1 . Much like the popular TikTok challenge where kids resist eating snacks, cuttlefish can do the same! Cuttlefish can delay gratification(满足)—wait for a better meal rather than be tempted by the one at hand—and those that can wait longest also do better in a learning test, scientists have discovered.
This fascinating report marks the first time a link between self-control and intelligence has been found in an animal other than humans and chimpanzees. It is published this week in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The research was conducted by lead author Alexandra Schnell of University of Cambridge, at the Marine Biological Laboratory(MBL), Woods Hole.
“We used a slightly-changed version of the Stanford marshmallow(棉花糖) test in the 1970s, where children were given a choice of taking an immediate reward(1 marshmallow) or waiting to earn a delayed but better reward(2 marshmallows),” Schnell says. “Cuttlefish in the present study were all able to wait for the better reward and tolerated delays for up to 50—130 seconds, which is even comparable to what we see in large-brained vertebrates(脊椎动物) such as chimpanzees(黑猩猩), crows, and parrots.” Cuttlefish that could wait longer for a meal also showed better cognitive(认知的) performance in a learning task. In that experiment, cuttlefish were trained to associate a visual cue with a food reward. Then, the situation was the other way round, so the reward became associated with a different cue. “The cuttlefish that were quickest at learning both of those associations were better at keeping self-control.” Schnell says.
Why cuttlefish have evolved this capacity for self-control is a bit mysterious. Delayed gratification in humans is thought to strengthen social bonds between individuals—such as waiting to eat so a partner can eat first—which benefits the species as a whole. But whether it may also be a function of most animals still remains to be further explored.
1. How does the author lead to the topic?| A．By giving an example. | B．By explaining a definition. |
| C．By quoting a famous saying. | D．By introducing a research result. |
| A．The procedures and result of the experiment. |
| B．The amazing evolution of cuttlefish’s brain ability. |
| C．The background and the researchers in the experiment. |
| D．The comparison between the brains of human and cuttlefish. |
| A．Cuttlefish’s delayed gratification is linked to better cognitive performance. |
| B．The researchers later adapted the experiment for a Stanford marshmallow test. |
| C．Previous link between self-control and intelligence has been found in animals. |
| D．Four sea species have been so far confirmed with the ability to delay gratification. |
| A．Cuttlefish: The Impatient Waiter and Quick Hunter |
| B．A Test Challenging Kids: To Eat Now or To Eat Not? |
| C．Large-brained Vertebrates: Better Self Control Leads to More Rewards |
| D．Delayed Gratification: Quick-Learning Cuttlefish Pass “The Marshmallow Test” |
2 . “Don’t be a victim.” That’s a phrase you’ll hear a lot if you take a crime-prevention class. Basically, it means that there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood that you’ll be mugged, assaulted, or otherwise attacked. Don’t wave your cash around like you’re a billionaire. Don’t be distracted on the subway. Walk with a purpose.
That last one is particularly important, because according to a new study from the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, some criminals are very good at sensing weakness based on the way you walk. Actually, serial killer Ted Bundy admitted in a personal interview in 1985 that “he could tell a victim by the way she walked down the street, the tilt of her head, the manner in which she carried herself, etc…” Unfortunately, research demonstrated the reality that criminals do in fact look for, or at least notice certain characters when selecting potential victims. While nothing excuses crime, knowledge is power in the sense that there are things we can do to protect ourselves when we are out alone.
In the report titled “Psychopathy and Victim Selection” the researchers surveyed 47 criminals at a maximum-security prison in Ontario and found that social predators are very good at picking victims based on their posture and gait(步伐). They noted that people might be releasing vulnerability to criminals through their postures, gestures, and exaggerated movements.
The researchers secretly filmed 12 people walking — eight women and four men, some of whom had been attacked before. Then, they showed the video to a group of criminals and asked them whether or not each person would make a good victim. These “victim ratings” were then compared against each person’s actual history of victimization. Sure enough, the people whom the criminals picked as “likely victims” were usually the ones who had been victimized in the past. These people were often said to have “walked like an easy target” — slowly, unfocused, with short steps.
The sample size here is really small. Maybe we shouldn’t give this study’s findings too much weight. Nevertheless, it emphasizes something that seems pretty unconscious. Criminals aren’t looking for a challenge. Rather, they want someone timid and inattentive. So stride down the street like you own it. Your new, aggressive gait may scare off criminals. And even if this study turns out to be total bullshit, you’ll still get where you’re going a lot faster.
1. Why does the author mention the serial killer Ted Bundy?| A．To call on more people to learn psychology. |
| B．To prove that someone can be a natural criminal. |
| C．To demonstrate some skills to distinguish criminals. |
| D．To emphasize the importance of the right walking habit. |
| A．By analyzing crime data in various neighborhoods. |
| B．By filming people walking and getting criminals’ opinions. |
| C．By filming criminals as they selected their potential victims. |
| D．By studying the psychology of crime victims in a maximum-security prison. |
| A．Distracted walking with short steps. |
| B．Purposeful walking with slow steps. |
| C．Walking with a group of people cheerfully. |
| D．Walking with confident and exaggerated movements. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Doubtful. | C．Disapproving. | D．Indifferent. |
3 . Remembering names is an important social skill. Here are some ways to master it.
Recite and repeat in conversation.
When you hear a person’s name, repeat it. Immediately say it to yourself several times without moving your lips. You could also repeat the name in a way that does not sound forced or artificial.
Ask the other person to recite and repeat.
You can let other people help you remember their names. After you’ve been introduced to someone, ask that person to spell the name and pronounce it correctly for you. Most people will be pleased by the effort you’re making to learn their names.
Admit you don’t know.
Admitting that you can’t remember someone’s name can actually make people relaxed. Most of them will feel sympathy if you say, “I’m working to remember names better. Yours is right on the tip of my tongue. What is it again?”
Use associations.
Link each person yon meet with one thing you find interesting or unusual. For example, you could make a mental note: “Vicki Cheng — tall, black hair.” To reinforce (加强) your associations, write them on a small card as soon as possible.
Limit the number of new names you learn at one time.
When meeting a group of people, concentrate on remembering just two or three names. Free yourself from remembering every one. Few of the people in mass introductions expect you to remember their names. Another way is to limit yourself to learning just first names. Last names can come later.
Go early.
Consider going early to conferences, parties and classes. Sometimes just a few people show up on time. That’s fewer names for you to remember. And as more people arrive, you can hear them being introduced to others — an automatic review for you.
1. How will most people feel when you try hard to remember their names?| A．They will be moved. | B．They will be annoyed. |
| C．They will be delighted. | D．They will be discouraged. |
| A．write them down | B．say it to yourself several times |
| C．go early to parties | D．spell and pronounce the name correctly |
| A．Tips on an important social skill. |
| B．Importance of attending parties. |
| C．How to make use of associations. |
| D．How to recite and repeat names. |
4 . In the animal world, speed is king. Fast animals have a leg up in outrunning other animals, which puts them high on the food chain. It would seem that all animals would go for speed, but then there’s the sloth (树懒). While a lion can go from 0 to 60 miles an hour in only five seconds, it takes a sloth all day to cover no more than 50 meters.
Sloths live entirely in trees on a diet of leaves. And for this, they are extremely rare. While most of the land world is covered in trees, there are very few vertebrates (脊椎动物) that call the tree home. The aim of a 2016 study, says Jonathan Pauli, a University of Alabama professor of forest and wildlife ecology, was to help uncover why sloths are indeed so unique. “Among vertebrates, this is the rarest of lifestyles”, says Pauli. “When you picture animals that live off plant leaves, they are almost all big-things like deer. What’s super interesting about sloths is that they can’t be big.”
For their research, Pauli and his Wisconsin team studied wild sloths at a field site. When the researchers measured the energy use of sloths, they found a wildly low burning of as little as 110 calories of energy a day. And for this, they take the cake: it is the lowest measured energetic output for any mammal (哺乳动物).
“The measurement was intended to find out what it cost sloths to live over a day,”says Pauli, who adds that a diet of little but leaves lacks nutritional value and the animal’s small size doesn’t allow for overeating-so sloths need to find ways to make the most of their diets, which means using tiny amounts of energy, dramatic control of body temperature and living at an extremely slow pace.
Their reward? A wonderfully widespread ecological system to call their own, one slow inch at a time.
1. Why is a lion mentioned in Paragraph 1?| A．To admire lions’ speed. | B．To state sloths’ weakness. |
| C．To confirm lions’ lead position. | D．To highlight sloths’ uniqueness. |
| A．The lifestyle of sloths. | B．The diet of vertebrates. |
| C．The species of rare animals. | D．The energy use of creatures. |
| A．Break down. | B．Keep on. | C．Stand out. | D．Grow up. |
| A．Their slow pace is a balanced choice. |
| B．They are in face of possible extinction. |
| C．Their slow pace decides a tiny appetite. |
| D．They suffer a lot against natural enemies. |
5 . A few years ago, I moved to a window office and sent an email letting everyone know. In the email, Ijokingly invited everyone to come by for a “tour” of the new space.
I was in a meeting that morning and when I got back to my office, I saw a box on my desk. There was a note on it, saying, “Happy new office!” The person didn’t sign it. I was so happy with that. I didn’t feel like I should help anyone or that someone was trying to get something from me. In fact, I found myself thanking everyone in the office. It was completely different from what I did on the beach the other day.
The water was coming in. Two nice chairs were about to be taken out by the waves. The owners were nowhere to be seen, so I moved the chairs again and again as the waves rose. When the couple who owned the chairs showed up. I couldn’t help myself. I went over, pointed to the waves, and said. “A couple of hours ago, your chairs were out there. ”
“Oh, thanks so much for pulling them in,” said the guy. “We just realized they were out here and thought they had probably gotten washed away. ”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, as I walked away. Then these words came to my mind, “You have your reward. ”
Then I realized when I went over to the couple, I was looking for something. If they hadn’t shown anything after I told what I had done, it would have upset me. In our life, people who show their good deeds are always looking for a reward and they resent those who don’t celebrate their generosity.
However, when we experience the pleasure of giving without letting the other know, we do more than show kindness. We’re just giving to communicate an invaluable message, “You’re loved. You’re important to someone and it has nothing to do with what you can give in return. ”
1. How did the author feel when she saw the box?| A．Delighted and grateful. | B．Bored and painful. |
| C．Nervous and thankful. | D．Stressed and tired. |
| A．She was lucky to meet with a kind couple. |
| B．She told the couple what she did. |
| C．She got angry at keeping moving the chairs. |
| D．She didn’t think the couple liked the chairs. |
| A．Avoid. | B．Persuade. | C．Love | D．Hate. |
| A．Show love to someone important to you. |
| B．Do what we can to help more people. |
| C．Give without expecting anything in return. |
| D．Show kindness to those who dislike you. |
6 . Wang Yaping’s dream of becoming an astronaut was inspired by Yang Liwei’s 2003 space flight, which was China’s first manned space mission.
Born in a small village in Yantai, Shandong Province in 1980, Wang had been an enthusiastic long-distance runner since primary school, and competed in local sports meetings.
In 1997, Wang, a high school student, was encouraged to register for the pilot recruitment program by her classmates because she was good at sports and didn’t wear glasses. The 17-year-old had been considering applying to a teaching college, as her parents suggested.
Given her strong build and ability to stay calm under pressure, Wang passed all tests as well as physical examinations and became a female pilot in China. After four years of systemic education and tough training, Wang eventually learned to fly four different types of aircraft before graduation.
During her service as a military pilot, she accumulated 1,567 hours of flight time and was involved in major tasks such as the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake relief effort and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
In May 2010, Wang became a member of China’s first batch of female astronauts. The joy of being selected did not last long as the hard training quickly sank in.
In the first year, Wang could not get the top level in the high-G training, during which she had to endure eight times the force of gravity in a spinning centrifuge. The training imitates the environment when the spacecraft takes off, enters orbit and returns. Wang improved her performance by doing extra core-strength exercises every day to strengthen her back and abdominal muscles. She got the top level at the end of 2011. Wang realized her space dream in 2013 as part of the Shenzhou-10 mission.
Over the past two years, Wang has logged in over 6,000 hours of strict training. The most tiring exercise was the seven-hour underwater training session during which she had to wear a special suit that weighed over 100 kilograms to simulate extravehicular activities in a weightless environment.
Wang has become the first female taikonaut to work in China’s Tiangong space station as well as the first Chinese woman to perform a spacewalk.
1. Why did Wang want to become an astronaut?| A．Because she was able to stay calm under pressure. |
| B．Because she was good at sports and didn’t wear glasses. |
| C．Because she was advised to register for the pilot program by her parents. |
| D．Because she was influenced by China’s first manned space flight. |
| A．Wang was the first Chinese female to take a spacewalk |
| B．Wang won a long-distance runner championship in college. |
| C．Wang went to a teaching college encouraged by her classmates. |
| D．Wang thought the seven-hour underwater training session was easy. |
| A．She learned to fly four different types of aircraft. |
| B．She received four years of systemic education in university. |
| C．She participated in the Shenzhou-10 mission of China. |
| D．She got involved in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake relief effort. |
| A．Calm and friendly. | B．Hardworking and determined. |
| C．Modest and honest. | D．Warm-hearted and creative. |
7 . Animal rescue workers often come up with various ways to get their dogs noticed by potential adopters. Happily Forever After Rescue is no different. Their recent idea is so
It all started when a 7-year-old dog was discovered
Van Gogh was brought to the
After Van Gogh completed ten
| A．clear | B．strange | C．simple | D．creative |
| A．playing | B．wandering | C．hiding | D．drawing |
| A．used | B．blamed | C．arrested | D．supported |
| A．kept | B．covered | C．adjusted | D．removed |
| A．promised | B．earned | C．offered | D．awarded |
| A．gallery | B．station | C．stage | D．shelter |
| A．handed in | B．took over | C．paid off | D．focused on |
| A．produced | B．delivered | C．spread | D．smelled |
| A．digital | B．abstract | C．literary | D．local |
| A．applications | B．adventures | C．masterpieces | D．surveys |
| A．ready | B．happy | C．necessary | D．sorry |
| A．tried | B．proved | C．laughed | D．appeared |
| A．trust | B．money | C．effort | D．pressure |
| A．Fortunately | B．Frankly | C．Sadly | D．Suddenly |
| A．strike | B．benefit | C．satisfy | D．disturb |
8 . Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) will soon test a new oven for making chocolate chip cookies. A spaceship carrying the cooking equipment and other supplies was launched on Saturday from the Wallops Flight Facility in the United States. The shipment, weighing 3,700 kilograms, reached the space station on Monday. The goal is to explore the possibility of making freshly baked cookies for space travelers.
American company Nanoracks designed and built the oven and helped with organizing the flight to the space station. Hilton Double Tree hotels supplied the cookie dough (生面团) the astronauts will use.
In the past, space station crews have created their own pizzas using a thin, fiat piece of bread known as flatbread. Astronauts have tried other creative ways to make food, such as creating salads from vegetables grown in the space station. Results have been mixed.
The cookie baking will be a slow process. The oven can heat just one cookie at a time. The test could take weeks before the astronauts have chance to try out freshly baked cookies.
Five unbaked cookies have been in a space station freezer for several weeks. Each is in its own individual clear bag made out of silicone. The oven can heat foods to temperatures as high as 177°C. That is twice the temperature of the U.S. and Russian food warmers on the space station. The oven uses electric heating elements.
Mary Murphy is with Nanoracks. Murphy says she expects a baking time of 15 to 20 minutes for each cookie when the oven is heated to about 163°C. She adds that the smell of baking cookies should fill the space station each time a cookie comes out of the oven.
The oven’s first use will be the real test. Without the force of gravity, the astronauts do not know exactly how the cookie will look. Three of the space-baked cookies are to be returned to Earth for testing.
1. Why were the cooking equipment and other supplies sent to ISS?| A．To promote the products from Hilton Double Tree hotels. |
| B．To find possible ways to make freshly baked cookies there. |
| C．To test the equipment’s cooking efficiency for of baking cookies. |
| D．To discover the potential of making bread by using a special dough. |
| A．They must be heated to over 177℃. |
| B．They were no different from those on the earth. |
| C．All the foods were brought with them from the earth. |
| D．Not all the planting experiments on ISS were successful. |
| A．Environmental-friendly. | B．Energy-efficient. |
| C．Far-reaching. | D．Time-consuming. |
| A．A newly-invented cooker is widely used on ISS. |
| B．A new oven is to be tested to make cookies on ISS. |
| C．Dessert-lovers will soon enjoy cookies coming from ISS. |
| D．Astronauts have found creative ways to make food on ISS. |
9 . Two years ago, my 11-year-old son sat me down for a talk. “Mom, it’s time.” he said. “Hear me out: It’s time we got actual TV. And you need an iPhone.”
This funny conversation two years ago marked a shift in our relationship. Perhaps for the first time, I began to really listen to my son’s opinion about our home technology. Since his reasoning was sensible and his suggestions within budget, I took his advice and was pleasantly surprised with the results.
I’d known for a while that my son understands technology better than I do. On airplanes, he grabbed my phone to put it in airplane mode. He wired the speakers in our house. After something was stolen from our front yard, he picked out, set up, and now monitors our security camera. When my computer died, I took him shopping with me.
As a teenager now, he has a busy social life, with skateboarding, basketball, and online gaming with his friends. I see our time together decreasing and our shared interests shrinking. That’s why I jumped at the chance when a friend mentioned writing technology reviews. I’m a writer, but I’d need a partner who has more tech knowledge than me. When I presented the idea to my teen, he immediately accepted
It’s changed our relationship in surprising ways. Where he used to get annoyed quickly at my technical ignorance, he’s learned to be more patient and explain things to me in a way that I can convey to an unknowing audience. The parent-child dynamic is not only changed; it’s even slightly reversed — he’s leading me. I’m asking him for help and advice. My son has risen to the occasion. He’s taking it seriously, and to watch him mature in this way is an honor. As someone who’s not much of a reader, he now searches instruction book. Without any prompting, he’s even emailed and called, yes, made an actual phone call to customer service or tech support when sample products weren’t working as expected.
I never imagined being a tech reviewer, but it’s proved to be a valuable way to learn from, work with and enjoy time with my teen.
1. What did the writer think of her son’s advice?| A．It was unaffordable. | B．It was beyond reach. |
| C．It sounded reasonable. | D．It sounded surprising. |
| A．Prove her son’s better mastery of technology. |
| B．Describe their close parent-child relationship. |
| C．Give examples of her son’s interest in airplanes. |
| D．Express her satisfaction of her son’s timely help. |
| A．Unrealistic. | B．Opposite. | C．Negative. | D．Common. |
| A．Her son’s patience with their relationship. |
| B．Her son’s attitudes to some unknown audiences. |
| C．Her son’s growth and serious attitude to the work. |
| D．Her son’s desire to change the parent-child dynamic. |
10 . Every year, young, talented, and ambitious nature conservationists from all over the world shoot their shot for the Future For Nature(FFN)Award, an honorable international award.
The Future For Nature aims to•Reward and fund individuals for their outstanding efforts in the protection of species of wild animals and plants.
•Stimulate award winners to keep up their dedicated work.
•Help winners to raise their profile, extend their professional network and strengthen their funding basis.
Benefits
•The winners each receive 50,000 euros and may make their own decision to spend the money in the service of nature conservation.
•FFN offers the winners a platform and brings their stories to the attention of conservationists, financiers and a wide audience, allowing them to increase their impact and gain more access to funds.
•FFN is building a growing family of winners, dedicated people who form a community of people with the same interest. FFN offers them the opportunity to meet each other and continue to learn with each other in order to continue their fight for nature as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Qualifications
The candidate
•Must be born on or after the 31st May 1988 and before the 31st May 2005.
•Is able to explain his/her conservation work in fluent English(written and spoken).
•Has achieved substantial and long-term benefits to the conservation status of one or more animal or plant species.
•Must be determined to continue his/her conservation work, as the award aims to stimulate the winner’s future work. It is not an “end of career” prize.
Additional Remarks
For the 2024 Future For Nature Award, we are again searching for natural leaders, who have proven that they can make a difference in species’ survival.
From all applications, 6 to 10 nominees(被提名者)will be selected. These applicants will be asked to provide additional information, which will be used to select the final awardees. Ultimately, three inspiring wildlife heroes are selected as the winners.
Application Process: Apply online—click Apply Now link.
Application Deadline: May 1st, 2024.
1. Which is one of the aims of the Future For Nature?| A．To fund more green groups. | B．To inspire future conservation efforts. |
| C．To increase environmental awareness. | D．To advocate further academic education. |
| A．A male is 16 year old now. |
| B．A female who has financed many families. |
| C．A male who has fluency in written English only. |
| D．A female who is committed to continuing her conservation work. |
| A．A magazine. | B．A brochure. | C．A guidebook. | D．A website. |
