Kids may also be more willing to try new things (and to potentially look foolish in the process) than adults are. Their comparatively new grasp on their native tongue may also be advantageous. Unlike adults, who tend to default（默认）to the rules and patterns of their first language, kids may be able to approach a new one with a blank slate（石板）.
These findings may seems discouraging, but it was heartening for scientists to learn that the critical period for fluent language acquisition might be longer than they previously thought. Some scientists believed that the brief window closes shortly after birth, while others stretched it only to early adolescence. Compared to those estimates, 17 or 18 -- when language learning ability starts to drop off -- seems relatively old. “People fared better when thy learned by immersion（沉浸）, rather than simply in a classroom. And moving to a place where our desired language is spoken is the best way to learn as an adult. If that’s not an option, you can mimic? an? immersive? environment? by? finding? ways? to? have? conversations? with? native? speakers? in? their own communities,” Hartshorne says. By doing so, it’s possible to become conversationally proficient -- even without the advantage of a child’s brain.
1.The word “plummet” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “____”.
A.plungeB.riseC.endD.vary
2.What can be inferred from Joshua Hartshorne’s words?
A.Age 10 -18 is the best time to learn a second language.
B.Children are too young to grasp a second language.
C.Communicating with native speakers enables you to master all the language skills.
D.Adults go beyond the critical period for learning a second language.
3.What might be the reason why adults can’t reach native - level fluency in a second language?
A.Adults are less influenced by their mother tongues
B.Adults are only too willing to experience something awkward in the process.
C.Adults spend more time responding to new information.
D.Adults prefer an immersive environment to a classroom in learning a second language.
4.The passage is mainly about____.
A.the approaches to learning a second language
B.the best age to learn a second language.
C.why kids learn a second language more easily than adults
D.whether adults can learn a second language like their younger selves
四、六选四
Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need.
Search for a Human Face for Robots
Looking for a $130,000 payday? Geomiq, a British engineering and manufacturing firm is searching for a “kind and friendly” face to be the face of a robot once it goes into production. “This will entail（需要）the selected person’s face being reproduced on potentially thousands of versions of the robots worldwide,” Geomiq says in a blog post about the project.
Robots have been at the forefront of technology for decades, and are widely considered the future of our technological advancement. With the number of adults over 85 expected to triple by 20xx, according to some estimates, robots designed to keep the elderly company are becoming increasingly common. 1.
They do things like responding to voice commands, offering proactive（积极主动的）notifications and advice and letting relatives monitor conditions at home. There is still a long way to go but new robotic products are coming into fruition all the time. Geomiq says the robot line has been in the works for five years and will result in a companion for seniors.
The designer has noted in an interview with a select press pool that they can’t release too many details at this stage. 2. The designer has also stressed that unsuccessful candidates will not be contacted. The company says the need for anonymity（匿名）is due to the secretive nature of the project. However, it believes the robot will soon be “readily available” to the public and hopes the campaign will create extra buzz ahead of its eventual release. “We know that this is an extremely unique request, and signing over the licenses to your face is potentially an extremely big decision,” Geomiq said.
3. The designer has said that the project has been in development for five years, and in that time frame taken on investment from some independent venture capitals as well as a top fund based in Shanghai. the company says the robots’ purpose will be to act as a “virtual friend” for elderly people and is set to go into production next year.
The blog past doesn’t share age or gender parameters（参数）. 4. Candidates who make it to the next phase will get full details on the project. “The secrecy,” Geomiq says, “is due to non-disclosure agreement it’s signed with the robot’s designer and investors.”
A. A technology company wants to buy the rights to use someone’s face for its robots.
B. It just asks people who want to license their face to submit a photo via email for?? the chance at $130,000.
C. It is a once - in - a - while opportunity for the right person.
D. They also serve a practical purpose.
E. The company is privately - funded.
F. However, ideal candidates will be given the specifics of the project.
五、概要写作
Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.
Do We Need Art in Our Lives
No one will be surprised to hear that the arts are under fire in this day and age. We view the arts as something of a hobby, something that’s fun but certainly can’t pay the rent. If it’s not a useful skill, no wonder arts funding is being cut in schools. Do we really need art in our lives?
In schools, time and money is at a premium （稀有而珍贵）, now more than ever. With teachers having to fit so many lessons into every day. it’s easy to see why art is dropping more and more by the wayside. Budgets are dropping at an alarming rate, and what school is going to drop teaching in essential subjects such as math or science when they can drop art instead?
It seems as though the loss of art in daily life is sad fact of life, but it doesn’t have to be. There are actually a lot of practical uses for art for many people. For example, art therapy has helped people with a range of illnesses, both mental and physical, cope with their symptoms. Art is found almost anywhere you look in your home. Practical items, such as bedspreads, furniture or clothing, are all art forms in themselves and arouse emotions in the people interacting with them. Art also gives us insight into the world. History tells us what happened and when it happened, but it can’t tell us how the population at large felt about it, which is where art steps in. We know a lot about how people in the past lived and worded, because their art has given us much a deep insight into their daily lives. We wouldn’t have that insight without it.
Most of all, we need art in our lives as it gives us a form of self-expression. Being able to talk about our feelings is essential to staying healthy. You may not think ou talk about your feelings, but you may express them in other ways. Some like to cook or bake, some like to work machinery, and others may like to paint or draw. Whatever you like to do in your spare time, you’re probably creating art every day.
So, do we need art in our lives? Many people would say no, but the art they’re thinking of is the art you see in galleries. Art is actually much more accessible and it truly needed in everyday life. It helps those in need, gives people in the future an idea of what life was like, and is a vital form of self-expression.
六、汉译英
Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets.
1.学而不思犹如食而不化。(like)
2.年轻人要有雄心壮志，不应安于现状。(satisfy)
3.这部电视剧旨在向观众传递家庭价值观，独立与义务之间的冲突可以通过容忍，理解和爱来解决。(that)
4.正是老一辈人的艰苦奋斗使祖国发生了巨大变化，未来掌握在我们年轻人手中，我们决不辜负期望。(lie)
七、提纲类作文
Directions: Write an English composition in 120 - 150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
假设你是明启中学的'王华，你校学生会将举办主题为“Looking for the Chinese Spirit”的英语演讲比赛， 请你作为参赛者写一篇演讲稿，内容包括：
1. 描述生活中最感动你的一个人或一件事，并说明其体现了怎样的中国精神；
2. 你获得的启发及感受
（注意：请勿出现真实的姓名与学校）
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