars.Methane has no color or smell. A special instrument on Curiosity’s Mars Science Laboratory recorded the increased gas level. The device, called a laser spectrometer, measures levels of chemical elements and gases in the Martian atmosphere. In addition to methane, the instrument can record levels of water and CO2. Nearly all the methane gas found in Earth’s atmosphere is produced by biological activity. It usually comes from animal and plant life. But it can also be formed by geological（地质的）processes, such as interactions between rocks and water. NASA said the increased methane was measured to be about 21 parts per billion by volume (ppbv). One ppbv means that if you take a volume of air on Mars, one billionth of the volume of air is methane.It was not the first time Curiosity has found methane gas in the Martian atmosphere. About a year ago, NASA announced that Curiosity had discovered sharp seasonal increases in the gas. This time, NASA said the measured methane gas level was clearly larger than any others observed in the past. NASA officials even temporarily stopped Curiosity’s other activities to investigate further.“It’s excitin g because microbial（微生物的）life is an important source of methane on Earth,” NASA said in a statement announcing the discovery. However, Curiosity’s team carried out a follow-up methane experiment that showed a sharp drop in levels of the gas. The second examination found the level was less than one part per billion by volume. That number was close to the background levels Curiosity sees all the time. The rise and fall of the methane gas levels left NASA scientists with more questions than answers. The scientists are continuing to study possible causes for the sudden increase. The methane mystery continues.Curiosity does not have instruments that can exactly identify whether the source of the methane is biological or geological. One leading theory is that methane is being released from underground areas created by possible life forms that disappeared long ago. Even though Mars has no active volcanoes, scientists believe it is also possible that methane is being produced by reactions involving carbon materials and water.A clearer understanding of methane levels over time could help scientists determine where they’re located on Mars. Scientists hope this understanding will come as Curiosity continues to collect methane data in its search for possible life.1. Curiosity discovered .A. the largest methane gas level ever on MarsB. the existence of life on MarsC. the reason for the increased methaneD. interactions between rocks and water2.Why did NASA officials once stop Curiosity’s other activit ies?A. To seek possible life existing on Mars.B. To check the quality of Curiosity’s mission.C. To find seasonal increases in the methane gas.D. To further examine the methane gas level on Mars.3.What can we learn from the last three paragraphs?A. Causes for the change of methane have been proved by Curiosity.B. Curiosity has proved the location of methane by instruments.C. Scientists think underground materials’ reactions may produce methane.D. Identifying the source of methane helps scientists search for possible life on Mars.4.The passage is probably taken from .A. a geography textbookB. a science newspaperC. a health magazineD. a travel brochure参考答案1.A 第一段：NASA’s Curiosity vehicle recently recorded the largest level of methane （甲烷）ever measured during its seven-year Mars mission.2.D 第三段NASA officials even temporarily stopped Curiosity’s other activities to investigate further.3.C倒数第二段One leading theory is that methane is being released from underground areas created by possible life forms that disappeared long ago. Even though Mars has no active volcanoes, scientists believe it is also possible that methane is being produced by reactions involving carbon materials and water.4.B 全文介绍“好奇号”发现火星甲烷含量是有史以来的最高值，属于科普类文章，所以可能选自科学杂志。
2020高考英语外刊精读提能一Alien theories understandable after mysterious signals, say scientistsIn the 400 years since Galileo Galilei first held a telescope to the heavens, astronomers have laid bare some of the deepest mysteries of the cosmos. They have seen comets crash into planets, found oceans inside moons, and witnessed the shudder of spacetime as black holes collide.But space remains a realm of the unknown. Writing in the journal Nature on Thursday,scientists in Canada reported the detection of mysterious radio signals from halfway across the universe. It is only the second time that repeating fast radio bursts, or FRBs,have been spotted. Astronomers have yet to formulate a full theory of what produces these enigmatic,rapid-fire beams of electromagnetic waves. And 1n the absence of a firm explanation,speculation has fallen, perhaps inevitably, on alien civilisations. Avi Loeb, a Harvard astronomer, has proposed that FRBs might be powerful energy beams used to propel alien spacecraft.It is not the first time that poorly-understood cosmic phenomena have been ascribed to industrious extraterrestrials. When in 2015 astronomers noticed a star, 1,500 light years distant, dimming and brightening, researchers suggested an“alien megastructure might be revolving aroundit, and collecting energy for its constructors. Then, in 2017,the massive cigar-shaped ‘Oumuamua barrelled into the solar system, the first interstellar object known to do so, and prompted speculation that it was a tumbling spacecraft.Chris French, head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths,University of London, said it was natural for humans to see aliens behind every cosmicmystery.“We have what is called an intentionality bias," he said.“It s the assumption that whenever something happens, something or someone made it happen for a reason.In the context of space, that someone is always going to be aliens."The evolutionary argument for intentionality bias, or“agenticity”, is that our ancientancestors fared better if a rustle in the bushes made them run for cover rather than assume it was the wind.“At the end of the day, our brains evolved to keep us alive rather than apprehend the truth of the universe," said French.The late astronomer Carl Sagan spotted the dilemma for scientists. They can become cranks if they are too open-minded, but may miss out on landmark discoveries if they are not open-minded enough.“It seems to me what is called for is an exquisite balance between two conflicting needs," he said.“The most sceptical scrutiny of all hypotheses that are served up to us and at the same time a great openness to new ideas.”Duncan Lorimer, an astrophysicist at West Virginia University, discovered the first FRB in 2007. When his team spotted the radio burst, the possibility of it being a message from ET certainly came up.“We absolutely thought about aliens," he said. “We only had the one object. We looked for patterns in the signal and couldn't find anything, but we definitely considered it”Now, mention of aliens is beginning to wear thin“It helps to sell the story, but at this point I do roll my eyes a bit,' he said. Many astronomers now favour the idea that FRBs are intense beams of radiation shed by charged particles as they are whipped around by strongly magnetised neutron stars. "It seems like a more plausible idea, but I don’t want to rule out aliens completely,” he said.“I've been wrong before.”1. When was the fist FRB discovered?A.2007B.2017C.2015D.20122. Which of the following description conform to the statement of intentionlity bias"?A If something happens, someone mist make it happen.B Rustle in the bushes made a mam assume it was the windC. In the context of space, someone 1s always going to be aliensD FRBS are intense beams of radiation shed by charged particles.3. Which speculation on alien civilizations is not mentioned in this article?A FRBS might be powerful energy beamsB People speculated that Oumuamua was a tumbling spacecraftC.A team discovered the first FRB in 2007 and thought it's from ETD.The discovery of aliens on Mars.4. Which of the following statement can describe the dilemma for scientists?A. They can become cranks if they are too open-mindedB. They will miss out on landmark discoveries if they are open-mindedC. They need to look for patterns in the signalD It was natural for them to see aliens5. What is the most possible reason that mention of aliens begin to wear thin?A People don t want to talk about it anymoreB. It helps to sell the storyC. FRBS are intense beams of radiation shed by charged particlesD. We have what is called an intentionality bias导读:文本选自《卫报》(https://science2019/ian/1/alientheories-natural-after-mysterious-signals-say-scientists)【文章大意】主要介绍人类对未知领域宇宙的探索和研究。
Balance is the key to swimming and life in general.生活需要一种平衡感My family and I belonged to a country club located across the street from the Long Island Sound.Each summer,the big attraction for us was the pool.I learned how to swim and joined the swimming team but was never really a good swimmer. However,swimming in my younger days was a way to keep cool,and swimming on a team gave me identity and a sense of belonging.It also became invaluable many years later.Fast-forward(快进)to1973–I was married,pregnant and had a home.What made our little home even more wonderful was when I discovered that four blocks away was Rath Park Pool!For the next30years,most of our summer days were spent around that pool.Each of my five kids took swimming lessons and learned all the different swimming strokes(姿势).They later joined the swim team and competed in meets. My daughter even became a lifeguard at the town pool.I sat back and happily took itall in!As much as I would have liked to have life stand still,it doesn’t.My children outgrew their pool days and moved on.But the pool was still four blocks from my home,so I began to take up swimming again.And it was far better than I ever could have imagined.I got so much out of it that I joined the local pool so I could swim year-round.Whenever I swam,I would always come out feeling physically and mentally refreshed.I often felt that if I looked hard enough,I would be able to see all of the worries and problems I’ve had in life,sitting at the bottom of the pool!What has swimming taught me?I’ve learned that balance is the key to being a good swimmer.If you are balanced in the water,you have no resistance.Working on staying balanced made me realize the similarities between life in and out of the swim lane(泳道).If you work on keeping yourself balanced,you will be able to swim right through the stress and problems life throws at you!（选自Reader’s Digest）1.What can we learn about the author from Paragraph1?A.Her family taught her how to swim.B.She swam with friends more often in summer.C.Swimming brought her lifelong benefits.D.She was elected to be the swim team captain.2.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph4imply?A.The author loved the pool days with her kids.B.Swimming was losing its appeal to the author.C.Her kids’winning competitions made her proud.D.The author preferred to have a peaceful life.3.What did the author find after she took up swimming again?A.Sports can give you the courage to face difficulties.B.She mastered more swimming skills than expected.C.It enabled her to see how to handle problems in life.D.Swimming made her remember her younger days.4.What is the main idea of the article?A.The wonderful pool days with the author’s family.B.The influence of swimming on the author’s life.C.The physical and mental benefits of swimming.D.The similarities between swimming and life.译文：我和我的家庭在一个位于长岛之声街对面的乡村俱乐部。
高中英语外刊阅读1 袁隆平院士逝世'Father of hybrid rice' Yuan Longping passed away at 13:07 pm in Changsha of Hunan province, Xinhua reported on Saturday.The globally renown agronomist known for developing the first hybrid rice strains,was born on the ninth day of the seventh month in 1930, according to the lunar calendar. He has helped China work a great wonder --feeding nearly one-fifth of the world's population with less than 9 percent of the world's total land.翻译据新华社报道，“杂交水稻之父”袁隆平本周六（5月22日）13点07分在湖南长沙逝世。
这位因发明第一代杂交水稻而举世闻名的农学家出生于一九三零年农历七月初九。
他帮助中国创造出了一个伟大的奇迹——用少于9%的土地养活了将近世界五分之一的人口。
积累词汇1.pass away去世；逝世2.globe/ɡloʊb/n. 地球;世界;地球仪;球状物3.global /ˈɡloʊbl/ adj. 全球的;整体的;全面的4.globally/'ɡloʊbəlɪ/adv.全局地5.renown /rɪˈnaʊn/n. 名望，声誉;威名;声威6.agronomist n. 农（艺）学家7.according to根据8.lunar /ˈluːnər/adj. 月的，月球的;阴历的9.calendar/ˈkælɪndər/ n. 日历;历法10.lunar calendar农历语法填空1.______ impresses people most about Yuan Longping is his ongoing ability2.________(fulfill) his dreams. Long ago, he3._________ (envision) rice plants as tall as sorghum, with each ear of rice as big as4.___ broom, and each grain of rice as huge as a peanut. He succeeded5.____ producing a kind of rice that could feed6.______(much) people at home and abroad. His latest vision for“seawater rice”has also become a reality, and7.__________ (potential) opened up nearly one million square kilometres of8._____(salt) land in China for rice9.__________ (produce).10.________his advanced years, Yuan Longping is still young at heartand full of vision, and everyone is waiting to see what he will dream up next.参考答案1.What；2.to fulfill；3.envisioned；4.a；5.in；6.more；7.potentially；8.salty；9.production；10.Despite2 变质的饭圈文化One of China’s most popular online talent shows has been suspended days before its season finale due to a voting promotion that may have resulted in crazed fans wasting vast quantities of milk.The trigger was a video that went viral over the five-day Labor Day holiday in early May, showing a group of middle-aged people opening bottles of dairy product,pouring their contents into buckets, and dumping the buckets into a drainage ditch. All they were interested in, apparently, were the bottle caps with QR codes printed on the inside thatcould be scanned to vote for contestants on the wildly popular talent show “Youth With You 3.”翻译中国最受欢迎的网络选秀节目在季终前几天被停播，原因是该节目的打投机制涉嫌导致狂热的粉丝浪费大量牛奶。
Dancing to heal the body“空中课堂”舞动“云上芭蕾”。
On a recent Thursday morning, at home and facing a tiny camera, Orlando Ballet dancer Adam Boreland practices in quarantine (隔离), while his students watch his moves.Boreland’s online ballet class is one aspect of the partnership between the Orange County school district and major Central Florida arts organizations. It is a partnership that has taken new directions ever since the coronavirus shut down local schools.Other “distance learning” arts instruction comes from Orlando Repertory Theatre, Opera Orlando, Orlando Museum of Art and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.The Repertory Theatre designs workshops for theater students, such as how to design sets at home, and then reviews the results. The Philharmonic’s musicians are providing individual instrument lessons to students in low-income areas, while theopera company is leading master classes (大师讲堂) for choral students and teaching performance tips. The art museum creates educational programming for both elementary and secondary students.Across the district, roughly 5,900 students study dance in about 25 programs, according to Scott Evans, director of the school district’s fine arts curriculum. The goal is to let as many as possible attend an Orlando Ballet class.Boreland’s class includes students from Apopka, Freedom, University, Wekiva and Windermere High, as well as Timber Creek. “We’re stuck inside. You really want to emote and heal the body through dance,” Boreland tells them.He also gives online dance feedback. “Keep the foot connected to the floor,” he says. “Don’t change the hips; save it for hip-hop class.”Sophomore Alessandra Lozzi, a two-year member of the Timber Creek dance team, appreciates the chance to “soak up (吸收) information” from Boreland. “His technique, his passion for dancing ... I love it,” she said.The instruction and interaction help the ballet company with its mission of reaching out to the community, said Orlando Ballet School director Phillip Broomhead.“It’s tremendous (绝妙的) that we are able to collaborate,” he said. “It’s giving the students a glimpse of people living the dream right now.”Boreland’s class ends with students’ thank-you comments flooding the online chat window.Lozzi, who hopes to dance professionally one day, can’t wait for another session. “It’s inspiring,” she said.（选自Reader’s Digest）1. Which of the following art organizations provides lessons for students in poor areas?A. Opera Orlando.B. Orlando Ballet.C. Orlando Repertory Theatre.D. The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.2. How does Boreland give ballet lessons during quarantine?A. He gives individual lessons to students online.B. He teaches ballet and gives feedback online.C. He teaches ballet and gives tips on quarantined life.D. He asks students to follow his previously recorded lessons.3. How are Boreland’s online ballet lessons according to the text?A. They help students kill boredom in quarantine.B. More teacher-student interaction is expected.C. They are well received by the students.D. They inspire students to contribute to their community.译文：在最近的一个星期四的早晨，奥兰多芭蕾舞团的舞蹈演员亚当·鲍兰面对着一台微型相机，在隔离区练习隔离，而他的学生们则在观察他的动作。
China's booming coffee culture has significant impacts on the global market 中国迅速兴起的咖啡文化对全球市场有着至关重要的影响Sun was sitting at a table under a green parasol（大遮阳伞），enjoying an iced coffee while waiting for her friend.The sun was shining and the seating area outside the Starbucks in Xintiandi was full of young,fashionable Chinese.Sun is one of a growing number of Chinese people starting to drink coffee regularly and helping to make the Chinese coffee market the fastest growing one in the world.China may be historically a nation of tea drinkers,but in recent years,coffee has become increasingly popular,particularly among younger people in big cities.International coffee chains like Starbucks and Costa can now be found in almost every big Chinese city.Both brands see China as a huge growth market and have tried to adapt to Chinese tastes.Starbucks,which opened its first Chinese shop in1999,has said it plans to double its store count in China to over3,000stores by2019,while Costa plans to expand itself to900shops by2020.“Coffee culture has been developing in China,”says Esther Lau,a market research analyst.China’s massive and rapid urbanization,along with a growing number of Chinese traveling overseas,are the major factors she believes that have contributed to the development of coffee drinking.However,coffee remains a relatively new departure for China’s tea-drinking population.While coffee is an everyday purchase for most office workers in the West,it is still considered a premium（优质的）product in China and is a luxury out of the reach of most average workers.At the Starbucks in Xintiandi,for example,a medium latte costs30yuan.A high price is considered a sign of quality in China,says Lau.“The higher the price, the better the quality.This concept remains popular in China,and Starbucks and Costa have both realized it,”she adds.“They want to brand themselves as premium chains.”China is also growing as a producer of coffee,with the majority grown in Yunnan,a province traditionally associated with tea production.Over the past five years,the annual production volume of coffee there has increased from60,000tons to nearly120,000tons.（节选自the Guardian）1.Esther Lau attributes the development of coffee drinking in China to the factthat_______.①an increasing number of towns and cities have popped up in China②an increasing number of Chinese people can now lead a wealthy life③an increasing number of Chinese have taken to traveling overseas④an increasing number of international coffee chains have appeared in ChinaA.①③B.②④C.①④D.②③2.Starbucks and Costa charge high prices for their products because_________.A.the coffee beans they use cost them a lot of moneyB.they want to make up for their losses in the WestC.most of their target customers are very wealthyD.they want to brand themselves as premium chains3.We can find answers to all of the following questions in the articleEXCEPT“_________”A.What is the fastest growing coffee market in the world?B.When did Costa open its first coffee shop in China?C.How much is a medium latte at the Starbucks in Xintiandi?D.How many coffee beans does Yunnan produce every year?词汇：adapt v.to gradually change your behavior and attitudes in order to be successful in a new situation适应，适合urbanization n.the process by which more and more people leave the countryside to live in cities 城市化过程contribute v.to help to make sth.happen促成，造成答案：1.A 2.D 3.B。
How to Avoid the Coronavirus? Wash Y our HandsBy Elisabeth RosenthalAmericans are watching with alarm as a new coronavirus spreads in China and cases pop up in the United States. They are barraged with information about what kinds of masks are best to prevent viral spread. Students are handing out masks in Seattle. Masks have run out in Brazos County, Tex.Hang on.I’ve worked as an emergency room physician. And as a New York Times correspondent in China, I covered the SARS outbreak in 2002 and 2003 during which a novel coronavirus first detected in Guangdong sickened more than 8,000 people and killed more than 800. My two children attended elementary school in Beijing throughout the outbreak.Here are my main takeaways from that experience for ordinary people on the ground:1. Wash your hands frequently.2. Don’t go to the office when you are sick. Don’t send your kids to school or day care when they are ill, either.Notice I didn’t say anything about masks. Having a mask with you as a precaut ion makes sense if you are in the midst of an outbreak, as I was when out reporting in the field during those months. But wearing it constantly is another matter. I donned a mask when visiting hospitals where SARS patients had been housed. I wore it in the markets where wild animals that were the suspected source of the outbreak were being butchered, blood droplets flying. I wore it in crowded enclosed spaces that I couldn’t avoid, like airplanes and trains, as I traveled to cities involved in the outbreak, like Guangzhou and Hong Kong. You never know if the guy coughing and sneezing two rows ahead of you is ill or just has an allergy.But outdoors, infections don’t spread well through the air. Those photos of people walking down streets in China wearing masks are dramatic but uninformed. And remember if a mask has, perchance, intercepted viruses that would have otherwise ended up in your body, then the mask is contaminated. So, in theory, to be protected maybe you should use a new one for each outing.Th e simple masks are better than nothing, but not all that effective, since they don’t seal well. For anyone tempted to go out and buy the gold standard, N95 respirators, note that they are uncomfortable. Breathing is more work. It’s hard to talk to people. On one long flight at the height of the outbreak, on which my few fellow passengers were mostly epidemiologists trying to solve the SARS puzzle, many of us (including me) wore our masks for the first couple of hours on the flight. Then the food and beverage carts came.Though viruses spread through droplets in the air, a bigger worry to me was always transmission via what doctors call “fomites,” infected items. A virus gets on a surface — a shoe or a doorknob or a tissue, for example. You touch the surface and then next touch your face or rub your nose. It’s a great way to acquire illness. So after walking in the animal markets, I removed my shoes carefully and did not take them into the hotel room. And of course I washed my hands immediately.Remember, by all indications SARS, which killed about 10 percent of those infected, was a deadlier virus than the new coronavirus circulating now. So keep things in perspective.Faced with SARS, many foreigners chose to leave Beijing or at least to send their children back to the United States. Our family stayed, kids included. We wanted them with us and didn’t want them to miss school, especially during what would be their final year in China. But equally important in making the decision was that the risk of getting SARS on an airplane or in the airport seemed greater than being smart and careful while staying put in Beijing.And we were: I stopped taking my kids to indoor playgrounds or crowded malls or delicious but densely packed neighborhood Beijing restaurants. Out of an abundance of caution we canceled a family vacation to Cambodia — though my fear was less about catching SARS on the flight than that one of the kids would have a fever from an ear infection upon our return at a border screening, and would be stuck in a prolonged quarantine in China. We instead took a vacation within China, where we carried masks with us but didn’t use them except on a short domestic flight.In time, during the SARS outbreak, the government shut down theaters and schools in Beijing, as it is doing now in many Chinese cities because these viruses are more easily transmitted in such crowded places.But there was also a lot of irrational behavior: Entering a village on the way to a hike near the Great Wall, our car was stopped by locals who had set up a roadblock to check the temperature of all passengers. They used an oral thermometer that was only minimally cleaned after each use. What a great way to spread a virus.The International School of Beijing, where my children were students, was one of the few in the capital — perhaps the only one — that stayed open throughout the SARS outbreak, though the classes were emptier, since so many kids had departed to their home countries. It was a studied but brave move, since a parent at the school had gotten SARS at the very beginning of the outbreak on a flight back from Hong Kong. She recovered fine, but it was close to home and families were scared.The school instituted a bunch of simple precautionary policies: a stern note to parents reminding them not to send a child to school who was sick and warning them that students would be screened for fevers with ear thermometers at the school door. There was no sharing of food at lunch. The teacher led the kids in frequent hand washing throughout the day at classroom sinks,while singing a prolonged “hand washing song” to ensure they did more than a cursory pass under the faucet with water only.If a family left Beijing and came back, the child would have to stay at home for an extended period before returning to class to make sure they hadn’t caught SARS elsewhere.With those precautions in place, I observed something of a public health miracle: Not only did no child get SARS, but it seemed no student was sick with anything at all for months on end. No stomach bugs. No common colds. Attendance was more or less perfect.The World Health Organization declared the SARS outbreak contained in July 2003. But, oh, that those habits persisted. The best first-line defenses against SARS or the new coronavirus or most any virus at all are the ones that Grandma and common sense taught us, after all.2020@The New York TimesAmericans are watching with alarm as a new coronavirus spreads in China and cases pop up in the United States. They are barraged with information about what kinds of masks are best to prevent viral spread. Students are handing out masks in Seattle. Masks have run out in Brazos County, Tex.随着一种新型冠状病毒在中国传播，以及美国出现病例，美国人正在警觉地观察。
时间孕育了自然，也改变着自然，而同样在时间的见证下，人类探索自然的精神则成为了永恒。
高山大海，荒漠冰原，一步天堂，一步地狱，无数探险者们为了领略自然的魅力前赴后继，在生命的刻度上留下了浓重一笔。
我们今天来看一篇阅读理解，感受一下珠峰的风采。
阅读短文并回答问题（记叙文，487 words，摘自The Washington Post）It was the final climb on his quest to reach the highest summit on all seven continents. When Christopher Kulish finally reached Mount Everest’s 29,035-foot peak, he joined an elite group known as the “Seven Summits Club”. But the 62-year-old Colorado attorney died suddenly Monday after returning to the first camp below the mountain’s summit. He’s the second American to die in the past week after reaching Everest’s highest point. His family believes the cause was a heart attack, according to the Denver Post. “He saw his last sunrise from the highest peak on Earth,” his brother, Mark Kulis h, said in a statement to the Denver Post. “We are heartbroken at this news.”Last week, 55-year-old Donald Lynn Cash of Utah collapsed and died just after reaching the Everest peak. He too had reached the highest point on all seven continents. Including Christopher and Cash, at least 11 people have died on Mount Everest this year.The deaths come among reports of overcrowding on the popular mountain. The Nepali government granted a total of 381 permits to climb Everest this year, a number that doesn’t include guides who are on the mountain as well. For some climbers, that traffic has meant longer wait times —some told the Himalayan Times the wait has exceeded two hours between the last camp and the peak. Mountaineer Vanessa O’Brien, who has also climbed th e seven summits, said when there’s a crowd, being a more experienced climber won’t help you. “It doesn’t matter if you’re the best racecar driver in the world. If you’re stuck in traffic, you’re stuck in traffic,” she said in an interview.And when a climb er is stuck in that traffic, “their body is starting to deteriorate.” O’Brien, who set a record as the fastest woman to reach the highest peak on every continent, also said the descent is often harder than the climb.Climbing expert Alan Arnette said there’s no simple explanation for the string of deaths. He said weather that has led to a shorter climbing season is one factor causing overcrowding. He also said the cost to climb Mount Everest has decreased, which means more people are making the journey. He urged the governments in charge of granting permits to limit how many people can be on the mountain at once.Still, Christopher was no beginner. His family said he’d been mountain climbing for five decades. He arrived at the base camp nearly two months before his climb so he could give himself time to adapt to the conditions. When he made his journey, his family said he was climbing with a small group in almost ideal conditions after some of the overcrowding had cleared.His brother described being a lawyer as a “day job” for Christopher. Climbing was his passion. “He was an inveterate climber of peaks in Colorado, the West and the world over,” Mark Kulish said. “He passed away doing what he loved.”1. What do we know about Christopher?A. He has reached the highest point on all seven continents.B. He joined the “Seven Summits Club” at the base camp.C. 11 people following him died after reaching the Everest peak this year.D. He died from a heart attack below the mountain’s summit.2. What made longer wait times on Mount Everest?A. Lacking guides.B. Overcrowding.C. Bad weather.D. Getting government’s permission.3. What might cause the string of deaths according to Alan Arnette?a. The less cost attracting more climbers.b. The more climbers worsening the environment.c. More permits granted by the government.d. The governments limiting the climber’s number.e. The weather leading to a shorter climbing season.A. a, b, dB. a, c, eC. b, c, dD. b, d, e4. Why did Christopher arrive at the base camp so early before climbing?A. To wait for his friends.B. To learn about the mountain.C. To clear the traffic jam.D. To adapt to conditions earlier.5. What does the underlined word “inveterate” in the las t paragraph probably mean?A. Experienced.B. Famous.C. Excellent.D. Addictive.参考答案1~5 ABBDD生词与长难句1. summit n. 最高点；顶点；山顶；（政府间的）首脑会议；峰会This path leads to the summit. 这条路通往山顶。
2020年高中英语外刊时文新闻阅读理解四篇Passage 1 美国因黑人死亡引发的抗议示威It's been a week since 46-year-old balck George Floyd died after pleading he couldn't breathe as a Minneapolis officer kneeled on his neck. The four officers involved were fired and Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee on the man's neck, was charged(控告) with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. In the days since Floyd's death, thousands poured onto the country's streets to protest the killing and those who died before Floyd as a result of police brutality.The demonstrations(示威游行) began in Minneapolis and spread like wildfire across the US -- Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington, DC, Miami, New York City and Chicago all saw crowds demonstrating. Many protests were peaceful, with people holding "Black Lives Matter" and "I can't breathe" signs, shouting loudly and armed with face masks for protection against coronavirus(新冠病毒). But some groups turned violent over the weekend, setting fires to buildings and police cars, breaking through windows of businesses, looting(抢劫) and fighting with police forces. Police responded forcefully, shooting tear gas and rubber bullets at the crowds and arresting hundreds throughout the countries. In New York City, a police vehicle was seen driving through a crowd of protesters. In Atlanta, two officers were fired after their violent arrest of two college students was caught on video. It's still unclear what the coming days will look like.To help control the violence, at least 40 cities lawfully established curfews(宵禁) and more than a dozen governors organized National Guard army. In the nation's capital, a similar scene. Just before 8 p.m. Sunday night, armed officers and protesters remained in a standoff in downtown Washington as crowds threw water bottles at police and police responded with flash bangs and pepper spray. In New York, a group of protesters remained in Manhattan as night fell, facing off with police after several fires were set and some stores were looted. Officials in several cities have warned that those who are looting stores and creating scenes of chaos1 What does the underlined word “brutality” mean in paragraph 1 ?A thoughtful assistanceB long working hoursC violent treatment or behaviorD breaking local laws2 What can we learn from paragraph 2 ?A There were wildfires in many cities across the US.B Police used forceful measures trying to control the situation.C All protestors in the US were peacefully holding signs.D The protests will end in a few days.3 What is true about protesters in the US ?A They will be killed during curfews.B They fought against police in Washington.C They stopped protesting after night fall in New York.D They looted stores to protest Floyd's death.4 Which can be the best title of this passage ?A Protestors are under controlB George Floyd’s deathC Police commit violent behaviorD Protests spread like wildfirePassage 2 印度男子步行千里归家Rajesh Chouhan had walked 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) in five days. The 26-year-old migrant worker(外来务工者) was in the heart of India and only halfway home. When India announced its nationwide lockdown on March 24 to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus(新冠病毒). Overnight, many like Chouhan were stranded without jobs, food or savings. They had to figure out ways to leave the cities. With no way to survive in the cities, and India's vast railway network mostly shut down, many made the extraordinary decision to walk thousands of miles back to their families.Normally Chouhan pays 300 rupees ($4) for the 48-hour trip home in the lowest train carriage, but during the pandemic(大流行病) that price rose to 1,200 rupees ($15.90). State police were assigned to sell tickets and keep order at police stations packed with travelers desperate to get home. Police in Bengalore said they used sticks to clear the crowds when sales for the day ended. "We were beaten many times. Just because we are poor, doesn't mean we can't feel pain," says Chouhan. After spending five days outside a police station trying to get a ticket, Chouhan and his fellow villagers decided to walk. They didn't dare tell their families. Many didn't make it. In one incident, 16 laborers were run over by a freight train as they slept on rail tracks. Roadside accidents took the lives of others. Some died from exhaustion, dehydration(脱水) or hunger. Those picked up by police were often sent back to the cities they had tried to leave. Chouhan knew the risks. But on May 12, he decided to challenge India's strict lockdown laws and begin the 1,250-mile (2,000-kilometer) walk to his village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.He'd hoped to hitchhike much of the way, but with police checking trucks for stowaways(偷渡者), drivers were demanding fees beyond Chouhan's budget. For 10 days, he'd have to avoid police check points, survive on tea and biscuits, and walk on aching feet. "I don't think I can forget this journey through my life," he says. "It'll always carry memories of sadness and anxiety."1 What does the underlined words “were stranded” probably mean in paragraph 1 ?A be hiredB be hurtC unable to leaveD unable to live2 Why did Chouhan and other villagers decide to walk home ?A Because the price of tickets were too high.B Because they tried to get train tickets in vain.C Because they were beaten by police.D Because the a five-day sale of tickets ended.3 What can we guess about the risks of Chouhan’s journey home ?A He may have lost his money during his walking.B He would have died if he had taken a train.C Police will sent him home if he wishes.D Perhaps he can’t get enough food and drink.4 What can we know about Chouhan ?A He was caught by police amid his journey.B He helped his fellow villagers to get home.C He was impressed by the journey.D He won’t go to cities for jobs.Passage 3 受疫情影响的泰国旅游业With news that many countries in Europe are reopening to tourism in time for summer, travelers with their sights set on Asia are anxiously awaiting word on when they'll be given the green light to visit their favorite destination. As of now, those with Thailand in mind will need to wait at least a few more months before packing their bags. "It is still dependent on the outbreak situation, but I think at the earliest, we may see the return of tourists could be the fourth quarter of this year," Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said.And even then, he says, there will likely be restrictions on who can visit and where they can go. "We are not going to open all at once," he adds. "We are still on high alert, we just can't let our guards down yet. We have to look at the country of origin (of the travelers) to see if their situation has truly improved. And lastly, we have to see whether our own business operators are ready to receive tourists under the 'new normal'." Basically, a country will open borders with destinations that also have their coronavirus(新冠病毒) situation under control. Once Thailand does open to international tourists, they'll likely only be able to visit certain spots, says Yuthasak. "We have studied a possibility of offering special long-stay packages in isolated and closed areas where health monitoring can be easily controlled -- for example, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Samui. This will be beneficial for both tourists and local residents, since this is almost a kind of quarantine(隔离)." Yuthasak says they're finishing up a framework to restart tourism, but baby steps are needed to relight international tourism. "The next step is bilateral agreements between countries," he says. "Thailand's good standing in the face of the crisis with China, along with strong demand, make it a logical short-term solution for overseas tourism to return to the Kingdom." For now, Thailand isn't taking any chances and the country's borders are firmly shut.1 When will Thailand reopen to tourists according to Yuthasak Supasorn ?A We don’t know yet.B Maybe in two months.C Perhaps about in October.D At the end of this year.2 How will the Thailand government decide who can visit ?A They will ask where the tourists will go.B They will send guards to follow the tourists.C They will ask business operators to decide.D They will check where the tourists come form.3 What will happen when Thailand reopen to international tourists ?A Tourists can’t visit spots as many as they like.B Tourists will stay in isolated and closed areas.C Tourists will get food and drink form government.D Tourists can’t stay long in Thailand.4 What can be the title of this passage ?A Come and visit Thailand.B Thailand isn’t reopening yet.C Thailand’s tourism is back to life.D Why tourists like Thailand.Passage 4 美国面临的树木危机If you're looking for a reason to care about tree loss, this summer's record-breaking heat waves might be it. Trees can lower summer daytime temperatures by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit(华氏度), according to a recent study. But tree cover in US cities is shrinking. A study published last year by the US Forest Service found that we lost 36 million trees annually from urban and rural communities over a five-year period. If we continue on this path, "cities will become warmer, more polluted and generally more unhealthy for inhabitants," said David Nowak, a senior US Forest Service scientist and co-author of the study. Nowak says there are many reasons our tree cover is declining, including hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, insects and disease. But the one reason for tree loss that humans can control is sensible development."We see the tree cover being changed, which means when we look at the photographs, what was there is now replaced with a parking lot or a building," Nowak said. "Every time we put a road down, we put a building and we cut a tree or add a tree, it not only affects that site, it affects the region." The study placed a value on tree loss based on trees' role in air pollution removal and energy conservation.Nowak says there's a downside to trees too, such as pollen allergies or large falling branches in storms, "and people don't like sweeping leaves." But, he says, there are ways cities and counties can manage trees to help communities thrive. Urban forests especially need our help to replace fallen trees. Unlike rural areas, it is very difficult for trees to repopulate themselves in a city environment with so much pavement and asphalt(沥青). "A lot of our native trees can't actually find a place to drop a seed so they can regenerate," explains Greg Levine, co-executive director for Trees Atlanta. "That's why the community has to go in and actually plant a tree because the areas just aren't natural anymore."Nowak says the first step is caring for the trees on your own property. "We think we pay for our house, and so we must maintain it. But because we don't pay for nature, we don't need to. And that's not necessarily1 Why does the author mention “trees can lower summer daytime temperatures” ?A To tell the temperatures in summer are high.B To introduce the topic.C To tell trees are helpful.D To explain the reason of tree loss.2 How can humans control tree loss according to Nowak ?A Improve climate to let trees grow.B Prevent fires form damaging trees.C Develop cities in reasonable ways.D Decrease insects in citites.3 Why forests in cities need our help ?A Because trees in urban areas can’t regenerate naturally.B Because native trees don’t drop seeds any more.C Because trees don’t grow in a city environment.D Because humans want to plant more trees.4 What is the purpose of this passage ?A Describe the importance of trees in cities.B Show the number of trees in the US is declining.C Ask people to plant trees with the author.D Appeal people to protect trees in their surroundings.1. C. 根据句意：在弗洛伊德死后的几天里，成千上万的人涌上街头，抗议警察的___导致的杀戮和在弗洛伊德之前死亡的人。
Journalists on the frontline在疫情面前媒体人奋战前线尽显责任与担当"I do hope that by writing about their stories,I’m helping things change for the better.”Li Xueqing,a China Daily journalist,based in New York CityThey’re neither medical workers in close contact with the novel coronavirus nor government officials who receive the latest updates of the situation–yet they’re keeping us informed of the development of the epidemic.They are the media,and their eyes are far-seeing.Zhu Xingxin is one such member of the media:a photographer with China Daily.He visited Tongji Hospital affiliated with Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan on Feb3to report on the lives of medical workers.Before entering the isolation ward(隔离病房),Zhu had to put on protective gear (装备)like the doctors:a protective suit,a surgical mask,goggles(护目镜), disposable(一次性的)gloves and shoe covers.He described it as“stuffy(闷热的)”with all the layers on.“I felt anoxic(缺氧的)under the masks,”he wrote on China Daily.“So I lowered my voice and slowed down my motions,trying to make myself feel better.”The eyes of the media are not just here to see,but also to scrutinize.On Feb9,for example,a bus in Wuhan carrying severely ill patients was caught in traffic with no one guiding them and no hospitals claiming them.The incident was witnessed by Global Times journalists and was soon reported online.It ended with all the patients being properly settled in hospitals and officials in charge being held responsible.But it’s possible that without journalists this incident would never have been exposed.Li Xueqing,a China Daily journalist,based in New York City,is also aware of the media’s role as a watchdog(监督者).She wrote a story last month about a group of Wuhan University alumni(校友)in New York City who donated medical equipment to hospitals in Wuhan.She was impressed by how they managed to collect such a large amount of supplies and build an international shipping pathway in such a short time.Yet she was also disturbed by how all the complex(繁复的)paperwork and bureaucratic(官僚主义的)procedures added to their already heavy workload.“I do hope that by writing about their stories,I’m helping things change for the better,”said Li.Indeed,the media is like a pair of eyes watching out for us as they report on the world’s most important news.（选自Reuters）1.By describing Zhu Xingxin’s experience in Wuhan,the author intends to show_______.A.what journalists should pay attention to while workingB.how medical workers fight against the virusC.the efforts journalists make to report on the frontlineD.the importance of the media in fighting the epidemic2.What does the underlined word“scrutinize”in Paragraph4probably mean?A.move somebodyB.discover potential dangersC.make reference to somethingD.examine closely3.What happened after Global Times journalists reported what they had witnessed on Feb9?A.All the patients received proper treatment.B.The officials apologized for what had happened.C.The journalists were warned by the officials.D.The patients received donations from overseas.4.How does Li Xueqing hope to improve the alumni’s donation process?A.Making shipping methods more convenient.B.Simplifying paperwork and procedures.C.Creating more professional quality tests.D.Reducing the heavy workloads of medical workers fighting the virus.5.Why does the author compare media employees to eyes?A.They usually have sharp insights.B.They enable us to better see what happens.C.They help to change the world for the better.D.They allow people to focus on recent events.译文：“我确实希望通过写有关他们的故事，来帮助事情变得更好。
2020年高考英语全国乙卷阅读理解【2020年高考英语全国乙卷阅读理解】Passage 1Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a bee? For a group of researchers in Australia, the answer is a resounding yes. They’ve spent years studying honeybees and have made some fascinating discoveries about these tiny creatures. The team was amazed to discover that bees can learn basic arithmetic!In their experiment, the researchers trained bees to fly towards a picture with a certain number of circles on it. If they chose the correct image, they were rewarded with a sugary drink. The bees quickly learned that more circles meant a bigger reward. But when the scientists presented them with images featuring fewer circles, the bees would still fly towards the picture with more circles, showing their understanding of basic addition and subtraction.How is this possible, you might ask? According to the researchers, bees have an extremely strong sense of number.This ability is crucial for them when foraging for food since they need to remember the locations and quantities of flowers. They use this numerical sense to make decisions about how to efficiently collect nectar to take back to the hive.This discovery has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for researchers studying animal intelligence. Bees are not the only creature with surprising numerical abilities. Parrots, monkeys, and even fish have shown similar skills when tested under controlled conditions. Studies like these are helping us to better understand the complexity and variety of animal intelligence.So next time you see a bee buzzing around your garden, take a moment to appreciate the amazing things these tiny creatures are capable of. They may be small, but they are certainly much smarter than we give them credit for.Passage 2Imagine a world where cars drive themselves, parcels are delivered by drones, and robots clean our homes. This may sound like something out of a science fiction movie,but it’s actually the future that’s already beginning to take shape.The development of self-driving cars is perhaps the most exciting technological advancement we’re seeing today. Companies like Tesla and Google have been leading the way in creating vehicles that can navigate roads without human drivers. These cars use a combination of sensors, cameras, and artificial intelligence to detect obstacles and make decisions about speed and direction. Though there are still many challenges to overcome, such as safety concerns and legal issues, the technology continues to improve at a rapid pace.Another area where we’re seeing rapid advancement is in drone technology. Companies like Amazon and UPS are already testing drone delivery services, with the goal of being able to deliver packages to customers’ doorsteps in a matter of minutes. Drones can also be used for tasks like aerial photography, crop monitoring, and disaster relief efforts. As the technology becomes more affordable and accessible, we can expect to see drones become a common sight in our skies.Finally, robots are becoming more prevalent in our daily lives as well. From robot vacuum cleaners to robotic personal assistants like Siri and Alexa, these machines are becoming increasingly sophisticated and capable. They can perform a wide range of tasks, from cleaning and cooking to providing information and entertainment. As artificial intelligence continues to improve, we can expect to see robots taking on even more roles in our homes and workplaces.It’s clear that technology is changing the world in ways we never could have imagined. While there are certainly challenges and ethical considerations to consider, the benefits of the se advancements are undeniable. The future is here, and it’s an exciting time to be alive.。
1There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid. He was fat and bunchy, as a rabbit should be; his coat was spotted brown and white, he had real thread whiskers, and his ears were lined with pink sateen. On Christmas morning, when he sat wedged in the top of the Boy’s stocking, with a sprig of holly between his paws, the effect was charming.There were other things in the stocking, nuts and oranges and a toy engine, and chocolate almonds and a clockwork mouse, but the Rabbit was quite the best of all. For at least two hours the Boy loved him, and then Aunts and Uncles came to dinner, and there was a great rustling of tissue paper and unwrapping of parcels, and in the excitement of looking at all the new presents the Velveteen Rabbit was forgotten.For a long time he lived in the toy cupboard or on the nursery floor, and no one thought very much about him. He was naturally shy, and being only made of velveteen, some of the more expensive toys quite snubbed him. The mechanical toys were very superior, and looked down upon every one else; they were full of modern ideas, and pretended they were real. The model boat, who had lived through two seasons and lost most of his paint, caught the tone from them and never missed an opportunity of referring to his rigging in technical terms. The Rabbit could not claim to be a model of anything, for he didn’t know that real rabbits existed; he thought they were all stuffed with sawdust like himself, and he understood that sawdust was quite out-of-date and should never be mentioned in modern circles. Even Timothy, the jointed wooden lion, who was made by the disabled soldiers, and should have had broader views, put on airs and pretended he was connected with Government. Between them all the poor little Rabbit was made to feel himself very insignificant and commonplace, and the only person who was kind to him at all was the Skin Horse.从前有一只平绒兔，一开始它真的很漂亮。
他像兔子一样又胖又结实；他的外套上有棕色和白色的斑点，他有真正的线须，耳朵上有粉红色的棉缎。
圣诞节早晨，当他坐在男孩长袜的顶部，两爪间夹着一小枝冬青时，效果很迷人。
袜子里还有其他东西，坚果和橘子，玩具发动机，巧克力杏仁和发条鼠标，但兔子是最棒的。
男孩至少爱了他两个小时，然后叔叔阿姨们来吃晚饭，纸巾沙沙作响，包裹也被拆开了，看着所有的新礼物，兴奋的小兔子被遗忘了。
很长一段时间，他住在玩具柜里或婴儿室的地板上，没有人对他有太多的想法。
他天生腼腆，只是用平绒做的，一些比较贵的玩具对他很冷淡。
这些机械玩具非常上乘，瞧不起其他玩具；它们充满了现代观念，假装它们是真的。
这艘模型船已经经历了两个赛季，失去了大部分的油漆，从他们身上捕捉到了基调，从来没有错过过一次从技术角度提及他的索具的机会。
兔子不能声称自己是任何东西的模型，因为他不知道真的兔子存在；他认为它们都像他自己一样塞满了锯末，他明白锯末已经很过时了，在现代社会不应该被提及。
甚至连残疾士兵制作的木狮蒂莫西，也应该有更广阔的视野，摆出架子，假装自己与政府有联系。
在他们之间，可怜的小兔子觉得自己很渺小，很平凡，唯一对他仁慈的人就是皮马。
2A shoemaker, by no fault of his own, had become so poor that at last he had nothing left but leather for one pair of shoes. So in the evening, he cut out the shoes which he wished to begin to make the next morning, and as he had a good conscience, he lay down quietly in his bed, commended himself to God, and fell asleep. In the morning, after he had said his prayers, and was just going to sit down to work, the two shoes stood quite finished on his table. He was astounded, and knew not what to say to it. He took the shoes in his hands to observe them closer, and they were so neatly made that there was not one bad stitch in them, just as if they were intended as a masterpiece. Soon after, a buyer came in, and as the shoes pleased him so well, he paid more for them than was customary, and, with the money, the shoemaker was able to purchase leather for two pairs of shoes. He cut them out at night, and next morning was about to set to work with fresh courage; but he had no need to do so, for, when he got up, they were already made, and buyers also were not wanting, who gave him money enough to buy leather for four pairs of shoes. The following morning, too, he found the four pairs made; and so it went on constantly, what he cut out in the evening was finished by the morning, so that he soon had his honest independence again, and at last became a wealthy man. Now it befell that one evening not long before Christmas, when the man had been cutting out, he said to his wife, before going to bed, "What think you if we were to stay up to-night to see who it is that lends us this helping hand?" The woman liked the idea, and lighted a candle, and then they hid themselves in a corner of the room, behind some clothes which were hanging up there, and watched. When it was midnight, two pretty little naked men came, sat down by the shoemaker's table, took all the work which was cut out before them and began to stitch, and sew, and hammer so skilfully and so quickly with their little fingers that the shoemaker could not turn away his eyes for astonishment. They did not stop until all was done, and stood finished on the table, and they ran quickly away.Next morning the woman said, "The little men have made us rich, and we really must show that we are grateful for it. They run about so, and have nothing on, and must be cold. I'll tell thee what I'll do: I will make them little shirts, and coats, and vests, and trousers, and knit both of them a pair of stockings, and do thou, too, make them two little pairs of shoes." The man said, "I shall be very glad to do it;" and one night, when everything was ready, they laid their presents all together on the table instead of the cut-out work, and then concealed themselves to see how the little men would behave. At midnight they came bounding in, and wanted to get to work at once, but as they did not find any leather cut out, but only the pretty little articles of clothing, they were at first astonished, and then they showed intense delight. They dressed themselves with the greatest rapidity, putting the pretty clothes on, and singing,"Now we are boys so fine to see,Why should we longer cobblers be?"Then they danced and skipped and leapt over chairs and benches. At last they danced out of doors. From that time forth they came no more, but as long as the shoemaker lived all went well with him, and all his undertakings prospered.一个鞋匠，不是他自己的错，变得如此贫穷，最后他只剩下一双鞋的皮革了。
