【推荐1】Future home technologies you should know in advance

Here are some of the future home technologies that everyone should know about.

Automated Robots

A robot made by scientists in Germany does more than clean the floor. The one-armed, three-fingered device can pick up items, tidy up, run various machines and even serve drinks to guests.

Lighting Controls

Turning on a light from a wall switch is out of date now. Lights can now be controlled from mobile equipment, touchscreens or an automated system. NEST, a smart thermostat (恒温器) produced by Google, can even be programmed to turn on lights in your home and cool the air inside at various times of the day or night.

Power Tracking or Energy Efficient Tech

Think of an energy system that can tell you when you need to go over your power budget (预算) for the month. The Total Home Energy Management program created by an American company does just that. It tracks a home’s energy use and relevant costs. It can even analyze devices in the home and tell owners when they need to be upgraded to more energy-efficient ones. Besides, it can constantly add new functions and become a more useful system.

Smart Toilets

There are toilets in Japan that will perform an analysis after people do their business, and then inform them whether they have diabetes (糖尿病) or are at risk of it. Toilets may soon be able to tell that someone has colon cancer (结肠癌).

1. What can the robot do for its owner?

A．Repair machines.	B．Clean the house.
C．Cool the air inside.	D．Pay electricity bills.

2. What do NEST and Total Home Energy Management have in common?

A．They both are energy-efficient.

B．They both can control the lights.

C．They both are created in the USA.

D．They both can upgrade automatically.

3. Which of the following is a feature of the smart toilets?

A．Disease examination function.	B．Touchscreen controlling.
C．Energy-saving performance.	D．Intelligent heated seating.

【推荐3】On January 7th, 2022, David Bennett became the first person to have a heart transplanted successfully into him from a pig. On that occasion, mere operation success was the goal. This operation is a milestone for xenotransplantation (异种移植)— the transfer of organs from other species to human patients.

For decades, researchers have attempted to deal with xenotransplantation’s basic problem. This is that the human body, when it recognizes foreign tissue, tends to turn against it. In the case of pigs, the most important marker of foreignness is a sugar molecule (分子) called alpha-Gal. While this molecule does not exist in humans, antibodies to kill it do. So no transplant from a pig with alpha-Gal would last more than a couple of minutes in a human body. In 2003 pigs were produced with a changed genome so as to prevent the enzyme (酶) responsible for making alpha-Gal. This was a step in the right direction, but other barriers popped up.

The pig for David’s operation had a genome changed in ten ways to increase the chances of success. Three genes had been removed to reduce the risk of a human antibody rejecting the organ. A fourth, a growth gene, had also been knocked out, to ensure the heart did not enlarge after transplantation. And six human genes had been added to promote acceptance.

There are other concerns. One is any unknown rejection mechanism. Another is the possibility that the organ may pass viruses to its new host. The pig in question was raised where there was no virus to reduce the chance of that, but it remains a possibility.

In theory, pigs can be raised to provide humans with any solid organ, but some will be more complex than others. Moreover, even if these barriers can be overcome, most researchers still acknowledge that increasing xenotransplantation to meet the world’s demand for organs may take decades. After this news, however, the chances that it will happen eventually have increased.

1. What is the basic problem of xenotransplantation?

A．The human body lacks alpha-Gal.

B．The human body resists foreign tissues.

C．The life of the transplanted organ is too short.

D．The enzyme is prevented from making alpha-Gal.

2. Why was a growth gene removed in David’s case?

A．Because it would change David’s genome.

B．Because it would lead to heart enlargement.

C．Because it would make the heart more acceptable.

D．Because it would be recognized by David’s antibodies.

3. What can we learn about the pig?

A．It saved the patient’s life perfectly.

B．It had a decreased number of genes.

C．It had an unknown rejection mechanism.

D．It was raised in a virus-free environment.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards the future of xenotransplantation?

A．Optimistic.

B．Indifferent.

C．Disturbed.

D．Uncertain.

【推荐1】Berlin-based Green City Solutions believes its moss (苔藓) walls, called CityTrees, which are about 4 m2 in size, can filter (过滤) up to 80% of pollution particles (微粒) out of the air, including the tiny ones linked to lung diseases.

The walls collect rainwater, which is pumped through a watering system to the plants using solar energy. These also drive fans to increase airflow through the plants. As a result, the company says its product filters 3,500 m3 of air an hour, which is equal to the total amount of air breathed by 7,000 people in that time.

Alison Haynes at the University of Wollongong and her colleagues recently looked at how effectively moss and trees reduced pollution. They found that moss was up to four times better at trapping particles than the native Australian tree.

But this doesn’t mean moss walls will necessarily protect people from pollution at busy bus stops, says Zoran Ristovski at the Queensland University of Technology. In a small room, a moss wall only needs to filter a relatively small amount of new air each hour, but tens or hundreds of times this amount of air is pushed past by buses, he says. Therefore, a moss wall in a street is unlikely to make any difference.

Different solutions will be needed, says Ruby Michael at Griffith University. Where streets are crowded with tall buildings on both sides, she says, tree planting can backfire (适得其反) because trees can reduce airflow and therefore moss walls may be a better option.

Cities are unlikely to rush to replace their trees just yet. “It’s important to remember that street trees provide a whole host of other benefits, including habitat for urban wildlife, shelter from the sun for people on the street, and reduction of urban heat islands,” says Michael.

1. What is the main function of CityTrees?

A．Reusing rainwater.

B．Curing lung diseases.

C．Improving air quality.

D．Greening urban areas.

2. What does Zoran Ristovski say about moss walls?

A．They work better on busy streets.

B．They are suitable for domestic use.

C．They may fail to serve their purpose.

D．They are unlikely to tackle terrible traffic.

3. Which of the following might Ruby Michael agree with?

A．Street trees cause urban heat islands.

B．Building CityTrees is at the top of the list.

C．Moss walls around tall buildings should be removed.

D．Measures should be adopted according to local conditions.

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．A better solution to air pollution.

B．A new path towards healthier air.

C．The big benefits of adopting moss walls.

D．The comparison between moss and trees.

【推荐2】Nothing is more American than blue jeans. The blue denim pants(牛仔裤) were invented in 1871 and were initially made for miners and cowboys but became a popular fashion among youth in the 1950s and 1960s. Denim soon became accepted by most people, making jean pants, jackets, skirts, and more a big part of western culture.

Now, Wrangler which has been making jeans since 1947, is greening the industry by dyeing denim with indigo—the deep blue color used for jeans-foam(泡沫), instead of the traditional way of using vats of Indigo liquid dye.

While indigo is a natural compound and has been used to dye cloth for centuries, most of the indigo dyes used today are manmade, and dyeing thread for the production of blue jeans is very wasteful. The thread has to be pulled through multiple dye boxes filled with around 2,000 liters of liquid dye and water, and the process has to be repeated several times for the dye to hold according to Fast Company.

The new eco-friendly foam dyeing method was developed at Texas Tech and uses over 99 percent less water than the traditional method. In 2017, Wrangler, the Walmart Foundation, and Lee, another blue jeans brand• invested in new technology to make the industry more sustainable.

In the new “Indigo good” methods the process saves more than just water; it is expected to use 60 percent less energy and produces 60 percent less waste.

“While we have been able to reduce 3 billion liters of water in product finishing during the past 10 years, we know that more needs to be done across the entire supply chain.” Wrangler president Tom Waldron told Fashion Network. “Foam technology reduces water consumption and pollution further upstream.”

1. Whom were blue jeans first aimed at?

A．Miners.

B．Youth.

C．The old.

D．The majority.

2. What may be the difference between indigo used now and centuries ago?

A．Source of raw materials.

B．Amount of usages.

C．Pollution levels.

D．Process of dyeing.

3. What's the advantage of the new foam dyeing method?

A．Saving time.	B．Reducing water's waste.
C．Attracting employees.	D．Causing no pollution.

4. What can we know according to Tom Waldron?

A．He requires cooperation with suppliers.	B．He is satisfied with the entire supply chain.
C．He appeals to further reducing pollution.	D．His company is bringing in more profits.

【推荐2】Crazy-Creative Traditions in Schools

Here are a few schools’ crazy-creative traditions that will probably have you wish to go there so you could celebrate in all the graduation fun. Learn about them all in the below.

Attire (服装) and Flowers at College of Charleston

You fashionista will love this one. During December ceremony, women wear black dresses and men wear black tuxedos (燕尾服). During May ceremony, women wear white dresses and men wear summer tuxedos. It’s also been a tradition since the 1930s to carry flowers onto the stage: women carry bouquets of six red roses in a red bow and men wear a single red rose boutonniere (扣眼). So classy!

Hoop Rolling at Wellesley College

This all-women’s college tradition was originally held on May day, but it’s now held in April. The purpose was to allow students to essentially leave all their worries behind and just participate in some fun games outdoors. Back in the day, it was said that the winner of the hoop rolling race was the first to be married, and in the 1980s she would be the first to be CEO. Nowadays, the winner would be the first to achieve her own happiness…that is, after being thrown into Lake Waban by all her classmates.

Fabric and Green Grad Recycling Program at University of New Hampshire

You’ll absolutely love this tradition. UNH’s vendor provides wrinkle-resistant caps and gowns made of recycled plastic bottles. Graduates then have the opportunity to donate their gowns to be cleaned and reused. Graduates are still able to keep their caps and tassels as keepsakes, all while helping to save the environment. The tradition has become a trend for many universities to follow, such as Husson University and Wake Forest University.

1. Which can you choose if you want to participate in December ceremony?

A．College of Charleston.	B．Wellesley College.
C．The University of New Hampshire.	D．Husson University.

2. What does Hoop Rolling at Wellesley College aim at enabling the students to do?

A．Be CEO.	B．Have fun.
C．Achieve happiness.	D．Be married.

3. What are UNH’s caps and gowns made of?

A．Flowers.	B．Silk and cotton.
C．Leather.	D．Recycled plastic bottles.

【推荐3】When parents discover their children have lied to them for the first time, it can often come as a shock to find their little treasures are capable of such a trick. But new research has suggested many parents may not even notice many of the lies their children tell them.

Psychologists have discovered that most parents are over-confident in their children’s honesty and this may impair their ability to discover a lie. The findings may help to explain why some parents seem to be willing to let their children get away with almost anything even in the face of the evidence. They say parents suffer from a “truth bias (偏见)” with their own youngsters, but when faced with lies from other people’s children, they have less difficulty telling if a statement is true or not.

Dr Angela Evans, a psychologist at Brock University in Canada, said, “The close relationship that parents share with their own children may lead to parents failing to discover their children’s lies. Parents’ truth bias may result in parents being less suspicious (怀疑的) of their children, allowing them to successfully cheat them.”

Most children are thought to start lying as early as two years old but start telling more believable lies at around the age of four years old. Learning how to lie is considered as a key part of cognitive(认知的) and social development in children. But many parents are shocked when their children start lying to them.

In their study, Dr Evans and her colleagues filmed 108 children aged between 8 and 16 as they performed a test after being asked not to look at the answers. They were then asked afterwards if they had looked, with 50 truthfully denying looking, 49 lying about looking and 9 admitting to looking. Videos of those denying looking were then shown to 152 parents of children aged 8 to 16, 80 of whom had children who had taken part in the test. The researchers found that the parents were less able to spot lies told by their own children than by other people’s children.

1. What does the underlined word “impair” in Paragraph 2 mean?________

A．Show.

B．Damage.

C．Develop.

D．Recognize.

2. When lying to their parents, children can’t be easily found because________.

A．their parents are too trusting their children

B．their parents pretend not to see the lies

C．they are very good at hiding their lies

D．they know how to lie to their parents

3. What does Dr Evans want to find about children’s lying________

A．What makes parents lose trust in their children.

B．What causes children to tell lies to their parents.

C．What makes parents fail to see their children’s lies.

D．What affects children’s relations with their parents.

4. What can be inferred from Dr Evans’s study in the last two paragraphs?

A．Parents tend to protect their own children.

B．Lying is a part of children’s development.

C．Children aged 8 to 16 are very likely to tell lies.

D．Parents can easily judge lies told by children of others.

【推荐1】Parents and kids today dress alike,listen to the same music,and are friends.Is this a good thing? Sometimes,when Mr.Ballmer and his 16-year-old daughter,Elizabeth,listen to rock music together and talk about interests they both enjoy,such as pop culture.he remember his more distant relationship with his parents when he was a teenager.“I would never have said to my mom,‘Hey,the new Weezer album is really great.How do you like it?’”says Ballmer.“There was just a complete gap in taste.”

Music was not the only gulf.From clothing and hairstyles to activities and expectations,earlier generations of parents and children often appeared to move in separate orbits.

Today,the generation gap has not disappeared,but it is getting narrow in many families.Conversations on subjects such as sex and drugs would not have taken place a generation ago.Now they are comfortable and common.And parent—child activities,from shopping to sports,involve a feeling of trust and friendship that can continue into adulthood.No wonder greeting cards today carry the message,“To my mother,my best friend.”

But family experts warn that the new equality can also result in less respect for parents.“There’s still a lot of strictness and authority on the part of parents out there,but there is a change happening,”says Kerrie,a psychology professor at Lebanon Valley College.“In the middle of that change,there is a lot of confusion among parents.”

Family researchers offer a variety of reasons for these evolving roles and attitudes.They see the 1960s as a turning point.Great cultural changes led to more open communication and a more democratic process that encourages everyone to have a say.

“My parents were on the‘before’side of that change,but today’s parents,the 40-year-olds,were on the‘after’side,”explains Mr.Ballmer.“It’s not something easily accomplished by parents these days,because life is more difficult to understand or deal with,but sharing interests does make it more fun to be a parent now.”

1. What can we learn about Mr.Ballmer in Paragraph 1 ?

A．He and Elizabeth both like Weezer.

B．He had different interests with his mom.

C．He had a bad relationship with his mom.

D．He liked talking about music with his mom.

2. What does the underlined word“democratic”probably mean?

A．Equal.

B．Peaceful.

C．Active.

D．Considerate.

3. The passage is mainly about_____________.

A．the problems of parent-child relationship

B．the strategies for parent-child relationships

C．the development of parent-child relationship

D．the ways for parents to handle parent-child problems

【推荐2】Whenever something looks interesting or beautiful, there is a natural desire of us to capture (捕捉) and preserve it — which means, in this day and age, that we are likely to reach for our phones to take a picture.

Though this would seem to be an ideal solution, there are two big problems associated with taking pictures. Firstly, we are likely to be so busy taking pictures that we forget to look at the world whose beauty and interest encourage us to take a photograph in the first place. And secondly, because we feel the pictures are safely stored on our phones, we never get around to looking at them, so sure are we that we’ll get around to them one day.

The first person to notice the problems was the English art critic (评论家), John Ruskin. He was a keen traveler who realized that most tourists make a poor job of noticing or remembering the beautiful things they see. He argued that humans have a natural tendency to respond to beauty and desire to have it, but there are better and worse expressions of this desire. At worse, we get into buying souvenirs or taking photographs. But, in Ruskin’s eyes, there’s just one thing we should do — attempting to draw the interesting things we see, regardless of whether we happen to have any talent for doing so.

Ruskin said, “Drawing can teach us to see: to notice properly rather than gaze absent-mindedly. In the process of recreating with our own hand what lies before our eyes, we naturally move from a position of observing beauty in a loose way to one where we acquire a deep understanding of its parts.”

Ruskin deplored the blindness and hurry of modern tourists, especially those who prided themselves on travelling around the whole Europe in a week by train, “No changing of places at a hundred miles an hour will make us stronger, happier, or wiser. There was always more in the world than men could see, if they ever walked slowly; they will see it no better for going fast. The really precious things are thoughts and sights, not pace.”

1. According to Paragraph 2, when taking pictures, people tend to ___________.

A．forget to appreciate something attractive on the spot

B．find it hard to learn skills of taking good pictures

C．find a good way to keep things in their minds

D．have a chance to meet the challenge of new technology

2. According to Ruskin, what should travelers do to best express their appreciation of and desire for something beautiful?

A．To speak it out openly.	B．To photograph it instantly.
C．To purchase it directly.	D．To paint it immediately.

3. From the fourth paragraph, we can infer that Ruskin encourages us to be ___________.

A．considerate and determined	B．active and adventurous
C．creative and thoughtful	D．sensitive and ambitious

4. The underlined word “deplored” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to ___________.

A．appreciated	B．criticized
C．favored	D．ignored

【推荐3】I travel a lot in my work, and what I dislike about my job is eating alone. It always makes me feel lonely to see others laughing and taking. So, room service for several nights was a better choice for me.

After having room service three nights at a hotel in Houston, however, I needed to get out of my room. Although the restaurant opened at 6:30, I arrived at 6:25. The waiter at the front desk made a comment about my “being there really early”. I explained my dislike of eating alone m restaurants. He then seated me at a lovely table and asked me whether I would mind if he sat down with me for a while.

I was glad! He sat and talked with me about his career goals and the difficulty of being at work on nights, weekends and holidays. He said he hadn’t enough time to be with his family. After 15 minutes, he saw some customers at the front desk and excused himself. I noticed that before he went to the front desk, he stopped in the kitchen for a moment.

Then another waiter came out of the kitchen and had a wonderful chat with me. Before I left that night, some other waiters, even the cook, had come out of the kitchen and sat with me!

When I asked for my bill about one hour later, all the people who had sat down with me came over in a big group to my table, and presented me with a red rose. And I cried! What had begun as a lonely night ended as a beautiful experience!

1. The reason why the author hated to eat in the hotel restaurant is that the author didn’t like__________.

A．meeting strangers in the restaurant	B．being disturbed by the noises around
C．being pointed at or laughed at	D．feeling uncomfortable and lonely

2. How did the waiter feel when he saw the author come in at 6:25?

A．Satisfied.

B．Surprised.

C．Delighted.

D．Annoyed.

3. From the third paragraph, we can learn that the waiter at the front desk_______.

A．knew how to talk with customers in his restaurant

B．was disappointed with his present job

C．found it hard to balance his work and his family

D．had never had such a chance to talk about his own worries

4. The author wants to tell us that________.

A．the kindness of strangers can make you less lonely

B．restaurants should put the needs of customers first

C．people are actually all lonely in their own way

D．restaurants are full of surprises for lonely people