My elephant adventures began in 1984 when, with our one-year-old daughter, my husband and I crossed the jungle in a jeep, slicking behind a lorry for comfort and company. The elephants standing like watchers on either side of the forest highway had us praying for our safety. One elephant made loud noise and angrily pawed (抓) the ground, warning us off. We raced away before they could attack.
It was wise to keep elephants at a distance. We heard stories of tourists whose jeeps were overturned, and a couple of photographers were killed because they moved too close. Elephants are misleading animals. They give people an impression of being quiet and kind, so tourists think it’s safe to picnic in the jungle (丛林). Yet angry elephants have knocked them down in seconds before they could take off.
Elephants might make life unpredictable and dangerous. It’s difficult for inexperienced environmentalists to even, begin to grasp this reality. I’ve heard city people say “ We humans are encroaching (侵害) on their forests.” But what’s the solution?
When a poor farmer borrows heavily to plant a crop, he’ll do anything to protect it His life depends on it Elephants ruining an about-to-be-harvested com field cannot expect to be welcomed like special guests. The battle between beast and farmer is violent.
Experts are working on solutions to human-elephant conflicts (冲突). Some are sure to fail to like the plans to build electric fences around human settlements. Elephants rapidly figure them out and come in, around and over them.
There are more questions than answers, for sure. But as my husband said, “More people die in car accidents every single day, in every city on the earth. But they won’t take cars off the roads, will they?” So we need to seek practical ways of preventing elephant accidents.
1. What is the writer’s purpose in writing Paragraph 1?| A．To tell readers her family’s experience of elephant adventure. |
| B．To show readers elephants are angry and dangerous, |
| C．To introduce the topic of the whole passage. |
| D．To describe how her family keep away from elephants. |
| A．They think elephants are quiet and kind. |
| B．They haven’t heard the stories of elephant killing people. |
| C．They like elephants too much. |
| D．They think they can race away in seconds. |
| A．Welcome elephant like special guests. | B．Fight with elephants for his harvest. |
| C．Stop planting crops. | D．Depend on elephants for his life. |
| A．It is a good idea to build electric fences around human settlements. |
| B．It is impossible to find a solution to settle human-elephant conflict. |
| C．We should first reduce car accidents to prevent elephant accidents. |
| D．It is our duly to protect elephants rather than kill them. |
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【推荐1】Antaretica’s ice-white environment is going green and facing other unexpected threats. Scientists say that as temperatures go up in the polar region, invading (入侵) plants and insects, including the flies, cause a major conservation threat.
More and more of these invaders, in the form of larvae (幼虫) or seeds, are surviving in coastal areas around the South Pole, where the temperature has risen by more than 3℃ over the past three decades. Glaciers have retreated, exposing more land which has been occupied by mosses that have been found to be growing more quickly and thickly than ever before-providing potential green homes for invaders.
“The common house flies are a perfect example of the problem the Antarctic now faces from invading species,” said Dominic Hodgson of the British Antarctic Survey. “It comes in on ships, where it exists in kitchens and then at bases on the continent. It now has an increasing chance of surviving in the Antarctic as it warms up, and that is a worry. Insects like the house flies carry bacteria that could have a deadly effect on native lifeforms.”
The Antarctic has several native species of insects. Together with its native mosses, these are now coming under increased threat from three major sources: visiting scientists, increasing numbers of tourists and global warming. However, it is global warming that is the main driver of the greening of Antarctica.
In 2015, more than 38,000 tourists visited Antarctica. “These tourists are often very careful about not leaving waste or having mud. But they could carry seeds or larvae on their boots when they set foot on the Antarctic,” said Hodgson.
More and more invasive insects and plants have been found on the Antarctic and have required removal. “the insects and plants that are native to Antarctica have survived these for thousands of years,” said Hodgson. “We have got to act now if we want to save the environment.”
1. What does the underlined world “mosses” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．A kind of plants | B．House flies |
| C．Coastal areas | D．A kind of animals |
| A．Scientists’ coming. | B．Global warming. |
| C．A growing number of visitors | D．The rapid spread of native planting. |
| A．They are native to the Antarctic. |
| B．They will disappear due to the cold climate. |
| C．They seriously affected the Antarctic native species |
| D．They directly fly to the Antarctic from nearby islands. |
| A．The Antarctic Is Faced with Various Threats |
| B．The Antarctic Is Becoming Green and Energetic |
| C．More and More Scientists Get to Explore the Antarctic |
| D．Global Warming has Caused the Temperature in the Antarctic to Rise up |
【推荐2】The hippo is a very important animal to the health of African rivers and lakes. However, researchers warm that the population of hippos is becoming less.
The hippo is a large animal. Hippos spend nearly 16 hours a day in the water. They come ashore to feed at night, and they eat more than 200 kilograms of grass every time they eat.
Professor Douglas McCauley and his team have studied the waste of hippos. He says, “We have looked carefully at hippos and found that the most useful thing is their waste. They eat lots of grass on land and then take that all back to the lakes and rivers where they rest. They basically get rid of that in the form of waste. And it turns out to be a huge amount of matter full of energy and Nutrients.”
Every year, hippos provide over 60,000 kilograms of waste for African lakes and rivers. Some fish need the waste in their diets. And some of the nutrients in the waste are the building materials of some small plants in the water.
Although researchers learn more about the importance of hippos, there are fewer of them. The number of hippos has dropped a lot in Africa. Douglas says humans are mainly responsible for it due to illegal hunting And animals, including hippos, often lose to humans in competition for water. Douglas explains, “Both of them need water.” He says when we’re harming wildlife, we should realize that our future is closely inked with wildlife's.
1. Where do hippos stay most of the time?| A．In the water. | B．In shade. | C．Near the rivers. | D．By the side of lakes. |
| A．Their meat. | B．Their fur. | C．Their horns. | D．Their waste. |
| A．Hippos sometimes eat some fish. | B．Hippos contribute much to river ecosystem. |
| C．Hippos like looking for food at night. | D．Hippos' waste causes pollution to rivers. |
| A．There are sill many hippos in Africa. | B．Humans have caused great effects on hippos. |
| C．People should not compete with hippos. | D．Hippos need to drink much water in a day. |
【推荐3】Rising numbers of female elephants in Mozambique in south-east Africa are being born without tusks (长牙), according to a new study. The change is thought to be a result of years of hunting in which elephants were killed for their tusks. Experts think they have evolved (进化) to be tuskless so they are less likely to be hunted.
Evolution is the process by which living things change over time to become better adapted to their environment. In the case of the elephants, animals with no tusks have survived (幸存) better than those with tusks. The surviving animals have passed on that characteristic to their babies, resulting in more young elephants that don’t grow tusks.
Elephant tusks evolved from teeth. They gradually became a tool that the elephants used to dig water hole, strip bark from tees and protect themselves. However, during a civil war that lasted from 1977 to 1992, Mozambiu’s elephant population reduced by about 90%. Most of the animals were killed by soldiers who sold their tusks for money.
During the civil war, elephants born without tusks were left alone by hunters, giving them a far better chance of surviving and passing this characteristic to their babies. Before the war, 18.5% of female elephants were born tuskless, but this rose to 33% among females born between 1995 and 2004. In order to survive without tusks, the researchers say the elephants are changing the types of plants they eat.
Whether the elephants have tusks or not depends on changes to their genes (基因). Unfortunately, the gene changes that stop tusks growing have other effects—they are deadly to about half of male babies. Professor Robert Pringle, who worked on the study, hopes that the spread of tusklessness will stop as the elephants are hunted less and the population recovers.
1. What cause(S) elephants to evolve to be tuskless?| A．Food shortage. | B．Climate change. |
| C．Human activities. | D．Natural disasters. |
| A．The damage to their home. |
| B．An increase in birth of females. |
| C．The survival of those with tusks. |
| D．A decrease in their population. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Concerned. | C．Confused. | D．Frightened. |
| A．No buying, no killing. |
| B．The elephants are suffering. |
| C．Elephants evolve to lose tusks. |
| D．To protect elephants, take action! |
【推荐1】Once I told someone I wanted to get a master’s degree of fine arts in creative writing and they told me it was the second-to-worst post-graduation plan they’d ever heard from a student.Arts degrees — especially fine arts degrees, which usually come in the form of music, studio art, creative writing and theater — have been, over the years, labeled (称为) useless.
It’s true that for the most part, STEM degrees give rise to higher paying jobs than liberal and fine arts degrees, and it’s understandable why young people care about a higher starting salary and financial security.Student loan debt is playing a role in the physical and mental stress of young people.
And while STEM majors usually have starting salaries that are $20,000 higher than those of liberal arts majors, by the time people reach the age of 40, the salaries between those who majored in the liberal arts and those who majored in STEM are virtually the same.For example, women who major in STEM earned nearly 50% more than social science and history majors at ages 23-25, but only 10% more by ages 38-40, a New York Times analysis reported.So even in terms of salary, which doesn’t solely determine whether or not a degree is useful, liberal arts degrees aren’t all that far behind STEM.
It seems too that since people nowadays are going to have to work longer, it’s more important than ever that we actually like and care about what we’re doing.Pursuing (追求) something enjoyable, or else a passion, is continuously found to be a key factor in maintaining healthy relationships, mental health, physical health and energy.In other words, not useless.
And just because someone’s primary job isn’t in their field of study — a writer who teaches high school for example— doesn’t make the degree useless.It just means that their way of finding a stable income is different.The same goes for artists who have to work multiple jobs to support themselves.They might have to find other means of supporting themselves and their artistry.It might be copy editing or it might be tutoring.
So I am going to graduate school, and I am going to graduate school for writing.I might be paying rent by way of overnight restaurant shifts — there’s so much I’m not sure of.But one thing I am sure of is this — I would rather be a writer working two jobs to pay my bills than be no writer at all.
1. A New York Times analysis report is mentioned in Paragraph 3 to ______.| A．analyse the value of different majors | B．prove the argument against arts wrong |
| C．raise the opinion on majors by example | D．present the link between majors and incomes |
| A．Following art dreams keeps one in good condition. |
| B．Doing what one loves builds up one’s confidence. |
| C．Arts improves one’s understanding of different jobs. |
| D．A love for arts helps one maintain passion for work. |
| A．unavoidable | B．common | C．acceptable | D．traditional |
| A．Arts students concern more about the value of life. |
| B．The man not loving his work won’t stick with a job. |
| C．Income often comes first when people choose majors. |
| D．Graduates in arts can find possible development. |
Do you have imagination? Do you like to solve problems? Can you? If so, you could be the next great inventor. “But I’m just a kid，” you might say! Don’t worry about a little thing like age. For example, one famous inventor — Benjamin Franklin — got his start when he was only 12. At that young age, he created paddles for his hands to help him swim faster. Finally his creation led to what we know is called flippers!
So you don’t have to be an adult to be an inventor. One thing you do need, though, is something that kids have plenty of: curiosity and imagination. Kids are known for looking at things in new and unique ways.
So what should you do if you have what is a great idea for an invention? Talk to a friend or family member about it. Get input from others about your idea. Then ask them to help you create a working model — called a prototype (原型) — of your idea.
Once you have a prototype, you can test it. Sometimes your idea turns out to be not as great as you thought. At other times, though, you realize it is a good idea and your prototype can help you figure out how to make it even better.
If your idea is really a good one, an adult can help you contact companies that might be interested in it. You will also want an adult’s help to get a patent (专利权) for your idea, so that it is protected and can’t be stolen by someone else. If you need some inspiration, consider these kids and their inventions：
Jeanie Low invented the Kiddie Stool when she was just 11. It’s a folding stool that fits under the kitchen sink. Kids can unfold it and use it to reach the sink all by themselves.
At the age of 15, Louis Braille invented the system named after him that allows the blind to read.
Chelsea Lanmon received a patent when she was just 8 for the “pocket diaper”， a new type of diaper that includes a pocket for holding baby wipes and powder.
1. By saying “But I’m just a kid”， you probably mean you ________.| A．are too young to achieve anything |
| B．can do anything though you are young |
| C．are old enough to become an inventor |
| D．have to learn knowledge from other people |
| A．a patent—a prototype—a good idea—an invention |
| B．an invention—a good idea—a patent—a prototype |
| C．a good idea—a prototype—an invention—a patent |
| D．a prototype—a patent—a good idea—an invention |
| A．Jeanie Low. | B．Benjamin Franklin. | C．Chelsea Lanmon. | D．Louis Braille. |
| A．Kids have curiosity and imagination |
| B．There are some world famous inventors |
| C．Kids are exactly like adults in a way |
| D．It is possible for kids to be inventors |
【推荐3】If you think a high-factor sunscreen (防晒霜) keeps you safe from harmful rays, you may be wrong. Research in this week’s Nature shows that while factor 50 reduces the number of melanomas (黑素瘤) and delays their occurrence, it can’t prevent them. Melanomas are the most aggressive skin cancers. You have a higher risk if you have red or blond hair, fair skin, blue or green eyes, or sunburn easily, of if a close relative has had one. Melanomas are more common if you have periodic intense exposure to the sun. Other skin cancers are increasingly likely with long-term exposure.
There is continuing debate as to how effective sunscreen is in reducing melanomas — the evidence is weaker than it is for preventing other types of skin cancer. An Australian study of 1,621 people found that people randomly selected to apply sunscreen daily had half the rate of melanomas of people who used cream as needed. A second study, comparing 1,167 people with melanomas to 1,101 who didn’t have the cancer, found that using sunscreen routinely, alongside other protection such as hats, long sleeves or staying in the shade, did give some protection. This study said other forms of sun protection — not sunscreen — seemed most beneficial. The study relied on people remembering what they had done over each decade of their lives, so it’s not entirely reliable. But it seems reasonable to think sunscreen gives people a false sense of security in the sun.
Also many people don’t use sunscreen properly — applying insufficient amounts, failing to reapply after a couple of hours and staying in the sun too long. It is sunburn that is most worrying — recent research shows sunburn on Episode 5 in the teenage years increases the risk of all skin cancers.
The good news is that a combination of sunscreen and covering up can reduce melanoma rates, as shown by Australian figures from their slip-slop-slap campaign. So if there is a heat wave this summer, it would be best for us, too, to slip on a shirt, slop on (抹上) sunscreen and slap on a hat.
1. What does the research in Nature say about a high-factor sunscreen?| A．It is ineffective in preventing melanomas. |
| B．It is ineffective in case of intense sunlight. |
| C．It is ineffective with long-term exposure. |
| D．It is ineffective for people with fair skin. |
| A．Sunscreen should be applied alongside other protection measures. |
| B．High-risk people benefit the most from the application of sunscreen. |
| C．Irregular application of sunscreen does women more harm than good. |
| D．Daily application of sunscreen helps reduce the incidence of melanomas. |
| A．It misleads people to rely on sunscreen for protection. |
| B．It helps people to select the most effective sunscreen. |
| C．It is not based on direct observation of the subjects. |
| D．It confirms the results of the first Australian study. |
| A．Using both covering up and sunscreen. |
| B．Staying in the shade whenever possible. |
| C．Using covering up instead of sunscreen. |
| D．Applying the right amount of sunscreen. |
【推荐1】A few months ago, it wasn't unusual for 47-year-old Carla Toebe to spend 15 hours per day online. She'd wake up early, turn on her laptop and chat on Internet dating sites and instant-messaging programs – leaving her bed for only brief breaks. Her household bills piled up, along with the dishes and dirty laundry, but it took constant complaints from her four daughters before she realized she had a problem.
"I was starting to feel like my whole world was falling apart – kind of slipping into a depression," said Carla. "I knew that if I didn't get off the dating sites, I'd just keep going," detaching (使脱离) herself further from the outside world.
Toebe's conclusion: She felt like she was "addicted" to the Internet. She's not alone.
Concern about excessive Internet use isn't new. As far back as 1995, articles in medical journals and the establishment of a Pennsylvania treatment center for overusers aroused interest in the subject. But as reliance on the Web grows, there are signs that the question is getting more serious attention: Last month, a study published in CNS Spectrums claimed to be the first large-scale look at Internet overuse. The American Psychiatric Association may also consider listing Internet addiction in the next edition. And scores of online discussion boards have popped up, on which people discuss negative experiences tied to too much time on the Web.
The new CNS Spectrums study was based on results of a nationwide telephone survey of more than 2,500 adults. Like the latest survey, this one was conducted by Stanford University researchers. About 6% of respondents reported that "their relationships suffered because of excessive Internet use." About 9% attempted to conceal "nonessential Internet use," and nearly 4% reported feeling " still occupied by the Internet when offline."
"The Internet problem is still in its early stage," said Maressa Orzack, a Harvard University professor. No single online activity is to blame for excessive use, he said. "They're online in chat rooms, checking e-mail, or writing blogs. The problem is not limited to porn (色情) or gambling websites.”
“Excessive Internet use should be defined not by the number of hours spent online but in terms of losses.”said Maressa Orzack. "If it's a loss where you're not getting to work, and family relationships are breaking down as a result, then it's too much."
Since the early 1990s, several clinics have been established in the U. S. to treat heavy Internet users. They include the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery and the Center for Internet Behavior.
The website for Orzack's center lists the following among the psychological symptoms of computer addiction:
● Having a sense of happiness or excitement while at the computer.
● Longing for more and more time at the computer.
● Neglect of family and friends.
● Feeling empty, depremssed or irritable when not at the computer.
● Lying to employers and family about activities.
● Inability to stop the activity.
● Problems with school or job.
Physical symptoms listed include dry eyes, backaches, skipping meals, poor personal hygiene (卫生) and sleep disturbances.
“People who struggle with Internet overuse maybe depressed or have other mood disorders.” Orzack said. When she discusses Internet habits with her patients, they often report that being online offers a "sense of belonging, and escape, excitement and fun," she said. “Some people say relief…because they find themselves so relaxed.”
Some parts of the Internet seem to draw people in more than others. Internet gamers spend countless hours competing in games against people from all over the world. One such game, called World of Warcraft, is cited on many sites by posters complaining of a "gaming addiction."
Andrew Heidrich, an education network administrator from Sacramento, plays World of Warcraft for about two to four hours every other night, but that's nothing compared with the 40 to 60 hours a week he spent playing online games when he was in college. He cut back only after a full-scale family intervention (干预), in which relatives told him he'd gained weight.
“There's this whole culture of competition that sucks people in with online gaming, ”said Heidrich, now a father of two. People do it at the expense of everything that was a constant in their lives." Heidrich now visits websites that discuss gaming addiction regularly “to remind myself to keep my love for online games in check”.
Toebe also regularly visits a site where posters discuss Internet overuse. In August, when she first realized she had a problem, she posted a message on a Yahoo Internet addiction group with the subject line:“I have an Internet Addiction.”
“I'm self-employed and need the Internet for my work, but I'm failing to accomplish my work, to take care of my home, to give attention to my children,”she wrote in a message sent to the group. “I have no money or insurance to get professional help; I can't even pay my loan and face losing everything.”
Since then, Toebe said, she has kept her promise to herself to cut back on her Internet use. "I have a boyfriend now, and I'm not interested in online dating," she said by phone last week. "It's a lot better now."
1. What eventually made Carla Toebe realize she was spending too much time on the Internet?| A．Her daughter's repeated complaints. |
| B．Tiredness resulting from lack of sleep. |
| C．The poorly managed state of her house. |
| D．The high financial costs adding up. |
2. What is the main idea of para4?
| A．A study claimed to be the first large-scale look at Internet overuse. |
| B．The American Psychiatric Association plans to list Internet addiction in its edition. |
| C．There are heated discussions about negative experiences over internet overuse. |
| D．There is a growing concern towards internet addiction. |
3. According to Professor Maressa Orzack, Internet use would be considered excessive if ______.
| A．it seriously affected family relationships |
| B．one visited porn websites frequently |
| C．too much time was spent in chat rooms |
| D．people got involved in online gambling |
4. According to Orzack, people who struggle with heavy dependence on the Internet may feel ______.
| A．discouraged | B．pressured | C．depressed | D．puzzled |
5. Andrew Heidrich now visits websites that discuss online gaming addiction to _____.
| A．improve his online gaming skills |
| B．control his desire for online gaming |
| C．show how good he is at online gaming |
| D．exchange online gaming experience |
6. Which of the following best describes the tone(口吻) of the passage ?
| A．Humorous | B．Ironic | C．Objective | D．Casual |
【推荐2】It is increasingly popular for Chinese young people to share their experiences on Social media, such as the “moments” (朋友圈) on popular instant messaging service WeChat.
“I have been reading ‘Jane Eyre’ for 40 days with 48,000 words finished,” Li Anqi said. Li has been sharing her reading experience on WeChat moments every day since January. Working in Yinchuan, capital of Northwest China’s Ningxia, Li wants to learn English very much, but cannot bare (摆脱) the daily grind (日常工作) of school lessons.
“I found many of my WeChat friends had been reading books or learning English on mobile reading apps, and I did not want to fall behind,” Li said.
In January, she spent more than 100 yuan purchasing an online reading class at the Bohe Reading app, which tells customers they can: “Finish reading your first English book here.” At the reading class, teachers assign reading homework and give instructions to 430 class members every day.
A survey report released (发布) on Thursday said 70.9 percent of primary and middle students in China use the Wechat instant messaging App. At the same time, 75.9 percent of Chinese children have their own mobile phones, according to China National Children’s Center.
The figures were based on a survey of nearly 9,000 children across China. However, 28.8 percent of them never read news online and 43.2 percent have never touched newspapers.
The Center called for efforts to address the digital divide between urban and rural education and protect children’s privacy as Internet users.
1. In the second paragraph, Jane Eyre is _________.| A．a book | B．an advertisement |
| C．a piece of news | D．a film |
| A．A worker. | B．A doctor. |
| C．A teacher. | D．An actress. |
| A．70.9 percent. | B．75.9 percent. |
| C．43.2 percent. | D．28.8 percent. |
| A．To call for us to be a good reader. |
| B．To tell us to study English on the Internet. |
| C．To advise us to take an online English reading course like her. |
| D．To suggest that experience-sharing on social media is getting more and more popular in China. |
【推荐3】World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5th and was created to inspire people around the globe to take an active part in environmental protection and learn more about ways we can help to guarantee the future of our planet is safe.
The very first World Environment Day took place in 1974, established by the United Nations General Assembly on the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment that took place in 1972.
Each year the United Nations pick a theme and a host city where anyone who is concerned about the environment can talk about environmental topics with others, followed by different kinds of exhibits to promote environmental awareness. Environmentalists, academics and scientists come together to bring new ideas on the table concerning the environment.
The 2018 World Environment Day is hosted by India, and the theme is Beat Plastic Pollution. It urges people to explore and choose supportable alternatives like paper or cloth bags to reduce the production and use of disposable plastic, which makes up 10% of all of the waste. Even though the United Nations pick a specific host city every year, people around the world still celebrate World Environment Day in their hometowns with parades(游行), concerts, cleaning up and tree planting and all kinds of green actions to work towards having a beautiful planet and battling pollution.
World Environment Day is not a public holiday, so you won't be getting the day off work or school, but if you want to celebrate, why not bring it to the attention of your parents, friends, colleagues or classmates? World Environment Day is all about working together to take action for the planet, so try to get everyone you know interested in helping do something. Things as small as making sure people have a way to recycle can make a difference. You could also try beautifying your neighborhood by planting gardens, learn about green foods, raise money for a local wildlife conservation group of simply learn about the effects of different products on the earth.
1. Why is World Environment Day set up?| A．To make people know more about nature. | B．To ask people to help to protect the globe. |
| C．To warn people of the danger of air pollution. | D．To encourage people to plan the earth's future. |
| A．Decide a host city. | B．Hold a theme party. |
| C．Discuss environmental ideas. | D．Show some plastic products. |
| A．High cost. | B．Poor- quality. | C．Secondhand. | D．Single use. |
| A．Every bit of effort counts/ matters Count | B．Doing is better than saying. |
| C．Many hands make light work. | D．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
【推荐1】The journey to the moon has been the first step towards future exploration in space. The distance between the Moon and Earth is very short indeed when compared with the distances between Earth and the other planets. Mars, the nearest planet to Earth is millions of miles away! Travelling to the planets will be man's next aim. Such travels will be more challenging than the trip to the moon and certainly more adventurous.
Recently, two American spaceships, Vikings 1 and 2, landed on Mars trying to discover whether that planet has any life on it. So far the signs of life on Mars has neither confirmed nor ruled out. Russians have discovered that the surface of Venus（金星）is so hot that it is almost certain that there is no life there. Also the atmosphere of Venus is extremely dense and the pressure is nearly a hundred times greater than that of the Earth's atmosphere.
Scientists believe man may find planets which have the same conditions as those we have on earth, but man should realize Earth will be his only home for a long time and begin to love and care for it.
1. According to the passage，travelling to the planets will be _________.| A．much easier and even more interesting |
| B．far more exciting and dangerous |
| C．man's final aim |
| D．man's first step |
| A．there is life on Mars |
| B．there is no life on Mars |
| C．the atmosphere of Mars is not so dense as that of Venus |
| D．scientists will have little hope to find the answers |
| A．no other planets are to take the place of the earth |
| B．everything needed is provided by the earth |
| C．the only home of man will be the earth for a long time |
| D．the dream to find another home for man will come true |
【推荐2】Imagine that you’re the creator and show runner of the newest comedy show on television. Only it isn’t so popular yet, and your live Studio audience isn’t giving you the big laughs the show deserves. Do you film the show all over again, hoping that this time the audience will laugh? Or is there another option for making a joke sound funnier than it was received?
Sweeten(改善) the sound by adding a laugh track! “Sweetening,” or the addition of sound effects such as laughs, screams, and other audience-produced noises to the audio track of a TV show, has been used since the 1940s to produce the appearance, or rather the sound, of an engaged and entertained response to a show’s comedy. Laugh tracks came into existence as not only a solution, and sometimes replacement, for an unengaged live audience but also as a way to engage an at-home audience into a more-traditional, public, and theaterlike experience. Adding a laugh track to a television show makes the viewers at home feel much less like they’re sitting on a couch staring at the television screen and much more like they’re in a room full of laughing happy people to varying degrees of success.
Though the art of sweetening has risen and fallen in popularity over the past 60 years, credit for its creation and continued use is owed to laugh-track pioneer and sound engineer Charles Douglass. Douglass was the first to develop, in 1953, a machine for producing “canned laughter”, accessible at the push of a button or pull of a lever (操纵杆). Despite being artificial, sensibly edited laugh tracks are found by television studios to bring about a positive audience response, as their use is usually accompanied by higher ratings and increased audience memory. Though some television audiences may disagree with the value of the laugh track, the cheerful and repetitive sound holds a permanent place in the history and future of television comedy.
1. The author uses the first paragraph to .| A．introduce the topic “sweetening” |
| B．seek solutions for the problem |
| C．point out a way of making comedies |
| D．arouse readers’ interest in comedies |
| A．The creation of a show. |
| B．Funnier sound in a show, |
| C．More engaged live audience |
| D．Communication among TV viewers. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. |
| C．Neutral (中立的). | D．Uncertain, |
| A．The reason for using laugh tracks. |
| B．The brief history of laugh tracks. |
| C．The development of TV comedies. |
| D．The way to improve television shows. |
【推荐3】That banana peel from your lunch, turned into graphene(石墨烯), a valuable material in electronics and many other fields, could bring a massive reduction of the enironmental effect of concrete(混凝土) and other building materials.
A new process introduced by the Rice University lab of chemist James Tour can turn large quantities of almost any carbon source into valuable graphene. Tour said the “flash graphene” technique can transform a ton of coal, food waste or plastic into graphene for a tiny amount of the cost used by other graphene-producing methods.
The world throws out 30% to 40% of all food every year and plastic waste is of worldwide concern. Tour’s team has already proven that any solid carbon-based matter, including mixed plastic waste and rubber tires, can be turned into graphene.
As reported in Nature , a concentration of as little as 0.1% of flash graphene in the cement(水泥) used to bind concrete could lessen its massive environmental effect by a third. Production of cement reportedly gives off as much as 8% human-made carbon dioxide every year. “By adding graphene to concrete, we could use less concrete for buildings,” Tour said.
The flash graphene process gets its name from the spark of bright light created when the chemical reaction occurs. Most of the energy is not turning into heat, but instead goes into a type of thermal electromagnetic radiation (热电磁辐射). That radiation breaks every carbon-carbon bond and any extra energy leftover is released in the form of the bright flash of light. Flash graphene is made in just 10 milliseconds this way.
The problem with the flash process at the current stage is: The researchers could only make about a picogram of graphene, an extremely small amount of graphene that might be suitable for electronics. Tour hopes to produce a kilogram a day of flash graphene within two years, starting with a project recently funded by the Department of Energy to change U.S.-sourced coal. “This could provide an outlet for coal on a large scale by changing it inexpensively into a much-higher-value building material,” he said.
1. What can we learn about James Tour’s graphene-producing method?| A．It is useful but of little commercial value. |
| B．It can make rubber tires stronger and more durable. |
| C．It has a cost advantage and easily-accessible raw materials. |
| D．It helps the world reduce food waste by about 40%. |
| A．influence on the building industry |
| B．role in increasing cement production |
| C．potential in reducing global warming |
| D．possibility in changing how we live |
| A．Searching for more high-value building materials. |
| B．Increasing the productivity of flash graphene. |
| C．Inventing the electronics suitable for the flash graphene. |
| D．Improving the efficiency of thermal electromagnetic radiation. |
| A．To explain the environmental effects of concrete. |
| B．To introduce the function of graphene in various fields. |
| C．To encourage people to be less dependent on carbon-based fuels. |
| D．To present a way to turn waste into treasure. |
