【推荐1】The Australian Antarctic Division is ready to lead one of the most ambitious and challenging scientific projects yet undertaken in Antarctica-the quest to drill an ice core containing a million-year record of Earth’s climate and atmospheric history.

This record will help solve a long-standing mystery about the timing of past ice ages-why, almost one million years ago, the cycle of ice ages shifted from a regular 41,000-year cycle to an ice age every 100,000 years.

The Antarctic ice cap is formed by layers of snowfall, which are compressed at depth into ice. Trace chemicals and particles trapped in the ice layers provide data on how the climate and atmosphere has changed over time. Past temperature, the frequency and power of volcanic eruptions, sea ice coverage, dustiness and wind patterns are all recorded.

Air pockets in the snow become trapped as bubbles(气泡) in the ice. Each bubble is an original sample of the atmosphere, from the time the snow was transformed to ice. Carbon dioxide, methane, oxygen and other gases can be extracted from the bubbles to reveal their past atmospheric concentrations.

The 41,000-year ice age cycle matches a known periodicity in the tilt(倾斜) of Earth’s axis. The 100,000-year cycle matches a periodicity in the shape of the Earth’s orbit. Why the ice age cycles shifted from being paced by one parameter (参数) to the other is unresolved. The Antarctic ice sheet witnessed these changes and the answer to the puzzle may lie in the ancient ice.

A leading theory is that declining atmospheric CO2 levels were the cause of the longer, colder ice ages. The million-year ice core record will provide the essential CO2 record to test this theory. By greatly extending the detailed record of Earth’s climate history, the million-year ice core will also place current changes in climate and greenhouse gas concentrations into a deeper context.

1. What happened to the earth about one million years ago?

A．The cycle of ice ages changed.

B．The cycle of ice ages disappeared.

C．The Antarctic ice cap came into being.

D．The CO2 levels in the atmosphere increased.

2. What information does an ice core probably include?

A．The movements of sea ice.

B．The level of volcanic activities.

C．The cause of volcanic eruptions.

D．The cause of the tilt of Earth’s axis.

3. What’s the message conveyed in the fifth paragraph?

A．The tilt of Earth’s axis may have affected the ice ages.

B．The ice age cycles aren’t related to the Earth’s orbit.

C．The Earth’s orbit became stable about 100,000 years ago.

D．The orbital parameters are the key to studying the ancient ice.

4. What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．The evolution of the earth’s environment.

B．The periodicity of atmospheric CO2 levels.

C．The trend of climate change in recent years.

D．The potential value of the million-year ice core.

【推荐3】A group of German Scientists have discovered that the lotus plant is truly spotless. It does not allow any dirt to remain on its surface. And there is a clear reason for it.

Lotus leaves are round and large and it is almost impossible to get them wet. You may splash as much water as you want on a lotus leaf, but the droplets immediately roll off. What makes this water plant’s leaves water repellent (防水剂)?

Scientists have always known that aquatic (水生的) leaves secrete or give out wax crystals (蜡质结晶). These crystals help prevent the leaves from getting flooded with the water around the leaves. They also help the leaves gain the required amount of moisture. The leaves are able to do this because wax resists water.

Now the scientists have discovered that these leaf surfaces have an amazing ability to clean themselves. Scientists at the University of Bonn carried out extensive research to show that the water droplets rolling off a lotus leaf carry away dirt particles, leaving the surface perfectly clean. This phenomenon has been named the “Lotus Effect” and works best on rough surfaces. A report on the scientists’ study was published in the journal “Planta”.

Contrary to popular belief, lotus leaves are not smooth at all. When examined under a powerful microscope, the leaf cells show a bumpy surface. That makes the surface rough. As a result, dirt particles rest only on the tips of wax crystals coating the leaf surface. The roughness reduces the contact area between the particles (颗粒) and the leaf surface.

A rough surface structure with wax crystals makes it impossible for water to stick. Due to the friction, the water contracts at once. It forms spherical droplets to minimise the contact area with the rough, waxy leaf surface and runs off the leaf very quickly. Since the dirt particles only rest on the tips of the wax crystals, they stick more strongly to the water droplets than to the leaf surfaces. They are washed away when the water falls on the leaves.

1. What is one significance of wax crystals on leaves?

A．Maintaince of heat.	B．Resistance of water.
C．Protection from insects.	D．Protection of the surface.

2. What does paragraph 4 mainly tell us?

A．Lotus Effect.	B．The leaves’ size.
C．The leaves’ shape.	D．The leaves’ surfaces.

3. What can we know from the last paragraph?

A．The leaves’ surface makes water stay.	B．Water droplets can absorb wax crystals.
C．Waterdrops carry off the dirt on leaves.	D．Wax crystals don’t allow dirt to rest on leaves.

4. What’s a suitable title for the text?

A．How the Lotus Leaf Cleans Itself	B．What the Function of Wax Crystals
C．Why the Lotus Has a Rough Surface	D．Scientists’ Research about Wax Crystals

【推荐1】Traci and Dave Gagnon met in the cloud, so it was only natural that their wedding would be held there as well. The pair—or rather, their digital avatars(替身)——married on Labor Day weekend in a ceremony hosted by Virbela, a firm that creates virtual environments for work, learning, and events.

Ms. Gagnon’s avatar was accompanied by her close friend’s avatar. Mr. Gagnon’s avatar stood there watching as his friend’s avatar walked up to the platform and gave a toast. At the reception,7-year-old twin avatars(the ring bearer and flower girl)danced.

At present, it’s anyone’s guess how the immersive virtual world known as the metaverse(元宇宙), which few of us understand, will change the traditional wedding. However, the prospects of having an event outside of reality’s restrictions are interesting enough for us to think.

Technology has been used in ceremonies more than ever before as a result of COVID-19. There have been Zoom marriages, and some in-person ceremonies now include a broadcast component for those who are unable to attend. Last year, a couple whose wedding was postponed due to COVID-19 held a ceremony within the popular video game Animal Crossing.

It’s worth noting,though,that,like a video game wedding,any weddings that take place only in the metaverse are now illegal.

Experts predict that the metaverse will take these virtual celebrations to new heights, providing couples with nearly limitless choices. “There are no boundaries,” said Sandy Hammer, co-founder of Allseated, a company that develops digital wedding planning tools. Consider guest lists in the tens of thousands. Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are used in gift registries. Perhaps even weddings in space as a destination.

“They’re going to take their pals on a space rocket,” Ms. Hammer added, imagining wedding parties digitally travelling around the world. “A bride can send her guests into the metaverse by saying, ‘I want my morning session in Italy, and my evening session in Paris.’”

1. What’s the author’s purpose in describing the ceremony?

A．To make readers better understand the wedding in the cloud.

B．To show how exciting the wedding in the cloud was.

C．To express his concern over the future of traditional weddings.

D．To praise Traci and Dave Gagnon’s daring spirit.

2. How does the author mainly develop paragraph 4?

A．By providing reasons.	B．By following the time order.
C．By making comparisons.	D．By giving examples.

3. What is Sandy Hammer’s attitude towards the metaverse?

A．Uncaring.

B．Opposed.

C．Favorable.

D．Doubtful.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Forms of Modern Marriages	B．The Prospects of the Metaverse
C．Getting Married in the Metaverse	D．Holding Events Regardless of Reality

【推荐2】Engineers at Deakin University have developed a new smart generation schoolbag that will end the days when students end up forgetting their homework, particularly since the smart schoolbag is capable of completing its own morning checklist.

According to a recent press release, the smart schoolbag comes with built-in hardware and software that works to ensure it is packed correctly for each day’s timetable, including lunch and sports equipment.

The bag was designed by Dr Hamid Abdi alongside Masters students at Deakin University. It uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags (标签) to detect items in the bag and Internet of Things (IOT) technology, which extends Internet connectivity to everyday objects. “RFID technology allows any user to detect items in the bag in a contactless way,” Dr Abdi says. The Internet of Things (IOT) technology is employed to check its contents against the daily school plan. Schools or parents can enter data about the activities of each day to the system’s IOT server. The server then links these activities to the RFID tags placed on the items needed. The smart school-bag can tell what items are not required, ensuring that the bag is no heavier than it needs to be.

The smart schoolbag will save a lot of time and stress that occurs when homework, hats or lunches are left home by mistake, especially if that requires parents to quickly race home to collect the missing item.

While the system can be fitted to any schoolbag, the team have designed a sample of the smart schoolbag that includes the smartphone application. Dr Abdi and his team are looking for commercial partners to take the project to the next level.

1. Why do the engineers develop the smart schoolbag?

A．To give a morning call.	B．To help homework correcting.
C．To reduce study pressure.	D．To remind pupils of school items.

2. What does Paragraph 3 mainly tell us about the smart schoolbag?

A．Its application.	B．Its working principle.
C．Its advantage.	D．Its characteristics.

3. What does Dr Abdi expect of the smart schoolbag?

A．I’ll replace parental duties.	B．I’ll ensure academic progress.
C．I’ll reach consumers soon.	D．I’ll be environment-friendly.

4. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A．A Smart Schoolbag Saves Time and Stress

B．A Smart Schoolbag Will Replace an Ordinary Bag

C．The Latest System of Detecting Missing Items

D．The First Generation of a Smart Schoolbag

【推荐1】Expressing emotions is difficult as it's not always encouraged in society. People rely on comfort zones and a secure mask to get them through the day. You may wonder, "Why am I so sad?" and not know how to answer that question. We ignore warning signs of sadness, depression and other forms of suffering because we cannot be open about such feelings in society. It shouldn't be something we are afraid of. With the release of emotion, we find who we want to be and quickly to a previous good condition. Sadness is one emotion of many. But it is often the one most ignored. We don’t want to appear weak to others.

Sadness is different from depression. Typically, sadness comes and goes, while depression holds us down for long. When feeling sad, you are most likely feeling alone, helpless and hopeless. But depression lasts almost nonstop at a depth that can overrule your behavior.

We feel it our duty to be our own heroes. We feel like we need to hold on rather than let go and let others in. When this happens, sadness increases, and we are no longer engaged with those we love. When sadness hits, we have to tell someone and build a support system. You just need to allow others to see your weaknesses, which aren't even true weaknesses. Feeling sad is not a weakness. Holding back in an effort to appear strong is, however, a weakness.

When people know what you're going through, they can better assist you.

Our sadness does not show what we are worth. It only tells us the story we tell ourselves. And when we change that story, we can breathe. We start to realize we deserve to be happy. Self talk like "I am worth it" is sending message of love and hope to ourselves when the world fails to do so for you.

1. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?

A．People tend to release bad emotions.	B．People express their emotions easily.
C．People usually hide their emotions.	D．People often lose control of emotions.

2. How is sadness different from depression?

A．Depression is easier to recover.	B．Sadness lasts for shorter periods.
C．Depression leads to hopelessness.	D．Sadness can overrule people's behavior.

3. What is a weakness according to the author?

A．Turning to others for help.	B．Pretending to be strong.
C．Admitting our weaknesses.	D．Telling the truth to someone,

4. What does the author suggest in the last paragraph?

A．Sending ourselves positive messages.	B．Asking others for advice.
C．Keeping the sad stories in mind.	D．Learning from our own past experience

【推荐2】Eating chocolate every day as part of your job sounds unreal, but it is a reality for chocolate tasters across the world. However, the job is full of challenges. Chocolate tasters work under pressure. If you are a chocolate lover and have thought about trying to be a chocolate taster in the future, you may want to think twice before you make the decision.

Chocolate tasting may involve lots of traveling. If you work for a chocolate seller, you will visit factories and attend chocolate tasting events to try new flavors (味道). If you work for a producer, you will visit raw (未经加工的) material suppliers to check on the quality of the raw products and to test different ingredients. Traveling will separate you from your friends and loved ones for long periods of time, which can create an emotional distance. Long trips may leave you feeling empty and lonely, which can affect the quality of your life.

Chocolate tasting requires that you take a lot of sugar and calories into your body, which can do harm to your health. Chocolate is also rich in saturated fats (饱和脂肪) and lacks vital vitamins and minerals that our bodies require daily. A career in chocolate tasting demands that you watch your diet; thus, you may have to limit or give up your intake of other calorie-rich foods. A chocolate taster who doesn’t take good care of his personal health can develop diseases such as diabetes, tooth cavities, and so on.

Chocolate tasters must love chocolate and have a broad understanding of various chocolate flavors. While tasting, you are to take a bite and chew it for a few seconds, letting it slowly melt in your mouth and spread to all parts of your tongue to evaluate (评价) its flavors. You must pay attention to details and learn to identify flavors and quality quickly. You also have to taste some kinds of chocolate that you may not like. Besides, understanding customer preferences is very important. You will spend time studying customer-based research findings to try to determine the flavors that will meet their demands.

1. In order to take good care of themselves, chocolate tasters may have to ________.

A．give up foods that contain fat

B．take pills to ensure their intake of vitamins

C．stop eating any food that tastes sweet

D．limit foods that are high in calories

2. The author may agree that ________.

A．chocolate tasting is not a real job

B．one had better think carefully about becoming a chocolate taster

C．chocolate tasters live a special and interesting life

D．one has to know everything to become a chocolate taster

3. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

A．One can be a good chocolate taster as long as he/she knows much about the flavors of different chocolates.

B．While tasting, the taster chews the chocolate to assess its recipe (食谱).

C．The chocolate taster has the right to select the chocolate he/she prefers.

D．The chocolate taster has to spend time studying customer preferences.

4. Which would be the best title for the passage?

A．How To Be a Chocolate Taster	B．A Popular and Funny Career
C．Chocolate Tasting Is No Sweet Job	D．Earn a Living by Eating

【推荐3】On Christmas Eve, a team of reindeer (驯鹿) will help Santa Claus deliver gifts to children all around the world. The reindeer, led by their fearless leader Rudolph, won’t be the only ones doing something special. Back in the highest Arctic, their cousins have a remarkable ability changing their eye color.

During the summer months, when the days are long and the sun is bright, reindeer’s tapetum lucidum (荧光膜), a mirror-like layer at the back of their eye, appears golden, which helps bounce the majority of light off the eyes, effectively acting like a pair of natural sunglasses. As winter comes, and the days become shorter and darker, the tapetum lucidum turns blue to absorb more light, allowing reindeer to improve their night vision and see clear in low light conditions.

With these adaptations, reindeer can adapt and thrive in one of the harshest environments on Earth. Unlike humans, reindeer can see well into the shorter Ultra Violet (UV) range. This UV vision enables them to spot food and predators more effectively in the snowy landscape. Lichens, a key part of their winter diet, absorb UV, so they show up dark against UV-reflecting white snow. Wolf and polar bear fur also absorb UV, so instead of disappearing against snow they pop out in high contrast, allowing reindeer to spot potential threats from a distance.

Reindeer change their eyes by adjusting their tapetum lucidum, which is made of collagen fibers. In winter, the collagen fibers become packed tighter, causing the tapetum lucidum to mainly reflect blue light. This change happens when reindeer dilate their pupils (瞳孔). In summer, the reindeer’s pupils return to a smaller size, which helps reindeer reduce the amount of light entering the eye.

But their unique adaptation may hurt them. Today, the increasing use of artificial lighting, especially during the winter months, poses a potential threat to their sensitive eyes. It can make reindeer lose their way, affecting their ability to survive in their challenging environment. So it is crucial for us to be mindful of our use of electricity and make efforts to minimize light pollution to ensure the well-being and survival of these magnificent creatures.

1. What do we know from paragraph 2?

A．The shape of reindeer’s eyes varies with seasons.

B．It is difficult for reindeer to live in low light conditions.

C．The tapetum lucidum helps reindeer adapt to seasonal changes.

D．Reindeer’s eyes appear golden in winter while blue in summer.

2. What is the use of UV vision for reindeer?

A．To help them see clear in dark nights.

B．To distinguish food of different colors quickly.

C．To protect their eyes from harsh sunlight in summer.

D．To better locate food and enemies during snowy days.

3. What does the underlined word “dilate” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Relax.

B．Expand.

C．Narrow.

D．Hide.

4. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?

A．To call on people to protect reindeer from light pollution.

B．To show the reasons for the decline in reindeer population.

C．To present humans’ great efforts to reduce artificial lighting.

D．To prove reindeer’s strong adaptability to harsh environments.