1 . When Du Yongbo, 23, entered Beijing Jiaotong University graduate school, he could see a difference between himself and his local peers in terms of their consumption capacities and life attitudes. However, he was lucky compared to other newcomers from small towns. The difference could have been more obvious if he had not spent his undergraduate years doing extra learning.
Growing up in Baoding, Hebei. Du was enrolled in a little-known institution in Hebei after high school.
"Knowing that I would be stuck in this place for the next four years, I felt like I was chained down," he said.
Determined to change his situation, Du made use of everything he could find on campus, starting with the technology lab. Here he got to know talented members of the senior class and joined them in their innovative experiments and technology competitions. Du learned a lot more than he could ever have by sitting in class.
But Du didn't just hide away in the lab all day long. He kept himself busy by working with all kinds of student societies, such as the Speech and Eloquence(雄辩)Association and the Drama Club.
"I used to be a little self-isolating, but student club experiences gave me new hobbies and the ability to manage tough people and issues," he said.
Internet was a great helper too. Du once planned to study user interface design at a training center. But he was taken aback upon hearing the training fee—70,000 yuan. Fortunately, a friend instructed him to buy a similar course on Taobao for a much lower price. That was when Du learned about the abundance of resources online. He was eager to know more, studying online educational resources and listening to podcasts(播客).
Now that he has made his way to Beijing, Du says that all his efforts have paid off and that he has gotten the chance to stretch his legs on a bigger platform.
1. Du felt different from his local peers when entering a graduate school because____________.| A．he entered Beijing Jiaotong University graduate school |
| B．he had spent his undergraduate years doing extra learning |
| C．he was lucky compared to other newcomers |
| D．he came from a smaller town than Beijing |
| A．excited | B．depressed | C．self-isolating | D．confused |
| A．Du was determined to change his situation to make use of everything he could find. |
| B．Du learned a lot more by sitting in class after he was enrolled in an institution. |
| C．Du took part in some student societies to develop his abilities on campus. |
| D．Du's friend instructed him to study user interface design at a training center. |
| A．Doing is better than saying |
| B．Experience is the mother of wisdom |
| C．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart |
| D．Every man has his price |
2 . After about two weeks of intense negotiations in Paris, delegates from around the world reached an international agreement on Dec. 12 to address climate change. For the first time in history, 195 countries have promised to reduce greenhouse gas（GHG）emissions and to increase these reductions over time.
The agreement goes beyond requiring developed countries like the US to take actions to cut down emissions. It's a universal agreement requiring some form of action from every country, rich or poor.
The agreement sets the date for an emissions peak "as soon as possible". It would also limit warming worldwide to less than 2℃ above the levels in the 1800s. According to scientific studies 2℃ is the point at which climate change will bring destructive consequences to the planet, including rising sea levels, severe droughts, increased flooding, destructive storms, and widespread food and water shortages.
The deal also urges wealthy countries to set a non- binding goal of providing more than $100 billion（650 billion yuan）per year in public and private financing by 2020 for poorer countries to help them invest in clean energy and combat the impact of climate change.
The Paris deal asks countries to make voluntary promises based on an analysis of each country's economy, politics and technology. However, the deal also includes a series of legally binding（有约束力的）requirements. It requires countries to reconvene every five years, starting in 2020, with updated plans that would cut their further emissions. Countries will also be legally required to reconvene every five years starting in 2023 to publicly report on their progress.
The Paris deal alone won't solve global warming. Its effectiveness will depend on whether each country enacts（立法）their promise. But the deal "could be viewed as a signal to global financial and energy markets, triggering a fundamental shift away from investment in coal, oil and gas as primary energy sources like wind, solar and nuclear power", according to The New York Times.
1. Which of the following is true according to the passage?| A．The agreement requires only developed countries to take actions to cut down emissions. |
| B．The agreement would limit warming worldwide to 2℃ less than the levels in the 1800s. |
| C．The agreement requires some form of action from all the countries in the world |
| D．The constant global warming will do great harm to the planet. |
| A．do something to fight against the influence of climate change |
| B．invest more in coal, oil and gas as primary energy sources |
| C．provide more than $100 billion per year in public and private financing |
| D．report on their progress of reducing their emissions every 5 years in Paris |
| A．Meet | B．Report. | C．Promise | D．Return. |
| A．a science magazine | B．a newspaper |
| C．a school text | D．an economic lecture |
3 . The popularity of niche（小众的）sports has increased, thanks in large part to pop culture interest. From the traditional Japanese martial arts to ancient Greek combat sports. Here are some trendy options you won't want to miss.
Kendo
This Japanese martial art is gaining popularity in China, partly because of Japanese sports manga（日本漫画）series such as One Piece（海贼王）. In many major cities, it's not uncommon to see young athletes carrying the bamboo swords used for Kendo.
Kendo is a form of swordsmanship（剑术）that requires concentration, discipline and constant repetition, but the benefit goes beyond physical fitness. According to the South China Morning Post, practicing kendo can effectively relieve stress and relax one's mind.
Boxing
Some of the greatest English-language writers, like Ernest Hemingway, Jack London and TS Eliot, were hardcore boxers. After reading their portrayals of tough boxers, some readers have been inspired to pick up their own pair of boxing gloves and enter the ring.
Boxing is more than just a workout. Sure, it can give you a lean and strong body. But according to boxing expert Hollywood Hino, it's a kind of addiction as well. Boxing gives you "the challenge of learning technique, as well as the general empowering feeling of hitting something", he told Yahoo Sports.
Parkour
The James Bond blockbuster Casino Royale (2006) introduced parkour to the mainstream, with an intense action scene that shows Bond using skills to go through an urban landscape. That's parkour in a nutshell: the art of moving quickly and creatively through unconventional obstacle courses. Parkour gives young people a way to improve themselves, both physically and psychologically.
1. Which of the following is the benefit of practicing kendo?| A．Popularity. | B．Concentration |
| C．Easiness. | D．Constant repetition. |
| A．Hemingway was a hardcore boxer. |
| B．boxing could give them a lean and strong body. |
| C．boxing gave them the challenge of learning technique. |
| D．they were encouraged by the spirits of tough boxers created by Hemingway |
| A．ancient Greek combat sports | B．parkour |
| C．boxing | D．kendo |
4 . The Tibet autonomous region has placed nearly half its land area under the strictest ecological supervision (监督).It was announced at an annual meeting of the regional People's Congress, which kicked off on Wednesday.
The ecological protection area, which covers more than 539,000 square kilometers, makes up 45 percent of the region's area, and 22 ecological reserves have been built and are operational.
According to the government work report, the rate of days with good air quality in Tibet's cities has reached 99.4 percent, and all the region's drinking water sources have met applicable standards.
The report also said that the number of Tibetan antelope (羚)in the region has risen to more than 200,000, wildlife species to 1,072 and black-necked cranes to more than 8,000. Five rare new species have been discovered in recent years. The region has spent 12.2 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) on ecological protection projects in recent years. Five cities and three counties have been named as national-level ecologically civilized model cities and counties, and more rural residents have benefited financially by undertaking part-time ecological protection work.
More advanced monitoring facilities have been in place in the reserve, with more ecological protection inspectors employed to undertake protection work. The professional ecological inspectors are provided with basic tools such as motorcycles, telescopes and paging receivers, and they provide feedback regularly. Professional inspectors also receive one week of training every year from professors at Tibet University.
Kunsang Darje, a railway maintenance worker in Nagchu, said that apart from maintaining the railway and highway, he also collects trash along the section with his colleagues. “The place I work is in a no-man's land, and I think it's very important to protect the animals there without affecting them with human activities, and we are also bound to take responsibility there," he said.
1. What is the main idea of the text?| A．The ecological situation in Tibet has been totally improved. |
| B．Almost half Tibetan land has been ecologically supervised. |
| C．Many more operational ecological reserves have been built. |
| D．More Tibetan protection inspectors have been employed. |
| A．Larger protection areas. | B．Numerous rare new species. |
| C．More days with quality air. | D．Global capital investments. |
| A．protection inspectors can employ other people |
| B．protection inspectors are supplied with cars |
| C．Tibet's rural residents can get annual training |
| D．Tibet's rural residents can earn extra money |
| A．He asks his colleagues not to litter everywhere. |
| B．He attaches importance to raise animals there. |
| C．He keeps railway and highway in good condition. |
| D．He has a sense of duty to protect animals there. |
5 . One of the fundamental things we really love in cities is order. Order means balance, symmetry （对称）and repetition: the same thing happening again and again, and the left side matching the right side.
Order is one of the reasons why so many people love Paris. But most cities are a complete mess. When it's a mess, it seems like no one is in charge. And that's worrying. It's horrible when everything is jumbled up: a pitched roof next to a flat roof; 3 simple bare box next to a messy car park; high-rise towers that look as if they've been placed at random, like teeth in a yawning mouth.
We generally have a desire to straighten things out. And when we can't, it's frustrating. The same urge is there when we look at cities. Often, it's not skyscrapers that we mind in the city. It's skyscrapers that have been planted there without planning, like they are increasingly appearing in London, while New York or Chicago shows the ordered way that we love.
However, you have to keep something else in mind. Unreasonable order can be just as much of a problem. Too much regularity can be soul-destroying. Too much order feels rigid and alien. It can be indifferent, cold, severe, unkind, or even cruel. So the ideal we're seeking is variety and order.
This is the idea in a square in Tele in the Czech Republic, where every house is the same width and height. But within that ordered partem, every house has been allowed freedom at the level of form and color. We're perfectly in the middle between chaos and boringness here. And that's what humans adore.
So as a general rule: too much mess, and it's off-putting; but too much simple order, and it’s boring.
1. What does the underlined phrase "jumbled up” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．Out of order. | B．Causing worries. | C．In good order. | D．At random. |
| A．New York. | B．London. | C．Paris. | D．Tele. |
| A．They should be made lower. | B．They should have plants on top. |
| C．They should be well planned. | D．Their numbers should be limited. |
| A．balance and repetition | B．free forms and rich colors |
| C．the same height and width | D．both order and variety |
6 . Bricks are one of the oldest known building materials, dating back thousands of years. But researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have found a new use for bricks: as energy storage units. A team of engineers and chemists have found a way to transform an ordinary house brick into a “battery”—allowing it to conduct and store electricity. The bricks are powerful enough to light up an LED bulb, and cost only about 3 dollars to make.
“I love the idea of adding value to things that are inexpensive, things that are affordable, things that we kind of take for granted,” says Julio D'Arcy, who is an assistant professor of chemistry at Washington University and one of the researchers on this project.
The brick-battery relies on the reddish pigment known as iron oxide, or rust, which gives red bricks their color. The scientists pumped the bricks with several gases that react with iron oxide to produce a network of plastic fibers. These small fibers coat the empty spaces inside the bricks — and conduct electricity.
What the researchers are trying to do is to make specialized plastics that are only used on the nanoscale where they use very little of the plastic and they can actually fix that plastic firmly inside construction materials.
In the future, D'Arcy says, a brick wall could potentially serve a dual purpose: providing structural support and storing electricity generated from renewable energy sources, such as solar panels.
The technology is still at least a few years away from being ready for the commercial market. And right now, the energy storage capacity of the bricks is still pretty low—about 1 percent of a lithium ion battery. But the team is now testing ways to improve brick performance. hoping to make a breakthrough and practical application to better the seemingly ordinary construction materials as soon as possible.
1. What new function has been found in house bricks?| A．They can serve as a power plant. | B．They can take the place of plastics. |
| C．They can save a lot of energy. | D．They can reserve electricity. |
| A．They are pumped into bricks. | B．They must be tiny in size. |
| C．They cover the surface of bricks. | D．They react with iron oxide. |
| A．their capacity is still low | B．their cost is very high |
| C．they make no profits | D．they are not safe enough |
| A．Construction Turns Smart | B．High Tech Develops Fast |
| C．Old Bricks Play New Tricks | D．Buildings Become Greener |
7 . The World Health Organization（WHO）declared on Dec 29 that Guinea was Ebola—free, which means the Ebola outbreak has officially ended in West Africa.
"The fatal disease broke out in Guinea in December 2013, and then spread to neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia," salon. com writer Ben Norton wrote. "A handful of Ebola cases were subsequently reported in Nigeria, Mali, the US and some European countries, yet were all contained.
The WHO declared the end of the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone in November, just after Liberia was declared Ebola - free in September. However, Liberia has had new cases since the declaration, reported the BBC.
The disease killed more than 2,500 people in Guinea, and a further 9,000 in Liberia and Sierra Leone. It is the largest Ebola epidemic（流行病）in history, according to the WHO.
Children were especially vulnerable（脆弱的）to the disease. During the outbreak, more than 22,000 kids lost one or both parents in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to UNICEF. In Guinea alone, 6,220 children lost a parent or both, and 519 more were killed.
A salon. com article says when a few cases of Ebola were found in the US, the media went hysterical（歇斯底里的）, But since the disease was contained in the West Africa in 2014, Western governments and media outlets have devoted little attention to it.
"This reaction", says the article, has "led critics and activists to accuse the Western media of prejudice and racism. When white people were threatened by the disease, there was more concern and interest. When they were no longer threatened, there was silence.”
1. The Ebola outbreak has officially ended in West Africa because__________ has no Ebola.| A．Guinea | B．Sierra Leone | C．Liberia | D．Nigeria |
| A．6,220 | B．9,000 | C．22,000 | D．15,780 |
| A．Critical | B．Neutral | C．Supportive | D．Unclear |
| A．fight against prejudice and racism. |
| B．stop ignoring the survivors. |
| C．care for the children who have lost their parents. |
| D．look for a cure for Ebola |
8 . A group of scientists in labs spread across Europe, the U.S. and Nepal have been working on Qomolangma “remotely”. The project’s goal is to turn the world’s highest mountain into a huge climate laboratory.
During April and May last year, a team of more than 30 biologists, glaciologists, geologists, meteorologists, and geographers fanned out across Qomolangma’s southern side, conducting fieldwork high on the mountain. “We believe the best way to get a full scientific picture of Qomolangma is not just to do one kind of science,” says Paul Mayewski of the University of Maine, the leader of the effort.
Each individual study promises a unique picture of the mountain’s climate-past, present, and future. Ice cores will allow scientists to go back in time-tens, hundreds and perhaps thousands of years to learn about the environment. Snow and water samples give a look at what’s happening on the mountain, today, including the future of the glaciers. The team also fixed a network of automated weather stations, which will document upcoming weather trends for years to come.
One of the hardest tasks fell to Mayewski’s colleague Mariusz Potoeki, who hoped to drill ice cores at several places on the mountain, including the South Col (25,938 feet) and the top of Qomolangma (29,035 feet). The job required a specially designed drill system powered by batteries, and an excellent team to figure out how to prevent the cores from becoming liquid during their long journey back to the University of Maine’s laboratory for analysis.
Potocki abandoned his summit attempt due to the crowds of normal climbers. To his relief, Potocki succeeded in taking the highest ice core ever recovered, at just above Camp Four-26,312 feet above sea level. “The ice doesn’t lie.” Mayewski says. “The very idea that the highest part of the planet hasn’t been spared from human activity ought to be a real wake-up call for everybody.”
1. Which way does Paul Mayewski suggest to fully study Qomolangma?| A．Working on it remotely in labs. | B．Teaming up with more countries. |
| C．Doing many kinds of science. | D．Turning it into a real lab. |
| A．To document upcoming weather change. | B．To get a unique picture of climate trends. |
| C．To know more about the past environment. | D．To predict the future of the mountain. |
| A．Improving the special drill system. | B．Drilling the oldest ice cores at some places. |
| C．Conducting fieldwork above Camp Four. | D．Delivering frozen ice cores to the lab. |
| A．Potocki got ice cores at 29,035 feet. | B．Human activity has affected Qomolangma. |
| C．Ice cores can serve as a warning for us. | D．Normal climbers helped with Potocki’s work. |
9 . Many wildflowers of spring in eastern North America bloom thanks to ants. The tiny six-legged gardeners have partnered with those plants and about 11, 000 others to spread their seeds. The plants，in turn, “pay” for the service by attaching a calorie-loaded appendage (附属物) to each seed, much like fleshy fruits remunerate birds and mammals that desert seeds or poop (排泄) them out. But there's more to the ant-seed relationship than that exchange, researchers reported last week at the annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, which was held online.
Many ants eat seeds. Certain plants attach a nutritive globe called an elaiosome to their seed coats, which serves as a favorite lunch for the ants’ young and gives ants a handle on seeds that can be bigger than their heads. Until now, researchers assumed the ants simply carry the seeds to their nests, feed the elaiosome to their young, and deposit the seed either outside or inside at the colony's “garbage dump”, which provides a rich environment for shooting.
In both the field and the lab, Chelsea Miller presented ants with seeds from various trillium (延龄花) species and found the ants were quick to pick up some species’ seeds while leaving others to rot, Miller said. To find out how ants make their choices, Miller and Susan Whitehead at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) used techniques to analyze the chemical makeup of elaiosomes. They found that ants pick seeds based on the specific combination and concentrations of acid and other compounds (化合物) made by the plant, 20 of which are unique to trilliums. The ants’ tastes may affect plant species’ distributions, say Kirsten Prior, an ecologist at Binghamton University: “Widespread trillium species are preferred by seed-dispersing ants compared to rare trillium species.”
Melissa Burt, an ecologist at Virginia Tech, hopes these studies bring ants new respect. “Many people who talk about ants only know them as insects that are taking over their kitchens, but many ants perform important functions in ecosystems,” she says. “Seed dispersal is just one of those.”
1. What does the underlined word “remunerate” probably mean?| A．Attract. | B．Track. | C．Free. | D．Reward. |
| A．It's a tasty treat for young ants. | B．It's no smaller than ants’ heads. |
| C．It is used as young ants’ new nest. | D．It can be used as a weapon to protect ants. |
| A．To analyze the specific combination affecting the plant growth. |
| B．To find out the reason for ants preferring some seeds to others. |
| C．To prove the accuracy of their lab techniques applied in the field. |
| D．To understand the way of ants distributing different plant species’ seeds. |
| A．Annoying. | B．Greedy. | C．Creative. | D．Hardworking. |
10 . If you are looking for something fun and educational to do in Maryland, why not visit the Maryland Science Center? It is located at 601 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 2. The ticket prices vary depending on ages, groups and the exhibits you choose.
IntroductionThe Maryland Science Center is basically a museum, but it gives everyone a chance to learn through experience and play, rather than just glance at an exhibit.
ActivitiesYou can learn about various topics, including outer space, the human body, dinosaurs, electricity, marine(海洋的) biology, energy, and much more. You can also take part in the interactive activities, such as racing bubbles, digging for dinosaur fossils, using puzzle pieces to construct cars, and so much more.
The Davis Planetarium(天文馆)At the Davis Planetarium, you can lie back in a chair and look at the stars while still inside the Science Center. The stars will appear on the ceiling of the theatre as you watch them.
There are different shows to catch at the Davis Planetarium. You can learn about the galaxy and astronomy during the Dark Matters show. Learn about the stars and planets during the Sky Live show. The One World One Sky show allows children to explore the stars. The Live from the Sun show will teach you all about the hot sun.
The Kids RoomFor children, they can’t miss the Kids Room. They will be able to play in a water area, construct dams and water towers, push buttons, ring doorbells, build with blocks, and more, and definitely they will learn a lot. In addition, there is also an area for kids of two years old and under, where they can crawl, walk and explore safely with soft toys.
1. What do we know about the Maryland Science Center?| A．It charges different prices for parents and Children. |
| B．It is regarded as the most popular museum in Maryland. |
| C．It is a museum where there are many famous exhibitions. |
| D．It is mainly designed for children and their families to play together. |
| A．Dark Matters. | B．Live from the Sun. |
| C．One World One Sky. | D．Sky Live. |
| A．It is designed for parents who have children. |
| B．It provides a good opportunity for parents to relax. |
| C．Children there need to be accompanied by their parents. |
| D．It is a good place for children to learn and play at the same time. |
