Like many of history’s greatest ideas, Tetris (俄罗斯方块)came about quite unintentionally. Alexey Pajitnov was a software engineer at the Soviet Academy of Sciences in Moscow, tasked with testing a new type of computer. To do so, he wrote a simple game based on a puzzle from his childhood. It would help assess how powerful the computer was--and provide a bit of fun. Little did he know that the resulting game would go on to become one of the greatest, most addictive and most successful of all time.
Tetris is a puzzle game in which geometric shapes fall down onto a playing field, and the player has to arrange them to form gapless lines. Pajitnov took inspiration from pentomino, a classic puzzle game consisting of all the different shapes that can be made by combining five squares--12 in total--with the goal of arranging them in a wooden box like a jigsaw puzzle.
To simplify things, he knocked that down to four squares, thus reducing the number of shapes from 12 to seven. He called the game Tetris, combining the Greek numeral “tetra”(meaning four) and tennis, his favorite sport. Pajitnov himself was immediately hooked. “I couldn’t stop myself from playing this prototype version, because it was very addictive to put the shapes together,” he said on the phone from Seattle, where he now lives.
Tetris has been the subject of several scientific studies. One found that playing the game can be effective in fighting off cravings for food and, while another noted an increase in the thickness of some parts of the brain in people who had played regularly. Playing Tetris for prolonged periods of time can lead to players dreaming about the falling pieces or interpreting real-world objects as shapes in the game and mentally re-arranging them--a phenomenon known as “the Tetris Effect”.
“With time going by, it hasn’t lost any of its play value and nothing has come to replace Tetris,” said Henk Rogers, a computer scientist, explaining the game’s enduring popularity. “It’s like Happy Birthday. There have been lots of songs that come and go, but Happy Birthday is always sung in the same way. Tetris has become the Happy Birthday of computer games.”
1. Why did Alexey Pajitnov create Tetris?| A．To bring back childhood memory. |
| B．To provide more fun for the public. |
| C．To update the computer system. |
| D．To assess a new kind of computer. |
| A．Pleased | B．Determined | C．Obsessed | D．Moved |
| A．It can cause players to dream about the falling pieces. |
| B．It can stimulate people’s appetite for food. |
| C．It can lead to “the Tetris Effect” instantly. |
| D．It can increase the overall thickness of the brain. |
| A．To describe the concept of Tetris. |
| B．To indicate the popularity of Tetris. |
| C．To provide the example of popular songs. |
| D．To introduce the topic of Happy Birthday. |
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RPS is a game as popular in the East as it is in the West. The rules are the same: Two players make one of the three hand signs. To decide the winner, rock breaks scissors, scissors cut paper, and paper covers rock.
Many of us play with no game plan in mind. But researchers have worked out several winning patterns. The World Rock Paper Scissors Society holds tournaments (联赛) in Toronto, Canada. According to their data, players choose rock (35.4 percent) and paper (35 percent) more than scissors (29.6 percent).
If your opponent is a man or an angry person, it’s quite possible they will start the game with rock, researchers have found. If your opponent is a woman or a beginner, you should expect them to start with scissors.
Earlier this year, Chinese scientists asked 360 students to compete in a RPS tournament at Zhejiang University. Scientists found that winners tend to choose the same action they won with, while the loser tends to change to the next action in the order of rock, scissors, paper.This is called the “win-stay lose-change” strategy(策略). Humans use this strategy in many competitive situations.
Expert RPS players have many other techniques. Monica Martinez, 2008 winner of the World RPS Tournament, said that she read faces.“I didn’t worry about what I was going to do, I just did what I thought they were going to do,” she told The Telegraph. If your friends are similar experts, learn from Jonathan Monaco, winner of the 2009 USA RPS Tournament. He wears dark sunglasses to cover his expressions during the game.
Remember, the strategy for playing RPS depends on how skilled your opponent is. But if you’re looking for a quick, simple winning rule for a match, choose paper. Scissors is the least popular choice, and men favor rock. Both are reasons to choose paper.
1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
| A．The popularity of RPS games around the world. |
| B．The general rules of RPS games. |
| C．A game plan for RPS games. |
| D．The fairness of RPS games. |
| A．studying the rules of the game |
| B．analyzing game data |
| C．interviewing expert players |
| D．organizing major tournaments |
| A．She likes to use the same actions many times in a row when playing the game. |
| B．She usually follows the order of rock, scissors and paper when playing the game. |
| C．She is good at reading her opponent’s moves when playing the game. |
| D．She often wears dark sunglasses when playing the game. |
| A．scissors is the most popular choice of skilled RPS players |
| B．paper is a safer choice than rock and scissors for RPS players |
| C．beginners have barely any chance of winning against skilled RPS players |
| D．men are usually better at RPS games than women |
【推荐2】The smartphone has long since become our constant companion. While gaming used to be limited to computers and consoles (操纵台), gaming on mobile phones has become very popular in recent years. You can find out why this is so with us.
New developments in the area of smartphone production make mobile gaming particularly attractive. Tablets in particular have a sufficiently large display to allow gaming with very high resolution(分辨率). In addition, there are eight-core processors that are not only installed in current flagships, but also in the middle class. With appropriate graphics card (显卡), nothing stands in the way of mobile gaming. That being said, it is much more convenient to play games on the smartphone or tablet.
One advantage that mobile games have is their low price. Many games are offered for free in the app stores. The developers generate their income through so-called in-game purchases. The user can, for example, activate special features for which he would otherwise have to wait a certain time, or which he would otherwise not be able to access at all. And even if the mobile games cost something, gamers pay a lot less than when playing on the console.
While there were more card games or hits like Snake on the first mobile phones, more and more complex games can be found in app stores today. This includes sports games, but also role-playing games. What also attract gamers to smartphones are mobile versions of well-known games. So you can control the life of your Sims from your mobile phone, catch Pokémon on your smartphone and finally get your Hogwarts letter that you've been waiting for so many years. That attracts customers. You can also find a lot of self-growth and many other brain training games like Sharp Knife Target, Hexagone Brain Workout, and etc. in Play Stores.
1. What makes mobile gaming appealing and popular according to Paragraph 2?| A．Mobile numbers. | B．Updating games. |
| C．New technology. | D．Benefiting brains. |
| A．Their low cost. | B．Their development. |
| C．Their versions. | D．Their convenience. |
| A．Making a comparison. | B．Giving some examples. |
| C．Explaining a phenomenon. | D．Confirming an assumption. |
| A．Why not limit mobile gaming | B．How to play mobile games well |
| C．How mobile games are developed | D．Why mobile gaming is so popular |
【推荐3】A recent study has found that number-based board games (棋盘游戏) possibly can make young children better at math. The researchers encourage further studies to see how these types of games can help to promote other developmental skills.
Former studies have shown that playing these games have a positive effect on improving social, reading and writing skills. Now, researchers from Pontificia Universidad Católica, Chile, have investigated how board games affect a child’s math abilities. The researchers chose board games, specifically, because they are rules-based, and the moves and changes on the board influence the whole gameplay. As such, they fall into their own type of games, different from other games.
The researchers reviewed 19 studies published from 2000 onwards for children aged three to nine. All but one of the studies focused on the effects of board games on counting ability and mathematical knowledge.
The children were grouped according to whether they played a board game based on numbers(the intervention group) or one that did not (the control group). Math performance (表现) was tested before and after the intervention (干预). The researchers grouped the children according to their mathematical abilities, from basic math bility (identifying and naming numbers) to more advanced skills in mathematics.
The researchers found that 32% of children in the intervention group showed obvious improvement in basic and advanced math performance compared to those in the control group.
The researchers say that their study’s findings show that board games can be used to improve a child’s basic math skills. “Future studies should be designed to explore the influences that these games could have on other developmental skills,” said Jaime Balladares, lead author of the study.
1. What did the researchers find in the former study?| A．Board games can promote kids’ social skills. |
| B．All games are helpful to children’s growth. |
| C．Children like the number-based games best. |
| D．Board games contribute to a child’s study. |
| A．Reading and writing skills. | B．Directing and acting skills. |
| C．Counting and math ability. | D．Study and review ability. |
| A．By listing numbers. | B．By giving an example. |
| C．By quoting a conversation. | D．By making a comparison. |
| A．He is not satisfied with the study findings. |
| B．He encourages further studies of board games. |
| C．He is an expert in kids’ developmental skills. |
| D．He worries about the effect of playing games. |
【推荐1】Earthworms don’t move fast. But humans can accelerate the worms’ spread. Fishermen often use invasive(蔓延性的) earthworms to catch fish. Many have introduced invasive earthworms to rivers, streams and lakes previously unexposed to these animals. Gardeners who use earthworms to make their soil rich may unknowingly introduce invasive ones. The worms even give rides in the mud on wheels, potted plants and road materials shipped around the nation.
But they’re not everywhere yet. In the Great Lakes region, “20 percent of the land is earthworm-free,” says Cindy Hale, a research biologist. Of the remaining 80 percent of land, half of the land has fewer than two earthworm species-meaning there isn’t yet too much impact on the ecosystem, she explains. For these regions, she says, now is the time to take action. According to Hale, educating the public, especially fishermen, is one approach to stopping the spread of invasive earthworms. Identifying which lands are currently earthworm-free is another.
Ryan Huefimeier, a program coordinator for Great Lakes Wom Watch, has been working on a model that will help create large maps of areas with minimal(最小的) or no damage from earthworms. Ultimately, landowners can use it to identify earthworm activity on their property. once identified, lands with minimal or no earthworm damage should be protected.
But scientists suspect that once invasive earthworms arrive they can’t be removed. And even if all could be, affected forests might never return to the way they were. “It’s very much a story of learning to live with them,” concludes Lee Frelich of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Forest Ecology.
Forest ecologists have called earthworms “ecosystem engineers” because they can change or create habitats that otherwise would not be present. Whether this is a good thing depends on the situation.
“What the earthworms do and how we value it is what really matters.” said Hale. “In one place-farm fields or gardens-we really like European earthworms and what they do, so we consider them good. In native hardwood forests, we really don’t like what they do-so we consider them bad. You really have to understand how an organism(微生物) affects an ecosystem. Things aren’t black and white.”
1. Why are fishermen and gardeners mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．To attract more people to fishing and gardening. |
| B．To introduce different uses of invasive earthworms. |
| C．To stress the importance of invasive earthworms to humans. |
| D．To show humans’ effect on the spread of invasive earthworms. |
| A．Finding out areas free of earthworms. |
| B．Extending a ban on the fishing industry. |
| C．Making maps of areas with most earthworms. |
| D．Informing the public of different earthworm species. |
A．Objective.  | B．Positive. |
| C．Ambiguous. | D．Doubtful. |
【推荐2】For centuries,dolphins have got our admiration,and it is easy to see why.They are beautiful,cute and smart sea animals.Dolphins are not fish,but warm-blooded animals.They live in groups,and speak to each other in their own language.In this way,they are like other animals,such as bees and birds.But dolphins are very different from almost all land animals.It is said that dolphins are the world’s second smartest creatures after humans and have many brain features(特征)related to intelligence.Their brain is nearly the same size as our own,and they live a long time－at least twenty or thirty years.
Like some animals,dolphins use sound to help them find their way around.They also make these sounds to talk to each other and to help them find food.We now know they do not use their ears to receive these sounds,but the lower part of the mouth,called the jaw.
Strangely,dolphins seem to like man,and for thousands of years there have been stories about the dolphin and its friendship with people.
There is a story about sailors in the 19th century.In a dangerous part of the sea off the coast of New Zealand,they learnt to look for a dolphin called Jack.From 1871 to 1903,Jack met every boat in the area and showed it the way.Then in 1903 a passenger on a boat called The Penguin shot and wounded Jack.He recovered and for nine years more continued to guide all ships through the area－except for The Penguin.
Today,somepeople continue to kill dolphins,but many countries of the world now protect them and in these places it is against the law to kill them.
1. Dolphins are different from many other animals because they_____.| A．live in groups | B．have their own language |
| C．are warm-blooded | D．have large brains |
| A．Its nose. | B．Its ears. |
| C．Its jaw. | D．Its eyes. |
| A．They wanted to kill Jack. |
| B．They wanted Jack’s help. |
| C．They wanted to take care of wounded Jack. |
| D．They enjoyed playing with Jack. |
| A．dolphins are friendly and clever |
| B．people are cruel to animals |
| C．Jack is different from other dolphins |
| D．dolphins are being protected by all the countries |
【推荐3】You may have heard the continental breakfast (欧式早餐).
Nowadays, many hotels worldwide are offering continental breakfasts.
A continental breakfast is usually provided in hotels for a specific period of time during the morning. The food is typically placed on a large table. Objects like forks and knives are put beside. There might be tables and chairs where guests can sit and eat.
| A．Such meals become more popular. |
| B．Continental breakfasts are common. |
| C．A continental breakfast means a light breakfast. |
| D．Firstly, these items are more cost-effective for hotels. |
| E．The term “continental breakfast” had its beginning in Britain. |
| F．Many times, a limited amount of food will be provided each day. |
| G．They can also take their breakfast back to their rooms or elsewhere. |
【推荐1】To build a prosperous (繁荣的) society, a fundamental understanding of the modern economy as a driving force in today’s world is essential.
What kind of prosperity have we achieved so far? The widespread definition of prosperity focuses on economic power and growth as measures of success. Let’s take a look at history. The Second Industrial Revolution enabled mass production and created a sufficient supply of goods. This has greatly increased the importance of money in its role as “a store of value, ” and “a medium of exchange. ”As a result, we have pursued economic power as the only indicator of prosperity, such as GDP. Waves of globalization and technological evolution have promoted overall economic growth, but have allowed the few who are strong to achieve greater power while exploiting the many who are weak. Consequently, inequality has worsened, and disunity has intensified.
The path to a truly prosperous world requires a shift in focus towards the most suitable happiness for all, in addition to economic power. Defining happiness, however, is a complex task. What makes people happy? The degree to which the same thing creates happiness differs from person to person. Happiness is subjective and complicated. This is a world of “multiple values” where each of us determines worth as opposed to “one fixed price” based merely on an economic perspective. Individuals shouldn’t be defined by a single identity or role but by multidimensional nature as well as multiple roles making independent choices and taking actions for their happiness in different aspects.
Businesses must be pioneers in pursuing not only economic growth but also the happiness of all citizens of society. Companies can contribute through the pursuit of social value as well as economic profit. At the heart of this lies “purpose”. A company’s purpose defines the value it brings to society. The true worth of a company should be determined not just by the return s it creates for shareholders but by the value it creates for society as a whole.
1. What is the author’s attitude to the widely accepted standard of prosperity?| A．Indifferent. | B．Critical. | C．Uncertain. | D．Approving. |
| A．The slower economic growth speed. |
| B．The sharp reduction of job opportunities. |
| C．The enlarged gap between the rich and the poor. |
| D．The increasing conflict between different nations. |
| A．Happiness is changeable and beyond control. |
| B．Happiness largely depends on economic power. |
| C．The pursuit of profit determines a company’s true worth. |
| D．A prosperous world should be measured by multiple values. |
| A．Social psychologists. | B．Enterprise administrators. |
| C．School educators. | D．Technological researchers. |
【推荐2】Finding a mask which offers you a high protection level is crucial to filtering (过滤) out any particles for a long time. However, after a few hours, the mask becomes contaminated (污染) by the particles and you need to replace it with a new one. See, you have to get a mask offering active protection in addition to passive filtration.
The first rule of a mask offering you any kind of protection is that it needs to fit well. The mask also needs to be comfortable and allow you to breathe easily for you to be able to keep it on for as many hours as you need.
During long hours of wear, food and dirt may remain on the inside of your mask. All the hours spent in a place with less-than-ideal conditions for human health are wonderful news for bacteria that thrive on food particles and muck left behind on the inside of your mask. This growth opportunity for bacteria could not just be dangerous but could also cause a bad smell. So you’d better have a kind that kills off the smell-causing bacteria, leaving your mask smelling fresh.
You should look for cloth masks that have multiple layers of breathable fabric that is tightly woven, include a robust (结实的) nose wire for you to adjust the mask to the shape of your face and prevent air escaping from around your nose, do not have gaps around the nose or sides of the face and that block out the light if you hold the mask up to a bright light source. It is good for the mask to come with your choice of either head straps or ear straps, both adjustable. It is also good if the mask has different sizes ranging from kids to adults to ensure everyone stays protected.
1. What is most important about a mask according to the first paragraph?| A．Offering passive filtration. |
| B．Offering active protection. |
| C．Working for long hours. |
| D．Filtering out all particles. |
| A．To shape your face. |
| B．To block out the light. |
| C．To offer different sizes ranging from kids to adults. |
| D．For you to adjust the shape and prevent air escaping. |
| A．The size. | B．The ear strap. |
| C．The nose wire. | D．The head strap. |
| A．Kids. | B．Doctors. |
| C．Citizens. | D．Mask makers. |
【推荐3】Bliss (幸福) is boring! That’s a cautionary (告诫的) line I’ve heard a lot about the Common Application writing prompt (提示): “Describe a place where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?”
It’s true. Just how much can you say about big mountains or peaceful ocean waves? This is a tougher prompt than you might think.
Part of the challenge associated with this prompt is that it is — so broad. The place is limitless and it could even be a place in a student’s favorite book.
How should you approach this prompt?
— Figure out where you’re happiest. Where are you when you’re feeling that way? When do you truly feel comfortable in your own skin?
— Determine why you are so happy there. Try to think of an anecdote that happened at that place. Who were you with? What was going on?
— Use your sensory details. The first part of the prompt asks you to describe your place. This is not where you should provide analysis but rather a straightforward description with significant details.
— Be reflective. The second and third parts of the prompt are inviting you to be analytical. This is the part of the essay that college admissions professionals are most interested in reading. This is where you will need to talk about how your place has influenced you.
— Here's another way to approach the prompt. Think about a time when you were unhappy. Where did you go to “get happy”? Why do you go there? What’s special about that place?
If you can’t discuss why this place is meaningful to you with maturity (成熟) and perfection, you are probably better off responding to a different writing prompt.
1. The author wrote “Bliss is boring!” at the beginning to suggest that __________.| A．no one in the world could have a tally perfect life |
| B．many students have no idea of what true happiness is |
| C．students should avoid talking about happiness in their essays |
| D．it is hard for students to produce a satisfactory essay on this topic |
| A．To remind students to keep an eye on the details in their life. |
| B．To give tips on responding to a writing prompt on the topic of happiness |
| C．To display basic skills for essay organization. |
| D．To teach students to balance facts and analysis in their essays. |
| A．Description of where, when and how much the experience was enjoyed. |
| B．Fun anecdotes about times when people felt the happiest. |
| C．Analyses of the sources of happiness and their influence. |
| D．Advice on how to get over negative feelings in daily life. |
| A．you had better live a wealthy life |
| B．you had better give up this writing prompt |
| C．you had better leave for a new place |
| D．you had better understand this place in a new way |
