专题05 阅读理解中的单元热点话题预测练- 高二英语下学期期末知识点精讲+训练学案（外研版2019）

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专题05 阅读理解中的单元热点话题预测练

阅读理解话题预测
教材
单元
主题
阅读理解话题预测
选择性必修二
1
人的成长（人与自我）
成长故事、成长感悟、成长中的挑战等
2
提升自己（人与自我）
价值观念介绍、个人能力提升实践等
3
时代变化（人与社会）
科技在生活中的运用、对科技的认识等
4
打破界限（人与社会）
志愿服务实践/奉献、职业观念等
5
环境保护（人与自然）
环保意识/实践、命运共同体意识等
6
生存意识（人与自然）
人与动植物的和谐共处、危机应对等
选择性必修三
1
什么是美（人与自我）
对审美观的认识、关于美的生活体验等
2
工匠精神（人与自我）
大国工匠的典型故事、个人的体验/感悟等
3
守卫和平（人与社会）
英勇抗争/艰苦奋斗的精神/故事等
4
未来生活（人与社会）
未来生活的预想、未来科技的运用等
5
学习自然（人与自然）
对自然的看法、人与自然和谐相处的意义等
6
自然之美（人与自然）
介绍美丽的自然、如何欣赏自然等
【主题示例】
1
(惠州模拟)Dad’s comb was jade green. I heard he bought it when he married Mum, which made the comb two years older than I was. Every night, he would smile, hand me the comb and say, “Be a good girl and help Daddy clean it, OK?”
I was more than happy to do it. At age five this mundane task brought me such joy. I would excitedly turn the tap on, then brush the comb with a used toothbrush as hard as I could. Satisfied that I’d done a good job, I would proudly return the comb to Dad. He would smile at me and place the comb on top of his wallet.
About two years later, Dad left his sales job and started his own wholesale business. I started primary school. That was when things started to change. He didn’t come home as much as he used to—just a couple of times a week. And when he did come home, it was always late and I’d already be in bed. I started to get mad. I stopped waiting for him to come home, and stopped going downstairs to check on him.
Today, I’m no longer a kid. I’ve graduated from college and got a job. Dad’s business has got back on track. Things are better now. Yet the uncomfortable silence between Dad and me persisted.
Two days before my birthday last year, Dad came home early. As usual, I helped him carry his bags into his study. When I turned to leave, he said, “Hey, would you like to help me clean my comb?” I looked at him a while, then took the comb and headed to the sink.
I passed the clean comb back to Dad. He looked at it and smiled. But this time, I noticed something different. My dad has aged. He has wrinkles next to his eyes when he smiles, yet his smile is still as heartwarming as before. This is the smile of a father who just wants a good life for his family. Dad carefully placed his comb on top of his wallet.
After so many years, he still organizes his personal items in the same meticulous way. I guess some things never change. And for that, I’m glad.
4.What caused the uncomfortable silence between Dad and me?
A.Generation gap.
B.Dad’s failure in business.
C.My ignorance of Dad.
D.Dad’s absence from the family.
5.Which of the following can best describe Dad?
A.Gentle but strict.
B.Hard-working and caring.
C.Cautious and realistic.
D.Demanding but patient.
6.Why did Dad ask his daughter to clean his comb before her birthday?
A.To give her a lesson.
B.To follow his old habit.
C.To fix their relationship.
D.To praise her helpfulness.
7.Which saying concludes the text best?
A.Yesterday once more.
B.Let bygones be bygones.
C.Some things never change.
D.Like father, like daughter.
答案与解析：
【文章大意】这是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了作者小时候很喜欢给父亲清理梳子,后来父亲因为生意繁忙常不在家,和作者逐渐疏远。作者想有些事情永远不会改变,感到很高兴。
4.【解析】选D。推理判断题。根据第三段以及第四段的内容可知:父亲经常不在家里,导致了父亲和作者之间令人不安的沉默。故选D。
5.【解析】选B。推理判断题。根据第三段以及倒数第三段的内容可推知,父亲为了生意早出晚归,可见他努力工作,同时为了修复和女儿的关系,让女儿在生日前给自己清理梳子,可见他关心他人。故选B。
6.【解析】选C。推理判断题。根据倒数第三段的内容可知,父亲让他的女儿在她生日前给他洗梳子是为了修复他们的关系。故选C。
7.【解析】选C。主旨大意题。根据最后一段中的第二句,再结合文章讲述了作者小时候很喜欢给父亲清理梳子,后来父亲因为生意繁忙,经常不在家,和作者逐渐疏远,后来作者大学毕业参加工作,父亲的生意又重回正轨了,然而作者和父亲之间令人不安的沉默依然存在。直到后来在作者生日前两天,父亲提早回家并让作者给自己清理梳子,并且像以前一样,用同样细致的方式整理自己的个人物品。作者想有些事情永远不会改变,感到很高兴。可推知,故选C。
2
(苏州模拟)Classifying things is critical for our daily lives.For example, we have to detect spam mail (垃圾邮件), false political news.When we use AI, such tasks are based on “classification technology” in machine learning—having the computer learn, using the boundary separating positive and negative data.For example, “positive” data would be photos including a happy face, and “negative” data photos that include a sad face.Once a classification boundary is learned, the computer can determine whether certain data are positive or negative.
However, the difficulty with this technology is that it requires both positive and negative data for the learning process, and negative data are not available in many cases.For instance, when a retailer (零售商) is trying to predict who will make a purchase, they can easily find data on customers who have purchased from them (positive data), but it is basically impossible to obtain data on customers who have never purchased from them (negative data), since they do not have access to their competitors’ data.
According to lead author Takashi Ishida from RIKEN AIP, “Previous classification methods could not cope with the situation where negative data were not available, but we have made it possible for computers to learn with only positive data, as long as we have a confidence score for our positive data, constructed from information such as buying intention or the active rate of app users.Using our new method, we can let computers learn a classifier only from positive data equipped with confidence.” 
According to Ishida, “This discovery could expand the range of applications where classification technology can be used.Even in fields where machine learning has been actively used, our classification technology could be used in new situations where only positive data can be gathered due to data regulation or business constraints (限制).In the near future, we hope to put our technology to use in various research fields, such as natural language processing, computer vision, robotics, and bioinformatics.”
1.How can the computer distinguish the positive data from the negative data?
A.By learning the classification boundary.
B.By updating the data collected regularly.
C.By separating happy faces and sad ones.
D.By introducing classification technology.
2.Why is the example mentioned in Paragraph 2?
A.To prove how important the positive data are.
B.To confirm that data on customers are complete.
C.To argue that retailers get their competitors’ data.
D.To explain why negative data are hard to acquire.
3.What do the underlined words “new method” in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A.Analyzing buying intention.
B.Building a confidence score.
C.Assessing the active rate of app users.
D.Equipping the computer with confidence.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.The History of Classification Technology
B.Smarter AI: Machine Leaning without Negative Data
C.Bigger Data: Computers Assisting Language Processing
D.The Comparison between Positive Data and Negative Data
答案与解析：
【文章大意】这是一篇说明文。分类对我们的日常生活至关重要,计算机一旦学会了分类界限,计算机就可以确定某个数据是正的还是负的。这项技术的困难之处在于,在学习过程中,它既需要正的数据,也需要负的数据,而负的数据在很多情况下是得不到的。
1.【解析】选A。细节理解题。由第一段可知,一旦学习了分类界限,计算机就可以确定某项数据是正的还是负的。所以计算机通过学习分类界限区分正负数据。故A选项正确。
2.【解析】选D。推理判断题。由第二段第二句可知,例如,当零售商试图预测谁将购买商品时,他们可以很容易地从购买他们商品的客户那里获得数据(正数据),但基本上不可能从没有从他们那里购买过商品的客户那里获得数据(负数据),因为他们无法访问竞争对手的数据。所以提到第二段中的例子是为了解释为什么很难获得负数据。故D选项正确。
3.【解析】选B。词义猜测题。由第三段可知,只要我们对我们的正数据有一个信心评分,这个得分是由购买意向或应用程序用户的活跃率等信息构成的。使用我们的新方法,我们可以让计算机只从有信心(评分)的正数据中学习分类。 第三段画线词“new method ”指的是 Building a confidence score“建立信心评分”。故B选项正确。
4.【解析】选B。标题归纳题。通读全文尤其是第三段可知短文的最佳标题为“聪明的人工智能:在没有负数据的情况下,机器也能够学习从而进行分类”。故B选项正确。
3
(衡水模拟)When my mother died a few years ago,we looked through boxes in which she had lovingly stored her children’s lives. Handwritten report cards from grade school. News cuttings about games. Postcards from summer camps. And so many photos:birthdays,graduations,weddings and trips to wonderful places.
　　After my father’s death,I found many handwritten pity letters from his friends. Rereading them once a year,I am transported back to the time I miss so much. Of course,I received many emails about Dad as well,but I wouldn’t begin to know how or where to find them. Besides,personal messages are more meaningful when presented in the hand of the sender.
　　My kids,now in their 20s,have mostly digital keepsakes. Increasingly they rely on Facebook to store memories. Their letters from college,sent by email,are long gone. Many photos,never printed,have disappeared. I really worry that for them.
　　In Andrew Hoskins’ new book Digital Memory Studies,he concludes,“Despite the gradual disappearance of photographs,letters and other objects that are reminders of people and past experiences,their keeping is like holding on to those people and experiences.” Digital items offer nothing of the kind.
　　Mark B. McKinley explained that collecting physical memorabilia(值得纪念的事物)can serve as a means of control to bring out a comfort zone in one’s life,calming fears and easing worries. It’s no wonder that children are fond of collecting things—it’s important to their development.
　　One mother says,“My son collects pieces of broken stones.”The kid might become a great geologist or a successful businessman. But will his mom print out a photo of that unique collection? Will his degree in geology be memorialized on paper,or will he be given a digital diploma? And will he collect his first paycheck or will he be paid by direct deposit?
1.What can be concluded from the first three paragraphs?
A.People don’t collect physical objects.
B.Hard copies fail to preserve our memory.
C.Physical objects aren’t collected for memory.
D.Memories are stored on the Internet forever.
2.What is Andrew Hoskins’ attitude towards digital memory?
A.He is against it.
B.He is hopeful about it.
C.He is confused about it.
D.He doesn’t care about it.
3.What benefit does collecting physical memorabilia bring to children?
A.It cures their illnesses.
B.It makes them feel relaxed.
C.It keeps their life under control.
D.It helps them lead a comfortable life.
4.Why does the author raise some questions in the last paragraph?
A.To explain a unique collection.
B.To offer direct support to the boy.
C.To encourage readers to share their ideas.
D.To show her worry about the loss of collecting.
【文章大意】这是一篇说明文。文章讲述了随着社会的发展,现在越来越多的人使用电子产品来代替传统的物品来保存记忆,这让作者开始担忧起来。
1.【解析】选C。推理判断题。根据第一段、第二段和第三段可推知,实物不是记忆的载体了。故选C。
2.【解析】选A。推理判断题。根据第四段可知,Andrew Hoskins认为电子产品不能像具体的物体那样储存记忆,所以他反对用电子产品储存记忆。故选A。
3.【解析】选B。细节理解题。根据倒数第二段可知,收集实物纪念品带给孩子们可以让孩子们感到放松。故选B。
4.【解析】选D。推理判断题。根据最后一段可知,此处这三个问题与本段前两句对应,作者连续提出这三个问题来表示她对收藏具体物件储存记忆消失的担心。故选D。
4
(茂名模拟)When my grandmother Deed was young she contracted polio (小儿麻痹症). She was kept in bed for the better part of a year and lost the use of her right leg. She was raising my young father on her own, so it felt like an impossible situation. Her family gave her much support and encouragement. Slowly but surely, Deed learned not only to deal, but to thrive with her disability. People thought she was crazy when she wanted to start her own business, but she was determined. She borrowed money from the bank for her business. She went on to run a successful company and became one of the first women entrepreneurs in the city of Revere, Massachusetts.
　　I truly believe polio was a gift to my grandmother. It strengthened her beliefs and made her strong and resilient (有适应力的), but it also forced her to slow down and think about everything quietly and seriously. She never complained about her condition, not once.
　　However, I often got angry and complained when things weren’t going my way. Deed would turn to me and gave me advice on my next move. Though far from Hollywood (she lived on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire), Deed seemed to know answers to the problems that seemed to puzzle me. She was my trusted mentor (导师). With each visit, she would help me better myself, expand my mind and go after bigger dreams.
　　I became confident, more driven and focused on what I wanted to achieve. Each step of the way, Deed was there to cheer me on. The more I leaned back out of fear, the more she challenged me to walk further to the possibilities.
　　Within a month of selling my first screenplay, Deed passed away. She is on my mind daily. Now, whenever I deal with career issues that scare me, I would remind myself of her greatest piece of advice: Sit down and take a breath. It will all work out.
5.What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A.Introducing Deed to us.
B.Telling us what Deed suffered.
C.Showing us the author’s family.
D.Informing us about Deed’s disease.
6.What can we conclude from Deed’s disability?
A.Every dog has its day.
B.Every coin has two sides.
C.Hard work pays off.
D.Time and tide wait for no man.
7.What would Deed do when the author got puzzled in life?
A.Complain to him.
B.Give him some advice.
C.Explain the trouble to him.
D.Move a step forward to him.
8.Why does the author write this text?
A.To tell us how he got success.
B.To give us some advice on life.
C.To show us his life in the childhood.
D.To remember his grandmother.
答案与解析：
【文章大意】本文是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了作者的祖母尽管自小残疾,但她坚韧顽强,获得了成功。在作者人生的路上,祖母总是在他困惑的时候给他指导,让作者受益匪浅。
5.【解析】选A。段落大意题。根据第一段可知,本段主要向我们介绍了祖母生前的情况。故选A。
6.【解析】选B。推理判断题。根据文章大意以及第二段首句可知,祖母的残疾使她遭受了许多痛苦,但也使得她更加坚强,获得了成功。据此,从文中可以得出结论——凡事皆有两面性。故选B。
7.【解析】选B。细节理解题。根据文章第三段可知,在作者遇到让他困惑的难题的时候,祖母总是给作者提出建议,让他不断进步。故选B。
8.【解析】选D。目的意图题。通读全文,尤其是文章末段可知,祖母对作者的影响是巨大的,作者的第一部剧本出售了,但是祖母却去世了。由此可知,作者写本文是为了怀念祖母所给予的人生指导。故选D。
5
(哈尔滨模拟)
Urban Wildlife
　　Cities are diverse ecosystems.In addition to visitors from the wild,a large number of species share our urban areas.As our cities spread,we need to think about what it is like for other species to have human neighbors.
Cities are built for humans.__1__For example,most city parks are kept neat and tidy so that humans will find them beautiful.But when we cut grass or flowers,we destroy natural habitats. 
__2__When a bridge in Austin,Texas was repaired,engineers added small gaps running along the length of its bottom.This made a good home for bats,and soon the bridge was the home of thousands of bats.__3__Now,they have come to value their winged neighbors.The bats are a tourist attraction,and they eat lots of bugs every night. 
There are also structures built with the aim of bringing wildlife into the city.The Beijing Olympic Forest Park is a good example.The park used native plants and created open,natural spaces for wildlife.The result is a zone in Beijing with over 160 species of birds.In many ways,the park is the opposite of a zoo.__4__ 
　　If we learn to share our space,we can become better neighbors to the wildlife around us.__5__Our own future will be endangered too. 
A.They are built to protect birds.
B.Our actions sometimes help other species.
C.If we do not,more species will become extinct.
D.They do not always provide suitable habitats for wildlife.
E.Instead of being kept in cages,wildlife can move about freely.
F.At first,people were afraid of the bats and tried to get rid of them.
G.They would sit on it and their droppings would fall into the water.
【文章大意】这是一篇说明文,主题语境是人与环境,文章介绍了作者关于人类城市与野生动物关系的思考。
1.【解析】选D。由空格前说Cities are built for humans以及空格后For example举例可知,城市并不总是为野生动物提供合适的栖息地。
2.【解析】选B。此处设空在段首,考虑到段首句的作用,往往为主题句;根据后面提供的内容可知,我们人类的行为有时是可以帮助到野生动物的。
3.【解析】选F。根据空后句的时间标志词可以判断设空处句子与后文内容存在叙述上和时间节点上的对照关系,故选F。
4.【解析】选E。根据空格位置关系可知,其填写内容一定与空前句存在话题一致、内容上的承接关系,故选E。
5.【解析】选C。根据上文谈及人类如果能够与野生动物共享城市空间的好处,且空格后句子所涉及内容与空前句形成比照关系,以及空后句的标志词too,可确定答案。

1
In 1969, a ship carrying 90 passengers arrived in Antarctic waters. Since then, Antarctic tourism has increased noticeably. Nowadays, over 35,000 visitors a season came to the Antarctic during summer, with the intention of visiting colonies of penguins.
That worries many environmentalists, who fear such quantities of people may be disturbing the penguins. However, a study published in Polar Biology by Maureen Lynch of Stony Brook University brings good news for penguins, tourists and tour-operators alike – for the tourists’ visits are not stressing the birds at all.
The conventional way of deciding whether visits by tourists are stressful to the animals is to recruit a bunch of PhD students to observe those animals and make a number of behavioral observations when tourists are and are not present. This is difficult and expensive, for even PhD students need to be housed and fed. Another choice is to sample the animals’ blood and analyze it for stress hormones. The problem with this is that catching animals to measure their hormone levels is stressful.
There is, however, a third way, which is to look for stress hormones in animals’ droppings (排泄物). Dr. Lynch knew from previous work by her partner that some stress hormones show up in penguin wastes, and that hormone concentrations in droppings went up shortly after animals were approached by human beings, and then returned to normal later. With that in mind, she decided to compare droppings from penguin colonies visited by lots of tourists with those less visited.
As the researchers expected, all collected samples contained related stress hormones. Contrary to their expectations, however, there were no significant differences between samples from different sites, regardless of the number of visitors those sites played host to. It seems, then, either that penguins do not worry about human visitors in the first place, or that they quickly get used to them. What is more, Dr. Lynch’s method provides an easy way to monitor the situation. If a growing number of tourists put the birds under stress, it will be possible to advise tour operators to consider their business at less-visited colonies.
1. What do we know about Antarctic tourism?
A. It enjoyed popularity in 1969. B. It attracts visitors in all the year round.
C. It allows people to see penguins. D. It had disturbed the penguins.
2. The problem of the conventional method lies in ________.
A. the difficulty in recruiting PhD students B. high costs required in the Antarctic
C. comparison of penguins’ behaviors D. the huge trouble of catching animals
3. What did Dr. Lynch’s partner find about penguin waste?
A. It contained certain stress hormones. B. It had high level of stress hormones.
C. Its hormone level was unstable. D. Its hormones were at normal levels.
4. What can we learn from the analysis of the collected samples?
A. Penguins are afraid of visitors. B. Penguins are used to visitors.
C. Penguins are hardly stressed by tourists. D. Penguins are always under great stress.
2
Elephants are the only living land animals to have a long, boneless trunk, says Andrew Schulz,a mechanical engineer. Up until now, detailed knowledge of what happens inside that trunk during feeding has been extremely lacking. So Schulz and his colleagues worked with zookeepers at Zoo Atlanta to study it.
The study finds that an elephant’s trunk can suck up three liters of water in a second, a surprising rate of flow equal to about 24 shower heads, reports Katherine J. Wu for The Atlantic. Moving that much water so quickly requires inhaling (吸入) air at 330 miles per hour. That's 30 times faster than a human sneeze.
To do research on the trunk, researchers took high-speed video of a then 34-year-old African elephant named Kelly at Zoo Atlanta and assessed her long nose's suction capabilities (自吸能力).
In another experiment, the team measured the internal volume of a similar-sized, 38-year-old African elephant’s trunk. They found Kelly s impressive inhalation exceeded (超过) the volume of water they expected. To investigate further, the team used ultrasound to see what was happening inside an elephant’s trunk while it was sucking up water. This revealed that the trunk actually expanded its total volume by up to 64 percent.
Another test shows elephants’ ability to decide how to their trunk depends on what they’re trying to achieve. “An elephant’s trunk is useful in just about any situation. It’s like a multitool, ” Schulz says. “So an elephant's trunk is actually like a trunk. ” This research shows how effectively the trunk allows the elephant to move both air and water to help hold different objects.
According to The Atlantic, Schulz’s next move is to try to create a complete map of the internal structure of an elephant’s trunk in hopes of revealing more of the mechanisms (机制) behind its many uses.
5. Why did Schulz and his colleagues study elephants’ trunks?
A. To better feed elephants.
B. To help zookeepers train elephants.
C. To figure out their inner mechanism.
D. To know why they are boneless.
6. What can be learned about an elephant’s trunk in Paragraph 2?
A. It sucks up water at a very high speed.
B. It usually functions as a shower head.
C. It can suck 3 liters of water each time.
D. It inhales 30 times more air than a human sneeze.
7. What do we know about Kelly?
A. She could suck less water than expected.
B. She was a 34-year-old African elephant in the wild.
C. Her trunk expanded its volume when sucking water.
D. Her trunk was larger than the 38-year-old elephant's.
8. What might affect the suction capabilities of an elephant’s trunk?
A. The body size of the elephant.
B. The purpose of using the trunk.
C. The length of the trunk.
D. The physical condition of the elephant.
3
Recently, Australian scientists learned something unexpected about magpies ( a kind of bird ) when they tried to attach trackers to them to learn more about how far they flew and what they did during a normal day as they are concerned that magpies may have a hard time adjusting as the world warms up because of climate change.
It’s hard to find trackers that work well with small and middle-sized birds. The previous trackers were either too heavy or didn’t last long enough. The researchers tried a new tracker on the magpies. They were light and could be recharged (再充电) without wires (电线) while they were still on the birds. And to keep the trackers on the birds without causing flying problems, the researchers developed a special device to hold the tracker in place. It was strong, so it wouldn’t come off by accident. But it had a special release controlled by magnets (磁铁). This was meant to allow the scientists to free the birds from the device, without having to catch the birds again.
There was just one problem — the birds didn’t like the trackers. The researchers placed trackers on five magpies. But just ten minutes after setting up the last magpie, they noticed something unusual: an adult female magpie was helping another magpie get free from its device. By the third day, none of the birds had trackers anymore.
The scientists were disappointed about the trackers, but they realized that the magpies had taught them something else: that magpies are able and willing to help each other out. They don’t know how the magpies cracked the difficult problem of getting the device off. They also don’t know if it was just one magpie or several which removed them. However, the researchers are glad they’ve learned about the saving behavior of magpies and now they need to try again to figure out a good way to track these clever birds.
9. What is the second paragraph mainly about?
A. The introduction to the new tracker.
B. The design process of the new tracker.
C. The methods of powering the new tracker.
D. The significance of using the new tracker.
10. What does the underlined word “ cracked ” in the last paragraph mean?
A. Ignored. B. Corrected. C. Approached. D. Chose.
11. How did the research end up?
A. The trackers got out of order while working.
B. The scientists collected valuable reference data.
C. The researchers gave up their observation of the birds.
D. The scientists failed to track the birds but got a surprise outcome.
12. What could be the best title of the text?
A. Magpies Are on the Edge of Extinction
B. Scientists Are Seeking Ways to Track Birds
C. A New Device Was Invented to Protect Birds
D. Magpies Teach Scientists an Unexpected Lesson
4
When a heavy storm hit, residents of the floating community of Schoonschip in Amsterdam had little doubt about whether they could ride it out. They tied up their bikes and outdoor benches, and checked in with neighbors to ensure everyone had enough food and water as their neighborhood slid up and down its steel foundational pillars (支柱), rising along with the water and going back to its original position after the rain stopped.
“We feel safer in storm because we are floating,” says Siti Boelen, a Dutch television producer who moved into Schoonschip two years ago. As sea levels rise and supercharged storms cause waters to rise, floating neighborhoods offer an experiment in flood defense that could allow coastal communities to better fight against climate change.
A floating house can be constructed on any shoreline and is able to deal with rising seas by remaining on the top of the water’s surface. Unlike houseboats, which can easily be moved and relocated, floating homes are fixed to the shore and are usually connected to the local sewer (污水管道) system and power grid. They are structurally similar to houses built on land, but instead of a basement, they have a concrete hull (船体) that acts as a counterbalance, allowing them to remain stable in the water.
Severe wind and rain, or even the passing of large cruise ships, can make the buildings rock. Siti Boelen, the Schoonschip resident, says that when she first moved in, stormy weather made her think twice. “You feel it in your stomach,” she says, adding that she has gotten used to the feeling. Floating homes also require extra infrastructure and work to connect to the electricity grid and sewer system.
But the benefits may outweigh the costs. “If there are floods, it’s expected that many people will move to higher ground. But the alternative is to stay close to coastal cities and explore expansion onto the water,” says Rutger de Graaf. “If you consider that in the second half of the century, hundreds of millions of people will be displaced by sea level rise, we need to start now to increase the scale of floating developments.”
13. What did local residents think when a heavy storm hit?
A. They could get through it.
B. They could control the flood.
C. They could get some bikes after it.
D. They could gain enough food in it.
14. What can we know about Siti Boelen?
A. She has a sense of security in a storm.
B. She gets along well with her neighbors.
C. She has produced TV sets used in the storm.
D. She makes contributions to defending against flood.
15. How does the author describe the floating houses in paragraph 3?
A. By listing figures. B. By giving examples.
C. By analyzing reasons. D. By making comparisons.
16. What’s the fourth paragraph mainly about?
A. The impacts of stormy weather.
B. The significance of thinking twice.
C. The higher costs of building houses.
D. The challenges faced by floating houses.
5
Time to load up some popular games: new research indicates pigs possess the mental capability to play video games. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, tested the ability of four pigs (Hamlet, Omelette, Ebony and Ivory) to play a simple joystick (操纵杆) game with their noses, moving a cursor (光标) to four targets on the screen. Although the animals didn’t demonstrate the skills to win a round any time, they did show an understanding of some elementary games. Performing well not by chance, the pigs appeared to recognize the movement of the cursor was controlled by the joystick. The fact that they did so well despite a lack of flexible fingers is “extraordinary”, according to the researchers.
“It is no small achievement for an animal to grasp the concept that the behaviour they are performing is having an effect elsewhere. That pigs can do this to any degree should give us pause as to what else they are capable of learning and how such learning may impact them, “said Purdue University’s Dr Candace Croney, the study’s lead author.
Researchers also noted that while the pigs could be taught to play the game using food as positive motivation, they also responded well to social interaction. In fact, when the game was made more challenging and the pigs became unwilling to participate in it, “only oral encouragement by the experimenter” would see training continue.
These findings are the latest to highlight the intelligence of pigs. Not only have they been shown to use mirrors to find hidden food, but studies have also demonstrated how pigs can be taught to “come” and “sit” after oral commands.
As with any sentient (有感觉力的) beings, how we interact with pigs and what we do to them impacts and matters to them. We therefore have a moral duty to understand how pigs acquire information, and what they are capable of learning and remembering, because it ultimately offers the potential for how they understand their interactions with us and their environments.
17. What can be learned from Paragraph 1?
A. The pigs sometimes won the video games.
B. The pigs operated joysticks with their noses.
C. The pigs competed with each other in the games.
D. The pigs sometimes performed well accidentally.
18. What does the underlined phrase “give us pause” refer to?
A. Stop us from advancing. B. Affect us in learning.
C. Make us think seriously. D. Force us to train pigs better.
19. What made researchers believe pigs socially interacted well?
A. Their being inspired by human words. B. Their being driven by food.
C. Their being willing to keep trying. D. Their being motivated by challenges.
20. Which of the following could be the best title?
A. Smart Pigs: Best Animal Players B. Flexible Noses: Fun Games
C. Oral Commands: Pig Learners D. Pig Players: Learning Potential
6
When Mexican scientist of the evolution of animal behavior, Laura Cuaya, moved to Hungary for her postdoctoral studies in Budapest, she brought her pet dog, Kun-kun, along for the ride. Cuaya couldn’t help noticing how locals warmed to dogs. This prompted her naturally curious scientific mind to start asking questions. “Here people are talking all the time to Kun-kun, but I always wonder if Kun-kun can recognize that people in Budapest speak Hungarian, not Spanish?” So she set out to find an answer through a scientific study.
Cuaya and her colleagues decided to use brain images from MRI scanning to shed light on her hunch. They worked with dogs of various ages that had, until the experiment, only heard their owners speak just one of the two languages, Spanish or Hungarian. Not surprisingly, getting the dogs to happily take part in the experiment took some creative coaxing (劝诱) and animal training! The researchers first needed to teach Kun-kun and her 17 fellow participating dogs including a labradoodle, a golden retriever and Australian shepherds, to lie still in a brain scanner. Their pet parents were always present, and they could leave the scanner at any point.
The research team played children’s classic book The Little Prince in both Spanish and Hungarian while scanning the dogs’ brains with an MRI machine. They were looking for evidence that their brains reacted differently to a familiar and unfamiliar language. The researchers also played scrambled versions of the story to find out if dogs could distinguish between speech and non-speech.
The images reveal that dogs’ brains show different patterns of activity for an unfamiliar language than for a familiar one — the first time anyone has proved, researchers say, that a non-human brain can distinguish between two languages. This means that the sounds and rhythms of a familiar language are accessible to non-humans.
The team also found that the brains of older dogs were more skilled at detecting speech “suggesting a role for the amount of language exposure”. They suggest that dogs have refined their ability to distinguish between human languages over the long process of domestication.
21. What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A. The concern of the researcher. B. The significance of the study.
C. The background of the study. D. The introduction to the researcher.
22. What did Cuaya consider when choosing dogs for study?
A. Age limits. B. Language exposure.
C. Brain patterns. D. Owners’ commands.
23. How do researchers comment on the results of the study?
A. Unreasonable. B. Contradictory.
C. Compromising. D. Groundbreaking.
24. Which of the following can be the best title?
A. Dogs Can Tell Foreign Languages
B. Dog Brains Have Different Patterns
C. Old Dogs Know More About Human Speech
D. Dogs Can Differ Speech From Non-Speech
7
Like so many young bookish kids I wrote poems and stories and filled pages of journals with dreams. But even though I adored writing, I still knew that being a real-life writer was a dream both great and impossible.
At different times I harboured the possibility that it might work. When I was seventeen, I wrote a story that was published in a collection. At college, I entered local writing competitions and had success. A couple of times, I wanted to register for a creating writing degree offered by Harvard University, but each time, the fear of failure held me back. Then I understood the dream was indeed impossible and I gave up writing setting out on the path to become a teacher.
Years later, after my daughter was born and deep in the intense world of a newborn, I felt urged to scribble (草草写下) madly. Then, two years later, late at night as I fed my second daughter. I read a book written by one of my teachers and it lit me up. I was hungry to make a reader feel something as intensely as she had made me feel.
I got in touch with my old teacher and with her encouragement, I finally registered for a creative writing degree and got actively involved in the writing events. At a literary event, I listened to a panel of writers and publishers talk about the need to be brave and take chances. At the end of the event, I took one of those chances, handing my as-yet-unfinished manuscript (手稿) to one of the panelists, who told me to send her the first three chapters via e-mail.
Six months later, I had my first publishing contract and felt like I’d won the lottery (彩票). There are a thousand different paths to publication, most of them with some rocky patches before the thrilling moment you hold your book in your hands.
25. Why did the author quit the idea of being a writer?
A. She had applied for a degree. B. She lacked sufficient courage.
C. she became known for a story. D. She wished to make a teacher.
26. What did the author decide to do after she read her teacher's book?
A. Realize the dream of being a writer. B. Make readers interested in the book.
C. Tell us her feeling about the teacher. D. Write about caring for young children.
27. What did the literary event bring to the author?
A. A certificate in writing. B. A talk with good friends.
C. A platform for manuscripts. D. A chance of publishing a book.
28. What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. My Path to Publication. B. My Views on Dreams.
C. My Talents for Writing. D. My Conversation with Panelists.
8
At the urban planning level, it's necessary to qualify “green infrastructure (基础设施)” within cities that can be used by non-human animals. The focus of planning is currently on providing ecosystem services that contribute to a healthy or at least tolerable living environment in cities that are experiencing increasingly extreme climates. Animals are rarely mentioned in this context.
Modern urban green space is characterized more by order, safety and ease of maintenance than by its quality as a habitat for animals. The objective associated with the term “urban green infrastructure” of combining the open space needs of people, animals and plants in an overall planning concept, of weighing up conflicts and using synergies (协同作用), is only being partially achieved at present.
If wildlife is to be able to live in cities, green space must also be planned for it. Furthermore, in order to support wildlife, urban space needs to be “barrier-free” and allow for the migration of species. The pathways wildlife chooses on land, in the air and in the water are very often impaired by human construction activities. Barrier-free planning for animals means that humans should reduce these destructive acts to give them a free path.
To improve the situation, we have developed what we call our Animal-Aided Design (AAD) method and are working to create ecological models and design tools for an architecture that considers animals and humans as partners in an integrated planning process. An architecture of cohabitation truly considers animals as fellow occupants of cities and tries to meet their needs as well. In this way, it opens up space where encounters between wildlife and people can occur and even has positive effects on our psychological and physical well-being.
29. What is a problem with the current urban planning?
A. It provides a habitat for animals. B. It brings about extreme climates.
C. It focuses more on human needs. D. It lacks advanced design concepts.
30. What is the author’s attitude to qualifying the “urban green infrastructure”?
A. Disapproving. B. Pessimistic. C. Critical. D. Supportive.
31. What does the underlined word “impaired” in Paragraph3 probably mean?
A. Destroyed. B. Maintained. C. Ignored. D. Opened.
32. Why has the AAD method been developed?
A. To monitor the planning process. B. To make urban space barrier-free.
C. To ensure people's psychological health. D. To design an architecture of cohabitation.
9
La Serna High School teacher and football coach Ken LaVigne has spent more than 30 years instructing students, touching the hearts of hundreds of educators with his compassion (同情心) and patience.
LaVigne has documented his experiences in “Coach the Soul”, an inspirational book that tells heartbreaking stories of the struggle and success of students on the program he created, Organized Academic Support in School (OASIS).
Launched in 2007, OASIS pairs students who are in danger of dropping out of high school with high-achieving peer (同龄人) instructors who provide daily motivation and emotional and academic (学业上的) support, helping them regain their joy of learning.
“When I started in the OASIS program, I had a 1.3 GPA(Grade Point Average) and I really didn’t understand why I came to school,” Jastin Cheadle said. “Mr. LaVigne explained why school is so important and showed us that if we want all these things in life we need to work for them.” Cheadle now has a 3.5 GPA and is an OASIS instructor. He plans to study marketing or business in college.
“When students come into the program, they are not in a good place,” said Jocelyn Jasso, who joined OASIS with a 1.55 GPA last year and had no plans to go to college. “Five to six months later, they are doing so much better because of Mr. Lavigue and our instructors, who always push us to do better.” Jasso has a 2.83 GPA and plans to pursue a career in the medical field in the future.
LaVigne is able to connect with these students because he admittedly was also not the most motivated student in school himself. “Working with at-risk students reminds me of my own youth and the times that I came so close to going down the wrong path,” LaVigne said. “What saved me were the teachers who gave me an identity and a reason to try. I am who I am today because of them.”
33. What is the book “Coach the Soul” mainly about?
A. LaVigne’s teaching experience.
B. La Serna High School’s history.
C. Stories of students’ personal growth.
D. Stories between students and teachers.
34. What can be learnt about the OASIS program?
A. Its sponsors are educators.
B. It was organized by students’ union.
C. It aims to equip students with job skills.
D. Its instructors are high school students.
35. What do Cheadle and Jasso have in common?
A. They come from poor families.
B. They help LaVigne run OASIS.
C. They have made academic progress.
D. They will pursue a career in medicine.
36. Who had a life-changing influence on LaVigne?
A. His family. B. His students. C. His teachers. D. His colleagues.
10
Coastal cities around the globe are sinking by up to several centimeters per year, on average, satellite observations reveal. The one-two punch of sinking land and rising seas means that these coastal regions are at greater risk of flooding than previously thought, researchers report in the April 16 Geophysical Research Letters.
Matt Wei, an earth scientist at the University of Rhode Island in Narragansett, and colleagues studied 99 coastal cities on six continents. “We tried to balance population and geographic location,” he says. While subsidence (下沉) has been measured in cities previously, earlier research has tended to focus on just one city or region. This investigation is different. Wei says, “It’s one of the first to really use data with global coverage.” Wei and his team relied on observations made mostly from 2015 to 2020 by a pair of European satellites. Instruments onboard beam microwave signals toward Earth and then record the waves that bounce back. By measuring the timing and intensity of those reflected waves, the team determined the height of the ground with millimeter accuracy. And because each satellite flies over the same part of the planet every 12 days, the researchers were able to trace how the ground deformed over time.
The largest subsidence rates — up to five centimeters per year — are mostly in Asian cities like Tianjin, China; Karachi, Pakistan; and Manila, Philippines, the team found. What’s more, about one-third, or 34, of the analyzed cities are sinking in some places by more than a centimeter per year. That’s a worrying trend, says Dario Solano-Rojas, an earth scientist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City who was not involved in the research. These cities are being hit with a double whammy: At the same time that sea levels are rising due to climate change, the land is sinking. “Understanding that part of the problem is a big deal,” Solano-Rojas says.
Wei and his colleagues think that the subsidence is largely caused by people. When the researchers looked at Google Earth imagery of the regions within cities that were rapidly sinking, the team saw mostly residential or commercial areas. That’s a tip-off that the culprit (元凶) is groundwater extraction, the team concluded. Landscapes tend to settle as water is pumped out of aquifers (含水层). But there’s reason to be hopeful. In the past, Indonesia’s Jakarta, for example, was sinking by nearly 30 cm/yr, on average. But now subsidence there and in other places has slowed, possibly due to recent governmental regulations limiting groundwater extraction.
37. How does Matt Wei and his colleagues’ research differ from previous ones?
A. It centers on observing European satellites.
B. It adopts comprehensive data on a global scale.
C. It demonstrates subsiding land and rising seas risk coastal regions.
D. It makes the connection between waves and the height of the ground.
38. What can we know from the third paragraph?
A. Most Asian cities are sinking at the rate of five centimeters per year.
B. Dario Solano-Rojas is in charge of statistical analysis in the research.
C. Some cities are in a difficult situation with land sinking and sea rising.
D. Cities subsiding at largest rates account for one third of the analyzed cities.
39. What is a cause of the subsidence according to the passage?
A. Launching satellites flying over the same part of the earth. B. Governments’ regulations on limiting water usage.
C. Rising seas flooding some coastal regions regularly. D. Pumping groundwater out for certain purposes.
40. What is the author’s attitude toward slowing down subsidence?
A. Optimistic. B. Skeptical. C. Tolerant. D. Conservative.
11
Today, the most frightening living shark is the great white, which is over six meters long and bites with a force of two tonnes. Its fossil relative, Megalodon that lived about 2.3 to 3.6 million years ago, was over twice the length of a great white shark and had a bite force of more than ten tonnes.
Jack Cooper and his team used a number of mathematical methods to find out the size and proportions(比例)of this monster, by making close comparisons with a variety of living relatives that have certain similarities to Megalodon. He said, “I have always been mad about sharks. Megalodon was actually the very animal that inspired me to pursue palaeontology, the study of fossils as a guide to the history of life on earth, in the first place when I was just six years old, so I was over the moon to get a chance to study it. This was my dream project.”
Previously the fossil shark, known formally as Otodus megalodon, was only compared with the great white. Jack and his colleagues, for the first time, expanded this analysis to include five modern sharks. “Megalodon is not a direct ancestor of the great white and is equally related to several modern sharks such as the salmon shark, as well as the great white. We collected detailed measurements of all five to make predictions about Megalodon.” Dr. Pimiento said.
The researchers discovered that the babies of all these modern sharks start out as little adults, and they don’t change in proportion as they get larger. Jack Cooper said, “This means we could simply take the growth curves(生长曲线) of the five modern forms and forecast the overall shape as they get larger and larger, right up to a body length of 16 meters.”
The results suggest that a 16-meter-long Megalodon likely had a head round 4.65 meters long, a fin about 1.62 meters tall on the back and a tail around 3.85 meters high. The reconstruction of the size of Megalodon’s body parts represents a fundamental step towards a better understanding of this huge extinct shark.
41. What does the underlined phrase “over the moon” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Very excited. B. A bit hesitant. C. Really stressed. D. Totally unprepared.
42. What was special about the new study led by Jack Cooper?
A. It proved the real existence of Megalodon.
B. It was based on data from five types of modern sharks.
C. It was aimed at finding the direct ancestor of the great white.
D. It compared Megalodon with the great white for the first time.
43. What did the researcher find about Megalodon?
A. Their bite force was equal to the great white’s.
B. Their body proportions changed during growth.
C. Their fin on the back could be as tall as an adult woman.
D. Their babies had the same body length as modern baby sharks.
44. What is the text mainly about?
A. A shark lover and his research team.
B. A study on the body size of Megalodon.
C. Different opinions on the body length of Megalodon.
D. The relation between Megalodon and modern sharks.
12
LONDON—England will join the growing list of places that don’t allow smoking in public buildings, taxis and other places that includes even Buckingham Palace with a strong law.
Pubs, clubs and restaurants will all be smoke-free places. Taxi drivers have been warned that they could be fined(罚款) 50 pounds, or about $100, if they are caught lighting up inside work taxis.
Experts say the bans have become unchangeable because of increasing health costs and public worry over second-hand smoke. Some of the strictest smoking bans are in some of the United States’ states, such as New York and Florida, which include bars and restaurants as smoke-free places.
Spain, Italy, Iran, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, South Africa, Uruguay and New Zealand have made laws to limit smoking. France banned smoking in many public places in February and cafes and restaurants will become non-smoking places next year. Finland will introduce a ban, too.
Bans are spreading among countries, and the World Health Organization supports them, but it said that by 2030 there will be “at least another two billion smokers in the world” and an expected decrease in male smokers “will be offset(抵消) by an increase in female smoking rates, especially in developing countries.”
In advance of the English ban, anti-smoking ads have coated bus stops and the government prepares to pay some money to help people give up smoking. The rest of Britain—Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—already have smoking bans ready.
45. England does the following to ban smoking EXCEPT________.
A. introduce a ban B. pay some money
C. reduce the health costs D. put up anti-smoking ads
46. What is the main idea of the first two paragraphs?
A. More places in Britain forbid smoking.
B. Taxis are smoking-free places in England.
C. People will be fined for smoking in public places.
D. A smoking ban must be put into use in England.
47. We can infer from the passage that________.
A. the smoking situation is still serious around the world
B. the number of smokers in Finland is not large at all
C. ads didn’t appear in England until the ban was started
D. Scotland will be one of the strictest anti-smoking places
48. The attitude of World Health Organization to the smoking bans is________.
A. doubtful B. supportive
C. negative D. indifferent (漠不关心的)
13
Around the country and around the world, there is no shortage of human suffering. Poverty, disease, violence, hurricanes, wildfire and more are constantly troubling humanity, and even our best efforts thus far can’t address all of everybody’s needs. Many are looking for places to cut funding, and one of the first places that comes up in conversation is excessive spending on space exploration. What good is it to conduct microgravity experiments repeatedly when children are starving? Why launch so many space-related projects when nuclear war threatens our planet?
This is a line of thinking that has been coming up throughout history. Yes, it’s short-sighted, in that it fails to recognize that our greatest problems require long-term investment, and that society’s greatest advances come about through hard work, research, development of decades after that is made. Investing in science is investing in the betterment of humanity.
Over these years, much of the results of the space research have been adapted to be applicable to our daily lives. For example, NASA’s advancements in the areas of robotics have given manufacturers an additional basis for the development of more advanced artificial limbs. Additionally, certain nutritional enrichment ingredients (成分) that were developed by NASA have been integrated into baby food formula.
Space technology has also helped improve economies. Within the next three years, the space exploration and space tourism industry are expected to be valued at 3 trillion USD. It is true that for every dollar we spend on the space program, the US economy receives about $8 of economic benefit. Space exploration can also serve as a motivation for children to enter the fields of science and engineering.
To many people, the idea of space travel may still seem far from practical. However, I believe that it is important that we keep going forward or we’ll risk delaying further discoveries and technological advancements that will be beneficial for us.
49. According to paragraph 1, what do some people think of space exploration?
A. Useless. B. Wasteful. C. Beneficial. D. Harmful.
50. What does the underlined word “that” in the second paragraph refer to?
A. The advance. B. The development.
C. The investment. D. The problem.
51. How does NASA’s advancements contribute to the development of artificial limbs?
A. By providing a foundation.
B. By adding certain materials.
C. By acting as a driving force.
D. By helping realize the mass production.
52. What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?
A. Space programs are of great benefit to us.
B. Space travel appears to be within people’s reach.
C. More and more children are interested in science.
D. New technological discoveries have been delayed.
14
In recent years, massive wildfires have destroyed landscapes and endangered people and animals in the US, Australia and Greece. These disasters have led to scores of deaths, and there is a growing scientific agreement that destructive wildfires will become more frequent as the planet continues to warm.
The statistics show that casualties, as well as the area of land burned, around the world are increasing year by year. That prompted Kamilaris and his colleagues to build a mobile app that provides personalised evacuation (撤离) routes to anyone caught in the path of a wildfire.
The app connects over mobile networks to a web server running a fire simulation (模拟) program, which uses publicly available data on geography, weather and vegetation type to predict the spread of fires at 15-minute intervals.
A fire management tool similar to those already in use lets local fire departments quickly tag when and where a fire starts, which is then used to generate real-time simulations. The app then takes the GPS location of each user to work out potential routes, selecting the best by weighing up how quickly each route gets them to safety against how close it takes them to the fire’s path.
The best option is then displayed either as turn-by-turn directions or as a route overlaid on a map of the area similar to those used by popular maps apps.
In a small pilot program at the Athalassa National Forest Park in Cyprus, all 17 people who took part successfully escaped a simulated fire. In questionnaires they answered after the trial, the participants said the app was easy to use and that they would use it in a real wildfire.
But Ed Galea, a fire safety expert, worries that the route-planning algorithm (运算法则 ) in the study is too simple to deal with the complexities of a real-world evacuation, such as varying travel speeds or potential congestion on escape routes.
And while fire and evacuation models can help experts plan or respond to emergencies, he thinks even state-of-the-art systems have limitations that currently make them unsafe in the hands of untrained people.
“That is not to say that the goal of having a personalised wildfire evacuation guidance system is not achievable” he says. “Just not today.”
Kamilaris admits the app still needs work and says the researchers plan to add features, like the ability to tailor travel speed and monitor users to prevent congestion, before testing again in more challenging situations.
53. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?
A. To present the central topic of global warming.
B. To introduce the background for inventing the app.
C. To raise a serious problem that will be solved later.
D. To arouse the readers’ interest in the newly-invented app.
54. Which of the following is true about the new app?
A. It has the feature of monitoring the user’s movement.
B. It is not user-friendly, especially for those untrained.
C. It provides updates about the fire every 15 minutes.
D. It has access to the fire department’s database.
55. One limitation of the new app is that________.
A. the route-planning algorithm used is not accurate
B. the escape route is too complex to follow
C. it may fall into the hands of bad people
D. it can’t predict the real-time congestion
56. With regard to a personalized wildfire evacuation guidance system, both Ed Galea and Kamilaris will agree probably that________.
A. its necessity is not to be questioned
B. its biggest obstacle is privacy protection
C. it will be commercialized soon
D. its achievement is almost impossible
15
57. What is the lowest price for a pair of HCR3?
A. $249. B. $229. C. $458. D. $849.
58. If one is not satisfied with purchased HCR3, he/she can________.
A. ask for a full refund B. make an appointment with a professional
C. get 100% deposit money back D. get another one for free
59. One feature of HCR3 is that________.
A. it is packed with extra bells and whistles
B. it can run for over 15 hours on a fully-charged battery
C. the pre-programmed type is for moderate hearing losses
D. four languages are available on 4 different programs
16
Facial recognition cameras are everywhere, including in your smartphone. Many people rely on this technology to unlock their phones, open doors or make quick payments, but there is a problem: Everyone is wearing mask. What a hassle!
Now, tech companies have updated their software. Facial recognition technology can now identify people even if they are wearing a mask.
Beijing-based tech company Hanwang has announced a software which can correctly recognize 95 percent of people wearing masks, Engineering & Technology（E&T）reported. What's the secret? It's all about your eyes.
Marios Savvides, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, US, studies facial recognition technology. “As we get older,” he said, “our faces change shape, but not the area around our eyes. It stays the same—even if we put on weight.”
Another company has also been working on this kind of software. Tech5 has AI that measures the shape of your face. It also scans your iris（the colored part of your eyes）. Tech5 hopes to ignore all of the face below the nose.
Facial recognition software is about more than just unlocking your phone. It's about public safety. Touchless verification（验证）has become extremely important due to the COVID-19. More than that，facial recognition can be used to fight crime（犯罪）. “It can detect crime suspects,” said Huang Lei, Hanwang's president. Hanwang's technology is used by police in high-security settings. This means places like government buildings, subway stations and airports. Huang admits one big weakness of this new technology: It fails when people wear both masks and sunglasses. “In this situation, all of the key facial information is lost, but I believe we can overcome the weakness in the future,” said Huang.
60. What does the underlined word “hassle” in paragraph 1 mean?
A. Habit. B. Trouble. C. Rule. D. Mistake.
61. What makes facial recognition software able to identify people wearing masks?
A. The forehead. B. The facial expression.
C. The shape of face. D. The eye region.
62. What is Huang Lei's attitude towards the facial recognition software?
A. Worried. B. Favorable.
C. Disapproving. D. Doubtful.
63. What can be inferred about the new technology from the last paragraph?
A. There is room for improvement in it. B. It cannot store key facial information.
C. It will lose popularity in the future. D. It won't work if people wear glasses.
17
In the oceans, concrete is the main construction material, accounting for more than 70% of coastal and marine construction such as ports, coastal defense structures and waterfronts. “Concrete is damaging the ocean because, to put it in place, natural ecosystems are destroyed,” says Alex Rogers, director of a nonprofit company studying ocean health and raising awareness of global impacts on the marine environment. “Concrete is a conventioal material, and it is low cost. But we should be looking at alternative materials.”
Those alternatives might already be here. Among them is a substance called ECOncrete. It produces bio-enhancing concrete products intended to protect coastlines and marine resources. This is achieved by using a mixture made almost entirely of by-products and recycled materials, and is thus nearly carbon neutral. The overall result is a low-carbon concrete.
Furthermore, unlike traditional concrete, which is highly alkaline (碱性的), the specially designed concrete has a PH value near to that of sea water, which helps to promote the growth of marine species such as crabs,clams, mussels, and oysters. ECOncrete is already in use across eight countries and six different areas.
However, Beth Strain, a project leader for Australia’s National Center for Coasts and Climate, says the evidence for the concrete as a better surface for marine organisms is very mixed. “It can be location specific. We did an experiment in 13 harbors around the world with the same type of concrete surface complexity. Largely, the results were positive, but in Penang, Malaysia, for example, using the concrete that would theoretically preserve moisture (水分) and be better for organisms to survive made no difference.” Strain thinks this is because of the area’s typhoons, which make the area very wet already, so the features of the concrete aren’t a big help. “There is a degree of difference and each location has its own environmental chanllenges,” says Strain.
Nevertheless, from multiple perspectives, it appears that nature-based solutions are definitely the way forward.
64. What do we know about ECOncrete from the text?
A. It is a substance that is highly alkaline.
B. It is a company aiming to keep marine life safe.
C. It is a substance that has a lower impact on oceans.
D. It is a mixture which is combined with low-carbon concrete.
65. What is Beth Strain’s attitude towards ECOncrete?
A. Negative B. Indifferent C. Objective D. Supportive
66. What contribute to the result in Penang according to Beth Strain?
A. The climate of the area. B. The PH value of the sea water.
C. The researchers of the project D. The diversity of the marine organisms.
67. Which one may be a possible solution in the future?
A. Invent a new artificial material. B. Install monitors under the oceans.
C. Use stone in coastal constructions. D. Pull down current coastal constuctions.
18
With the help of new devices on mice, scientists are using light to switch nerve cells on and off in mice’s brains to explore the animals’ social behavior, a new study shows.
The new devices rely on optogenetics(光遗传学), a technique in which researchers use bursts of light to stimulate or control the brain nerve cells, often using tailored viruses to genetically correct cells so they respond to light. Scientists have applied optogenetics to explore neural(神经的) circuits in mice and other lab animals to come to a conclusion on how they might work in humans. Optogenetic devices often feed light to neurons via fiber-optic cables, but such things can influence natural behaviors and social interactions. While scientists recently developed implantable(可植入的) wireless optogenetic devices, these depend on relatively simple remote controls or limited sets of preprogrammed instructions.
These new fully implantable optogenetic devices can enable more complex research. Specifically, the researchers can adjust each device’s programming during the course of experiment. “So you can target what an animal does in a much more complex way,” says Genia Kozorovitskiy, a researcher at Northwestern University.
These devices are battery-free, wirelessly powered by the same high-frequency radio waves used to remotely control the intensity, duration and timing of the light pulses. The devices also allow scientists to control four different neural circuits in an animal simultaneously, thanks to LEDs that give out four colors——blue, green, yellow and red——instead of just one.
The widely available wireless technology used in this work, the same now used in contactless payment with credit cards, could allow broad adoption across the neuroscience community “without extensive specialized hardware”, says Philipp Gutruf at the University of Arizona. “That means that we might see these devices in many labs in the near future, enabling new discoveries.”
68. What’s scientists’ purpose of using optogenetics?
A. To control humans’ brain nerve cells.
B. To account for humans’ social interactions.
C. To figure out how neural circuits affect humans.
D. To correct tailored viruses entering the human bodies.
69. What does the underlined word “simultaneously” in paragraph 4 mean?
A. Once in a while. B. At the same time.
C. By ones and twos. D. On a regular basis.
70. What can we infer from Philipp Gutruf’s words?
A. The function of wireless technology.
B. The promising future of the devices.
C. The novel application of the devices.
D. The development of wireless technology.
71. Which can be the best title for the text?
A. Scientists Can Kill Mice with Light
B. Scientists Control Humans’ Social Interactions
C. Scientists Control Social Behavior of Mice with New Devices
D. Scientists Can Record Human Neural Circuits with New Devices
19
When plumbing (水暖设备) makes funny noises, it’s not always a good sign. But John Kovac, a harpist (竖琴演奏者) from Virginia, likes the pipes to sing. He thinks plumbing pipes make good musical instruments.
Kovac has made standard harps out of wood for more than 20 years. He says he feels excited when he creates an instrument with his hands and uses it to make music come alive. But it takes years of training and special tools to make a traditional musical instrument. Kovac wanted to share the joy of making instruments with people who might not have the time or money to do it. So he decided to find an easier way.
Plumbing was the answer. Kovac found PVC pipes at a local store. PVC pipes are the white tubing that many plumbers use. You might find some in your house under a sink or in the basement. Kovac says that PVC pipes are great for making instruments because they are inexpensive, come in many shapes and sizes, and fit together perfectly.
Kovac makes harps, guitars, violins, and drums out of PVC pipes. He also makes uncommon instruments like the udu from Nigeria. His instruments may look as if they come from outer space, but they really work. He and some of his music students and friends even started a band called the East Coast PVC Band.
Sally Seabright is a violin teacher who plays the PVC violin with the band. At first, the rounded shape of the PVC violin made it difficult to hold between her chin and shoulder, but Kovac made a slight change by adding a piece that fits perfectly under her chin. That kind of adaptability is what Kovac admires about PVC. He says, “I know it’s not easy for the average person to make a musical instrument, but I hope to enable anyone who has ever dreamed of making a violin, harp, or guitar to fulfill his or her dreams.”
72. What does the author intend to show in paragraph 2?
A. The great hardships of being a harpist.
B. The different instruments Kovac has created.
C. The process of making a musical instrument.
D. The reason Kovac came up with his creative idea.
73. Why have PVC pipes won Kovac’s favor?
A. They are environmentally friendly.
B. They are highly available and adaptable.
C. They can make better sounds than wood.
D. They offer a selling point for his instruments.
74. What can be learned about the PVC instruments from paragraph 4?
A. They are a bit difficult to hold for players.
B. They are very unusual in the way they look.
C. They are inspired by outer space elements.
D. They are designed to play traditional music.
75. Why does the author mention Sally Seabright in the last paragraph?
A. To explain Kovac’s dream.
B. To show the strength of PVC. C. To describe his passion for music.
D. To introduce the East Coast PVC Band.
20
Unlike thousands of tourists who hike in Yellowstone National Park to admire its natural landscape and hot springs every year, Abdelrhman Mohamed was traveling with a team of scientists to hunt for life within the hot springs.
After several hours of hiking in the Heart Lake Geyser Basin area, the team found four unpolluted pools of hot water. They carefully left a few electrodes (电极) placed into the land next to the water, hoping to attract little-known creatures out of hiding — bacteria (细菌) that can “ eat and breathe ” electricity.
After 32 days, the team returned to the hot springs to collect the electrodes. Working with other scientists, Mohamed had a look at the electrodes and found that they had succeeded in catching their small game: heat-loving bacteria that “ breathe ” electricity through the hard surface of the electrodes. These tiny creatures are not only of research interest, they may also hold a key to solving some of the biggest challenges facing humans.
As a means of fighting environmental pollution and creating more energy sources, such bacteria can “ eat ” pollution by changing deadly pollutants into less harmful matter and producing electricity in the process. “ As these bacteria pass their electrons (电子) into metals or other hard surfaces, they can produce a stream of electricity that can be used for low power applications, ” said Haluk Beyenal, a famous university professor of chemistry.
Though the researchers did not detail exactly how they would be continuing their work with the bacteria, it will hopefully lead to an exciting new tool for fighting climate change and pollution in the near future.
76. Why did the scientists hike in Yellowstone National Park?
A. To enjoy its good view. B. To look for fresh water.
C. To find the cause of pollution. D. To search for special bacteria.
77. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about concerning this research?
A. Its purpose. B. Its finding. C. Its conclusion. D. Its significance.
78. How do such bacteria “ eat ” pollution according to this research?
A. By breaking down harmful matter with electricity.
B. By creating more energy sources in hot water.
C. By using low-power apps for environmental protection.
D. By sopping the pollutants producing electricity.
79. What is the author’s attitude towards this research?
A. Doubtful. B. Concerned. C. Positive. D. Unfriendly.
21
Technology is more than an abstract concept associated with advanced tools and systems. It also shapes the way people behave, grow and develop, both within their own lives and in their relationships with others. While technology has developed over thousands of years, the last century has seen an explosion in technology that has influenced fundamental changes in how humans see the world and interact with others. Specifically, the Internet and mobile devices have completely changed the way people interact with each other. There has been a debate going on whether technology is benefiting human communication or ruining it.
Undoubtedly, technology is helping people build newer and necessary communication skills. In business, office employees and managers use technology to send emails to one another, which is considered a communication skill. On social media, just share a few of your images and people start communicating on and about your images according to their viewpoint. With the outbreak of COVID-19, in order to work on the projects, the students use their phones to reach their teachers and classmates.
However, technology is sometimes considered to disconnect people from others around them. With cell phones, most people think that it's easier and more convenient to text instead of meeting in person. Lucas Lengacher, an undergraduate from Huntington University, claims in his article that at least 42.91% people respond to messages immediately yet only 2.83% people don't check their phones in the morning. In his research he "found that almost 60 percent of people felt disconnected from others around when they were on their phones"
80. Which has basically influenced human interaction according to the passage?
A. People's value. B. Social systems.
C. Mobile devices. D. Communication skills.
81. How is the idea of paragraph 2 supported?
A. By analyzing data. B. By providing cases.
C. By defining a concept D. By making comparisons.
82. What does Lucas's research find?
A. Phones are getting more and more popular.
B. Phones disconnect us when we are together.
C. People are eager for personal communication.
D. People communicate less because of physical distance.
83. What is the author's attitude to technology?
A. Disappointed. B. Positive.
C. Doubtful D. Objective
22
Robert Jarvik, born on May 11, 1946 in Michigan and raised in Stamford, is a medical scientist and researcher, who played an important role in the invention of the artificial heart. He was interested in medicine from a young age. He watched his father perform operations and gained a patent (专利权) for a machine applied in the medical operation before he graduated from high school.
Jarvik attended Syracuse University and considered a career in art. When his father developed heart disease suddenly, he decided then to work on a medical career. He applied to medical schools, but was not admitted to any schools in the US. Before long, he was admitted to the medical school in Italy and stayed there for two years. He returned to get a degree in medicine from New York University in 1971.
After working for a period of time; Jarvik got a job in the organ transplant (器官移植) program at the University of Utah in 1972. He worked with the director of the program, Willem Kolff, who invented the kidney dialysis (肾透析) machine.
By the time Jarvik came to the University of Utah, the organ program had already developed the primary artificial heart. He improved it by creating a diaphragm (横膈膜), which solved many issues with the heart. Eventually, he created the first artificial heart in 1981, the Jarvik-7, to be placed in a human patient, which was considered one of the most important inventions in human history.
Barney Clark, a retired dentist suffering from serious heart disease, received the Jarvik-7 transplant on December 2, 1982. He lived for 112 days after the operation, but the transplant was considered a success. Though receiving criticism for the risk referred to transplant an artificial heart, the Jarvik-7 still became very important for patients who were waiting for a heart. In 1987, Jarvik moved to New York City and formed Jarvik Research Inc. He began developing a new heart — the Jarvik 2000. This smaller machine fits inside a patient’s heart rather than replacing the entire organ.
84. How does the writer develop the passage?
A. By presenting some research results.
B. By following the natural time order.
C. By discussing research experiments.
D. By comparing opinions from different fields.
85. Which of the following incidents made Robert Jarvik determine his life-long career?
A. His father developed heart disease suddenly.
B. He received a patent for the medical operation.
C. He took part in the organ program at the University of Utah.
D. He was refused to be admitted to any medical school in the US.
86. What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. He invented the kidney dialysis machine.
B. His greatest achievement was the man-made artificial heart.
C. He created a diaphragm to replace a patient’s heart.
D. He did the first heart transplant operation for a heart patient
23
Architect Diébédo Francis Kéré of Burkina Faso won the Pritzker Prize, the world’s highest recognition in building design.
Kéré is a citizen of both Burkina Faso and Germany and lives in Berlin. He said he was the “happiest man on this planet” to become the 51st recipient of the famous yearly prize. Kéré is famed for building schools, health centers, housing and other public spaces across Africa. His buildings can be found in his homeland, as well as in Benin, Mali, Kenya, Mozambique, Togo and Sudan. When he was twenty in 1985, Kéré earned a vocational scholarship to study carpentry in Berlin. But while absorbed in the practicality of roofing and furniture making, he also attended night school and was admitted to Technische Universität Berlin, from which he graduated in 2004 with an advanced degree in architecture. He was still a student when he designed and built the innovative Gando Primary School.
Unlike traditional school buildings, which use concrete, Kéré’s inventive design combined local clay and cement to form bricks. The material helps keep the building cool in a hot environment. A wide, raised metal roof protects the building from rain and helps air flow. Kéré involved the local community throughout the design and building of the school. The number of students at the school increased from 120 to 700.
Kéré is the first African to be honored with the Pritzker. In his native Burkina Faso, citizens celebrated the win. Nebila Aristide Bazie, head of the Burkina Faso architects’ council, said the award “highlights the African architect and the people of Burkina Faso.”
“He knows, from within, that architecture is not about the object but the objective; not the product, but the process,” says the 2022 Jury Citation (评审辞), in part. “Francis Kéré’s entire body of work shows us the power of materiality rooted in place. His buildings, for and with communities, are directly of those communities-in their making, their materials, their programs and their unique characters.”
87. What can we know about Kéré from the text?
A. He got a degree in architecture in 1986.
B. Many of his buildings can be found in Berlin.
C. He is highly popular in his native Burkina Faso.
D. He is the first German winner of the Pritzker Prize.
88. Why does Kéré use bricks made of local clay and cement?
A. To keep the building cool in hot weather.
B. To make the building stronger.
C. To protect the building from rain.
D. To ensure better indoor air flow.
89. What did Nebila probably think of Kéré’s winning the Pritzker Prize?
A. Touching and impressive.
B. Amazing and unexpected.
C. Deserving and fortunate.
D. Exciting and inspiring.
90. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about?
A. The reasons for awarding Kéré the Pritzker Prize.
B. Kéré’s concepts of architecture in Africa.
C. Kéré’s diverse styles of African buildings.
D. The real purpose of Kéré’s whole works.
24
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was invented by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers. It is a self-report questionnaire indicating differing psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. The MBTI personality inventory (量表) sorts people into 16 type categories, each of which is represented by four-letter codes such as INFP and ESTJ. Every year, about 1.5 million people have enjoyed discovering their personality type by completing the MBTI. Many companies, as well as hundreds of universities, use it in hiring and training.
Nevertheless, the MBTI has received a noticeable criticism from the academic community. Some research suggests the MBTI is unreliable because the same person can get different results when retaking the test. Other studies have questioned the validity of the MBTI, which is the ability of the test to accurately link the “types” to outcomes in the real world -for example, how well people classified as a certain type will perform in a given job.
Merve Emre, a professor a Oxford University, points out that it would be more scientifically advisable to score the MBTI scales continuously to show people the degree to which they resemble the types. Even when the MBTI’s results don’t quite match your intuition (直觉) about yourself or are just wrong, they can still provide self-insight and insight into differences and similarities between people.
Scoring and interpreting the MBTI the way other personality inventories are scored and interpreted might be less fun than finding. All of the folklore (民间看法) about INFPs, ESTJs, etc. would have to be dismissed. But, in the end the MBTI is sufficiently reliable and valid enough to be useful in a number of real-world contexts.
91. What do we know about the MBTI from the first paragraph?
A. It is a personality-testing tool. B. It is divided into 16 categories.
C. It is a study of personal preference. D. It is a questionnaire on four-letter codes.
92. Why does the MBTI invite criticism?
A. It performs badly in job interviews B. Its reliability has been questioned.
C. It requires people to retake the test D. Its advantages are not fully shown.
93. What does Merve Emre think of the MBTI?
A. It is beyond criticism. B. It is a more scientific test.
C. It is less fun than other tests. D. It is useful for self-exploration.
94. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
A. How Can We Use the MBTI? B. Why do We Criticise the MBTI?
C. Is the MBTI Totally Meaningless? D. Is Scoring the MBTI Really Necessary?
25
World Students’ Day
World Students’ Day is observed on November 17 every year. ____95____ . Though it was originally a day of commemoration of the more than 1,200 students from the University of Prague whose lives were taken in WWII, World Students’ Day has become an occasion for universities across the world to boast (以……为自豪) their masses of international students, and the good they do for the local community.
There are a number of ways to celebrate World Students’ Day. ____96____, you can spend some time with other students and lift one another up. Make sure you let them know that you have noticed how much work they have put in! It is always good to be there to support one another.
____97____,it would be lovely to make an effort to make them feel at home. You could put a basket together with traditional gifts and treats from their home country inside. You could get in touch with their home friends and family members. Of course, making this contact depends on how well you know the person. If you don’t know them very well, they may feel like you are interfering with (打扰) their personal life. ____98____.
You could also decide to fund raise or raise awareness for charities for students who have learning difficulties. ____99____. Yet, for a lot of people, it is not that easy! Some people find it more challenging than others for a lot of different reasons. If everyone simply posts one message or does one thing to raise awareness, students around the world will feel appreciated and we will be able to do more for those who need it most.
A. If you are a student yourself
B. If you know any international students
C. Visitors are highly expected at the events
D. They ensure to offer quality care in all aspects
E. So make sure you judge the situation appropriately
F. After all, everyone should be able to have an education
G. It is a celebration of multiculturalism and cooperation among students across the globe
26
Urban Boatbuilders (UBB) in St. Paul, Minnesota began in 1995 with a goal of introducing youths to working with their hands as a path to employment. It is a non-profit organization funded through donations from individuals and corporations. ___100___The early staff had a few woodworkers among them, so they cided to teach kids how to build boats from scratch. The journey had begun.
Over the decades since, the goal of the program has grown while keeping true to its roots. UBB recognizes that youths in general and especially low-income youths lack both the academic opportunities and workforce training to succeed. ___101___ It now offers an apprenticeship (学徒期) program where it hires people 16 to 21 years old to work in the woodshop. It prioritizes youths with barriers to employment.
___102___ What does that look like in the day-to-day of their apprenticeships? In addition to learning technical woodworking skills while building a boat, they also need to develop communication skills, learn how to manage their time and exercise personal and cooperative problem-solving. These are necessary skills for their future employment.
The staff work strongly to further individualize the program. If a youth needs a driver’s license, they help them with the process. If they want to improve their public speaking, the staff works with them. Things like filling out a job application and practicing interviewing skills are other target areas. ___103___
UBB also has a partnership program that brings woodworking and building to schools in the area. ___104___ To see woodworking put to truly good work is inspiring. UBB is a great resource for youths. I was impressed and uplifted by the important work it is doing for them.
A. The program has a highly individualized focus.
B. It developed a program to address those roadblocks.
C. The staff are truly invested in each youth’s progress.
D. UBB’s program has both advantages and disadvantages.
E. It is supported by volunteers besides the highly professional staff.
F. It required them to obey the rules and worked for the organization.
G. The classes have been well received and provide hands-on learning for students.
27
Seven of the world’s 15 most aid-dependent countries are islands in the Pacific. ____105____. But now the changing weather patterns are another factor that could make low-lying islands unfit for human beings to live long before most of them disappear.
Many of the ring-shaped coral islands have been able to adapt to sea-level rise, changing shape as sediment (沉积物) decreases and waves push them around. But the natural adaptation of coastal ecosystems may be only temporary: faster rates of sea-level rise, stronger waves and a growing human population may lower their ability to adapt. ____106____.
Another risk more urgent comes from even small rises in the sea level. These can cause extremely high tides to briefly but entirely cover the narrow parts of low-lying land. ____107____. The saltwater can kill crops such as banana and gets into groundwater, making it unfit to drink. The companies that changing salty water into fresh water are pricey and, like all machines, can fail. “____108____,” says Michael Walsh, a former economic adviser to Kiribati. “But people of these islands may well die of thirst.”
____109____. “How to prepare to move a nation in dignity, that has never been done before,” says Kamal Amakrane, a migration expert. “This is happening,” Mr Amakrane warns, “We have 10-15 years to prepare for it.”
A. It is important
B. That is one risk
C. The islands are not drowning
D. Such “king tides” are becoming more frequent
E. The depressing long-term solution may be to move
F. Tales of sinking islands have been going on for years
G. People can ask for help from the international organizations
28
Science experiments don’t always go as planned. ____110____. Recently, Australian scientists learned something unexpected about magpies(喜鹊) when they tried to attach trackers to them to learn more about their habits.                                                  
____111____. They’re medium-sized black and white birds from the same bird “family” as crows and blue jays. They’re known to be quite clever. They live in groups of up to 12 birds and work together to defend the area they live in.
The researchers were eager to try a new tracker on the magpies. They hoped to learn more about how far the birds flew and what they did during a normal day. But it’s hard to find trackers that work well with small-and medium-sized birds. ____112____. The new trackers are light and can be recharged without wires while they are still on the birds.
To keep the trackers on the birds without causing flying problems, the researchers developed a special harness(系带). It was tough, so it wouldn’t come off by accident. ____113____. The researchers placed trackers on five magpies. But just ten minutes after setting up the last magpie, they noticed something unusual: an adult female magpie was helping another magpie get free from its harness. A few hours later, most of the other magpies were also freed from their harnesses. By the third day, none of the birds had trackers anymore.
The scientists were disappointed about the trackers. However, they realized that the magpies had taught them something else—____114____, even if the bird who is helping doesn’t get a reward.
A. Magpies are able and willing to help each other out
B. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn from them
C. Either the trackers are too heavy, or don’t last long enough
D. Magpies may have a hard time adapting to global warming
E. The birds the scientists hoped to study were Australian magpies
F. The scientists need to find a good way to track these clever birds
G. But there was just one problem-the birds didn’t like the trackers
29
A student named Bruce sent me an email. He said, “My parents promised me a trip to California Disneyland if I get good grades in the final exams. ____115____. Why do adults connect everything with school grades?”
The following are my tips about his problem:
I understand your problem, and this must be frustrating to hear. Studies are important in a young person’s life. ____116____. However, too much stress could have a negative influence on your mood and even how you perform at school.
For the time being, it is best to have a positive attitude. ____117____. However, if you feel that your parents are putting you under too much pressure, then be honest and tell them how you feel. This way in the future when you have more exams, they will be less likely to put you in such an awkward situation, in which your results directly determine how they treat you.
____118____ if you explain to them your annoyance and how the added stress will be counter-productive (产生反效果的) for your exam performance.
It may be a long time since your parents were at school so they may find it difficult to understand your situation. I remember the days when I endlessly studied for exams, worrying before the big day came. ____119____, instead of worrying about the future consequences of any result. As a general rule for exams, try to make sure you have a schedule that allows you time to relax. I found this incredibly useful in helping me keep focused.
Be honest with your parents. At the end of the day, you are still fortunate enough that you have the chance of a trip after the exams are over.
A. But if I don’t, they will cancel the trip
B. Don’t expect much from them
C. I always found it best to focus on the task at hand
D. Your parents want to reward you for your hard work
E. I feel full of confidence and so open to possibilities
F. They may think differently about how they offer motivation
G. Try and let this potential reward motivate you if you can
30
Walking or running outdoors, people usually see rubbish all over the ground. Well, some people are doing something about it. ___120___ “Plogging” began in Sweden. The name connects the Swedish word “plocka” which means to pick up, and the word “jogging” which means to run slowly.
A Swedish man named Erik Ahlström, started the movement in 2016. He moved to Stockholm from a small community(社区) in northern Sweden. Each day he would ride his bike to work. He became worried about the amount of rubbish and litter he saw each day on his way to work. So, he took matters into his own hands. He began picking up the rubbish. ___121___
Today, plogging is an official activity, which is becoming more and more popular. People of all ages are welcome to plog. Exercise while helping your community. ___122___ It can also build closer social connections in a community. When the street looks bad and it’s dirty, you’re going to feel bad about the community. You may even feel less safe because of that. So if we’re all doing our part and picking it up, it’s very easy to help beautify it, and help build those social connection. ___123___ You get to feel some social duty when you do this.
Along with cleaning up the environment, there may be another reason to choose plogging instead of just jogging. You may get a better workout. One fitness app, Lifesum, records one hour of plogging as burning 288 calories. ___124___
As can be seen, cities around the world now hold plogging events. The goal is to spread the idea that littering is not acceptable. People would think twice before dropping a garbage on the ground.
A. And that is how plogging was born!
B. In other words, plogging is equal parts of exercise and community service.
C. There are people all around the world doing this.
D. They are plogging!
E. You get to know your neighbors.
F. And plogging does good to your mental health.
G. Usual jogging burns about 235 calories.
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VR and the Olympics: changing what viewers can experience?
The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics was full of breakthroughs. It is the biggest Olympics’ news and media coverage so far. ____125____
Though VR headsets have been widely accepted across industries such as gaming and tourism, their uses haven’t fully been explored. ____126____ That’s why we are here to clarify VR’s effects on the Olympics.
●____127____
Due to the pandemic situation, the events this year weren’t open to the public, which means getting close to the action was going to require some technological intervention.
By live-casting sport games in 360 VR video, viewers can experience never-before-seen immersiveness (沉浸感), and truly feel like they’re in the field with their favorite athletes! So, it makes sense that the Olympics turned to VR to give viewers a close view of all the events.
●Overcome practical difficulties
Both the Winter Olympics and its Paralympics equivalent were held in Beijing this year, which aren’t easy to reach for most of us in the West. Thus, the application of VR technology helps relay (转播) the Olympics despite geographical distance.
And when it comes to the Winter Olympics, there is a lot not so enjoyable. There is no amount of gloves and layers that will put off the cold long enough for you to enjoy the skiing. ____128____
But with a VR headset, you can see all the action just from the comfort of your home, saving yourself the realistic troubles.
●Watch whenever you want
The VR experience offered far more than just a comfortable place to watch. ____129____ In other words, it means you can watch your favourite moments over and over again. There is also footage (镜头) of the opening and closing ceremony available, so that you can appreciate another aspect of the successful Olympics.
A. Pay an on-site visit
B. Have an up-close look
C. There was live and on demand coverage available.
D. However, virtual reality is very important in our lives.
E. Unfortunately, this was also the case for the Olympics.
F. It is also where virtual reality really enters the golden period.
G. There is also a lot of standing around and waiting for an event.
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Whenever you meet someone for the first time, you take great care to make a good impression. ___130___ When customers call for the first time they will judge you and your organization based on the impression that you make when you take and deal with their calls. Do you know what to say and do in such everyday situation on the telephone?
★Answering the phone politely.
The way in which you answer the telephone say a lot about you. ___131___ So make sure it’s a good one. Before you pick up the phone make sure that there is a smile on your face. Believe me, you can hear a smile! You should sound friendly and welcoming on the phone even when you’re having a terrible day.
★Transferring (转移) calls.
If someone has reached you or your department by mistake, kindly transfer them and offer them information on how they can better reach that person next time. For example, you can say, “I’m sorry. ___132___ Let me transfer you to Ms Smith in Human Resources. If you’d like to reach her directly next time, her extension (分机) is 3556.”
★Taking messages.
Sometimes I’m amazed by the things people tell me when I call a company to speak to someone. I hear everything from “He’s out.” with no explanation, to “He is on the toilet.”   ___133___ The proper response when some is out is something like the following: “___134___ Can I help you, or would you like to leave a message?”
A. Treat customers with respect.
B. I’m sorry but she is away from her desk.
C. That’s a little more information than I need!
D. You’ve actually reached the wrong department.
E. The same should be true when you “meet” someone over the phone.
F. Your voice and attitude create the first impression that the caller receives.
G. When you are not the person the caller wants to speak to, politely transfer them to the correct person.
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Keep it secure
All apps collect data as you use them. Following these four steps will help ensure you’re not oversharing.
For starters, download apps only from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, not from random websites. ___135___
Before you accept an app’s terms and conditions, look at what information it’s planning to collect and think twice if it’s asking for too many permissions. ___136___ Also, most apps don’t need to know your location, but for those that do, you can choose to enable location services only when using the particular app, another smart privacy safeguard.
Sign up using an e-mail address you’ve set up just for things like app permissions and e-mail newsletters. ___137___ This way, if there is a security breach (缺口), your exposure is contained to things connected to that address.
___138___ This means a long one (at least ten characters) with a mixture of letters, numbers, and special characters – and, sorry, a unique password for each app. According to security experts, a good trick is to create a memorable “passphrase” by creating a series of random words, and then substitute numbers or special characters (i.e., @ for at) for some of the letters. ___139___Go ahead and write them down — just store your cheat sheet in a secure location (not your wallet or phone case!). Or enlist a password manager such as 1Password or LastPass.
A. And, of course, use a secure password.
B. How will you ever remember them all?
C. Just be sure to choose your teams’ official apps
D. These apps meet the major companies’ quality standards.
E. Do you have an old smartphone you’re not using anymore?
F. Don’t use your main e-mail address or social media account.
G. For example, why would a gaming app need access to your text messages?
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Blackmagic Design is a leader in video for the television industry, and now you can create your own streaming videos with ATEM Mini. Simply connect HDMI cameras, computers or even microphones. Then push the buttons to switch video sources just like a professional broadcaster! You can even add titles, pictures and mixed sounds! Then live stream (直播) to Zoom, Skype or YouTube! ____140____
Create Training and Educational Videos
____141____ All the buttons are positioned on the front panel so it’s very easy to learn. There are 4 HDMI video inputs for connecting cameras and computers, plus a USB output that looks like a webcam (网络摄像头) so you can connect to Zoom or Skype. ATEM Software Control for Mac and PC is also included, which allows access to more advanced “ broadcast” features!
Use Professional Video Effects
ATEM Mini is really a professional broadcast switcher used by television stations. ____142____. As you know, such effects are commonly used for commenting over a computer slide show. There are titles for presenter names, wipe effects for transitioning between sources and a green screen keyer.
____143____
The ATEM Mini Pro model has a built-in streaming engine for live streaming via its Ethernet (以太网) connection. This means you can live stream to YouTube, Facebook and Teams in much better quality. You can even connect a hard disk to the USB connection and record your stream for upload later!
Monitor all Video Inputs!
With so many cameras, computers and effects, things can get busy fast! The ATEM Mini Pro model features a “multiview” that lets you see all cameras, titles and program, plus streaming and recording status all on a single TV or monitor. There are even tally indicators (提示灯) to show when a camera is on air! ____144____
A. Connect a computer to ATEM Mini.
B. ATEM Mini includes everything you need.
C. This means it has professional effects such as a DVE for picture in picture effects.
D. Conduct Live Stream Training
E. ATEM Mini is a true professional television studio in a small design!
F. ATEM Mini Pro is affordable to most average families at the price of US$495.
G. Here are some special characteristics of ATEM Mini.