1 . According to a new study， teens focus on rewards and have a hard time learning to avoid punishment or consider the consequences of alternative actions.
University College London researchers compared how teens and adults learn to make choices based on the available information. They tracked the way in which 18 volunteers aged 12-17 and 20 volunteers aged 18-32 completed tasks in which they had to choose between abstract symbols.
Each symbol was consistently associated with a fixed chance of a reward, punishment, or no outcome. As the trial progressed ， participants learned which symbols were likely to lead to each outcome and adjusted their choices accordingly. Teens and adults were equally good at learning to choose symbols associated with reward， but teens were less good at avoiding symbols associated with punishment. Adults also performed significantly better when they were told what would have happened if they had chosen the other symbol after each choice， while teens did not appear to take this information into account.
“From this experimental lab study we can draw conclusions about learning during the teen years. We find that teens and adults learn in different ways， something that might be relevant to education," said lead author Dr. Stefano Palminteri. " Unlike adults, teens are not so good at learning to adjust their choices to avoid punishment. This suggests that incentive systems based on reward rather than punishment may be more effective for this age group. Additionally, we found that teens did not learn from being shown what would have happened if they made alternative choices."
To interpret the results, the researchers developed computational models of learning and ran simulations （模拟）applying them to the results of the study. The first was a simple model, one that learned from rewards, and the second model added to this by also learning from the option that was not chosen. The third model was the most complete and took the full context into account, with equal weight given to punishment avoidance and reward seeking. For example, obtaining no outcome rather than losing a point is weighted equally to gaining a point rather than having no outcome.
Comparing the experimental data to the models, the team found that teens" behavior followed the simple reward-based model while adults" behavior matched the complete, contextual model. “Our study suggests that teens are more receptive to rewards than they are to punishments of equal value, ” said senior author Dr. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore. “As a result, it may be useful for parents and teachers to frame things in more positive terms.”
1. It can be learned from the study that .| A．adults made choices faster than teens |
| B．adults understood rewards better than teens |
| C．teens reacted better to reward than punishment |
| D．teens were aware of the outcome of each choice |
| A．They reflected people’s strong desire for punishment avoidance. |
| B．They gave circumstances different degrees of consideration. |
| C．They paid equal attention to reward and punishment. |
| D．They shaped the behavior of people at different ages. |
| A．accustomed | B．opposed |
| C．sympathetic | D．responsive |
| A．“If you insist on doing things in this way， you will lose ten points. " |
| B．“If we had talked about this earlier， you wouldn’t have made the mistake. " |
| C．“ If you hand in your assignment ahead of time， you will get an extra bonus." |
| D．“If you want to approach a problem differently ， you can talk to your parents. " |
2 . Motion picture, also called film or movie, series of sill photographs on film, projected in rapid succession onto a screen by means of light. This new art form became one of the most popular and influential media of the 20th century and beyond. In early twentieth-century France, a new form of entertainment was becoming a hit—motion pictures. People crowded into theatres for short, silent, black-and-white films that showed everyday happenings, such as a train pulling into a station. These images were dimly projected onto white sheets. Usually, there was no sound. Occasionally, men at pianos played music to match the scenes.
Later, with the introduction of colour and sound, the silent film soon disappeared. Colour and sound introduced a new world into the cinema and steadily grew more effective. It can be used to produce a powerful dramatic impression. Moving images at theatres are now no longer novel, but back at the beginning of the art form, surprises lurked around every corner. During the initial showings of basic silent movies, some people in the audience screamed in fear, reacting to what they saw as if it were happening in real life. Moviegoers were known to even leap out of their seats due to the trains on the screen. At that time, few people understood what motion pictures were, so audience members could easily be fooled.
Today, people crowd into theatres for the latest 3D movies. Even older movies, such as the popular Star Wars series, are being re-released in 3D. Moviemakers are excited about the ability to involve the audience more directly in the story or film. In addition, theatres invest tens of thousands of dollars on high-quality audio systems so that everything from the safest whispers to the largest explosions sounds clear and realistic. Sound, dialogue, and music are used in combination not only with one another but also with the visual image. They can overlap and vary in intensity in a flexible and complex pattern with those high-quality audio systems.
What will movies be like 100 years from now? Will audience be able to smell scents in the films, taste the food that characters are eating, or even become part of the stories themselves? Only time will tell.
1. What can we know about the motion pictures in early 20th century France?| A．They were in color. |
| B．They were the main form of entertainment. |
| C．They greatly appealed to people then. |
| D．They often had background music. |
| A．Because the movies were too scary. |
| B．Because they didn't see trains in real life. |
| C．Because the old theaters were too crowded. |
| D．Because audiences were unfamiliar with the movies. |
| A．To re-release more old movies. |
| B．To develop movie-making technologies. |
| C．To improve movie-goers' experience. |
| D．To make the explosions safe. |
| A．To explain how realistic movies are today. |
| B．To tell something about future movie plans. |
| C．To introduce the history of movie technology. |
| D．To compare movie theatres over the last century. |
3 . Surrounded by the sea off the coast in Mid-Norway, lies an island called Myken. This small island has about ten permanent residents, and for more than 50 years has been supplied with electricity via a 32-kilometer undersea cable (电缆). A break that appeared in the cable last autumn resulted in two months without power, so the island community started looking into a better way of sourcing their electricity.
“Myken is far out at sea, so as far as possible it should be taking care of things itself,” says Kyrre Sundseth, who is a hydrogen (氢) researcher in Norway and also the project manager for Myken’s energy project. “This is why we want Myken to become entirely self-sufficient in energy. It is also important to take the environment into consideration,” he says.
Much points to the idea that the solution may lie in a Hydrogen plant, specifically tailored for small islands. The “raw materials” for hydrogen production come from nature itself in the form of the sun and wind. Researchers have calculated that energy costs will be lower by using hydrogen production than the undersea cable option. And it is possible to store energy in the form of hydrogen for longer periods. This means that supplies will not have to rely on a lot of expensive batteries or external energy sources, even during periods when the sun isn’t shining, or the wind isn’t blowing.
The Myken project has attracted several technology companies. They are currently working on a pilot project. The pilot involves experiments on the feasibility (可行性) of the hydrogen system in which electricity is generated from solar and wind sources. The electricity can be used immediately, but during periods when all the energy generated is not required, the spare energy can be used to split seawater into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen can be stored in a tank, and used later to generate electricity. The pilot will help researchers know more about how effectively the system will work in the hydrogen plant. Since the island has a distillery (酿酒厂), where the distillation (蒸馏) process relies on energy, a hydrogen plant on Myken offers an even greater environmental benefit. Spare heat from the hydrogen system can also be used for the heating part in the distillation process.
“In Norway alone there are about 300 island inhabited all year round by small populations,” says Kyrre Sundseth. “All of these islands may be candidates for using this technology. In global terms we’re talking about 10,000 similar islands.”
1. Why is a hydrogen plant suitable for Myken?| A．It is perfect in size for small islands. |
| B．It can send electricity to faraway places. |
| C．It will restore local natural environment. |
| D．It provides green and sustainable energy. |
| A．The study on the energy storage. |
| B．The test on the hydrogen system. |
| C．The experiment on the raw materials. |
| D．The research on the innovation of the pilot. |
| A．produce purified seawater |
| B．prove more technically reliable |
| C．contribute in more than one way |
| D．benefit from the distillation process |
| A．Promising. |
| B．Systematic. |
| C．Irreplaceable. |
| D．Time saving. |
4 . Scientists have not found any signs of life on Mars yet,but they say a robotic vehicle called “Curiosity” is helping them learn a lot about the planet’s history and climate.
Curiosity landed on Mars in August 2012 after travelling through space for more than eight months.It was sent to Mars by scientists from NASA in the United States.
Curiosity is about the size of a car and has six wheels.It also has a robotic arm,cameras,and instruments that allow it to examine things it finds on the surface.Then it sends the information back to the earth.
Curiosity’s main task is to find out if anything could live on Mars,either now or in the past.On Nov.2,NASA scientists held a press conference (新闻发布会) to discuss what Curiosity had found in its first two months on Mars.
Curiosity has found soil that is similar to the sand formed by volcanoes (火山) on the earth.Scientists say that studying the minerals in Martian soil will help them understand what conditions were like on the planet in the past.Curiosity also found smooth stones like the ones found on river beds and seashores on the earth,where their rough edges have been worn down by water.Mars is very cold and dry now,but scientists say the smooth stones tell them that a river used to run through the place where they were found.
Curiosity has been testing the atmosphere around Mars for a type of gas called methane (甲烷),but so far it has not found any.On the earth,most methane is produced by plants or animals.Methane on Mars might indicate that some type of tiny plants or animals lived there.
Curiosity is the fourth robotic vehicle to be sent to Mars.It will continue to explore the planet for about two years.
1. Which of the following descriptions about Curiosity is TRUE?| A．It landed on Mars in January 2012. |
| B．It is small in size and has four arms. |
| C．It took over eight months to arrive in Mars. |
| D．It was sent to Mars by scientists from Russia. |
| A．there’s no air on Mars | B．Mars is warm and wet now |
| C．the soil on Mars is rich | D．there used to be water on Mars |
| A．smooth stones | B．rivers |
| C．robotic vehicles | D．volcanoes |
| A．some tiny animals once lived on Mars |
| B．there are no plants or animals on Mars now |
| C．the atmosphere around Mars is full of methane |
| D．Curiosity is designed to test the atmosphere around the earth |
| A．Humans benefit a lot by going to Mars. |
| B．Scientists will stop the research on Mars soon. |
| C．It is possible to build an earth-like environment on Mars. |
| D．A robotic vehicle helps scientists get useful information from Mars. |
5 . I'd done it before, and so I had no reason to believe that this time would be any different. I was sure that when I returned home from my mission trip, as always, I'd bring back nothing more than some mud on my boots, a hole or two in my jeans and, of course, a lot of great memories.
The summer before my high school graduation, I went to West Virginia with others as volunteers to repair the homes of those in need. Arriving at our destination, my group was assigned the task of rebuilding sections of a home that had been damaged by fire. No sooner had we parked on the home's dirt driveway than we saw an excited little girl, no more than six years old, standing in the doorway of the family's temporary home. Shoeless and wearing dirty clothes and the biggest smile I'd ever seen, she yelled, "Ma, Ma, they really came! " I didn't know it then, but her name was Dakota, and four more days would pass before she’d say another word near me.
Behind Dakota was a woman in a wheelchair—her grandmother, we'd soon learn. I also discovered that my job that week would be to help change a fire—damaged dining room into a bedroom for this little girl. Grabbing our tools, we went to work. Over the following days, I noticed Dakota peeking at us every now and then as we worked. A few times. I tried talking with her, but she remained shy and distant, always flying around us like a tiny butterfly but keeping to herself.
By our fifth and final day, however, this was about to change.
Before I went to work on her home on that last morning, I spoke for a moment or two with the grandmother. I was especially pleased when she told me how much Dakota loved her new room so much, in fact, that she'd begged to sleep in it the previous night, even though it wasn't quite ready. As we talked, I noticed something I hadn’t seen before—Dakota was hiding behind her grandmother. Cautiously, she stepped into view, and I could see that just like her clothes, her face was still dirty. But no amount of soil could hide those bright blue eyes and big smile. She was simply adorable. I wanted so much to hug her, but respecting her shyness, I kept my distance.
Slowly, she began walking toward me. It wasn't until she was just inches away that I noticed the folded piece of paper in her tiny hand. Silently, she reached up and handed it to me. Once unfolded, I looked at the drawing she'd made with her broken crayons on the back of an old coloring book cover. It was of two girls—one much taller than the other—and they were holding hands. She told me it was supposed to be me and her and on the bottom of the paper were three little words that instantly broke my heart. Now almost in tears, I couldn't control myself anymore—I bent down and hugged her. She hugged me, too. And for the longest time, neither one of us could let go.
By early afternoon, we finished Dakota's bedroom, and so I gladly used the rare free time to get to know my newest friend. Sitting under a tree away from the others, we shared a few apples while she told me about her life. As I listened to her stories about the struggles she and her family went through daily, I began to realize how boring various aspects of my own life were.
I left for home early the next morning. I was returning with muddy boots and holes in my jeans. But because of Dakota, I brought back something else, too—a greater appreciation for all of the blessing of my life. I’ll never forget that barefoot little butterfly with the big smile and dirty face. I pray that she’ll never forget me either.
1. From the appearance description of the little girl, we know _______.| A．she formed a bad living habit |
| B．she hoped for a better education |
| C．she was an innocent and lovely child |
| D．she was strong and calm in the inner world |
| A．Enjoy your help. |
| B．Please don’t leave. |
| C．Help me, please. |
| D．Hug me close. |
| A．She worried about the little girl’s future. |
| B．She decided to keep helping the little girl. |
| C．She felt a greater affection for the little girl. |
| D．She got surprised at the little girl’s worthless gift. |
| A．One must learn to share life experiences. |
| B．One often wants to lead a meaningful life. |
| C．One occasionally benefits from the poverty. |
| D．One should be more grateful for the gift of life. |
6 . Festivals and celebrations of all kinds have been held everywhere since ancient times. Most ancient festivals would celebrate the end of cold weather, planting in spring and harvest in autumn .Today's festivals have many origins: some are seasonal, some for special people and some for special events.
Dragon Boat Festival celebrations take place in China on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. They are held in memory of Qu Yuan, a famous person who wrote poems in Ancient China. It was the first traditional Chinese festival added to UNESCO'S List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Thanksgiving is celebrated mainly in North America, in October or November. Traditionally, it was a chance to give thanks for a good year, Now. i is also a time for families to get together for a big dinner.
May Day s a festival to celebrate the start of summer, with celebrations held across Europe and in parts of North America. People prepare decorations with flowers and dance around poles.
The Spring Festival that is also called Chinese New Year is one of the most important Festivals in China.It stars with a new moon and ends 15 day later on the full moon, marking the beginning of spring .During this festival,people eat dumpling, fish and meat and may give children lucky money in red paper. Nowadays, more and more countries around the world are holding celebrations for Chinese Spring Festival.
Festivals let us enjoy life , be proud of our customs and forget our work for a little while.
1. How many festivals are introduced in the text?| A．Two. | B．Three | C．Four | D．Five. |
| A．May Day. | B．Thanksgiving. |
| C．The Spring Festival. | D．Dragon Boat Festival |
| A．Pies and chicken. | B．Dumplings and fish. |
| C．Noodles and meat. | D．Sandwiches and Turkey. |
| A．In China | B．Across Europe. |
| C．in North America | D．In South Africa. |
| A．The introduction of some festivals. | B．The activities of some festivals. |
| C．The customs of some festivals. | D．The history of some festivals. |
7 . People think of cats as cute. But research published in a psychology journal calls them neurotic (神经质的) and unstable. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and the Bronx Zoo in New York compared the personalities of domestic house cats with those of four different types of wildcats.
To better understand their personalities, the researchers rated a number of animals behaviors on what psychologists call the Big Five human personality traits (特征).
Domestic house cats have similar personality structures to African lions. “It’s what cats do pretty much on a daily basis, things like being anxious, being timid, being excitable, being aggressive toward humans, being aggressive toward each other, ”said Max Wachtel, a Denver psychologist who didn’t participate in the study. “All of those are characteristics you see in those cute little house cats, and you also see them in lions.”
If you ever thought your cat was anxious, insecure, tense, suspicious or aggressive toward you, you aren’t making it up, he said. If they were bigger, they probably would consider killing you.
But the news isn’t all bad: Just like lions, house cats are also playful, excitable and impulsively funny. They just aren’t very predictable. One moment cats will be enjoying bell scratches, and the next they will be biting you to make you stop.
“It is good to understand the personality characteristics of our pets,” Wachtel said “Different cats have different personalities, but as a species, there are a lot of commonalities.”
The researchers also studied personality traits of Scottish wildcats and some other animals “Across the five species we assessed, personality structure was strikingly similar and also seemed to be related to other studies’ findings, such as in tigers,” the researchers wrote in their study in the November 2014 issue of the Journal of Comparative Psychology. But house cats were most like lions, potentially because they live in semi-social surroundings and lions are the most social of cats.
“They’re cute and furry, but we need to remember when we have cats as pets, we are inviting little predators into our house,” Wachtel said. “Cats can be fantastic, sweet companions—until they turn on you.”
1. Cats can be described as _____.| A．funny and safe |
| B．playful and stable |
| C．fantastic and devoted |
| D．neurotic and unpredictable |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By analyzing cause and effect. |
| C．By giving examples. | D．By providing explanations. |
| A．The book really turned me on to science. |
| B．Upon entering the room, he turned on the light. |
| C．The hungry suddenly turned on each other for food. |
| D．The trial turned on the medical evidence presented by the defense. |
| A．Cats are best pets. |
| B．Domestic cats and wildcats. |
| C．Your cat may want to kill you. |
| D．Different cats, different personalities. |
8 . That the Leaning Tower of Pisa no longer leans quite so much after a ￡20 million project to save it has proved to be a great success.The tower,which was on the edge of collapse,has been straightened by 18 inches,returning it to its 1838 position.
“It has straightened a little bit more than we expected,but very little helps,”said Prof.John Burland,the only British member of the rescue committee.“The tower is still very slightly moving towards being upright.”
The tower,which has been leaning almost since building work first began in 1173,was closed to the public in 1990 because of safety fears.The 183-foot tower was nearly 15 feet off vertical and its structure was found to have been weakened by centuries of strain(作用力).
Prof.Burland said it could have collapsed “at any moment”.However,it took nine years of quarrelling before any work was done.The last attempt at straightening the tower was carried out.Concrete(混凝土) was poured into the foundations,but the result was that the tower sank further into the soil.
The straightening work involved digging out around 70 tonnes of earth from the northern side of the tower,causing it to sink on that side.Before the digging started,the tower was fixed with steel ropes and 600 tonnes of lead weights.
However,halfway through the project,concerns at the ugliness of the lead weights led to their removal and the tower leaned greatly.The weights were hurriedly reattached.One night,the tower moved more than it had averaged in an entire year.The tower’s stonework has also been restored.
The Italian government stepped in after a tower collapsed in Pavia in 1989,killing four people.Experts suddenly realized that the tower at Pisa,which was similarly built and on the same sort of earth,could do the same.
1. What would be the best title for the passage?| A．The Building of the Leaning Tower of Pisa |
| B．Saving the Leaning Tower of Pisa |
| C．The Collapse of the Leaning Tower of Pisa |
| D．The History of the Leaning Tower of Pisa |
| A．closed for the straightening work in 1990 |
| B．began to lean more than 800 years ago |
| C．has a history of more than 1,000 years |
| D．has become vertical |
| A．The development of new technology. | B．The advice of Prof.John Burland. |
| C．The expectation of the rescue committee. | D．The collapse of a tower in Pavia. |
| A．The lead weights fixed to the tower. |
| B．Restoring the stonework. |
| C．Pouring concrete into the foundations. |
| D．Digging earth from the southern side of the tower. |
| A．The position of the tower has been restored to what it was 182 years ago. |
| B．Hundreds of years of strain has weakened the tower’s structure. |
| C．The tower doesn’t lean any more after the straightening work finished. |
| D．People spent nine years in discussing about the straightening work. |
9 . I’ve spent over a year in India,and in those 365 plus days,I’ve learned a lot about getting around Indian cities.My biggest lessons have been learned through being cheated,particularly by taxi and rickshaw(人力车) drivers,but that doesn’t mean those are bad ways to travel,as long as you know what you’re doing.Below are the best ways to get around the city of Delhi,India,and tips for how to keep from being the victim of scams(欺诈).
Taking taxis is a great way to get around the city of Delhi and chances are,if you arrive in Delhi by plane,as soon as you make it through customs,you’ll be swarmed by Indian taxi drivers.At the Delhi airport,be sure to arrange for a taxi to your hotel at one of the two Delhi Traffic Police Taxi Booths.One is inside the airport,and the other is outside.The key is to make sure to go to a booth run by the police,rather than by independent taxi drivers.
Rickshaws are one of my favourite ways to get around Indian cities,in part because it’s how the locals often travel.Auto-rickshaws are more common,but bicycle rickshaws are still used in Old Delhi.If you do have a chance to take a bicycle rickshaw,you should do it at least once for a unique experience that should only set you back about 15 rupees.Auto-rickshaw rates around Delhi range between 30 and 80 rupees,depending on the distance.
If you really want to travel around Delhi like the locals,take a public bus.Indian buses become very crowded and most do not have air conditioning.They are,however,very cheap.A bus trip won’t set you back any more than 15 rupees,as long as you stay within the city limits.Since Indian buses get so crowded,try to board the bus at the start of the route so you can get a seat.
The train is a great way to get around within the city of Delhi.Fares are reasonable,between 6 and 22 rupees.All departure announcements are in both Hindi and English,and tokens can be purchased for between 6 and 22 rupees.
1. The author is trying to in Delhi through this text.| A．give some advice of travelling | B．expect us to travel around |
| C．show his/her experiences | D．explain the difficulties of travelling |
| A．pay more to the drivers to keep safe | B．show your ticket to the driver |
| C．go to a police-run booth | D．go out of the airport |
| A．save some money | B．enjoy the comfortable trip |
| C．gain a unique experience | D．help the local rickshaw drivers |
| A．You won’t have to pay much if you travel around by bus in India. |
| B．It will be difficult for you to get a seat if you get on the bus halfway. |
| C．A rickshaw driver only charges whatever amount you give him. |
| D．You’ll have to speak English if you travel around in India. |
| A．Hotel recommendations in Delhi | B．Weather conditions in Delhi |
| C．Food and drink in Delhi | D．Car rentals in Delhi |
10 . Creativity is the process of taking an idea and applying it in real life, if we aren’t creative, we can't think outside the box and question what we can do.
Asking questions is a good way of sparking creativity.
First, we can ask learners questions that have more than one possible answer.
In science: “How many ways can you find to empty a glass of water without touching it? ”
In any subject: “What else would you like to know? How do you know that is true? Is there another way of doing this?”
Second, we can encourage learners to invent their own questions, We can do this for a topic that students are familiar with in their study. Firstly, discuss what makes a good question Secondly, create questions by grouping questions into different types--open, closed, or one that challenges the imagination. Finally, put those questions in order according to their importance.
Our teachers encourage us to ask questions and not accept the standard answers without Reasoning（推理）. Our school has some activities annually to inspire creativity in every student. Our teachers encourage us to be creative and think of solutions for real-world problems. On the whole, the freedom of being allowed to be ourselves is what brings out the best in our creativity.
1. What does the underlined word “sparking” mean in the second paragraph?| A．questioning | B．knowing |
| C．causing | D．learning |
| A．telling facts | B．showing evidence |
| C．expressing an opinion | D．giving some examples |
| A．Two | B．Three |
| C．Four | D．Five |
| A．have some activities with their parents |
| B．take more opportunities to think carefully |
| C．think of solutions to problems in the real world |
| D．accept standard answers provided by their teachers |
| A．Definition of Creativity | B．Problems on Students’ Certainty |
| C．The Meaning of Certainty to Students | D．Ways of Developing Students’ Certainty |
