【简介】感谢网友“雕龙文库”参与投稿，这里小编给大家分享一些，方便大家学习。
In the past，they were laughed at for being eggheads(书呆子) wearing glasses with a passion for the pointless.But now，being a member of their group has become a source of pride，with Collins online dictionary naming the term “geek” as UK's “Word of the Year” on December 16.
“Geek” tops the list for 2024 because of its “positive makeover”，a spokeswoman for Collins Dictionary told The Scotsman newspaper.
The word originally appeared in the 19th century as a variant(变形) of “geck”，meaning “a simpleton(傻瓜)”.
“In the 1980s，the word still had a negative meaning，referring to someone who was boring and socially awkward.However，from the late 20th century，due to the increasing importance of technology in society，the word has come to mean a clever，switched－on and cool person，” noted The Scotsman.
In September，the dictionary changed the main definition of “geek” from “someone
preoccupied with computing” to “a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about a
specific subject”.
“‘Geek’ is a great example of a word that has evolved from having a negative meaning to
having a positive one.” Ian Brookes，consultant editor to Collins Dictionary told The Guardian.“This change in meaning represents a positive change in views of specialist expertise(专长；专业知识)，and is a result of the influence of technology on people's lives.”
The Telegraph's John Bingham believes that the transformation of the word was helped along by the success of the US movie The Social Network，about the creation of the US website Facebook.“Commentators said the film showed that it had become fashionable to be a geek”，Bingham wrote.
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇说明文。戴着瓶底眼镜的书呆子们曾经被嘲笑为无用的“geek”，然而时代在变化，咸鱼也有翻身的一天！科林斯字典给了这个词一个全新的、积极的含义。
1.The underlined word “makeover” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to ________.
A.evolution
B.result
C.influence
D.response
2.When did the word “geek” begin to have a positive meaning?
A.In the 20th century.
B.From the 1990s.
C.In the 1980s.
D.At the end of 2024.
3.According to the article，“geek” now mainly refers to ________.
A.someone who is addicted to computing and new technology
B.someone who is boring and unfashionable
C.someone who is smart but awkward in social situations
D.someone who is well－informed and devoted to a certain field
4.What helped to transform the meaning of “geek” from negative to positive according to the article?
a.The effect of technology.
b.The news media's promotion.
c.The influence of Collins Dictionary.
d.The popularity of The Social Network.
A.a，b
B.b.c
C.a，d
D.c，d
Dear Gregory，
Merry Christmas! You are now the proud owner of an iPhone.You are a good and responsible 13-year-old boy and you deserve this gift.But with your acceptance of this present come some rules and regulations.Please read through the following list of rules.I hope that you understand that it is my job to form you into a well-rounded，healthy young man who can coexist with technology without being ruled by it.Failure to comply with(遵守) the following list will result in termination(终止) of your iPhone ownership.
1.It is my phone.I bought it.I pay for it.I am loaning(借) it to you.Aren't I the greatest?
2.If it rings，answer it.It is a phone.Say hello and use your manners.Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads “Mom” or
“Dad”.
3.It does not go to school with you.Have conversations with your friends in person.That's an important life skill.But half days，field trips and after－school activities will require special consideration.
4.If it falls into the toilet，breaks up on the ground or disappears into thin air，you are responsible for the replacement or repair costs.Mow lawns，take up babysitting or save up your
birthday money.Accidents will happen，so you should be prepared.
5.Turn it off，silence it and put it away in public—especially in a restaurant，at the movies
or while speaking with another human being.You are not a rude person.Do not allow your new
toy to change that.
6.Live within your experiences.They will be stored in your memory forever.Don't take too
many pictures and videos.There is no need to document everything.
7.Learn to live without it.Be bigger and more powerful than your “FOMO”—fear of
missing out.Leave your phone at home sometimes and feel safe and secure in that decision.It is not alive，nor is it an extension of your body.
8.Keep your eyes up.See the world happening around you.Stare out a window.Listen to
the birds.Take a walk.Wonder without Googling.
9.If you mess up，I will take away your phone.We will sit down and talk about it.We will
start over again.You and I，we are always learning.I am on your side and we are in this
together.
Love，
Mom
【语篇解读】 本文是一封母亲写给孩子的信，主要讲述了母亲为了避免孩子成为手机控而与孩子之间的约法守则。
5.The author's main purpose in writing the article is to ________.
A.explain to Gregory the functions of the new mobile phone
B.show Gregory how much thought has been put into this gift
C.inform Gregory of good manners he has to follow in public
D.make a deal with Gregory on the use of his Christmas gift—iPhone
6.If Gregory loses his iPhone，he ________.
A.will get a new one from his parents
B.has to pay for a new one himself
C.will never receive gifts from his parents
D.must learn to live without a phone
7.We can learn from the article that Gregory's parents ________.
A.set rules and regulations in every aspect of his life
B.expect him to do something in return for this gift
C.are worried about his manners and carelessness
D.don't want him to be addicted to electronic products
8.Gregory has to follow the rules below except that ________.
A.be sure to answer his parents' calls
B.keep the phone in silence when he's at the cinema
C.record his life as much as possible using the phone
D.bring the phone with him on field trips when necessary
The fourth round of heavy smog that hit Beijing in four weeks
has sent more people to the hospital with respiratory(呼吸的) illnesses and led to calls for laws to control the pollution.
Pan Shiyi，a real estate developer，said he is planning to propose (提出) a Clean Air Act to the local government.As a representative of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress，he started an online survey at 9：20 a.m.Within three hours，more than 25，000 web users，or 99 percent of total respondents，welcomed his proposal on Sina Weibo，China's Twitter.
They have good reasons to stand alongside Pan.The latest round of haze(雾霾) reduced visibility to under 500 meters in many parts of the city.The smog has also led to a great increase in respiratory illnesses，particularly among children and the elderly.Anxious parents and doctors almost all blame the smoggy air for the illnesses.Though most schoolchildren are home for the winter holidays，the bad air can easily move indoors.Besides，ordinary medical masks fail to provide adequate protection，so some people have turned to gas masks and respirators (呼吸器).
The causes of the scary smog are rather mysterious，though experts blame excessive emissions and the mountains around Beijing that trap pollution in winter，unless there is adequate wind to clear it away.Some critics have pointed fingers at China's top two oil firms，China National Petroleum Corp and China Petrochemical Corporation，saying the companies' outdated production technologies produce large quantities of substandard，high－polluting gas fuel.
Meanwhile，concerned Beijingers have moved their brainstorming sessions to cyberspace.If Pan's proposal for a Clean Air Act is adopted，netizens say the new law should include items providing for “car－free days” in times of smog，higher standards for vehicle fuel，stricter restrictions on industrial and exhaust gas emissions，and more effective protection for the public.
Beijing is not the only city that has ever lost the blue sky.Five days of thick fog caused thousands of deaths in Britain in December 1952，urging the government to pass the first Clean Air Act in 1956，which introduced smokeless zones and cleaner fuels to reduce pollution.That may provide some experience for Beijing to refer to.
【语篇解读】 北京持续的雾霾天气引发了公众对空气污染的关注，网民们纷纷呼吁政府制定《清洁空气法案》。
9.Why did Pan Shiyi start an online survey?
A.To investigate the public's opinions on pollution.
B.To tell people the danger of the smoggy weather.
C.To call on more people to support his proposal.
D.To collect supporting evidences for his proposal.
10.What can we learn from the passage?
A.People are clear about the causes of the smoggy weather.
B.Children staying indoors will not get respiratory illnesses.
C.Smog is worse for people with lower resistance to diseases.
D.Masks can give people protection against the smoggy weather.
11.Britain is mentioned in the last paragraph to ________.
A.suggest Beijing should learn from other countries
B.let people know many places have this problem
C.tell people the situation in Britain is worse
D.call on the government to pass Britain's Clean Air Act
12.What's the best title for this passage?
A.The Use of Gas Masks and Respirators
B.Beijingers Call for a Clean Air Act
C.Effective Protection for Blue Sky
D.The Mysterious Causes of the Scary Smog
In October 2010，I left my hometown and family in Virginia and moved to Iowa so I could be coached by Liang Chow.I'd been dreaming of an Olympic gold medal since I was eight—but gradually，that dream seemed like a million miles away.
On January 2，2024，while Mom was visiting me in Iowa，I told her，“I don't like gymnastics anymore.I want to try
dancing，or become a singer.I can get a job in Virginia.I just want to come home.”
Mom's eyes narrowed and her expression turned to stone.“You're breaking my heart，Brie，” she said.“You've been doing gymnastics for ten years，and now you want to quit? Have you lost your mind？”
I hadn't lost my mind，but I had lost my fire.It's an entirely different thing to push toward that dream when you feel alone.
“I'm not trying to break your heart，Mom，” I said.“I just don't want to do it anymore.”
“I know you miss home.But you've signed a contract that says you will represent your country to the best of your ability.You've got a responsibility to your teammates.And now you just want to walk away? I will not let you be dishonorable.If you don't like gymnastics，then at the very least，you will finish the season.”
The next afternoon as I dragged myself into Chow's gym，I thought of the efforts Mom had made in order to pay for my training.I thought of my two sisters：Arielle，who gave up ballroom dancing，and Joyelle，who stopped ice skating so that our single Mom could afford to keep me in gymnastics.
For now，here's what you need to know：Exactly 210 days before I ever attempted my first vault (跳跃) in the London Summer Olympics，my leap of faith came this close to ending in a crash of disaster.
【语篇解读】 作者因为想家想要放弃体操训练，但母亲的鼓励以及姐姐们的付出让她最终选择了坚持，并继续追求自己的梦想。
13.The author wanted to give up gymnastics because ________.
A.she thought she loved music more
B.she was overcome with homesickness
C.an Olympic gold was beyond her reach
D.the training for the Olympics was too hard
14.How did the author's mother feel on hearing her words?
A.Heart-broken.
B.Sympathetic.
C.Helpless.
D.Calm.
15.We can infer from the passage that the author ________.
A.was born into an athletic family
B.realized her Olympic dream
C.changed her mind in the end
D.had a bad childhood
16.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.A dream come true
B.My leap of faith
C.My mother
D.A quitter
More and more people come to realize that negative self－talk and negative energy can affect you in many ways and cause you additional stress.Because of this，developing more positive self－talk is an important way to reduce stress in your life.You can help yourself maintain a positive frame of mind，which will help with positive self－talk by surrounding yourself with positive energy in your life.You can get that by adding some elements to your life.
Listening to music that not only has a pleasant melody，but an uplifting message，can be great for developing positive self－talk.Have you ever had a song “stuck__in__your__head” for a few hours or days，the lyrics repeating themselves in your mind? If those lyrics were positive and inspirational，that would be a good thing.It's a much better mental soundtrack to have than a running stream of complaints，criticisms of self－limiting thoughts，or even songs that had more depressing or sad lyrics.
Books on strength，personal power，enlightenment，or self－help can be good resources to help you change your outlook and the things you say to yourself.Rather than bringing habitual self－defeating thoughts，you can find yourself thinking of new can－do concepts when times get tough.
One of the most important ways you can get and keep positive energy in your life is with the company you keep.Do your friends uplift you，or bring you down? Are they critical，or approving? Ideal friendships provide support when you're down，fun when you're up，wisdom when you're lost.Good friends can inspire you to reach greater heights，and see your strengths even when you don't always.Pay attention to how your friends make you feel，and if they're less than supportive，start putting your energy and time toward people who are better suited to be your friends.
In addition，positive affirmations (肯定) can certainly change your self－talk from negative to positive.Now，why not begin working positive affirmations into your life
in some creative ways?
【语篇解读】 越来越多的人认识到，消极的自我对话和负能量在很多方面会影响你，使你产生额外的压力。因此，我们要用多种方法来为我们营造充满正能量的环境。
1.What does the passage mainly talk about?
A.Adding some colorful elements to your life.
B.Changing your self－talk with positive affirmations.
C.Getting positive energy from the company you keep.
D.Reducing stress by surrounding yourself with positive energy.
2.If you have something “stuck in your head”，you'll probably ________.
