You may have heard of the Tasmanian tiger — but you most certainly have never seen one. Along with many other species over the past hundred years, this creature became extinct because of humans. Now, scientists in Australia and the US are trying to bring it back to life.
Bringing species back from the dead is known as de extinction. Though it sounds like something from a science fiction movie, new technologies have made de-extinction a very real possibility. To “bring back” an extinct species, scientists take stem cells from a closely related living animal and edit the genes. Then, the cells grow into a new animal. This new animal is not an exact copy of the extinct one, but it’s very close. In theory, scientists could create entire populations of animals and set them free in the wild.
If successful, the de-extinction project in Australia could have a favorable impact on the environment. Tasmanian tigers could help bring balance to Australia’s remaining forests by hunting and killing animals that are harming the trees. Indeed, something similar happened when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone Park in 1995, with deer and plant populations rebalanced as a result.
De-extinction is not a perfect solution, however. For one thing, it won’t change the human behaviors that cause animals to become extinct in the first place. If we continue polluting and destroying the environment, animals will continue to die out. The only way we can truly protect them is by changing our habits. Bringing extinct species back to life won’t magically make us respect nature more.
Also, the money that we spend on de-extinction would probably be better spent on other conservation projects. Or, as those against de-extinction would put it, it’s better to spend money on the living rather than the dead. The reason for this is that, compared to other efforts, de-extinction is extremely expensive. In fact, for the cost of bringing one extinct species back to life, traditional conservation efforts could save up to eight threatened ones.
The power of science is amazing, but it might be time for us to stop and decide whether de-extinction is something we really want to achieve. With the technology we currently have, the question is no longer “can we?” but “should we?”
1. Why does the writer mention “wolves introduced to Yellowstone Park”?| A．To test the effect of de-extinction. | B．To discuss the importance of de extinction. |
| C．To illustrate the possible effect of de-extinction. | D．To present a successful example of de-extinction. |
| A．It demands large expenses. | B．It helps adjust human behaviours. |
| C．It threatens the current ecosystem. | D．It restores the balance between humans and nature. |
| A．Neutral. | B．Opposed. | C．Supportive. | D．Unconcerned. |
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【推荐1】Have you ever heard of a Cucamelon? If not, you’re missing out on the cutest fruit on earth!
Cucamelons look like baby watermelons and taste like cucumbers mixed with lemon.
If you choose to plant them directly into your garden, you can plant them as soon as the chance of frost is gone.
| A．This means you can eat fruit all the year round. |
| B．However, you won’t find these seeds in a store. |
| C．They’ll need a lot of water and a little support with growing. |
| D．They’re from Mexico and are known as “Sandíitas de Raton”. |
| E．That’s because the young plants can’t stand the cold weather. |
| F．If you’re looking for a new, exciting fruit to try out, try Cucamelons! |
| G．This will give you ten times as many Cucamelons the next time around! |
【推荐2】Cats are domestic(驯养的)animals. They are not only sociable but also fashionable. Domesticated cats would like to form cat communities based on sharing of love and food. And they bond with each other very quickly, which is quite different from humans.
Cats don’t always cry because of being hungry for food. Because cats are social animals, they cry because they want to have company. Cats may not cry every time but they may chatter or mumble. It’s really scary to hear cats chattering like old women. They should be listened and one must talk back.
Meow does not mean that the cat is crying but it is simply a greeting. A cat’s cry may depend on what it is looking for; it can be championship or other things. Cats may cry because of boredom on rare occasions. Cats also need rest and recreation. Cats get stressed when they are ignored. It can be given a name and called, it can be given a pat on the head, but it should not be kicked when it wraps itself around its master’s leg.
A cat follows its master around because of a connecting feeling. Cats look upon its master as a second mother. Even if a cat is old, they never ignore the feeling of being attended and cared for.
Cats use a variety of sounds like mimicking to communicate with one another. They are very moody and they can’t be made like oneself all the time. They have different body language signs which you can tell by the way their tail, ears, paws and body are positioned.
There are many ways by which a cat can be stopped from crying like setting up playful activities with the cat, not ignoring it, taking it to a walk and feeding it regularly. A cat knows how to take advantage of its master’s feelings because they can read them.
1. Cats are probably afraid of_______.| A．excitement | B．chattering | C．being listened to | D．loneliness |
| A．touch it on the head | B．make it sleep quickly |
| C．kick it on the back | D．pay no attention to it |
| A．making different noises | B．moving its tail down |
| C．using different body languages | D．lying on the ground on its back |
a. interesting games b. listening to music c. having a walk d. shouting at it
e. having a meal f. leaving it alone
| A．b, d, f | B．a, c, e | C．a, b, e | D．b, c, f |
【推荐3】Like toolmaking, teaching was once thought to be an exclusive(独有的) capacity of the human mind. It is not actually.
“Teaching” requires this: one individual must take time from their own task to demonstrate and instruct with effort and the student must learn a new skill. That’s a tall order.
When a young chimpanzee watches a skilled adult and then imitates (模仿), that’s learning. But the adult has not taken time specifically to instruct, so it is not teaching. In the honeybees’ amazing dance, the dancer takes time to indicate information about a source of food, but observers learn no new skill. They do take time to show, but they do not pass on new skills to learners.
Dolphins teach. Atlantic spotted dolphin mothers sometimes free a caught fish in the presence of their youngsters and let their youngsters chase it, catching it again if it’s getting away. Dolphin youngsters also position themselves alongside mothers who are scanning sandy bottoms for hidden fish, and the mother spends extra time demonstrating.
Other teachers include: housecats who bring back live prey and let their young learn to catch it, and meerkats (猫鼬)who first bring to their growing young dead scorpions (蝎子), then disabled ones, to demonstrate how to remove the poisonous part on their tails.
Like toolmaking and teaching, imitation is also considered to reflect high intelligence. In South Africa lived a baby dolphin named Dolly. One day while she was just six months old, Dolly was watching a trainer standing at the window smoking a cigarette, blowing puffs of smoke. Dolly swam to her mother, got a mouthful of milk, then returned to the window and released a cloud of milk that surrounded her head. The trainer was “absolutely astonished”.
Somehow Dolly came up with the idea of using milk to represent smoke. Using one thing to represent something else isn’t just imitation. It is art.
1. What does the underlined phrase “a tall order” probably mean in paragraph 2?| A．A clear instruction. | B．A high risk. |
| C．A useful purpose. | D．A difficult requirement. |
| A．Imitating. | B．Learning. |
| C．Presenting. | D．Teaching. |
| A．Bees show their dance to younger generations. |
| B．Young dolphins must learn how to free a fish. |
| C．Housecats teach in a way similar to dolphins. |
| D．Meerkats have poisonous parts on the tails. |
| A．To prove smoking can affect other animals. |
| B．To show animals can be surprisingly intelligent. |
| C．To explain dolphins are capable of making art. |
| D．To stress milk is to dolphins what smoking is to men. |
Man has been interested in robots for quite some time. Scientists are always inventing new and good robots, which will play an important role in our future lives.
They will take over jobs such as preparing meals, washing dishes, and sweeping the floor, so that we will have more free time to have fun.
They will do all the heave and dangerous work, and be put in hospitals, schools and offices.
Whenever we feel sad, lonely or upset, we can have a chat with a robot. Robots will not only be good friends but they will also offer us good advice.
In conclusion, robots will be more and more intelligent and will benefit us in many ways.
A. Robots will be our friends.
B. Robots will help us with our work.
C. Robots will be of help in doing housework.
D. Robots will replace humans in many ways.
【推荐2】Imagine the feeling of swinging at a baseball going 100 miles per hour—without leaving your living room, or being in race car as it roars down the track, while you are sitting on the couch.
These are just some of the ways that sports business leaders say virtual reality (VR) will revolutionize how people train for and experience sports. Virtual and augmented（增强的）realities are together known as mixed reality (MR). “American footballers are already using VR to better train their minds and read the field,” Ludden said. “This can allow players to perfect their skills without risking injury.”
Canadian company D-BOX Technologies designs and produces moving seats found in cinema and theme parks. It is now moving into sports, and shows its Formula One (F1) racing simulator （模拟器）. The seats stimulate the force of gravity, speed and every shaking as Fl champion Lewis Hamilton zips around city streets.
A simulation seat uses pre-programed data now. Someday, though, it could use real-time information sent by the car. “They could broadcast live content through a network in pop-up theaters around the world,” Ludden said. Say you want to experience the true stress of a batter being up against major-league baseball pitcher. “You can have a heartbeat added to the sensation on the seat and then you can feel it, boom, boom,” Maheu explained. “When he swings and hits the ball, you can have an impact.”
One day, fans around the world could physically experience every game from their favorite player in real time. Ludden said that current and near-future technology could create “augmented stadiums” for live audiences. Panasonic launched its “Smart Venue” plans which included the overlaying of graphics, advertisements, player statistics and replays on the field of play at a pro football game. “If you are seated in the cheap seats, you can see this really useful.” “Fans may someday join in stadium wide games, using the field as a virtual gaming platform,” Ludden added.
1. What does the underlined phrase “read the field” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Get off the playing field. | B．Build up a football court. |
| C．Judge the situation on the field. | D．Ask players to play on the spot. |
| A．Enjoy live content in any theater. |
| B．Program the simulation seats in advance. |
| C．Control the force and speed of the baseball. |
| D．Experience the real time game with the player. |
| A．The origin of VR. | B．A future stadium. |
| C．An advertisement platform. | D．The expectations of audiences. |
| A．VR can improve players' skills for sports. |
| B．VR increases fans' joy in the baseball game. |
| C．VR can improve sports experience for players and fans. |
| D．VR promises a new future for football players and games. |
【推荐3】TWO NEWS REPORTS
NEWS REPORT 1
Even before 5G is widely commercially available, Chinese telecom giant Huawei has reportedly begun researching the next generation of wireless technology—6G.
Tech website “iPhone in Canada” reported that Huawei has confirmed to local media “The Logic (逻辑学；逻辑性)” that it has started researching 6G technology at its lab in Ottawa, Canada and “is in talks with Canadian university researchers about working on development of the next-generation wireless system,” citing a report by The Logic.
Song Zhang, vice-president of research strategy and partnership of Huawei in Canada, said “5G is very new, and looking at 6G is part of the so-called 5G evolution.”
Huawei has not commented on the report, according to The Paper.
NEWS REPORT 2
A Japanese startup called SkyDrive Inc. has begun conducting test flights of their prototype flying car with a human pilot.
The company hopes to be able to make a full public demonstration (演示；展示) of the vehicle later this summer.
The test flights are being conducted at a protected indoor facility at the company’s research flight center outside of Nagoya.
There have been a number of previous test flights, but they were all conducted via remote control and no human pilot on-board.
According to a report in The Asahi Shimbun, SkyDrive says the car could be ready for a limited retail release as early as 2023, and mass production by 2026.
SkyDrive was founded by former engineers from Toyota and they intend their vehicle to be the world’s smallest flying car.
In 2017, Toyota gave the company an infusion (灌输) of around $ 350,000 to help develop flying vehicles.
The company said it won’t say more about how the test flights have been proceeding (行动；进行) so far, but says things are going well enough to continue making them.
1. What we can learn from NEWS REPORT 1?| A．Huawei and Apple cooperate to develop 6G technology. |
| B．Huawei is the first company to study 6G technology. |
| C．Huawei’s research team studies 6G technology in Canadian laboratories. |
| D．Huawei is not optimistic about the prospects of 6G. |
| A．The company hopes to have an opportunity to make a full public demonstration of the vehicle. |
| B．Previous flight tests were controlled by remote control. |
| C．The car may not be able to mass produce in the near future. |
| D．The car was completely invented and produced by Toyota. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Science and Technology. |
| C．Story. | D．History. |
【推荐1】Sunflower season is right around the corner. Here are several most beautiful golden fields near London for you to explore.
Garsons Farm
At Garsons Farm you will find three separate sunflower fields across its 155 acres. You’ll need to buy a crop farm pass (￡4 for adults ,￡ 1 for kids ) in advance. This farm is also home to over 75 varieties of fruits, vegetables and plants that can be picked during your visit, but be sure to check crop availability on its website beforehand.
Hitchin Lavender Farm
This spot is most famous for its purple crops of lavender(熏衣草), but it is also home to dozens of sunflower! You will be charged￡ 6 for your entry to the farm. And for￡ 50 you can hire a personal photographer and have your very own photos with the plants.
Cotswold Farm Park
Cotswold Farm Park was founded to help protect rare species of farm animals in 1971. You will not only find flowering sunflowers but plenty of furry four-legged friends, too. The park also contains several photo stations throughout the field. Tickets must be booked in advance and cost ￡ 7 per adult.
Broomfield Farm
This fruit farm is open every Saturday and Sunday for those who want to see sunflowers on their weekends! It produces all kinds of fruits, vegetables and flowers that you can buy in their farm shop or pick yourself during your visit. You are allowed to bring a picnic with you and the￡4 entry is taken off your “pay and weigh” bill at the end.
1. What’s the entry fee for a couple and two kids if they go to Garsons Farm?| A．￡4 | B．￡ 6. | C．￡ 7. | D．￡ 10 |
| A．At Garsons Farm. | B．At Broomfield Farm. |
| C．At Cotswold Farm Park. | D．At Hitchin Lavender Farm |
| A．Sunflower lovers. | B．Holiday campers. |
| C．Field researchers. | D．Nature photographers. |
【推荐2】In France, a lot of energy goes into one’s personal appearance. Clothing is a big part of Parisian culture; after all, this is one of the world fashion capitals.
Parisians like simple, classic pieces that are timeless. Must-have pieces such as a good pair of jeans, a trench coat, and basic knitwear are always good to have on hand. Parisians don’t really like clothing to be colorful or ostentatious, especially not something to be worn for an ordinary day out. Black, white and different shades of beige are common sightings around Paris’ streets.
Classic goes for shoes, too. A quality pair of leather boots, loafers (休闲鞋) or heels can be paired with anything, provided they are in a shade of black or brown. Comfort is key, since most Parisians do a lot of walking. However, you’ll rarely notice Parisians wearing open-toed shoes. Younger generation Parisians are becoming part of sports shoes culture, though it is unlikely to see an elder Parisian wearing any form of them in public.
Speaking of berets (贝雷帽), a decent beret is an important item for most Parisians. It would be far too general to say that all Parisians are fond of the beret, but the vast majority can appreciate their place in fashion history. They also love having a way of covering their hair when unexpected wind or rain happens in the city of light!
Parisians are not about logos (商标). Contrary to Italians, Parisians prefer not to see any kind of printed logo on clothing, handbags or shoes, unless it is extremely small and subtle. Hoodies with an oversized logo printed down the front is a no-no. Something to keep in mind is that just because Parisians are not into logos, this does not mean they are not into name brands (名牌). On the contrary, the French love luxury fashion and name branded clothing. Parisians know their brands, and they don’t need logos to tell them when something is of a particular fashion house, or when something is real or fake.
1. What does the underlined word “ostentatious” mean in the second paragraph?| A．Simple in design. | B．Of an old style. |
| C．Enhancing creativity. | D．Attracting attention. |
| A．White boots. | B．Black loafers. |
| C．Open-toed shoes. | D．Comfortable sports shoes. |
| A．Most of them like to have one. |
| B．They think it too old-fashioned. |
| C．They think it goes well with long hair. |
| D．Most of them wear it for an ordinary day out. |
| A．Parisians don’t like name brands. |
| B．Parisians aren’t into oversized logos. |
| C．Parisians don’t care about what is in fashion. |
| D．Parisians prefer not to see any logo on clothing. |
【推荐3】Though Chinese is older than English, English is spoken by many people around the world every day. English speakers are always making new words and we should be able to know where most words come from.
Sometimes, however, no one may really know where a word comes from. Did you ever think about why hamburgers are called hamburgers especially when they are not made with ham? About a hundred years ago some men went to America from Europe. They came from a big city in Germany called Hamburg.
They did not speak good English but they ate good food. When some American saw them eating round pieces of beef they asked the Germans what it was. The Germans did not understand the question and answered “We came from Hamburg.” One of these Americans owned a restaurant and had an idea. He cooked some round pieces of the beef like what the man from Hamburg ate and sold in many countries around the world.
Whether this story is true or not, it certainly is interesting. Knowing why a word has a certain meaning is interesting too. The reason may be found in any large English dictionary.
1. According to the story _______.| A．few Americans like hamburgers |
| B．hamburgers are made with ham |
| C．hamburgers are made with beef |
| D．hamburgers were sold all over the world about a century ago |
| A．Where all the new words come from. |
| B．Where those Germans came from. |
| C．The reason why English is spoken around the world. |
| D．The reason why a word has a certain meaning. |
| A．China because it has a long history |
| B．England because Germans don’t speak good English |
| C．English speakers because they always make new words |
| D．The round pieces of beef those people from Hamburg brought to America |
| A．Germans | B．Americans |
| C．Chinese | D．Europeans |
