1 . California Condor’s Shocking Recovery

California condors are North America’s largest birds, with wind-length of up to 3 meters. In the 1980s, electrical lines and lead poisoning(铅中毒) nearly drove them to dying out. Now, electric shock training and medical treatment are helping to rescue these big birds.
In the late 1980s, the last few condors were taken from the wild to be bred(繁殖). Since 1992, there have been multiple reintroductions to the wild, and there are now more than 150 flying over California and nearby Arizona, Utah and Baja in Mexico.
Electrical lines have been killing them off. “As they go in to rest for the night, they just don’t see the power lines,” says Bruce Rideout of San Diego Zoo. Their wings can bridge the gap between lines, resulting in electrocution(电死) if they touch two lines at once.
So scientists have come up with a shocking idea. Tall poles, placed in large training areas, teach the birds to stay clear of electrical lines by giving them a painful but undeadly electric shock. Before the training was introduced, 66% of set-freed birds died of electrocution. This has now dropped to 18%.
Lead poisonous has proved more difficult to deal with. When condors eat dead bodies of other animals containing lead, they absorb large quantities of lead. This affects their nervous systems and ability to produce baby birds, and can lead to kidney(肾) failures and death. So condors with high levels of lead are sent to Los Angeles Zoo, where they are treated with calcium EDTA, a chemical that removes lead from the blood over several days. This work is starting to pay off. The annual death rate for adult condors has dropped from 38% in 2000 to 5.4% in 2011.
Rideout’s team thinks that the California condors’ average survival time in the wild is now just under eight years. “Although these measures are not effective forever, they are vital for now,” he says. “They are truly good birds that are worth every effort we put into recovering them. ”
1. California condors attract researchers’ interest because they _________.

A．are active at night

B．had to be bred in the wild

C．are found only in California

D．almost died out in the 1980s

2. Researchers have found electrical lines are _________.

A．blocking condors’ journey home

B．big killers of California condors

C．rest places for condors at night

D．used to keep condors away

3. According to Paragraph 5, lead poisoning _________.

A．makes condors too nervous to fly

B．has little effect on condors’ kidneys

C．can hardly be gotten rid of from condors’ blood

D．makes it difficult for condors to produce baby birds

4. This passage shows that _________.

A．the average survival time of condors is satisfactory

B．Rideout’s research interest lies in electric engineering

C．the efforts to protect condors have brought good results

D．researchers have found the final answers to the problem

2 . There’s no doubt that one of the greatest human achievements is the exploration of the space. Ever since astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to be sent into the orbit around the moon in 1961, scientists have been pushing the boundaries further and further. But until now the exploration into the unknown has been dominated (主导) by men.

Of course, in the past, women were also included in the space projects and played an active role on the ground and behind the scenes. For example, they worked as seamstresses (女裁缝师), sewing vital spaceflight components. In fact, many of NASA’s key works would never have been possible without them. Recently Hollywood produced a movie called Hidden Figures to focus on a group of American female mathematicians, especially the black women, who helped NASA send the first American into space. But this was not women’s only contribution. Back in 1963, Soviet astronaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to be sent into space. However, after that, space flight programs were slow to employ women. In the USA. NASA didn’t accept applications from women to become astronauts until 1978.

But attitudes have changed and leading officials at NASA say that the first person to set foot on Mars should be a woman. The space agency aims to have a sex-balanced workforce but can only achieve that if equal numbers of men and women are trained for science and technology jobs. As Allison McIntryre told the BBC, “My director is a woman. We have female astronauts. We haven’t put a woman on the moon yet. And I think that perhaps the first person to step on Mars should be a woman.”

1. What did Yuri Gagarin do in 1961?

A．He landed on the moon in success.

B．He discovered many new boundaries.

C．He led scientists to explore the moon.

D．He made the first journey into the space.

2. Why does the author mention the film Hidden Figures?

A．To show women are the true heroes of NASA’s first launch.

B．To stress that black people have won equal rights in NASA.

C．To prove women can do as well as men in NASA’ projects.

D．To present women’s contributions to NASA’s space programs.

3. What is Allison McIntryre’s attitude toward women astronauts?

A．Uncaring.	B．Disapproving.
C．Supportive.	D．Disappointed.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Will the First Person to Step on Mars Be a Woman?

B．Great Achievements Have Been Made in Space Exploration?

C．Why Men Played an Important Role in Exploring the Unknown?

D．Men and Women Have Made Equal Contributions to NASA’s Projects?

3 . Amsterdam,the capital and most populous city in the Netherlands，is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world，famous for its beautiful canals，top art museum，cycling culture，and Red Light District.Here are some of the key points to remember as you plan your trip to Amsterdam.

Must-See Attractions

Most visitors begin their Amsterdam adventure in the Old Centre,which is full of traditional architecture，shopping centers,and coffee shops.You’ll also want to check out Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter in the South District，which is great for shopping at the Albert Cuyp Market and having a picnic in the Vondelpark.The top museums to visit are the Rijksmusuem,the Ann Frank House,and the Van Gogh Museum.The Canal Ring is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was originally built to attract wealthy home owners and is a popular place for celebrity spotting and nightlife today.

Transportation

Travelers should be aware that Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of the busiest airports in the world.This airport is located about 15 kilometers southwest of city center.You can catch a train from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station，which has many connecting routes.It’s typically not a good idea to drive a car to the city center because traffic is heavy and parking is difficult to find.Cycling is incredibly popular here,and it’s easy to find cheap bike rentals around town.Amsterdam has a flat terrain(地形) and is a great city to explore on foot.

Money Saving Tips

Unless you really want to see the tulips(郁金香) blooming，avoid booking between mid-March and mid-May.This is when hotel and flight prices rise.

Look for accommodations in Amsterdam’s South District，where rates are generally cheaper than in the city center.

Buy train tickets at the machine instead of the counter to save a bit of money.

Instead of hiring a tour guide，hop on a canal boat.They’re inexpensive and will give you a unique point of view of the city.

Check out our homepage to view price comparisons for flights,hotels,and rental cars before you book.

1. Which attraction was built with the original purpose of drawing the rich?

A．Albert Cuyp Market.	B．The Ann Frank House.
C．The Van Gogh Museum.	D．The Canal Ring.

2. Which means of transportation is not advisable in Amsterdam according to the passage?

A．The plane.	B．The train.
C．The car.	D．The bike.

3. Which way can help visitors save money in Amsterdam?

A．Seeing the tulips blooming in spring.	B．Avoiding accommodating downtown.
C．Buying car tickets at the machine.	D．Hiring a local tour guide.

4 . “If music is the medicine of the soul, let it play on,” said a famous person. I think he said so probably because he had got some help from music. Music has some strange functions. Medical scientists have found that a person who feels stressed can actually listen to a certain kind of music and become relaxed.

Researchers said that since stress comes as a result of some events in life such as starting a new family, starting a new business and starting a new job, one can actually listen to good music and feel good because good music touches humans in a positive way. Music helps you forget these events that make you worried and remember the important events that once happened in your life.

Depression(抑郁症) is a disease caused by stress, smoking, social problems, etc. Depression is also caused by difficulties such as failure in business. Depression may bring us weakness, headaches and loss of concentration. Good music makes one remember happy moments or days. If you play music about love, it makes you feel like falling in love again though you may have had several upset experiences. And such good feelings make you healthy.

Anxiety is another health problem that can be controlled by music. Anxiety is one of the side effects of some major health problems such as liver cancer and breast cancer. Good music makes you feel relaxed and relieves the pain caused by these diseases and you will feel better. Good music also makes you sleep better, and you need to know that sleep puts your body in a healthy condition. Good sleep takes away the effects of stress, depression and anxiety from a person.

1. What do you know about music according to the famous person in Paragraph 1?

A．Music can treat many kinds of diseases.

B．Music can help you keep mentally healthy.

C．Music can take the place of medicine in treating illness.

D．Music can make you remember things that happened in the past.

2. How does good music help people remove stress?

A．By letting people have a good sleep.	B．By making people think positively.
C．By showing something new to people.	D．By making people focus only on important things.

3. According to the passage, what will one who has cancer most probably experience?

A．Stress

B．Depression.

C．Anxiety.

D．Upset

4. Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?

A．The benefits of listening to music to health.

B．Stress can bring us many kinds of diseases.

C．Some diseases have something to do with music.

D．Tips for us to live a healthy and comfortable life.

5 .
Innovative Designs for Accessibility
Deadline: 2020-04-30
Award: $ 7,500 CAD
Open to: University students

The Innovative (创新的) Designs for Accessibility student competition challenges students across Canada to use their creativity to develop innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions to accessibility barriers for people with disabilities. (Read more)

Clean Tech Competition
Deadline: 2020-04-13
Award: $ 28,000
Open to: Students 13-15 years old

The Clean Tech Competition is a unique, worldwide research and design challenge for pre-college youth. The competition is designed to build a deeper understanding of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) related concepts, recognize outstanding talent, and prepare the next generation of globally competitive innovators. (Read more)

Agile Robotics Competition
Deadline: 2020-04-10
Award: $ 17,500
Open to: Adults

Agile Robotics Competition is a simulation-based (仿真) competition designed to promote agility(灵活) in industrial robot systems by employing the latest advances in artificial intelligence and robot planning. The competition will be held virtually (虚拟的), so there is no need to travel to compete. The competition will use the Gazebo simulation tool. (Read more)

Wearable Robotics Innovation Challenge
Deadline: 2020-04-24
Award: $ 5,000
Open to: Everyone

The Wearable Robotics Association is inviting entries that represent the most innovative new ideas in wearable robotic technology. The review committee will select as many as ten finalists. The one considered to be the most innovative will be announced at the conference and will receive $ 5,000 to accelerate the new technology. (Read more)

1. Which competition favors competitors with a creative mind in helping the disabled?

A．Innovative Designs for Accessibility.	B．Clean Tech Competition.
C．Agile Robotics Competition.	D．Wearable Robotics Innovation Challenge.

2. What’s the aim of Clean Tech Competition?

A．To make a research about STEM.

B．To encourage university students to be innovators.

C．To help students prepare for the university.

D．To find talented teenagers and develop their ability to innovate.

3. What can we know about the four competitions?

A．They are open to everyone.	B．Every competitor can get an award.
C．They are held in April.	D．They are held virtually.

6 . New York Pass — Attraction Guide & Planner

Do you ever worry that you've missed something when you travel? With The New York Pass app, you won't miss a thing.Discover New York's famous attractions and lesser-known sights at the touch of a button. Access, travel guides and maps make exploration effortless. And savings on the gate price and beyond means more money to spend on experiencing the city.

Choose from 1, 2,3,5, 7 or 10 day pass to suit your travel plans. Already bought your pass? Simply sync (同步) your pass to the app and scan at your first attraction to activate (激活).

Enjoy free entry to over 100 top New York attractions. In the app you'll find inspiring information to help make the choice easier.

What to enjoy on the app

Itineraries (行程）

Get inspiration from our tailored itineraries or build your own to help you make the most of the city. There's something for everyone, including New York in a Day, Museum Mile or even something unique.

Special Offers

See the world-famous New York Knicks play, enjoy Broadway shows and save with store and dining discounts.

Interactive Map

Explore New York effortlessly. Use the interactive map to locate the attractions near you.

Sync your pass. Plan your trip. Enjoy stress-free sightseeing and save as you see.

Download for free today.

1. What should you do to activate the app?

A．Visit over 100 top New York attractions.

B．Discover attractions at the touch of a button.

C．Plan stress-free sightseeing from a tour guide.

D．Sync your pass and scan at your first attraction.

2. Which of the following is the benefit of using the app?

A．Purchasing a one-week pass.

B．Building a route suited to you.

C．Enjoying discounts on any item.

D．Missing some lesser-known sights.

3. Who is the text mainly intended for?

A．Fans of plays or shows.

B．Tourists to New York.

C．Lovers of new technology.

D．Tour guides in New York.

7 . Have you ever noticed that the stars sometimes appear brighter in December, January and February? There's a link between cold air and the night lights. "Part of it is that it tends to be drier in the winter," said Diane Tumshek, an astronomer at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Even though it's invisible, moisture can change the way light moves through the air. And in the summer, moisture can make stars appear more dull.

Air temperature is also what puts the twinkle twinkle in the little stars. "Even on very clear nights, some of the atmosphere is cooler, and some of the atmosphere is warmer,” said Tumshek, who also works with the Allegheny Observatory. And when the light from a star passes through those bubbles of varying temperatures, "it bends and shifts the light, so that we are seeing stars appear to dance or twinkle,” she said.

For star lovers in the United States, there's another factor that comes into play for bright winter stars, although this is a matter of coincidence. During Earth's journey around the sun, “there are just simply more bright stars visible from the Northern Hemisphere in the winter sky," Tumshek said. If you really want to see a shiny star, just try to find a burning ball of gas called Sirius near the horizon. At 8.6 light-years away, Sirius is relatively close to Earth and the brightest star visible in the night sky. It is also large — nearly twice as big as our sun and 20 times as bright. So this winter, when the world turns cold and it seems like we should be spending more time indoors, consider asking an adult to go exploring outside. With a warm coat and a clear sky, any night can be turned into a treasure hunt. All you have to do is look up.

1. What does the underlined word "dull" in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．not shiny

B．not exciting

C．not severe

D．not smart

2. How does air temperature influence the brightness of stars?

A．By changing the bubbles around them.	B．By putting the twinkle twinkle in them.
C．By varying the direction of the light from them.	D．By making the stars dance and twinkle in the sky.

3. What do we know about Sirius?

A．It can be found at any night.	B．It is 20 times as bright as the sun.
C．It is a burning and shiny ball.	D．It is closer to Earth than other stars,

4. What is the author's purpose in writing the text?

A．To advocate stargazing in winter,	B．To call on people to focus on stars.
C．To present new research results about stars.	D．To explain why stars are more visible in winter.

8 . Faced with a declining population and workforce, Japan has been increasingly turning to robots for help. Over the years, the robots have carried out a large number of human tasks, including building products and providing care for the elderly.

However, the robots currently being used by companies, like Walmart and Amazon, are only able to perform single, repetitive tasks, such as stacking boxes. Model-T, on the other hand, has a wider range of movement and is able to hold, pick and place objects of several different shapes and sizes into different locations, making it ideal for convenience and grocery stores, which sell a large variety of items.

Model-T robots are operated from a distant location by human “pilots” wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset and special gloves, which allow them to feel the product the robot is holding in their hands and guide it to the right shelf.

The VR-controlled robots are ten times cheaper than automated robots, because they don’t require advanced programming and are easier to develop and maintain. And their easy-to-use controls require little training. Tomohiro Kano, a general manager in charge of development at FamilyMart, believes this will enable the chain to recruit workers who would typically not work in stores.

Though Model-T appears to be getting rapidly through the experiments, it is not quite ready to enter the workforce. Besides being a lot slower than humans, it is also only able to lift packaged items, and cannot get hold of things such as fruits and vegetables. The company is working to improve the weaknesses and hopes to introduce a faster, more skillful Model-T within the next two years. They believe that in addition to the stores, the robots could also be useful in hospitals, allowing doctors to do operations from remote locations.

1. What is one of the features of Model-T according to the text?

A．It works much faster than humans.	B．It can easily hold all kinds of objects.
C．It can be operated from a distance away.	D．It is harder to produce than an automated robot.

2. What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．The low price of Model-T.	B．The easiness to operate Model-T.
C．The low-level programming of Model-T.	D．The strict training for maintaining Model-T.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Model-T is now being massively produced.

B．Japan’s workforce will be reduced by Model-T.

C．The weaknesses of Model-T have been overcome.

D．Model-T may be used in wider fields in the future.

4. In which section of a website can we read this text?

A．Technology.

B．Economy.

C．Lifestyle.

D．Environment.

9 . If a diver surfaces too quickly, he may suffer the bends. Nitrogen(氮) dissolved(溶解) in his blood is suddenly liberated by the reduction of pressure. The consequence, if the bubbles (气泡)accumulate in a joint, is sharp pain and a bent body—thus the name. If the bubbles form in his lungs or his brain, the consequence can be death.

Other air-breathing animals also suffer this decompression(减压) sickness if they surface too fast: whales, for example. And so, long ago, did ichthyosaurs. That these ancient sea animals got the bends can be seen from their bones. If bubbles of nitrogen form inside the bone they can cut off its blood supply. This kills the cells in the bone, and consequently weakens it, sometimes to the point of collapse. Fossil (化石)bones that have caved in on them selves are thus a sign that the animal once had the bends.

Bruce Rothschild of the University of Kansas knew all this when he began a study of ichthyosaur bones to find out how widespread the problem was in the past. What he particularly wanted to investigate was how ichthyosaurs adapted to the problem of decompression over the 150 million years. To this end, he and his colleagues traveled the world’s natural-history museums, looking at hundreds of ichthyosaurs from the Triassic period and from the later Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

When he started, he assumed that signs of the bends would be rarer in younger fossils, reflecting their gradual evolution of measures to deal with decompression. Instead, he was astonished to discover the opposite. More than 15% of Jurassic and Cretaceous ichthyosaurs had suffered the bends before they died, but not a single Triassic specimen(标本) showed evidence of that sort of injury.

If ichthyosaurs did evolve an anti-decompression means, they clearly did so quickly—and, most strangely, they lost it afterwards. But that is not what Dr Rothschild thinks happened. He suspects it was evolution in other animals that caused the change.

Whales that suffer the bends often do so because they have surfaced to escape a predator (捕食动物) such as a large shark. One of the features of Jurassic oceans was an abundance of large sharks and crocodiles, both of which were fond of ichthyosaur lunches. Triassic oceans, by contrast, were mercifully shark- and crocodile-free. In the Triassic, then, ichthyosaurs were top of the food chain. In the Jurassic and Cretaceous, they were prey(猎物) as well as predator—and often had to make a speedy exit as a result.

1. Which of the following is a typical symptom of the bends?

A．A twisted body.	B．A gradual decrease in blood supply.
C．A sudden release of nitrogen in blood.	D．A drop in blood pressure.

2. The purpose of Rothschild’s study is to see________ .

A．how often ichthyosaurs caught the bends	B．how ichthyosaurs adapted to decompression
C．why ichthyosaurs bent their bodies	D．when ichthyosaurs broke their bones

3. Rothschild’s finding stated in Paragraph 4________ ..

A．confirmed his assumption	B．speeded up his research process
C．disagreed with his assumption	D．changed his research objectives

4. Rothschild might have concluded that ichthyosaurs ________ .

A．failed to evolve an anti decompression means

B．gradually developed measures against the bends

C．died out because of large sharks and crocodiles

D．evolved an anti decompression means but soon lost it

10 . 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.

2. Which of the following is the positive effect of Tibet's ecological protection?

A．Larger protection areas.	B．Numerous rare new species.
C．More days with quality air.	D．Global capital investments.

3. By doing ecological protection work, ____________.

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

4. What can be inferred from Kunsang Darje's words?

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.