1 . An era in which an Alzheimer’s (阿尔兹海默) diagnosis can begin in a doctor’s office is now arriving. Advances in technologies to detect early signs of disease from a blood sample are helping doctors to identify the memory-robbing disorder more accurately and to screen participants more quickly for trials of potential treatments for the more than five million people in the U.S. afflicted with Alzheimer’s. Estimates predict that, by 2030, there will be 76 million people worldwide who will receive a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or other dementias.
Last fall, a blood test developed by C2N Diagnostics in St Louis, Mo., became available to most of the U.S. as a routine lab test—regulated under the CMS Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) program. It has also received a CE mark as a diagnostic medical device in the European Union—indicating it has met safety, health and environmental protection standards for the region.
“The development of a blood-based test for Alzheimer’s disease is just phenomenal,” says Michelle Mielke, a neuroscientist and epidemiologist at the Mayo Clinic. “The field has been thinking about this for a very long time. It’s really been in the last couple of years that the possibility has come to fruition.”
The C2N test, called PrecivityAD, uses an analytic technique known as mass spectrometry (质谱分析技术) to detect specific types of beta-amyloid (β-淀粉样蛋白), a protein fragment that is a pathological (病态的) hallmark of disease. Beta-amyloid proteins accumulate and form plaques (斑块) visible on brain scans two decades before a patient notices memory problems. As plaques build up in the brain, levels of beta-amyloid decline in the surrounding fluid.
Such changes can be measured in spinal (脊髓的) fluid samples—and now in blood, where beta-amyloid concentrations are significantly lower. PrecivityAD is the first blood test for Alzheimer’s to be cleared for widespread use and one of a new generation of such assays that could enable early detection of the leading neurodegenerative disease—perhaps decades before the onset of the first symptoms.
1. According to the blood test developed by C2N Diagnostics, we can know that ________.A.it can be applied in a few areas in the United States |
B.it was carried out under the supervision of under the CMS’s program |
C.it obtained the CE mark issued by the United States for diagnostic medical equipment |
D.it has reached the safety, health and environmental protection standards of the world |
A.Supportive. | B.Opposed. | C.Cautious. | D.Wait-and-see. |
A.samples | B.experiments | C.changes | D.symptoms |
A.by 2030, more people around the world will suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia |
B.as plaques accumulate in the brain, the level of beta-amyloid protein in the surrounding fluid will rise |
C.Alzheimer’s patients are expected to be diagnosed decades before the initial symptoms appear |
D.many blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease are under development now |
2 . Until recently, gravitational waves could have been the stuff of Einstein’s imagination. Before they were detected, these waves in space time existed only in the physicist’s general theory of relativity, as far as scientists knew. Now, researchers are on the hunt for more ways to detect the waves. “The study of gravitational waves is booming,” says astrophysicist Karan Jani of Vanderbilt University in Nashville. “This is just remarkable. No field I can think of in fundamental physics has seen progress this fast.”
Just as light comes in a variety of wavelengths, so do gravitational waves. Different wave lengths point to different types of origins of the universe and require different kinds of detectors. Gravitational waves with wavelengths of a few thousand kilometers—like those detected by the United States, Italy and Japan—come mostly from pairs of black holes 10 or so times the mass of the sun, or from collisions of dense cosmic blocks called neutron stars (中子星). These detectors could also spot waves from certain types of exploding stars and rapidly moving neutron stars.
In contrast, huge waves that span light-years are thought to be created by orbiting pairs of bigger black holes with masses billions of times that of the sun. In June, scientists reported the first strong evidence of these types of waves by turning the entire galaxy (星系) into a detector, watching how the waves make slight changes to the timing of regular blinks from neutron stars throughout the Milky Way.
Physicists now hope to dive into a vast, cosmic ocean of gravitational waves of all sorts of sizes. These waves could reveal new details about the secret lives of exotic objects such as black holes and unknown parts of the universe.
Physicist Jason Hogan of Stanford University thinks there are still a lot of gaps in the coverage of wavelengths. “But it makes sense to cover all the bases. Who knows what else we may find?” he says. The search for capturing the full complement of the universe’s gravitational waves exactly could take observatories out into the moon, to the atomic area and elsewhere.
1. What does Karan Jani think of the current study on gravitational waves?A.It is rapid and pioneering. |
B.It is slow but steadily increasing. |
C.It is interrupted due to limited detectors. |
D.It is progressing as fast as any other field. |
A.The creation of different kinds of detectors. |
B.Collisions of planets outside the solar system. |
C.The presence of light in different wavelengths. |
D.Activities involving black holes and neutron stars. |
A.By analyzing sunlight. |
B.By locating the new galaxy. |
C.By using the whole galaxy as a tool. |
D.By observing the sun’s regular movement. |
A.It’ll exclude the atomic field. |
B.It’ll focus exactly on the mapping of the galaxy. |
C.It’ll require prioritizing certain wavelengths on the moon. |
D.It’ll explore potential places to detect gravitational waves. |
3 . In the 1970s, a psychologist named J.P.Guilford dared to conduct a famous study of creativity—the nine-dot puzzle. He challenged research subjects to connect all nine dots using just four straight lines without lifting their pencils from the page.
All the participants in his study limited the possible solutions to those within the imaginary square. Only 20 percent managed to break out of the illusory confinement (束缚) and continue their lines in the white space surrounding the dots. The fact that 80 percent of the participants were effectively blinded by the boundaries of the square led Guilford to jump to the sweeping conclusion that creativity requires you to go outside the box.
The nine-dot puzzle and the phrase “thinking outside the box” became metaphors for creativity. Speakers, trainers, training program developers, organizational consultants, and university professors all had much to say about the vast benefits of outside-the-box thinking. Management consultants even used this puzzle when making sales talk to prospective clients. Because the solution is deceptively simple, clients tended to admit they should have thought of it themselves. Because they hadn’t, they were obviously not as creative or smart as they had previously thought and needed to call in creative experts.
The smash hit carried the world before one until two different research teams-Clarke Burnham with Kenneth Davis, and Joscph Alba with Robert Weinberg—ran another experiment, using the same puzzle but a different research procedure and bothered to check the facts.
Both teams followed the same way of dividing participants into two groups. The first group was given the same instructions as the participants in Guilford’s experiment. The second group was told that the solution required the lines to be drawn outside the imaginary box bordering the dots. Most people assume that 60 percent to 90 percent of the group given the clue would solve the puzzle easily. However only 25 percent did. In statistical terms, this 5 percent improvement over the subjects of Guilford’s original study is insignificant.
Solving this problem requires people to literally think outside the box. Yet participants’ performance was not improved even when they were given specific instructions to do so. That this advice is useless should effectively have killed off the much widely circulated—and therefore, much more dangerous—metaphor that out-of-the-box thinking stimulates receptivity. After all, with one simple experiment, researchers had proven that the conceptual link between thinking outside the box and creativity was a myth.
1. What did the nine-dot puzzle study focus on?A.Visual perception |
B.Practical experience |
C.Thinking patterns |
D.Theoretical knowledge. |
A.The clients were less creative than they had been. |
B.The nine-dot puzzle was beneficial in solving various problems. |
C.Outside-the-box thinking enjoyed strong popularity and appeal. |
D.Management consultants considered themselves creative experts. |
A.Revealing |
B.Mysterious. |
C.Misleading. |
D.Groundless. |
A.Nine-Dot Puzzle:A Magic Test |
B.Solving Puzzle:A Key To Creativity |
C.Creative Thinking:We Fell For The Trap |
D.Thinking Outside the Box:A Misguided Idea |
4 . As our lives become more closely connected with the digital age, it’s more important than ever to keep the spark of human connections, a key part of which is making small talk.
The cornerstone of effective small talk lies in developing genuine interest. Genuine interest is about actively seeking to understand the other person, valuing their perspectives and appreciating the uniqueness they bring to the conversation.
Small talk extends beyond spoken words; it includes the art of observation. As you engage in conversation, pay attention to the speaker’s body language, facial expressions and tone of voice.
Actually listening and connecting with someone is essential for a conversation. By providing your undivided attention, you convey respect and interest in what the other person has to say.
At the heart of successful small talk lies the authenticity (真实性) of your engagement. Authenticity fosters a sense of trust and connection, making the conversation more meaningful and memorable. Avoid the temptation to project an image or use scripted responses.
A.Instead, let your true self shine through. |
B.Some accessible topics are great for small talk. |
C.Active listening involves fully engaging with the speaker. |
D.Focus on understanding their viewpoints beyond simply hearing words. |
E.The signals provide valuable insights into their emotions and intentions. |
F.Small talk may be a gateway to building rich and meaningful relationships. |
G.By expressing authentic curiosity, you make the other person feel seen and heard. |
5 . Most glitter(小发光物品), which is made up of tiny pieces of plastic, is a huge danger to the environment. “Everyone talks about the mountain of plastic floating in the ocean. You can grab empty bottles from the water, but with tiny pieces, it’s impossible,” says Victor Alvarez, a chemical engineer who sells an eco-friendly alternative to glitter.
In the early 2,000s, Alvarez worked for Mercedes-Benz in Germany, where he became fond of any technology that protected the environment. A few years after leaving Mercedes-Benz, he founded Blue Sun International in Miami, which makes specialty ingredients for the skin and hair care industries.
Glitter is a popular ingredient in cosmetics, such as eye shadows and lipsticks. So Alvarez began researching an alternative that didn’t contain plastic to make his products safer for the environment. That’s when he came across Ronald Britton Ltd., a company which had developed a plastic-free, biodegradable product called Bioglitter. It is made from regenerative cellulose(纤维素) sourced from hardwoods, primarily eucalyptus(桉树). Alvarez worked with the company to become the first retailer to sell Bioglitter in America. In 2018, he formed Today Glitter in order to sell the biodegradable glitter directly to consumers through its website.
Today Glitter sells two kinds of biodegradable glitter Bioglitter Sparkle and Bioglitter Pure. Both are almost plastic-free and can biodegrade in a short time. Meanwhile, they are as shiny as regular glitter. All these products are third-party tested by TÜV, an international organization that provides testing and certification for compostable (可降解的) and biodegradable products.
Despite its benefits, the hardwoods needed to make biodegradable glitter cause it to cost about twice as much as conventional glitter. A small glass container that contains just 6 grams of Bioglitter costs $10, while the same amount of regular glitter could cost at least half that amount. Alvarez expects the price will come down over time. He also expects the company’s sales to cross $1 million next year. But more importantly, Alvarez says, his main goal is to effect a meaningful change.
1. While at Mercedes Benz, Alvarez .A.developed a way to grab glitter in the sea | B.became interested in the environment |
C.attempted to live a plastic-free life | D.created a kind of harmless glitter |
A.It is a plastic-free ingredient for eye shadows. |
B.It will soon be on sale in the American market. |
C.It is very difficult to break down in the wild. |
D.It was invented by Blue Sun International. |
A.To show Bioglitter Sparkle and Bioglitter Pure are popular. |
B.To stress it provides a broad range of testing services. |
C.To prove Today Glitter’s products are eco-friendly. |
D.To explain many plastic products are low-quality. |
A.The complex process of making glitter. | B.How to expand its overseas market. |
C.How to attract potential investors. | D.The high cost of raw materials. |
6 . My son Nile has left for university. Even Mother seldom
As a concerned mother who had little to do, I
Recently, our communicating way had another
“Thank you, my son, for all interesting articles, though I feel confused about the change of our
A.cares | B.leaves | C.works | D.appears |
A.distant | B.quiet | C.dirty | D.warm |
A.contacted | B.visited | C.helped | D.missed |
A.turned down | B.spoke of | C.looked through | D.checked on |
A.curiosity | B.surprise | C.admiration | D.satisfaction |
A.encourage | B.impress | C.encounter | D.monitor |
A.breakthrough | B.shift | C.meaning | D.result |
A.objectively | B.privately | C.carefully | D.repeatedly |
A.strong | B.wonderful | C.familiar | D.mixed |
A.supposed | B.believed | C.noticed | D.allowed |
A.negotiating | B.considering | C.sharing | D.agreeing |
A.hobbies | B.goals | C.attitudes | D.roles |
A.description | B.instruction | C.expectation | D.introduction |
A.flexible | B.energetic | C.knowledgeable | D.confident |
A.persuading | B.freeing | C.reminding | D.comforting |