1 . The SNAG stands for stereotyped nature-inspired aerial grasper and it’s a 3D-printed bird robot with claws. It can fly, stay on various surfaces catch and carry objects, just like the mighty falcon（隼）that was used as the source of inspiration in its development.
Each leg of the SNAG has two motors, one for helping it move back and forth, and the other one for grasping. Twenty printing attempts were necessary for the robot to finally reach its current structure, but it was worth it. Now, according to researchers, the flying machine has an impressively strong and high-speed clutch（离合器），being able to land and wrap its claws around a branch in about 20 milliseconds. SNAG has ankles lock, and there’s an accelerometer （加速计）on its right foot that reports that it’s landed while triggering（触发）a balancing process to stabilize it.
Scientists have already conducted several tests with the robot in rural areas and on different surfaces. In all the situations, the SNAG was able to catch objects thrown by hand, such as bean bags, a tennis ball, and more.
As for the applications of the bird-like robot, the SNAG can get attached to drones（无人机）and be used for search and rescue missions, wildfire monitoring, to offer just a few examples. Another great application is environmental research, with the SNAG also featuring a temperature and humidity（湿度）sensor. By using a robot that can act like a bird, you can unlock new ways of studying the environment, as explained by William Roderick, mechanical engineer and one of the researchers involved in the project. Now scientists are moving on to improving the robot’s situational awareness and flight control.
This isn’t the first time that nature has inspired groundbreaking technologies. We also wrote a piece recently about the F-SAM micro drone, which was inspired by the flight of samara（翼果）seeds, also known as “twisters” which have a special way of spinning down to the ground.
1. What gave the researchers inspiration for the SNAG’s development?| A．The plane. | B．The falcon. |
| C．The micro drone. | D．The samara seeds. |
| A．To balance the SNAG in flight. |
| B．To change the SNAG’s flying speed. |
| C．To keep the SNAG’s feet in balance. |
| D．To make the SNAG steady on a surface. |
| A．The SNAG has huge potential for practical use. |
| B．The SNAG has a long way to go before being used. |
| C．The SNAG will be helpful in putting out forest fires. |
| D．The SNAG is sensitive to temperature and humidity. |
| A．It doesn’t know its situation well. |
| B．It can’t fly fast enough in the air. |
| C．It is easily broken by the branches. |
| D．It can’t catch objects with smooth surfaces. |
The honors program is for students who have enjoyed their experience in research with a guide teacher and are looking for a highlight experience during their final year. The program has specific requirements for our majors described below.
Application
Students participate in the honors program during their final year. Students who expect to have a 3.5 accumulative GPA by the fall of senior year should have identified a guide teacher and applied for NBB honors by May 1st of their third year. Applications are brief and include basic information such as guide teacher name, project title, and current GPA.
Coursework
During senior year, honors students take two research-experience courses. Participation in these courses includes at least 12 hours of work on the research project each week as well as weekly meetings with other researchers to develop professional skills.
Essay
The majority of our major work with guide teachers in research experiences, and many students co-author manuscripts(手稿) published in leading journals. However, only honors students are guided and helped through the process of writing an essay. All students’ essays are published online through the university library and, after the data being forbidden to be included in other articles, the essays are available to search.
1. Which of the following is the requirement of the honors program?| A．Students should take two relevant courses. |
| B．Students should spend 12 hours researching. |
| C．Students should finish their essays on their own. |
| D．Students should apply by May 1st in the fourth year. |
| A．Access to leading journals. | B．Guidance in writing an essay. |
| C．Including the data in other articles. | D．Publishing essays through the library. |
| A．Guide teachers. | B．College Students |
| C．Researchers. | D．Professors. |
3 . Pilates (普拉提), yoga and the running machine get all the attention when it comes to popular ways to keep fit. There is, however, a more humble exercise that might not be so attractive, but has all the benefits—walking.
Certified fitness professional Jolynn Jaekel explains, "What I love about walking is that anyone can do it at any age and any fitness level. Plus it is good for your heart, your head and your wallet.”
A recent report detailed the health benefits of walking. The report found that walking regularly to fulfill (执行,履行) the 150 minutes of moderate (适度的) physical exercise every week, recommended by the UK's chief medical officer, could save 37, 000 lives each year.
Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California found that quick walking reduced the risk of heart disease more effectively than running. They observed participants aged between 18 and 80 over a six-year period and found that walking reduced the risk of heart disease by 9.3%, while running reduced it by 4. 5%. And there is even more good news: 30 minutes of quick walking over five days could help you sleep easily, according to research by Oregon State University. The study by the university showed that walking helped participants sleep better and feel more alert during the day.
The sooner you get started, the sooner you'll notice the differences in your mind and body. So, go out for your 30-minute walk in a nearby park or green space.
1. What does the underlined word "humble" probably mean in the first paragraph?| A．relaxing | B．plain |
| C．popular | D．active |
| A．It's loved by people of all ages. |
| B．It's much healthier than running. |
| C．It's becoming more and more popular. |
| D．It's a money-saving physical exercise. |
| A．Walking helps people with sleep problems. |
| B．Walking contributes to curing heart disease. |
| C．Walking is better than running in some cases. |
| D．Walking 150 minutes per week can save lives. |
| A．Lifestyle | B．Comment |
| C．Education | D．Science |
4 . A customer stands on the other side of the counter at my work, eyeing the menu. “The food here is so caloric,” she complains, and then looks at me. “You don’t eat here, do you? It certainly doesn’t look like it.” My face turned red.
I’m not quite used to how others see me. Since June 2018, I’ve lost almost 50 pounds. When I made the choice to change my body physically, everyone around me told me that I would be happier: Skinny meant pretty, and pretty meant happy and satisfied. After looking through dozens of before-and-after changes on Instagram and other social media, I was more eager to make myself smaller, to better fit into the world. But none of that happened. I didn’t feel more whole, or more peaceful. More than anything, I felt lied to.
Human health is unbelievably complex, and there’s so much more to our well-being than caloric balance. For several months, I often felt very tired and got angry easily, convinced that my body was a machine and I had to hard-wire it to look as physically perfect as possible. But at the end of the day, I realized that saying no to my body’s natural desire only left me feeling upset.
Our world is filled with losing weight. Nearly every time I listen to the radio, I hear some ads criticizing empty promises of giving you a better body, achieved only by this gym membership/ this prepackaged Keto shake/ this waist trainer. These all live by the same message: That food is dangerous, and the less we eat, the better off we are. In extreme cases, this message can lead to eating disorders, which will affect over 30 million people in their lifetimes, according to the Body Image Therapy Center.
These ideas could not be further from the truth. We eat food for a reason: It gives us energy, it keeps our body functioning, and it makes us human. I urge everybody to adopt a diet based on sustainability (可持续发展), to eat for energy, based on what makes us happy. We all deserve healthy relationships with food and mindful eating is the best place to start.
1. How did the author feel when hearing the customer’s words?| A．Quite proud. |
| B．A bit angry. |
| C．Rather guilty. |
| D．A little embarrassed. |
| A．She was laughed at by others. |
| B．She got encouragement from her family. |
| C．She was attracted by pictures on the Internet. |
| D．She got tired easily when being overweight. |
| A．It made her disbelieve others. |
| B．It did harm to her well-being. |
| C．It helped lift her confidence a bit. |
| D．It taught her about determination. |
| A．They are far from creative. |
| B．They hurt human’s relationships with food. |
| C．They cause many people to do too much exercise. |
| D．They mislead some youths into having wrong ideas of beauty. |
• Teaching group ESL lessons online to Chinese kids 5-15 years old.
• Group classes from 3 or more (12 to 25) students are available for exceptional teachers with an excellent internet connection and computer hardware.
• A variety of courses available including Phonics, Science, STEM, etc.
• Work from anywhere with a computer and stable internet connection
• Set classes semester by semester and allow you to see your students’ progress
Requirements
• A Bachelor’s degree or above
• Must be a holder of TEFL/TESOL/CELTA or a valid teaching license
• Minimum 1-year teaching experience or ESL experience
• Wired, high-speed internet connection
• Responsible, good communication skills and easy-going
Work schedule:
Below times are all in Beijing Time (GMT+8)
Availability within the times shown below would be required
Mon-Fri: Between 5 pm-9 pm Sat-Sun: Between 8:30 am- 9 pm
Term of the contract:
At BlingABC, classes are arranged by semesters, so are the contracts offered to teachers. There are generally 4 semesters: Spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Each semester will come with a contract of different starting date and there will also be differences in the booking rate. Summer and Winter are the most popular semester with more bookings
Now we need teachers for the coming summer semester (starts in July).
1. What can you do in the job?| A．Learning computer skills. |
| B．Teaching children ESL lessons. |
| C．Studying different language courses. |
| D．Ensuring students’ progress in language. |
| A．have a valid teaching license |
| B．speak both English and Chinese |
| C．have rich online teaching experience |
| D．make the same contract in different semesters |
| A．To promote language courses. |
| B．To introduce Bling ABC group. |
| C．To make a summer plan for children. |
| D．To hire some online English teachers. |
6 . One day, a poor boy who was trying to pay his way through school by sending newspapers door to door in a town, was so hungry that he decided to beg for a
However, he
“You
At last the woman was saved. Dr. Kelly asked the office to pass the final bill to him. He looked at it and then
“Paid in full with a glass of
Tears of joy filled her eyes.
1.| A．rest | B．stay | C．night | D．meal |
| A．gave | B．increased | C．had | D．lost |
| A．Instead of | B．Away from | C．Out of | D．Inside of |
| A．lovely | B．hungry | C．thirsty | D．poor |
| A．When | B．Why | C．How | D．Where |
| A．needn’t | B．mustn’t | C．can’t | D．shouldn’t |
| A．With | B．About | C．For | D．From |
| A．Months | B．Days | C．Years | D．Weeks |
| A．never | B．finally | C．slowly | D．always |
| A．forced | B．shown | C．carried | D．called |
| A．house | B．room | C．city | D．town |
| A．forgot | B．recognized | C．knew | D．saw |
| A．special | B．no | C．little | D．such |
| A．refused | B．agreed | C．decided | D．stopped |
| A．wrote | B．took | C．found | D．realized |
| A．happy | B．afraid | C．moved | D．excited |
| A．start | B．end | C．whole | D．rest |
| A．picture | B．message | C．note | D．money |
| A．paid | B．caught | C．had | D．kept |
| A．water | B．juice | C．milk | D．coffee |
7 . It was a bitter, cold evening in Virginia years ago. An old man was waiting for a ride
Pausing his horse, the rider replied, “Sure! Hop aboard.” Seeing the old man
As they got close to the destination, the horseman’s
The old man replied, “I
Those heartwarming comments
| A．above | B．through | C．across | D．past |
| A．hopeful | B．interesting | C．exciting | D．endless |
| A．Anxiously | B．Surprisingly | C．Dramatically | D．Unluckily |
| A．ride | B．score | C．interest | D．attention |
| A．begged | B．neared | C．ignored | D．asked |
| A．caught | B．escaped | C．focused | D．missed |
| A．unable | B．easy | C．modest | D．stubborn |
| A．under | B．by | C．onto | D．toward |
| A．confidence | B．conscience | C．creativity | D．curiosity |
| A．realize | B．notice | C．know | D．recognize |
| A．What ever | B．So what | C．What with | D．What if |
| A．looked up | B．looked into | C．turned up | D．turned into |
| A．respect | B．response | C．concern | D．passion |
| A．serious | B．useless | C．helpful | D．cautious |
| A．grace | B．honesty | C．kindness | D．justice |
| A．help | B．happiness | C．advice | D．money |
| A．praised | B．hurt | C．touched | D．ruined |
| A．busy | B．stuck | C．strict | D．lazy |
| A．feelings | B．demands | C．obligations | D．complaints |
| A．lost | B．felt | C．forced | D．made |
8 . The first thing I can tell you about Thabo, my South Africa guide, was that he is the world’s worst driver. From the airport to the heart of the city, he did 100 km per hour, bypassing lorries, motorbikes and taxi-vans crowed with people. The second thing was that he knew everybody and everything about Cape Town. This was good for me.
On the first day, Thabo took me to the suburbs with unpronounceable names — ORanjezicht — from where you can watch the sun go down on Africa. The next day we went to Cape Flats, the run-down township where the buildings were made of cardboard and rusty (生锈的）iron. It was truly vast — nearly a million people live here, side by side. Skinny dogs slid out of the way as Thabo zoomed along roads of mud and rotting rubbish. Some people waved, others stared. Children ran barefoot by the car.
Later that night we walked around the busy Victoria, Cape Town’s most fashionable area. The contrast from the township could not be greater: the smells of cooking rose from the kitchens — Asian, French, Italian. The bars and restaurants were packed, and I soon found out why. Cape Town is a paradise for gourmets (美食家), seafood-lovers and people like me, who just like eating. We went into a charming little pubs, and Thabo told me I couln’t leave Cape Town without trying some Cape seafood, so I did. It’s delicious.
On my final morning, we spent an hour sitting outside a cafe. Then we were driving again, experiencing the diverse landscape — green valleys. It was a great way to say goodbye to a place I knew only too briefly. I promised myself, and Thabo, that I would be back.
1. Why was Thabo considered the worst driver at the beginning?| A．He was a real African guide. |
| B．He seemed to drive fast riskily. |
| C．He ignored any vehicle passing by. |
| D．He greeted whoever he knew while driving. |
| A．It is a beautiful area. |
| B．It is a lovely country. |
| C．It is an old dirty town. |
| D．It is a fashionable city. |
| A．Tasting some tasty sea-food. |
| B．Driving fast along muddy roads. |
| C．Observing the sun go down on Africa. |
| D．Visiting the buildings made of cardboard. |
| A．Excited. | B．Uncaring. |
| C．Content. | D．Disappointed. |
There may be a slight chill(寒冷) in the air, with temperatures staying around 15℃ in March, but Spain’s handsome capital is slowly starting to warm up. Even more attractive are the cultural events.
A new exhibition on the living and working spaces of Spain’s greatest artist, Picasso, has just opened in the studio at the Fundación Mapfre at Paseo de Recoletos 23. It runs until 11 May with rarely seen pieces borrowed from his family.
Later this summer, the 400th anniversary of the death of the Renaissance(文艺复兴) painter El Greco will be marked with an exciting exhibition at the Museo del Prado at Paseo del Prado from 24June to 5 October.
How to go?
The widest range of flights is offered by EasyJet—from Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Liverpool and Luton. British Airways and its sister airline Iberia combine forces from Heathrow and London City. Ryanair flies from Manchester and Stansted; Air Europa flies from Gatwick.
Barajas airport is 13km north-east of the city centre and is served by frequent trains on Metro line 8, but the shortest underground journey is a bit complex with at least one change at Nuevos Ministerios station and takes about 30 minutes. The fare to any station in the city centre is ∈4.50. The airport express bus runs every 15 to 35 minutes around the clock; ∈5 one way. It takes 40 minutes to reach the city centre. A taxi takes half the time. A flat rate of ∈30 covers most of central Madrid.
1. When will the exhibition about Picasso close?| A．On 23 March. | B．On 11 May. | C．On 24June. | D．On 5 October. |
| A．EasyJet. | B．Ryanair. | C．Air Europa. | D．British Airways. |
| A．Take a taxi. | B．Take a city bus. | C．Take Metro line 8. | D．Take the airport express bus. |
