1 . A new study on 26 chimpanzees (黑猩猩) from zoos around the world found that chimpanzees can recognise family members and long lost friends even after decades of separation.
The participating chimpanzees were given juice while staring at a screen flashing side by side photos of other chimps. One animal from each pair of photos had lived with the group for at least a year, while the other was a stranger. An eye-tracking camera recorded where the participants were looking and for how long. Data showed their eyes rested longer on familiar groupmates, suggesting “rich recognition of each other.”
There is also evidence that they became more intent when shown a picture of a chimpanzee with whom they’d had more positive interactions, compared with conflicting relationships.
In the most impressive case, a 46-year-old chimpanzee named Louise repeatedly demonstrated “intense” attention upon seeing photographs of her sister Loretta and nephew Erin, whom she hadn’t seen in more than 26 years. The team said Louise’s results represent the longest-lasting social memory documented in any non-human animal to date.
“We tend to see ourselves as unique special creatures with incredible intellectual (智力的) capacities that are very different from other animals on earth,” said Laura Simone Lewis, a postdoctoral fellow in Berkeley’s psychology department and lead author of the study. “This study is showing us how similar we are to chimpanzees.” She noted that the findings support the theory that long-term social memory in humans and modern day chimps has come from “our last common ancestor that lived somewhere between 5 to 7 million years ago” who also likely had long-term social memory.
Now that they have definitive evidence that these endangered species possess long-term social memories, researchers have more questions, including whether chimpanzees miss the individuals they’re no longer with, especially their friends and family. “Our study doesn’t determine they are doing this, but it raises questions about the possibility that they may have the ability to do so,” Lewis said.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The nature of chimps. | B．The method of the study. |
| C．The analysis of the recorded data. | D．The layout of experimental equipment. |
| A．Attentive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Hesitant. | D．Emotional. |
| A．To stress chimps are as intelligent as human beings. |
| B．To explain where chimps’ social memory comes from. |
| C．To better demonstrate the chimps’ memory length. |
| D．To further prove the existence of chimps’ social memory. |
| A．Whether chimps feel strong emotions to their long lost friends. |
| B．How to strengthen chimps’ long-term social memories. |
| C．How chimps recognised their close contacts after long separation. |
| D．Why chimps possess the amazing social memories. |
2 . With my degree in education and an internship (实习) in a high school under my belt, I felt ready for my first real job teaching fourth graders. I prepared clear lesson
The next day, I asked Marcia if I could
Marcia seemed to have all the time in the world — not just for singing, but for each child. When one
I couldn’t
| A．quotes | B．objectives | C．instructions | D．remarks |
| A．interesting | B．informal | C．serious | D．complicated |
| A．fell apart | B．went over | C．worked out | D．got through |
| A．exciting | B．shameful | C．discouraging | D．impressive |
| A．experience | B．selection | C．company | D．proof |
| A．classroom | B．concert | C．club | D．journal |
| A．dreams | B．lives | C．schedules | D．assignments |
| A．describe | B．disturb | C．assess | D．observe |
| A．discussion | B．game | C．song | D．quiz |
| A．cheered | B．fled | C．allowed | D．performed |
| A．even | B．instead | C．regularly | D．purposely |
| A．mean | B．refuse | C．choose | D．wait |
| A．review | B．ignore | C．prepare | D．acknowledge |
| A．students | B．strangers | C．supermen | D．individuals |
| A．reminded | B．followed | C．inspired | D．greeted |
3 . Mothers who eat apples in early pregnancy could be protecting the brain health of their children and grandchildren. The discovery is part of a project that found a mother’s diet can affect not just her child’s brain but also those of her grandchildren. Published in Nature Cell Biology, the study found that certain foods could help protect against the deterioration (退化) of brain function. More specifically, the study used roundworms as the genetic model because many of their genes are also found conserved in humans, allowing insights into human cells.
The researchers found that a molecule (分子) present in apples helped reduce the breakdown of communication cables needed for the brain to work properly. Senior author Professor Roger Pocock and his team investigated nerve cells in the brain that connect and communicate with each other through about 850, 000 kilometers of cables called axons. Professor Pocock explained that a breakdown that caused the axons to become weak led to brain dysfunction. He said his team used a genetic model with fragile (脆弱的) axons that break as animals age.
“We asked whether natural products found in the diet can stabilize these axons and prevent breakage,” he said. “We identified a molecule found in apples(ursolic acid) that reduces axon fragility. How? We found that ursolic acid causes a gene to turn on that and makes a specific type of fat. This particular fat also prevented axon fragility as animals age.”
Professor Pocock said this type of fat, known as a sphingolipid, had to travel from the mother’s intestine, where food is digested, to eggs in the uterus for it to protect axons in the next generation. “This is the first time that a fat has been shown to be inherited,” he said. “Further, feeding the mother the sphingolipid protects the axons of two subsequent generations. This means a mother’s diet can affect not just their offspring’s brain but potentially subsequent generations.” He said while the results were promising, they still need to be confirmed in humans.
1. What is the finding of the study?| A．Roundworms help understand human cells. |
| B．What a mother eats decides the child’s future. |
| C．Roundworms have similar genes with human beings. |
| D．Some foods taken by the pregnant benefit children ‘s brain. |
| A．Quality. | B．Abnormality. | C．Unavoidability. | D．Flexibility. |
| A．Production of ursolic acid. | B．The success of gene therapy. |
| C．The aging process in roundworms. | D．The connection between diet and axon fragility. |
| A．Clinic trials. | B．Benefits of ursolic acid. |
| C．Functions of sphingolipids. | D．Specific brain-influencing foods. |
4 . Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World is one of the most important books about climate change to have been written. Hayhoe is a gifted public speaker and Saving Us is a follow-up to her awesome TED talk in 2018, “The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it.”
One of the many refreshing aspects of this book is that Hayhoe recounts both her successes and her failures to communicate, through which she has gathered evidence about what works and what does not. Much of the book’s advice is common sense, all backed up not just by Hayhoe’s experience but also with convincing research by psychologists and social scientists.
Hayhoe advises against trying to engage with a small minority, the “Dismissives”, who “angrily reject the idea that human-caused climate change is a threat; they are most receptive to misinformation and conspiracy theories (阴谋论)”. There is a warning that offering up more facts about climate change can actually increase polarisation (两极化) among them.
The book includes amusing examples of her encounters with the “Dismissives”, almost entirely older men—including an engineer who was unconvinced about the evidence but with whom she was able to establish mutual (相互的) respect through a shared passion for knitting (打毛线衣) —and is packed with inspiring accounts of how she has won over even the most suspicious of crowds. Her motto is “bond, connect and inspire”, which represents her approach of always looking for points of commonality.
She also tells of a man who approached her after an event in London in 2019. He had been so inspired by her TED talk that he had started to speak to everybody he could in his neighborhood of Wandsworth. He showed her details of 12, 000 conversations that had taken place as a result, claiming that they had helped to convince the government to declare a climate emergency and to switch investments from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
And so, while it may feel difficult to influence the outcome of the COP26, Hayhoe’s uplifting book makes a persuasive case that we can all do our bit to bring about success just by talking about the issue.
1. What does the book mainly focus on?| A．Promoting people’s insight into climate change. |
| B．Introducing presentation skills with TED talks. |
| C．Developing critical thinking through literature. |
| D．Sharing communication tips on climate change. |
| A．Humorous but one-sided. | B．Novel and interesting. |
| C．Well-based and workable. | D．Serious and hard to follow. |
| A．By changing their political identity. |
| B．By challenging their fundamental beliefs. |
| C．By seeking common ground built on a shared interest. |
| D．By providing more facts about climate change. |
| A．The shift to clean energy is unstoppable. |
| B．Conversations can influence climate decision-making. |
| C．Policymakers turn a blind eye to market changes. |
| D．We should call on people to prepare for the climate crisis. |
5 . Shenzhen in Guangdong province has become the first city in China to allow specialist nurses to prescribe (开药方) selected drugs and order tests, in a move that is expected to increase efficiencies in the healthcare system and reduce the patient-load burden on physicians.
Under a new rule in October that took effect in January, eligible nurses will be permitted to order examinations, treatments considering their expert skills and knowledge of specialist nursing or community healthcare. Their prescriptions must be based on existing diagnoses (诊断) made by physicians.
To become a nursing specialist, applicants should have a bachelor’s degree in nursing, five years of working experience, obtained an advanced nursing qualification and have attended a months-long specialist training program and passed a final test.
“Medical institutions must review inappropriate prescriptions given by nurses,” said the regulation. “Nursing specialists who are found to have given three or more improper prescriptions will have their prescribing power stopped for three to six months and will have to undergo retraining before regaining the authorization,” it added.
“Considering the difference in professional positioning, medical education background and work experience between physicians and nurses, it is necessary to fully analyze the necessity and practicability of the nurses’ prescriptive authority,” the commission said.
Zhou Wensi has a bachelor’s degree in nursing and is now a specialist nurse in periodontitis (牙周炎) , or gum disease, at Shenzhen Stomatology Hospital in the city’s Pingshan district.
“Our hospital has not begun allowing us to prescribe. If the rule goes into effect in the future, we’ll likely be able to directly prescribe mouthwash, anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers to patients,” she said.
However, she also noted that most patients visiting the hospital are in need of treatment delivered by doctors with assistance from nurses like her, so the new regulation is not expected to have a major impact.
1. Why does Shenzhen give permission for specialist nurses’ special rights?| A．To improve the overall ability of the specialist nurses. |
| B．To speed up the development of the healthcare system. |
| C．To enhance the work efficiency and lighten doctors’ load. |
| D．To respond to the demands of doctors, nurses and patients. |
| A．well-recognized | B．Qualified | C．flexible | D．hard-working |
| A．A specialist nurse should follow the rules strictly. |
| B．No institutions take charge of the prescriptions . |
| C．Not all specialist nurses can prescribe drugs freely . |
| D．A specialist nurse always has the prescribing power. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Indifferent. | C．Neutral. | D．Hopeful. |
6 . Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have invented a new way to make electricity. Their method uses super-tiny holes to make electricity from moisture (湿气) in the air. The scientists hope the method will one day lead to cheap, clean electricity anywhere at any time.
Moisture in the air is what helps create electricity. Water droplets in the air carry an electric charge (电荷). In clouds, these water droplets build up large charges, which we later see as lightning. One of the researchers, Jun Yao, described the new invention as a “small-scale, man-made cloud”. Since the new device generates electricity from the air, the scientists call it “Air-gen”.
Currently, the device only makes a small amount of electricity- enough to power a small sensor. But in lab tests, the Air gen, which is a little bigger than a fingernail, produced electricity all day and all night for a week, powered by nothing but the air.
The scientists have tried to make electricity from humidity before, but those methods didn’t work for long, or were expensive to make. But in 2020, Dr Yao and his team found a way of getting electricity from humidity using special “nanowires” made from bacteria. That research led the scientists to the key discovery of the Air-gen: almost any material can create electricity in this way as long as it has nanopores (纳米孔) of the right size. This is important because it means in the future, the devices can be made very cheaply. The researchers hope that the Air-gen will become an important green energy source.
Many scientists are impressed with the ideas behind the Air-gen. But some scientists have suggested that it might be hard for the Air-gen to create enough electricity to really make a difference especially compared to power sources like solar energy. But Dr Yao and his team are working on ways to make the Air-gen technology more powerful. Because the device is s0 thin, the scientists believe that many Air-gen layers could be piled on top of each other to create more electricity without taking up more space.
1. The Air-gen is invented ________.| A．to collect water droplets in the air. | B．to generate electricity from bacteria. |
| C．to create a small-scale artificial cloud. | D．to produce electricity from moisture. |
| A．By using large charges in lightening. | B．By changing sunlight into electricity. |
| C．By using the electric charge in water droplets. | D．By turning water into a usable energy source. |
| A．It might not produce enough electricity. | B．It has a negative impact on the environment. |
| C．It requires expensive materials to manufacture. | D．It is less reliable than traditional power sources. |
| A．Inventing the Air-gen. | B．Creating electricity from the air. |
| C．Experimenting with man-made cloud. | D．Looking for green energy source. |
7 . A couple has recently placed their garbage can out for collection for the first time in 14 months, all thanks to their recycling skills. Richard and Louise Arnold have established such an effective routine that they only need to put their garbage can on the side of the street once a year.
Louise explained that making small monthly changes in her life has resulted in her family producing very little waste. She said, “It’s not as difficult as you might think if you start with small steps. We began with soap, switching from bath cream to natural soap without packaging. These bars are large enough that we cut them in half, using one for the sink and the other half for the shower. It’s both cost-effective and environmentally friendly.”
“So it’s actually quite easy. Just go around your house and think of little things you can do gradually, and you’ll start noticing the difference,” Louise added. Currently, the couple takes recyclable waste to the tip, donates clothes to charity shops, and brings soft plastics and batteries to a shop that accepts them.
In 2017, the couple established No Waste Living, which initially started as a weekend stall at the local market and has since developed into a website. Louise regularly writes a newsletter for her hundreds of subscribers. They also started selling eco-friendly products, ranging from non-chemical household cleaning and washing solutions for a “less toxic home” to bamboo washing-up brushes. Louise mentioned, “I started No Waste Living because I wanted to show our achievement s and lead by example.”
Although the family occasionally faces criticism, Louise remains determined. She said, “The main point of contention(争论) for people regarding new waste rules is having to drive their waste to a recycling center, which adds to their already busy lives. However, in the long run, you will create more space in your home, save money, and spend less time dealing with garbage cans.”
1. How did the couple start their waste reduction journey?| A．By replacing small soaps with large ones. | B．By using a small amount of bath cream. |
| C．By using unpackaged soap bars. | D．By recycling soft plastics and batteries. |
| A．To bring eco-products to market. | B．To inspire others to follow in their footsteps. |
| C．To treat recyclable waste from the neighborhood. | D．To answer the call of their subscribers. |
| A．They mean more work to deal with garbage. |
| B．They increase the cost of garbage collection. |
| C．They establish a set time for waste management. |
| D．They limit the daily amount of garbage for collection. |
| A．A business - minded couple. | B．The “less poisonous home” concept. |
| C．The global trend in recycling. | D．A planet- friendly lifestyle. |
8 . Bristol Old Vic
When the Theatre Royal (now Bristol Old Vic) was built, electricity hadn’t been discovered. For over 250 years the people who have owned, worked inside and visited the theatre have kept records about their activity. These are kept safe at the University of Bristol Theatre Collection, and you’ll discover a range of documents which record the history of the theatre, from its foundation in 1764 up until the present day. Here are some of them.
BEGINNING
In 1764 businessmen Alexander Edgar and Thomas Symons suggested building a new theatre between Baldwin Street and the back of Coopers’ Hall in King Street. The estimated cost was f2, 000 to be split among 40 subscribers, but the building work cost more than expected. Owning shares allowed them to influence decisions about the theatre.
SILVER TICKET
Each of the original Bristol Old Vic shareholders was given a silver ticket that promised sight of any performance held at the theatre. As the holders were clever businessmen, they insisted that the silver tickets could be loaned or traded. This enabled them to make some extra money but made it extremely difficult for the theatre managers to keep track of who was allowed to see shows for free.
250TH BIRTHDAY
In May 2016, the theatre celebrated its 250th birthday! As the oldest continuously-working theatre in the English-speaking world, it deserved a proper party, so Bristol-based Limbic Cinema was hired to create a film of the theatre’s historical highlights which was projected (放映) onto the theatre itself.
1. Where can you find the three mentioned documents?| A．At Baldwin Street. |
| B．At Coopers’ Hall in King Street. |
| C．At Bristol-based Limbic Cinema. |
| D．At the University of Bristol Theatre Collection. |
| A．By creating a film about its history. |
| B．By building Bristol-based Limbic Cinema. |
| C．By releasing silver ticket in memory of the birthday. |
| D．By making a film projected in theatres across England. |
| A．To compare the theatre and others. |
| B．To change people’s view on Bristol Old Vic. |
| C．To introduce some information of Bristol Old Vic. |
| D．To recommend a movie related to the theatre. |
9 . A solar tree is a structure like a tree that generates solar energy using photovoltaic panels (太阳能光伏板). It helps solve an urgent global challenge: Replacing greenhouse gas-emitting energy sources like oil and gas with renewable energy. But the power generation potential of solar trees is relatively limited, and their primary purpose is to raise public awareness about renewable energy by getting people to notice and interact with solar energy in new ways.
Solar trees generally have a firm metal, plastic, or stone base that extends up and out into “branches” on which solar panels are mounted. Beyond this basic structure, there is great diversity in the design of solar tree units. The solar tree’s photovoltaic “leaves” absorb sunlight, converting it into electricity that is conducted down through the trunk-like central pillar of the structure to an inside battery. Many designs feature rotating (旋转的) panels that can move throughout the day in order to obtain the greatest amount of sunlight.
Solar trees help power homes, businesses, and public services. They can create shade to help reduce the urban heat island effect and provide shelter in severe weather such as rainstorms and heatwaves, creating greater urban adapting ability in the face of climate change. They also enhance public spaces, providing charging stations, and powering streetlights.
In comparison to other kinds of ground-mounted solar panel devices, solar trees don’t require much land. They make solar energy generation possible in areas with little land that can’t support vast solar arrays, as well as places that lack sufficient rooftop space for panels. However, solar panels are much cheaper than solar trees at present and have far greater energy generation capacity. Therefore, present solar tree designs often serve as a extra source rather than as a primary energy source.
At present, solar trees aren’t designed as large-scale solar projects, which limits their ability to contribute to the low-carbon energy transition. Still, their varied designs are appealing. This makes solar trees effective at displaying and thereby educating people about solar energy, and promoting a business or organization’s commitment to renewable energy.
1. What is the main purpose of building solar trees?| A．To beautify the urban environment. | B．To draw public attention to solar energy. |
| C．To replace non-renewable energy resources. | D．To provide charging services in emergencies. |
| A．It stores energy in its own battery. |
| B．It can adjust its height automatically. |
| C．It is made of environmentally friendly materials. |
| D．It transforms sunlight into electricity by its metal base. |
| A．The design features of solar trees. | B．The ways of saving energy in cities. |
| C．The benefits of solar trees to humans. | D．The difficulties of promoting solar trees. |
| A．They occupy much less land. | B．They are cheaper to manufacture. |
| C．They are more effective in generating energy. | D．They can work in various weather conditions. |
10 . Most air conditioners and fridges rely on contracting and expanding a liquid to either absorb or release large quantities of heat. While these systems are relatively cheap and simple to produce, they aren’t very efficient and require lots of energy. Besides, many of the coolants used are environmentally harmful.
Now, Emmanuel Defay at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology and his colleagues have developed a coolant-free refrigeration device made from the metals lead, scandium (钪) and tantalum (钼). It can reach maximum efficiencies of more than 60%, almost double that of typical single-room air conditioning units. The technology is based on a principle called electrocaloric cooling, in which an electric field applied across a material changes the direction of electric charges, causing a temporary increase in temperature and a succeeding decrease when the electric field is removed.
To make their cooling system, Defay and his colleagues piled up eight strips of the material known as lead scandium tantalate, which is electrocaloric, on top of one another and dipped them in a heat-carrying liquid, silicone oil. When an electric field is switched on and the strips heat up, the liquid moves to the right, and when it cools down, it moves to the left, creating permanent regions of hot and cold of about 20℃difference. These regions can be used as hot and cold reservoirs from which the oil can be circulated through pipes to cool or heat rooms or objects as desired.
“Although the efficiency of the device is theoretically 67%, the efficiency of the current design is around 12%. This could be improved if a better conductor of heat than the lead scandium tantalate were found,” said Defay.
“A highest performance has been achieved by combining known elements,” said NeilMathur at the University of Cambridge. However, he added, the team only looked at the cooling power of the pile of metal strips themselves, while it would be interesting to see how the entire device performs together.
1. What does the author think of the system of traditional air conditioners?| A．Efficient. | B．Expensive. |
| C．Highly energy-consuming. | D．Environmentally-friendly. |
| A．The aim of Defay and his colleagues. | B．The material of the new cooling system. |
| C．The proposal of Defay and his colleagues. | D．The working principle of the new cooling system. |
| A．The extensive experiments. | B．The proper equipment. |
| C．The ideal temperature. | D．The appropriate materials. |
| A．The performance of the new cooling system. | B．The research team’s next arrangement. |
| C．The sales promotion of the new device. | D．Neil Mathur’s comments on the device. |
