In the 1960s, anthropologist (人类学家) Jean Briggs set out on a trip to the Arctic Circle (北极圈). Living in an environment cut off from all the usual creature comforts, Briggs survived thanks to the kindness of one Inuit family who took her in to their home. During her time among the Inuit, she came across a surprising phenomenon: Inuit people have an extraordinary ability to control their anger.
Briggs documented certain occasions where it might have seemed plausible to fly off the handle. A fishing line that had taken many days to make broke on its first use. The simple response: “Sew it together.” A hot pot of tea that ended up all over the floor of an igloo (冰屋), damaging it, was met with no real acknowledgement. The person who knocked it over just got up and made a new pot.
Briggs was left with the burning question of how the Inuit manage to raise such level-headed adults. In a meeting with the elders, it was revealed that the Inuit have a golden parenting rule: “Don’t shout at small children.” One mom, Lisa Ipeelie explained, “When they’re little, it doesn’t help to raise your voice. And this is even the case if a child bites or hits a parent. If a child is turning to this behavior, it’s because there’s an underlying issue that needs to be dealt with, calmly.”
Still, you might be wondering how the Inuit get their children to behave, or even to stay safe. Well, it’s thanks to the storytelling tradition in the culture. These stories can be quite frightening. “Our parents told us that if we went out without a hat, the northern lights are going to take our head off,” shared Inuit film producer, Myna Ishulutak.
However, psychologist Deena Weisberg believes “kids learn best through stories, which are interesting to them.” Interestingly, she states that stories with a peppering of danger have even more appeal to kids. “If we tell children stories they are in awe of, which help them to behave, they will pass them on to their own families,” she says.
1. Why did Briggs find Inuit people amazing?| A．They care little about personal belongings. |
| B．They always keep calm. |
| C．They live comfortably under extreme conditions. |
| D．They treat strangers like family. |
| A．Reasonable. | B．Preferable. | C．Unacceptable. | D．Debatable. |
| A．Shout at him. | B．Turn to others. | C．Find out the reason. | D．Beat him. |
| A．It improves parent-kid relationships. | B．It brings about dangerous behavior. |
| C．It is harmful to kids. | D．It should be promoted. |
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【推荐1】The famous scientist Stephen Hawking spoke at a science festival in Norway in 2017, “We are running out of space and the only places to go to are other worlds... Spreading out may be the only thing that saves us from ourselves. I’m convinced that humans need to leave Earth.”
Hawking was not alone in this view. Many experts feel that the only way for humanity to last far into the future is to colonize (移民于) other planets. That way, if a terrible disease, nuclear war or some other disaster strikes Earth, civilization as we know it would still have a chance. Mars is one of the most attractive destinations. NASA, the United Arab Emirates, the private company SpaceX, and the organization Mars One all have plans to send humans there. “Either we spread Earth to other planets, or we risk going extinct,” SpaceX founder Elon Musk said at a conference in 2013.
But not everyone agrees that colonizing Mars or any other planet is such a great plan. The most common argument against going is that it’s just too expensive or dangerous. It will take huge amounts of money and other resources just to get people there, let alone set up a place for them to live. It’s not even clear if humans could survive on Mars. One of the biggest dangers there is deadly radiation that ruins the planet.
Maybe all the time and money people would pour into a Mars mission would be better spent on more urgent projects here on Earth, like dealing with poverty or climate change. Some experts argue that handling a problem like an asteroid (小行星) strike or disease outbreak while staying here on Earth would be much easier and less expensive than surviving on a new planet.
In addition, moving to a new planet could harm or destroy anything that already lives there. Mars seems uninhabited, but it could possibly host micro-organism like. Human visitors may destroy this life or permanently change or damage the Martian environment. Some feel that’s too much of a risk to take.
1. Why did the author mention NASA, the United Arab Emirates, SpaceX and Mars One?| A．To stress the risk of dying out on Earth. |
| B．To provide evidence for Hawking’s theory. |
| C．To show growing intention of moving to Mars. |
| D．To explain the advanced technology in astronomy. |
| A．Civilization is difficult to maintain on Earth. |
| B．It is costly and risky to colonize Mars. |
| C．Poverty is the most urgent problem to handle. |
| D．All the time and money should be spent on Earth. |
| A．Not fit to live on. | B．Not steady to keep. |
| C．Not easy to approach. | D．Not safe to set foot on. |
| A．Mars, Our Future Planet |
| B．Moving to A New Planet |
| C．Should We Colonize Mars? |
| D．Stay Home or Outer Space? |
【推荐2】An antibacterial drug obtained from the liquid of an Australian tree has shown promise for treating chronic (慢性的) wounds in animal tests.
Chronic wounds are common in people with diabetes (糖尿病), because poor circulation and other symptoms slow down healing. Such wounds are painful and have a high risk of infection.
Doctors increasingly want to control the use of antibiotics (抗生素) in order to minimize the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. To look for alternatives, David Thomas at Cardiff University in the UK and his colleagues investigated chemicals obtained from the liquid of the blush wood tree, which grows in Australia.
They tested a gel containing a promising chemical called EBC-1013 in two animals: mice used to model diabetes, with chronic wounds, and milk cows. All milk cows have their horns taken off, so the researchers applied the treatment to this wound.
In the cows treated with EBC-1013, 75 percent of the wounds were recovered after 28 days, compared with just 25 percent of untreated wounds. In the mice, complete wound recovery was observed in five of the seven animals studied, whereas none of the seven wounds was recovered in the control group.
Bacteria in chronic wounds are more likely to form a sticky material called a biofilm. They are resistant to antibiotics, making such wounds difficult to treat. The new drug appears to disrupt the structure of biofilms and cause the production of cells and proteins that promote recovery.
“The next challenge will be to show that these preclinical findings translate into the clinic and that they can be developed into a safe and cost-effective treatment for chronic wounds,” says Matthew Hardman the at University of Hull, UK.
1. What’s the purpose of the research on the tree liquid?| A．To increase the use of antibiotics. | B．To find replacements for antibiotics. |
| C．To reduce the growth of the bacteria. | D．To strengthen the circulation of patients. |
| A．Treat. | B．Destroy. | C．Improve. | D．Arrange. |
| A．They cause safety concern. | B．They enjoy praise from doctors. |
| C．They remain to be further developed. | D．They have offered affordable treatment. |
| A．People with diabetes are sure to recover |
| B．Tree liquid attracts researchers’ attention |
| C．Antibiotics lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria |
| D．Drug from the liquid could treat chronic wounds |
【推荐3】Inspiration 4, as the mission is called, is indeed impressive, the first time “normal people” with minimal training will leave the planet, enter orbit, and return to Earth days later — a considerable advancement from the 11-minute joy ride Jeff Bezos took in July. But despite the lofty name, don’t be fooled: Inspiration, is not the victory for everyone that it presents itself to be.
I’ve been hugely critical of the billionaire space race, which incautiously pollutes our atmosphere and has the enormous opportunity cost of time, money, resources, and energy that could go toward more urgent planetary issues, like world hunger and global poverty. Clean energy research, sustainable transportation innovations, and the creation of high-paying jobs in green sectors would do far more for the average non-billionaire than a rocket ship ever will.
Still, we’re being tricked and get convinced that SpaceX’s civilian mission is “inspiring” because its passengers aren’t professionals. The Falcon 9 rocket was chartered by businessman Jared lsaacman, who has successfully shaped the mission as a worthy cause for Wednesday’s voyage is part of a large fundraising effort for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
As for his guests, lsaacman is taking St. Jude physician assistant Hayley Arceneaux; Sian Proctor, a passed-over finalist from NASA’s astronaut program; and Chris Sembooski, who was gifted his spot after his friend won it in a raffle. No doubt, the primary reason for the journey is marketing for private space travel.
It’s hard not to be won over! But that’s also the point. “Civilian” missions like Inspiration make space travel appear to be “accessible to all”, despite the fact that spaceflight will be “a hobby only reserved for billionaires and cent-millionaires for many years to come,” as Business Insider writes. Yet if space tourism companies can get the general public to support them, then they’ve effectively gotten us to buy into something that does not actually do any good to us. Additionally, whenever something earnestly asks you to consider it an “inspiration”, it’s always good to ask yourself why.
1. According to the passage, Inspiration 4 is ________.| A．the first civilian mission to orbit the earth |
| B．a minute-long joy ride to leave the planet |
| C．the first space trip for people without training |
| D．an impressive spaceflight experienced by professionals |
| A．interesting | B．noble | C．common | D．original |
| A．It slows the creation of high-paying jobs | B．It worsens world hunger and global poverty. |
| C．It wastes time, money, resources and energy. | D．It accelerates the research process of clean energy. |
| A．Space trip: Inspiration for Civilians | B．Inspiration4: Not Really an Inspiration |
| C．Space tourism: A Privilege for Billionaires | D．Private Spaceflight: A Worthy Cause for All |
【推荐1】Cities are diverse ecosystems. In addition to visitors from the wild, such as coyotes (丛林狼) in Los Angeles or boars (野猪) in Berlin, a large number of species share our urban areas. As our cities spread, we need to think about what it is like for other species to have human neighbors.
Because cities are built for humans, they do not always provide suitable habitats for wildlife. For example, most city parks are kept neat and tidy so that humans will find them beautiful. But when we cut grass or plant flowers, we destroy natural habitats.
Our actions sometimes help other species. When a bridge in Austin, Texas was repaired, engineers added small gaps running along the length of its bottom. This made a good home for bats, and soon the bridge was the home of thousands of bats. At first, people were afraid of the bats and tried to get rid of them. Now, they have come to value their winged neighbors. The bats are a tourist attraction, and they eat lots of bugs every night.
There are also structures built with the aim of bringing wildlife into the city. The Beijing Olympic Forest Park is a good example. The park used native plants and created open, natural spaces for wildlife. The result is a zone in Beijing with over 160 species of birds. In many ways, the park is the opposite of a zoo. Instead of being kept in cages, wildlife can move about freely.
Another example is a 2011 proposal for a tall “Birdscraper” building in New York. The building is intended to protect birds and fight pollution at the same time. It would be in the middle of a lake, birds would sit on it, and their droppings would fall into the water. The droppings would help water plants grow well and then create oxygen through photosynthesis (光合作用). If we learn to share our space, we can become better neighbors to the wildlife around us. If we do not, more species will become extinct and our own future will be endangered.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?| A．Other species like to have human neighbors. |
| B．There are many kinds of wildlife living in city areas. |
| C．Coyotes or boars always attack cities like Los Angeles or Berlin. |
| D．People should think about their neighbors when having visitors. |
| A．To get rid of the bats. |
| B．To make it an attraction. |
| C．To help other species to live conveniently. |
| D．To make it convenient for bugs to go through. |
| A．The structure of wildlife zoo in Beijing. |
| B．The parks built to grow native plants. |
| C．The wildlife of Beijing Olympic Forest Park, |
| D．The structures built to attract wildlife into city. |
| A．waste | B．voice |
| C．rubbish | D．appearance |
【推荐2】The largest genetic study of mosquitoes has found their ability to resist insecticides(杀虫剂) is evolving rapidly and spreading across Africa, putting millions of people at higher risk of contracting malaria（疟疾）.
British scientists who led the work said mosquitoes’ growing resistance to control tools such as insecticide-treated bed nets and insecticide spraying, which have helped cut malaria cases since 2000, now threatens “to disturb malaria control” in Africa.
“Our study highlights the severe challenges facing public efforts to control mosquitoes and tomanage and limit insecticide resistance,” said Martin Donnelly of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, who worked on the study with a team from Britain’s Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.
Latest World Health Organization (WHO) data show that 216 million people were infected last year with the malaria parasite（寄生虫）, which is transmitted by blood-sucking Anopheles mosquitoes. The disease killed 445,000 people in 2016, and the majority of them were children in sub-Saharan Africa.
To understand how mosquitoes are evolving, the researchers sequenced the DNA of 765 wild Anopheles mosquitoes taken from 15 locations across eight African countries. Their work, published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, created the largest data resource on natural genetic variation for any species of insect.
Analyzing the data, the scientists found that the Anopheles gamblae mosquitoes（冈比亚疟蚊）were extremely genetically diverse compared with most other animal species. This high genetic diversity enables rapid evolution, they said, and helps to explain how mosquitoes develop insecticide resistance so quickly.
The data also showed the rapid evolution of insecticide resistance appeared to be due to many previously unknown genetic variants（变体）within certain genes. The scientists said these genetic variants for insecticide resistance were not only emerging independently in different parts of Africa, but were also being spread across the continent by mosquito migration.
Michael Chew, an expert at Britain’s Wellcome Trust global health charity which helped fund the research, said the finds underlined the importance of pushing scientific research ahead to control malaria.
Global efforts to control malaria through effective vaccine, insecticides and the best drug combinations require urgent, united action by scientists, drug companies, governments and the WHO.
1. Which of the following is scientists’ headache?| A．The number of mosquitoes in Africa is growing rapidly. |
| B．Some genetic variants of mosquitoes are still unknown. |
| C．The existing insecticides aren’t as effective as they used to be. |
| D．Millions of African people have resistance to medicines for malaria. |
| A．threatening drug companies | B．spraying insecticides |
| C．limiting blood donation | D．transmitting data |
| A．Children are more likely to be bit by mosquitoes. |
| B．Many previously unknown variants are found in the study. |
| C．The mosquito migration contributes to the spread of variants. |
| D．Anopheles mosquitoes have great genetic diversity. |
| A．It created the largest data on natural genetic variation for any insect species. |
| B．It found the possible causes for the rapid evolution of insecticide resistance. |
| C．It discovered where the genetic variants emerged and how they were spread. |
| D．It highlighted the public efforts and appealed to limit the use of insecticides. |
【推荐3】Many green plants that are used to decorate living rooms and kitchens are marketed as air-purifying. However, scientists largely agree that plants can’t do very much to clean an entire room. Now, a Parisian company known as Neoplants is trying to change that by growing genetically modified (转基因的) plants that help remove harmful chemicals from the air.
Its first product, called the Neo P1, is a bioengineered version of the pothos (绿萝). Pothos is characterized by its green leaves and is relatively easy to care for. The Neo P1 is meant to capture and recycle dangerous air pollutants commonly found in homes called volatile organic compounds (挥发性有机化合物VOCs), which are often human-made chemicals. So it’s a popular choice for people looking to beautify their living spaces. But the Neo P1 starts at $179, and to purchase one, potential shoppers must first join a waitlist.
The idea of air-purifying plants came from a 1989 study by NASA, in which regular houseplants were tested in two-by-two-foot rooms. When scientists filled these rooms with VOCs, they found the plants could absorb some of the harmful compounds. “Actually, it’d take about ten houseplants per square foot to noticeably improve air quality,” Michael Waring, an environmental engineer at Drexel University who wasn’t involved with Neoplants, reported in a 2019 study. “Plants, though they do remove VOCs, remove them at such a slow rate that they can’t compete with the air exchange mechanisms already happening in buildings,” Waring said.
As for Neoplants, its Neo Pl was tested in a 35-liter glass room. In it, the Neo P1’s results were 30 times better than NASA’s, according to the company — which means it’d still take a large number of them to clean a room. Currently, the company’s engineers are designing testing sites that more accurately resemble living spaces. To Neoplants’ executives, cleaning the air inside a home is a more logical starting point than trying to filter (过滤) the entire atmosphere.
1. What might prevent the Neo P1 from becoming popular?| A．Its poor quality. | B．Its unstable security. |
| C．Its high maintenance (维护，保养). | D．Its difficult availability. |
| A．Plants can significantly improve air quality in a room. |
| B．Plants contribute little to removing harmful chemicals. |
| C．The Neo P1 plays a big role in removing harmful compounds. |
| D．Houseplants are expected to replace air exchange mechanisms. |
| A．Exploring new ways to genetically modify plants. |
| B．Proving the Neo P1’s effectiveness in a living room. |
| C．Improving the air exchange mechanisms in buildings. |
| D．Designing testing sites that are similar to living spaces. |
| A．How do plants reduce air pollution? | B．What is the best plant to help clean the air? |
| C．Could genetically modified plants clean the air? | D．How can we decorate living rooms with plants? |
