1 . While scientists have been modifying（修改)plant genes for years in biotechnology, they usually focus on a few specific genes in order to get a particular result. Plants have tens of thousands of genes. The genetically modified product (GMP) won’t be dramatically different from its natural one. It may have a few features that the natural version doesn’t have but otherwise will remain identical.
Some people worry that genetic modification, which introduces genes from one species into an entirely different species, could create new allergens(过敏原). In fact, it may turn out that the opposite is true. Depending on the food, scientists might be able to remove or prevent the proteins that act as allergens for some people. This isn’t true for every food, but genetic markers scientists use could lead to developing bacteria with a built-in resistance to antibiotics(抗生素). Scientists use antibiotic gene markers to link genes for the desired features. Also, by exposing modified plant’s cells to antibiotics, a scientist can confirm whether or not the genetic modification was successful.
But what if that resistance could be passed on the bacteria? It’s possible that bacteria in the soil around a plant with antibiotic resistance could pick up the DNA. The bacteria could, in theory, pass this feature to other types of bacteria harmful to humans. So far, however, scientists have been unable to transfer antibiotic resistance genes from plants to bacteria.
In the United States, farmers don’t have to label genetically modified foods or products. Both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration have very strict regulations that products must pass before they can go to market.
It’s possible that the foods that come from biotechnology are not only safe to eat, but they’re actually safer than their natural counterparts. While the controversy around genetically modified food is far from resolved, it appears that you shouldn’t worry if the ear of corn you’re about to enjoy got its start in a laboratory.
1. How could scientists deal with a plant in biotechnology?| A．By changing some cells. | B．By adding some foreign genes. |
| C．By producing some natural proteins. | D．By removing some of its branches. |
| A．promote their resistance. | B．get their unexpected features. |
| C．see the effect of the modification. | D．improve the ability against bacteria. |
| A．It takes time for customers to accept bioengineered food. |
| B．The laws in America are far from strict in regulating the GMP. |
| C．American farmers only care about improving their food produce. |
| D．Scientists have developed certain food beneficial to human health. |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Ambiguous. | D．Indifferent. |
2 . He lived his whole life as a poor man.His art and talent were recognized by almost no one.He suffered from a mental illness that led him to cut off part of his left ear in 1888 and to shoot himself two years later.But after his death, he achieved world fame.Today, Dutch artist Van Gogh is recognized as one of the leading artists of all time.
Now,150 years after his birth on March 30,1853, Zundert, the town of his birth，has made 2003 “The Van Gogh Year” in his honor.And the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam，home to the biggest collection of his masterpieces, is marking the anniversary with exhibitions throughout the year.The museum draws around 1．3 million visitors every year.Some people enjoy the art and then learn about his life.Others are interested in his life, which then helps them understand his art.
Van Gogh was the son of a pastor.He left school when he was just 15．By the age of 27, he had already tried many jobs including an art gallery salesman and a French teacher.Finally in 1880, he decided to begin his studies in art.
Van Gogh is famed for his ability to put his own emotions into his paintings and show his feelings about a scene.His style is marked by short, broad brush strokes (绘画笔法).“Instead of trying to reproduce exactly what I have before my eyes, I use color more freely, in order to express myself more forcibly，” he wrote in a letter to his brother in 1888．
Van Gogh sold only one painting during his short life.He relied heavily on support from his brother, an art dealer who lived in Paris.But now his works are sold for millions of dollars.His portrait of Dr.Gacher sold for $89．5 million in 1990．It is the highest price ever paid for a painting.“I think his paintings are powerful and the brilliant color in them are attractive to people，” said a Van Gogh’s fan.
1. All through his life Van Gogh ________.| A．depended on his brother |
| B．worked hard on art studies |
| C．was not recognized by people |
| D．expressed himself in paintings |
| A．the likeness between his paintings and the reality |
| B．the short time for him to complete a painting |
| C．the various styles mixed together |
| D．the special strokes he made |
| A．his powerful art came from his poor life |
| B．his fellow townsmen regret treating him unfairly |
| C．all his paintings were drawn in the last 10 years of his life |
| D．most of his paintings are kept in the museum of his hometown |
3 . On a steamy July day in Bayonet Point, Florida, Gene Work and his brotherinlaw, Mark Rouco, were renewing Gene’s lawn.It had grown brown and patchy in the heat, and the homeowners’ association had threatened to heavily fine him if the situation wasn’t improved.The new sod(草皮) was sitting in the driveway on four pallets, but the job was slowgoing.Gene, then 40, wasn’t feeling right.He went inside to take a break and collapsed on the couch, clutching his chest.His wife,Melissa Work, called 911 quickly.
Even though he was staring down death, Gene had one thing on his mind:that lawn.If the sod wasn’t put down that day,it would die.“While he was having his heart attack, literally in and out of consciousness,he kept begging me to have it put down because he didn’t want it to go to waste,” Melissa wrote in a Facebook post.
Soon Pasco County Fire Rescue arrived and took Gene and Melissa to the hospital,leaving Rouco behind to tackle the yard.Within an hour,he had managed to remove the old grass.He was about to lay the new sod,which he feared would take him well into the night,when two emergency vehicles appeared.Seven men—the same ones who had treated his brother—got out.Gene had told them how badly he’d wanted to get the sod down,so they had returned to help.The job was done in under two hours.
Meanwhile, Gene had surgery to insert stents(支架) in his heart,alleviating a potentially deadly blockage.He’s home now,fully recovered—and enjoying his beautiful lawn.
The Works are still amazed that those EMTs(Emergency medical technician) went above and beyond their job description.“These men,” Melissa told tampabay.com，“saved Gene’s life,and then came back to save his grass.That’s just so awesome.”
1. Why did Gene want to renew his lawn?| A．It was in bad condition. |
| B．He was fined by the association. |
| C．The sod grew too slowly. |
| D．He disliked the color of the lawn. |
| A．perform their duties |
| B．help with Gene’s lawn |
| C．check Gene’s house |
| D．send Gene back from hospital |
| A．Removing. | B．Causing. |
| C．Easing. | D．Expanding. |
4 . From my kitchen windows, I watch colorful birds responding for black-oiled sunflower seeds, split peanuts, and cut grapes and apples on the ground. The scene is delightful and calming.
About three years ago, I noticed a newcomer to this colorful and happy display. It was a baby chipmunk（花栗鼠）, obviously on its own. Over that summer, I watched it grow. The brown and black stripes（条状）on its back darkened. The next summer, it was back, and I wondered whether it would trust me to feed it by hand or let me pet it. I decided to employ the tricks I used to persuade wild cats to come close for food: patience, a soft voice, slow moves and repetition. Before it would approach, I’d put down its favorite food--sunflower seeds, bend over and keep very still. I’d leave my open hand in place, unmoving, so the animal would know I wouldn’t seize it. I continued doing this for a few weeks. Finally, late in that second summer, it did show more trust. One day as I offered a seed on my fingertips, it approached and carefully took the seed into its mouth. It never bit my fingers. I was elated that we had made a breakthrough of trust. After about two months of this routine, I went further. With one finger, I petted its back once, but it didn’t move away. I then petted with two fingers. Again, it stayed put, eating seeds.
Today, the Chipmunk comes out of hiding when I call its name, and lets me pet its soft, silky body. Whenever I am doing this, I feel calmer. To my surprise, I also feel a sense of greater respect for nature and its creatures and the opportunity to observe, protect and save wildlife. Most of all, I’ve saved the wonderful memories gathered during these glorious summer months in my Long Island garden.
1. What did the writer do before the Chipmunk trusted him enough to get closer?| A．Petted its back. | B．Offered it food. |
| C．Called its name. | D．Watched it play |
| A．disappointed | B．excited |
| C．frightened | D．puzzled |
| A．A furry friend and a bond of trust | B．A lovely animal and an adventure |
| C．A stress reliever and a calm mind | D．A newcomer and its protection |
5 . Artists always treat businessmen people as money-obsessed bores. Or worse, many business people, for their part, assume that artists are a bunch of pretentious wasters. Bosses may stick a few modernist paintings on their boardroom walls. But they seldom take the arts seriously as a source of inspiration.
The prejudice starts at business school, where “hard” things such as numbers and case studies rule. It is reinforced by everyday experience. Bosses constantly remind their underlings that if you can’t count it, it doesn’t count. Few read deeply about art. Sun Tzu's The Art of War does not count while some tasteless business books are pleasing to them: consider Wess Roberts' Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun.
But lately there are welcome signs of a thaw (缓和) on the business side of the great cultural divide. Business presses are publishing a series of books such as The Fine Art of Success by Jamie Anderson. Business schools such as the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto are trying to learn from the arts.
Mr. Anderson points out that many artists have also been superb entrepreneurs. Damien Hirst was even more enterprising. He upturned the art world by selling his work directly through Sotheby’s, an auction (拍卖) house. Whatever they think of his work, businessmen people cannot help admiring a man who parted art-lovers from £ 75.5 million on the day that Lehman Brothers collapsed.
Studying the arts can help businessmen people communicate more effectively. Most bosses spend a huge amount of time “messaging” and “reaching out”, yet few are much good at it.
Studying the arts can also help companies learn how to manage bright people. Rob Goffee of the London Business School points out that today’s most productive companies are dominated by what they call “clevers”, who are the devil to manage. They hate being told what to do by managers, whom they regard as dullards. They refuse to submit to performance reviews. In short, they are prima donnas. The arts world has centuries of experience in managing such difficult people. Directors persuade actresses to cooperate with actors they hate. Their tips might be worth hearing.
1. What kind of person is Damien Hirst actually?| A．An artist whose works changed the art world. |
| B．A businessman who just cares about money. |
| C．An artist who is good at doing business. |
| D．A businessman who had prejudice toward the arts. |
| A．quite stupid | B．rather proud | C．really bright | D．very efficient |
| A．Good management takes skill and patience. |
| B．Artists should show respect for businessmen. |
| C．Painting is a special form of communication. |
| D．Businessmen have much to learn from artists. |
6 . Being a relatively new technology, VR technology is clearly just beginning to take off. There are companies producing their own VR headsets, but they are still not as big as other products that are meant to entertain. Apart from the limited choices, one more thing that is worth noting about the current state of VR is the fact that content is limited, as well as applications. Most of the products available on the market today are aimed at gamers and mostly special for high-end buyers because of its expensive price.
Despite being full of potential, however, there are also some challenges that should be dealt with in order to ensure the success of VR. Among others, one of the most significant would be the need for powerful devices that would complement the headsets. For Oculus Rift, for instance, a powerful video card is needed for a computer, something you might not have at home, making the VR technology inapplicable.
In addition, there are also challenges when it comes to beauty. Today's VR headsets look almost entirely the same-they are huge and heavy and they look silly. Producers must find a way in order to make the design more beautiful.
Producers will also be challenged to make VR headsets more affordable so that more people will be able to purchase them. Most of the models currently available are just too expensive for average buyers.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the challenge is to find more applications. It is currently being centered on game paste applications. Producers are challenged to come up with creative ways in order to increase the usefulness of such a promising device.
In sum while it is undeniable that VR is big in today's time, there's a lot of room for improvement. There are limited choices when it comes to VR products available on the market, and for many, it is still a bit expensive. Others lack knowledge on how it works, which results in hesitation. There are also some problems that have yet to be solved and more opportunities to be uncovered. It would be safe to say that it is new, still in its infancy, but hopefully it is getting to the top.
1. What is needed for your computer when you use Oculus Rift?| A．A useful videotape. | B．A powerful video card. |
| C．A powerful video camera. | D．A useful video phone. |
| A．To lower its price. | B．To simplify its headset. |
| C．To widen its application. | D．To beautify its appearance. |
| A．Worried. | B．Concerned. | C．Confident. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．The Challenges of VR | B．The Development of VR |
| C．The Popularity of VR | D．The Importance of VR |
7 . From the moment you arrive at Houtong Village in northern Taiwan, you’ll have no trouble knowing who the real stars are. There’s a cat-shaped bridge, pet food bowls on the side of the walkways, street signs with cat pictures, cat-themed cafes and, of course, furry friends wandering freely everywhere.
In the early 1900s, Houtong, in New Taipei City, was the biggest and most technologically advanced coal-mining site in Taiwan. It was a prosperous town with about 6,000 residents and workers, before the mine fell into disuse in 1990.
As most young residents moved away for better opportunities, Houtong became a sleepy village with about 100 residents. But in 2010, Houtong gained popularity after a cat-lover and photographer started blogging about the village’s growing stray (无主的) cat population.
Houtong was transformed into a cat-lover sight while also providing a source of income for local villagers. Many of the stray cats, now given affectionate nicknames, are taken care of by local villagers as well as a troop of volunteers.
In addition to the village’s many cute kitty-themed shops and cafes, the local government has also seized the opportunity to highlight its long history.
An award-winning pedestrian cat bridge was built. A cat information and education center opened in 2014, featuring higher cat walkways in front of the building. A museum park dedicated to the town’s former mining life opened in 2010, later hosting a cat lantern festival in 2012.
But Houtong, now under the spotlight, isn’t completely perfect. According to local reports, the town has become an attraction for those looking for a place to abandon their unwanted pets. During the most recent survey, it was estimated that the village is now home to about 286 cats—50 heads more than two years ago.
With the constant patting and feeding from visitors, some also flagged concerns about the health of the furry residents. The department works with local residents and volunteers to vaccinate (接种疫苗) the cats and provide regular medical treatment. Signs have been set up around town advising visitors how to behave while also pleading for the pet owners’ responsibility.
1. Why does Houtong become popular recently?| A．Because it is a town with the biggest coal-mining site. |
| B．Because it is a town with a long history. |
| C．Because it is a town where the mine falls into disuse. |
| D．Because it is a town featuring cats culture. |
| A．Young residents moved far away for better opportunities. |
| B．The development of the village cannot meet the demands. |
| C．There are not enough volunteers in the village. |
| D．The cats are not in good health condition. |
| A．Applying. | B．Begging. |
| C．Fighting. | D．Registering. |
8 . Since early February, 218 people have been removed and taken to hospitals after testing positive for the novel coronavirus. Many remain quarantined on the ship, which originally set sail on Jan. 20th with 2,666 passengers and 1045 crew. Because they've been confined to their rooms for over 11 days, passengers feel almost as though they are on the ship alone.
But Friday is Valentine's Day, the holiday of love. It is not a day many people want to spend in isolation. Luckily, it seems Cupid's arrow is far-reaching. The captain and crew did a few things to try to lift passengers’ spirits on Valentine's Day. “I'd like to read you a poem: Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends,” said the captain through the loudspeaker.
Besides, guests were offered special selections for dinner and lunch. Breakfast included a chocolate croissant, decorated red for the holiday. Smith, a passenger on Diamond Princess, also tweeted a photo of other delicious treats provided by Princess Cruise, including a rose and dark chocolate. Yardley Wong, a passenger, who has been tweeting updates throughout the quarantine, shared an image of the menu provided by Diamond Princess’s crew ahead of the Valentine's Day.
Passengers also created Valentine’s messages for the crew. Dan Ponce, a television anchor from Chicago, posted on Twitter that his mother-in-law was quarantined on the ship and created Valentine’s messages for the crew, which she taped on her cabin door.
“My mother-in-law Linda is among the passengers quarantined on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan,” he wrote. “Today she used manicure scissors to make valentines for the crew. So thoughtful!”
“Thank you for taking care of us,” one of the hearts read.
As the quarantine continues with more new cases confirmed, passengers are becoming more and more anxious. “But I believe love can help us conquer all things,” said one of the passengers on the ship.
1. How many people went aboard Diamond Princess?| A．218. | B．1,045. | C．2,666. | D．3,711. |
| A．He made an announcement. | B．He rushed patients to hospital. |
| C．He read passengers a poem. | D．He created a Valentine Card. |
| A．To express her anxiety. | B．To express her gratitude. |
| C．To show off her talent. | D．To comfort other passengers. |
9 . The Globe was built in 1599 using timber from an earlier theatre, The Theatre, which had been built by Richard Burbage’s father, James Burbage, in Shoreditch in 1576. The first performance for which a firm record remains was Jonson’s Every Man out of His Humour — with its first scene welcoming the “gracious and kind spectators” — at the end of the year.
On 29th June 1613, the Globe Theatre went up in flames during a performance of Henry VIII. A theatrical gun, set off during the performance, misfired, burning the wooden beams and straws. According to one of the few surviving documents of the event, no one was hurt except a man whose burning breeches (炮后膛) were put out with a bottle of ale. It was rebuilt in the following year.
Like all the other theatres in London, the Globe was closed down by the Puritans in 1642. It was pulled down in 1644, or slightly later — the commonly cited document dating the act to 15 April 1644 has been identified as false — to make room for other buildings.
A modern reconstruction of the theatre, named “Shakespeare’s Globe”, opened in 1997, with a production of Henry V. It is an academic approximation of the original design, based on available evidence of the 1599 and 1614 buildings, and is located approximately 750 feet (230m) from the site of the original theatre.
1. How did the Globe Theatre begin to be on fire on 29 June 1613?| A．It was set fire to by a performer by design. |
| B．It caught fire by accident during a play. |
| C．A man put out breeches with a bottle of ale. |
| D．It was started by wooden beams and straws. |
| A．Time | B．Space | C．Importance | D．Flashback |
| A．James Burbage. | B．Every Man out of His Humour |
| C．Henry VIII. | D．Henry V |
| A．The popularity of the Globe Theatre. |
| B．The construction of the Globe Theatre. |
| C．The function of the Globe Theatre. |
| D．The history of the Globe Theatre. |
10 . That old saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” may hold some truth. In fact, one study found that in 2012, almost half of the deaths in America caused by heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes were linked to poor diet.
But knowing you should eat healthfully and actually doing it are two different things, and making the right choice isn’t any easier when a pound of grapes costs more than twice as much as a pound of spaghetti. The Fresh Food Pharmacy aims to change that. A program was created by Geisinger Health System, a hospital network in Pennsylvania. This pharmacy is similar to a grocery store stocked with fresh produce, lean meats and more. Even better, it’s all free.
Under the program, patients with type 2 diabetes are prescribed a week’s worth of food for their entire household. After the first year, all 180 participants improved in key health measurements, in particular their hemoglobin Ale levels( HbAlc), the gold standard for tracking blood sugar control.
In 2012, the costs associated with diabetes in the United States were $ 245 billion. Geisinger will spend only about $ 1,000 annually on each patient. David Feinberg, Geisinger’s CEO, calculates that “a decrease HbAlc of one point saves us about $ 8,000.’’ With many patients dropping three points, the program could save $24, 000 a year-as well as reduce the risk of blindness and other complications.
Geisinger isn’t the only organization experimenting with produce prescriptions. Nonprofits, hospitals, and even doctors’ offices around the country have programs that bring “food is medicine” concept to life. Boston Medical Center’s Preventive Food Pantry was the first such program in the country when it opened. Today it serves approximately 7,000 patients in a month.
1. The author uses the old saying at the beginning of the passage to ______________.| A．show his love for apples | B．describe the background |
| C．stress the importance of apples | D．introduce a topic |
| A．people’s blood sugar | B．the hospital network |
| C．high price of healthy food | D．people’s awareness of dieting |
| A．All participants in Geisinger Health System’s program improved in all health measurements |
| B．Geisinger’s program can decline the possibility of blindness and other related diseases. |
| C．now about 7,000 patients have benefited from Geisinger Health System’s program |
| D．to carry out its program, Geisinger Health System learned from Boston Medical Center’s Preventive Food Pantry. |
