Have you ever had the pleasure of popping the small air-filled bubbles that make up a sheet of bubble wrap (气泡膜包装)? If so, you know there’s something highly satisfying about it. Have you ever wondered why people like bubble wrap so much?
It turns out that there is some science behind the human connection to bubble wrap. Some experts believe it’s similar to the need to fidget (坐立不安). Do you click a pen or bounce your leg while you’re listening? Maybe you like to draw aimlessly in the corners of your notes or squeeze a stress ball. These small actions are all types of fidgeting.
While some people think fidgeting is distracting, it’s actually been shown to increase attention span. It also helps with the memory of information. Similarly, a study revealed that people report feeling more alert after popping bubble wrap.
The results also showed that people who popped bubble wrap were calmer afterward than those who did not. So, like fidgeting, popping bubble wrap may increase people’s ability to pay attention and remember what they learn.
Experts also say the enjoyment of bubble wrap may be tied to human evolution. In other words, your brain is wired to enjoy it! Early humans had to be on their toes all the time. They needed to be ready to run from a predator (捕食者) at a moment’s notice.
Today, people spend a lot of time sitting, especially at school and at work. As a result, the body may build a lot of muscle tension from lack of movement.
Popping bubble wrap helps relax that muscle tension. It reduces stress and anxiety. In fact, studies have shown that, sometimes, the human brain receives feel-good chemicals like dopamine after popping bubble wrap. So that may be why it feels so satisfying!
1. According to Paragraph 2, while feeling nervous or bored people probably _________.| A．Sit still | B．Keep silent | C．Bounce the leg | D．Chat with others |
| A．mindful | B．concentrated | C．considerate | D．aggressive |
| A．It reduces pressure and anxiety. | B．It makes people calm and alert. |
| C．It increases concentration ability. | D．It strengthens people’s muscles. |
| A．A medical report. | B．A science magazine. | C．A chemistry paper. | D．A fashion magazine. |
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“If you have some newly-got memories in your brain, sleep acts on these memories and restructures them, so that after sleep the insight increases," said Dr Jan Born, a neuroscientist, at the University. To test the discovery, they taught volunteers two simple rules to help them turn a string of numbers into a new order. There was also a third, hidden rule, which could help them increase their speed in solving the problem. The researchers divided the volunteers into two groups: half were allowed to sleep after the training while the rest were forced to stay awake. Dr Jan Born and his team noticed that the group that had slept after the training were twice as likely to figure out the third rule as the other group. "Sleep helped," Born said in a telephone interview .¨The important thing is that you have to have a memory description of the problem you want to solve in your brain and then you sleep, so it can act on the problem."
But Born admitted that he and his team don't know how restructuring of memories occurs or what controls it. Pierre Maquet and Perrine Ruby of the University of Liege in Belgium said the experimental evidence supports the suggestion that sleep can help develop creative thinking. Although the role of sleep in human creativity will still be a mystery, the research gives people good reasons to fully respect their periods of sleep, they added.
1. What is the purpose of the experiment?
| A．To test problem-solving ability in sleep. |
| B．To discover people's insight during sleep. |
| C．To prove a good sleep helps solve problems. |
| D．To discuss how to improve sleeping quality. |
| A．Through comparison. | B．Through interview. |
| C．Through talking | D．Through imagination. |
| A．Sleep can help solve problems. |
| B．People should sleep as long as they want. |
| C．Different people have various periods of sleep. |
| D．Scientists know how sleep restructures memories from now. |
| A．It helps scientists control memories. |
| B．It explains the role of sleep in human. |
| C．It shows people's sleeping well helps a lot. |
| D．It shows how to develop creative thinking. |
【推荐2】Timing is everything. This is especially true when a student is seeking admission to a college or university and it can often be a long and complex process in the United States.
Many people think the process begins in the final year of high school. However, students should start taking action well before that. In the US, young people generally attend high school for four years. It's suggested that students take their first step toward applying to college in the months before their third year. At this point, young people are still likely to have several unanswered questions in their mind. Those questions could be as complex as"What do you want out of your college experience? " or as simple as"Where do you want to study? Students can get closer to finding the answers by visiting any college or university.
The next step involves testing. Most US students take exams to prove their level of academic performance in the second half of their third year. After taking these tests, the period between the third and fourth years of high school is busy. This is the time when they should narrow the list of colleges and universities under consideration. Once they have made a shorter list, they should contact these schools
Then, students should begin working on a writing sample. Most US colleges and universities require applicants to provide a writing sample that does more than show off their writing ability. It should also tell admissions officers more about who the applicants are. So students should begin working on it even before their final year of high school
Finally, in the United States, most deadlines for college application materials are in early winter. Students should hand in all their application materials a week before the actual date. That way if any emergencies come up, students have plenty of time to contact the schools. Spring is when most schools make their decisions and inform students if they will accept them.
1. When should American high school students begin to apply to college?| A．In the final year |
| B．At the end of the second year. |
| C．In the second half of the third year |
| D．After the early winter of the third year. |
| A．To prepare a writing sample |
| B．To prepare application materials |
| C．To make a list of colleges and universities |
| D．To take tests to prove their academic abilities |
| A．It shows the student how to contact schools |
| B．It shows the student how to write an application |
| C．It helps admissions officers get to know the student |
| D．It helps the student solve some unanswered questions |
| A．College Life and Study |
| B．Time Arrangement in High School |
| C．High School Life: Valuing the Experience |
| D．College Application: Getting the Timing Right |
【推荐3】The world is reliant on the climate models that forecast our warming future and guide climate action. But why are climate models so complicated? Paulo Ceppi, a lecturer in climate science at the Grantham Institute, explains more as follows.
There’s several layers of uncertainty in making climate predictions. The first one is just knowing how much greenhouse gases will be emitted. That’s why the IPCC considers a range of future emission scenarios. But then within each scenario, there’s an uncertainty that comes from physical processes taking place in the atmosphere and the oceans.
I work on climate sensitivity, which is this basic question: how much global warming can we expect for a given increase in CO2? And to answer that question, we find that a lot of the uncertainty comes from clouds. Even fairly subtle changes in the amount, or type, or other properties of the clouds can have a pretty large effect on the amount of warming.
We can expect clouds to change due to global warming, and in turn those changes could accelerate warming further. There are two main changes. One is that with global warming, we expect the amount of low clouds to decrease. Because clouds act a bit like an umbrella and reflect sunlight back to space. If we have fewer of those umbrellas, then the surface ends up warming more as it absorbs more sunlight. And then the other is that high clouds will rise to even higher altitudes. That will increase their greenhouse effect, because as well as reflecting sunlight, clouds also have a greenhouse effect of their own. It could be described as blanket. If clouds rise, this blanket effect actually increases.
These effects were already in the models, just with large uncertainty. So on average, it seems that models were actually getting it right. We’re not suddenly finding that they are going to be a lot worse, but it’s more that we’re able now to reduce the range of uncertainty in these predictions.
Paulo Ceppi explains that for the climate scientists, it’s a challenge sometimes to talk about these uncertainties. We want to be downright, but at the same time we don’t want to appear as if we don’t know what we’re talking about. That’s why I think it’s also important to talk about the known facts, for example, that increasing greenhouse gases does cause global warming: there is absolute consensus（共识）on that.
1. Which of the following statement will the author agree with?| A．Clouds mainly lead to the uncertainty of global warming. |
| B．The higher altitude the clouds rise, the less greenhouse effect is. |
| C．The scientists have known the amount of the greenhouse gases emission. |
| D．The scientists are unable to reduce the range of certainty in the climate prediction. |
| A．To show the difficulty in figuring out the uncertainty. |
| B．To call on people to be aware of environment protection. |
| C．To teach people to learn more about the findings on clouds. |
| D．To introduce the interaction effect between clouds and climate. |
| A．Models | B．Predictions. |
| C．Effects | D．Uncertainty |
| A．Honest. | B．Puzzled. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Doubtful. |
【推荐1】Car tyres produce particles (微粒) when picking up speed or stopping, which are considered by environmental scientists to be one of the most significant sources of microplastics in the ocean. Rainfall and wind carry them into rivers and the sea. They are also released into the atmosphere, where they can circulate into the ocean and back again. A 2020 study suggested windblown microplastics are a bigger source of ocean pollution than rivers.
While it is difficult to pin down the exact composition of microplastics, there is plenty of research which points to tyre dust making up a significant portion. In 2017, a global model found tyre wear to be the second largest source of primary microplatics in the ocean, at 28%. And in 2019, a report by scientists across Europe concluded abrasion (磨损) from car tyres was a large source of microplastics. While there remains a lack of data on risks to the environment and human health, the scientists concluded that if future emissions remain constant or increase, the ecological risks could be widespread within a century.
Tyre-wear particles are ubiquitous. The average tyre loses 4 kg over its lifetime, and tyre particles have been found everywhere from the deep sea to the atmosphere, even in the Arctic and the Antarctic.
The study of microplastic is just beginning. Fewer than 100 scientific papers about them have been published to date, all of them in the last decade. Edward Kolodziej, a professor at the University of Washington, cites two studies from China showing that tyre dust is an important contributor to urban air pollution. “There’re unknown chemicals present in these things that are ending up in our lungs.”
Experts call for more transparency from the tyre companies. “But the formula is what gives a manufacturer competitive advantage. Sharing ingredients is difficult and complicated. Very few people, except manufacturers, know what’s in the tyres,” said Allen. “When it comes to microplastic, we don’t know what a safe level is and we may have already passed it.”
1. What did the global model find about car tyres?| A．They cause more pollution to the sea than to rivers. |
| B．Their exact composition can be tracked down. |
| C．Tyre particles are one of the largest sea pollutants. |
| D．They have caused great risk to human survival. |
| A．Widespread. | B．Dangerous. |
| C．Complex. | D．Unique. |
| A．The two studies from China are leading the fashion. |
| B．The unknown chemicals in the air are dangerous. |
| C．Tyre particles are a major pollutant in the air in cities. |
| D．Further research should be done about tyre particles. |
| A．Tyres are to blame as a pollutant in the ocean. |
| B．Tyre companies should act against microplastic. |
| C．Tyre dust becomes a huge threat to ocean life. |
| D．Safety levels of microplastic have been raised. |
【推荐2】Guide to Hiking on the Appalachian Trail
How do I “Leave No Trace on the Appalachian Trail?”
At about 2,189 miles, the Appalachian Trail is the longest single unit of the National Park System. With the number of people visiting this place increasing each year, the chances are great that any of us may damage the natural environment along the Trail and affect the experience for others. So please do your part by following these hiking and camping practices, and encourage others to learn about and adopt these techniques.
1. Plan ahead and prepare.
Evaluate the risks associated with your outing, identify campsites and destinations in advance, and use maps and guides. Prepare for extreme weather, dangers, and emergencies – especially the cold – to avoid impacts from searches, rescues, and campfires. Learn when areas are most crowded and try to avoid those times.
2. Dispose of waste properly.
Pack out all trash and food waste, including that left behind by others. Don’t bury trash or food, and don’t try to burn packaging materials in campfires. Use the privy (茅房) for human waste only. Do not add trash. If there is no privy, dispose of human waste by burying it in a hole, a hole at least 200 feet (80 steps) from campsites, water sources and shelters, and well away from trails.
3. Leave what you find.
Leave plants, cultural artifacts (文物) and other natural objects where you found them for others to enjoy. Do not damage live trees or plants; green wood burns poorly. Collect only firewood that is dead, down, and no larger than your wrist. Leave dead standing trees and dead limbs on standing trees for the wildlife.
4. Minimize campfire impacts.
Use stoves for cooking – if you need a fire, build one only where it’s legal and in an existing fire ring. Keep fires small. Never leave your campfire unattended, and drown it when you leave. Do not try to burn trash, including plastic, glass, cans, tea bags, food, or anything with food on it. These items do not burn thoroughly. They create harmful fumes, and attract wildlife like skunks and bears.
5.Respect wildlife
Don’t feed or disturb wildlife. Store food properly to avoid attracting bears, varmints, and rodents. If you bring a pet, keep it leashed.
1. Before you hike on the Appalachian Trail, you are advised to _______.| A．Leave your pet dog at home |
| B．bring some food for the wildlife there |
| C．prepare for bad weather and emergencies |
| D．avoid crowded periods and book a hotel in advance |
| A．take care of | B．hide away |
| C．make use of | D．get rid of |
| A．collect firewood that is larger than your wrist |
| B．keep it small and drown it when you go away |
| C．burn or bury your trash before you leave |
| D．use it to drive away wildlife like skunks and bear |
| Surface area(sq mi) | Volume(cu mi) | Percentage of total | |
| Salt water | |||
| The oceans | 139,500,000 | 317,000,000 | 97. 2％ |
| Inland seas and saline lakes | 270,000 | 25,000 | 0. 008 |
| Fresh water | |||
| Freshwater lakes | 330,000 | 30,000 | 0. 009 |
| All rivers(average level) | － | 300 | 0. 0001 |
| Antarctic Icecap | 6,000,000 | 6,300,000 | 1. 9 |
| Arctic Icecap and glaciers | 900,000 | 680,000 | 0. 21 |
| Water in the atmosphere | 197,000,000 | 3,100 | 0. 001 |
| Ground water within half a mile from surface | － | 1,000,000 | 0. 31 |
| Deep-lying ground water | － | 1,000,000 | 0. 31 |
| Total (rounded) | － | 326,000,000 | 100. 00 |
The Antarctic Icecap is the largest supply of fresh water，representing nearly 2% of the world’s total of fresh and salt water. As can be seen from the table above, the amount of water in our atmosphere is over 10 times as much as the water in all the rivers taken together. The fresh water actually available for human use in lakes and rivers and the accessible ground water amount to only about one-third of 1% of the world’s total water supply.
1. Which two places share equal amount of fresh water?| A．Freshwater lakes and all rivers (average level) |
| B．Antarctic Icecap and water in the atmosphere |
| C．Deep-lying ground water and Arctic Icecap and glaciers |
| D．Ground water within half a mile from surface and Deep-lying ground water |
| A．about 1,086,700 cu mi | B．about 6,300,000 cu mi |
| C．about 680,000 cu mi | D．about 2,000,000 cu mi |
| A．Fresh Water in the World | B．Water Supply of the World |
| C．Salt Water of the Earth | D．Protection of the Water in the World |
