1 . Pangolins (穿山甲) are the most trafficked (非法交易) mammals in the world and are facing extinction. To draw attention to these scaly (有鳞片的), anteater-like animals, a new wildlife documentary, Eye of the Pangolin, is attempting a unique way to inspire action and conservation. Partnering with the non-profit organization Pangolin. Africa, the documentary was made available on YouTube in May 2019. The intention is to reach communities wherever the Internet is available, especially African communities, who live near the animal’s habitats.
Over two years, the documentary crew traveled to South Africa, Ghana, Central African Republic and Gabon in search of the four unique species of pangolin, which has never been achieved before. Filmmakers Bruce Young and Johan Vermeulen say that they went into the shoot knowing relatively little about pangolins, but grew to respect and appreciate the animals. Getting close to the creatures over two years was a crash course in these secretive creatures. Johan Vermeulen said, "One thing however that might seem unimportant is that they are actually quite fussy eaters. You would think they would eat any type of ant, but they all prefer a specific type ant."
Pangolins are hunted illegally across Africa for their scales, which are used for traditional medicine, and their meat. In April 2019, Singaporean customs officials conducted two separate seizures of 24 tons of pangolin scales, which equals to the death of 69,000 pangolins.
Though the documentary focuses less on the trafficking of pangolins, and more on the animals in their natural habitat, the aim of the documentary is to inspire viewers around the world to call for action to end trafficking and protecting these unique creatures.
Filmed on location in South Africa, Ghana, Central African Republic, and Gabon, this powerful documentary is the story of two men on a mission to get all four species of African pangolin on camera for the very first time.
1. What is the purpose of the documentary?| A．To study the situation of pangolins. |
| B．To collect fund to protect pangolins. |
| C．To raise awareness of pangolin protection. |
| D．To propose setting up pangolin reserves. |
| A．Picky. | B．Messy. |
| C．Showy. | D．Heavy. |
| A．The illegal trade of pangolins. |
| B．The medical function of pangolin's scales. |
| C．The life of pangolins in their natural habitats. |
| D．The efforts of Pangolin, Africa to save pangolins. |
| A．A brochure. | B．A diary. |
| C．A novel. | D．A magazine. |
2 . To move visual technology into the future, sometimes it helps to make a little noise. Researchers have used sound waves to produce floating 3-D images, create a sense of touch and even supply a soundtrack.
Since the 1940s, scientists have toyed with the concept of acoustic levitation(声悬浮), the use of soundwave vibrations to trap tiny things in midair. The technology has gained greater capabilities in the past decade. Some researchers believe this improvement could lead to applications such as contributing to novel 3-D printing methods, or creating displays that would be visible from any angle without requiring a screen.
Other researchers have also worked on visual displays that use acoustic levitation. In addition to visuals, the system can also produce audible noise to give the display a soundtrack. And the ultrasound speakers can also concentrate vibrations in one spot so that a finger might feel a sense pushing back—a little like the object shown by the floating image is really there. Soundwaves create a 3-D display!
Display without a screen is remarkably useful. It means that everybody in the room can see the image—any angle, location—and that’s extremely helpful. As a communications system, such a display might one day allow users to chat with a 3-D projection(投影) of a person who can turn his or her head to follow as they move around a room.
The display will require a lot more work before you can install it in your living room, however. So far, this has been done in the research laboratory. We need to push it a little bit harder. We need to do more analysis to see if it would make sense to create a real display that people would have at home. The current system can only show simple graphics, such as a smiley face or figure eight, in real time.
Still, we are optimistic about the potential for this type of technology. If the system had only one speaker-covered surface instead of two, it could generate images that are bigger than the device itself. We can’t make a TV image that’s bigger than the TV—even a projector has to have a projection screen that’s bigger than the image itself. But with a volumetric(容积的) display, a small, portable device might produce a much larger picture. We can imagine, in the future, having volumetric displays in watches, for example, that create large images that just project out of your watch.
1. From the first two paragraphs soundwave vibrations can be used to _________.| A．catch very small objects in midair |
| B．develop 3-D printer’s capabilities |
| C．replace a creative display screen |
| D．compose soundtracks by making no noise |
| A．It has resulted in visual technology. |
| B．It is possible to see the image from any direction. |
| C．It is already ripe to create a real one at home. |
| D．It has yet to be tested in the research laboratory. |
| A．Outlooks for the new technology. |
| B．Situations of the modern technology. |
| C．Praise for the cutting-edge technology. |
| D．Room for the technical improvement. |
| A．Hearing Is Seeing—Sound Waves Create a 3-D Display |
| B．Seeing is Believing—3-D Printing Methods Arrive |
| C．Advancing Sense of Touch—3-D Images Float in the Air |
| D．Promoting TV Technology—Chat with 3-D Projections |
3 . Jeremy Locke, who owns a roofing and construction company in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, had always been wanting to repair the roof of Jeanette MacDonald's home. Whenever he drove past the woman's home, he assumed that the roof was under repair because the job had already been taken on by another group of repairmen—but as the weeks wore on, the roof continued to worsen without any signs of repair.
“ I had it in my mind that if no one steps up to help this lady in our community, I’d be more than happy to,” Locke told CBC.
When Locke finally reached out to MacDonald about fixing her roof for free, however, she politely declined his offer because she did not like to accept charity. That being said, she had already applied for a government grant （补助金） to fix the roof and she said she was more than happy to hire Locke once her grant application was approved.
Unfortunately, MacDonald never received the approval.
As the stubborn （固执的） Canadian senior refused to accept any assistance from Locke, the sympathetic construction worker played an innocent trick in order to get her to accept his help. He invited MacDonald to enter a raffle （抽奖活动）that his business was holding for a free roof. After the grandmother — of — four accepted one of the raffle tickets, Locke told her that she was the winner—because she was the only one who had entered the raffle.
Thanks to his sweet little plan, Locke and his crew are starting work on the roof this week, which is expected to cost his company about $9, 000.
MacDonald, meanwhile, told CBC that she doesn't know how to express her gratitude to Locke, saying that he is her “guardian angel”.
"There's nobody out there like him," she added.
1. What did Locke desire to do for MacDonald?| A．Repair her roof. | B．Find a repairman. |
| C．Run a charity. | D．Raise money. |
| A．She didn't trust him. | B．She had won a raffle. |
| C．She didn't like free help. | D．She had got an official grant. |
| A．He persuaded her to give up her application. |
| B．He invited her to enter his business. |
| C．He gave her about $9, 000. |
| D．He told her a white lie. |
| A．Stubborn and tricky. | B．Wealthy and innocent. |
| C．Determined and warm-hearted. | D．Different and ambitious. |
4 . Most Helpful Apps for Students
There's almost an app for everything nowadays, and this can make student life easier, cheaper, safer and more fun. Whether you want help with taking notes, revising, waking up on time or keeping fit， read on for our student app picks．
Lecture recording apps
Just a few years ago, students attending lectures would have to spend the entire time writing wildly on notepads, in order not to miss any vital bit of information. Then along came technology, and now， lecture recording apps are a reality.
Sound Note is a popular lecture recording app for iPad users. You can store an entire lecture in both visual and audio form. Other good quality lecture recording apps include Notes Plus and Audio Memos Free—The Voice Recorder.
Student planner apps
Organization is key for success and well-being at university, and student planner apps are becoming increasingly popular. As well as saving on paper, many student planner apps also send reminders and warnings straight to your phone or device. Popular student planner apps include Timetable, My Class Schedule and Class Timetable.
Student safety apps
A number of apps for students have been developed promoting personal safety if out alone at night. The Circle of Six app is particularly useful for locating lost friends on nights out and also allows users to send their circle of six friends an instant call for help at the touch of a button. The GPS tracker will mark your location on your friends" devices, ensuring you'll always be able to find one another if necessary. Other student apps that promote safety include bSafe and React Mobile.
Healthy eating apps
If you're interested in eating healthily while keeping to a student budget, consider downloading a few healthy eating apps. Examples I've come across which are perfect apps for students include Rockin Ramen， a student app featuring a number of nutritious recipes with Ramen as a main ingredient, and MealBoard, an app which plans healthy meals, grocery shops and recipes based on what you've got in the fridge.
1. Which apps send reminders to users?| A．Student planner apps. | B．Lecture recording apps. |
| C．Student safety apps. | D．Healthy eating apps. |
| A．It allows users to seek help during an emergency. |
| B．It encourages users to communicate with friends. |
| C．It enables users to store an entire lecture. |
| D．It helps users to lead a healthy life. |
| A．categorize apps | B．introduce apps |
| C．evaluate apps | D．compare apps |
5 . Sleep, considered a luxury by many, is essential for a person's wellbeing. Researchers have found that insufficient sleep and tiredness increase a person's risk of developing severe medical conditions, such as obesity (being very overweight), high blood sugar levels, and heart disease. Now, a new study has found that getting sufficient sleep is also the key to improving academic performance.
Jeffrey Gross, the university science professor who led the research, was not trying to find the relationship between sleep and grades when he handed out smart watches to the 100 students in his chemistry class. Instead, the professor hoped the wrist-worm devices, which track a person's physical activity, would show a connection between exercise and academic achievement.
While Gross's data showed no relationship between these two factors, the study found something surprising. As the researchers were analyzing their data, they noticed that there was a straight-line relationship between the average amount of sleep a student got and their results in the course's 11 quizzes, three midterm tests, and the final exam.
Even more interesting, it was not sufficient for students to just head to bed early the night before a test. Instead, it's the sleep you get during the days when learning is happening that matters most.
The time students went to bed each night was similarly important. Those who went to bed in early hours of the morning performed poorly, even if the total sleep time was the same as a higher-performing student. "When you go to bed matters," Gross says, "If you go to bed at 10, or 12, or 1 at night, and sleep for seven hours, your performance is the same. But if you go to bed after 2, your performance starts to go down even if you get the same seven hours. So, quantity isn't everything."
Perhaps the most interesting was the huge impact that small differences in sleep patterns had on the students' grades. The overall course grades for students averaging six and a half hours of sleep each night were 25% lower than students who averaged just one hour more sleep. Similarly, students who varied their bedtime by even one hour each night had grades that dropped 45% below those with more regular bedtimes.
Who knew getting A's just required some extra ZZZ's?
1. Based on his original objectives, which best describes Professor Gross's research findings?| A．Accidental. | B．Complete. | C．Convincing. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Middle school chemistry students. | B．Volunteers from different universities. |
| C．Professor Gross's own students. | D．University student athletes. |
| A．Making the students wear a special watch. |
| B．Using students' university entrance test results. |
| C．Giving the students regular after class quizzes. |
| D．Using the students' normal test and quiz grades. |
| A．A person who has a good night's sleep the night before an important test. |
| B．A person whose normal bedtime varies between 9 p.m. and 12 p.m. |
| C．A person who sleeps from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day. |
| D．A person who sleeps for a total of 7 hours each night. |
6 . Over the years, cheerleading has taken two primary forms: game-time cheerleading and competitive cheerleading. Game-time cheerleaders’ main goal is to entertain the crowd and lead them with team cheers, which should not be considered a sport. However, competitive cheerleading is more than a form of entertainment. It is really a competitive sport.
Competitive cheerleading includes lots of physical activity. The majority of the teams require a certain level of tumbling (翻腾运动) ability. It’s a very common thing for gymnasts, so it’ s easy for them to go into competitive cheerleading. Usually these cheerleaders integrate lots of their gymnastics experience including their jumps, tumbling, and overall energy. They also perform lifts and throws. This is where the “fliers” are thrown in the air, held by “bases” in different positions that require strength and working with other teammates.
Competitive cheerleading is also an activity that is governed by rules under which a winner can be declared. It is awarded points for technique, creativity and sharpness. Usually the more difficult the action is, the better the score is. That’s why cheerleaders are trying to experience great difficulty in their performance.
Besides, there is also a strict rule of time. The whole performance has to be completed in less than three minutes and fifteen seconds, during which the cheerleaders are required to stay within a certain area. Any performance beyond the limit of time is invalid.
Another reason for the fact that competitive cheerleading is one of the hardest sports is that it has more reported injuries. According to some research, competitive cheerleading is the number one cause of serious sports injuries to women. Emergency room visits for it are five times the number than for any other sport, partially because cheerleaders don’t use protective equipment. Smiling cheerleaders are thrown into the air and move down into the arms of the teammates, which may easily cause injuries. Generally, these injuries affect all areas of the body, including wrists, shoulders, ankles, head, and neck.
There can be no doubt that competitive cheerleading is a sport with professional skills. Hopefully, it will appear in the Olympics since cheerleaders are just as athletic and physically fit as those involved in the more accepted sports. It should be noted that it is a team sport and even the smallest mistake made by one teammate can bring the score of the entire team down. So without working together to achieve the goal, first place is out of reach.
1. What is the main purpose of competitive cheerleading?| A．To compare skills of participants. |
| B．To make the audience feel amused. |
| C．To attract more people to watch events. |
| D．To cheer up the competitors on the court. |
| A．examine | B．identify |
| C．combine | D．replace |
| A．lacks necessary guidelines to follow |
| B．enjoys greater popularity than other sports |
| C．requires more designed actions than gymnastics |
| D．has a relatively high rate of damage to the body |
I: Introduction P: Point Sp: Sub-point (次要点) C: Conclusion
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
7 . The Danish lifestyle concept of hygge means many indescribable feeling of comfortable things to many people. Now, join us in visiting some of the best hygge places.
1. Manhausen (Manshausen，Norway)
Adventure-seeking people needn’t look further than Manhausen, a 55-acre island escape in Norway’s Grotoya strait. Not to be missed: the saltwater hot tub overlooking the sea and family-style meals enjoyed fireside at the main house. The baby sitting service also available.
Get more information here.
2. Cedar Lakes Estate (Port Jervis，New York)
Occupying 500 bucolic acres, this turn-of-the-century summer camp now houses a host of luxury, lodge-style cabins. Bike the grounds, paddle the lakes, swim in the outdoor heated pool or head to a nearby mountain for a day of skiing. Then lie down with a great book beneath a fur blanket, turn on your fireplace and get your snuggle on.
Get more information here.
3. Soho Farmhouse (Oxfordshire，England)
This Oxfordshire countryside members-only club offers up a British version of hygge. Among the splendid property’s coziest offerings: the community farmyard and the Studio Cabin guest room, which boasts views of the lake.
Get more information here.
4. Salt House Inn (Provincetown，Massachusetts)
This charming coastal town now boasts a 19th-century-shingled cottage turned hotel. Book your visit during the quiet, windswept off-season (January through March) for some salty fresh air on the beach.
Get more information here.
1. If you are taking a baby, which one may suit you best?| A．Manhausen. | B．Cedar Lakes Estate. |
| C．Soho Farmhouse. | D．Salt House Inn. |
| A．Water scenery. | B．Limited access. | C．Outdoor activities. | D．Family-style meals. |
| A．A magazine. | B．A brochure. | C．A textbook. | D．A website. |
8 . Devon Gallagher, a college graduate from Philadelphia, wants the world to know exactly where she’s been while she’s on her worldwide vacation in a special way. The traveler, who was born with a bone disease, had her right leg amputated (截肢) at the age of four. Although the amputation caused inconvenience for Gallagher early on, she now sees it as nothing short of inspiration for living her best life.
To spread that message. Gallagher has gone to social media, where she shares photos of her travels across the world, but instead of simply using a geo-tag(地理位置标签), she writes her location on her artificial leg before taking a picture.
Now she has been taking pictures across the Continent, which show her cycling over the canal in Amsterdam relaxing on a wall overlooking the city of Barcelona, posing with a waffle in Brussels, taking in the beautiful Parthenon temple in Athens and enjoying a river ride in Budapest, all with the well-known locations written on her artificial leg.
“I get a new leg every two years and I can choose the design on it. One day I had a sudden thought to get a chalk-board,” Gallagher said. “My mum and grandmother didn’t like the idea, but my friends thought it was great and told me to go for it, so I did.”
Gallagher said people often stare when she’s writing on her leg, but once she shares the photos, she receives only positive feedback(反馈), “My leg hasn’t stopped me from doing anything I’ve wanted to do,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s my determination to prove to myself that I can do it, anyway, I’ve been able to keep up with people at my age and lead a pretty great life.”
Gallagher shows us that you should never let anything stand in the way of your dreams. And if life gives you an artificial leg, make art.
1. What message did Gallapher want to spread in her special way?| A．She enjoys her travelling across the globe. |
| B．She suffers little from her leg’s amputation. |
| C．she looks on her misfortune as another form of blessing. |
| D．She has exactly fallen in love with posting photos online. |
| A．the continent | B．the pictures | C．the leg | D．the location |
| A．helpful and ambitious | B．friendly and generous |
| C．determined and creative | D．independent and sensible |
| A．Never Too Late to share | B．A Special Artificial Leg |
| C．An Outstanding Photographer | D．Gallagher’s Summer Holidays |
9 . Judy Wright and her husband decided to move closer to their son, Chris, who lived in Georgia. About a month after the move, Judy fell ill, suffering from her ongoing (不间断的) battle against Parkinson disease.
Her condition worsened rapidly and she required medical care at home. The family hired a nursing aid who canceled at the last minute. Instead, a woman named TunDe Hector showed up in her place.
One day, TunDe shared a story with Judy and her family. She remembered a particularly difficult day in 2014, when a stranger had helped her with a kind gesture. She had run out of gas, and with only $5 in her pocket, was walking to a gas station. A man saw her walking and turned his car around. He paid for her gas and gave her all the cash left in his wallet. Upon hearing the story, Judy’s son, Chris, took off his hat and said ,“That was me!” He was the stranger that had helped TunDe on that difficult day.
During the care of Judy, the Wright family learned about TunDe’s family and her own dream. The nursing aid, TunDe hoped that one day she could become an OB-GYN nurse. Her tuition was past due (逾期) and she had a family to care for, but she was determined to achieve that goal for herself and her family.
Judy died on July 9,2017. Instead of flowers, her family asked mourners (悼念者) to donate to TunDe’s education, to assist her in paying for her nursing school. In less than a week, they raised more than $8,000 and presented her with the surprise check.
1. Why did Judy’s family choose TunDe in the end?| A．To help her with a kind gesture. | B．To look after Judy in the hospital. |
| C．To replace another nursing aid. | D．To give Judy the best medical care. |
| A．Thrilled | B．Shocked |
| C．Puzzled | D．Delighted |
| A．They paid for her education. | B．They helped care for her family. |
| C．They bought her a surprise present. | D．They helped her realize her dream. |
| A．Kindness comes full circle. | B．Constant dropping wears stone. |
| C．The truth never fears investigation. | D．Actions speak louder than words. |
10 . In 2015, a man named Nigel Richards memorized 386, 000 words in the entire French Scrabble Dictionary in just nine weeks. However, he does not speak French. Richards’ impressive feat is a useful example to show how artificial intelligence works — real AI. Both of Richard and AI take in massive amounts of data to achieve goals with unlimited memory and superman accuracy in a certain field.
The potential applications for AI are extremely exciting. Because AI can outperform humans at routine tasks — provided the task is in one field with a lot of data — it is technically capable of replacing hundreds of millions of white and blue collar jobs in the next 15 years or so.
But not every job will be replaced by AI. In fact, four types of jobs are not at risk at all. First, there are creative jobs. AI needs to be given a goal to optimize. It cannot invent, like scientists, novelists and artists can. Second, the complex, strategic jobs — executives, diplomats, economists — go well beyond the AI limitation of single-field and Big Data. Then there are the as-yet-unknown jobs that will be created by AI.
Are you worried that these three types of jobs won’t employ as many people as AI will replace? Not to worry, as the fourth type is much larger: jobs where emotions are needed, such as teachers, nannies and doctors. These jobs require compassion, trust and sympathy — which AI does not have. And even if AI tried to fake it, nobody would want a robot telling them they have cancer, or a robot to babysit their children.
So there will still be jobs in the age of AI. The key then must be retraining the workforce so people can do them. This must be the responsibility not just of the government, which can provide funds, but also of corporations and those who benefit most.
1. What is the main purpose of paragraph 1?| A．To introduce the topic. |
| B．To mention Nigel’s feat. |
| C．To stress the importance of good memory. |
| D．To suggest humans go beyond AI in memory. |
| A．Be superior to | B．Be equal to |
| C．Be similar to | D．Be related to |
| A．The writer. | B．The shop assistant. |
| C．The babysitter. | D．The psychologist. |
| A．Limit the application of AI to a certain degree. |
| B．Get more support from the government. |
| C．Apply for the donation from companies. |
| D．Upgrade themselves all the time. |
