1 . The idea that the standard human body temperature is about 98.6℉ (37℃) was first presented by the German physician Carl Reinhold August Wunderlich in 1851. Since then, it’s become so widely accepted that it serves as a touchstone for health—a diagnostic tool used by physicians and parents as a basic indicator if someone is sick or well.
However, it turns out that this well-established fact isn’t, in fact, correct—or, to put it more accurately, human beings have been getting cooler over the years.
Recent studies have shown that temperature records of groups of people have tended to run low compared to the accepted norm (标准), so the Stanford team, led by Julie Parsonnet, MD, professor of medicine and of health research and policy, decided to do a more in-depth study to compare modern measurements with historical records to try to identify body temperature trends and, perhaps, uncover the reason why this cooling is happening.
For their research, the Stanford team looked at three distinct datasets (数据集) from three historical periods. One was military service records, medical records, and pension records from Union Army veterans of the American Civil War that were compiled from 1862 to 1930. The second was from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Ⅰ collected between 1971 and 1975, and the third from adult patients visiting Stanford Health Care from 2007 to 2017.
In all, the team went through 677,423 temperature measurements, making sure that temperatures recorded were accurate rather than the result of poorly designed thermometers (温度计). They did this by looking at the change in temperature inside each group over time to ensure that the curves (曲线) showing a decrease were consistent between the datasets.
At the end of the day, the team found that men born in the 21st century had an average body temperature of 0.59℃ lower than those born in the early 19th century, while modern women showed an average decrease of 0.32℃ compared to those born in the 1890s. Together, this means that human body temperatures have fallen by 0.03℃ per decade.
1. What is Wunderlich’s achievement?| A．He was the inventor of the thermometer. |
| B．He set up a standard for normal body temperature. |
| C．He discovered humans’ body temperature trends. |
| D．He put forward the theory of normal human body temperature. |
| A．By having interviews. | B．By conducting field research. |
| C．By analyzing historical records. | D．By doing experiments in the lab. |
| A．The quality of thermometers. | B．The backgrounds of the subjects. |
| C．The sorting of the collected datasets. | D．The number of adult patients involved. |
| A．Modern women’s body temperatures have risen over the past century. |
| B．The 19th century saw the greatest increase in men’s body temperatures. |
| C．The 21st century saw the greatest decrease in men’s body temperatures. |
| D．Men’s body temperatures have fallen faster than women’s over the years. |
2 . Given how valuable intelligence and automation are, we will continue to improve our technology if we are at all able to. At a certain point, we will build machines that are smarter than we are. Once we have machines that are smarter than we are, they will begin to improve themselves. The concern is really that we will build machines that are much more competent than we are. And the slightest divergence (分歧) between their goals and our own could destroy us.
Just think about how we relate to ants. We don’t hate them. We don’t go out of our way to harm them. In fact, sometimes we take pains not to harm them. We step over them on the sidewalk. But whenever their presence seriously conflicts with one of our goals, we will kill them without hesitation. The concern is that we will one day build machines that, whether they’re conscious or not, could treat us with similar disregard.
The bare fact is that we will continue to improve our intelligent machines. We have problems that we desperately need to solve. So we will do this, if we can. The train is already out of the station, and there’s no brake to pull. If we build machines that are more intelligent than we are, they will very likely develop in ways that we can’t imagine, and transcend us in ways that we can’t imagine.
So imagine we hit upon a design of super intelligent AI that has no safety concerns. This machine would be the perfect labor-saving device. It can design the machine that can build the machine which can do any physical work, powered by sunlight, more or less for the cost of raw materials. So we’re talking bout the end of human labour. We’re also talking about the end of most intellectual work. So what would apes like ourselves do in these circumstances?
But the moment we admit that information processing is the source of intelligence, we have to admit that we are in the process of building some sort of god. Now would be a good time to make sure it’s a god we can live with.
1. Why does the author mention ants in Paragraph 2?| A．To compare intelligent machines to ants. |
| B．To show improved machines will get away from us. |
| C．To stress the presence of machines does conflict with our goals. |
| D．To explain future intelligent machines could treat us without mercy |
| A．Disable. | B．Inspire. | C．Disappoint. | D．Outpace. |
| A．By making comparisons. |
| B．By giving assumptions. |
| C．By showing valid evidence. |
| D．By analyzing statistics |
| A．Human beings will no doubt be destroyed by AI in the future |
| B．Super intelligent AI will put an end to human labour eventually. |
| C．We should keep the development of AI within humans’ control. |
| D．Human beings should stop the development of super intelligent AL. |
3 . In 1989 an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened Los Angeles,killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes.A father rushed to where his son was supposed to be,only to discover that the building was flattened.
But he remembered the
He went on
“There are 14 of us left out of 33,Dad.We’re scared but
“
“Let the other kids out first,because I know you’ll get me! I know you’ll always be there for me!”
1.| A．decision | B．mistake | C．promise | D．suggestion |
| A．annoying | B．satisfactory | C．embarrassing | D．hopeless |
| A．Recalling | B．Seeing | C．Hearing | D．Predicting |
| A．wandering | B．digging | C．crying | D．filling |
| A．whispered | B．murmured | C．responded | D．explained |
| A．looked up | B．stood up | C．climbed up | D．showed up |
| A．in place | B．in danger | C．in charge | D．in relief |
| A．when | B．after | C．if | D．because |
| A．screamed | B．waved | C．nodded | D．argued |
| A．relax | B．worry | C．hurry | D．flee |
| A．brave | B．active | C．alive | D．strong |
| A．complained | B．promised | C．remarked | D．stated |
| A．thankful | B．hopeful | C．careful | D．useful |
| A．built | B．designed | C．made | D．circled |
| A．Stand out | B．Keep up | C．Take it easy | D．Come out |
4 . Everyone has a wish to travel.But those who cannot do so themselves might find it
Arranging journeys for people who have to travel
| A．boring | B．hard | C．interesting | D．sad |
| A．arranging | B．taking | C．making | D．creating |
| A．receives | B．takes out | C．gets | D．sends out |
| A．describing | B．telling | C．drawing | D．designing |
| A．need | B．ask | C．book | D．request |
| A．request | B．advise | C．instruct | D．remind |
| A．necessary | B．probable | C．possible | D．suitable |
| A．preventing | B．persuading | C．asking | D．promising |
| A．though | B．therefore | C．however | D．instead |
| A．abroad | B．at home | C．away | D．long |
| A．leaves | B．enjoys | C．dislikes | D．refuses |
| A．carried out | B．got through | C．picked up | D．went on |
| A．left | B．arrived | C．landed | D．returned |
| A．took | B．cost | C．spent | D．wasting |
| A．until | B．before | C．after | D．while |
5 . For the past 60 years, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has protected animals, restored lost habitats and advocated for policy changes that benefit wildlife. Now, the conservation organization is trying a new approach.
This year, AWF launched the inaugural Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards. The contest aims to reach a different audience. While photography competitions are nothing new, the AWF hopes that the exhibition of winning entries will encourage African people to take a more active role in conservation. Its CEO Kaddu Sebunya said, “Africans need to take the responsibility for the conservation of their heritage.”
Photographers of all ages and backgrounds, professional and amateur, were invited to submit to the competition. A judging panel (评选委员会), comprised of photographers, conservationists, activists and safari guides, selected photos from 12 categories including “Art in Nature” “Coexistence and Conflict” and “Conservation Heroes”.
The “Conservation Heroes” category had special appeal for Kenyan conservation photographer Anthony Ochieng Onyango. “I realized there was a communication gap because most of what was being communicated was data in scientific publications,” said Onyango, adding that images are a simple way for people to connect to complex issues.
While there were many entries in the AWF competition, there’s only one 19-year-old Cathan Moore from South Africa among the category winners. There’s a lack of opportunity for young aspiring photographers on the continent. AWF is seeking grants and partnerships to enable more African people to participate next year, and to make nature photography competitions more accessible to those unable to pay or buy expensive camara equipment, allowing people to use whatever camera they have and photograph wildlife in urban environments.
Sebunya hopes that the competition can open up a dialogue about conservation — and why it’s so important for Africa’s future. Many people in Africa look at conservation as a thing done by and for foreigners, said Sebunya. While he praised the work of international NGOs, he emphasized that it’s vital that African voices are heard and for local people to lead conservation efforts.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?| A．African people take photographs in order to protect wildlife. |
| B．AWF calls for people’s active involvement in wildlife conservation. |
| C．A communication gap exists between ordinary people and wildlife conservation. |
| D．AWF holds photography competition for the conservation of wildlife. |
| A．The winners’ works will be on display to promote wildlife conservation. |
| B．This year’s winners include quite a number of teenage photographers. |
| C．The judging panel includes both professional and amateur photographers. |
| D．People who are not skilled in photography can’t take part in the competition. |
| A．People’s lack of desire to connect to the issue. |
| B．The lack of scientific publications on the issue. |
| C．The lack of simple and direct ways to present the issue. |
| D．People’s lack of professional camera equipment. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Appreciative. | C．Skeptical. | D．Neutral. |
6 . You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (1860-1935)
Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907-1964)
If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-present)
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator (参议员) and, in 1981, the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks (1913-2005)
On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.
1. What is Jane Addams noted for in history?| A．Her social work. | B．Her teaching skills. |
| C．Her efforts to win a prize. | D．Her community background. |
| A．Jane Addams. | B．Rachel Carson. |
| C．Sandra Day O’Connor. | D．Rosa Parks. |
| A．They receive higher education. | B．They are truly creative. |
| C．They make great achievements. | D．They are peace-lovers. |
7 . You may have your favorite family spots on Long Island where you frequently take the kids. But there may be unexpected places you haven't explored yet.
Animal Exhibit
Not only will you see fish, reptiles and amphibians here, but you'll also see baby alligators and other rescued animals. Kids can also learn about science and participate in programs and workshops throughout the year. The Animal Exhibit is also a hotspot for science-themed birthday parties.
The Mattituck Strawberry Festival
The Mattituck Strawberry Festival kicks off the summer season with sweet treats and more. Long Island is known for numerous and extremely popular fairs and festivals that take place throughout the year. Other summer festivals include the Sayville SummerFest, St. Rocco's Feast, Brookhaven Fair and more. The fall season offers the largest abundance of fairs and festivals, such as the Pickle Festival, Oyster Festival, Long Island Fall Festival and many Hallo ween-themed festivals in Nassau and Suffolk.
Home Depot Kids Workshop
Does your kid enjoy making things by hand? You may want to take a trip to Home Depot Kids Workshop. Offered on the first Saturday morning of each month, workshops allow little ones to build and craft items, such as a skateboard pencil box that they can decorate and keep.
Chuck E. Cheesed
As soon as you. walk through the doors you're instantly greeted by the sounds of other kids laughing as they play arcade games to win prizes and enjoy an animatronic show. After hours of play, check out their restaurant with kid-friendly options.
1. Who is the text specially targeted at?| A．Children. | B．Tour guides. | C．Parents. | D．Students. |
| A．Spring. | B．Summer | C．Autumn. | D．Winter. |
| A．At Animal Exhibit. | B．At The Mattituck Strawberry Festival. |
| C．At Home Depot Kids Workshop. | D．At Chuck E. Cheese's. |
8 . Eat like a king in the morning, a prince at noon, and a peasant at night. This saying is all about the importance of breakfast. And now scientists can tell us just why it’s so important. According to a study carried out at Imperial College London, UK, skipping the first meal of the day not only means you eat more at lunch, but also that your brain wants to find more unhealthy foods.
The study suggests that there is a special part of our brain called the orbitofrontal cortex, which plays an important part in making choices about what we eat. It is used for identifying the taste of food, especially when skipping breakfast. It is more likely to target high-calorie foods when you’re on an empty stomach.
Scientists did an experiment on this. Dr Tony Goldstone from Imperial College London, scanned the brains of 21 men and women, around the age of 25. On the first day, these people skipped breakfast before the scans. On the second day, they had cereal, bread and jam as breakfast. After the scan on both days, they had their lunch.
When the volunteers had skipped breakfast, they ate around 20 percent more at lunch, compared with days when they had eaten breakfast. Their brain scans also showed the orbitofrontal cortex was especially responsive to high-calorie foods. “We believe that bit identifies the value of foods — how pleasant, how delicious something is,” Goldstone told The Guardian.
1. From Paragraph 1, we learn that ________.| A．scientists found out why eating breakfast is important |
| B．it’s easy to lose weight without breakfast |
| C．there’s no need to have good food for supper |
| D．eating breakfast makes your brain smarter |
①The volunteers skipped breakfast. ②The volunteers had lunch.
③The volunteers had a brain scan.
| A．①②③ | B．③②① | C．①③② | D．③①② |
| A．of the usual breakfast | B．more than the usual breakfast |
| C．of the usual lunch | D．more than the usual lunch |
| A．Breakfast still most important | B．Three meals a day |
| C．Experiments on breakfast | D．Experiments on lunch |
9 . A 63-year-old Chinese carpenter’s traditional skills have become an unexpected Internet hit as he creates woodwork with a single piece of wood, without glue, screws or nails. Wang De wen, known as “Grandpa Amu” on YouTube, has been praised as the modern day Lu Ban, a well-known Chinese structural engineer during the Zhou Dynasty, thanks to his rich carpentry(木工手艺) knowledge.
Grandpa Amu’s most popular video, which shows him making a delicate wooden arch bridge, has gone viral on YouTube, gaining more than 40 million views. “If you do something, you have to love it, and you have to be interested in it; however, being interested doesn’t mean there’s only happiness and no pain.” Grandpa Amu shared when talking about his excellent carpentry skills.
His most popular works include a folding stool, a model of the China pavilion from the 2010 Shanghai Expo, and an apple-shaped interlocking puzzle, known as a Lu Ban lock. Grandpa Amu follows an ancient Chinese mortise and tenon(榫卯) technique, which means no nails or glue are involved in the entire process of building the arch bridge.
The master carpenter has also made several wooden toys for his grandson using the same technique. His young grandson’s favorites include a walking Peppa Pig and a bubble blowing machine. Attracting over 1.17 million fans on YouTube, Grandpa Amu’s videos so far have gained more than 200 million views.
His wonderful woodworking skills, using the same mortise and tenon joints found in the Forbidden City, were developed from the age of thirteen as a way of supporting his family in East China’s Shandong Province. “The grandson is so happy, as there have been so many fine and unique toys made by grandpa from an early age,” commented one netizen; while another said “It’s amazing. I hope these traditional crafts can be passed on!”
1. Why is Grandpa Amu regarded as the modern day Lu Ban?| A．For his simple words. | B．For his popular videos. |
| C．For his carpentry skills. | D．For his excellent arch bridge. |
| A．Theory is from pracitce. | B．Success depends on love. |
| C．Excellent skills lie in hard work. | D．Happiness comes from interest. |
| A．No nails or glue. | B．Delicate design. |
| C．The apple shape. | D．The wooden material. |
| A．Being popular means more fans. | B．Perfect skills earn more money. |
| C．Supporting family needs more skills. | D．Traditional crafts deserve passing on. |
10 . When I was worried my son was coming down with a little something, I remarked that his eating was slowing down a bit.
“I’ve noticed how fast you eat,” my wife’s Auntie Carmel said. I looked down at my plate — the plate from which my food had just been emptied — and looked up at her scientific stare. “I’m not being critical,” she assured me, “and I find it fascinating.” She said “fascinating” the way a polite member of the FBI might describe your recent Internet searches.
“You do eat pretty fast,” whispered my wife by the time I’d placed my knives and forks down. Her mother shared the same view shortly after that, and soon the entire table were unanimous in this opinion.
We were at my wife’s parents’ home in Dublin because Auntie Carmel was visiting from New York, and it was a good chance for her to meet our son, who immediately adored her. We all adore Auntie Carmel for her ability to speak her mind in a way that never seems rude.
In fairness to Carmel, I do eat quickly. I’m fond of saying it’s because I come from a large family. I now realize this makes no sense. There is also the fact that my wife’s mum and Auntie Carmel themselves both come from a family of 12. The same is true for her dad. Yet somehow, none of them eat as if their legs were on fire.
It’s a habit I picked up along the way, and I might have been permanently blind to it without this intervention. Left unexamined, it might have coloured my parenting, demanding my speed as a default (默认) for my son, for I remarked that his eating was slowing down a bit. For now, at least, he can clear his plate as slowly as he likes.
1. How does Auntie Carmel feel about the author’s eating habit?| A．Disturbing. | B．Embarrassing. |
| C．Interesting. | D．Puzzling. |
| A．At a loss. | B．In agreement. |
| C．Out of patience. | D．Under consideration. |
| A．She is skilled at expressing herself. |
| B．She is particular about table manners. |
| C．She lives alone in New York. |
| D．She tends to criticize others. |
| A．Children in large families usually behave badly. |
| B．Children's eating habits are not easy to change. |
| C．The small family usually has strict family rules. |
| D．The family size isn't related to one’ s eating speed. |
