【推荐1】The white rhinoceros (白犀牛) is near-threatened due to massive illegal hunting; the mountain gorilla is classed as endangered due to great habitat destruction. If no action is taken, these amazing creatures will undoubtedly be extinct before the end of the century. But scientists are working hard to stop this with some pretty cool drone (无人机) tech.

One of the biggest dangers to endangered animals in the modern day comes from illegal hunting, which claims the lives of hundreds of white rhinos every year. While regular patrols (巡逻队) can drive hunters away from certain areas, hunters are often well-armed and unafraid to fire upon those hoping to protect the rhinos. This is where drones come in. If researchers and patrols work in these areas, there would be a real danger of coming into contact with the hunters. By having drones collect data, movement patterns and numbers of animals, researchers and patrols can get away from such dangers.

Drones can also be sent into the skies above difficult-to-reach areas to get data that would otherwise be tough to collect. For example, mountain gorillas are usually found in deep jungle, and organizing an exploration can be expensive and demanding. Researchers can send drones over the forest to gather data about the habitat of the animals, and even take high quality images. This information can be priceless when it comes to an on-foot exploration, as researchers can get up-to-date information. In this situation, human-led surveys will still offer better results, but drones can play a huge part.

The downside presently is the cost, which can run into tens, if not thousands, of dollars. However, drone tech is still becoming a more favorable choice in the fight against wildlife extinction.

1. Why has the mountain gorilla become endangered?

A．Because of illegal hunting.	B．Because of the loss of habitats.
C．Because of natural disasters.	D．Because of industrial pollution.

2. What can we infer about patrols with the drone tech?

A．They can protect themselves from harm.

B．They can beat and punish illegal hunters.

C．They can reduce the cost of explorations.

D．They can increase the rhino’s population.

3. How can the drone tech contribute to wildlife protection?

A．It can process important data.	B．It can gather useful information.
C．It can drive away illegal hunters.	D．It can replace human-led surveys.

4. What might be the author’s attitude towards the drone tech?

A．Indifferent.

B．Positive.

C．Concerned.

D．Doubtful.

【推荐2】Science and the moon have had a long relationship. It wasn’t until the last 400 years or so, however, that this relationship truly came to life. Here, we share the long journey that took us from simply looking at the moon to actually setting foot on it—and beyond.

2036

By this year, China hopes to have put its own team of astronauts on the moon. This will be the first time any human has been to the moon since 1972 s apollo missions (任务) ended.

2013

The Chang’e 3 lunar lander was launched by China, carrying the rover (月球车) Yutu to the moon. It was China’s first mission to the moon’s surface and was a success, resulting in the discovery of a new kind of mineral.

1969

NASA’s Apollo 11 mission put the first humans on the moon. The event was broadcast live on television, and over half a billion people saw Neil Armstrong take the first human steps on the moon.

1966

Luna 9, belonging to the former Soviet Union, became the first spacecraft (航天器) to perform a “soft landing” on the moon. Like Ranger 7, it was used to send images of the moon’s surface back to Earth.

1959

The former Soviet Union launched its “Luna program”, sending spacecraft to the moon. Its Luna 3 craft took the first ever photo of the so called dark side of the moon. It was also the first time humans had ever seen this part of the moon before.

1610

Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei became one of the first people to see the moon through a telescope. He later created detailed drawings of it based on his observations.

1. What happened in 2013 in the long journey to the moon?

A．The Chang’e 3 lunar lander took the first ever photo of the dark side of the moon.

B．Luna 9 became the only spacecraft to send images of the moon s surface back to Earth.

C．Yutu completed the mission and discovered a new mineral.

D．China hoped to have put its own team of astronauts on the moon.

2. Which was the first spacecraft to perform a “soft landing” on the moon?

A．Luna 9.	B．Luna 3.
C．Apollo 11.	D．Chang’e 3.

3. Where do you probably find this article?

A．A fashion magazine.	B．A notice.
C．A history textbook.	D．A science review.

【推荐3】

A．The great impact and progress in genetic engineering B．Worries about privacy protection C．Worries about medical use of genetic engineering D．Genetic knowledge helps to predict diseases E．Genetic knowledge may not be properly used F．The application of genetic engineering in the medical fields

1. __________
Current research into the human gene system is helping us understand why people have predispositions（易患某病倾向）to certain diseases．Knowing our genetic makeup can help us to judge whether or not we may be stricken by particular illness, such as cancer．Even before birth, we are able to do genetic screenings to determine what a child's genetic disorder will be．Scientists have already isolated and identified the genes responsible for the more than 4,000 genetic diseases that affect human beings．
2. __________
The implications of this knowledge are astonishing. In addition to predicting genetic predisposition towards diseases, gene therapies may provide new treatments or cures for serious diseases．Millions of people already use genetically engineered drugs to treat heart disease, cancer, AIDS, and strokes （中风）. But with the research that is now being conducted, we may find cures to many more diseases．In the near future, genetic experimentation will also allow parents to select the traits of their children. Genetic traits that determine height, weight, eye and hair color will be able to be controlled, and many parents are excited about this potential.
3. __________
Many people, however, are unwilling to accept the possibilities genetic research allowsFor example, one reason some women do not use the largest genetic testing for breast cancer is because they are afraid they will be discriminated against．Another problem is that many people do not want to discover their weakness．What if they learn that they have a disease for which there are no medical cures? How will such knowledge affect their lives? Do people really want to know what they will die of?
4. __________
Many people believe that history has not always shown human decision-making to be bright when it comes to ethical（道德的）choices. Jeremy Rifkin is probably the most well known opponent of genetic engineering. He believes that humans are not responsible enough to experiment with genes and should not “play God” He asks, “Just because it can be done, does that mean it should be done?” He points out that our society will eventually look and act the same if parents select the traits of their children, and he questions the desirability of such a society．
5. __________
One of the fears expressed about genetic experimentation involves privacy. Already blood sample taken from patients in hospitals have been used for genetic research without the patients’ permission. Most people would agree that one’s health and genetic makeup are private concerns. But if insurance companies gain access to this information, it could have a large impact on insurance coverage or costs; if employers gain access to the information, it could have a large impact on hiring or promotion decisions. The possibilities for discrimination are obvious．

【推荐1】In a digital age, we almost never write things by hand. However, multiple studies have shown that this act has many benefits.

New brain research, led by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, confirms the same choosing handwriting over using a keyboard results in better learning and memory.

“When you write your shopping list or lecture notes by hand, you simply remember the content better afterwards,” said Audrey Van der Meer, author of the study.

The study was conducted using equipment to track and record brain wave activity. The participants included 12 young adults and 12 children. This is the first time that children have participated in such a study. Each subject was asked to write by hand and type on a keyboard while wearing a hood(风帽) with over 250 electrodes(电极). The sensors(传感器)in the electrodes are very sensitive and pick up the electrical activity that takes place in the brain. Each examination took 45 minutes per person.

The results showed that the brain in both young adults and children is much more active when writing by hand than when typing on a keyboard. According to Van der Meer, plenty of senses are activated (激活) by pressing a pen on paper, seeing the letters written and hearing the sound made while writing. These sense experiences build contact between different parts of the brain, opening the brain up for learning.

Van der Meer believes that the outcomes stress the importance of children being challenged to draw and write at an early age, especially at school. “Learning to write by hand is a bit slower process, but it’s important for children to go through the tiring phase of learning to write by hand”, she said.

The hand movements used to form the shapes of letters are beneficial in several ways. “If you use a keyboard, you use the same movement for each letter. Writing by hand requires control of your fine motor(精细动作)skills and senses. It’s important to put the brain in a learning state as often as possible,” Van der Meer added. For example, you might use a keyboard to write an essay, but you should take notes by hand during a lecture.

1. What’s the main purpose of the text?

A．To encourage the use of handwriting

B．To advise children to start to write early

C．To report on new research on handwriting

D．To explain how handwriting affects adults and children differently

2. What do we know about the study?

A．The study involved 45 participants altogether.

B．The participants were divided into two groups to conduct.

C．All the participants were gathered together for examinations.

D．The sensors in the electrodes were used to track brain wave activity.

3. Why does the brain become more active when writing by hand than when typing on a keyboard according to Van der Meer?

A．More senses are made active when writing by hand.

B．Writing by hand is easier on the brain.

C．Noise made by typing doesn’t distract the brain when writing by hand.

D．The brain is more used to the skills required to write by.

4. How does Van der Meer think handwriting benefits people?

A．It allows children to become more patient.	B．It increases people’s interest in learning.
C．It helps people develop fine motor skills.	D．It allows people to write better essays.

【推荐2】Making eye contact with a robot can be a very strange experience. Scientists even have a name for the feeling: the “uncanny valley”. Now, researchers at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Italy have found that it is more than just a feeing. They ran an experiment that showed how a robot’s gaze can trick people into thinking they are socially interacting with a human being. That experience can slow a person’s ability to make decisions.

“Gaze is an extremely important social signal,” said the lead writer, Professor Agnieszka Wykowska, “The question is whether the robot’s gaze will evoke very similar mechanisms in the human brain as a human’s gaze would.”

The team asked 40 participants to play a video game of “chicken”. Each player had to decide whether to permit a car to run straight toward another car or to turn to avoid a crash. The people played against a human-like robot sitting across from them. During breaks in the game, players had to look at the robot. Sometimes the robot would look back and at other times it would look away. As the interactions happened, the scientists collected data on participants’ behavior and brain activity.

“Our results show the gaze of the robot had an impact on the way humans made decisions and humans’ responses, so humans were much slower in making decisions in the game,” Wykowska said. Given that the robot, is designed loosely to copy the shape and appearance of people, it’s not altogether startling perhaps that its gaze can influence people’s attention.

The findings could be useful for deciding where and how human-like robots might be placed. When we understand when and how robots change people’s social behavior,“then we can decide in which sort of context this is desirable and beneficial for humans and in which context this should not occur,” Wykowska said.

1. Why was the experiment conducted?

A．To find out how the robot interacted with people.	B．To study the function of the robot’s eyes.
C．To test the effect of robots’ gaze on people.	D．To arouse people’s interest in service robots.

2. What were the participants asked to do?

A．Control the direction of a real car.	B．Look at the robot in the game breaks.
C．Have a car race with a robot.	D．Gaze at the robot while playing games.

3. What does the author think of the results according to paragraph 4?

A．Unsurprising.

B．Amazing.

C．Disappointing.

D．Threatening.

4. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To advertise the robot.	B．To introduce a study.
C．To stress the importance of eye contact.	D．To show robots’ ability to make decisions.