Do you have a pet dog? If your dog touches you with its nose, you might be surprised to find how wet and cold it is. If dogs are so warm, then why are their noses so cold? In the past, people thought that dogs had cold noses to help them control their body temperature. To find out the real reason, Scientific Reports has done a study and got some interesting findings about dogs’ noses.
The study found that when the air temperature was 30 °C, a dog’s nose was about five degrees cooler than the air. But why is this?
The researchers believed that a dog’s nose had a specific sensory function (探测功能). So they did an experiment (实验) to test it. The study showed that dogs could sense weak heat sources (来源) with their noses from 1.5m away.
Firstly, the research team studied three dogs named Charlie, Delfi and Kevin. In the experiment, the dogs had to tell the difference between two objects that were heated to different temperatures. Amazingly, all three dogs were able to sense and tell 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 1.5 m away, but humans were only able to feel the warmth of the object if they touched it.
The research team also studied the brain activity of 13 dogs in the second experiment. When a warm object was put near their noses, there was an increase in brain activity.
“From these two experiments, we know that dogs are able to sense heat from warm-blooded animals, use this information for hunting, and that a special part of the brain is activated (激活) by such heat,” said the leader of the study.
1. The purpose of the study by Scientific Reports is to find out ________.| A．why dogs’ noses are so cold | B．what makes dogs warm | C．how dogs sense heat better |
| A．Dogs were not able to sense the heat from two objects. |
| B．Humans were better at sensing heat than dogs. |
| C．Dogs could tell the difference between both objects. |
| A．there was no change in their brain activity |
| B．more brain activity could be found |
| C．their brain activity slowed down |
| A．dogs can sense heat from all animals |
| B．dogs’ brain can be activated by heat from warm-blooded animals |
| C．sensing heat is useless when dogs are hunting |
| A．Heat-sensing noses. | B．Dogs’ brain activity. | C．Two experiments on heating. |
2 . Have you ever heard of “a ball of energy”? People often use it to describe a very active child. But today we tell about an invention called the sOccket that is a real soccer ball of energy. Julia Silverman explains that in fact the sOccket is a portable generator (便携式发电机)．
Julia Silverman and Jessica Matthews developed the sOccket as part of a group project for an engineering class at Harvard University, the USA.
There are mechanisms (装置) in a sOccket. When you kick, hit or throw it, energy is then kept in it by these mechanisms instead of disappearing into the environment. Then the user can put something directly into the ball, like a lamp, or a mobile phone charger (充电器) so that they can get energy from it. For every fifteen minutes of the game play, the sOccket can provide enough electricity for an LED lamp for three hours. The ball can store up to 24 hours’ electricity.
It was reported that nearly one and a half billion people in the world had no electricity to use last year. And most of them live in sub-Saharan Africa and in India and other countries in Asia.
Julia and Jessica both had experiences in developing countries before they began the project. They knew that power shortages are a serious problem in many areas. There is an energy crisis (危机) in the world. And besides that, there are a lot of health problems because what people use instead of the electricity are harmful choices like kerosene (煤油) lamps. They produce a lot of smoke.
Julia says the sOccket ball is one small solution to a big problem. They hope their sOccket ball will shine more light on the problem of power shortages. It offers people a chance to put their energy into the world’s most popular sport and get some energy in return.
1. What does “a ball of energy” refer to in this passage?| A．A very active child. | B．A normal soccer ball. | C．A soccer ball generator. |
| A．By getting recharged. | B．By being kicked, hit or thrown. | C．By getting energy from the environment. |
| A．Asian countries like India | B．sub-Saharan Africa | C．developed countries |
| A．The world has a serious problem of power shortage at present. |
| B．Julia Silverman and Jessica Matthews are famous American inventors. |
| C．Both Julia Silverman and Jessica Matthews have been to developing countries. |
| A．The sOccket not only can produce electricity but also is good for health. |
| B．The sOccket has fully helped people to solve the problem of power shortages. |
| C．The sOccket makes it possible for people to get energy by doing different sports. |
3 . Have you ever wanted to see the Great Wall of China, or win an Oscar for Best Director, or swim with dolphins (海豚)? If so, you are not alone. We all have things we want to do or achieve. These are part of our “bucket lists”. A bucket is a list of things that someone wants to experience in his or her lifetime. These things can be big or small. Have you ever thought about what is on your bucket list?
Lindsay, 15, created her bucket list when she was 14. She has given her list serious thought. “I’ve always wanted to travel. But I do want to go to space as a tourist. I want to see the Earth from above.” Other things on her list include seeing her favorite band in concert, learning how to speak Portuguese (葡萄牙语), and living in a foreign country. “I’ve always wanted to live in Brazil. As part of my bucket list, I want to attend Carnival (狂欢节) in the capital of Brazil,” she says.
Jose, 16, recently created a list of things he wants to achieve. It changes sometimes — he adds and takes away things because he wants to keep the number of things at seven. One thing has stayed at number one, though: he wants to visit a movie set (a place where a movie is filmed). He would like to see the Harry Potter or the Hobbit movie sets. Other things on the list include being on TV, meeting his favorite sports star, living abroad, skateboarding down a mountain, attending the World Cup, and backpacking across Europe. He would like to spend two months visiting Eastern Europe with his best friend Adam. “Maybe after I graduate from college,” says Jose.
So, what is your bucket list like?
1. The underlined word “bucket” in the first paragraph means _______.| A．愿望 | B．遗嘱 | C．预言 |
| A．Visiting a movie set. | B．Travelling to space. | C．Living in Brazil. |
| A．he has achieved them |
| B．he doesn’t have enough money |
| C．he wants to keep the total number |
| A．Lindsay always sticks to her bucket list |
| B．Neither Lindsay nor Jose is a sports lover |
| C．Both Lindsay and Jose hope to live abroad |
| A．We should keep changing our bucket lists to meet our needs. |
| B．Our bucket lists can help us work towards achieving our goals. |
| C．Being confident is a key to our achievement on our bucket lists. |
4 .
Festival | Major Heat (大暑) |
Date | Begins this year on July 22 and ends on August 6. During Major Heat, most parts of China enter the hottest season of the year. |
Tips | ● It’s a season of harvesting (收获). The sunshine, high temperature and heavy rainfall are good for all kinds of plants. ● It’s also important to harvest and plant in time to avoid accidents caused by nature. |
Celebrations | ● Sending the Major Heat ship. ● Drinking mutton soup. ● Eating fruits of the season like litchi, pineapples and dates. ● Eating grass jelly, which is made with a special grass. |
1. How long does Major Heat last this year?
| A．15 days. | B．16 days. | C．17 days. |
| A．Mutton soup and grass jelly. | B．Litchi and pineapples. | C．Dumplings and zongzi. |
1The TV series（连续剧） Nirvana in Fire（《琅琊榜》）is very popular. Lots of people watch the TV series on TV or on the Internet. 2A teenage actor becomes popular along with the TV series. His name is Wu Lei. He played a role in the TV series, the name of the role is “Fei Liu”. In the TV series, Fei Liu doesn’t like to talk much, but he has the best kung fu at that time. 3他尽他最大努力照顾他的哥哥。
Some people say that Wu Lei is not handsome. But Wu Lei never gets angry. 4He often says that he doesn’t care about his look. He has a big dream. 5他期待成为最好的男演员。So he works hard in every TV show. 6His hard work on the screen won him lots of fans. I believe that his dream can come true one day.
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The Palace Museum（故宫）welcomed its 17 millionth visitor on December 13th and became the museum with most visitors in the world.
In the visitors,40 percent is under 30 years old while 24 percent is between 30 and 40,which means the museum is more popular with the young.
Why are there more and more young visitors coming to the Palace Museum?First,more places are open up such as the Treasure Hall（珍宝馆）and the Clock Museum.Second,the museum made more than 10000 cultural item like notebooks and so on.Third,“Shang Xin Le Gu Gong（《上新了，故宫》）”,a TV show made by the museum and Beijing TV in November is very popular.“After watching the Palace Museum's TV show,I plan to visit the Palace Museum again this month.There are always unknown places to visit in it.” said a user on Weibo.Royal cats（御猫）in the museum maybe another reason to make young visitors interested in it.More than 200 cats are living in the palace and workers there care for them.“The Palace Museum keeps a balance between keeping history,sharing knowledge（知识）and showing interesting things.”said Shan Jixiang,who became the head of the museum in 2012,and an online celebrity（网红）himself because of his interesting way of making visitors know more about the museum.
1. When did the Palace Museum become the museum with most visitors in the world?2. Is the Palace Museum popular with the young?
3. What kind of show is “Shang Xin Le Gu Gong”?
4. How many royal cats are there in the Palace Museum?
5. Why did Shan Jixiang become an online celebrity?
This robot just wants to be your friend.If you are a child with few friends,maybe you need a robot called Musio.If you are a parent with little time to be with your children,then Musio is also a good choice for you.Musio is a new kind of robot.It is to help its users around the homes and become their friend.
It took the team a few years to develop（研发）Musio.They say Musio is helpful to different age groups.“A lot of people are afraid of AI, but we want to show that it can also do good things,”said Jacob Bradsher,a scientist in the team.The robot can turn on lights,TVs and even air conditioners（空调）.It can also help children to learn new words,read books and talk with others.Now the team is trying to make Musio move its arms and give its users a hug（拥抱）when they are sad.“The more you use Musio, the smarter Musio will become,”said Jacob Bradsher.That is to say,Musio is to learn and grow with its users.It may not be as cute as Baymax,a lovely robot in the popular cartoon film Big Hero 6.However,it will try to make its users happy.
1. Musio is the name of ________.| A．a child | B．a parent | C．a robot |
| A．A few years | B．A few months | C．A few days |
| A．Many people are afraid of AI. | B．Musio can give its user a hug. | C．Musio is a robot in Big Hero 6. |
| A．turn on lights,TVs and air conditioners |
| B．help children learn new words |
| C．move its arms |
| A．Musio is only helpful to children. |
| B．If you use Musio more, it will get smarter. |
| C．Musio can’t make its users happy. |
8 . Proms (毕业舞会) are a big part of high school for students in the UK. A school prom is a special party to celebrate an important date at school, such as the end of secondary school or completing school exams. A secondary school prom often includes a big party and fancy clothing.
Prom parties
Proms are usually held in June, around the end of exam time. The idea is to have fun with your school friends. Some schools hold a luxury party in a five-star hotel with amazing food and excellent service. Others have a more basic dinner in the school itself. A prom organizer provides everything for the special event, including balloons, food, and music.
Clothes and beauty
Young people like to dress up for their prom. On prom night, girls change their school uniform for an elegant (优雅的) evening dress and high heels. Boys usually dress up in a suit with a tie and smart shoes. The right hairstyle and makeup are important too. Some beauty salons (美发店) offer a special prom service which includes hair, make-up, eyelashes and nails.
Cars
Arriving at your prom by a chauffeur-driven limousine (有专职司机服务的豪华轿车) is very popular! The party can start on the way to the dinner or dance. Part of the fun for some prom-goers is to drive around town in their best clothes and make sure that everyone sees them.
An American tradition
Not long ago, most British schools didn’t have school proms. They had a simple school dance at the end of term. Now, more than 85 percent of schools in Britain have a prom. Many parents see the prom as an activity from the US. They say that American TV programs and films such as High School Musical have had a big influence on their kids.
1. What do proms mean to high school students in UK?| A．It is just a small part of their school life. |
| B．It is a big party to celebrate an important date. |
| C．It is a party to show their fancy clothing. |
| A．普通的 | B．幸运的 | C．豪华的 |
| A．shared cars | B．fancy clothes | C．proper hairstyles |
| A．The proms are held to have an enjoyable time with your schoolmates. |
| B．Prom-goers are not allowed to drive to the party by themselves. |
| C．British students are deeply influenced by American TV programs and films. |
| A．Teens’ life. | B．Fashion world. | C．Travel guide. |
Although we have a birthday every year and enjoy a birthday cake with family or friends on that day, do you still remember your first birthday?
On that day, there is an interesting custom（习俗）called “zhua-zhou”. Zhuazhou is one of the most important customs on a child’s first birthday. The earliest record（记录）of this custom is in the Song Dynasty（朝代）. The one-year-old child’s parents don’t even send out invitations, their aunts and uncles will come to celebrate his or her first birthday. Gifts from them on this day are something to eat or play with for the child.
Parents will put the baby in the middle of some things and see which thing they will pick up. If the baby picks up a coin（硬币）, then he or she might be rich when they grow up. Or if the baby picks up adoll, maybe he or she will have many children. If the baby picks up a soccer ball, then he or she may be a soccer player in the future. In the great Chinese book,Hong Lou Meng, Jia Baoyu picked up some girls’ things when he was a child. As a result, he likes playing with girls very much. Qian Zhongshu, a very famous writer in China, took a book during his zhuazhou. His father gladly named him Zhongshu, it means “book lover”, and he showed his talent in writing later in his life.
The custom of zhuazhou predicts baby’s future, and make parents think about how to educate the child, so even though some parents may not be so interested in Chinese tradition, they will not refuse the custom.
1. The interesting custom “zhuazhou” is on child’s ________ birthday.| A．first | B．second | C．third |
| A．The earliest record of zhuazhou is in the Tang Dynasty. |
| B．If parents don’t send out invitation, the baby’s aunts and uncles won’t come. |
| C．Young Parents in China still have the custom of zhuazhou. |
| A．算盘 | B．娃娃 | C．弓箭 |
| A．Because he picked up a coin. | B．Because he picked up a soccer ball. | C．Because he picked up a book. |
| A．how Chinese celebrate child’s first birthday. | B．why Chinese celebrate child’s first birthday. | C．when Chinese have the custom of zhuazhou. |
Festival | Chinese Laba Festival |
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Date | On the 8th day of the last lunar month | |
Activities | Eating Laba porridge and making Laba garlic（蒜）. People will eat it in 20 days. Praying（祈祷）for harvest（丰收）, good luck and good health in the coming year. |
1. When is Laba Festival? ________
| A．On February 8th every year. | B．In the last lunar month. | C．20 days later. |
| A．Eat Laba porridge. | B．Eat Laba garlic. | C．Pray for good luck in the next year. |
