1 . If you’ re reaching for the last piece of pizza at a party, and meanwhile see another hand going for it, your next move probably depends on how you feel and whom the hand belongs to. Your little sister — you might just grab the pizza. Your boss — you probably will give up.
Now researchers have made progress in understanding how mammals’ brain encodes social rank and uses this information to shape behaviors — such as whether to fight for the last pizza slice. They discovered that an area of the brain called the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was responsible for representing social rank in mammals; changes to a mouse’s mPFC affected its dominance behavior. But it was unknown how the mPFC represented this information and which neurons(神经元) were involved in changing dominance behaviour.
In the new study, Professor Kay Tye let groups of four mice share a cage. Some mice became more dominant and others more subordinate. As soon as the mice were paired up, he discovered, the activity of their mPFC neurons could predict — with 90 percent certainty — the rank of their opponent.
“We expected animals might only signal rank when they are in a competition,” says co-researcher Nancy. “But it turns out animals walk around with this representation of social rank all the time.”
When the researchers next asked whether the activity of the mPFC neurons was associated with behaviour, they found something surprising. The brain activity patterns were linked with slight changes in behaviour, such as how fast a mouse moved, and they also could predict — a full 30 seconds before the competition started — which mouse would win the food reward.
The winner was not always the more dominant, but the one engaged in a winning mindset. Just as you might sometimes be in a more competitive mood and be more likely to snatch that pizza slice before your boss, a subordinate mouse might be in a more winning mindset than a more dominant mouse and end up winning.
The areas of the mPFC associated with social rank and winning mindset are next to one another and highly connected. Signals on social rank impact the state of the brain involved in winning mindset. In other words, a subordinate mouse’s confidence and winning mindset may partially decrease when faced with a dominant one.
“This is further evidence to suggest that we are in different brain states when we are with others compared to when we’re alone,” says Tye.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To provide background information. | B．To state the importance of social rank. |
| C．To give readers an example of social rank. | D．To introduce the topic of the reading passage. |
| A．The mPFC neurons. | B．The researchers. |
| C．The brain activity patterns. | D．The changes in behaviour. |
| A．Brain activities can influence social rank. |
| B．Dominant opponents boost winning mindset. |
| C．Social rank and winning mindset affect behaviour. |
| D．Animals only exhibit their rank in competition. |
| A．Winning mindset establishes dominance. |
| B．Social rank guides competitive behaviour. |
| C．A subordinate mouse can never been a winner. |
| D．Awareness of different people around you make your brain use different neurons. |
2 . Desperate to help his 96-year-old mother to speak her mother tongue again, Keith McDermott made an
Ray moved to America after meeting her husband when she was only 18, hence waving goodbye to her
So Keith, 70,
“When you have a parent in their nineties, you will find you two have something in common: you’re both old, so I am very sympathetic to my mother’s feelings of loneliness and isolation. I’m feeling it myself. ” Keith hopes to
| A．indication | B．appeal | C．assignment | D．apology |
| A．lady | B．traveler | C．explorer | D．gentleman |
| A．senior | B．childhood | C．enthusiastic | D．lonely |
| A．friends | B．life | C．tongue | D．Relatives |
| A．hope | B．tension | C．similarity | D．home |
| A．Concerning | B．Apart from | C．Despite | D．Due to |
| A．blue | B．faded | C．fragile | D．clear |
| A．leave | B．return | C．quit | D．talk |
| A．given | B．supposed | C．remembering | D．neglecting |
| A．go | B．fly | C．happen | D．start |
| A．searched | B．mentioned | C．linked | D．posted |
| A．embarrassed | B．touched | C．hooked | D．puzzled |
| A．stable | B．happy | C．fluent | D．passionate |
| A．take up | B．make up | C．bring up | D．set up |
| A．remind | B．accuse | C．inform | D．cure |
3 . Pieter Bruegel’s 1565 realistic painting The Harvesters hangs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “The work describes farmers cutting wheat nearly as tall as they are,” Ghent University biologist Ive De Smet says. “Nowadays, if you walk through a wheat field, you basically see wheat is about knee-high, which is a consequence of selective breeding (培育) from the second half of the 20th century.” De Smet says he’s teaming up with art historian David Vergauwen of Amarant to look at things where they can spot differences in shape, in color, and in size. Wheat is just one example of how historical artwork can help track the transformation of food crops over time.
Friends since childhood, they took interest in plants in artwork and began with a visit to the Hermitage Museum in Russia — where they noticed an odd-looking watermelon in an early-17th-century painting by Flemish artist Frans Snyders.
“So if you think of a watermelon, you cut it through, it should be dark red on the inside. But that one appeared to be pale and white.” De Smet assumed the painter had done a poor job. But Vergauwen said, “This is one of the best painters ever from that era. So if he paints it like that, that’s the way it must have been.” Other paintings showed that both red and white watermelons were raised during the 17th century.
The team hopes to set up an online research database of historical plant artwork. They create a social media hashtag (主题标签) for it. Anyone could send pictures of relevant artwork and details of plants when they visit a museum or exhibit through the hashtag. But, they add, the sources need to be realistic. “If you’re going to use, for example, Picasso to understand how a pear looked, you might be misled.”
1. What can we learn from De Smet’s words in paragraph 1?| A．Humans have mainly fed on wheat since 1565. |
| B．Wheat has gone through great changes in height. |
| C．The scene in The Harvesters may be unbelievable. |
| D．Selective breeding affects agricultural structure. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Disapproving. | C．Favorable. | D．Curious. |
| A．To encourage people to focus on art. |
| B．To collect more paintings for their database. |
| C．To advertise their research database. |
| D．To share some historical plant artwork. |
| A．Ancient paintings focused on food crops. |
| B．Two men create a database of plant artwork. |
| C．Plants today are different from their ancestors. |
| D．Old art reveals agricultural information. |
4 . A sailor (船员) in one of Christopher Columbus’s three ships is eagerly (渴望地) looking for land. In the sailor’s eagerness to
Greatly excited, the rest of the ship’s sailors run to the side quickly. They, too,
As the ship moves forward, the sailor’s mistake is made
When Columbus
| A．discuss | B．cover | C．describe | D．find |
| A．trip | B．mistake | C．promise | D．decision |
| A．Cloud | B．Sea | C．Land | D．Sand |
| A．pick | B．run | C．look | D．shout |
| A．happy | B．proud | C．calm | D．patient |
| A．enjoyed | B．built | C．seen | D．used |
| A．known | B．understood | C．attractive | D．popular |
| A．long | B．wrong | C．bad | D．hard |
| A．choice | B．joke | C．study | D．fight |
| A．book | B．oil | C．room | D．fire |
| A．strange | B．clear | C．friendly | D．funny |
| A．ships | B．planes | C．islands | D．farms |
| A．swam | B．sailed | C．fell | D．disappeared |
| A．common | B．dangerous | C．difficult | D．comfortable |
| A．but | B．and | C．as | D．so |
| A．radio | B．bed | C．fridge | D．kitchen |
| A．cooked | B．frozen | C．eaten | D．provided |
| A．hitting | B．stopping | C．burning | D．moving |
| A．dirt | B．water | C．food | D．clothes |
| A．written | B．believed | C．remembered | D．heard |
5 . For 30 years, Eddie Rankin has been driving his truck before dawn each Saturday, coming to create a treasured weekly routine for people who populated Woodley Park and who became his devotees.
The tradition ended Saturday, when Rankin unloaded his last truck filled with fresh fruit and vegetables.
“People will probably keep coming, but it won’t be the same,” said Kate Shawcross, one of Rankin’s first customers. “He knows your children’s names and where they go to school—he’s just the classic good neighbor, and here in Washington, we need some of that.”
Rankin was a farmers market pioneer, who got into farming by accident, said Bernadine Prince, executive director of FreshFarm Markets. Rankin is the co-owner of Twin Springs Fruit Farm and has witnessed the explosion of American interest in fresh produce and locally grown food.
“He’s just one of those people who are interested in you as an individual and your tastes,” said Bernadine Prince. “Think about when you go to the supermarket: Who do you talk to? Nobody. ”
In 1984, a “farmers market” consisted of some peaches, apples and cherries that the typical American might have considered as overpriced. But Rankin drew customers charmed by his huge smile and agricultural knowledge. He remembered to set aside things you asked for, would cash your check if you needed bills and gave your 10-year-old child his or her first job.
The people who came to Saturday’s market sang to Rankin, presented him with poems about his influence on their lives and told stories of good deeds he had done for them.
Many described coming to Rankin's market as a routine in their lives.
Rankin said he is retiring because he wants to spend more time traveling to see his children and a sister back in Ireland. The children of one of Rankin’s partners are taking over Twin Springs.
He has a “fantasy,” he said, of using his knowledge to help fruit-growers elsewhere in the world.
He has faith that others can keep the Woodley Park market going, that the role of a farmers market is now established.
1. People love Rankin mainly because he ________.| A．cares about customers | B．always appears on time |
| C．sells cheap and fresh goods | D．offers whatever customers need |
| A．Because he wants to travel around the world. |
| B．Because it’s time for him to realize his fantasy. |
| C．Because he wants to have more time with his family. |
| D．Because it’s time for new generations to take charge. |
| A．Smile, when you meet each other |
| B．Goodbye, the apple of market’s eye |
| C．The big fish in the small-farmer pond |
| D．We need good neighbors in Washington |
6 . There are as many kinds of careers as there are people. They vary greatly in the type of work involved(涉及) and in the ways they influence a person's life. The kind of career you have can affect your life in many ways. By making wise decisions concerning your career, you can help yourself build the life you want. To do that, you need as much information as possible. The more you know about yourself, the better able you will be to choose a satisfying career.
What do people hope to obtain from a career? Some people desire a high income. Some hope for fame. Others seek for adventure. Still others intend to serve people and make the world a better place. Before you begin to explore career fields, you should determine your values, your interests, and your aptitudes that will make you competent for your future work. Most people are happiest in jobs that fit their values, interests, and skills. Each person has many values, which vary in strength. For example, money is the strongest value for some people—that is, wealth is more important to them than anything else. As a result, they focus their thoughts, behaviour, and emotions on the goal of earning a high income. Other values include devoting to religion, taking risks, spending time with family, and helping others.
Before making a career decision, you can ask yourself what is most important to you and examine your beliefs to better know your values. For example, is it important to you to work as a member of a team? Or would you rather be in charge or work alone? If working alone or being in charge is important to you, independence is probably one of your primary values.
1. How can we make a wise career decision?| A．We learn more about ourselves. |
| B．We stick to our beliefs more firmly. |
| C．We change our interests more often. |
| D．We find more career opportunities. |
| A．Bringing huge wealth. | B．Meeting inner demands. |
| C．Developing interests and skills. | D．Contributing to forming values. |
| A．The contents of our values. | B．The foundations of our values. |
| C．The places to achieve our values. | D．The ways to understand our values. |
7 . What if you could give your children everything they wanted without them having to take any effort at all to get it？Would they appreciate what they now have？Would they know how to even maintain the lifestyle or how to keep the business moving forward and not downward?
There is some debate among parents of this new generation about the question of whether our children have been given so much that they now expect everything all at once. A case in point is a friend of mine who has a son in his late twenties. It is not that he doesn't have a good paying job and a really nice house. Actually his house is a lot better and bigger than I ever had at his age. But, he is not satisfied with what he has；he wants everything else right now, not tomorrow, but right now.
What he wants is a bigger house, a fancier car, and all the newest gadgets(小玩意) that come on the market. He never thinks he should work a little longer and save his money or that he shouldn't have it all. Maybe we have spoiled our children to expect more than what they should normally expect and then expect all of these worldly possessions to keep coming their way.
Now, the situation with my friend's son is one where his son calls him and complains that life is difficult and that he is having a hard time getting what he wants. The discussion usually then turns to waiting a little longer and working to save money but this discussion usually ends with his son still being disappointed with his life.
Each life must come from work, sacrifice and satisfaction of being able to provide for your family, but there is little room for just wanting when waiting, working and patience could get it done.
All of us need a bit of hardship, struggle, learning to overcome obstacles, understanding perseverance, and developing an attitude that speaks loudly about accepting responsibility for one's own destiny.
1. The writing method of the passage is ________ .| A．listing facts | B．giving an example |
| C．explaining reasons | D．making comparisons |
| A．live a happier life | B．learn to be independent |
| C．never be satisfied with it | D．be grateful for his parents |
| A．the result of parents' spoiling their children |
| B．the way for parents to prepare for a better life |
| C．the advice for parents on how to raise their children |
| D．the solution for parents to solving their family issues |
| A．What our life offers us. |
| B．What we should do for our family. |
| C．How we should gain what we desire. |
| D．How we should prepare for our destiny. |
For beach vacations that get you out of town and invite you and your family to dive into culture, consider a trip to Panama City. Here, you will enjoy beaches and city exploring. Book your stay at the Westin Playa Bonita, where you can book a room starting at $222 a night. There are various programs, including beach Olympics, star observation and Spanish lessons.
Jupiter, Florida
This place offers you quality time you can spend with your loved ones. Book your stay at Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa, with rates for a family of four starting at $207 a night. Here, you can shoot baskets at the basketball courts, take a dip in the pool or teach your children beach yoga.
San Diego, California
The West Coast is a great spot for cheap beach vacations, so tell your family to pack their bags for a visit to San Diego. A cheap $10 Uber ride from the airport will have you pull up at the Kona Kai Resort & Spa. Here, a family of four can stay in a Deluxe Guest Room starting at $159 per night. Your kids can practice cannonballs at the pool after a visit to the world-famous San Diego Zoo.
Kihei, Hawaii
For west coasters who are growing bored with their background, fly to the islands of Hawaii. Stay at the Aston at the Maui Banyan, with a charge of $179 a night for a family of four. Here, you’ll see some of the best sunsets of your life while your kids play in the Pacific. And if you set about cooking a fancy meal, you’ll enjoy suites that come with a full kitchen.
1. Which of the following charges you least a night?| A．The Westin Playa Bonita. |
| B．The Kona Kai Resort & Spa. |
| C．Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa. |
| D．The Aston at the Maui Banyan. |
| A．Observe fantastic stars. |
| B．Visit a world-famous zoo. |
| C．Admire beautiful sunsets. |
| D．Play some beach sports. |
| A．They are all intended for family trips. |
| B．They all offer rooms with a full kitchen. |
| C．They all pick up visitors from the airport. |
| D．They all provide basketball courts on the beach. |
9 . Many people may not find the idea of visiting Beijing's Forbidden City just to see its cultural relics(遗迹)very exciting. But what if you got to see deer there too? That certainly sounds like a better day out.
Nine deer were introduced into the Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, on Sept. 26 and would make it their home until February. The beautiful animals are part of an exhibition on deer-related relics, including furniture, clothes and artworks. In ancient China, deer patterns(图案)could be seen on lots of items since lu—deer—were considered to be a lucky animal because the Chinese word shares the pronunciation(发音)of the character that means “official salary(俸禄)”.
The deer in the Palace Museum are not only to be part of the exhibition, but also to act as ambassadors(大使)to attract visitors. “It’s a better way to bring cultural relics closer to the people,”explained Wang Yamin, a deputy director at the Museum, according to ChinaDaily.
Turning itself into a zoo is the latest effort that the museum has made at introducing academic(学术的)art to ordinary people.
In 2014, for example, the museum’s online store started to offer products such as T-shirts featuring the pattern of an emperor's coat, and earphones looking like the necklaces worn by ancient officials. These products soon gained popularity on social media because they allowed people to wear a piece of history.
Two years later, the TV series MastersintheForbiddenCity(《我在故宫修文物》)lifted the mysterious veil(面纱)on the experts who work in the museum—people whose job is to repair the relics within it. And while many of us may have imagined these workers to be old and boring, they're actually quite young and interesting. Some are even in their 20s. They lead a peaceful career, although it can sometimes be dull. Workers aren't allowed to wear any make-up or do their nails(指甲)because the chemicals(化学物质)may damage the relics they're working on, for example.
Little by little, the Palace Museum is shaking off the stereotypes(刻板印象)of being an old-fashioned academic institution. As Shan Jixiang, the museum’s director, once said, “Academic research is not alien from the public’s interest. We’d like to make visiting the museum a part of people's daily lives. ”
It looks like the Forbidden City isn’t so forbidden after all.
1. What can be concluded about the deer in the Forbidden City?| A．They would stay in the museum for a whole year. |
| B．They are part of an exhibition as lucky animals. |
| C．They have been introduced to help attract visitors. |
| D．They were brought to the museum for an artwork study. |
| A．They were cheap and of high quality. |
| B．They combined culture with everyday items. |
| C．They featured mysterious patterns. |
| D．They were advertised on social media a lot. |
| A．think their job is boring | B．are mostly old but experienced |
| C．must be careful with their work | D．enjoy working on their own |
| A．An interesting exhibition on animal-related relics. |
| B．Popular products related to ancient Chinese culture. |
| C．What the Palace Museum does to protect cultural relics. |
| D．The Palace Museum’s efforts to change its image. |
10 . 43-year-old John Chadwick started live-streaming (直播) life of the birds with their chicks.But just weeks after uploading the videos to YouTube, he gained millions of views from around the world.
John said, “To think that tens of millions of people have been watching the birds from around the world is just incredible and quite overwhelming.”
The sound engineer bought the bird box by accident. He placed it on a willow tree in his back garden in March, and within hours two blue tits (蓝冠山雀) moved in and they had five chicks. At first, he only wanted to show his family what the birds were up to.
John said, “Within a day the birds moved in, and I wanted to know what was going on inside. I started to livestream and do video highlights every day-on the first day 100 people watched it. It showed things like the chicks being fed in the nests as the parents carried in caterpillars (毛毛虫). After three months, I had 2, 000 subscribers.”
John decided to put a final video together and keep it as short as possible-showing the birds going into the nests, the eggs hatching, and the chicks fledging(长羽毛).
Now despite the huge global success of the videos, John is unlikely to make enough for a nest egg of his own. He still needs to struggle for his family. But some people say they find it quite relaxing and genuinely fascinated by John’s videos.
He said, “My personal challenge to myself was to get out of my comfortable zone. And I enjoy exploring new areas. But I keep in mind that I need to care for my family.”
1. Why did John livestream birds’ life at first?| A．To kill time at home. |
| B．To know more about the birds. |
| C．To get him closer to his family. |
| D．To call on people to shelter blue tits. |
| A．His financial problem. |
| B．Little blue tits’ settlements. |
| C．Improvement of his final video. |
| D．Challenges from online viewers. |
| A．Intelligent and hardworking. |
| B．Helpful and wise. |
| C．Knowledgeable and generous. |
| D．Adventurous and responsible. |
| A．A Bird Lover’s Video of Blue Tits Attracts Millions of Fans |
| B．A Video Raises People’s Awareness of Protecting Birds |
| C．Technology Can Greatly Affect the Survival of Wildlife |
| D．A Bird Lover Makes Efforts to Protect Rare Blue Tits |
