【推荐1】Researchers have developed a wearable device (设备). It is stretchy (有弹性的) enough that you can wear it like a ring, a bracelet or any other accessory that touches your skin. It also changes the body’s temperature into electricity, about 1 volt of energy for every square centimeter of skin space — less voltage per area than what most existing batteries provide but still enough to power electronics like watches or fitness trackers. It can heal itself when damaged and is fully recyclable, making it a cleaner alternative (替代品) to traditional electronics.

The innovation (创新) begins with a base made out of a stretchy material called polyamine. The scientists then stick a series of thin heating chips into that base, connecting them all with liquid metal wires. The final product looks like a Cross between a plastic watch and a minicomputer motherboard or maybe a diamond ring.

Just pretend that you’re out for a jog. As you exercise, your body heats up, and that heat will radiate out to the cool air around you. The device catches that flow of energy instead of letting it go to waste. A person taking a quick walk could use a device the size of a typical sports wristband to produce about 5 volts of electricity, which is more than what many watch batteries can hold.

The new devices are as stretchy as biological tissue. If your device tears, for example, you can put together the broken ends, and they’ll seal back up in just a few minutes.

Researchers are trying to make their devices as cheap and reliable as possible, while also having as close to zero effect on the environment as possible. While there are still problems to work out in the design, they think that the devices could appear on the market in a few years.

1. Which of the following statements is false about the device?

A．It can repair itself.	B．It can be recycled.
C．It can evaluate itself.	D．It can transform energy.

2. How can a wearer make the device produce electricity?

A．By shaking it fast.	B．By leaving it in the cool air.
C．By connecting it with watch batteries.	D．By giving out heat.

3. What do the researchers think about the devices?

A．They will have a bright future.	B．They will be expensive.
C．They can not be damaged by force.	D．They are completely environment-friendly.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．An Innovation in wearable Devices

B．A Great Exercise Companion

C．A New Function of Traditional Electronics

D．A Biological Battery in the Human Body

【推荐2】One of the things that makes your smart-phone so smart is that if you pull it out in the sun, it senses that—and dials up the screen brightness to compensate. But it’s not a perfect solution.

“First of all, it’s still not bright enough—you have to remember how respectable sunlight is.” Shin-Tson Wu, a physicist at the University of Central Florida. The other problem, he says of the brightened screen, is it kills the battery. So Wu and colleagues have produced a battery-sparing alternative: an anti-reflective screen-coating. Based on the eyes of moths. “Nature is so rich! We can learn a lot from nature. “The thing Wu and others have learned about moth eyes, is that they’re uneven, dotted with tiny projections. That uneven surface reduces the reflection of light off their eyes- thought to help the bugs escape predators (捕食者), and see better in low light. So Wu and his team built a similar surface with tiny dimples (凹), to cut down on glare. He says the dimpled coating could improve the readability of a screen by five to 10 times, compared to a normal smart-phone screen. The details are in the journal Optica.

The tech hasn’t been commercialized yet, and that could take a few years. Which gives researchers time to take advantage of another property of these surfaces: they’re flexible. Meaning the possibility of bendable displays. Combine that with the bendy batteries we reported on in a recent podcast(播客), and it looks the smart-phones of the future could be set for a real transformation.

1. Why do the researchers develop the anti-reflective screen-coating?

A．To brighten the screen.	B．To make profits.
C．To take in the sunlight.	D．To save the use of battery.

2. What inspired the invention of the screen?

A．The predators.	B．The reflection of light.
C．The eyes of moths.	D．The smooth surface.

3. How does the screen work?

A．It helps bugs escape.

B．It slows down reading.

C．The smooth surface protects our eyes.

D．The rough surface decreases the reflection of light.

4. What do the researchers expect of the screen?

A．I’ll transform itself.	B．I’ll be environment-friendly.
C．I’ll reach consumers soon.	D．I’ll be powered by recyclable batteries.

【推荐1】How many times have we expressed how rude young people are for texting while having a conversation? They try to fix eyes on their smart phone screen while nodding. What goes through your mind is “how rude they are!”

Have we forgotten some of the old school manners that our parents, grandparents and teachers taught us—manners that have nothing to do with a mobile device or iPad, but everything to do with long-forgotten Golden Rules we were raised with?

When I was growing up, there was etiquette to coughing. When coughing, we were told to turn our head away and block off our mouth. This might sound amusing to many young people. But if we didn’t follow these etiquettes, we would get a quick reminder to the back of our head. When we were given something and forgot to say “thank you”, elders would seriously remind us, “Aren’t you forgetting to say something”, which was immediately followed by a “thank you”.

Maybe technology is a factor that has affected our brains so much that we can never go back to those golden days we like. It seems as if we have thrown out manners and etiquette with the bathwater. Simple etiquette is missing in society. Thank-you notes for gifts you have received all fall into the same box of manners. To me, people are cold these days mostly due to the fact that we are on the run every day in the world.

In the work environment have you ever come across a sign “Your mother doesn’t work here, clean up by yourself”? We often hear people say, the younger generation have no manners. I think many people have lost their manners. We’ve allowed bad manners to go unchecked. We simply stand bad behavior.

In a world of more good manners, more “thank you” or “please” exchanged, our younger generation will have an improved quality of life.

1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?

A．To stress the importance of cell phone.

B．To introduce the main topics of the text.

C．To point out young people’s good manners.

D．To explain the effect of cell phones on people.

2. In the passage, the underlined phrase in the second paragraph refers to ________.

A．modern family manners

B．rules observed at school

C．rules everyone has to follow

D．etiquette started by older generation

3. According to the author, young people have no manners mainly because of ________.

A．the busy lifestyles people have

B．the fast developed technology

C．the people’s attitude towards running away

D．the parents and teachers’ improper act and attitude

【推荐2】Do you have frightening dreams while sleeping? According to an email interview by clinical psychologist and sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus, roughly 5 percent of the general population has at least one bad dream per week. Nightmares typically happen during REM sleep, during the middle and later parts of the night.

There is no exact explanation for nightmares, but Breus says it’s possible that they help the brain practise, prepare for and even anticipate difficult or dangerous experiences in waking life. Of course, it’s possible that nightmares, like dreams in general, don’t have a primary function — that they’re a by-product of other activities in the body. But most sleep scientists think that dreams and nightmares exist for some purposes.

One study found the most common nightmare was falling, followed by dreams of being chased, feeling lost, and feeling trapped. Then why do nightmares happen?

“Certain circumstances and characteristics make some people more likely to have nightmares than others,” says sleep medicine specialist Dr. Barry Krakow. He thinks people who’ve been traumatized (使受精神创伤) are certainly at a higher risk of nightmares. Examples are offered of those who have suffered criminal attacks, or who have been in life-threatening accidents. People with some degree of sensitivity in their biological make-up are also more likely to have bad dreams, so they’re more common in people who suffer from anxiety or depression, or who use excess drugs or alcohol.

The traditional belief often has it that nightmares are the result of eating too much rich food before bedtime, but it is still uncertain whether this is true. One study from 2015 did find a link between eating dairy or hot foods before bedtime and having disturbing dreams, but the study authors noted that this couldn’t be proven definitely because the data was self-reported and there were a lot of other factors to consider.

However, research in recent decades has shown that people who suffer from sleep disorders are also more likely to have nightmares.

1. What may Dr. Breus agree with about nightmares?

A．They come true once in a while.

B．They happen at any time during sleep.

C．They possibly help predict future events.

D．They arise for some really specific purposes.

2. Who does Dr. Krakow think tends to suffer nightmares?

A．Paul who often stays up late.	B．Jack who has had horrible experiences.
C．Peter who is sensitive to alcohol.	D．John who sleeps in a noisy environment.

3. What can we learn from paragraph 5?

A．Eating rich food before bedtime will cause nightmares.

B．The data used in the 2015 study was reliable and accurate.

C．The traditional belief about nightmares has been disproved.

D．The link between dairy or hot food and nightmares is still uncertain.

4. From which section of a website is the text probably taken?

A．Mental health.

B．Popular culture.

C．Eating habits.

D．Life experiences.

【推荐1】Whenever I talk about personality in relation to choosing a career, some people complain (抱怨) like this: Those tests are so stupid. When I was in sixth grade, I took one of them and it said that I should be a farmer. While I don’t think I would be a very good farmer, the results are probably a lot more accurate (精确的) than I’d like to admit. At the time, it seemed unreasonable — I hated the outdoors and physical activities. Now, I think it might have had some points that fit my personality: I like planning (good for planning how to grow crops), working by myself (for those long days on an agricultural machine), and sometimes working on a team (for harvest time).

Watch out for any personality test that claims (声称) to be able to tell you what your dream job is by the type of animal you’d like to be, or from your favorite breakfast food as a child. While there are many personality assessments (评估) that are accurate, I’d like to say that they are a second step. The best choice is self-assessments.

Before finding ways to know your work preferences, it’s important to make a clear difference between liking a topic and liking the work. I once met a third-year marine (海洋的) biology student at a large state school in Ohio. He was placed into the Whale Watch program, where he found out that he became violently seasick on any kind of boat — a big disadvantage for a student who thought he wanted to study whales in the wild.

The best match is a career in which the major tasks of the work are the tasks you most enjoy doing and the topic is one of interest. If that career doesn’t exist, my advice would be to take the job where there is a skill match. In this way, you will succeed at the basic tasks of your job and perhaps become interested in it.

1. What is some people’s opinion on choosing a career through personality tests?

A．It’s possible to lead to career failure.

B．It’s helpful only in a limited way.

C．It’s unreasonable.

D．It’s worth a try.

2. What does the author think of the personality test she took when she was young?

A．She admits it forecasts her present job accurately.

B．She thinks it shows some part of her personality.

C．She finds it helpless for her.

D．She has little interest in it.

3. What is the best way to know your dream job?

A．Taking personality tests on your favorite things.

B．Doing accurate personality assessments.

C．Trying your dream job in practice.

D．Finding it out by yourself.

4. Why was the marine biology student unsuitable for his job?

A．He disliked the job.

B．He felt sick traveling on a boat.

C．He was afraid of marine animals.

D．He knew little about his preferences.

【推荐2】On Sept. 21, 2020, scientists announced that Arctic sea ice has already lost two-thirds of its amount over the past four decades. It is part of a shocking trend in polar heating that is already seeing impacts across the globe.

Throughout the spring and summer, Arctic sea ice melted away faster than it usually does, causing the largest loss of Arctic sea ice cover since satellite records began in the 1970s. This year's minimum was reached on September 15, at 3.74 million m² compared with the previous low—4.17 million m²—set in 2007.

What's causing this loss of sea ice? The short answer is our heating climate. A recent study showed that the influence of heat has more than doubled over the past decade or so, which means the melting of nearly a meter thickness of sea ice each year.

The biggest effects of the loss of Arctic sea ice, of course, will be felt locally: from the more possible snowfall to more storms with stronger winds. These will also cause waves as well as rising temperatures. In fact, the increased temperatures transformed northern forests into tinderboxes ready to burn. That melt also means polar bears are losing critical habitat and Inuit hunters are losing ice to preserve their traditions and culture.

On a larger scale, the greatest impact may be the changes in the Arctic 's ability io function as a cooling system for the global ocean. A warmer Arctic will affect the temperature differences between the northern polar region and areas further south. That may, in turn, create stronger heat waves, droughts, floods and potential impacts on farming. And all of us will be more exposed to the disastrous effects of climate breakdown.

We need to hit the reset button right now on how we look after each other and Arctic sea ice to help our planet cope with the climate breakdown.

1. What do the figures in Paragraph 2 show us?

A．The ways of sea ice melting.	B．The reasons for sea ice melting.
C．The big fall in the amount of sea ice.	D．The great damage of sea ice melting.

2. What may happen due to the Arctic sea ice loss?

A．The reduction of snowfall.	B．The global climate emergency.
C．The direct outbreak of forest fires.	D．The disappearance of Inuit hunters.

3. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．Stressing the importance of oceans.	B．Warning people of the possible risks.
C．Putting forward some useful measures.	D．Appealing to the public to protect Arctic sea ice.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．The earth is facing a catastrophe.	B．Climate breakdown is on the way.
C．Global heating sees Arctic sea ice loss.	D．Arctic sea ice is important for mankind.

【推荐3】Shakespeare, more perhaps than any other writer, made full use of the greatest resources of the English language. Most of us use about five thousand words in our normal employment of English; Shakespeare in his works used about twenty­five thousand! There is probably no better way for a foreigner to appreciate the richness and variety of the English language than by studying the various ways in which Shakespeare used it. Such a study is well worth the effort, even though some aspects of English usage and the meaning of many words have changed since Shakespeare’s day.

However, it is surprising that we should know comparatively little about the life of the greatest English author. We know that Shakespeare was born in 1564 in Stratford-on-Avon, and that he died there in 1616. He almost certainly attended the Grammar School in the town, but of this we cannot be sure. We know he was married there in 1582 to Anne Hathaway and that he had three children. We know that he spent much of his life in London writing his masterpieces. But this is almost all that we do know.

However, what is important about Shakespeare’s life is not its details but the products, the plays and the poems. For many years scholars have been trying to add a few facts about Shakespeare’s life to the small number we already possess and for an equally long time critics have been theorizing about the plays. Sometimes, indeed, it seems that the poetry of Shakespeare will disappear under the great mass of comment that has been written upon it.

Fortunately, this is not likely to happen. Shakespeare’s people have long delighted not just the English but lovers of literature everywhere, and will continue to do so after the scholars and critics and all their works have been forgotten.

1. What’s Para.1 mainly about?

A．The great varieties in writing styles.

B．The great length of Shakespeare’s works.

C．The richness of the content in Shakespeare’s works.

D．The rich English language used by Shakespeare in his works.

2. According to the passage, which of the following remains uncertain about Shakespeare?

A．His date of birth.	B．His marriage.
C．His life in the Grammar School.	D．His date of death.

3. What does the last sentence in Para.3 mean?

A．People can’t see the poetry of Shakespeare any more.

B．The comment is printed on the poetry of Shakespeare.

C．People don’t think the poetry of Shakespeare good any more.

D．Some people pay more attention to the comment than to Shakespeare’s poetry.

4. The underlined phrase “Shakespeare’s people” in Para.4 refers to ________.

A．the characters in Shakespeare’s works	B．the people whose native language is English
C．the people living in Shakespeare’s day	D．the readers of Shakespeare’s works

【推荐1】I recently attended a Little League Baseball game in Nasau County. Or at least what I thought was just a Little League game. It turned out to be a tutorial (指南) on how not to parent a Little Leaguer.

I’d gone to watch a family friend play ball. School was winding down, and it made sense that stress levels would be low, especially on the ball field. These kids were supposed to be having fun.

But why did they look so angry? Why were the parents so tense? These were 11-and 12-year-old children, not professionals. But it didn’t seem as if the adults were aware of that.

Some of the kids looked miserable(悲惨的), Both coaches were riding their players. With every pitch(投球), every catch and every swing of the bat came sounds of, “No, not like that!” or “Better keep that up, son!” After a while, it seemed to take a toll on the kids. In the fifth inning (局), after a player missed a play on the infield, a man told the boy to “Pay attention to the action!” and to “Get your head in the game!” The player responded, “Dad, it’s just a game, and I’m exhausted!”

I thought to myself how embarrassing that must have been for both of them. It’s been a while since I’ve been on the field, but I played in many different sports leagues as a kid. I recall how competitive some parents were when it came to watching their children. And it’s fine to want your children to win. Winning is important.

But, my God, it’s not everything. Is that the message you want to get across to your child—to win at all costs, and to put fun second? Because that is certainly what it seemed like, and that’s not the healthiest environment for a kid, not in Little League, anyway.

1. According to the passage, the parents on the ball field ________.

A．valued fun over winning	B．lacked competitive spirits
C．cared about the result more than their kids	D．thought much of the feelings of their kids

2. The underlined phrase “take a toll on” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________.

A．teach a lesson to	B．leave an impression on
C．bring encouragement to	D．have a bad effect on

3. What’s the best title for the passage?

A．Fun Is Everything for a Game	B．Let Kids Be Kids
C．The Miserable Kids Players	D．To Be Competitive in Ballgames

【推荐2】There are times when I leave for my running-group sessions with little enthusiasm. It might be because I’m tired, or stressed, or don’t want to leave something else. But I’m the coach, so I can’t choose to give it a miss.

It was yet another cold, dark, wet evening and I wasn’t feeling the love as I gathered all the necessary equipment. No one in their right mind will come out in this weather, I thought. But when I turned into the car park, my headlights picked out runners making a dash through the rain to our meeting point, where others were already working out to stay warm, with chat, laughter and hugs. They, too, I realized, might be tired, stressed or busy. But, unlike me, they had a choice about whether to come running or stay at home. And that makes their decision to come---and to keep on coming---more encouraging. Then, I went home from the run feeling better than when I’d arrived.

I believe one of the strongest motivations(激励；动机) behind these runners’ decisions to come along is being part of a group. Belonging to a running community makes running greater than running itself. It’s no longer just a workout; it’s a get-together with friends, a laugh and a shared experience. It provides a chance to share your success and disappointments, to be congratulated and comforted, and, just as important, to congratulate and comfort others.

Research has long shown the possibility of staying motivated is higher when exercise takes place in a group. The reasons are many. A study at the University of Southern California found people enjoy physical activity more when they are with others and are more likely to keep it up over the long term. And research by Strava in 2017 found running in a group made runners go faster and further. Using data from 90 million runs taking place all over the world, Strava found that the average pace of runs taking place in a group was seven seconds per mile quicker than solo runs, and the distance covered was an average of 1.3 miles further.

I joke about people being more motivated to come to my running sessions by the tea and biscuits afterwards than by the running itself. It might be true, but it doesn’t matter. Those laughter-filled minutes are every bit as important as the running in between.

1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?

A．The coach was always enthusiastic.

B．The coach was never discouraged.

C．The coach was sometimes unwilling.

D．The coach was often worn out.

2. Why is being part of a group most motivational?

A．It needs a coach who can offer help.

B．It frees runners from boring daily work.

C．It helps members to beat their records.

D．It creates space for their communication.

3. That being in a group improves performance is proven by _______ .

A．taking a typical example	B．performing an experiment
C．listing accurate data	D．sharing his experiences

4. Tea and biscuits in running sessions are meant to _________ .

A．attract more runners from other groups

B．build up some strength before running

C．make his running group stand out of all

D．add more life to their running experience

【推荐3】Hollywood is going green again. The Academy of Motion Pictures announced on Jan. 7 that food served at Oscar events will be almost entirely plant-based. Both the annual lunch for Oscar winners and the finger food served before the actual ceremony on Feb. 9 will be 100% plant-based. Reuters also reports that “the menu for the Governors’ Ball, a great event held immediately after the Oscar ceremony, will be 70% plant-based and 30%, fish and meat.”

Additionally, drinks in plastic containers will no longer be served at any Oscar events. The Academy explained in a statement that, “For the past seven years, the Oscars show has had a low carbon mark. We continue to expand our sustainability plan (可持续发展计划) with the final goal of becoming carbon-free.”

Lorenzo Soria, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, said he wasn’t sure how the vegan (严格的素食主义的) menu would be received but was “pleasantly surprised” by the attention it produced. Though many questioned if long-time vegan and actor Joaquin Phoenix played a key role in the push to vegan, Soria says the change was supported by multiple actors in the industry.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) issued (发布) their guests a set of fashion guidelines this year, along with their own plant-based menu and eco-friendly travel tips. Sadly, this attempt wasn’t successful. “It was a strange disconnect,” journalist Hannah Marriott writes. “Perhaps BAFTA issued the advice too late for the celebrities to come on board?”

If you consider fashion production, shipping and use is responsible for around 10% of the world’s annual carbon emissions, this was more than a missed moment. Hopefully, both the entertainment industry and celebrities themselves will continue to use their global platform for good in the coming years-whether it’s food, fashion or flights.

1. What is special about Hollywood’s going green this time?

A．It is mainly focused on food.	B．It is globally supported.
C．It aims to consume no meat.	D．It encourages healthy drinks.

2. What can we know about going green according to the Academy of Motion Pictures?

A．It has made changes to human life.	B．It is a new trend in the Oscars show.
C．It has been taking place in Hollywood.	D．It is so urgent in the entertainment industry.

3. How do entertainers respond to going green judging from Lorenzo Soria’s words?

A．Most of them keep going on vegan diets.	B．All of them don’t support the vegan menu.
C．Few of them doubt Joaquin Phoenix’s efforts.	D．Many of them join in pushing people to vegans.

4. What can we infer about the going green attempt of BAFTA?

A．It requires more improved advertising methods.

B．It is a goal most celebrities are eager to realize.

C．It is a concept deeply rooted in people’s minds.

D．It suffers difficulties when carried out this time.