Imagine you are taking a bus home at night. Suddenly your cellphone loses its signal. The television on the bus has no programs. Everything around us black-except for some strange colorful lights dancing in the sky. What is going on?
These are just the kinds of problems a solar storm might cause. Solar storms happen when solar flares (耀斑)break from the sun and travel towards Earth quickly. Actually, since Sept.4, 2017, the sun has burst out two big solar flares, the most powerful ones since at least 2008 according to NASA. They hit Earth on Sept.7.
Normally, Earth is protected by its magnetic field (磁场). But when strong solar storm mix with it, things change. On the one hand, the colourful lights of the aurora (极光)can be seen from the US and Europe, rather than just from polar (极地的)areas. But on the other hand, the storms can stop the satellite systems that control our computers, cell phones and GPS. They can even cause blackouts (断电) for weeks or months.
, but they can put astronauts in danger. Spacewalking astronauts might have only minutes to hide. For this reason, NASA never plans spacewalks during solar storms.
Scientists now have a new tool called EEGGL, which can predict solar storms and hopefully give us warnings when they arrive. As for the recent storm, scientists say it is still too early to know its effect on our technology. They are closely watching for any long-term effects.
1. A solar storm might cause problems EXCEPT that ______.| A．the cell phone loses its signals | B．we get hurt in the eyes suddenly |
| C．we have no TV programs | D．everything around turns black |
| A．Solar storms happen when solar flares travel toward the sun quickly. |
| B．The aurora can only be seen from polar areas during a solar storm. |
| C．Satellite systems can't work unless they're connected with solar storms. |
| D．It took two solar flares 3 days to come to Earth in September, 2017. |
| A．Solar storms are good for people on the ground |
| B．Solar storms have great effect on people on Earth |
| C．Solar storms hardly harm people on the ground |
| D．Solar storms can harm people on Earth seriously |
| A．angry | B．serious | C．crazy | D．happy |
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【推荐1】Mars is a neighboring planet in our solar system. Scientists study Mars because it could hold clues that could help us learn more about life on Earth. For decades, scientists have used robot technology to better understand Mars. In December 2020, scientists introduced a group of robots named Mars Dogs at a yearly meeting.
The Mars Dog is a four-legged robot created by the company Boston Dynamics. It, along with other similar robots, can move around in ways the wheeled rovers (探测器) that explored the planet never could. Traditional Mars rovers are limited mostly to flat surfaces. However, many scientifically interesting Martian regions are only reachable by crossing very rough (崎岖的) ground or going below ground. Walking Mars Dogs are well-suited for such challenges—even if they fall down, they can get back up again. These robots can also explore underground by walking around rocks and lowering themselves into caves. They are even capable of selecting which path to take. While they do this, they collect measurements to build a map of what they see.
A Mars Dog would also be about 12 times lighter than present rovers. It would be able to travel much faster, reaching normal walking speeds of 5 kilometers per hour during tests. Compare that to the Curiosity rover that is presently exploring Mars. Curiosity rolls along the Martian surface at about 0.14 kilometers per hour.
Before going to Mars, the team members are testing the robot. They even take the robot to outdoor locations similar to Martian landscapes. Those tests show that the robots, without any help, can walk around rocks and map deep caves. “These behaviors could one day enable significant scientific missions to take place on the Martian surface and subsurface,” the scientists said at the yearly meeting.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．Ways robot dogs walk on the Martian surface. |
| B．Robot dogs newly created for Mars exploration. |
| C．Differences between the Mars Dog and Curiosity. |
| D．Studies of Mars with the help of robot technology. |
| A．They are much lighter. | B．They travel much faster. |
| C．They are better at seeking shelter (避难所). | D．They move around more flexibly (灵活) . |
| A．Concerned. | B．Doubtful. | C．Hopeful. | D．Uncertain. |
【推荐2】People around the world felt excited on the night of April 10, 2019. For the first time in history, people saw a photo of a black hole. The photo became popular immediately(立刻). But do you know it has something to do with a computer scientist Katie Boumna? Without her, there wouldn't be this photo. Black holes are very far from us, so it is very difficult to take photos of them. It's like taking a photo of an orange that is on the moon. Many scientists had tried.
However, none of them succeeded. These failures didn't stop Bouman from trying.
Several years ago, she started working on a special computer program. During the past years, she has improved the program many times. Finally, it turned telescope data (望远镜数据) into a photo of a black hole.
Bouman received lots of praise because of her work. However, the young woman said the success mainly depended on(依靠) her team. "None of us could do it alone," she said.
Would you like to make history as Bouman did? Set a goal for yourself and work hard at it. Maybe you will make it come true in the future.
1. When people saw a photo of a black hole for the first time, they felt very ________.| A．sad | B．excited | C．surprised | D．calm |
| A．By taking a photo of an orange carefully. |
| B．By working on a special computer program. |
| C．By turning telescope data into a photo of a black hole. |
| D．By using more advanced cameras with the help of others. |
| A．A surprising photo of a black hole |
| B．A great computer scientist Katie Bouman |
| C．A goal to become a computer scientist |
| D．A photo of a black hole and Katie Bouman |
【推荐3】In the universe, as we all know, there are the Sun, the Moon, the Earth and many stars. Through our geography lessons, we know the Earth goes around the Sun and the Moon goes around the Earth. We have day and night because the Earth keeps turning all the time.
Just because the Moon is closer to the Earth than the Sun, it looks much bigger than the Sun.
The Sun is big enough to give out very strong light.
| A．There are many other planets in the universe. |
| B．Big things will look smaller when they are farther. |
| C．The Moon can’t give any light at all, but it looks quite bright, too. |
| D．When our part of the Earth turns to the sun, it is day. |
| E．They look smaller than the Moon also because they are farther away from the Earth. |
| F．Astronauts have already been to the moon. |
【推荐1】If dogs touched you with its nose, you were probably shocked with how wet and cold it was. Dogs are so warm, why are their noses so cold?
Before, people thought that dogs had cold noses to help them control their body temperature. But, a new study in the journal Scientific Reports found that when the air temperature was 30℃, the tip of a dog’s nose is about five degrees cooler than the air. But why is this?
The researchers believed that the tip of a dog’s nose has a specific sensory (探测的) function. So, they did an experiment to test it. The study showed that dogs could sense weak heat sources–like a small animal–with their noses from 1.5 meters away.
The research team studied three dogs.The dogs had to tell the difference between two objects that were heated to different temperatures. Amazingly, all three dogs were able to sense the temperature difference between both objects.
The study also found that the heat from the objects in the experiment “was too weak to be felt by human hands, even at very short distances”. The dogs were able to sense these heated objects from a distance, but humans were only able to feel the warmth of the object if they touched it.
To help strengthen the findings of their experiment, the research team also studied the brain activity of 13 dogs. When a warm object was put near their noses, there was an increase in brain activity.
From the two experiments, we can know that dogs sense heat from warm-blooded animals, use this information for hunting, and that a specific region of the brain is activated (激活) by such heat.
1. What did the new study published in the journal Scientific Reports find about dogs?| A．What makes dogs lovable. |
| B．Why dogs have cold noses. |
| C．How certain dogs sense heat better. |
| D．How a dog’s temperature relates to(与……有关系) its brain activity. |
| A．It aimed to tell the temperature difference between dogs. |
| B．It was used to test dogs’ and humans’ ability to sense heat. |
| C．Dogs were found to sense animals’ heat more easily. |
| D．Dogs could tell a heated and a non-heated object apart. |
| A．Their brains became more active. |
| B．Their brain activity slowed down. |
| C．They had different levels of excitement. |
| D．They showed no change in their brain activity. |
| A．Dogs are smarter than other animals. |
| B．The second experiment supported the first one. |
| C．Hunting for food helps dogs develop their heat-sensing ability. |
| D．The two experiments found completely different conclusions. |
a. When a warm object was put near their noses, there was an increase in brain activity.
b. The research team wanted to strengthen the findings of their experiment.
c. The dogs had to tell the difference between two objects that were heated to different temperatures.
d. The research team wanted to test if the tip of a dog’s nose has a specific sensory function.
| A．abcd | B．badc | C．dcba | D．cabd |
【推荐2】In 1845, a deadly disease struck the farms of Ireland, killing all the Lumper potato plants. In another place or time, the death of single crop species（物种）might not have been so important. But in Ireland, in 1845, people depended almost completely on the potato for food. The death of one species caused a terrible famine（饥荒）. Now, some scientists are worried that such a famine could happen again, but on a much wider scale.
Over the centuries, farmers have discovered thousands of different species of food crops. Each species has special qualities. Some can be grown in very hot or cold climates. Others are not affected by certain diseases. However, you won’t find many of these species in your local supermarket. To feed the seven billion people on Earth, most farmers today are growing only species of plants and farming only species of animals that are easy to produce in large numbers.
For example, in the Philippines, there were once thousands of varieties of rice: now fewer than 100 are grown there. In China, 90 percent of the wheat varieties grown just a century ago have disappeared. Scientists believe that over the past century, we have allowed more than half of the world’s food varieties to disappear.
One solution to this problem is to collect and store the seeds（种子）as many different plant varieties as we can before they disappear. The idea was first suggested by Russian scientist Nikolay Vavilov. In the 1920s and 1930s, he collected around 400, 000 seeds from five continents. More recently, others are continuing the work he began.
In the U.S. state of Iowa, Diane Ott Whealy wanted to protect historic plant varieties, like the seeds her great -grandfather brought to the U. S. from Germany more than a hundred years ago. She and her husband started a place called Heritage Farm, where people can store and trade seeds.
More importantly the people at Heritage Farm don’t just store the seeds; they plant them. By doing this, they are reintroducing foods into the marketplace that haven’t been grown for years. These food species are not just special in terms of appearance or taste. They also offer former, food solutions for the future, from the past.
1. Why are some scientists worried that such a famine could happen again?| A．Because people just depend on certain species of food crops. |
| B．Because the same deadly disease may attack crops again. |
| C．Because the world’s population is larger than that in 1845. |
| D．Because farmers grow the same potatoes as those in the past. |
| A．Paragraph 1 | B．Paragraph 2 | C．Paragraph 3 | D．Paragraph 4 |
| A．The result to protect different food species. | B．How to increase the number of food species. |
| C．The fact that many food species are dying out | D．How to prevent food species from disappearing. |
| A．The death of just one species made thousands of people in Ireland die of hunger. |
| B．Around 80 percent of the rice varieties in the Philippines have disappeared. |
| C．People have been storing seeds to save plant varieties for less than 100 years. |
| D．Heritage Farm is the first place in the U. S. for people to store and trade seeds. |
Plants are certainly interesting and we have lots to learn about how they work, but can one plant pass along a message to another plant? Can that second plant receive the information and understand what it means? Modern research shows that they do communicate with each other and the two most important plant communication methods are chemicals and sounds.
Back in 1983, two scientists, Jack Schultz and Ian Baldwin, reported that young tree saplings (幼苗) getting bitten by insects could produce chemicals. Some chemicals moved through the plant causing other parts of the plant to produce a natural pesticide (除虫剂) which would discourage further feeding by insects. The chemicals also moved through the air. You and I wouldn’t notice, but these insects chemicals carried a slight smell that neighboring plants could notice and produced pesticides too. Over the past 20 years, scientists have found that many kinds of plants produce chemicals when they’re being attacked (袭击). It’s a plant’s way of crying out. But is anyone listening? Of course. Because the damage (伤害) is usually seen on the first plant, the neighbors stay well.
A new research, published in the journal Trends in Plant Science, has shown that plants also communicate with each other by making “clicking” sounds, which cannot be heard by the human ear, but they can be picked up by other plants. Using powerful loudspeakers, researchers were able to hear clicking sounds coming from the roots of corn saplings. Researchers also found that when they hung the young roots in water and played a continuous noise at 220 Hz, a similar frequency (频率) to the plant clicks, they found that the plants grew towards the source of the sound.
Plants are really great communicators. They are giving out lots of useful information to the environment. We are only just beginning to understand how this information is produced and how it is then picked up by other plants who can use it for their own benefit. So, the next time you step on some grass or pick a flower, remember that the poor plant might be crying at its neighbors, but we humans just cannot hear it!
1. Many plants ________ when they are bitten by insects.| A．give out chemicals |
| B．kill the insects with leaves |
| C．produce an awful smell |
| D．learn nothing about the attack |
| A．Plants have no natural abilities to protect themselves from insects. |
| B．The roots of the corn make clicking sounds when they are attacked. |
| C．Both chemicals and sounds made by plants are hardly noticed by people. |
| D．The same damage can usually be seen on a plant and its neighboring plants. |
| A．Why Do Plants Send Messages? |
| B．Do Plants Speak to Humans? |
| C．How Do Plants Communicate? |
| D．Do Plants Like Neighbors? |
【推荐1】Imagine your home is in the center of a big circle. Everything you need is a 10-minute walk away. How convenient!
Recently, a group of architects（建筑师） from South Korea decided to make this a reality. They are planning a city with everything people need—including living areas, offices and entertainment（娱乐） areas—within a 10-minute walk from home.
When explaining why they wanted to build such a city, Ben van Berkel, a leader of company UNStudio, said people’s daily life experience is the most important. The “10-minute city” is so convenient that it won’t take people much time to travel elsewhere. “With time that is saved, more time is created,” Berkel told CNN.
The idea of such a city is not new. In 2016, French-Colombian researcher Carlos Moreno put forward the 15-minute city idea. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it more popular. During the pandemic, many people have been forced to spend most of their time at home, with less chance to go out of their communities.
Paloma Ezzet, 16, is an example. She said that before the pandemic, she liked to play soccer or go dancing. But during the pandemic, she had to give them up as no such entertainment areas or facilities（设备）were in her community. “It is gloomy, lonely and inconvenient,” Ezzet complained（抱怨）.
But not everyone likes the idea. Some people say it would further concentrate（集中） wealth in the most convenient areas, resulting in high house prices. So, should people stop considering this idea?
Maybe not. As Bobulescu, a French professor, said. “The seeds are there, and they’ll grow little by little.”
1. According to the article, which of the following is TRUE? ________| A．A group of architects from France decided to make “10-minute city” a reality. |
| B．A group of architects are planning a city with only necessary things people need. |
| C．Paloma Ezzet couldn’t play soccer during the pandemic. |
| D．Everyone likes the idea of the “10-minute city”. |
| A．come up with | B．look forward to |
| C．carry on with | D．agree with |
| A．Worried | B．Doubtful | C．Questionable | D．Positive |
【推荐2】The Search-for-Lost-Birds list has come to public attention recently. It lists ten kinds of birds that have not been seen in the wild for at least fifteen years. The list is calling on (号召) people to search for the endangered birds on Earth.
There could be several reasons for the long disappearances of the birds on the list. Maybe there have been no studies in areas where they live. Maybe people don’t know where or how to find them. Maybe there are changes to their natural homes because of human activities.
This year, four expeditions (考察队) are planning to find eight kinds of birds. If they find any of these lost birds, they will try their best to protect them and help their populations grow. This has happened with birds like the Madagascar pochard. The number of this once-lost kind of bird is now increasing.
1. How many kinds of birds are on the Search-for-Lost-Birds list?| A．Four. | B．Eight. | C．Ten. | D．Fifteen. |
| A．Changes of the living areas of the birds. | B．Suggestions on how to protect the birds. |
| C．Reasons for the disappearances of the birds. | D．Steps of building natural homes for the birds. |
| A．It has not been found till now. | B．It needs to live close to humans. |
| C．It provides protection for other birds. | D．It has a larger population than before. |
Oxford University researchers used the classic game whack-a-mole for the study. Whack-a-mole(打鼹鼠游戏) requires people to hit one of nine buttons (按钮). The players must react as quickly as they can to whichever of the buttons lights up at random(随机). It is a game that requires speed and accuracy (准确度 ).
The study included 40 men and women volunteers aged 19 to 59. Some of them had sons or daughters but none had a baby at the time. They played whack-a-mole after listening to different sounds, including babies crying, the crying of adults in trouble and birdsong played at a similar pitch to the babies' cries.
The volunteers' scores were higher after listening to the sound of crying babies. Men and women had similar scores overall. The results showed that a crying baby gets special attention.
"Few sounds make people react quite like the cry of a baby," said Morten Kringelbach of Oxford's psychiatry（精神病学） department, who led the study. "For example, it's almost impossible to ignore(忽视，不理) crying babies on planes. This is true even though there are so many other noises around."
He added that a baby's cry can increase adults' heart rate and blood pressure. This is understandable, because in the course of human evolution (进化), taking care of babies has always been an important job for adults. When a baby is hungry or feeling bored or unwell, it will cry. As a result, human brains and bodies develop a special reaction to a baby's cry.
1. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．There were 80 volunteers who took part in the study. |
| B．The youngest volunteer was 19 and the oldest was 59. |
| C．Some volunteers had babies at that time in the study. |
| D．The volunteers were affected by the sound of a baby’s cry. |
| A．a baby’s cry can get special attention from adults |
| B．men and women have different reaction speed and accuracy |
| C．adults without babies react less quickly to a baby’s cry |
| D．women react to a baby’s cry more quickly than men |
| A．one button | B．one of nine buttons |
| C．nine buttons | D．ten buttons |
| A．has the same pitch as birdsong |
| B．is the noisiest sound there is |
| C．can increase adults’ heart rate and blood pressure |
| D．is good for its health |
| A．taking care of the younger babies was the most important thing in the past |
| B．human brains and bodies have developed to take care of babies |
| C．baby cries are a good way make adults react quickly |
| D．baby cries have developed a lot during the course of human evolution |
Chen Hua is in a new school now. It’s near her home. It’s about 10 minutes（分钟）on foot. But she has a problem. Classes begin at 7:50 in the morning, and she is often late for school.
“How do you usually come to school?” says his teacher.
“I usually come to school on foot.” Chen Hua answers.
“What time do you usually get up?” says her teacher.
“I usually get up at 6:00.” Chen Hua answers.
“Well, it’s early. And what time do you leave（离开）home?” says her teacher.
“I leave home at 7:40.” Chen Hua answers.
“Why don’t you leave home a little earlier（更早一点）?” says her teacher.
“Sorry, I can’t.” Chen Hua answers.
“Mom is ill. She stays in bed all day. So I must look after her. I must cook breakfast. I must help her have breakfast. At 7:30 I must give her medicine(药) on time. Then I’m often late for school.” Chen Hua says with tears（眼泪） in her eyes.
“Oh, sorry, I see. You’re a good girl!”
1. How does Chen Hua go to her new school?
| A．By bus | B．By bike |
| C．By subway | D．On foot |
| A．7:30 | B．6:30 |
| C．7:50 | D．6:00 |
| A．7:45 | B．7:40 |
| C．7:30 | D．7:50 |
While you are walking on the street, you will notice more and more new energy vehicles(NEVs)( 新能源车) running on the roads. Many famous Chinese car makers have developed NEVs, such as BYD, Geely, Wuling and so on. In 2022, a total of 688.7 million new energy vehicles were sold in Chinese market. Why has NEV market had such a rapid growth in last few years? The main reason is that the buying of NEVs has been greatly supported by the local government, which has continued to reduce taxes(税) for NEVs these years. Besides, Chinese banks have offered a lot of policies to attract people to buy NEVs. For example, many banks have announced new loan(借贷) policies(政策) to allow NEVs buyers to borrow a larger part of the buying price.
When compared with patrol cars(燃油车), NEVs’ structure(结构) is much simpler. It can save a lot of cost in the daily maintenance(维修) of NEVs. Another advantage is the environment friendly, NEVs make fewer noises and less vibration(振动), which can make drivers have more comfortable driving experience. However, we have to admit there are still some problems with NEVs. For example, there are not enough charging piles(充电桩) and they need much time to charge(充电). The good news is that these problems are actually being improved, most of car owners in China said their next car will be an NEV, having a better driving experience and lower cost as the top reasons.
2. The structure of NEVs is simpler than patrol cars.
3. Buyers need spend a lot of money on the maintenance of NEVs.
4. There isn’t any disadvantage of NEVs.
5. A lot of car owners will buy NEVs in the future.
From the zoo to the art museum, Harrison students look forward to spring field trips. Please take part in these school fundraisers to help make these exciting experiences possible.
Share a Harrison Recipe
What is your favorite food? Share your recipe in the Harrison community.
◆Ask relatives and friends for a recipe for the school cookbook
◆Bring the recipe to Mrs. Voltz in the front. Office either before or after school by February15.
◆We will announce the beginning of the sale when the cookbooks arrive. Buy a cookbook for ﹩4.50 to see your friend’s recipes. Your family will surely enjoy these delicious dishes.
Try Your Luck in a Raffle(抽奖)
Teddy bears, posters, games and pencils are just some of the prizes for the lucky winners.
◆Buy a raffle ticket at the front office for ﹩1.00
◆The winners will be announced at the end of the day on March21.
Good luck!
Celebrate at the school Fair
Saturday, May2
10:00a.m.～3：30p.m
Join family and friends on the field behind the playground for a fun-filled day . Race down the huge slide,
Jump or test your skills at one of the many exciting games. Don’t forget to stop by one of the food stands for delicious snacks and drinks. Tickets for food and rides will sell for 50 cents each.
With everyone’s help , we can make the Harrison fundraisers and field trips successful !
1. How much is the cookbook ?
| A．$ 1.00. | B．50cents. | C．30cents. | D．$4.50. |
| A．At the front office. | B．In the main building |
| C．At the School Fair? | D．Behind the playground |
| A．On April 10. | B．On May 2. |
| C．On February 15. | D．On March 21. |
