1 . The twilight zone (朦胧地带) contains the largest and least explored fish stocks (储备) of the world’s oceans. Ranging from just below 200 metres to 1,000 metres deep, it is an interface between the well-studied sea life in the sunlit zone above and the ecosystems of the darkest territory below. It has a major role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it for centuries or longer. The twilight zone is also known to the largest migration on Earth. Huge numbers of fishes and zooplankton (浮游动物) move hundreds of metres towards the surface each night to feed, before withdrawing back down at dawn.
Yet the zone is poorly understood — physically, biogeochemically and ecologically. Even the number of organisms that live there remains a mystery, let alone their diversity and function.
It is alarming, then, that this vast ocean domain is at risk in three ways-even before any of the potential consequences are understood. First, the world’s growing population has an increasing need for food. Second, sea-floor mining for minerals and metals could release waste into the region. And third, climate change is varying temperature, acidification and oxygen levels in ways that are likely to affect life there.
The twilight zone is hard Io study. Its organisms are difficult to sample and analyse, being thinly distributed, almost invisible and often fragile. They also live at pressures of up to 100 atmospheres, which poses problems for laboratory-based investigations.
Critics might argue that walers near coasts and above shelves are more deserving of study, given the huge environmental pressures there, as well as their importance to societies. And, of course, they need attention. Sadly, however, it is too late to avoid widespread environmental damage to these inshore regions. Instead, research efforts and local policies must aim at minimizing the worst effects.
By contrast, the twilight zone is almost left in its original condition. Moreover, the majority of it lies beyond national administration. This makes it of common interest and responsibility, and means that global agreement is necessary to manage it.
1. What can we learn about the twilight zone?| A．It has the least fish stocks. |
| B．It reduces atmosphere’s carbon dioxide. |
| C．It lies at the bottom of sea. |
| D．Il is located above the sunlit zone. |
| A．Where global warming leads us. |
| B．Why high food consumption arises. |
| C．How the twilight zone is threatened. |
| D．What impacts pollution has on ocean. |
| A．The twilight zone. | B．The inshore area. |
| C．Its original condition. | D．National administration. |
| A．International cooperation is essential. |
| B．Inshore regions deserve more attention. |
| C．Global agreement has been reached. |
| D．Study on the twilight zone is out of the question. |
2 . The biggest and the smallest of the world’s animals are most at risk of dying out, according to a new analysis, with vertebrates (脊椎动物) in the so-called “Goldilocks zone”—not too big and not too small—winning out. Action is needed to protect animals at both ends of the scale, they say. The research adds to evidence that animals are dying out on such a scale that a sixth extinction is considered under way.
One clue is body size. Research on birds and mammals has shown that those with larger bodies are more likely to go extinct. Yet, when the researchers made a database of thousands of birds, mammals, fish, amphibians (两栖动物) and reptiles (爬行动物) at risk of extinction, they found disproportionate (不成比例的) losses at the large and small ends of the scale.
“Surprisingly, we found that not only the largest of all vertebrate animal species are most threatened, but the very tiniest ones are also highly threatened with extinction,” Prof. Ripple told BBC News.
Large animals, such as elephants, rhinos (犀牛) and lions have long been the target of protection efforts. However, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians that are the giants of their kind, such as the whale shark, Somali ostrich (鸵鸟) and the Chinese giant salamander (蝾螈), tend to be overlooked. Meanwhile, small species at risk--such as frogs and shrews (鼩鼱)--receive very little attention.
“I think, for the smallest species, first of all we need to bring higher awareness to them, because the larger ones get a lot of attention, but the smaller ones get very little,” said Prof. Ripple.
In the study, vertebrates with the smallest and the largest bodies were found to be most at risk of disappearing, whether they were on land or living in oceans, streams or rivers.
Heavyweights are threatened mainly by hunting, while featherweights are losing out to pollution and cutting down forests. “Ultimately, reducing global consumption of wild meat is a key step to reduce negative impacts of hunting, fishing, and trapping on the world’s vertebrates,” they write in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
1. What made the researchers feel surprised?| A．A sixth of animals are dying out. |
| B．Small animals are in great danger. |
| C．Great losses of birds and mammals. |
| D．Big animals are at risk of disappearing. |
| A．Transform our habits. | B．Change our concepts. |
| C．Find ways to save small animals. | D．Take measures to stop pollution. |
| A．Loss of forests. | B．Climate change. |
| C．Human activities. | D．Environmental pollution. |
| A．Size Matters When It Comes to Extinction Risk |
| B．Large Animals Are Badly in Need of Protection |
| C．Why a Great Number of Animals Are Dying out |
| D．What We Should Do to Protect Endangered Species |
3 . Bumblebees(大黄蜂）aren't simply dancing around our gardens.Now,a new study suggests that bumblebees force plants to flower by making small bites in their leaves.
Consuelo De Moraes,a scientist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, noticed bumblebees making tiny bites in the leaves of their greenhouse plants.The insects didn't seem to be carrying off the bits of leaves to their nests or eating them.
Supposing the bees were causing the plants to flower,Consuelo De Moraes and his team set up a series of experiments.They placed flowerless tomato plants and two kinds of worker bees in cages.The bees fed with enough pollen(花粉）seldom damaged the plants,while the ones without having pollen for three days busily did so.Scientists then removed the plants after the bees made five to ten holes in their leaves.The small holes caused the tomato plants to flower a month sooner than usual.
＂In a sense,the bees are signaling,'Hey,we need food.Please speed up your flowering, and we'll pollinate(授粉）you."said Lars Chittka,a behavioral scientist at Queen Mary University of London.
To make sure that their discoveries didn't result from the man-made conditions in the lab, the scientists placed bumblebees and a variety of flowerless plant species on their Zurich rooftop in late March 2018.The bees were free to fly as far as they could.Yet they set to work damaging the leaves on all the non-flowering plants nearest to their nests.The bees lost interest in this activity toward the end of April as more flowers came out,according to the study.
The research is of great value,for it can increase the human food supply.However,some questions remain to be answered,like"Why do the bites cause the plants to flower?"and ＂Does flowering early lead to higher fitness for the plants?"
1. Why did the bumblebees bite the leaves?| A．Because they wanted to eat the leaves. |
| B．Because they were to get pollen to eat. |
| C．Because they were exercising to be stronger. |
| D．Because they would carry the leaves to the nests. |
| A．Dancing on the leaves. |
| B．Flying as far as they could. |
| C．Making small holes in the leaves. |
| D．Damaging the flowers near their nests. |
| A．Humans may produce more food. |
| B．Bumblebees can have more to eat. |
| C．Some plants can have more flowers. |
| D．Some plants will gain higher fitness. |
| A．Bumblebees speed up plants flowering by biting leaves. |
| B．Human food supply will largely depend on bumblebees. |
| C．Bumblebees like to damage the plants nearest their nests. |
| D．Rooftop plants flower more than the ones in greenhouses. |
4 . A lecture hall should be like a church-a little too dark,much too cold,and uncomfortably silent.You should feel guilty opening your water bottle,because all 200 people in the room can hear it.
So when I’m trying to pay attention,the last thing you should be doing is carrying on a conversation about your last weekend party or anything else.
During the past school term,I’ve had enough.One of my biggest complaints of large class sizes is the tendency for three to five friends to sit together and loudly whisper each others’ ears off for an hour and 15 minutes straight.My stupid monkey brain can’t help but focus on your conversation about the difference between ash blonde and light blonde colored hair that look exactly the same.
To me,it just feels like a waste.You’re actively wasting money,and missing vital information.We(and the government)pay quite a lot for our education,but you are here to ignore someone significantly more experienced than us,in classes we picked,for hours every week.
I know major requirements can be boring,but this is still an education.It requires two-way effort.Most of students here have at least one goal in common:success.Not every checkpoint on that path is going to be filled with joy.Sit down,shut up,and force yourself to listen to your professor.Society tells us it will eventually pay off.
Or maybe it won’t because you don’t want to.
I actually don’t care if you decide to pay little or no attention to the lecture itself,so long as you’re not being disturbing.
For those willing to try,in 20 years when you finally pay off your debt with your fairly secure white-collar job,you’ll look back and be happy that you went through the lectures.
1. Why is a lecture hall compared to a church by the author?| A．Both places are open to the public. |
| B．Both places are supposed to be quiet. |
| C．Both places can seat over 200 people. |
| D．Both places help rid people of their guilt. |
| A．He likes persuading others. |
| B．He tends to make complaints. |
| C．He values education as a duty. |
| D．He cares much about friendship. |
| A．Annoyed. |
| B．Deserted. |
| C．Thrilled. |
| D．Worried. |
| A．Hard Work Pays Off! |
| B．Focus on the Lectures! |
| C．Wasting Your Time Is a Shame! |
| D．Mind Your In-Class Behavior! |
5 . Sometimes life can seem challenging (挑战的) and we usually get the feeling of “the grass on the other side is always greener”! We usually feel upset with the troubles that life throws at us.
The best thing to do at that point of time is to close our eyes and start counting of all the blessings in life that God has given us.
If we think deeply, our life is full of blessings that we hardly recognize. Listening to the singing of birds early in the morning, we realize that there are many people who spend their life in a world that is silent while many others spend their lives in a world that is dark and may have never seen a rainbow or the setting sun.
When you go out for a drive, pull down the window and look at the poor beggar standing under the hot sun, begging for filling his hungry stomach. We get three meals a day without realizing its importance. Isn’t that a blessing?
Whenever you are sad, look at the eyes of your parents and family filled with love and concern for you. There are many people who have never experienced the love of a family. Isn’t that a blessing?
As Mother Teresa once said, “We don’t need to do great things. We need to do small things with great love”.
The key to a happy life is when we consider others problems to be our own and try to help them. When we love people without any expectations and help them, our heart is filled with a sense of happiness and peace seeing the smile on their face.
So the next time whenever life knocks you down, close your eyes and…start counting!
1. What does the author intend to tell us?| A．True happiness lies in achieving wealth. |
| B．Blessings should be treasured in our life. |
| C．The singing of birds can make us happy. |
| D．Love from our family gives us courage to face life. |
| A．however happy we are, we never seem to be satisfied |
| B．though we are rich, we are poor in mind |
| C．we can have a better life if we work harder |
| D．there exists a greener grass on the other side |
| A．We have already known that life is filled with blessings. |
| B．It is a blessing to have three meals a day. |
| C．It’s natural to see a rainbow or the setting sun in life. |
| D．Mother Teresa calls on us to do great things in life. |
| A．Troubles in Life | B．Secrets of Life |
| C．A Sense of Happiness | D．Count Your Blessings |
6 . American actor James Dean has been dead for 64 years. James Dean, who died at the age of 25 in September 1955, starred in just three movies before he died in a car accident. They are Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden and Giant. Yet, he will star in a new movie about the Vietnam War thanks to digital technology ,which generates(产生) images of James Dean by computer.
The idea that one of the movies' most beloved former stars would be recreated digitally for a new film has been met with criticism(批评). Captain America actor Chris Evans called the plans to use Dean's image in the film disrespectful.
However, Mark Roesler, the chairman of CMG said, “Dean has more than 183,000 followers on Instagram, and that he is still important today. He was known as Hollywood's ‘rebel(叛逆)' who famously said 'if a man can bridge the gap(沟壑) between life and death, if he can live after he's dead, then maybe he is a great man.” Roesler added, “What was considered rebellious in the 50's is very different from what is rebellious today, and we feel confident that he would support this modern day act of rebellion.”
Anton Ernst, the film's director, said, “1 respect Dean's life and history. The movie is one of hope and love. There are still a lot of James Dean's fans worldwide and there would always be critics. All we can do is to tell a great story.” Ernst added, “The Dean family views this as his fourth movie, a movie he never got to make. We do not want to let his fans down.”
1. Which film did Chris Evans star in?| A．Rebel Without a Cause. | B．Captain America. | C．East of Eden. | D．Giant |
| A．James Dean's rebellious spirit is about life and death. |
| B．Roesler wanted to be a “rebellious man like James Dean. |
| C．James Dean thought he was a great man full of rebellion. |
| D．Roesler believes Jamnes Dean would support the digital technology. |
| A．James Dean to Star in New Film | B．James Dean's Death in 1955 |
| C．Latest Development of Digital Technology | D．A Once Popular Movie On Again |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Thankful. | D．Uninterested. |
7 . For the first time, the World Health Organization has included Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in its globally influential medical compendium(手册), according to an international science journal.
An article published by Nature on Wednesday said that TCM will be included in the latest version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)set to be released next year. Starting from the 1800s, the ICD has been improved and published in a series of editions,reflecting the advances in health and medical science over time. It serves as the foundation for the identification of global health trends, and the international standard for diseases and health conditions.
The latest ICD is based largely on the work of the International Classification of Traditional Medicine (ICTM) project's experts from around the world. These experts had been working on traditional medicine research and practices for years.
China has been promoting the modernization of TCM and pushing for TCM to gain acceptance worldwide. Tu Youyou, a Chinese expert focusing on the scientific study of drugs and medicines, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2015 for her research in TCM. Her discovery has saved millions of lives in developing countries in South Asia, Africa and South America. TCM is sure to grow in popularity globally.
Though the application of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture(针灸) and other traditional medical practices has been on the rise, there's still a shortage of global classification and terminology(术语) tools for traditional medicine, according to officials of the WHO.
“The decision is to promote the safe and effective use of traditional medicine by regulating, researching and combining traditional medicine products, practitioners and practice into health systems, where appropriate," the WHO was quoted as saying by Nature.
1. What can we learn about the ICD from Paragraph 2?| A．It has included TCM this year. |
| B．It has a history of over 300 years. |
| C．It is published in various languages. |
| D．It provides standards for diseases worldwide. |
| A．To imply the worldwide popularity of TCM. |
| B．To prove TCM's gaining worldwide acceptance |
| C．To introduce a breakthrough in the medical field. |
| D．To show Chinese people deserve the Nobel Prize for their contribution. |
| A．The classification of TCM. |
| B．The standard of TCM terms. |
| C．The official promotion of TCM. |
| D．The use of traditional Chinese medicine |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．Opinion |
| C．Health. | D．Tech |
8 . Critics of “Helicopter parenting” styles adopted by middle class parents have claimed that they lead to children who are poorly prepared for the real world. Now, economists have argued that such intensive pushy parenting can bring life-changing benefits to children, particularly when it comes to academic achievement. Dr Matthias Doepke, a professor of economics in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University, and co-author Dr Fabrizio Zilibotti of Yale University are behind the claims.
In their new book, through personal anecdotes and original research, the pair show that in countries with increasing economic inequality, such as the United States, parents push harder to ensure their children to have a path to security and success. Dr Doepke and Dr Zilibotti analysed academic tests of 15-year-olds around the world, according to reports in the New York Times. They then compared these results to reports from teenagers and their parents about how they interact. The researchers discovered that “helicopter parenting” styles were linked to higher academic attainment.
“My parents expected us to show up for meals, go to school and be home before dark, but other than that, we had a lot of freedom.” Dr Doepke said. “The reality is that I am now a much more intensive parent who spends a lot of time on parenting, just like most other American parents today.”
They also looked at data on parenting across countries and realised that their economic approach explained a lot about why parenting differs around the world.
Economics has transformed the hands-off parenting of the 1960s’ and 1970s’ into an overscheduled activity, they say. Growing inequality has also resulted in an increasing “parenting gap” between richer and poorer families.
This raises the possibility of decreased social mobility (流动) and fewer opportunities for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. “We argue that parents respond to the environment they face, and depending on what that environment is, there can be outcomes that are socially problematic even if most parents do the best they can.” Dr Doepke said.
“In the U.S. today, the biggest concern is inequality in parenting, or what we refer to as the ‘parenting gap’ between social classes.”
Both authors’ view is that most parents are doing the right thing given the economic circumstances that they and their children face.
1. “Helicopter parents” usually ________.| A．give a lot of freedom to their children |
| B．are highly involved in their children’s lives and education |
| C．come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds |
| D．lead to children poorly prepared for the real world |
| A．Economic circumstances. | B．Age. | C．Education. | D．Occupation. |
| A．should be adopted to ensure success for their children |
| B．has a negative effect on children’s fitting into the real world |
| C．is linked to high achievers academically |
| D．helps narrow the gap between richer and poorer families |
9 . A few years ago, my husband Charlie and I had marital problems. Growing family responsibilities and financial worries took a toll on us and we began arguing frequently, often late into the night.
However, neither of us could take the step that would end our eleven-year marriage and bring heartbreak to our three young children. Deep down we knew we still loved each other, so we determined to work it out. Through countless discussions, we began to close the gulf. The more honest we were, the closer we became.
When I felt we were reaching solid ground, I asked my husband to give me an “eternity (永恒) ring”. It was not so much the ring I wanted; it was the reassurance (保证) I thought it would bring.
We went shopping on a beautiful summer day. We walked hand in hand along a row of jeweler’s shops. Finally I found a ring I liked. While waiting for it to be adjusted, the jeweler took my left hand and glanced at my engagement ring. “May I clean it for you?” he asked. “It really doesn’t sparkle like it used to.” Charlie said as I slipped the ring off my finger. A few minutes later the jeweler was back. The ring shone like new!
On the drive home, I didn’t take my eyes off it. I forgot all about the eternity ring. I just couldn’t believe how this old ring suddenly sparkled the way it had the day Charlie gave it to me. I had taken it for granted these past years, but with a little polish it could still make my heart beat fast.
And that’s the way it is with a marriage. You have to work at keeping it polished and new, or else the grime (污垢) of the passing years will hide the joy. I put my hand on the seat between us and spread my fingers. Charlie covered my hand with his. I felt I was lucky to be able to see the sparkle in something gold when I thought I needed something new.
1. Why did the author and her husband decide to solve the problems?| A．They were a famous couple. | B．They didn’t want to divorce. |
| C．The problems were not serious. | D．They had experience in doing so. |
| A．free of trouble | B．arriving at a square |
| C．wealthy and generous | D．in good relationship |
| A．Her husband kept it for her. | B．They didn’t actually pay for it. |
| C．The old ring’s light attracted her attention. | D．The couple were talking all the way merrily. |
| A．We tend to prefer new objects to old ones. |
| B．One should remain thankful for what he has got. |
| C．Marriage should be constantly polished. |
| D．We should try to rediscover the true value of old objects. |
10 . Most people are good at recognizing the universal facial expressions of our emotions 一 anger, joy, sadness, etc., which present a lot of emotional information. In fact, there are less obvious facial expressions called micro-expressions (MEs). Huma n beings often show them and communicate their private thoughts to others unconsciously (无意识的).What's more, people cannot hide them, including the experienced ones. And MEs have universality (普遍性), regardless of one's age, religion or culture.
All the findings lead to the possibilities of MEs' wide use in different fields, where people can use MEs to understand other people's true feelings, thoughts, or beliefs. Police can use MEs to detect unnatural behavior. Teachers can recognize unease in students and give a more careful explanation. Businessmen can use expressions of happiness to determine when they have given a suitable price. When one wants to be able to do what are mentioned above, it is useful to be able to read MEs.
However, MEs are difficult to read, because they are unconscious, and occur sometimes as fast as one-tenth of a second or even one-fifteenth of a second. At present, even highly trained persons are not always able to notice them. Some people do see something that has changed on the face, but they don't know exactly what it is that has changed. Since the human recognition accuracy (精准)is so low, a possible method for spotting MEs would be very precious.
1. Which word can replace the underlined word "detect” in Paragraph 2?| A．Discover. | B．Show. |
| C．Govern. | D．Affect. |
| A．Absence of training. |
| B．MEs' short existence. |
| C．MEs' universality. |
| D．Cultural differences. |
| A．The meaning of MEs. |
| B．The importance of spotting MEs. |
| C．The application of MEs. |
| D．The approach to recognizing MEs. |
