1 . My husband, our children and I have had wonderful camping experiences over the past ten years.
Some of our
Another time, we rented a boat in Vallecito Lake. The sky was clear when we
Now, every year when my husband pulls our camper out of the garage, we are filled with a sense of
A.ideas | B.jokes | C.memories | D.discoveries |
A.camped | B.drove | C.walked | D.cycled |
A.annoyed | B.surprised | C.disappointed | D.worried |
A.unhurt | B.unfortunate | C.uncomfortable | D.unafraid |
A.due to | B.instead of | C.apart from | D.as for |
A.worked | B.happened | C.mattered | D.changed |
A.signed up | B.calmed down | C.checked out | D.headed off |
A.arranged | B.interrupted | C.completed | D.recorded |
A.wind | B.noise | C.temperature | D.speed |
A.find | B.hide | C.start | D.fix |
A.luck | B.answer | C.wonder | D.signal |
A.patiently | B.tirelessly | C.doubtfully | D.helplessly |
A.sorry | B.brave | C.safe | D.right |
A.relief | B.duty | C.pride | D.excitement |
A.failure | B.adventure | C.performance | D.conflict |
2 . Can a small group of drones (无人机) guarantee the safety and reliability of railways and, at the same time, help railway operators save billions of euros each year? That is the very likely future of applying today’s “eyes in the sky” technology to make sure that the millions of kilometres of rail tracks and infrastructure (基础设施) worldwide are safe for trains on a 24/7 basis.
Drones are already being used to examine high-tension electrical lines. They could do precisely the same thing to inspect railway lines and other vital aspects of rail infrastructure such as the correct position of railway tracks and switching points. The more regularly they can be inspected, the more railway safety, reliability and on-time performance will be improved. Costs would be cut and operations would be more efficient (高效) across the board.
That includes huge savings in maintenance costs and better protection of railway personnel safety. It is calculated that European railways alone spend approximately 20 billion euros a year on maintenance, including sending maintenance staff, often at night, to inspect and repair the rail infrastructure. That can be dangerous work that could be avoided with drones assisting the crews’ efforts.
By using the latest technologies, drones could also start providing higher-value services for railways, detecting faults in the rail or switches, before they can cause any safety problems. To perform these tasks, drones for rail don’t need to be flying overhead. Engineers are now working on a new concept: the rail drones of the future. They will be moving on the track ahead of the train, and programmed to run autonomously. Very small drones with advanced sensors and AI and travelling ahead of the train could guide it like a co-pilot. With their ability to see ahead, they could signal any problem, so that fast-moving trains would be able to react in time.
1. What makes the application of drones to rail lines possible?A.The use of drones in checking on power lines. | B.Drones’ ability to work at high altitudes. |
C.The reduction of cost in designing drones. | D.Drones’ reliable performance in remote areas. |
A.Personnel safety. | B.Assistance from drones. |
C.Inspection and repair. | D.Construction of infrastructure. |
A.To provide early warning. | B.To make trains run automatically. |
C.To earn profits for the crews. | D.To accelerate transportation. |
A.What Faults Can Be Detected with Drones |
B.How Production of Drones Can Be Expanded |
C.What Difficulty Drone Development Will Face |
D.How Drones Will Change the Future of Railways |
3 . Over the past 38 years, Mr. Wang has pretended to be someone else many times,and has even learned to
The 60-year-old is not an actor, but a
In the 1990s, a group of thieves often sold stolen goods with the help of some beggars. To look into the
“I often
Wang, who is often in
Wang's
A.teach | B.compare | C.assess | D.speak |
A.lawyer | B.doctor | C.policeman | D.businessman |
A.role | B.study | C.family | D.audience |
A.minor | B.case | C.future | D.question |
A.interviewed | B.joined | C.arrested | D.assisted |
A.challenge | B.experience | C.appearance | D.freedom |
A.vote | B.sympathy | C.permission | D.trust |
A.invited | B.forced | C.helped | D.expected |
A.drunk | B.deserted | C.bored | D.lost |
A.guide | B.persuade | C.excuse | D.allow |
A.refer to | B.note down | C.ask about | D.miss out |
A.plan | B.agreement | C.direction | D.information |
A.awkward | B.dangerous | C.unfortunate | D.strange |
A.separate | B.recover | C.escape | D.hear |
A.courage | B.honesty | C.kindness | D.optimism |
4 . While taking a 20-hour train ride along the edge of the Taklimakan Desert in northwestern China, I had the kind of humbling, educational, and above all else, wonderful
Over several hours, he would tell me about how he had
It would have been easy to
A.experiment | B.encounter | C.competition | D.appointment |
A.treated | B.saved | C.lectured | D.approached |
A.true | B.so-called | C.new | D.long-lost |
A.chance | B.advice | C.trouble | D.right |
A.visited | B.financed | C.attended | D.founded |
A.building | B.sweeping | C.checking | D.guarding |
A.typical | B.obvious | C.natural | D.remarkable |
A.publish | B.quote | C.сорy | D.download |
A.writers | B.historians | C.workers | D.students |
A.anticipate | B.imagine | C.recall | D.catch |
A.look into | B.rely on | C.go over | D.deal with |
A.well-behaved | B.multi-skilled | C.warm-hearted | D.self-educated |
A.asked | B.warned | C.showed | D.promised |
A.traveling | B.reading | C.searching | D.teaching |
A.cooperate | B.side | C.negotiate | D.engage |
5 . When I was in third grade, my family and I took on an unforgettable trip across the country. It turned out to be more than just a/an
One day, while hiking through the Grand Canyon, I
As Dad showed me footholds, Mom coached me with calming
From then on, every evening, we’d gather around a campfire for what we
The trip taught me that the true meaning of travel isn’t merely about reaching the destination but about the personal growth that happens on the route, and the family bonds formed when facing
A.crowded | B.physical | C.creative | D.necessary |
A.relationships | B.potentials | C.dreams | D.inspirations |
A.guided | B.encouraged | C.comforted | D.attracted |
A.events | B.stations | C.locations | D.shows |
A.cultures | B.landscapes | C.groups | D.countries |
A.imagined | B.constructed | C.smoothed | D.encountered |
A.froze | B.flew | C.fell | D.forgot |
A.reached down | B.stood aside | C.stepped in | D.turned back |
A.words | B.worries | C.noises | D.thoughts |
A.lost | B.maintained | C.demonstrate | D.restored |
A.left | B.broke | C.found | D.dug |
A.nicer | B.tougher | C.braver | D.closer |
A.originally | B.affectionately | C.frequently | D.simply |
A.sympathy | B.conflict | C.tears | D.profits |
A.challenges | B.defeats | C.opposition | D.uncertainty |
6 . Arguably, the biggest science development of the year to date has been the images of the very depths of the universe taken by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Those images beg a comparison between the external and internal universes that science is bent on observing and understanding.
Decades ago, astrophysicist Carl Sagan famously said, “The universe is also within is. We’re made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself. ” He was commenting then on the reality that our internal universe was as complex and as fantastic as the outer space.
There are many similarities between the progress we’ve made in understanding the universe and in piecing together life’s inner workings. Like the technological developments that took us from Galileo’s telescope to the Hubble to the JWST, life science tools have also improved rapidly. From early light microscopes to modern super-resolution ones, these developments have afforded researchers a deep look into biology’s infinitesimal (无限小的) landscape. Learning that living things were composed of cells was, not a terribly long time ago, a revolutionary observation. Since then, scientists have been able to dive ever deeper into the components of life.
Going beyond merely observing the complicated makeup of organisms, life scientists can now discover the workings of molecules (分子). And that is where scanning the universe differs from peering into biology. Understanding the universe, especially from a functional standpoint, is not necessarily an immediate urgency. Understanding biology on that level is. Simply observing the amazing internal structure of cells is not enough. Biologists must also characterize how all those parts interact and change in different environments and when faced with various challenges. Being able to image a virus or bacterium is nice at the level of basic science. But knowing how viruses gain entry into cells and spread, infect, and disable can literally save lives. Through time, biology has risen to this mechanistic challenge. Not only can life science tools produce images of cell components, even more importantly, they can help predict the effects of drugs on receptors, of immune cells on foreign invaders (入侵者), and of genetic perturbations (基因干扰) on development and aging.
This is not to belittle the work of scientists researching into universe. They should rightly be praised for delivering views of impossibly distant, impossibly massive phenomena. My aim is to celebrate these accomplishments while at the same time recognizing that science’s inward search for detail and insight is equally impressive and, in my view, more urgent. The output of both the outward and inward explorations should stimulate wonder in everyone. After all, it’s all star-stuff.
1. Why does the author quote Carl Sagan’s comment in Paragraph 2?A.To introduce the background. | B.To prove an assumption. |
C.To make a comparison. | D.To present an idea. |
A.study approaches | B.system management |
C.research facilities | D.technology integration |
A.practical | B.risky | C.flexible | D.popular |
A.It has received universal recognition. | B.It should enjoy priority in development. |
C.It can be applied in the majority of areas. | D.It is more complicated than space science. |
7 . It goes without saying that sitting at a desk for a majority of the day will hurt our health. But don’t worry because there is a solution! After spending much time investigating the different offers when it comes to exercise equipment suitable for the office, I’d like to reveal some of my top recommendations.
☆ Stability Cushion These cushions are excellent to relieve back pain and shoulder aches, stabilize joints and strengthen muscles. Pros & ConsSmall and lightweight .Works well for lower back and posture · Inflating isn’t easy for some | ☆ Under-desk Elliptical Keeping your feet in motion while seated can go a long way to keep you happier, reduce stress, and increase your productivity Pros & ConsEasy to carry like a briefcase Whisper quiet and easy to use ·The rubber around the metal bar can wear out over time |
☆ Fitness Tracker What gets measured gets managed, and one great way to keep track of your fitness data is a fitness tracker. A fitness tracker records your energy levels, steps, distance, hourly activity and more Pros & Cons·Very comfortable to wear ·Lots of apps can be operated together ·Various customized options ·Sometimes there are connectivity issues | ☆ Balance Ball Chair Sitting on a balance ball leads to increased energy and productivity. In that way, it’s perfect for completing tasks at home or in the office. This chair promotes micro-movements, core strength, and stimulation Pros & Cons·Straightforward to build ·A great solution if you experience back pain ·Needs to be reinflated often |
A.Fitness trainers. | B.Recovering patients. |
C.Office workers. | D.Furniture designers. |
A.Stability Cushion and Fitness Tracker. |
B.Stability Cushion and Balance Ball Chair. |
C.Under-desk Elliptical and Fitness Tracker. |
D.Under-desk Elliptical and Balance Ball Chair. |
A.It wears out easily over time. | B.It may fail to get linked at times. |
C.It offers few personalized choices. | D.It doesn’t allow the use of other apps. |
8 . DNA from fossils (化石) has transformed the study of human and animal evolution, revealing unknown relationships, tracing early migrations, and exposing ancient inter-species mating. Yet for humans, the entire field depends on just 23 ancient genomes (基因组), 18 of them from Neanderthals. Recently, scientists unlocked a much larger trove (宝库) of ancient DNA: from the soil of cave floors. This year, for the first time, cave dirt yielded DNA once housed in the nucleus of human cells, and researchers used such “dirt DNA” to reconstruct the identity of cave dwellers around the world.
The new work borrows from the study of environmental DNA from living species. To find out which organisms inhabit lakes, forests, and other places, scientists collect the free-floating DNA they shed into air, water, and soil. By 2003, evolutionary geneticists showed discarded (丢弃的) DNA could exist for thousands of years. It was used by researchers in 2015 to help reconstruct entire ancient ecosystems, even in the absence of fossils. But much of that DNA comes from mitochondria (线粒体), the cell’s power plants, which store tiny pieces of information of genetic material. Thanks to new techniques, scientists can now comb ancient soils for nuclear DNA, which carries the fall instructions for life.
This year, scientists successfully used nuclear DNA to chart the human and animal occupation of three caves. In Spain’s Estatuas Cave, nuclear DNA revealed the genetic identity and sex of humans who lived there 80,000 to 113,000 years ago, and suggested one line age of Neanderthals replaced several others after a glacial period that ended 100,000 years ago. In 25,000-year-old soil from Georgia’s Satsurblia Cave, scientists found a female human genome from a previously unknown line of Neanderthals, along with the genetic traces of a bison and a now-extinct wolf. And by comparing 12,000-year-old black bear DNA from Mexico’s Chiquihuite Cave with that of modern bears, scientists discovered that after the last ice age, the cave bears’ descendants (后代) migrated as far north as Alaska.
Techniques for extracting and sequencing nuclear DNA from ancient soils are still improving. As they do, researchers hope to answer even more questions about the rise and fall of ancient species.
1. What does the author think of fossil DNA study?A.It is outdated. |
B.It is improving. |
C.It is revolutionary. |
D.It is challenging. |
A.It only exists in human cells. |
B.It can be found on cave floors. |
C.It contains little information about life. |
D.It has a short life outside of human cells. |
A.To show scientists’ achievements in ancient soil DNA study. |
B.To introduce some recent scientific discoveries in nuclear DNA. |
C.To prove how powerful nuclear DNA is in identifying ancient life. |
D.To help understand what ancient soil DNA can do in genetic study |
A.Fossil DNA Comes to an End. | B.Fossil DNA Already in Bloom. |
C.Ancient Soil DNA Comes of Age. | D.Ancient Soil DNA Still in the Dark. |
9 . Family-Friendly Events in January
ZooLights: Glow Wild Jan. 1-19
The Phoenix Zoo’s yearly holiday light show is on until Jan. 19, allowing families one or more opportunities to enjoy the city’s zoo, with millions of lights giving an added dimension to the festivities.
Glow Wild, 455 N. Galvin Pkwy. , Phoenix, phoenixzoo.org, $11. 95 members, $13. 95 general admission.
Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts Jan. 4-18
The Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts features the work of established and emerging artists, including those who create woodwork, metal crafts, food items, art, photography and gifts.
On Macdonald, off of Main Street in Downtown Mesa, dtmesafest.com, free admission.
Family Fun Winterfest Jan. 4
OdySea Aquarium in the Desert is hosting the third annual Family Fun Winterfest in its Desert Courtyard, featuring real snow for the kids to play in. This free event features everything from bounce houses to rides, games, snowflake crafts and face painting to go with various stands set up by local sellers, with food and other offerings for sale at the event.
9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale, odyseainthedesert.com, free.Youth Fine Arts Course Jan. 18-Mar. 7
Mesa Arts Center is hosting an eight-week youth arts course on Saturdays to teach artistic skills and knowledge through fun and challenging art classes in a wide variety of art materials, including painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture, ensuring mentally stimulating sessions for all.
Mesa Art Center, 1 E. Main St, Mesa, mesaartscenter.com, $93.1. How can you get a discounted ticket to the ZooLights show?
A.Bring a friend. | B.Get a membership. |
C.Join a tour group. | D.Book a ticket online. |
A.Have free food. | B.Take art classes. |
C.Enjoy real snow. | D.Meet local artists. |
A.ZooLights: Glow Wild. | B.Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts. |
C.Youth Fine Arts Courses. | D.Family Fun Winterfest. |
10 . We were standing at the top of a church tower. I saw twisting streets leading to the square. “See, my dear,” Father said gently. “There is more than one way to the square.”
Father’s words always guided me. Dreaming of becoming a fashion designer, I came to Paris, but without luck. Then one day I met a friend wearing a beautiful sweater. “What an interesting stitch!” I cried. “It was done by Mrs. Vidian,” my friend explained. “She learned the stitch in Armenia, her native country.” Suddenly I had a daring idea. Why not design, make and sell my own clothes?
I drew a butterfly pattern and asked Mrs. Vidian to knit it into a sweater. It proved a success. A New York store wanted 40 sweaters to be ready in two weeks. I accepted the order. My happiness disappeared, however, when Mrs. Vidian told me it took her almost a week to knit one sweater.
I was crushed. Then I remembered father’s words. There must be other Armenian women in Paris who mastered the special stitch. Then I searched for any Armenians living in Paris. At last I tracked down several. Two weeks later, the first shipment was on its way to the United States!
From that day on orders poured in. Then came another test. As I was busy getting ready to show my winter fashions, the sewing girls were called out on strike. Where was the way out this time? I wondered and worried. Then it dawned on me.
I worked hurriedly. And right on time, my show took place. Some coats had no sleeves; some were only patterns made of heavy cotton cloth, but on these I attached material to show what colors and textures the clothes would have when they were finished. What a show! Once again father’s words helped me.
1. What problem did the writer face after accepting the order?A.It was impossible for Vidian to meet the deadline. | B.The sewing girls were called out on strike. |
C.She found it hard to track Armenians living in Paris. | D.There was a shortage of suitable cloth. |
A.Raw materials. | B.More orders. | C.The forty sweaters. | D.The special stitch. |
A.She put off the show. | B.She showed the clothes unfinished. |
C.She employed more sewing girls. | D.She completed the clothes in a hurry. |
A.Practice makes perfect. | B.Like father, like son. |
C.Easier said than done. | D.All roads lead to Rome. |