1 . Tracking wildlife is a tough job. Take the case of a one-eared leopard named Pavarotti.
Kasim Rafiq, a wildlife biologist at Liverpool John Moores University. “So I used to get up at the crack of dawn, follow his tracks and try and find him. So one day, I went out, and I was looking for him. And his tracks took me off road through this woodland area...and...”
Before he knew it, the wheel of his Land Rover was stuck in a deep hole. He wasted several hours getting it out. And then, on the way back to camp, he came across some local tour guides and their safari (观赏野兽的旅行) guests, who’d had way better luck spotting Pavarotti. “Basically, they laughed and they talked to me that they’d seen him that morning.”
Rafiq then realized that tourist wildlife sightings might be an untapped source of information about wild animals.
So he and his team worked with a safari lodge in Botswana to analyze 25,000 tourist photographs of wildlife. They compared those data to the estimates they made with traditional wildlife biology methods.
It turned out that the estimates from tourists’ photos were just as good as those gleaned (四处搜集) from traditional methods. And the tourists were actually the only ones to see elusive (难以捉摸的) leopards — the researchers would have missed the cats without the citizen science data. The results are in the journal Current Biology.
The idea is not to put wildlife researchers out of a job. “The reality is there are so many interesting things we still have to find out about these large carnivores (食肉动物) and so many conservation (保护) projects that need to be carried out that we don’t have the time or resources to do them all.” And tourist photos might help make sure that all the local carnivores are spotted.
Thanks for listening for Scientific American-60-Second Science. I’m Christopher Intagliata.
1. What happened to Rafiq when he tracked Pavarotti?| A．He was lost in the woods. |
| B．He was trapped in a deep hole. |
| C．He found Pavarotti with tourists’ help. |
| D．He met Pavarotti on the way back to camp. |
| A．The photos are sources of information about wildlife. |
| B．The photos are mirrors of the wildlife researchers’ life. |
| C．The photos taken by tourists are of high quality. |
| D．The photos taken by tourists are especially beautiful. |
| A．The researchers have missed the data of cats. |
| B．The information from tourists’ photos was equally good. |
| C．The value of tourist photos hasn’t been proven. |
| D．Only the traditional methods can track wildlife. |
| A．On TV. | B．In a magazine. | C．On a radio. | D．In a book. |
2 . Here are apps that can help you make a schedule and a budget, take better notes, organize a big project, and stay safe. Check out these apps to get a head-start on being on top of your life!
Flashcards Deluxe
Price: $3.99
Platform: IOS and Android
Flashcards can be a very effective way to study, and Flashcards Deluxe makes creating them very easy. You can input information right into the app, make cards with up to five sides, and even add pictures and sounds to cards. The app can be set to automatically turn off cards that you get correct so you can focus more on the ones you get wrong.
Circle of 6U
Price: free
Platform: Android, IOS
When you’re on a college campus, walking home late at night can be frightening. So, make sure to download Circle of 6U, which helps you feel more secure. Not only does it help you find your location, but it makes communicating with your trusted friends easier. Once you build a network of trusted contacts in the app, it lets you send a pre-edited group message, with your location, to all of them in two taps.
CampusBooks
Price: free
Platform: IOS, Android
The CampusBooks app helps you get the lowest price when you’re buying or renting textbooks, and helps you get the highest price when you’re ready to sell! If you need a book right away, you’ll be shown the closest stores and libraries that have your book in stock.
Dragon Dictation
Price: free
Platform: IOS
Dictating homework and emails to the Dragon Dictation app can save your time! You can send your dictation to a text, email, or paste it into any application. The included editor will suggest words, and the app will improve its accuracy over time as it gets to know your voice. It also works in many languages other than English.
1. Which app can you choose for safety concern?| A．Flashcards Deluxe. | B．Circle of 6U. |
| C．CampusBooks. | D．Dragon Dictation. |
| A．It can add pictures to your email. | B．It can save your money on books. |
| C．It can correct your spelling mistakes. | D．It can understand your voice. |
| A．Students. | B．Librarians. |
| C．Businessmen. | D．Programmers. |
3 . Aaron has performed in Germany, Korea, the Czech Republic and across the United States. His back flip (翻) earned him a place in “Guinness World Records”. Aaron doesn't use a skateboard to do his tricks. He sticks a perfect four wheeled landing with his wheelchair. That's quite an accomplishment for a kid who was born with spina bifida, a developmental birth defect (缺陷) that made him even unable to sit independently.
One day, when he was eight, his friends encouraged him to roll down a shallow ramp (斜坡). It was a scary first ride. Aaron crashed his hands, but he was attracted. Six months later, after endless hard trying and training, he accomplished his first trick—lifting up one of the back wheels while crossing a barrier.
“The more I rode, the better I became, though I have to admit that the process involved falling in every way possible,” says Aaron. When Aaron performed his first airborne 180 out of the box, Steve, his father, sensed an opportunity, videotaped the performance and sent it to the Internet. A letter soon arrived from John Box, founder of Colours’N Motion, encouraging him to call him directly whenever they needed anything. Aaron has a sponsor since.
With his mother helping with scheduling, he has had the opportunity to travel within the US as well as internationally. He has attended summer camps for disabled children as a coach. “I know that I can be an inspiration for disabled kids,” says Aaron. “The message I want to convey to kids and adults is very simple: Always test your boundaries and don't let the disability restrict your capacities and possibilities.”
1. What happened when Aaron first tried to roll down a ramp?| A．He crashed into his friend and got hurt. | B．He became interested in the sport. |
| C．He was too scared to try the sport again. | D．He accomplished his first trick. |
| A．Steve. | B．John Box. |
| C．His friends. | D．His mother. |
| A．Independent and cooperative. | B．Ambitious and generous. |
| C．Courageous and determined. | D．Energetic and humorous. |
| A．Aaron: skating ability beyond disability. |
| B．Aaron: inspiration for skating coaches. |
| C．A boy working for “Guinness World Records”. |
| D．A boy seeking to be an Internet celebrity. |
4 . I have a special place in my heart for libraries. I have for as long as I can remember. I was always an enthusiastic reader, sometimes reading up to three books a day as a child. Stories were like air to me and while other kids played ball or went to parties, I lived out adventures through the books I checked out from the library.
My first job was working at the Ukiah Library when I was 16 years old. It was a dream job and I did everything from shelving books to reading to the children for story time.
As I grew older and became a mother, the library took on a new place and an added meaning in my life. I had several children and books were our main source (来源) of entertainment. It was a big deal for us to load up and go to the local library, where my kids could pick out books to read or books they wanted me to read to them.
I always read, using different voices, as though I were acting out the stories with my voice and they loved it! It was a special time to bond with my children and it filled them with the wonderment of books.
Now, I see my children taking their children to the library and I love that the excitement of going to the library lives on form generation to generation.
As a novelist, I’ve found a new relationship with libraries. I encourage readers to go to their local library when they can’t afford to purchase a book. I see libraries as a safe haven (避风港) for readers and writers, a bridge that helps put together a reader with a book. Libraries, in their own way, help fight book piracy (盗版行为) and 1 think all writers should support libraries in a significant way when they can. Encourage readers to use the library. Share library announcements on your social media. Frequent them and talk about them when you can.
1. Which word best describes the author’s relationship with books as a child?| A．Inseparable. | B．Uneasy. | C．Awful. | D．Casual. |
| A．Pleasure from working in the library. | B．A closer bond developed with the readers. |
| C．Fun from acting out the stories. | D．Joy of reading passed on in the family. |
| A．Give money to book fairs. | B．Write for social media. |
| C．Buy her novels. | D．Support libraries. |
| A．Reading: A Source of Knowledge | B．My Idea about writing |
| C．My Love of the Library | D．Library: A Haven for the Young |
5 . In the mid-1980s, a study compared mtDNA from people around the world. It found that people of African descent (后裔) had twice as many genetic differences from each other than as did others. Because mutations (基因突变) seem to occur at a steady rate over time, scientists were able to conclude that modern humans must have lived in Africa at least twice as long as anywhere else. They now calculate that all living humans descend from a single woman who lived roughly 150,000 years ago in Africa, “Eve”. If geneticists are right, all of humanity is linked to Eve through an unbroken chain of mothers. This Eve was soon joined by “Y-Chromosome (染色体) Adam”, the genetic father of us all, also from Africa. DNA studies have confirmed that all the people on Earth, with all their shapes and colors, can trace their ancestry to ancient Africans.
What seems certain is that at a remarkably recent date—probably between 50,000 and 70,000 years ago—one small group of people, the ancestors of modern humans outside of Africa, left Africa for western Asia, either by migrating around the northern end of the Red Sea or across its narrow southern opening.
Once in Asia, genetic evidence suggests, the population split. One group stopped temporarily in the Middle East, while the other commenced a journey which would last tens of thousands of years. Moving a little further with each new generation, they followed the coast around the Arabian Peninsula, India, and Southeast Asia, all the way to Australia. ''The movement was probably unnoticeable,'' says Spencer Wells. ''It was less of a journey and probably more like walking a little farther down the beach to get away from the crowd.''
Although archaeological evidence of this 13,000-kilometer (8,000-mile) migration from Africa to Australia has almost completely disappeared, genetic traces of the group that made the trip do exist. They have been found in the DNA of native peoples in the Andaman Islands near Myanmar, in Malaysia, and in Papua New Guinea, and in the DNA of nearly all Australian aborigines (土著). Modern discoveries of 45,000-year-old bodies in Australia, buried at a site called Lake Mungo, provide some physical evidence for the theories as well.
People in the rest of Asia and Europe share different but equally ancient mtDNA and mutations. The mutations which they possess show that most are descendants of the group that stayed in the Middle East for thousands of years before moving on. Perhaps about 40,000 years ago, modern humans first advanced into Europe.
1. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?| A．Mutations occasionally take place over time |
| B．Modern humans probably have only one ancestor. |
| C．Modern humans must have lived in Africa for a shorter time than anywhere else. |
| D．Scientists confirm all of humanity is linked to Eve with physical evidence . |
| A．Most of the migrants turned back into Africa. |
| B．They separated into two groups. |
| C．Most of the migrants moved directly into Europe. |
| D．They stayed in the Middle East for tens of thousands of years. |
| A．Discovery of human remains in Australia | B．DNA of people in Southeast Africa |
| C．DNA of immigrants to Australia | D．Discoveries from modern societies in Asia |
| A．Finding Y-Chromosome Adam | B．Who were the First Humans? |
| C．The Discovery of DNA in Africa | D．Migrating Out of Africa |
6 . Adult Education Courses
Computer Studies Technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and we rely more and more on computers for everything from cooking to organizing our taxes. This six-week course will give you an understanding of computer fundamentals, including the use of software packages (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and how to use the Internet. Start: May 2,2019 Time: Wed 7 pm-9pm Cost: $300 Length: 6 weeks Place: Sydney College | Woodwork Learn the basics of woodworking with simple hands-on projects to build your confidence and skills. Each lesson explores a different area of woodworking that will provide you with the skills needed for any woodworking project. Flexible learning allows you to choose only the lessons that interest you. Start: April 15,2019 Time: Mon 5 pm-7pm Cost: $30 per lesson Length:12 weeks Place: Adult Learning Centre |
Web Design We provide advanced training in software, design, and coding for the web. Students must have already completed a recognized basic web design course or have at least 2 years’ relevant work experience. Students completing the course will receive the Diploma in Advanced Web Design. Start: June 1,2019 Time: Weekdays 9 am-4pm Cost: $4,990 Length: 40 weeks Place: University of Technology | Art This practical course is intended to help established artists take their creativity further. From sketching and color, to composition, painting and experimenting with style, you will study and explore an engaging variety of creative media and subject matter. Start: April 21,2019 Time: Thurs. 3 pm-6pm Cost: $750 Length:15 weeks Place: City Art |
1. Which course awards students an official certificate?
| A．Art. | B．Woodwork. | C．Computer Studies | D．Web Design.. |
| A．Web Design and Art. | B．Computer Studies and Woodwork. |
| C．Woodwork and Web Design. | D．Computer Studies and Art. |
| A．$30. | B．$180. | C．$250. | D．$360. |
7 . “Anyone who offends China will be killed no matter how far the target is.” That is the tagline for Wolf Warriors 2, the Chinese box office hit. It sees a soldier entering into an African war-zone and saving hundreds of lives from Western bad guys. It’s basically the plot of your typical Hollywood action movie, but this time it’s a Chinese man upholding justice and keeping the world safe.
Following in the footsteps of Jackie Chan and Jet Li, martial arts expert Wu Jing is among a new generation of directors who were initially Chinese action stars. His first Wolf Warrior film came out in 2014, but it didn’t catch much attention. Mainstream movies, especially those promoting patriotism, usually don’t do very well in China. Wolf Warrior 2, however, has become a phenomenon. The massive response in China also made the film top the global box office worldwide last weekend, beating Hollywood blockbuster Dunkirk.
Many moviegoers said online that they were touched by the patriotic plot. “This movie is the best Chinese action movie,” one social media user wrote. “Shockingly good — hot blood and tough guys. I cried after watching it,” said another.
One reason for the enthusiastic response compared to the first Wolf Warrior film is its improved action scenes. Many in China have praised the film for its fighting scenes and special effects, saying they are of “Hollywood quality”. The movie, which is entirely privately funded, has also been lauded for its attention to details and features of close replicas of many of the latest weapons used by the Chinese army. Timing has also contributed to its success, with the Chinese nation in the times of a new wave of patriotism.
The film first came out just ahead of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese army, a hugely symbolic event for the country. Over the weekend, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) held a grand military parade, which presented the latest weapons of China. In a serious speech, which in parts was not different from lines from the film, President Xi Jinping promised to fight anyone who tried to tear China apart.
1. The text is meant to ________.| A．introduce a recent action movie |
| B．explain why Wu Jing is a successful director |
| C．compare Wolf Warriors 2 with Hollywood movies |
| D．claim that China is a super power in terms of weapons production |
| A．it doesn’t promote patriotism |
| B．its combat scenes are of higher quality |
| C．the weapons in the movie are the most advanced |
| D．Wu Jing is becoming better at directing after failing his first movie |
| A．Dunkirk has attracted more audiences compared to Wolf Warriors 2. |
| B．Social media users think highly of Wu Jing’s acting skills. |
| C．In the past, movies about patriotism often appeal to the public. |
| D．Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Wu Jing were actors at first. |
| A．encouraged | B．praised | C．criticized | D．awarded |
8 . A new batch of young women—members of the so-called Millennial (千禧的) generation — has been entering the workforce for the past decade. At the starting line of their careers, they are better educated than their mothers and grandmothers had been — or than their young male counterparts are now. But when they look ahead, they see roadblocks to their success. They believe that women are paid less than men for doing the same job. They think it’s easier for men to get top executive jobs than it is for them. And they assume that if and when they have children, it will be even harder for them to advance in their careers.
While the public sees greater workplace equality between men and women now than it did 20-30 years ago, most believe more change is needed. Among Millennial women, 75% say this country needs to continue making changes to achieve gender equality in the workplace, compared with 57% of Millennial men. Even so, relatively few young women (15%) say they have been discriminated against at work because of their gender.
As Millennial women come of age, they share many of the same views and values about work as their male counterparts. They want jobs that provide security and flexibility, and they place relatively little importance on high pay. At the same time, however, young working women are less likely than men to aim at top management jobs: 34% say they’re not interested in becoming a boss or top manager; only 24% of young men say the same. The gender gap on this question is even wider among working adults in their 30s and 40s, when many women face the trade-offs that go with work and motherhood.
These findings are based on a new Pew Research Center survey of 2,002 adults, including 810 Millennials, conducted Oct. 7-27, 2019. The survey finds that, in spite of the dramatic gains women have made in educational attainment and labor force participation in recent decades, young women view this as a man’s world — just as middle-aged and older women do.
1. What do we learn from the first paragraph about Millennial women starting their careers?| A．They can get ahead only by striving harder. |
| B．They expect to succeed just like Millennial men. |
| C．They are generally quite optimistic about their future. |
| D．They are better educated than males counterparts. |
| A．They are the target of discrimination. | B．They find it satisfactory on the whole. |
| C．They think it needs further improving. | D．They find their complaints ignored. |
| A．A sense of accomplishment. | B．Job stability and flexibility. |
| C．Rewards and promotions. | D．Joy derived from work. |
| A．The welfare of their children. | B．The narrowing of the gender gap. |
| C．The fulfillment of their dreams in life. | D．The balance between work and family. |
9 . We have studied in Songpu High school for several months. When I first went into the school gate and saw my new classroom and teachers, I thought I would have a new start. The school life is very busy and exciting. There are many activities in our school, such as Sports Meeting, Science Week, Art Week and so on. We all take an active part in them. I have made many new friends and we often help and learn from each other in study.Our teachers have taught us a lot. They not only teach us how to study but also teach us how to be a useful person in society. They tell us which thing is worth doing.Habit is a second nature.Our teachers often remind us to form a good habit.
People often said: There is no royal to learning. Now I feel it is true. The study now is far more different than before. I often find there is something difficult to understand at once. At this time, you must spend a lot of time studying by yourself or you won't make progress. Of course study is hard but when you make progress you'll find it is interesting.
Our school is clean and beautiful. There are many trees and flowers around it.In order to make our school more and more beautiful we should try our best to keep it clean.
Today we are proud of Songpu. Tomorrow Songpu will be proud of us.
1. ________ is also important besides studying hard according to this passage.| A．Being a useful person | B．Good studying habit |
| C．Taking part in activities | D．Making progress |
| A．thankful | B．enthusiastic |
| C．loving | D．exciting |
| A．boring | B．harmonious (和谐的) |
| C．terrible | D．quiet |
| A．An Attractive School | B．My School Life |
| C．I Like My School | D．My Teacher |
10 . When he first rose to stardom in the NBA, Yao Ming could not possibly have known the influence he would have on the American understanding of China.
In the eyes of many Americans, Chinese are short, bookish, and not especially athletic. Yao, 26, has turned that image on its head. A giant at 2.26 metres, he has been the most talked-about player in the league since he topped the NBA draft（选秀）in 2002.
When Yao first joined the Rockets and struggled with an American style of basketball, many were quick to label（标记）Yao “a failure”. But Yao played on. He did not let the criticism affect his performance. Even when former NBA star Charles Barkley bet that Yao could not score more than 19 points in a single game, Yao kept his self-respect. The same cannot be said for Barkley, who was forced to kiss a real donkey’s ass（屁股）when Yao passed the 19-point mark early in his first season.
For Americans, Yao’s polite and friendly personality is a welcome contrast to the rude behaviour of the NBA’s bad boys. Compared with most other NBA players, Yao Ming is a true gentleman. He respects all of his opponents（对手）, even those who are not friendly to him.
“He is so wise and humourous that he seems like a diplomat（外交家）rather than a basketball player sometimes,” said Ron Burke, an NBA TV reporter.
In addition, Yao’s witty answers have changed the opinion that Chinese people are boring. When asked what were his favourite English words, Yao told the press that the five words were “This is the last question.” Yao is winning supporters within the league as well. After a Rockets-Lakers game that Shaquille O’Neal had to sit out with an injury, O’Neal said, “You played pretty good, Yao Ming.” Yao replied, “That’s because you weren’t there.”
1. What attitude do many people take with Yao Ming when he first joined the Rockets?| A．Friendly. | B．Doubtful. | C．Sincere. | D．Angry. |
| A．proved that he was athletic | B．passed the 19-point mark early |
| C．showed his politeness and friendliness | D．beat former NBA star Charles Barkley |
| A．Yao Ming was respectful and smart | B．Yao Ming was boring and proud |
| C．Yao Ming topped the NBA draft | D．Yao Ming wasn’t a failure any more |
| A．Yao Ming’s road to stardom. |
| B．The skills Ming showed in NBA. |
| C．Yao Ming’s competition with other NBA players. |
| D．The impact of Yao Ming on Americans’ attitudes towards Chinese. |
