1 . Banff National Park is home to an amazing wildlife population. But the busy Trans Canada Highway that cuts through the park is a hazard to the lovely animals. To address the problem, Banff first put-up wildlife fencing on either side of the highway to discourage animals from entering the busy road. Then, since 1996, they’ve opened six wildlife overpasses and 38 underpasses to help the animals cross the highway in safety. I was fortunate to visit Banff’s Red Earth Overpass with Trevor Kinley, the project manager with Parks Canada. He told me that so far, they have documented 10, 000 safe animal crossings on this overpass alone. “ Some animals have learned how to use the crossings much more quickly than others. Black bears are the fastest learners, followed by deer. Wolves and lions take the longest to work out how to use them, ” Kinley said, laughing. “ But those animals that are slower to adapt are usually more capable and determined at figuring out the safest way to cross those overpasses and underpasses. ”
There is some criticism (批评) that channeling so much wildlife into a few bridges and tunnels is like making a trap for the animals, offering big animals an easy meal on either side. “ But research has shown that this is not the case, ” Kinley assured me. “ There are no more killings around the crossings than there are anywhere else in the park. ”
Walking over the Trans Canada and then walking underneath through one of the tunnels, I was amazed to see the fresh tracks of black bears, wolves, deer and many kinds of smaller animals. Somehow, all these animal footprints made me so happy, knowing that all this wildlife was passing safely under and over the longest road in Canada.
Hopefully, the success of the wildlife crossings in Banff will continue to inspire similar solutions around the world, where human pressure on wildlife continues to grow.
1. Which of the following best explains “ hazard ” underlined in paragraph 1?| A．Shelter. | B．Message. | C．Answer. | D．Danger. |
| A．They are stupid animals. | B．They are cautious learners. |
| C．They are very dangerous. | D．They are good at adapting. |
| A．There are too many bridges and tunnels. | B．Many animals will not use the crossings. |
| C．More killings might happen at the crossings. | D．Illegal hunting might be encouraged in the park. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Disappointed. | C．Shocked. | D．Delighted. |
2 . The newly-elected president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro says that his country should withdraw (退出) from the 2015 Paris Agreement, and that Brazil’s rainforest protections are standing in the way of economic success. During the election campaign, he promised to ease protections for areas of the Brazilian Amazon set aside for native people and wildlife. Are Brazil’s rainforests in danger?
The Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, is called “the lungs of the planet.” Each tree takes in and stores carbon dioxide from the air around it. Billions of trees pull up water through their roots and release water vapor into the air, forming tiny drops of water. The Amazon creates 30 to 50 percent of its own rainfall. Carlos Nobre, a climate scientist, says that it is almost impossible to say Just how important the rainforest is to the planet’s living systems.
Some of Bolsonaro’s support comes from business and farming groups. One supporter, Luiz Carlos, noted that farmers “are not invaders, they are producers.” He blamed the past government for supporting rainforest protections at the cost of farmers. “Brazil,” he said, “will be the biggest farming nation on Earth during Bolsonaro’s years.”
Paulo Artaxo, a professor of environmental physics at the University of Sao Paulo, says that if Bolsonaro keeps his campaign promises, then “deforestation of the Amazon will probably increase quickly — and the effects will be felt everywhere on the planet.”
Other scientists warn that if the Amazon and other tropical rainforests lose too many trees, this could affect rainfall in other areas. Without enough trees to support the rainfall, the longer and bigger dry season could turn more than half of the rainforest into a tropical grassland.
1. The first paragraph is intended to ________.| A．draw people’s attention to the disappearing rainforests |
| B．ask people to ease the protection of rainforests |
| C．attract the public to the newly-elected president |
| D．to complain about the new government's withdrawing |
| A．produce much farmland |
| B．examine people’s lungs |
| C．change the earth’s living system |
| D．destroy farmers’ crops |
| A．The new president’s supporters care less about farmers. |
| B．Scientists are concerned about the protection of rainforests. |
| C．The rainforests will stop the economic development in Brazil. |
| D．The past government is to blame for the destruction of rainforests |
| A．a newspaper |
| B．a magazine |
| C．a guidebook |
| D．a textbook |
3 . 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. |
5 . Want to support animals in need? Here are three ways to show them some love.
Grounds & Hounds
When you buy any item from Jordan Karcher’s coffee company, Grounds & Hounds, part of the proceeds (收入) go to animal shelters near you. In 2015, Grounds & Hounds’ donations helped partners provide blankets, food and services for about 2,000 rescue animals.
Tel: 888-228-8914
E-mail: info @ groundsand hounds coffee.com
Fetch Eyewear and the Pixie Project
In 2004, Ann Sacks founded Fetch Eyewear, a company that sells stylish frames at affordable prices. Three years later, she launched the Pixie Project—a nonprofit project that offers free and low-cost treatment of animal diseases and injuries and rescues pets from overloaded shelters across the country—and 100 percent of Fetch’s profits now benefit the charity. To date, the two organizations have helped with more than 5,000 pet adoptions and about 1,000 surgeries (外科手术).
Adoption: 503-542-3433
Fax: 503-542-3437
Fur for the Animals
Fur for the Animals, run by the animal advocacy group Born Free USA, is a campaign (open through December 31) that collects unwanted furs and donates them to wildlife rehabilitation (康复) centers. The furs are used by injured creatures that need to feel cozy and comforted. More than 1,000 pounds of furs have already made their way to animals in need throughout the U.S.
Tel: 011-5952- 5440
1. Through Grounds & Hounds, how can you help animals?| A．By buying coffee from it. | B．By donating money to it. |
| C．By getting a pet. | D．By volunteering your services. |
| A．503-542-3433. | B．011-5952-5440. |
| C．888-288-8914. | D．503-542-3437. |
| A．The success they have got |
| B．How to profit from animals |
| C．The three ways to show love to animals |
| D．How kind they are to animals |
6 . Last summer, 15-year-old Bob had a problem. Like a lot of children, Bob was interested in doing many things. He liked dancing most and wanted to join a dancing team. But Bob’s high school didn’t have a boys’ dancing team. It only had a girls’. So he tried to join the girls’ team. And he made it.
Bob thought his problem was over because he was a member (成员) of a dancing team. But a bigger problem was just starting. The school asked Bob not to stay in the girls’ team. “If we let Bob stay in the team,” the school said, “Other boys will want to join. Soon, there won’t be any girls in the team.”
Bob was very angry about it, so he decided to look for another boys’ dancing team.
1. It was difficult for Bob to join the school dancing team because ______.| A．the school only had a girls’ dancing team |
| B．the school didn’t let boys dance |
| C．the team had enough dancers already |
| D．he was not a good dancer |
| A．nobody would watch their dance |
| B．other boys would join and the girls might leave |
| C．other schools might laugh at them |
| D．the parents would be angry about it |
| A．stayed in the team | B．left the team |
| C．asked the girls to leave | D．asked other boys not to join |
| A．Bob likes a lot of children. |
| B．His school only had a boys’ dancing team. |
| C．Bob’s parents let him leave the dancing team. |
| D．Bob was angry to leave the dancing team. |
7 . Purnota Dutta, an MBA from India, took a break from her career in 2010, spending time with her newborn daughter. This life-changing time led her to found Cuddles Foundation — a nonprofit organization focused on providing food and nutrition (营养) to poor children battling cancer in government cancer hospitals.
At the hospital, she saw so many children with cancer, and a baby who was around the same age as her child. Moved by what she saw, Purnota spoke to the social worker about how she could extend support to these children. While they had enough financial resources for treatment, they needed money for nutrition.
The couple did their best to meet their essential requirements. However, it soon surpassed what they could afford, and they started tapping into their networks to raise money. At first, Cuddles Foundation joined hands with Dr Brijesh Arora, who was leading the program for nutrition for children with cancer in India. “Then came Unlimited India, which got me on board as an investee (被投资者),” she adds..
At present, Cuddles Foundation’s FoodHeals programme bridges the nutrition gap in children with cancer in 35 government and charity hospitals in 20 cities across India. Over the past year, it provided nutrition guidance to over 6,000 patients.
Swara is among many children supported by the foundation. The five-year-old from Baramati was diagnosed with cancer. Her father had spent all of his savings on her medical tests and travel. After a year of regular guidance and nutrition support, Swara has entered the recovery stage of treatment and is back home in Baramati.
She hopes, with the support of more partners, Cuddle Foundation will be able to reach its great aims.
1. What’s Purnota’s purpose to establish Cuddles Foundation?| A．To provide school children with food. | B．To support the cancer hospitals. |
| C．To help poor children with cancer. | D．To collect money to change her life. |
| A．made up. | B．used up. | C．gave away. | D．went beyond. |
| A．In paragraph 2. | B．In paragraph 3. | C．In paragraph 4. | D．In paragraph 5. |
| A．To show Cuddles Foundation is helpful. |
| B．To draw readers’ concern for her. |
| C．To inspire more children to join the Foundation. |
| D．To attract more partners for the Foundation. |
8 . People are always looking for lost cities and occasionally one is found: Borobudur in Indonesia, for example. But perhaps some of the places people look for never existed. Here are just a few famous mythical (传说中的)cities.
EI Dorado
EI Dorado is a story that began in 1573, when Spanish explorers found Muisca people in the mountains of what is now Colombia. They heard the story of a man who covered himself with gold and dived into a lake. Then people began to talk of EI Dorado —“the golden man”. Soon people started to think of EI Dorado as a place, too— a city of golden and amazing riches. Nowadays, the name “EI Dorado” is still used to mean “a place where you can get rich quickly”.
Atlnti
There was once an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. It was the mythical island of Atlantis. The people of the island were very rich, thanks to the natural resources on their island. For hundreds of years, they lived simple lives. But slowly they began to change. They started to want power. So the gods decided to destroy Atlantis. Suddenly, the island and its people were swallowed by the sea and were never seen again.
Shambhale
In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala is a mystical country that is hidden somewhere behind the Himalayas. Shambhala is a word from an old language that means “place of peace” or “place of happiness”. It is said that there is no war in Shambhala, and in the future, when the world is full of war, a huge army will come out of Shambhala, destroy the world’s bad rulers, and start a new Golden Age. Some people say this will happen in 2424.
1. Nowadays “EI Dorado” means ________.| A．Colombia | B．a golden man |
| C．A city with mountains | D．a place where you can get rich quickly |
| A．its people | B．the gods |
| C．its powerful enemies | D．its neighboring country |
| A．Rich Lands | B．Mythical Cities |
| C．Famous Tourist Attractions | D．Newly-Found Ancient Countries |
9 . 
Hello! We are identical twin sisters. We started this blog because so many people are interested in twins. It appears that people never get tired of hearing about us! The news is full of stories about twins. We collect these stories and post them on our blog. We hope you will find them interesting!
Debbie and Lisa are identical twins. They are also successful businesswomen. In 1994, they opened a restaurant in New York City called Twins. All of the servers in the restaurant were identical twins. They always worked the same hours. If one of the twins was ill, the other one had to stay home, too. If one twin quit, the other twin also had to leave. Many of the restaurant’s customers were also twins. Twins all over the world heard about the restaurant and wanted to visit it. Ruth Reichl, a famous restaurant writer, wrote about the restaurant in The New York Times in 1995.
The restaurant is closed now, but Debbie and Lisa have another successful business. They own a talent agency. The agency specializes in twins. They find work for twins in movies, television commercials, advertisements, and reality shows. Child actors who are twins have a special advantage. There are laws to protect children who work. As a result, most child actors can work for only a few hours a day. But child actors who are twins can share one job. This doubles the work that they can complete in one day. Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen are a very famous example of this. At just nine months old, they began to play one character on the popular television show Full House.
1. Why was the blog started?| A．To attract people’s attention on twins. | B．To share the bloggers’ interesting life. |
| C．To meet people’s curiosity about twins. | D．To provide twins with job opportunites. |
| A．It is still popular nowadays. | B．It had strict rules for the servers. |
| C．It only served identical twins. | D．It was started to help the needy twins. |
| A．Sharing one job. | B．Employing twins. |
| C．Working in the studio. | D．Protecting child actors. |
| A．Twins in the News | B．Jobs for Twins |
| C．An Amazing Restaurant | D．Miracles about Twins |
10 . The benefits of regular exercise are well documented but there’s a new bonus to add to the ever-growing list. New researchers found that middle-aged women who were physically fit could be nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia in later life, and as they did, it came on a decade later than less sporty women.
Lead researcher Dr. Helena Horder, of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said : "These findings are exciting because it’s possible that improving people's cardiovascular （心血管的）fitness in middle age could delay or even prevent them from developing dementia. "
For the study, 191 women with an average age of 50 took a bicycle exercise test until they were exhausted to measure their peak （最大值的） cardiovascular capacity. The average peak workload was measured at 103 watts.
A total of 40 women met the criteria for a high fitness level, or 120 watts or higher. A total of 92 women were in the medium fitness category; and 59 women were in the low fitness category, defined as a peak workload of 80 watts or less, or having their exercise tests stopped because of high blood pressure, chest pain or other cardiovascular problems.
These women were then tested for dementia six times over the following four decades. During that time, 44 of the women developed dementia. Five percent of the highly fit women developed dementia, compared to 25 percent of the women with medium fitness and 32 percent of the women with low fitness.
"However, this study does not show cause and effect between cardiovascular fitness and dementia, it only shows an association. More research is needed to see if improved fitness could have a positive effect on the risk of dementia and also to look at when during a lifetime a high fitness level is most important. " She also admitted that a relatively small number of women were studied, all of whom were form Sweden, so the results might not be applicable to other groups.
1. What is on the ever-growing list mentioned in the first paragraph?| A．Positive effects of doing exercises. |
| B．Exercises suitable for the middle-aged. |
| C．Experimental studies on diseases. |
| D．Advantages of sporty woman over man |
| A．To predict their maximum heart rate. |
| B．To assess their cardiovascular capacity |
| C．To change their habits of working out |
| D．To detect their potential health problems |
| A．It aimed to find a cure for dementia. |
| B．Data collection was a lengthy process. |
| C．Some participants withdrew from it. |
| D．The results were far from satisfactory. |
| A．More Women Are Exercising to Prevent Dementia |
| B．Middle-Aged Women Need to Do More Exercise |
| C．Fit Women Are Less Likely to Develop Dementia |
| D．Biking Improves Women's Cardiovascular Fitness |
