【推荐1】Is there a strange something high up in the world’s tallest mountains? If so, is it a big bear? Is it a monkey? Or is it a kind of man? No one knows. This mystery has puzzled the world for years.

In 1887, a mountain climber found large footsteps in the snow. They looked like the footsteps of a very large man. But men don’t walk without shoes in the snow!

In 1906, another climber saw more footsteps. He saw a very large animal standing on two legs. As he watched, it ran away very quickly. Fifteen years later, a newspaper had new stories about the “something”. A mountain climber said he had seen the “snowman” walk slowly in the snow. He said it looked like a very large man.

From then on, more and more people had stories to tell. But not until 1951 did a mountain climber bring back the pictures of large footsteps. The pictures showed clearly that the snowman walked on two legs. So it was not a bear or a monkey. Could it be an apeman (猿人)? And the mystery keeps growing. Some day, we may find out just what it is that makes the largest footsteps.

1. The passage is about ________.

A．some mountain climbers

B．some strange animals

C．the snow

D．the mystery of the large footsteps

2. Why were people interested in footsteps?

A．Because they were the footsteps of a large bear.

B．Because they looked like the footsteps of a large man.

C．Because they were found in the snow.

D．Because they were found in the mountains.

3. Why did the mystery grow when a mountain climber brought back pictures of large footsteps?

A．They were the footsteps of an apeman.

B．They were the footsteps of a snowman.

C．The pictures showed clearly how the snowman walked.

D．People still don’t know who made the footsteps.

4. Which is the best title?

A．Snow	B．The large footsteps
C．A big bear	D．Monkey

【推荐2】Dogs, more so than almost any other domestic pets, are desperate for human eye contact.     1    and according to a new study, that pull on the heartstrings might be exactly why dogs can give us those looks at all.

    2     Studying the two animals is a bit like cracking open a four-legged time capsule. A paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that dogs’ faces are structured for complex expression in a way that wolves’ aren’t.

For the study, a team looked at two muscles (the RAOL and LAOM muscles) that work together to widen and open a dog’s eyes, causing them to appear bigger and more lovely, which we read as distinctly humanlike. The muscles for two short, straight lines, which connect the ring of muscle around a dog’s eye to either end of the brow above.     3     Therefore, they concluded that the origin of these complex facial expressions is after dogs splitting from wolves. Research has also shown that when dogs work these muscles, humans respond more positively. This isn’t simply a coincidental love story, in which the eyes of two species just so happen to meet across a crowded planet.     4     

For a species to change quickly, a pretty powerful force must be acting on it.     5     .We connect more deeply with animals capable of making humanlike facial movements, so dogs have evolved to look like our own human babies to be selected for adoption.

A．Dogs are similar to wolves.

B．And that’s where humans come in.

C．It’s hard for most people to resist the shining eyes of a little dog.

D．But in the four gray wolves the researchers looked at, neither muscle was present.

E．Like the other best partnerships, this one is more likely the result of years of evolution.

F．Researchers have long been interested in the ways dogs make eye contact with humans.

G．Dogs split off from their wolf relatives — specifically, gray wolves — as many as 33, 000 years ago.

【推荐3】Any snakebite can be dangerous if infection (感染) sets in. Some types of snake poison make the bite area swollen (肿胀的) or painful. Others cause bleeding or damage the heart’s nerves. Here are some especially dangerous snakes:

The largest of all poisonous snakes, king cobras can reach 5.5 meters in length. Each king cobra bite contains enough poison to kill an elephant — or 20 people. But these big snakes usually avoid people. They live throughout India, southern China and Southeast Asia.

A bite from Australia’s inland taipan, the world’s most poisonous snake, releases enough poison to kill 100 men. The good news is that people rarely come in contact with this snake, and a treatment for its poison exists.

Russell’s viper lives throughout Asia, including India, southern China, and on the island of Taiwan. It prefers grassy fields but can be found in forests and urban areas. It bites more people and causes more deaths than any other poisonous snake.

Though short, the common Indian krait packs a powerful punch (攻击) in its bite. Most often, it strikes people at night while they are sleeping. Since the bite causes little pain, victims are often not sure that they have been bitten until they begin to experience stomach cramps (痉挛). Without treatment, symptoms will worsen quickly and can lead to death.

The black mamba, a native of Africa, is actually olive or grey in color. Only the inside of its mouth is black. When black mambas feel threatened by a human, they make a loud hissing sound to warn the person away. If the warning is ignored, the snake will attack the person repeatedly. And they can attack quickly, moving over the ground at speeds of up to 20 kilometers per hour.

1. According to this article, what is a particular feature (特点) of the king cobra?

A．Its seasonal changes.	B．Its lack of movement.
C．Its sense of hearing.	D．Its amazing size.

2. According to this article, which of the following is known for its speed?

A．The inland taipan.	B．The black mamba.
C．The Indian krait.	D．The Russell’s viper.

3. What does the article imply about the inland taipan?

A．It is believed to have died out.

B．Meeting with it can cause death.

C．Some people keep one as a pet.

D．Very little is known about its behavior.

4. In which magazine would you most likely find this article?

A．Let’s Explore Nature	B．Weekly Travel Digest
C．Psychology Magazine	D．Global Warning News

【推荐1】Dolphins, African gray parrots and some other animals also understand the idea of “zero”, but researchers were surprised to find that honeybees also comprehend this concept, considering the insects’ tiny brains, according to a new study. Honeybees have fewer than 1 million neurons (神经元), compared with the 86 billion neurons in humans—and yet, they grasp a concept that humans, by some measures, don’t start to understand before preschool.

The researchers set up two cards, each of which had a set of symbols on them, like triangles or circles. Then, they trained a group of bees to fly to the card with the lower number of symbols. The bees quickly learned what the humans wanted them to do to get their delicious, sweet rewards. The trained bees were then shown a card that was empty and one that had symbols on it. There was no need for the bees to be trained to fly more often to the empty card —thus showing that they understood that “zero” was a number less than the others.

Although they flew more often to an empty card than to one that had one symbol on it, it became easier for them to distinguish when the symbols on the card increased in number. For example, they more often flew to the empty card when the other card had four symbols than when it had one.

Perhaps these findings will explain the brain mechanism (运行机制) behind what allows us to understand the concept of “nothing”, Adrian Dyer, a researcher said. This understanding, in turn, could help in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) that also understands this concept. “If bees can understand zero with a brain of less than a million neurons, it suggests there are simple, efficient ways to teach AI new tricks,” Dyer said in the statement.

1. What is it that shocked the researchers?

A．Bees can understand zero with tiny brains.

B．Many animals also understand the idea of zero.

C．Humans can’t understand zero before preschool.

D．Humans are the only species to know about “nothing”.

2. What can the bees do without further training?

A．Fly more often to the card with more symbols on it.

B．Fly more often to the card with fewer symbols on it.

C．Fly more often to the card without any symbol on it.

D．Fly more often to the card with tiny symbols on it.

3. Which of the following cards makes bees fly more often to an empty card?

A．With 2 symbols.	B．With 4 symbols.
C．With 6 symbols.	D．With 8 symbols.

4. What can AI learn from these findings?

A．To explain how the brain works.

B．To understand abstract concepts.

C．To gain new skills with simpler ways.

D．To express complex emotions with simple words.

【推荐2】As the pandemic separates us from loved ones, many of us are trying to stay connected through texting, email, and social media, even taking the opportunity to reconnect with long-lost friends.

But if our goal is to feel closer to people and enjoy our conversations more, we’d better pick up the phone, according to a new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.

In the study, participants (参与者)imagined having a conversation with a friend they hadn't been in touch with for at least two years and made predictions (预测) about how it would feel to connect by phone versus(对比)email. "We think it's going to be awkward to talk to somebody, but that just turns out not to be the case," says lead author Amit Kumar. "Instead... people form stronger connection when they're talking on the phone than when communicating over email. ”

The same result held true when the researchers had participants do a conversation exercise with strangers using either video chatting, audio(声音的),only chatting, or text-chatting. People who used media that included the voice had more satisfying exchanges and felt closer to their new friends than the text-chatters.

Why? Likely it's because our voices communicate a variety of emotions, helping others to read us better and to feel like they really know us. Hearing someone's voice helps understand each other better —in some cases, even better than video chatting.

So, while texting can be useful, it's not the best way to get the most out of socializing. If we're looking for greater happiness and connection, we should give someone a call.

1. What do the underlined words “the case” in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Stronger connection is possible.

B．Predictions agree with the results.

C．Talking on the phone is awkward.

D．Communication over e-mail is effective.

2. Why do participants communicating with voice feel closer?

A．They can talk more quickly.

B．Voices show more emotions.

C．Voices are easier to understand.

D．They are more familiar with voice.

3. How do researchers get the study result?

A．By quoting experts' words.	B．By telling stories.
C．By making comparisons.	D．By introducing theories.

4. What is considered the best way to connect with someone?

A．Text chatting.	B．Sending emails.
C．Making calls.	D．Writing letters.

【推荐3】The year 2018 will mark the 100h anniversary of the deadliest influenza outbreak in history. It is estimated that the influenza pandemic (瘟疫) of 1918 killed more than 50 million people around the world. Other estimates go much higher. Because of a lack of medical record-keeping, we may never know the exact number.

The influenza was a fast killer. Some victims died within hours of their first symptoms. Others died after a few days. “Their lungs filled with liquid and they choked to death.” The 1918 flu pandemic was also different from other outbreaks. It struck many young. healthy people. Viruses usually affect sick or old people.

Although modern medicine effectively controls many diseases, influenza remains difficult to protect against. The World Health Organization estimates that every year influenza kills 250,000 to 500,000 people around the world. Each year, medical scientists develop flu vaccines (疫苗) which offer immunity (免疫) from some influenza viruses. But they can only guess which form of the virus will spread.

Health officials remain concerned about another flu pandemic. New forms of the flu virus appear regularly. One example was the “swine flu” or H1N1 outbreak in 2009. Anthony Faucal, Director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in the United States says that virus caused a true pandemic.

To stop the next pandemic, scientists are now researching how to create a universal influenza vaccine. In October 2017, Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the U. S. announced the Universal Influenza Vaccine Initiative. The university said researchers are leading an international effort to develop a universal influenza vaccine that will protect everyone against all forms of the flu anywhere in the world. The university added that researchers will begin tests in early 2018. The Human Vaccines Project, a public-private partnership, is funding the project. However, until a universal influenza vaccine is available, today’s seasonal flu vaccine remains important.

1. Why is influenza difficult to protect against?

A．It spreads too rapidly.

B．It is quite easy to catch.

C．No vaccine is available.

D．It's hard to judge the form of virus.

2. What does the author want to tell by mentioning H1N1 in 2009?

A．New forms of flu virus keeps appearing.

B．It was the most serious in recent years.

C．It was caused by the same flu virus of 1918.

D．The H1N1 virus was deadly as well.

3. What can we learn about the universal influenza vaccine?

A．The development is quite costly.

B．It will be used all over the world.

C．It can protect against all forms of flu.

D．It will soon come into use in 2019.

【推荐1】Every two years, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)selects a city to host the Olympic Games. It’s always very exciting. The application process is very long, slow, and difficult. Cities that apply need to work very hard.

Phase I—Applicant cities

The IOC starts the application process nine years before the Olympic Games. First the IOC invites national Olympic committees to apply to host the Games. The IOC then holds a meeting for people from the national Olympic committees of cities that have decided to apply. About one year later, the IOC selects several cities on the basis of government support, safety, hotels, transportation, etc. after they are selected; the cities are required to pay a fee of around US $500，000 if they want to continue the application process. Cities that decide to continue are then called candidate cities(候选城市).

Phase Ⅱ—Candidate Cities

In the first step of Phase II, the IOC gives candidate cities an application process guide and list of questions. Candidate cities must first answer the questions. Next, the cities must hand in the candidature file. This file explains in detail the city’s plans to host the Olympic Games. The IOC reads the candidature file. Several months later, people from the IOC take a trip to the candidate cities. After viewing the cities, they write reports about them for the IOC. Finally, two years after the process began, the IOC holds a special meeting. It is there that they announce their selection for the host city, seven years before the Olympic Games will begin.

1. How many years will the application process begin before the start of the Olympic Games?

A．Four years.	B．Seven years.
C．Nine years.	D．Five years.

2. What aspects should a city consider when it applies for hosting the Olympic Games?

A．Transportation, safety and beauty.	B．Safety, history and transportation.
C．Hotels, safety and transportation.	D．History, hotels and beauty.

3. What does the candidature file explain in detail?

A．Events of the Olympic Games.

B．Plans for hosting the Olympic Games.

C．The Olympic host city application process.

D．The culture of the candidate cities.

【推荐2】A new study shows that underwater seagrass may be trapping millions of pieces of tiny marine plastic in natural balls of fiber in what is known as Neptune balls. Huge masses of seagrass make up most of the coastal waters around the world and when there are storms these balls are washed to the shores.

There are 70 different species of seagrass around the globe, which provide important ecosystem benefits including improving water quality, absorbing CO₂, reducing climate change, as well as providing a habitat for many species. Now ocean pollution cleanup can be added to the list.

The fact that these grasses contained plastic particles was discovered by Anna Sanchez-Vidal, leading author and a marine biologist at the University of Barcelona in Spain and her team who have been measuring the amount of plastic that was collected from seagrass from four beaches in Mallorca, Spain between 2018 and 2019.

The researchers studied just one species, Posidonia Oceanica, and found plastic debris(碎片) in half of the 42 Neptune balls they examined and it amounted to 613 microplastic items per kilogram of leaves. They estimated that up to 867 million plastic items may be trapped in the seagrass in the Mediterranean Sea every year, according to the research that was published in the January 2021 issue of the journal Scientific Reports.

“It shows that plastic debris in the seafloor can be trapped in seagrass remains, eventually leaving the marine environment through beaching,” Sanchez-Vidal, told the Agence France-Presse. This plastic cleanup, “represents a continuous cleaning of plastic debris out of the sea,” she said.

Around 8 million tons of plastic pollution end up in the world’s oceans yearly and make up 80 percent of all marine debris. Plastic pollution is threatening food safety, health, tourism, and contributes to climate change.

“This is why we need to protect and preserve these vulnerable ecosystems. However, the best environmental protection strategy to keep oceans free of plastic is to reduce landfills, an action that requires to limit its use by the population,” the researchers concluded in the study.

1. What do we know from the second paragraph?

A．Underwater seagrass is planted to clean up seawater.

B．Underwater seagrass has contributed to climate change.

C．Underwater seagrass benefits ecosystem in different ways.

D．Underwater seagrass has been used to fight against pollution.

2. How did the researchers carry out the study?

A．By collecting the data of plastic debris found on the beach.

B．By analyzing the amount of plastic contained in the seagrass.

C．By showing the distribution of Posidonia Oceanica in the ocean.

D．By counting the number of Neptune balls in the Mediterranean Sea.

3. Why are some figures shown in Paragraph 6?

A．To call readers’ attention to the environment.

B．To prove a lot of research has been done.

C．To stress the worsening situation of seagrass.

D．To show how serious plastic pollution is getting.

4. What is the best way to rid the ocean of plastic according to the researchers?

A．Reducing the use of plastic products.

B．Recycling as much plastic as possible.

C．Burying the plastic debris in the earth.

D．Developing environmentally friendly materials.

【推荐3】The Forbidden City is well known for being full of Chinese cultural and historical relics. But Masters in the Forbidden City(《我在故宫修文物》）does not just focus on the stories of the past. Instead, the documentary film, which came out in Chinese cinemas on Dec. 16，focuses on ordinary people—the restorers(做修复工作的人）of relics and antiquities(古董).

The stories are told at a slow and relaxed pace，reflecting the restorers’ work. Restoration of cultural relics and antiques can be time-consuming, and sometimes boring. Yet these restorers’ patience and peace of mind are especially precious in a society where everything is changing so fast.

"If you choose this job，you have to stand hours of work sitting on a chair. You need to be quiet and get used to being quiet," says Wang Jin, an ancient clock repair expert.

A touching part of the documentary is the spirit of craftsmanship(工艺)in the restorers. "Years of humdrum work requires not only skill, but also faith and spirit," China Daily commented. "looking for precision and perfection, devoting yourself to work, patience，endurance (忍耐力),loneliness. All these qualities come from the‘ craftsman spirit’. "

But unlike the popular idea of serious experts who sit around being serious，the documentary shows off the enthusiasm of the restorers. They play their guitars and make jokes about each other after a long day of restoration work.

One scene that has been very popular with Internet users features a young female restorer riding a bicycle through the empty Forbidden City on a Monday. While she is doing this, a narrator says, "The last person to do this was Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing dynasty."

Masters in the Forbidden City has proved many people’ s ideas about antique restorers wrong, allowing them to realize that they are not old, dull professors, but people in their 40s, 30s and even 20s who can be quite pleasing to the eye.

1. According to the text, what’s the main purpose of the documentary Masters in the Forbidden City?

A．To show people how antiques are restored.

B．To draw attention to Chinese antique restorers’ lives.

C．To display relics seldom seen by ordinary people.

D．To praise the craftsmanship of Chinese antique restorers.

2. According to Wang Jin, we can learn that _____ .

A．he often gets tired of his work

B．here is no need to do restoration work fast

C．antique restorers need to be patient and peaceful

D．it takes years of hard work to adapt to antique restoration

3. The underlined word “humdrum” probably means________.

A．unusual

B．different

C．relaxing

D．boring

4. The bicycle-riding scene in the documentary is used to _____ .

A．break the old, dull image of antique restorers

B．show the strange hobbies of young antique restorers

C．encourage the young consider a career in antique restoration in the future

D．remind the audience of the last Qing emperor