1 . You have probably read about robots replacing human labor as a new era of automation takes root in one industry after another. But a new report suggests humans are not the only ones who might lose their jobs.
In New Zealand, farmers are using drones(无人机) to herd and monitor cows and sheep, taking up a position that highly intelligent dogs have held for more than a century. The robots have not replaced the dogs entirely, Radio New Zealand reports, but they have appropriated(盗用) one of the animal's most powerful tools: barking. The DJI Mavic Enterprise, a $3,500 drone favored by farmers, has a feature that lets the machine record sounds and play them over a loudspeaker, giving the machine the ability to act as the dogs.
Corey Lambeth, a shepherd on a farm, told RNZ the machines are surprisingly effective. ''That's the one thing I've noticed when you're moving cows that the old cows stand up to the dogs, but with the drones, they've never done that,'' he said, noting the drones move cows faster, with less stress, than the dogs do.
The drones come in handy for more than just herding(放牧) cows and sheep. The robots allow farmers to monitor their land from afar, monitoring water and feed levels and checking on the animals' health without disturbing them. Jason Rentoul told RNZ that a two-hour herding job that used to require two people and two teams of dogs could be accomplished in 45 minutes using a single drone. ''Being a hilly farm where a lot of stuff is done on foot, the drones really saved a lot of man hours, '' he said.
For now, farmers say, there is still a need for herding dogs, primarily because they have a longer life span than drones, can work in bad weather and do not require an electrical socket every few hours to recharge.
1. What is the main advantage of the drones over herding dogs?| A．The drones can take up a job that the dogs hardly do well any longer. |
| B．The drones can frighten the old cows which are not afraid of the dogs. |
| C．The drones can finish a herding job more efficiently than the dogs. |
| D．The drones can work on a hilly farm and extreme weather while the dogs can't. |
| A．Herding dogs will gradually lose their position on the farmland. |
| B．The drones can only copy the dogs' barking with the current technology. |
| C．The drones are multi-functional and leave the animals undisturbed. |
| D．The market for the DJI Mavic Enterprise is pretty small because of its high price. |
| A．Because the drones can't bark as loudly as the dogs do. |
| B．Because cows are not used to seeing the drones. |
| C．Because the drones are much more expensive than the animal. |
| D．Because the drones' power is limited and they need charging from time to time. |
| A．supportive | B．objective |
| C．critical | D．doubtful |
2 . About 450 million years ago, animals made one of the most important decisions in Earth's history: They left the wet sea and started living on the dry land. At that moment, humanity's problems with superbugs (超级细菌) probably began. Scientists at the Broad Institute have found evidence that an important group of antibiotic-resistant (耐药性) bacteria are as old as animals themselves.“These bugs likely lived in the very first creatures that were out of the sea and came onto land,” says Ashlee Earl, who co-led the study.
During that time, these superbugs seem to have picked up characteristics that .helped them live in hospitals and even the most common antibiotics, like penicillin. “These bugs became part of these creatures' stomach bacteria," Earl adds. The superbug we're talking is a little guy called Enterococci. And it's the godfather of superbugs. Today Enterococci bacteria have become. a: major source of hospital infections. They, sicken nearly 70, 000 and. kill more than 1,000 each year in U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
“Why, out of the thousand species of bacteria that live in our stomach, have Enterococci become a superbug?" Earl wondered. To figure it out, she sequenced(排序) the genomes of 24 species of Enterococci found in the stomach of all sorts of animals, from bees and pigeons to human and fish. When she looked at what those genes do, Earl quickly realized Enterococci’s secret weapon: “Basically, it's like the. bacteria put on a tough suit." Many of these special genes are involved in hardening the bacteria's cell wall.“They help make the bacteria able to withstand drying out and exposure to disinfectants(消毒剂)”
“Remember, these are bacteria that live in the stomach of animals, but. sometimes they are out in waste." When the waste happens in the ocean, the bacteria end up in an environment that's not too different than. an animal's stomach, wet and filled with nutrients. But when bacteria are out onto land, they find themselves in a much harder environment. They are exposed to U.V. light, starving and drying up. So, to survive, they needed to develop this tough suit.
1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?| A．Hospitals are fighting against superbugs fiercely. |
| B．It is possible that superbugs can be defeated in the near future. |
| C．Superbugs can be traced back to ancient land animals. |
| D．Humans have lived with superbugs for a long time. |
| A．the harsh environment | B．the hard 'cell wall |
| C．the evolution of Enterococci | D．the abundant nutrients |
| A．They had a comfortable life then. | B．They tended to protect themselves from starving. |
| C．They developed a tough suit. | D．They depended on the sea animals. |
| A．To introduce the concept of superbugs. | B．To explain the changing living environment. |
| C．To compare the gut bacteria with Enterococci. | D．To inform the origination of-superbugs. |
3 . I used to think that the most effective way to resist depression (抑郁) was to have my heart set on happiness. If you valued happiness instead of sorrow as your goal, I thought, one would not suffer from depression.
However, a study, carried out among students living in the UK, found those who said they valued happiness extremely highly tended to show greater signs of depression.
Vogt and colleagues presented 151 students, the majority of them female, with a series of online questionnaires, These examined attitudes from how much they valued happiness to how much their emotions affected them, how easy they found it to put aside emotions, and their levels of depression-related symptoms.
The results, published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, reveal that those who valued happiness more had higher scores for symptoms of depression. The reason is in part because individuals become distracted by their feelings and a lower ability to reframe thoughts or experiences. It is also in part because. of bottling up emotions. “Suppression is not considered a successful emotional regulation strategy because when you try not to think of something you think of it all the time," said Vogt.
While Vogt said the study cannot prove that valuing happiness too much causes symptoms of depression, she said it was highly possible. She also noted that in Russia and east Asian countries the opposite trend had been found.
However, the study has limitations - including that it mainly involved women and did not account for the health or socioeconomic status or participants, although all were young and at university.
1. What did the study find?| A．If you value happiness, you won't get upset. |
| B．The goal of happiness leads to depression. |
| C．Negative :emotions affects one's happiness. |
| D．Female college students are easier to become depressed. |
| A．They are distracted by their feelings. | B．They fail to adjust their thought. |
| C．They welcome every kind of emotions. | D．They think about happiness all the time. |
| A．expression | B．hiding |
| C．value | D．happiness |
| A．objective | B．indifferent |
| C．supportive | D．critical |
4 . I come from a broken family, experiencing my parents' divorce and remarriages. After we grew up, my three siblings and I could go years without speaking. And that is where this story begins.
My sister Jeanne and I were born only 14 months apart, but by the time we were teenagers we had lost touch. By age 19, I couldn't wait to move away from our home in Wisconsin to live on a farm in Virginia, where I worked as a vet assistant. Jeanne got married at 18, moved to Chicago, and became - well, I didn't know what. We lived separate lives in separate states, and our connection somewhat ended.
When I was 24, I was on a trip to New York City for sightseeing one day, I was crossing a very busy street loaded with people. Everyone was in a hurry. I had laughed at something and I suddenly heard my name yelled from somewhere behind me: “Cheryl!" I froze in my steps in the middle of the road. Tears welled up instantly in my eyes. I knew without a doubt that it was my sister Jeanne. I yelled before even turning to look.“Jeanne?”
It was her.“Oh my God!" I screamed, and I began pushing people out of my way to get to her. The crowd started to pert. We must have seemed crazy. And there we were, standing in the middle of a Manhattan street, facing each other and smiling. I couldn't believe it.
I later asked how she'd known it was me - she never saw me! She said it was my laugh. I wouldn't say my laugh is all that unusual, but I guess to a family member it's infectious. It hits your heart and resonates in your mind.
Since that time, my sister and I have never been separated. We both moved back to Wisconsin. I see our sister-to-sister miracle as a lesson, a reminder not to lose touch with loved ones. It is too easy to remain lost.
1. Why Jeanne and Cheryl were separated?| A．Because they both grew up. |
| B．Because they wanted to escape from the family. |
| C．Because they were not willing to keep in touch. |
| D．Because they hated each other very much. |
| A．by her laugh. | B．by her talk. |
| C．by her look. | D．by her dress. |
| A．They saw it as a miracle. | B．They moved back to Wisconsin. |
| C．They remained lost easily. | D．They cherished their sisterhood. |
| A．A diary. . | B．A guidebook |
| C．A novel. | D．A magazine. |
5 . Airbnb rentals
Entire apartment hosted by Daniel
2 guests . Studio. 1 bed.1 bath.$ 135
Airbnb star rate 4.87 (230 reviews)
Entire home: You'll have the apartment to yourself.
Self-check-in: Check yourself in with the lockbox.
Sparkling clean: 13% recent guests said this place was sparkling clean.
Daniel is a superhost
Close to Wells beach and Route 1 shopping, restaurants, and etc. Private with its own full bathroom and full kitchen that's located in the room. High-speed Wi-Fi, and AC/heat. Comfy Queen size bed with bedding linens. I don't do long term rentals for the summer but please message me if you'd like to do a long-term rental from October to May.
Private room in apartment hosted by Sarah
1 guest. 1 bedroom.1 bed，1 shared bath . $213
Airbnb star rate 4.56 (98 reviews)
Sarah is a superhost
A cheerful, sunny room in a bright and well-lit street-side apartment. We love people-watching from the windows and the convenience to the subway. We are just a short subway ride from the downtown. Check-in before 9 p.m.
The space
Private room in a very clean apartment 2 blocks from the subway. Shared bathroom and kitchen. Wi-fi included through your own device.
Entire cabin hosted by Selena
2 guests . Cabin.1 bed.1 bath.$ 90
Airbnb star rate 4.91 (23 reviews)
Selena is a superhost
Our cabin is situated very close to the end of the road that runs north along the east side of the Sechelt Inlet. There is little besides wilderness, accessed only by plane or boat. As a result, it is very quiet up here with little to no traffic. We keep our canoe which is always avaible to our guests to use.
Information for transport
Driving is undoubtedly the best way to get around the coast as there is a lot to see and do, and not a lot of public transport options available. It might be possible for us to come pick guests up from the coast, Do let us know if that is the case.
1. How many guests have rated Daniel's apartment as sparkling clean probably?| A．52. | B．24. |
| C．17. | D．30. |
| A．Sarah's. | B．Selena's. |
| C．Daniel's. | D．None. |
| A．Daniel offers long term rentals in the summer. |
| B．Guests own a full bathroom in Sarah's apartment. |
| C．It is possible to call Selena for a pick up at her convenience. |
| D．You are not allowed to use the Selena's canoe. |
6 . Over the past ten years, stand-up comedy(独角喜剧) clubs have become common on college campuses in America. The culture of stand-up has gotten a lot of media attention. These clubs allow students to explore their abilities and develop interests beyond their field of study.
They give funny speeches, tell jokes and make humorous body movements. Their humor entertains and helps ease the stress of crowds of busy, young people. However, club member Ariella Shua says comedy is serious work. She says she has become a better observer of what is going on around her ever since. She does not go anywhere without bringing something on which she can take notes. Students write all their own materials. Then, in weekly club meetings, they try out that material to see what works and what doesn’t. So, it starts as an individual project for themselves and becomes a group effort.
Last year, Harry Kuperstein joined the club and discovered it was a natural fit. Noticing the funny qualities of different situations improved his way of looking at the world. Becoming an active member also helped him work on the future skills he will need as a medical doctor. It helps him talk to patients as a doctor and make him a better public speaker.
Despite the group meetings, rewrites and rehearsals, some ideas just are not funny. Club member Benjamin Monteagudo said performing in front of a group of students does not mean comedians will not receive strong criticism. Last year, they came up with an idea to keep the audience involved and get their opinions.
They called it “Tomato Show”, where if they were performing very badly on stage, they just let the audience throw tomatoes at them to kind of roll with the joke. So, they spent their entire budget on a big box of 300 soft tomatoes. They gave them to the audience, and it was the best show ever.
1. Ariella Shua thinks comedy is serious work because it ________.| A．has to be approved by all of the members |
| B．takes much time and is boring sometimes |
| C．requires her to take a lot of notes |
| D．needs personal efforts and teamwork |
| A．convenient. | B．suitable. |
| C．funny. | D．attractive. |
| A．It allowed audience to participate and respond. |
| B．Comedians avoided receiving strong criticism. |
| C．Club members were very skilled in acting. |
| D．The performance itself was very humorous. |
| A．The rise and fall of stand-up comedy clubs. |
| B．The influence of stand-up comedy clubs. |
| C．The popularity of stand-up comedy clubs. |
| D．The future of stand-up comedy clubs. |
7 . Have you ever made a mistake while trying to print from a computer? That paper probably went right into the recycling bin. From there, it is taken to a waste-handling plant to be eventually broken down and remade. But what if you could simply erase your mistake and reuse that paper? It may become available, thanks to a new technology.
It's a new type of rewritable paper that can be used more than 100 times. Words and pictures remain visible on it for at least half a year. This is nearly the first rewritable paper. But the marks on those earlier versions tended to fade away in less than three months.
Luzhuo Chen led the group that made the new rewritable paper. His team was inspired by pens that contain erasable ink. That ink disappears when heated. To make its new rewritable paper, Chen's group switched the ink from the pen to the paper. They covered one side of regular paper with the ink used in those erasable pens. Using a heated pen or printer, they can now write or print on this paper. That warmth makes the ink disappear.
This is the opposite of how writing usually works, where ink is applied to paper. With the new system, the spots where you write become white instead of colored because that heat makes the ink covering the white paper disappear.
Qiang Zhao has a creative mind behind another type of rewritable paper. He thinks Chen's paper is simple and doesn't cost much to make, so it should be easy and fairly inexpensive to produce. However, the paper will need a lot of ink. In large doses（剂量），chemicals in the ink can be bad for the environment and people's health. Zhao would like scientists to develop a safer ink. Still, he thinks this paper will have wide applications.
1. Why does the author raise the questions in the first paragraph?| A．To prove the necessity of recycling paper. |
| B．To introduce the importance of rewritable paper. |
| C．To draw readers attention to the new technology. |
| D．To show the development of paper-making technology. |
| A．It can be reused for a lot more times. |
| B．The costs of producing it are much lower. |
| C．It can be produced in a much easier way. |
| D．The contents on it can be more long-lasting. |
| A．It still needs improving. | B．It's somewhat impractical. |
| C．It does no harm to its users. | D．It's worth promoting right away. |
| A．It shows colored words or pictures. |
| B．It doesn't require ink to write on it. |
| C．It will replace ordinary writing paper soon. |
| D．It has no requirement on the writing tool. |
8 . Los Angeles is always a popular holiday destination. To fully enjoy your travel there, you should know its food, weather, and also traffic. While driving in L. A. is similar to that in other areas, there are a few specific rules to note.
HOV lanes (车道)
On many L. A. freeways, one or more lanes at the far left are used as high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. They usually have limited access and you can only enter or exit where there is a break in the double yellow line. Most HOV lanes require a minimum of two people in the car; some require three. Vehicles towing trailers (拖车) are NOT allowed in the HOV lane, regardless of how many people are in them.
Toll (收费) lanes
On certain freeways, the HOV lanes are double-purposed as toll lanes for people driving alone who have a FasTrak, an electronic toll collection system. Therefore, you also have to have one in that lane as a HOV, which is inconvenient if you’re just visiting. FasTrak is in effect on parts of the 110 freeway between the 405 and 10 freeways, and on parts of the 10 freeway east of Downtown L. A.
Cell phones
It is against the law to talk on a cell phone while driving without using a hands-free device. Holding a cell phone to your ear while driving will land you with a ticket.
Alcohol
Driving under the influence is taken seriously in L.A. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.08%, but you can be charged with lower levels if they show you can’t function normally. Placing an opened bottle of alcohol in the passenger area while driving (or sitting) is illegal. Any opened container of alcohol has to be transported in the trunk.
1. What do you know about HOV lanes?| A．They encourage people to share cars. |
| B．They are on the far right of freeways. |
| C．They are intended for larger vehicles. |
| D．They allow cars to enter over the double yellow line. |
| A．Driving on the 110 freeway with a FasTrak. |
| B．Putting the cell phone in the car while driving. |
| C．Riding with an opened bottle of alcohol in back seats. |
| D．Going below the blood alcohol limit of 0. 08%. |
| A．A traffic law. | B．A road map. |
| C．A guidebook. | D．A report. |
9 . An increasing number of students worldwide are considering studying abroad. The application process varies from country to country. If you’re looking for a university with a strong international outlook but feel swept over by all the application options, here is some guidance to get you started.
UK
International students must apply to universities in the UK through a system known as Ucas. This system allows students to apply to up to five universities with just one application. It costs £20 for a single choice or £25 for more than one choice.
The application consists of a series of questions to determine the student’s schooling and predicted grades. The biggest part of the application form is the personal statement, in which applicants should describe their personal interests and related experiences.
Switzerland
Switzerland has four official languages and is bordered by five countries so it is no surprise that its universities are among the most international in the world. International applicants may need to take an entrance exam if they have a foreign school certificate, and must also prove that they have a good grasp of the French language, usually through taking a language exam. The full application costs 50 Swiss Francs for a holder of a Swiss diploma and 150 Swiss Francs for holders of foreign diplomas.
Canada
International applicants have to write up a personal profile as part of their application, which is very similar to the personal statement required for a UK university application. Students will also have to prove their English-language competency—there are nine ways to meet the English Language Admission Standard, which are listed on many university websites.
Singapore
The process of applying to a Singaporean university is very much alike, but overseas students may be delighted to find that the domestic applicants have to cover the same procedures: filling out an online application form and submit identification documents, supporting documents and an application fee of S$20.
1. Which country requires international applicants know French well?| A．UK. | B．Switzerland. |
| C．Canada. | D．Singapore. |
| A．The application system. | B．The number of universities. |
| C．The application cost. | D．The personal statement. |
| A．Applicants need to pay a lot. | B．It is much simpler than elsewhere. |
| C．It’s no different for native students. | D．The competition is even more fierce. |
10 . Thailand's southern beaches attract travelers with their clean water and dramatic cliffs (峭壁), but there's more to explore in this Southeast Asian country.
Lopburi for history buffs
Bypass the tour groups at the ancient city of Ayutthaya and head two hours north of the capital, Bangkok, for a peaceful walk through Thai history. Lopburi, one of Thailand's oldest cities, boasts Khmer-era temples and the uncrowded ruins of King Narai's Palace, which was built in the 1600s. It's also known for the monkeys that gather at Phra Prang Sam Yot temple in the center of town.
Ban Krut for beach bums
In Ban Krut, travelers will find one of the cleanest and quietest stretches of white sandy beach within driving distance of Bangkok. This sleepy seaside community, known mostly by locals, is a five-hour drive or six-hour train trip down the Gulf of Thailand. Don't miss the magnificent Wat Tang Sai, a huge, fairy tale castle-like Buddhist temple.
Cave for holiday hikers
Hiking trails, wetlands and forests make Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park a weekend adventure worthy of topping your Thailand to-do list. The park's crown jewel is the extraordinary Phraya Nakhon Cave. Come early to catch the picturesque chamber flooded with morning sunshine that spotlights the royal pavilion that sits inside.
River Kwai for nature lovers
Most visitors come for the beaches, but the rivers and parks in Thailand's Kanchanaburi province have much to offer. Scenic trails and waterfalls abound in Sai Yok and Erawan national parks. Just two hours from Bangkok is the bridge made famous in the book Bridge over the River Kwai by French author, Pierre Boulle, and the 1957 Academy Award-winning 1957 film adaptation of the same name. Stay on the river at one of Kanchanaburi's many floating hotels, where you can travel to your front door.
1. From which of the following can you learn more about Thai history?| A．Ban Krut |
| B．Kanchanaburi |
| C．Phraya Nakhon Cave |
| D．Lopburi |
| A．Visit temples. |
| B．Meet lovely monkeys. |
| C．Go hiking. |
| D．Go to the beach. |
| A．River Kwai was made famous by a book and a film |
| B．Tourists can stay at the floating hotels on River Kwai. |
| C．Most visitors visit Thailand for rivers and parks |
| D．Travellers can find Khmer-era temples in Ban Krut. |
