1 . “The pile of ice is so thick; it extends more than 10, 000 feet above the ocean. And if all that ice were to melt and go into the ocean, global sea levels would rise by about 24 feet everywhere around the world,” said Jason Briner, a geologist who studies the ice sheet in Greenland at the University of Buffalo. The ice sheet of the biggest island in the world is melting, and the ice sheet that sits atop it is massive. The ice sheet is melting, of course. But just how much, compared to the past?
Briner’s team did a computer simulation (模拟) of the southwest part of the Greenland ice sheet — which he says is a good indicator for ice melting across the entire ice sheet. The researchers plugged past climate data into that model to “hindcast,” rather than forecast, the past activity of the ice sheet. They then checked the model’s predictions of the past shape and size of the ice sheet by looking at piles of rocks and dirt on Greenland today, which outline the edges of ancient ice. And the simulation was in good agreement with the actual situation.
Using that reconstruction of the ice sheet over time, the team could compare the ice sheet’s historic losses to those happening today under human-caused global warming. And they determined that Greenland is on track to lose more ice this century than during any century in the past 12,000 years — possibly four times as much.
Finally, it’s up to us how much ice actually melts. If the world goes net carbon zero by 2100, for example, Briner says ice loss could stop entirely at the end of the century, according to one model. “That was what kept me from being completely depressed about our study.” Dozens of countries have already announced goals to go net zero by the middle of this century — so far the U. S. is not one of them.
1. What do we know about the Greenland ice sheet?| A．It is as thick as over 10,000 feet. |
| B．It is becoming smaller and smaller. |
| C．It has raised sea levels by 24 feet. |
| D．It is the largest ice sheet in the world. |
| A．By modeling part of the ice sheet on computer. |
| B．By doing a simulation of the whole ice sheet. |
| C．By studying the ancient rocks and dirt. |
| D．By forecasting the future climate change. |
| A．Its status has already been acknowledged. |
| B．Its growth can be improved by the model. |
| C．The speed of its melting will be increasingly fast. |
| D．The extent of its loss depends on human activities. |
| A．Rising Global Sea Levels |
| B．Climate Change is Speeding Up |
| C．Greenland — the Biggest Island is Melting |
| D．Net Carbon Zero — a Global Goal by 2100 |
2 . The Chinese manned submersible(潜水器) Fendouzhe, over 96.5 percent of whose core components have been independently developed by China, reached one of the deepest spots on the planet, a dizzying and dark depth of 10,909 meters.
Extreme water pressure is the first challenge that requires dealing with during the exploration. At 10,000 meters down in the ocean, the submersible has to stand about 1,100 atmospheres of pressure, equal to 2,000 elephants stepping on a person’s back. As the solid “armour (盔甲)”，the manned cabin is a safety guarantee for humans to reach down to 10,000 meters deep in the ocean. To overcome the technical bottleneck, the Chinese researchers developed a new material-Ti62A, successfully solving problems of the strength and toughness of the manned cabin.
To avoid risks of crashes in the dark deep sea with complex terrain(地形)，Fendouzhe requires its control system, a smart “brain” to give the exact instructions. Researchers designed a neural network algorithm(神经网络算法), which enables Fendouzhe to travel automatically according to the seabed terrain and locate fixed points. Its control system has reached the international frontier level.
The submersible is equipped with two flexible and strong “arms”. Each 7-joint arm with 6 degrees - of - freedom control and a weight-carrying ability of more than 60 kilograms can cover the sampling basket and its front areas. With the arms, Fendouzhe collected samples of ocean rocks, deep-sea living things and seabed sediments(沉淀物).
The ocean, especially the deep sea, is widely regarded as Earth's final frontier. Deep down in the ocean are unusual creatures, strange environments and impressive geological wonders, yet humanity knows less about the ocean floor than about the far side of the moon. These samples and data collected from the deep ocean can be used for geological and biological research, as well as study the human impact on the planet.
1. Why is “2000 elephants” mentioned in paragraph 2?| A．To make the numbers accurate. |
| B．To provide a biological explanation. |
| C．To emphasize the importance of the task. |
| D．To describe the degree of the pressure vividly. |
| A．Collect ocean samples. |
| B．Land the submersible. |
| C．Provide safety guarantee. |
| D．Prevent crashes intelligently. |
| A．The toughness of the cabin. |
| B．The ability of weight-carrying. |
| C．The method of data-collection. |
| D．The technology of control system. |
| A．It is more complex than the moon. |
| B．It is seriously affected by humans. |
| C．To make sure of the depth of the ocean. |
| D．To explore the less-known field of the planet. |
3 . Morris, a well-known English violinist, had been exhausted from a day of recording at Abbey Road Studios when he exited the Southeastern Railway from London late last month. He was so tired that he didn’t even realize that he had left his beloved violin on the train until the following morning.
The violin is one of the few surviving instruments made by Roman craftsman David Tecchler in 1709. Not only is the violin worth$320,000,but Morris has also been playing the instrument for 15 years.
Feeling panic, Morris contacted the British Transport Police to see if it had been returned; unfortunately, officers checked the footage(录像) and saw that the violin had been picked up by another train passenger. Morris then created social media accounts to beg for the return of his instrument. The footage was shown in the news, and the person responsible for taking the violin was treated as a suspect.
Several days later, Morris received a phone call from someone who recognized the man on the train. Morris was then put in contact with the man who took the violin—and he had apparently been very eager to return the instrument. After promising the man that he wouldn’t be arrested, Morris met him in a parking lot so he could reunite with his beloved instrument.
The man apologized sincerely, saying he wanted to hand it to Morris in person. Morris found the instrument and the contents of its case were still in consummate condition. To his surprise, it was even still in tune(音调准确). Morris was excited and deeply grateful for its return.
“I’m still getting over the shock of its coming back,” Morris admitted in an interview afterwards. Then he played a breathtaking piece of music Amazing Grace on his 310-year-old violin in front of the reporters.
1. What can we learn about the lost violin?| A．It’s valuable and important. | B．It’s a gift from David Tecchler. |
| C．It’s the only violin Morris owns. | D．It’s the oldest violin in the world. |
| A．He spoke to reporters about it. | B．He turned to the police for help. |
| C．He described his situation online. | D．He returned to the train to look for it. |
| A．He knew the violin was unique. | B．He got in touch with Morris directly. |
| C．He was unwilling to return the violin. | D．He felt afraid to be punished for his act. |
| A．Unusual. | B．Poor. | C．Perfect. | D．General. |
4 . The 2020 Nobel Prize in literature has been awarded to former U.S. Poet Laureate（桂冠诗人）Louise Gluck. The prize committee cited “her unique poetic voice that with plain beauty makes individual existence universal”. Gluck is the first American woman to win the award since Toni Morrison in 1993. Gluck, 77, joins a list of literary giants and previous Nobelists who include, in this century, Canadian short-story master Alice Munro, Chinese magical-realist Mo Yan, etc.
Gluck’s work includes 12 collections of poetry and a few volumes of essays on literary writing. “All are characterized by a striving for clarity（清晰）. Childhood and family life, the close relationship with parents and siblings, is a theme that has remained central to her,” Anders Olsson, the chairman of the Nobel Committee for Literature, said. “She seeks the universal, and in this she takes inspiration from myths and classical motifs,” Olsson added, citing her 2006 collection Averno, which the committee described as “masterly” for its “visionary interpretation of the myth of Persephone’s (珀尔塞福涅) fall into hell in the captivity (囚禁) of Hades(哈得斯), the god of death”.
Being a professor at Yale and a resident of Cambridge, Gluck also served as U.S. Poet Laureate from 2003 to 2004 and is no stranger to awards. She won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 for her collection of poems titled The Wild Iris, in which “she describes the incredible return of life after winter in the poem Snowdrops,” the Nobel literature committee said Thursday. She also won the 2014 National Book Award for the poem Faithful and Virtuous Night. In 2016, President Obama awarded the National Humanities Medal to Gluck in a White House ceremony.
The publicity-shy Gluck did not immediately issue any comment about the latest honor for her body of work, which spans more than half a century. In a 2012 interview, she acknowledged that prizes can make “existence in the world easier” but did not amount to the immortality(不朽) of a true artist.
1. What can we know about Gluck from Paragraph 1?| A．She is as popular as the Chinese novelist Mo Yan. |
| B．She won the Nobel Prize for her special literary style. |
| C．She is the first American to win a Nobel Prize in literature. |
| D．She is the only Poet Laureate in modern American history. |
| A．Daily life. | B．Nature. |
| C．Careers. | D．Classical myths. |
| A．To show Gluck’s contributions to literature. |
| B．To prove Gluck’s great passion for writing. |
| C．To present Gluck’s outstanding achievements. |
| D．To stress Gluck’s influence on other poets. |
| A．She is content with it. |
| B．She takes it very seriously. |
| C．She deserves a higher honor. |
| D．She doesn’t attach great importance to it. |
5 . Since apps like Uber and Lyft came on the scene, ridesharing services have dramatically changed the way people get around. A new study out of Columbia University reveals a downside of these services. It turns out that ridesharing trips cause an increase in the number of accidents involving motorists and pedestrians at pick-up and drop-off locations.
Previous studies on the relationship between ridesharing services and vehicle crashes compare cities where ridesharing services are available with cities where they are not, and this makes results somewhat ambiguous. In this study researchers analyze individual trips to make the picture a little clearer.
Researchers analyzed data from 372 million ridesharing trips in New York City between 2017 and 2018. Whenever a crash occurred in the city, they calculated the number of ridesharing trips that began or ended in the area at the time of the accident. They compared this with the number of trips that took place in the same location one week before and one week after the crash. Researchers did the same calculations for regular taxi rides as part of their analyses. Also, separate analyses were performed based on the type of people injured in the crash: pedestrians, motorists or cyclists.
The results of the analyses show that the rise in ridesharing trips is associated with an increase in the number of accidents involving pedestrians and motorists, but not cyclists. Furthermore, they did not find this same association between taxi trips and accidents.
“Ridesharing is changing the way we move around cities.” says first author Christopher Morrison. “It is becoming clear that the technology reduces alcohol-related crashes, but these benefits do not seem to extend to the overall number of crashes. These findings help explain why that might be---- because the reductions in alcohol-related crashes are offset (抵消) by increases in other types of crashes.”
Researchers hope that cities and ridesharing services will use the results of this study to take measures that might reduce the number of crashes. “In crowded areas with large numbers of rideshare pick-ups and drop-offs, cities could consider building taxi-rank style infrastructure (基础设施) to protect pedestrians and prevent crashes, ”concludes Morrison.
1. What do we know about previous studies on ridesharing services?| A．Their analysis is hardly reliable. |
| B．Their findings are rather ridiculous. |
| C．Their research method is out-of-date. |
| D．Their research sample is not wide enough. |
| A．The increase in ridesharing trips can lead to an increase in accidents between cyclists and pedestrians. |
| B．When there is a high number of ridesharing trips, there is usually an increase in the number of accidents. |
| C．Ridesharing is changing the way we move around cities. |
| D．Cyclists are always safe. |
| A．Ridesharing reduces alcohol-related crashes. |
| B．Ridesharing doesn’t increase accidents involving cyclists. |
| C．Various types of crashes increase with ridesharing services. |
| D．Overall crashes don’t decrease along with alcohol-related crashes. |
| A．Improving infrastructure to expand taxi services. |
| B．Banning ridesharing services in crowded places. |
| C．Constructing some stops for ridesharing vehicles. |
| D．Reducing the number of pick-ups and drop-offs. |
6 . After the season for giving, it is the one for throwing away. Each year in late December and early January a massive amount of plastic packaging is discarded (丢弃) worldwide. In Britain alone households generate 30% more waste, an extra 3m tonnes, in the month over Christmas. Most is destined for landfill. Lithuania will do less damage than many, though. The country now recycles at a record level. Almost three- quarters (74%) of plastic packaging waste was recycled there in 2017, the highest proportion in Europe.
Much of Lithuania' s success is due to a deposit refund scheme (方案). Customers pay €0.10 extra when buying drinks containers. After use, these can be fed into reverse vending machines (反向自动售货机) installed in shops, which spit the deposit back out. The machines’ contents are sent directly to recycling centers. By the end of 2017, 92% of all bottles and cans sold in Lithuania were being returned. The overall plastic packaging recycling rate increased by almost 20%.
The Lithuanian government says the scheme has fueled a potential love for recycling in its citizens. Nearly 90% of Lithuanians have used the machines at least once. However, Lithuanians do not generally describe themselves as eco-fighters. A 2017 survey by the European Commission found they were less likely than most other Europeans to regard environmental issues as “very important”.
The eagerness of Lithuanian recyclers may stem not from a love of the Earth but from a low net worth(资本净值). A tenth of the population live on less than €245 a month. In big cities it is common to see people scooping recyclable items out of bins to take to the machines.
Less litter and money for people who need it seems like a win-win. But it might not in fact be best for the environment in the long run. In Germany ----where a similar, widely used refund deposit scheme has been in place since 2003 --- the earnings from keeping the deposits from unreturned bottles seem to have discouraged producers from switching to more sustainable packaging.
1. What might most Lithuanian customers do under the deposit refund scheme?| A．They send their drinks containers directly to recycling centers. |
| B．They spend more on drinks than other European customers. |
| C．They return their used drinks containers. |
| D．They use vending machines to buy drinks. |
| A．Lithuania beat many countries in plastic recycling. |
| B．Lithuanians were less aware of environmental conservation. |
| C．Lithuanians made much money from recycling. |
| D．Lithuania had an unequal income distribution. |
| A．Positive. | B．Unfavorable. |
| C．Ambiguous. | D．Uninterested. |
| A．How and why Lithuanians recycle their trash. |
| B．How waste turns into treasure in Lithuania |
| C．Who are recycling plastic bottles in Lithuania |
| D．Where Lithuanians throw away their plastic packaging |
7 . Online Free Courses
English Grammar and Style
We’ll present materials that cover grammatical principles, word usage, writing style, sentence and paragraph structure and punctuation. We’ll challenge you with quizzes and writing activities that will give you strategies to enhance the quality of your writing, and invite you to participate in discussions and assess the work of your peers (同龄人).
Length: 8 weeks
Instructor: Roslyn Petelin from the University of Queensland
Academic Writing Made Easy
From structuring and organizing an academic text to avoiding common mistakes that can negatively affect your credibility, this course offers a guide for those who want to improve their writing. Each week is comprised of video lessons, followed by exercises and tasks of assessing your peers' work.
The course requires upper-intermediate (中高级) to advanced English.
Length: 6 weeks
Instructor: Heidi Minning from the Technical University of Munich
Preparing to Network in English
Networking in the business world is key to career success. But what is networking? And how do you do it in English? This course helps you understand the basics of networking and why it’s important. You’ll identify the key qualities you should focus on developing. Most importantly, you’ll grow and expand your business network and professional connections.
Length: 6 weeks
Instructor: Joel Ozretich from the University of Washington
Using Emails for Networking in English
In this course, you’ll learn important strategies for writing effective emails. You' II learn how to write messages for different audiences and understand when to be formal or direct. You' II also learn how your choice of words can change the way people view your message.
Length: 4 weeks
Instructor: Daphne Mackey from the University of Washington
1. What do the first two courses have in common?
| A．Both last for one and a half months. |
| B．Both involve some peer review tasks. |
| C．Both require upper-intermediate English. |
| D．Both are offered by the same university. |
| A．Roslyn Petelin. | B．Heidi Minning. |
| C．Joel Ozretich. | D．Daphne Mackey. |
| A．Improving email-writing skills. |
| B．Giving tips on academic writing. |
| C．Exploring grammatical principles. |
| D．Introducing the basics of networking. |
8 . How did the ancient Chinese keep food warm in winter?
Facilities like electric rice cookers, microwaves, and electric kettles, make it easy for people to keep food warm and enjoy a comfortable winter. So how did Chinese people in ancient times keep food warm in winter without these? In fact, ancient Chinese people used their own methods of heat preservation as early as the Shang and Zhou dynasties.
● “Wen Ding”, ancient rice cooker
One of the major functions of an electric rice cooker is to keep food warm. The “Wen Ding”, an ancient cooking container, served the same purpose, but instead of using electric energy, the ancient cooking container preserved heart by burning fuels like charcoal(木炭).
● “Ran Lu”, ancient small hot pot
The “Ran LU” is a small size cooking vessel(器皿) made of bronze, which can be divided into three parts. A charcoal stove forms the main structure, with a bottom tray to hold charcoal ashes, and a movable cup at the top. Some experts have concluded that the vessel’s structure suggests it may have been used as a small hot pot and that these vessels became popular in the Warring States Period(475—221 BC)
●“Bronze You”, ancient kettle
The Bronze You was one of the most common wine containers during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. The Bronze You can also be used to warm wine. For example, the Bronze You with beast mask design, unearthed in Jiangxi province, has an opening where charcoals could be placed. Just as people today can’t do without an electric kettle, the Bronze You allowed people to enjoy a hot drink.
●“Bronze Yan”, ancient steamer
Although the “Wen Ding” was effective at keeping food warm, the ancient Chinese people later found that its burning produced pollution. As a result, the “Bronze Yan ”was made with a two-tier structure and used to steam rice and other grains. After the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-AD 220), further improvements to the“Bronze Yan” led to the modern-day steamer.
1. When did the “Ran Lu” become popular?| A．In the Zhou Dynasty. | B．In the Warring States Period. |
| C．In the Eastern Han dynasty. | D．In the Stone Age. |
| A．place charcoal | B．pour water | C．store wine | D．hold charcoal ashes |
| A．It is warm. | B．It is convenient. | C．It is environment-friendly. | D．It is useful. |
9 . A group of scientists have studied the fossil (化石) of an animal, called Kongonaphon kely, which they said is an ancestor of the dinosaurs. The four-legged animal can even fit in man's hand. Scientists say it lived about 237 million years ago in what is now Madagascar, an island country off the east coast of Africa.
The researchers believe the animal came before dinosaurs. The study notes that much remains unknown about the history of dinosaurs and their winged relatives, pterosaurs (翼龙). Scientist Christian Kammerer of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, who led the study, told a news agency that based on the body size suggested by the fossil, “we argue that dinosaurs and pterosaurs evolved from a modest-sized ancestor. " John Flynn, of New York's American Museum of Natural History, was a co-writer of the study. He said the Kongonaphon's teeth showed signs of use in a way that suggested this animal ate insects.
The team examining the fossil also found evidence of soft skin coverings, including feathers. Usually, animals use fur or feathers to hide themselves from enemies or help to hunt for food. To some, fur or feathers even protect them from insect bites. But the researchers said feathers of Kongonaphon would have been especially important in the extreme climate of the early part of the Mesozoic Era (中生代). The days were hot, and the nights cold.
“Some of these things would have been quite cute animals,” said Kammerer on the light side. Looking like a dinosaur that could be held in a person’s cupped hands, it “would probably make a great pet”. Of course, no humans were around when Kongonaphon was wandering in the wild, jumping around with its strong legs and hunting for food Kammerer said.
1. What do the researchers find about Kongonaphon?| A．It has no wings. | B．It lived in unknown places. |
| C．It is very tiny in size. | D．It lives longer than dinosaur. |
| A．To protect it from insect bites. | B．To help control body temperature. |
| C．To assist it to hunt for food. | D．To defend against enemies’ attack. |
| A．Academic. | B．Humorous. | C．Surprised. | D．Excited. |
| A．To introduce an ancient animal. | B．To compare different kinds of dinosaurs. |
| C．To explore the history of dinosaurs. | D．To share a discovery about the origins of dinosaurs. |
10 . No matter what type of top free Android app you are searching for, there are many similar apps that can puzzle you when it comes to choosing the best one. Here are some apps you should give a try in 2020.
Zomato
Zomato lets you discover restaurants near you to go and eat out or order food online and get it delivered. This Android app has multiple other unique features that address customer needs like a takeaway, table booking and discoveries. You can also find many discounts and offers on the restaurants.
CamScanner
CamScanner is a great app for students and we know that life can get rather busy as college students especially if they are holding a part-time job. This platform uses your phones camera to scan documents and provides assistance in the form of proofreading and editing your work.
Spotify
Spotify is one of the best music apps for Android that you shouldn’t be missing out on. It helps you to access world music－both streaming and downloading music of high quality. You would be able to listen to all your music favorites, albums, and also create your own playlists.
Groupon
Groupon is a platform that finds available deals in varied categories like electronics, entertainment, fashion, and many more. The physical store deals are displayed on an interactive map for an easier-to-see selection, online store deals also included. Extra discounts for students.
1. What can students do with CamScanner?| A．Record their college life. | B．Learn editing skills. |
| C．Find a part-time job. | D．Correct their work. |
| A．Zomato. | B．Spotify. | C．Groupon. | D．CamScanner. |
| A．To introduce some free Android apps. | B．To provide guidance on choosing apps. |
| C．To stress the popularity of Android apps. | D．To show the advantages of Android apps. |
