1 . On March 15, 2022, Francis Kéré was awarded the Pritzker Prize, otherwise known as the Nobel Prize for architecture, becoming the first African architect ever to obtain this prize.
His path to success was not smooth. When he was 7 years old, Francis Kéré left his family home to attend school because his village, Gando in Burkina Faso, did not have one of its own. Thirteen years later, he moved to Germany on a carpentry scholarship, with a dream of returning home one day to build the classrooms that didn’t exist then. Kéré achieved just that, becoming an architect and completing his first building, Gando Primary School, in 2001.
Casting mud like concrete and using local materials over imported ones, Kéré proposed a particular vision of structure that both strengthens communities and responds to the climate crisis. As such, Tuesday’s Pritzker Prize announcement is not only a nod of approval for him, but for “vernacular” architecture — a term used to describe designs that directly respond to local climates, materials and building traditions — itself. He also let the whole village participate in the design, encouraging them to construct the school, using local wood to press the stone floors and local clay to make bricks. The result was a welcoming structure with a “floating” roof that allows natural winds in a hot climate, and wall openings that bring light for students to learn even without electricity. Mr. Kéré showed the villagers that ideas to deal with climate or other challenges are always at hand.
Though, Kéré has since designed bigger projects, including many national-scale projects differing in size, his approach remains grounded in Gando. “That’s how I’m trying to translate the work I have started in Gando to structures that present national pride,” says the newly-awarded architect.
Kéré will officially be named Pritzker winner at a ceremony in London later this year. As with previous winner, he will be awarded a $ 100,000 grant and a bronze medal.
1. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 2?| A．Speak highly of Kéré’s efforts. |
| B．Introduce Kéré’ s childhood dream. |
| C．Bring a new topic for discussion. |
| D．Add some background information. |
| A．Economizing labour force. |
| B．Having a fancy appearance. |
| C．Highlighting sustainability. |
| D．Using imported building materials. |
| A．Creative and caring. |
| B．Optimistic and humorous. |
| C．Humble and ambitious. |
| D．Stubborn and adventurous. |
| A．An award speech. | B．A news report. | C．A novel. | D．A review. |
2 . Time to load up some popular games: new research indicates pigs possess the mental capability to play video games. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, tested the ability of four pigs (Hamlet, Omelette, Ebony and Ivory) to play a simple joystick (操纵杆) game with their noses, moving a cursor (光标) to four targets on the screen. Although the animals didn’t demonstrate the skills to win a round any time, they did show an understanding of some elementary games. Performing well not by chance, the pigs appeared to recognize the movement of the cursor was controlled by the joystick. The fact that they did so well despite a lack of flexible fingers is “extraordinary”, according to the researchers.
“It is no small achievement for an animal to grasp the concept that the behaviour they are performing is having an effect elsewhere. That pigs can do this to any degree should give us pause as to what else they are capable of learning and how such learning may impact them, “said Purdue University’s Dr Candace Croney, the study’s lead author.
Researchers also noted that while the pigs could be taught to play the game using food as positive motivation, they also responded well to social interaction. In fact, when the game was made more challenging and the pigs became unwilling to participate in it, “only oral encouragement by the experimenter” would see training continue.
These findings are the latest to highlight the intelligence of pigs. Not only have they been shown to use mirrors to find hidden food, but studies have also demonstrated how pigs can be taught to “come” and “sit” after oral commands.
As with any sentient (有感觉力的) beings, how we interact with pigs and what we do to them impacts and matters to them. We therefore have a moral duty to understand how pigs acquire information, and what they are capable of learning and remembering, because it ultimately offers the potential for how they understand their interactions with us and their environments.
1. What can be learned from Paragraph 1?| A．The pigs sometimes won the video games. |
| B．The pigs operated joysticks with their noses. |
| C．The pigs competed with each other in the games. |
| D．The pigs sometimes performed well accidentally. |
| A．Stop us from advancing. | B．Affect us in learning. |
| C．Make us think seriously. | D．Force us to train pigs better. |
| A．Their being inspired by human words. | B．Their being driven by food. |
| C．Their being willing to keep trying. | D．Their being motivated by challenges. |
| A．Smart Pigs: Best Animal Players | B．Flexible Noses: Fun Games |
| C．Oral Commands: Pig Learners | D．Pig Players: Learning Potential |
3 . As a college student in Boston, I formed the habit of buying used books. I enjoy the hunt, the good price and the unrecognized treasures. I find old textbooks, ex-bestsellers, and books on subjects I’ve never heard of and now must learn all about. I don’t search for rare books, first editions, or leather-bound editions but books that are worth reading.
Rereading, for me, is a pleasure during retirement. The theater and the concert hall become less appealing to me, along with crowds. Staying alone and reading books have become extremely important to me. Literature needs the flesh of experience to have its full effect. Different books offer me insights and ways of expressing that stuck in my mind as grains of sand in an oyster now shine like pearls. My taste in books improves with age.
While packing for a move, which occurs at intervals of five to seven years, I clear my shelves and pick my books. I abandon a few, later regret my decisions, and look for them again. Several years ago, I got rid of books related to my job-architecture. Some were design guides, reference books, product catalogs, and things that went out of date. Some were historical or centered on a period or an architect. These had given me many hours of pleasure. Will I ever open their covers again? Certainly. I held on to the red bulk of Sir Banister Fletcher’s A History of Architecture and books on Paris, Rome, and Boston.
I gave away drafting equipment and instruments. I threw out rolls and rolls of paper, and old drawings of projects completed long ago, some of which had even been damaged. This time, I stay put in a cottage that suits my status and I’ve moved on in spirit. No doubt I will acquire more used books and throw away more books as passions grow and fade, like feathers changing with the seasons.
1. What does the author consider most important when choosing used books？| A．Their appealing covers. | B．Their reasonable prices. |
| C．Their excellent content. | D．Their collection value. |
| A．He has a small circle of friends. | B．His attitude towards work changes. |
| C．His communication skills improve. | D．He has a deeper understanding of life and books. |
| A．To show some books are worth reading repeatedly. |
| B．To recommend Sir Banister Fletcher’s books. |
| C．To suggest we avoid making poor decisions. |
| D．To explain his love for architecture. |
| A．He will stop throwing away used books. |
| B．He likes updating his collection of used books. |
| C．He is bad at using advanced drafting equipment. |
| D．He enjoys leading an active life in the countryside. |
4 . The Public Transport Fares in New York
On our website, you can find out how much it costs to ride the subway, bus, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North in the New York area.
★ Subways and buses
●Fare for most riders on subways and local, limited, and Select Bus Service buses:$2.85.
●Express buses cost $6.85.
More information about subway and bus fares
●Riding the subway costs $2.85 for most riders. People with disabilities or who are 65 or older are qualified for a reduced fare.
●An unlimited ride MetroCard can save you money. It gives you unlimited rides for a certain length of time.
●MetroCards cost $1. All cards except for the Single Ride card are refillable (可充值的).
●Up to three children under 44 inches tall ride for free when they are with a fare-paying adult.
●You pay the fare at turnstiles (旋转闸门) before you aboard the train. You don’t have to do anything afterwards.
★ Railroads: LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) and Metro-North
●Fares vary based on when and where you are travelling.
●Buying tickets on your phone is the most convenient option.
More information about railroad fares
●Peak (高峰的) fares are charged during business rush hours on any weekday train scheduled to arrive in New York City terminals between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. or depart New York City terminals between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. On Metro-North trains, peak fares also apply to travel on any weekday train that leaves Grand Central Station between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.
●Off-peak fares are charged at all other times on weekdays, all day on Saturday and Sunday, and on holidays.
●Use our trip planner to find fare information. Get schedules and directions and see whether a trip is during peak or off-peak hours.
1. How much might a subway trip cost a 68-year-old man with two children under 44 inches tall?| A．$2.35. | B．$2.85. | C．$5.70. | D．$6.85. |
| A．A weekday train leaving Grand Central Station at 10 pm. |
| B．A weekday train leaving Grand Central Station at 7 am. |
| C．A weekday train departing New York City terminals at 9 pm. |
| D．A weekday train departing New York City terminals at 8:30 am. |
| A．To know special offers. | B．To leave your advice. |
| C．To check fare information. | D．To book a train ticket. |
5 . Athletes in the Olympic Villages—in the Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou zones—have been sharing their moments with the panda in photos and videos, while Bing Dwen Dwen fans have patiently waited to buy products from licensed stores and through official online channels.
The enthusiasm for the mascot (吉祥物) products has led to a shortage of products, with many netizens complaining that it’s too difficult to get a Bing Dwen Dwen doll.
Zhang Zhicheng, a spokesman for the National Intellectual Property Administration, said the difficulty buyers face in getting the mascot products shows the country’s stronger and more comprehensive protection of Olympic symbols. “As the mascot has Olympic symbol protection, it also receives patent (专利), trademark and copyright protection,” Zhang said at a news conference organized by the 2022 Beijing Media Center on Monday.
Comprehensive IPR protection (全方位的知识产权保护) guarantees the rights and interests of IPR owners, and also promotes the spread of Olympic culture, he said. “Comprehensive IPR protection is our way of keeping Olympic rules. It’s also symbolic of our respect for every athlete, and encouragement for technological innovators at this sports event,” he said
Sun Lei, an IPR lawyer at Yuanhe Partners in Beijing, said that difficulty in buying a Bing Dwen Dwen doll reflects enhanced awareness of the importance of protecting Olympic symbols, adding that thanks should go to the country’s early warnings on the issue and other measures.
After Bing Dwen Dwen was unveiled in 2019, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympics issued a notice on the protection of the mascot. It warned that no individual or department could use the image or name of the mascot for private reasons. It added that using the image in anything other than the official designs was also banned.
1. According to Zhang Zhicheng, it’s too difficult to get a Bing Dwen Dwen doll because of________.| A．a shortage of workers | B．the enthusiasm for the Olympic Games |
| C．a lack of online channels | D．China's protection of Olympic symbols |
| A．the aims of Comprehensive IPR protection | B．the ways to protect Olympic mascots |
| C．the rights and interests of IPR owners | D．the reasons for protecting Olympic symbols |
| A．to create more official designs | B．to improve the quality of the mascot |
| C．not to use the image for private reasons | D．not to buy too many mascots |
| A．A biography. | B．A novel. | C．A newspaper. | D．A diary. |
6 . Four Unique U.S. National Parks
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
If you’re looking for interesting red and pink rocks, you can’t do better than Bryce Canyon. The national park is known for its attractive rock formations and hoodoos (石林). Some of the best places to visit in the park are the Natural Bridge, Fairyland Canyon, or any of the scenic viewpoints throughout the park.
Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada
It’s the hottest and driest national park in the country, but it’s also a place of beautiful desert sights and interesting natural phenomena, like the sailing stones on the Racetrack Playa. Depending on where you are in the park the climate can be extreme—it's home to snowy mountains, dry desert, colorful flower fields, and cool lakes. You might also recognize it as the planet of Tatooine from the original Star Wars movies.
Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
Arizona offers way more than just the Grand Canyon. This ancient forest in the middle of the desert isn’t what you’d typically expect-it’s way more interesting. The forest became fossilized (石化) over time as minerals like quartz slowly replaced the wood remains. The result is multi-colored stone logs (原木) that are too amazing to pass up. Just don’t take home any free souvenirs-many visitors are fined by taking rocks.
Great Basin National Park, Nevada
Great Basin National Park might be one of the best parks in the state of Nevada. Just a visit to the Lehman Caves or the Lexington Arch (a rare, giant, above-ground limestone arch) will have you convinced. It’s also known for having some of the darkest skies in the continental U.S., so astronomy lovers will jump at the chance to see the night sky when they visit.
1. What is Bryce Canyon National Park famous for?| A．Rock formations and hoodoos. | B．Beautiful desert sights. |
| C．Multi-colored stone logs. | D．The darkest night sky. |
| A．In Utah. | B．In California and Nevada. |
| C．In Arizona. | D．In Nevada. |
| A．Bryce Canyon National Park. | B．Death Valley National Park. |
| C．Petrified Forest National Park | D．Great Basin National Park. |
7 . Table-Waiting Robot Cat
A table-waiting robot cat built by a Chinese technology firm can carry plates of food, navigate a restaurant, miaow(喵喵叫) at dinners—and even react to having its ears stroked.
Making its debut(初次露面) at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the so-called BellaBot was built for Chinese restaurants lacking enough waiters. It is the brainchild(智慧结晶) of the Chinese robotics and artificial intelligence firm PuduTech.
It features four shelves in the center of its tower-like body to carry plates. Having been loaded up with meals by its human colleagues, the cat-themed robotic waiters miaows when it delivers food to diners to encourage them to take their plates. If customers thank BellaBot by stroking its ears, it will initially respond with a look of pleasure on its on-board screen, which displays animations of a cat's face. “The owner’s hand is so warm,” BellaBot has been programmed to respond.
However—much like a real cat—the robot’s reaction soon changes if it is petted for too long. “It gets mad to remind you not to interrupt its job,” the designers introduced. The BellaBot waiter robot is a more personality-rich update to PuduTech’s previous model, which featured a more utilitarian(实用主义的) design and user interface.
Both BellaBot and its predecessor were designed with a particular mind to Chinese restaurateurs which are often short of waiting staff.
In a real-world food-service setting, however, BellaBot may find it difficult to operate at peak times. Nevertheless, restaurants are anticipated to increase their reliance on automation—whether in the form of robotic waiting staff or otherwise.
Furthermore, improvements in technology will see consumer robot designs grow steadily better at communicating with humans.
1. In what way can the cat robot serve as a waiter?| A．By serving food to the customers in time. |
| B．By stroking its ears to express its pleasure. |
| C．By sending food on the shelves set in its body. |
| D．By loading up meals with its human colleagues. |
| A．Delight. | B．Anger. | C．Surprise. | D．Anxiety. |
| A．To attract more customers. |
| B．To liberate humans from busy labor. |
| C．To advance the development of technology. |
| D．To help to solve the shortage of human labor. |
| A．They can cook the delicious food. |
| B．They can talk with the customers better. |
| C．They will replace the human waiters completely. |
| D．They will be fond of the customers’ long-time petting. |
8 . Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, consists of a discarded phones, printers, TVs, electric toothbrushes and many other electronic goods no longer in use.
A shocking 53. 6 million tons of electronic waste was generated worldwide in 2019 — less than a fifth of which was recycled, according to UN's Global E-waste Monitor 2020 report.
Of the total e-waste last year, Asia contributed the biggest amount — 46.4 per cent — followed by the Americas(24.4 percent), Europe (22.3 percent), Africa (5.4 percent) and Oceania (1.3 percent).
The combined heap of e-waste for 2019 averaged 7. 3 kg for every man, woman and child on Earth. The UK averaged the second-biggest in the world, at 23.9 kg, behind Norway, which averaged 26kg.
The report also reveals that just 17.4 percent of the e-waste was properly collected and recycled. E-waste is a health and environmental hazard (危害), containing hazardous substances such as mercury, which damages the human brain.
After a device is discarded and e-waste is warmed up, toxic chemicals are released into the air, damaging the atmosphere. E-waste in landfills can also seep (渗透) toxic materials into groundwater, affecting animals and plants.
Gold, silver, copper, and other high-value materials were collectively valued at $57 billion. However, they were mostly dumped or burned rather than being collected for treatment and reuse. In countries with developing markets, an increasing number of household electronics like refrigerators, air conditioners, and lamps are now being bought, leading to the rapid increase in e-waste. A global obsession with smart phones, which tend to be replaced by an updated model after a year, also helps build e-waste piles.
It's not that countries don't have policies to fight e-waste since 2014, the number of countries that have adopted a national e-waste policy has increased from 61 to 78, the report says. But advances are slow, enforcement (执行) is poor, and policies fail to encourage the collection and proper management of e-waste. The lack of effective policies around the world needs to be addressed (解决) as soon as possible.
1. According to official figures, how much e-waste was recycled in 2019?| A．53.6 million tons. | B．10.8 million tons. |
| C．9.3 million tons. | D．20.1 million tons. |
| A．health condition | B．electronic products |
| C．energy resources | D．environmental protection |
| A．Tolerant. | B．Indifferent. | C．Ambiguous. | D．Critical. |
| A．E-waste is increasing. | B．E-waste is being reduced. |
| C．E-waste is harmful to people. | D．E-waste is being encouraged. |
9 . A proud and happy all-female Delta flight crew lit up the skies earlier last October, flying 120 female students from Salt Lake City to NASA in Houston for tours of the facilities and to meet with female leaders in the industry.
The flight was part of the airline’s Women Inspiring our Next Generation (WING) program, which was created in 2015 to help close the gender gap in aviation (航空) and expose more young girls to STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers. This is the fifth WING flight, with more than 600 female students flying Delta so far through the program.
The flight was planned and executed (执行) completely by women, including pilots, ramp agents, gate agents and flight control.
“At Delta, we believe you have to see it to be it, “said Beth Poole, general manager of pilot development, who helped start Delta’s WING initiative, in a statement. “We’re taking ownership to improve gender diversity by exposing girls at a young age and providing a pipeline so that 10 years from now, they will be the pilots in the Delta cockpit (驾驶舱) inspiring generations of women who follow. ”
While the students, who ranged in age from 12 to 18, were in Houston, they met with female mentors in aviation. They toured NASA’s Mission Control Center, Johnson Space Center and other key facilities in areas of flight and space exploration.
“It didn’t seem realistic to go after a career in aviation, but today I realized, ‘Hey, I can do this too’, ” said Katelyn J, age 17, a 12th grader from Advanced Learning Center.
Delta has achieved 100% pay parity for employees in frontline jobs. In the past four years, 7. 4%of the airline’s newly hired pilots have been women. The WING program is one of the ways they’re hoping to increase those numbers.
“I’ve loved being able to look at all of the things these successful women have accomplished, ” said Shanae C., 17, a 12th grader from Jordan Technical Institute. “I think we ill learn from them and build on their foundation of success.”
1. What can we know from this text?| A．Female pilots receive their training at the early age. |
| B．More and more female pilots will take males’ place. |
| C．Male pilots are more likely to have air crash than female pilots. |
| D．The WING program is intended to train more youngsters in STEM. |
| A．Minority. | B．Diversity. | C．Equality. | D．Majority. |
| A．A poster. | B．A travel brochure. | C．A novel. | D．A newspaper. |
| A．The Gender Gap Is Closed | B．The Sky Has No Limit |
| C．Female Pilots Are Better Than Males | D．Gender Discrimination Exists in Aviation |
10 . Avoid These Foods Before Bed
Chocolate
Chocolate is packed with sugar, which can have a serious impact on how well you sleep. A study found that people who ate more sugar and saturated fats（饱和脂肪）experienced less deep sleep and woke up more throughout the night. Chocolate also contains some caffeine, which can stimulate the nervous system and keep you awake for hours.
Hamburger
According to Health, the problem with hamburgers is their high amount of fat content. More fat means more acid production in the stomach, which means more heartburn due to acid reflux（反流）—a no-no before bed.
Broccoli
These vegetables are high in soluble fiber（可溶性纤维）, which is great for digestion during the day but can leave the body focused on digestion as opposed to sleep at night. This can cause discomfort or trouble sleeping.
Spicy foods
Spicy foods like chili also contribute to heartburn. If someone experiences acid reflux from spicy foods and lies down right after eating spicy foods, the acids from the stomach can flow back into the esophagus（食道）more easily, causing a burning sensation in the chest, which may disturb sleep.
1. Which of the following will cause excitement?| A．Chocolate. | B．Hamburger. | C．Broccoli. | D．Chili. |
| A．Broccoli can cause acid reflux. | B．Broccoli does good to digestion. |
| C．Broccoli disturbs sleep due to heartburn. | D．Broccoli contributes to sound sleep at night. |
| A．Lie down to rest immediately. |
| B．Eat hamburgers to reduce acid reflux. |
| C．Walk for a while to avoid acid flowing back. |
| D．Play with the mobile phone in bed to distract the attention. |
