1 . Of the more than 3,000 species of mosquitoes in the world, just a small number specialize in sucking human blood. How mosquitoes track us down so effectively isn’t currently known, but it matters, since they carry dangerous diseases which may cause death.
“In fact, stopping these annoying insects in their tracks could save up to half a million lives lost to those diseases each year,” said Carolyn Gauff, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. That’s why Gauff’s team wanted to understand how they find and target humans.
Mosquitoes mostly choose what to bite based on odor (气味). Knowing how a potentially disease-carrying mosquito finds a person, while ignoring other warm-blooded animals, is a key question. But it’s not easy to answer, since any animal smell is made up of hundreds of chemicals mixed together in specific percentage. “The actual chemicals that are found in human odor are basically the same as the chemicals found in animal odor—it’s the percentages and the relative large amount of those substances in human mixtures that’s unique,” said Gauff.
To investigate, researchers decided to record neural activity in the brain of mosquitoes while exposing them to natural human and animal odor samples. They collected odor samples from about 40 different animals. When they compared some of those with the 16 human samples, something jumped out. Decanal is particularly rich in human skin. Common in the natural world, in humans, decanal comes from another, more complex substance. When one component of our skin’s natural oils, sapienic acid, breaks down, decanal is left over. This acid is only found in human beings. It’s what likely leads to the high levels of decanal that help the mosquitoes smell their way to us.
Understanding what the mosquitoes are targeting is only part of the story; knowing how they do it is also important. To see exactly how mosquitoes use this sense, scientists used genetically modified (转基因的) mosquitoes so that they could cut open mosquitoes’ heads and watch neurons firing when they’re exposed to human and animal odors. The research team already knew that mosquitoes have about 60 different types of neurons that sense odors, so when they looked in the insects’ brains, they thought they might see a lot of activities. But it was surprisingly quiet, meaning that the signal was perhaps quite simple, down to just a couple types of neurons. “One type of neuron responded really strongly to both humans and animals. Another type of neuron responded to both—but it responded much more strongly to humans than animals,” Gauff said.
How to keep mosquitoes’ decanal signal from being transmitted will be the research team’s next focus. Gauff hoped their current work could be used to make mosquito killers and attractants to prevent disease.
1. What’s the final purpose of the research conducted by Gauff’s team?| A．To study why only certain mosquitoes suck human blood. |
| B．To investigate the neural activity in mosquitoes’ brains. |
| C．To test the effectiveness of mosquito killers. |
| D．To help prevent deadly diseases caused by mosquitoes. |
| A．Remains of decomposed sapienic acid. | B．Chemicals in the environment. |
| C．Decanal generated in human blood. | D．Natural oil from human skin. |
| A．Chemicals found in human and animal odors are quite different. |
| B．Genetically modified mosquitoes are not sensitive to human odor. |
| C．Further research will focus on odor signal and neural connection. |
| D．Most mosquito neurons are not involved in responding to human odor. |
| A．Developing more effective mosquito killers. |
| B．Studying of mosquito neural connections in response to odor signals. |
| C．Analyzing the types of neurons in mosquitoes. |
| D．Discussing the benefits for preventing mosquitoes from transmitting the decanal signal. |
2 . It was a week after my mom had passed away and I didn’t know how to go on with life. So when I received an e-mail from a friend about a race benefiting cancer research, I ignored it. It seemed to prick (刺痛) my heart, as cancer was the disease that took my mother away from me.
But something about my friend’s words— “I can help organize the whole thing”—stuck with me. I felt obliged (有义务的) to agree. In the weeks to come, I managed to re-enter the world of the living. I checked our team’s website daily, feeling proud each time a donation contributed to our total. I knew my mom would have wanted it that way. She was the type who never got defeated. It was this very spirit that helped me get by.
When the race ended, I noticed the runners all had one thing in common: There were big smiles on their faces. They made it look so rewarding and effortless. I wanted in.
So I enrolled in another race two months later. Considering I could barely run a mile, it was ambitious. But my friend and I made a training plan so I wouldn’t come in last. I followed it religiously and didn’t let anything get in my way.
Running up and down the city’s hills, I was flooded with memories. I had lived there before college and my mother had visited often. I passed Bloomingdale’s, recalling the time she and I had gotten into a screaming argument there.
I was about to beat myself up when I remembered what Mom had said after her diagnosis of cancer. “I don’t want you to feel guilty about anything.” Her paper-thin hands had held me tightly. A weight was lifted from my shoulders.
When the race day arrived, I gave it my all for my mom and for all she had taught me and continued to teach me. As I ran, whenever I felt like slowing down, I pictured her cheering me on.
Crossing the finish line, i was filled with her love and a sense of peace.
1. Why did the author ignore the e-mail in the beginning?| A．She felt it hard to finish the race. | B．She had no time to join in the event. |
| C．She was reminded of her mother’s death. | D．She thought the research meaningless. |
| A．Optimistically. | B．Carelessly. | C．Carefully. | D．Quickly. |
| A．Considerate and polite. | B．Strong-willed and caring. |
| C．Brave and humorous. | D．Outgoing and patient. |
| A．The Loss of Sweet Memories: Running With Mom |
| B．Running With Mom’s memory: A Healing Journey |
| C．Mom’s Journey of Healing: Racing With Honor |
| D．In Memory of Mom: An Honored Run |
3 . Chinese Dual Language Immersion Program (CDLIP)
What is Dual Language Immersion?
Dual language immersion provides academic instruction in two languages. The Pasadena Unified School District currently offers a Chinese-English immersion program.
Why Choose the CDLIP?
Learning a second language awakens curiosity and respect for other nations and their cultures. Chinese is not only a rich language with a long literary tradition, but it has also emerged as an influential worldwide language. Our CDLIP promotes cross- cultural sensitivity, so that students can learn about the globalized world. For native Chinese speakers, our program ensures full development and mastery of English language arts while helping them become more fluent in their mother tongue.
Our Classrooms
The CDLIP serves primary school students, from kindergarten through second grade. Grades 3, 4 and 5 will be added in September of 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively. The program is currently located at Luther Burbank Primary School. On any given day, you might find a classroom full of kindergartners counting and sorting coins, first graders singing “The More We Get Together”, or second graders describing physics experiments—all in Chinese!
How Does the Program Work?
CDLIP classrooms combine native and non- native speakers so that all students may succeed in both Chinese and English. We apply a Two Way 90:10 Model. In kindergarten, 90% of the day’s instruction is in Chinese and 10% is devoted to improving English oral language and the ability to read and write. As children progress through grade levels, the percentage of English instruction gradually increases, finally achieving a 50:50 split by fifth grade.
To Register Your Child
Language learning is a long-term process, so parents are asked to register their children for the full six years.
●Register online at www.pusd.us/oe between June 13 and 23.
●The program is free, supported by the Pasadena Unified School District.
●For kindergarten, no knowledge of Chinese is necessary. (Some knowledge of Chinese is expected for students entering grades 1-3.)
●Applications will be accepted after the deadline if spaces are still available.
●If you would like assistance to complete your application, please contact Ms. Netty Li at Burbank Primary School (626) 396-5760 or visit PUSD Welcome Center.
1. After attending the CDLIP, students will be able to ________.| A．master Chinese arts | B．develop cross-cultural awareness |
| C．hand down traditional literature | D．understand world history |
| A．primary school students | B．children and their parents |
| C．Chinese teaching assistants | D．1-3-year-old children |
| A．Kindergartners spending more time practicing reading. | B．Students focusing on science vocabulary. |
| C．Higher-grade students using mostly Chinese. | D．Students learning through songs and activities. |
4 . In the picture Landscape with Diogenes by the 17th century French artist Poussin, the ancient philosopher Diogenes is described casting away his last possession, a drinking bowl. He realizes he doesn’t need it after seeing a youth cupping a hand to drink from a river. The significance for us is that Diogenes’ spiritual descendants (后代) known as “new minimalists” are now everywhere, if not as completely possession-free as he was.
There are hundreds of websites praising the virtues of tidy living. Everyone is trying to cut down on things these days. People are trying to reduce their carbon footprints, their waistlines, and their monthly outgoings. What’s more, there’s a general fear that people are becoming choked by their possessions, and this is fueled by the knowledge that the leading hobby these days seems to be shopping. It’s true that sales of e-readers and e-books go beyond those of paperbacks. As a result, the need for bookshelves is cut out.
However, today’s new minimalists don’t urge us to burn our books and destroy our CDs, but just make sure we have them as digital files. So, for example, I have digitized versions of some of my old vinyl LP (黑胶) records and haven’t, as yet, stimulated myself to take the LPs to the nearest charity shop — and I admit I shall probably go on keeping them. Technology has gone beyond our dreams and there is always the doubt that our hard drives will crash and all will be lost. Far more important, however, is the fact that our memories are so inseparably tied to our possessions that we can’t get rid of stuff. We are not exactly suffering withdrawal symptoms as we try to break our addiction to objects. We are just acquiring new stuff, which means we can bin or recycle our old stuff.
I’m happy to have found another website which seems to solve a whole lot of problems at once — a thriving online advice service offering storage solutions. The interior (室内的) designer responsible for this does not suggest getting rid of stuff, but rather recommends buying more stuff such as elegant flexible baskets or colorful lidded (有盖子的) containers to hide the first lots of stuff from view. I love this philosophy — convince yourself you’ve got your desire for possessions under control, without having to lose a thing. After all, we aren’t merciless enough to follow Diogenes and cast away all our possessions.
1. Why does the author mention a picture by the artist Poussin?| A．To introduce Poussin as a famous painter. |
| B．To spark a discussion about the new minimalist trend. |
| C．To interpret the artistic style of 17th-century French painting. |
| D．To illustrate the negative impact of ancient philosophy on modern views. |
| A．People’s resistance to media pressure. |
| B．People’s strong bond with physical objects. |
| C．People’s lack of faith in digital hardware. |
| D．People’s laziness in the face of change. |
| A．satisfy their desire to make purchases |
| B．make attractive additions to their homes |
| C．ease their conscience over having too many things |
| D．provide a temporary solution to a problem |
| A．Psychology of Overconsumption |
| B．Low Carbon Is an Attitude |
| C．Treasure What You Have |
| D．Less Is More |
5 . Psychologists tell us our self-image defines what we believe we can and cannot do. Each of us over the years has built up belief about ourselves: Unconsciously, our pictures of who we are have been formed by past experiences. Our successes and failures, what others have told us and what we think people believe about us all help form impressions of what we think we are. As self-image plays a crucial role in our growth, gaining a proper understanding of it and even making changes to it can hold significant meaning for our development.
Changing our self-image is possible: Some psychologists suggest we begin to change our self-image by mentally picturing ourselves performing well at some tasks. Since we presently react to things based on our present images, it’s suggested that we replace those with better ones. In many experiments, people were asked to sit quietly for a few minutes each day and imagine themselves doing well. For instance, subjects would sit and imagine themselves throwing darts (飞镖) at a bull’s-eye on a target. Over a period of weeks, their dart game improved. This has been done with people who wanted to play chess better, throw a ball more accurately, increase their salesmanship or musical talents, or improve many other skills. In most cases, remarkable improvement is made.
The point of changing self-image is not to develop an image of ourselves that is not real. To try to become something we really aren’t is just as wrong as living the unrealistic, inferior image we may have. The aim is to find the real self and to bring our mental images of ourselves in line with our true potential. However, it is generally accepted among psychologists that most of us fail to do justice to ourselves. We’re usually better than we think we are.
Another important part of changing self-image is to not think about past mistakes. Don’t let failures do harm. Our errors or humiliation over mistakes are necessary steps in learning. It is all right to make mistakes. But when they have taught us what we did wrong, we should forget them and not dwell on (纠结于) them. Sometimes we keep remembering our failures or mistakes and feel guilty or embarrassed about them. We let them take over, and then we develop a fear.
It is important to have realistic expectations of ourselves. Some of our dissatisfaction might come from expecting too much of ourselves. If we demand constant perfection in everything we do, we can be disappointed and our poor self-image will continue. If our goal is to reach perfection, we are doomed (注定要失败的) from the start.
1. Which situation agrees with the idea of the passage?| A．To win a speech contest, Tina pictures herself speaking more confidently. |
| B．To get along with her classmates, Doris always humbles herself. |
| C．To become a star player, Alex repeatedly plays back his faults in his mind. |
| D．To outshine his colleagues, Joe sets an idealistic goal. |
| A．To clarify the principle of changing self-image. |
| B．To confirm the effect of changing self-image. |
| C．To propose a new view on changing self-image. |
| D．To stress the importance of changing self-image. |
| A．They are tools for overcoming fear. |
| B．They are warnings for future. |
| C．They are part of our growth. |
| D．They are barriers to our development. |
| A．Overcoming fear through past mistakes. |
| B．Building a realistic self-image through visualization. |
| C．The importance of humility in personal growth. |
| D．Setting idealistic goals for personal development. |
6 . Tony Hawk, who I thought was bigger than life, came in the room and then the interview began.
As the world’s greatest skateboarder, he talked about how his life was not always so miraculous (奇迹般的). He mentioned one day he was skating on top of the world, and the next day the sport of skateboarding fell right on its face. Life for Tony has had its ups and downs, and what brought him back up was the way he believed in himself. One of the most tragic events in Tony’s life was that his father passed away. Although he suffered such pain, he never lost sight of his dream. He put his energy into his dream, which helped him overcome his sadness.
One part of Tony that completely impressed me is the way he accepts himself. His goal is never to do better than others, but to do his best. If he does the best he can, it doesn’t matter how anyone else takes him. That’s true and wise. As for me, I play baseball and things aren’t going so well, but I’m trying my hardest because that’s life. It’s how you approach those bad days that will keep you on top.
Confidence brought Tony to the next level. During our meeting he continually talked about the importance of following one’s dream. He also said, along with that, one needs to have a strong faith in one’s own ability to achieve that dream, no matter what challenges are presented.
By the end, I didn’t see the same guy who had walked through the door an hour earlier. Now I view him as more than a world-class skateboarder. He is also a normal person who has dealt with many of the same problems we all face, but the difference is that he is always able to rise above his problems by having faith in his dream.
1. What does the underlined part “fell right on its face” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Finished. | B．Continued. | C．Failed. | D．Happened. |
| A．accepts Tony Hawk’s suggestion |
| B．doesn’t want to play baseball anymore |
| C．wants to be as successful as Tony Hawk |
| D．has the same view of life as Tony Hawk |
| A．His achievement. | B．His unusual experience. |
| C．His confidence in winning the game. | D．His determination to realize his dream. |
| A．Simple. | B．Real. | C．Lucky. | D．Cautious. |
7 . Japan said Tuesday that it would start pouring treated radioactive water (放射性废水) from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean within two years. Officials in Tokyo said the water would be filtered and diluted (稀释) to safe levels first, but most locals remain firmly opposed to the plan. Protesters gathered outside Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s residence in downtown Tokyo to criticize the government’s decision.
More than a million tons of radioactive water is currently being stored at the Fukushima power plant in a massive tank farm big enough to fill 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The wastewater comes from water pumped in to cool the plant’s damaged reactors (反应堆). The government says it has simply run out of room to store all the water. The plan to dump the water into the ocean first came to light in the autumn of last year, when Japanese news reported anonymous (匿名的) officials said the decision had been taken.
On Tuesday, Suga said that after years of study, his scientific advisors had concluded that ocean discharge was the most possible way to cope with the wastewater. But the decision to pour Fukushima wastewater into the ocean has drawn fire from neighboring Asian countries and local fishermen along Japan’s coast.
China called the decision “extremely irresponsible,” and South Korea summoned (召唤) the Japanese ambassador in Seoul over the matter. “They told us that they wouldn’t release the water into the sea without the support of fishermen,” Kanji Tachiya, who leads a local cooperative of fisheries in Fukushima, told national broadcaster NHK ahead of the announcement on Tuesday. “We can’t support this move to break that promise and release the water into the sea unilaterally (单方面地).”
The actual release of water from the Fukushima plant will take decades to complete. Critics have called on Japan’s government to at least ensure that independent monitoring is in place to check the level of radiation in the poured water is safe for the environment.
1. How do most of the local people react to the plan?| A．Indifferent. | B．Uncertain. | C．Supportive. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．The wastewater is being stored in 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools. |
| B．It was last year that the plan was exposed to the public. |
| C．Ocean discharge is the only way to deal with the wastewater. |
| D．The plan has aroused anger in all the Asian countries. |
| A．The plan is to pull the whole world into the disaster. |
| B．It’s imperative that the plan should be carried out immediately. |
| C．It’s safe and easy to pour the wastewater into the ocean. |
| D．It’s unacceptable to pour the water into the ocean without fishermen’s permission. |
| A．The Japanese government has checked the level of radiation in the poured water. |
| B．Neigboring Asian countries agreed the decision to pour Fukushima wastewater into the ocean.. |
| C．It will actually take the Fukushima plant long to release treated radioactive water. |
| D．Independent monitoring of the water from the Fukushima plant aren’t necessary. |
8 . Despite its benefits, drinking milk into adulthood, let alone other animals’ milk, is a strange behavior in the animal kingdom. What makes it even stranger is that an estimated 68 percent of the global human population is actually lactose (乳糖) intolerant. Scientists are still getting to the bottom of why the practice began and continued. This research could unlock new understandings of our food cultures and even our DNA.
The earliest evidence of animal milk drinking dates back almost 9. 000 years to modern-day Turkey near the sea of Marmara. where milk fats have been found on ancient pottery. According to Jessica Hendy. a scientist at the University of York. then milk would have been part of a diverse diet for it was mixed with other food. From its origins, the technology of making use of milk spread into the Caucasus and then across Europe. By the Bronze Age, people may have been using cow’s milk to feed their babies.
For a long time, researchers believed that milk drinking changed as a cultural practice hand in hand with the spread of genetic mutations (变异) that allowed people to tolerate milk into adulthood. But one recent finding suggests milk drinking occurred before these mutations and might not even require them. In Europe. people appear to have been drinking milk for thousands of years before any genetic ability to drink milk became common. The ancient cheese making equipment might offer part of the solution: Fermenting (发酵) milk into yogurt. cheese, or other products reduces the amount of lactose. In Mongolia. researchers have not yet found a genetic mutation that allows people to digest lactose, despite the major role of milk in that culture. So some scientists held that there might be other potential factors helping.
What we do know about the history of milk reveals how wrong-headed one-size-fits-all nutritional guidance can be. In modern America. milk drinking has been presented as a universal good. In reality, how milk is prepared can change the nutritional picture, and how much our bodies process depends, at least in part. on our own genes.
1. What can we learn about milk drinking from paragraph 2?| A．It used to be a symbol of identity. | B．It initially started with little babies. |
| C．It was the key diet of ancient people. | D．It has been a human tradition for long. |
| A．To give a suggestion. | B．To define a concept. |
| C．To make a prediction. | D．To clarify a finding. |
| A．Milk consumption functions as a cure-all. |
| B．Milk intake varies from person to person. |
| C．Milk’s nutritional value is beyond imagination. |
| D．One’s milk digestive ability changes constantly. |
| A．The Mystery of Drinking Milk |
| B．The Process of Genetic Mutations |
| C．The Phenomenon of Lactose Intolerance |
| D．The Technology of Making Milk Products |
9 . Every morning on the island of Oahu, students at Pu’ öhala Elementary gather on a field as towering mountains watch them from the mist. Their day starts with songs in ‘ölelo Hawai’i, the islands’ native language, restating values of respect and justice that their teachers hope will guide them through their education, and throughout their lives.
Like most kids their age, they’re not concerned about the significance of the language they’re learning. Still, they have a weighty responsibility: to receive the torch (火炬) and ensure the security of ‘ölelo Hawai’ i for future generations.
It was only 50 years ago that the language was on the edge of extinction. Though the situation is much improved, in many ways ‘ölelo Hawai’ i is still on life support. Teachers say there’s a huge enthusiasm for school kids to learn the language, but as they grow up, they’re encouraged to focus on “more useful” subjects and use English, which are believed to assist them in achieving success in their work. In 2016, there were 18, 610 Hawaiian speakers on the islands.
“One hundred thousand is the approximate number of speakers needed to consider the language safe, ” says Solomon, professor of Hawaiian language at University of Hawai’i at Manoa. “The idea is that there are enough people passing it on to the next generation, socializing their children to use the language in all domains of life, to express all thoughts and needs and desires. ”
Fortunately, the kids of Pu’ öhala Elementary will take the responsibility to continue the work of the current young adults defending the language, expanding access to ‘ölelo Hawai’i in part through TikTok and Instagram, and making the language a practical skill in adulthood. These youth, along with those committed to recovering the language from previous generations, share their hopes for the better.
1. What are the students at Pu’ öhala Elementary expected to do?| A．To figure out the value of life. | B．To go out of the island of Oahu. |
| C．To pass their native language down. | D．To draw people’s attention to folk songs. |
| A．Career development. | B．The improved situation. |
| C．Lack of enthusiasm. | D．Little educational support. |
| A．It is used in all walks of life. | B．It is considered a safe language. |
| C．It demands more speakers to be safe. | D．It has one hundred thousand speakers. |
| A．Worried. | B．Hopeful. | C．Unclear. | D．Reserved. |
10 . As to psychological well-being, the comfort zone is frequently perceived as a haven, a familiar location where individuals feel calm and peaceful. Pushing beyond this psychological state might have benefits.
The comfort zone can be understood as a behavioral metaphor. Within a comfort zone, an individual takes on a state of minimal anxiety without a perception of risk, responding predictably to deliver a consistent level of performance. These include behaviors that people do commonly, find relaxing, or that take them away from high-stress situations. Engaging in the same manner over time leads to a predictable and familiar zone of comfort. As creatures of habit, we become dependent on these routines that we know we can complete well to feel secure. However, by stepping outside of our comfort zone, we learn about our ability to handle new situations and control risks, leading to greater self-confidence, and lower levels of anxiety.
One study found that individuals who are more secure in stepping out of their comfort zone are more likely to be excited by and look forward to new experiences, feeling greater confidence in their ability to take them on.
One behavior that demonstrates the benefits of stepping out of a comfort zone is learning to play a musical instrument. When we consider actions outside of our comfort zone, we must assess our desire to engage in that activity. By weighing the pros and cons, we evaluate how uncomfortable a situation may seem, and whether the danger of entering such an unknown situation will be worth the risk.
Music offers a safe way to step out of your initial comfort zone because you can begin by practicing in an isolated setting, which offers a casual, safe way to build a new skill set. By picking up and practicing a new instrument, you have proven to yourself that you are capable of meeting an unfamiliar objective, thus decreasing anxiety.
1. What does the underlined word “haven” in Paragraph 1 most probably mean?| A．Habitat. | B．Shelter. | C．Community. | D．Destination. |
| A．We recall the old experience. |
| B．We think whether it is worth the risk. |
| C．We evaluate our thirsty for the activity. |
| D．We weigh the strengths and weaknesses. |
| A．The definition of the comfort zone. |
| B．The importance of psychological well-being. |
| C．The process of learning a new musical instrument. |
| D．The benefits of stepping out of one’s comfort zone. |
| A．How to Identify Comfort Zone |
| B．Staying Inside Comfort Zone is Important |
| C．Stepping Outside Comfort Zone Promotes Learning |
| D．How to Take Yourself Away from High-stress Situations |
