Far from the land of Antarctica（南极洲）, a huge shelf of ice meets the ocean. At the underside of the shelf there lives a small fish, the Antarctic cod.
For forty years scientists have been curious about that fish. How does it live where most fish would freeze to death? It must have some secrets. The Antarctic is not a comfortable place to work and research has been slow. Now it seems we have an answer.
Research was begun by cutting holes in the ice and catching the fish. Scientists studied the fish's blood and measured its freezing point.
The fish were taken from seawater that had a temperature of—1.88°C and many tiny pieces of ice floating in it. The blood of the fish did not begin to freeze until its temperature was lowered to-2.05°C. That small difference is enough for the fish to live at the freezing temperature of the ice—salt mixture.
The scientists' next research job was clear： Find out what in the fish's blood kept it from freezing. Their research led to some really strange thing made up of a protein（蛋白质）that has never been seen before in the blood of a fish. When it was removed, the blood froze at seawater temperature. When it was put back, the blood again had its antifreeze quality and a lowered freezing point.
Study showed that it is an unusual kind of protein. It has many small sugar molecules（分子）held in special positions within each big protein molecule. Because of its sugar content, it is called a glycoprotein. So it has come to be called the antifreeze fish glycoprotein, or AFGP.
1. Why can the Antarctic cod live at the freezing temperature?| A．The seawater has a temperature of-1.88°C. | B．It loves to live in the ice—salt mixture. |
| C．A special protein keeps it from freezing. | D．Its blood has a temperature lower than-2.05°C |
| A．No one can carry out any research work in the Antarctic |
| B．The ice—salt mixture enables the Antarctic cod to live under the freezing water |
| C．The protein in the blood of the Antarctic cod has a low freezing point |
| D．The sugar content is believed to be an unusual kind of protein. |
| A．It is made up of many small sugar molecules. | B．It can be removed from the blood |
| C．It keeps the blood of the cod from freezing. | D．It is called a glycoprotein. |
| A．The terrible conditions in the Antarctic | B．A special fish living in freezing waters. |
| C．The ice shelf around Antarctica. | D．Protection of the Antarctic cod |
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【推荐1】When British musician Paul Barton performs in central Thailand lately, his energetic listeners react wildly. Some pull his hair or jump on his piano. Others steal his music papers.The behavior is normal, however, because these crowds are truly wild — wild monkeys to be exact. Barton plays often to the animals in Lopburi, an area known for its populations of wild macaque monkeys. The pianist hopes the music shows bring calm to the animals during the coronavirus crisis.
The disease has caused problems for the monkeys, too. They are hungry. The restrictions on tourism mean fewer people come to see the monkeys and feed them. “We need to make an effort to make sure that they eat properly. And when they eat properly they will be calmer and will not be aggressive,” said Barton, 59, a long-time Thailand resident. Barton has played at four sites in Lopburi, including at an ancient Hindu temple, a store and an old movie theater.
The macaques quickly surround Barton when he plays Greensleeves, Beethoven’s Fur Elise and Michael Nyman’s Diary of Love. Some of the creatures sit on his chair, while others climb up his body and touch his head. “A wonderful opportunity to see the wild animals just being themselves.” said Barton, from Yorkshire in northern England.
But, Barton keeps his attention on his performance, even as a small monkey runs over his hands on the instrument. Other monkeys take control of his music papers. “I was surprised to play the piano and find that they were actually eating the music as I was playing it. But,” he added, “I wasn’t going to let those things distract from the project which is to play the music for these wonderful macaques.”
The monkeys are Barton’s latest animal fans. Past wildlife audiences included elephants living in special protected areas. Barton hopes to raise awareness of the monkeys’ hunger. At the same time, he hopes to study their behavior as they react to classical music.
1. Why is the author not surprised at Barton’s audience’s rude reaction?| A．Paul Barton performed badly. |
| B．The audience are monkeys in the zoo. |
| C．The audience are monkeys in the wild. |
| D．The monkeys are infected by the coronavirus. |
| A．It caused no trouble for the monkeys. |
| B．It affected Thailand’s tourism seriously. |
| C．It made wild monkeys live more happily. |
| D．It made wild monkeys eat more properly. |
| A．To be a good opportunity to save wild animals. |
| B．To be a good opportunity to restrict wild animals. |
| C．To be a good chance to tame wild animals. |
| D．To be a good chance to observe wild animals. |
| A．The past performances of Barton. |
| B．Barton’s efforts to protect classical music. |
| C．The purpose of Barton’s performance. |
| D．Barton's research on monkeys’ behavior. |
【推荐2】Dozens of dolphins swam out of the polluted waters of Haifa Harbor on Tuesday. This was the first time that dolphins had visited this crowded Mediterranean Port, and researchers were surprised by the unexpected event.
Between 40 and 50 of the dolphins appeared in the busy port on Tuesday morning, obviously drawn by the fish-rich waters of Haifa Bay.
However, the bay is also full of harmful chemicals. Aviad Sheinin, professor of Haifa University’s Maritime Studies Department, said he didn’t think the dolphins were harmed by the pollution, but that he hoped they would swim back to the sea soon. “It seems that they are quite relaxed. They don’t seem to be stressed, ”he said.
Haifa Bay is lined by chemical companies that have been pouring poisonous waste into the water for decades. While pollution levels have dropped in recent years, the water is still considered a health hazard(隐患).
“There are lots of fishes in Haifa Port. Unfortunately, we couldn’t tell the dolphins that the fish are not healthy, and I don’t know what the result will be,” he told Israel Army Radio.
Hundreds of Haifa residents gathered around Haifa Bay to see the interesting sight, and researchers said this provided a rare chance to film and study the rough-toothed dolphins. In addition to the dozens of dolphins which swam into the port on Tuesday, a similar number stayed outside the breakwater (防波堤). Later Tuesday the dolphins left the port but remained near the entrance and Israel’s coastguard was patrolling (巡逻) the area to try to make sure the dolphins didn’t re-enter the poisonous waters.
Relatively little is known about rough-toothed dolphins, which are usually found in deep and warm tropical waters.
1. Which of the following reason makes Haifa Bay full of harmful chemicals?| A．unhealthy fish | B．ships |
| C．chemical companies | D．residents living nearby |
| A．he is curious about the dolphins |
| B．the dolphins might affect the existence of fish in Haifa port |
| C．he will do research on the dolphins |
| D．he is uncertain about what will happen to the dolphins |
| A．protect the dolphins from the polluted waters |
| B．avoid traffic jam |
| C．deal with the harmful waters |
| D．prevent people killing dolphins |
| A．dolphins are well protected in Israel |
| B．Haifa Bay is full of harmful chemicals |
| C．dolphins made a surprise visit to the polluted harbor |
| D．people love dolphins |
【推荐3】The terraced rapeseed(油菜)flower hills of Jiangling, Wuyuan is well-known as one of the four “seas of flowers” in China, attracting thousands of plant-loving tourists to come and appreciate and photograph the vast and endless rapeseed flower fields.
“Rapeseed flowers are the messenger of spring,” said Bin Zhan, manager of Jiangxi Wuyuan Tourism, “Jiangling is the best place for a relaxing spring trip to enjoy the most visually impressive views of golden seas of rapeseed blossoms covering layered terrace fields”.
The rapeseed blossom in the terraced fields of Jiangling, located 45 kilometres to the northeast of Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province, reached full bloom in the second week of March.
This year. Wuyuan restores ancient farming traditions and practices to give visitors an idea or the history ，culture and folk customs of the county by adding scarecrows(稻草人) in the rapeseed flower fields. The creative scarecrows of Wuyuan County are designed in the shapes of popular cartoon characters, Hui-style architecture and folk customs. They are placed in the rapeseed fields to provide more fun and interactions for visitors on flower viewing tours.
“As flower viewing is becoming more popular in recent years, Jiangling is seeing a growing number of returning visitors, especially professional photograph who come back every year for the dramatic rapeseed blossoms,” Zhan said. “The blossoms only last one to two months. April is the last chance to catch a flower-viewing tour this year.”
In addition to flower viewing, Wuyuan County is also home to the most well-protected ancient Hui-style architecture in China. As one of the most beautiful countryside villages in China, it attracts photographers from around the world every year to document not only the natural scenery, but also the unique farming culture and folk traditions.
1. Which is NOT one of the features of the rapeseed blossoms of Jiangling？| A．The rapeseed fields cover a limited area. |
| B．The rapeseed is planted on layered terraces. |
| C．Rapeseed flowers blossom, at the beginning of spring. |
| D．When the flowers blossom, the fields are like a golden sea. |
| A．Folk customs. | B．Hui-style buildings. |
| C．Creative scarecrows. | D．Models of popular cartoon characters. |
| A．Returning visitors get discount when entering Jiangling. |
| B．Visitors could catch the last flower viewing tour in May. |
| C．It is in March and April that Jiangling has the most visitors. |
| D．Not many professional photographers will go to see the blossoms. |
| A．To introduce Wuyuan County as a tourist destination. |
| B．To report how many people visited Jiangling this year. |
| C．To introduce the history of rapeseed farming in Jiangling. |
| D．To remind visitors the best viewing time for rapeseed blossoms. |
【推荐1】“Silence is a source of great strength.” — Lao Tzu. When we stop bombarding (轰击) the body with sounds, we may see benefits for our brain, our blood pressure and our breathing.
Imagine a place where you can’t talk, telephone, read, write or access the Internet. Boredom can soon turn into pleasure as the brain, from a state of chaos, finds peace. The explorer Erling Kagge has experienced a lot of silence during his long travel to reach the “three poles”. By shutting out the world, he has learnt to see the world more clearly and unlock new ways of thinking.
Scientific studies have shown us something interesting. When mice are made to listen to silence for two hours a day for three days, brain cells in the hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory) increase in number. Dr. Gerd Kemperman, leading author of the paper, suggests that silence causes the production of more brain cells to increase alertness (警觉) and readiness for “future cognitive (认知的) challenges”.
In humans, listening to slow music has been shown to reduce blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate. Adding two minutes of silence to the music lowers blood pressure and breathing even further.
“Silence is golden,” but when it comes to your health, can silence also be deadly? “I found solitary (单独监禁) the most forbidding aspect of prison life. There was no end and no beginning; there was only one’s mind, which could begin to play tricks,” said Nelson Mandela, reflecting on his 27 years in prison.
A silent mind can be unbearable — and can even drive you over the edge. In one experiment from Harvard and the University of Virginia, some participants were so opposed to a 15-minute silence that they chose to self-administer an electric shock to escape the silence.
When silence is linked to loneliness, your physical health may also suffer. Loneliness has been shown to be associated with a 29 percent increase in risk of heart disease and a 32 percent increase in the disease — stroke.
There’s another type of silence that is “killing good people” according to Prince William. It’s not the lack of auditory (听觉的) input to your ears; it’s failing to speak out when you’re anxious or struggling to cope, and that’s a major cause of suicide (自杀).
1. What’s the function of paragraph 1?| A．To prove an opinion. | B．To introduce a topic. |
| C．To present an example. | D．To give a definition. |
| A．To prove everyone needs silence. |
| B．To give us an example to learn from. |
| C．To indicate silence works to our advantage. |
| D．To show humans can keep things in perspective in silence. |
| A．A silent mind can cause people to fight. |
| B．A lonely mind with silence leads to most heart diseases. |
| C．Too much silence can make people physically unbearable. |
| D．A helpless state of mind in silence can increase the tendency of suicide. |
| A．Negative. | B．Objective. | C．Supportive. | D．Doubtful. |
【推荐2】Optimism Bias (偏见)
While we often like to think of ourselves as highly rational and logical, researchers have found that the human brain is sometimes too optimistic for its own good. If you were asked to estimate how likely you are to experience illness, job loss, or an accident, you are likely to underestimate the probability that such events will ever impact your life.
This bias leads us to believe that we are less likely to suffer from misfortune and more likely to attain success than reality would suggest. We believe that we will live longer, and that we will be more successful in life than the average.
The optimism bias is essentially a mistaken belief that our chances of experiencing negative events are lower and our chances of experiencing positive events are higher than those of our peers. And this overly positive assumption doesn’t mean that we have an overly sunny outlook on our own lives.
Cognitive neuroscientist Tali Sharot, author of The Optimism Bias: A Tour of the Irrationally Positive Brain, notes that this bias is widespread and can be seen in cultures all over the world. Sharot also suggests that while this optimism bias can at times lead to negative outcomes like foolishly engaging in risky behaviors or making poor choices about your health, it can also have its benefits.
| A．Optimism also motivates us to pursue our goals. |
| B．But we are also highly motivated to be so optimistic. |
| C．But definitely not everyone is blessed with such luck. |
| D．This is because your brain has a built-in optimism bias. |
| E．It can also lead to poor decision-making, which can sometimes have disastrous results. |
| F．This optimism enhances well-being by creating a sense of anticipation about the future. |
| G．Various causes may lead to the optimistic bias, including cognitive and motivational factors. |
【推荐3】People think of cats as cute. But research published in a psychology journal calls them neurotic (神经质的) and unstable. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and the Bronx Zoo in New York compared the personalities of domestic house cats with those of four different types of wildcats.
To better understand their personalities, the researchers rated a number of animals behaviors on what psychologists call the Big Five human personality traits (特征).
Domestic house cats have similar personality structures to African lions. “It’s what cats do pretty much on a daily basis, things like being anxious, being timid, being excitable, being aggressive toward humans, being aggressive toward each other, ”said Max Wachtel, a Denver psychologist who didn’t participate in the study. “All of those are characteristics you see in those cute little house cats, and you also see them in lions.”
If you ever thought your cat was anxious, insecure, tense, suspicious or aggressive toward you, you aren’t making it up, he said. If they were bigger, they probably would consider killing you.
But the news isn’t all bad: Just like lions, house cats are also playful, excitable and impulsively funny. They just aren’t very predictable. One moment cats will be enjoying bell scratches, and the next they will be biting you to make you stop.
“It is good to understand the personality characteristics of our pets,” Wachtel said “Different cats have different personalities, but as a species, there are a lot of commonalities.”
The researchers also studied personality traits of Scottish wildcats and some other animals “Across the five species we assessed, personality structure was strikingly similar and also seemed to be related to other studies’ findings, such as in tigers,” the researchers wrote in their study in the November 2014 issue of the Journal of Comparative Psychology. But house cats were most like lions, potentially because they live in semi-social surroundings and lions are the most social of cats.
“They’re cute and furry, but we need to remember when we have cats as pets, we are inviting little predators into our house,” Wachtel said. “Cats can be fantastic, sweet companions—until they turn on you.”
1. Cats can be described as _____.| A．funny and safe |
| B．playful and stable |
| C．fantastic and devoted |
| D．neurotic and unpredictable |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By providing explanations. |
| A．The book really turned me on to science. |
| B．Upon entering the room, he turned on the light. |
| C．The hungry suddenly turned on each other for food. |
| D．The trial turned on the medical evidence presented by the defense. |
| A．Cats are best pets. |
| B．Domestic cats and wildcats. |
| C．Your cat may want to kill you. |
| D．Different cats, different personalities. |
【推荐1】Could cities that float on the sea solve the problems caused by floods and provide food for the world?
Some scientists think so. The idea is already being tested and they believe that floating cities will provide more homes for a growing population, without having to use land needed to grow food. And they believe floating areas will allow more food to be grown, so that no one in the world is in hunger.
In some places, cities that float on the sea are already being planned. A company in the Netherlands called DeltaSync thinks that sea cities will save the world, with more than one in ten people living in them.
They say sea cities can solve many of the problems the world faces in the 21st century, like not having enough land, more and more people needing homes, fossil fuels (矿物燃科) running low and the increasingly serious problems caused by floods.
DeltaSync says building in the desert is not possible because there is no enough water and that developing ways for people to live in space is still too expensive. So they believe the answer is our oceans, which cover over two-thirds of the Earth’s surface. Their plans for floating areas include using algae (藻类) to produce fuels and food.
More than a quarter of the land in the Netherlands already lies underwater and scientists there have spent years trying to find ways to deal with it. In the city of Rotterdam they already have floating homes.
Bart Roeffen from DeltaSync says, “We have plans for neighborhoods including roads and, in the end, I believe we can build floating cities on the sea.”
1. DeltaSync is a company that wants to build cities______________.| A．on land | B．in space |
| C．on the sea | D．in the desert |
| A．Providing more jobs for people. | B．Making travel in space possible. |
| C．Supplying enough water to people. | D．Satisfying more people’s housing needs. |
| A．He doubts them. | B．He is hopeful of them. |
| C．He is uncertain about them. | D．He has no idea about them. |
| A．Will there be enough water? | B．Will sea cities save the world? |
| C．Is it possible to live in the desert? | D．Is it expensive to build floating cities? |
【推荐2】Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let’s have a look.
People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies. We sometimes say that people who are nervous have ants in their pants. Sometimes, people may get caught with their pants down, which means they are found doing something they should not be doing. And, in every family, one person takes control. Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do. Then we say she wears the pants in the family.
Pants usually have pockets to hold things. Money that is likely to be spent quickly can burn a hole in your pocket. Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants. If you aren’t able to make ends meet and have less money than usual, you may have to tighten your belt.
I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. I really take my hat off to them. Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it at the drop of a hat, which means I immediately spend it.
Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are too big for their boots think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people.
My father is a successful business man who runs a big computer company. He wears a suit and tie, and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him well think he is too serious and never shows his feelings openly. But I know that my father wears his heart on his sleeve.
1. What is this passage mainly about?| A．Some unfamiliar funny English expressions. |
| B．Some English expressions related to clothes. |
| C．The relationship between clothing and personality. |
| D．The symbolic meaning of pants in English expression. |
| A．Have ants in one’s pants. | B．Burn a hole in one’s pocket. |
| C．Wear the pants in the family. | D．Get caught with one’s pants down. |
| A．The person is short of money. | B．The person used to live a rich life. |
| C．The person has done something wrong. | D．The person has put on the wrong pants. |
| A．Shy and kind. | B．Strict and distant. |
| C．Considerate and serious. | D．Easy-going and outspoken. |
【推荐3】If VR (virtual reality) ever goes mainstream, then it has the potential to become the biggest technological breakthrough of the decade. The idea of living in the digital world is almost as old as science fiction itself and now a headset will bring us closer to it than ever before.
To enjoy the new world, all you have to do is pop on the comfortable headset, and with a quick setup on the companion app you're good to go. XRSpace claims this will be the world's first 5G mobile VR headset, so you can take it with you without being tied to the house. There are also no external sensors, with inside-out tracking technology able to detect your head and hand movements, ensuring you don't have to suffer clumsy VR controllers.
The virtual world itself is where the XRSpace Manova shines the brightest and has to be seen to be believed. Seeing a gap in the market, the XRSpace Manova headset isn't focused on gaming or commercial use but rather as a VR social platform where friends and family can hang out in a virtual space similar to Linden Lab's Second Life.
You can create avatars with realistic features which means they actually look like you. The avatars can act in fun ways from handshakes to stunning break-dance. Users will also be able to watch movies or live sporting events with friends and family within the shared virtual space. The XRSpace Manova absolutely realizes what you want from a VR device and that's making you feel part of the experience instead of a viewer of the experience. It is probably the closest to a fully immersive digital world we'll ever get with today's technology. Nevertheless, it's a giant leap to go from VR gaming to a VR social platform.
1. What can we know about the VR headset?| A．It is designed to create your real avatar. | B．It can bring a vivid virtual world to the user. |
| C．It can monitor your trunk move accurately. | D．It works better if not tied to the house. |
| A．Not to appeal to the adolescents. | B．Not to display users' real identity. |
| C．Not to specialize in VR games. | D．Not to take costs into consideration. |
| A．Impressive. | B．Intelligent. | C．Independent. | D．Involved. |
| A．Positive. | B．Indifferent. | C．Ambiguous. | D．Opposed. |
