1 . The sea could be the food bowl of the future. In Jervis Bay, south of Sydney, seaweed, which is rich in fibre and omega 3, is grown and harvested.
Pia Winberg is a marine scientist who runs Australia's first food-grade fanned seaweed company. Her crop is grown alongside mussels (贻贝)and is used as an additive in pasta (意大利面)and other products.
Seaweed is also raised in large tanks, where it absorbs carbon dioxide waste from a wheat processing factory. The business is small, but could help to reduce the ecological footprint of traditional farming.
“We used ten percent of seaweed instead of wheat in breads and pastas, we've eliminated a million hectares of land, we've eliminated all of the carbon dioxide emissions associated with that, and we've also reduced the pressures on very precious fresh water.” said Pia Winberg.
Spiny sea urchins (多刺海胆虫)are another blue economy resource. They can destroy marine habitats, but a recent competition for environmental start-ups in Australia, saw them not as a pest but a delicacy (美味).
Martina Doblin, CEO of Sydney Institute of Marine Science, said, “By 2050 we will have some ten billion people on the planet, and about half the food they eat will come from the ocean. So, we really do need to pay attention to the way that we manage the blue economy-generating wealth from the ocean but in a sustainable (可持续的)way.”
Farming at sea has its challenges. Infrastructure (基础设施)has to be sound, as do supply chains and biosecurity. But get these things right, and the ocean might just be the next great economic frontier.
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?| A．To lead to the main topic. |
| B．To describe a new kind of seaweed. |
| C．Tell how important the food safety is. |
| D．To explain the meaning of blue economy. |
| A．Ocean exploration has made little progress so far. |
| B．More and more people will die of hunger in the future. |
| C．More work is needed for a better use of the natural resources. |
| D．Sea farming will be a good way to solve the coming world food problem. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Objective. | C．Tolerant. | D．Negative. |
| A．How to Protect the Marine Animals |
| B．Measures to Develop Blue Economy |
| C．Farming the Sea for the Future of Food |
| D．Traditional Farming is Gradually Disappearing |
2 . If there were an app on your phone that could improve your memory, would you try it? Who wouldn't want a better memory? After all, our memory can be easily damaged by diseases, injuries, mental health conditions and, most particularly for all of us, aging.
Nowadays, there are a large number of apps that provide memory training on our phones. Can they help you remember to take medicine, do better on a school exam, remember the name of the person whom you met yesterday? Some scientists question whether this is possible. Undoubtedly, many of the brain training companies today exaggerate the potential benefits of using their apps.
Scientists have provided evidence that brain training does not benefit everyone in the same way. It is suggested that little consideration has been given to who would benefit most from those brain training apps. Will it only be those who have some form of memory impairment（缺陷），or can it also help those eager for self-improvement even though they are already functioning very well?
To overcome these limitations, our team has started a new study aiming to find 30,000 volunteers to help us determine which form of training may be best for individuals. Our goal is to avoid a one — size — fits — all approach. Instead of focusing on the simple question of whether brain training works, we are looking to engage the whole population in a new challenge to test for whom brain training works, and under which conditions.
1. What can affect our memory in particular?| A．Getting ill. | B．Getting old. | C．Being upset. | D．Being injured. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Neutral. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．To test whether brain training works. |
| B．To develop a training that suits all the people. |
| C．To compete with other memory training organizations. |
| D．To find the best form of training for different people. |
| A．A fashion magazine. | B．A tour guide. |
| C．A science website. | D．A personal blog. |
3 . Are you preparing for a big test? If so, you may want to play some basketball in between hitting the books. Doctors are starting to find more and more information that suggests a connection between exercise and brain development. Judy Cameron, a scientist at Oregon Health and Oregon Health and Science University, studies brain development. According to her research, it seems that exercise can make blood vessels(管), including those in the brain, stronger and more fully developed. Dr. Cameron claims this allows people who exercise to concentrate better. As she says, "While we already know that exercise is good for the heart, exercise can really cause physical changes in the brain."
The effects of exercise on brain development can even be seen in babies. Babies who do activities that require a lot of movement and physical activity show greater brain development than babies who are less physically active. With babies, even a little movement can show big results. Margaret Barnes, a pediatrician(儿科医生), believes in the importance of exercise. She thinks that many learning disabilities that children have in elementary school or high school can be traced back to a lack of movement as babies. "Babies need movement that stimulates their five senses. They need to establish a connection between motion and memory. In this way, as they get older, children will begin to associate physical activity with higher learning," says Margaret.
Older people can beef up their brains as well. Scientists from 11 universities studied a group of seniors ranging in age from seventy to seventy-nine. Their study showed a short-term memory increase of up to 40 percent after exercising just three hours a week. The exercise does not have to be very difficult, but it does have to increase the heart rate. Also, just like the motion for infants (婴儿), exercise for older people should involve some complexity. Learning some new skills or motions, such as with yoga or tai-chi, helps to open up memory paths in the brain that may not have been used for a long time.
For most people, any type of physical activity that increases the heart rate is helpful. The main goal is to increase the brain's flow of blood. And your brain can benefit from as little as three hours of exercise a week.
1. What is the best title of this passage?| A．How to exercise |
| B．How exercise helps the brain |
| C．How to get good scores on a test |
| D．How the brain can change |
| A．Exercise makes us stupid. |
| B．The brain needs special mental exercise. |
| C．The more exercise, the bigger the brain. |
| D．Physical exercise helps us think better. |
| A．three hours per week |
| B．40hours per week |
| C．three hours per day |
| D．40hours per month. |
| A．It is easy to learn. |
| B．It can be done in groups. |
| C．It does not increase the heart rate. |
| D．It includes learning new motions. |
4 . At the age of seven I started taking violin lessons. I practiced half an hour every day, went to lessons once a week, and occasionally played in a group concert. Like most kids, I always thought practicing was boring. If my parents hadn't been there to make me practice, I probably would have put down my violin and never have picked it up again.
I met Moira when I was 11 at an Irish music party. Moira hosted the party that night, playing the violin, singing and dancing. She made sure that everyone in the room got involved and had a great time. I immediately fell in love with the music she played and the energy that she brought to it. Just a few days after that party, I took my first lesson with Moira, and I continued taking lessons with Moira throughout middle school.
When I started playing the violin with Moira, playing music became something that I loved. She introduced me to so many types of music, from Irish to Old Time, to Cajun. Moira also taught me to play the guitar. Soon we started performing together and were shocked to discover that people actually wanted to hear us! When I began to play the violin, practicing was something that I did at home in my living room, but with Moira's influence it quickly became something that I did everywhere. I played on street corners, at festivals, at the beach, at parties, at weddings, and late at night in my friends' kitchens.
Moira took the music out of the classroom and brought it to life. Her passion (激情) was not only for playing music, but also for sharing it. My time with Moira allowed me to grow both musically and personally. I have met so many special people and had so many invaluable experiences. Moira has proven to be the most important influence in my musical development, and also my invaluable friend.
1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?| A．The writer had her violin lessons every day. |
| B．The writer disliked the kids who hated the violin. |
| C．The writer usually played music in school concerts. |
| D．At first the writer was not active in learning the violin. |
| A．The writer was proud of Moira’s achievements in music. |
| B．The writer became a popular local actress. |
| C．The writer spent all her spare time playing the violin. |
| D．The writer had more selfconfidence in terms of performing. |
| A．Moira didn't like to play music in the classroom. |
| B．Moira helped the writer a lot with her personal life. |
| C．Moira had great influence on the writer's life. |
| D．Moira was very thankful for the writer's support. |
| A．My Way to Success. |
| B．My Invaluable Friend. |
| C．My Middle School Life. |
| D．How I Learned the Violin. |
5 . The Internet has become part of modern life, bringing convenient services to everyone who can connect. While it seems hard to live without the Internet, it also brings new problems. For example, individuals, organizations and even governments can become targets of cyber attacks.
The past week marked China's sixth annual Cybersecurity Week, held from Sept 16 to 22 nationwide. The opening ceremony and major activities were held in Tianjin. First launched in 2014, the event was designed to raise public awareness of the importance of fighting online threats and cyber attacks. The theme of this year's event is "cybersecurity for the people and by the people".
The leaking (泄露）of personal information now stands out. " Efforts should be made to raise people's sense of fulfillment, happiness and security in cyberspace," said President Xi Jinping in an instruction for the event. "The country will safeguard the security of personal information and citizens' legal rights and interests in cyberspace. According to a report from the 2017 China Internet Security Conference, more than 90 percent of Android smartphones for sale in China contained serious safety bugs. Such flaws (缺陷)allow hackers to control entire phones and obtain the users' passwords, bank information and more.
To protect personal information, China issued its first cybersecurity law in June 2017. One key part of this law is meant to protect personal information. It rules that network operators are not allowed to leak, change or damage the personal information they gather. They are also not allowed to give personal information to others freely.
Apart from China, issuing laws to protect personal information and prevent junk electronic information is a common practice in other countries.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the new Internet-based problems. |
| B．To show readers a new Internet-based trend. |
| C．To make a list of new cybercrimes online. |
| D．To call for protection of personal security. |
| A．Android smartphones sales are on the decrease. |
| B．Personal data protection comes into focus. |
| C．Netizens are sensitive to online information. |
| D．Nearly all smartphones contain security flaws. |
| A．Website designers. | B．Illegal hackers. |
| C．Network operators. | D．Internet-based companies. |
| A．Foreign practices to safeguard cybersecurity. |
| B．Countries producing laws of national security. |
| C．Effective ways to deal with personal security. |
| D．Advice on how to avoid leaking personal data. |
6 . The world’s elderly population is increasing. The number of older people ---those age 60 years or older ---is expected to double by 2050 and is growing faster than all younger age groups across the globe. That comes with an increasing need for caregivers which can provide 24-hour care, not only at hospitals or nursing homes, but also at private homes.
Already, caregiving robots are programmed to ask questions a nurse would ask and can keep an eye on patients for falls. These robotic assistants are expected to become increasingly marketable and reach 450,000 by 2045 because of the expected caregiver shortage in the USA.
“Unluckily, the hard structure of present caregiving robots prevents them from a safe human-robot interaction(互动), limiting their assistance to only social interaction and not physical interaction,” said Ramses Martinez, an assistant professor in Purdue’s College of Engineering . “After all, would you leave babies or old people in the hands of a robot?”
Recent advances in material science have enabled the production of soft robots with deformable (可变形的) bodies or the ability to reshape when touched , but today the complex design prevents the use of this technology at home .
However, Martinez and other researchers have developed a new design method which shows promise in enabling the production of soft robots using a 3D printer.
“The soft machines move like humans. Their ability to change their body structure and movement to adapt ( 适应 ) to a wide variety of environments will improve caregiving greatly,” says Martinez .
The researchers are looking for partners to test and bring their technology to market.
1. What does the underlined word “That” in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．The younger age group |
| B．The group of older people |
| C．The population across the globe |
| D．The growth of the elderly population |
| A．They can’t provide safe physical interaction |
| B．They can’t communicate with patients |
| C．They can’t watch patients for falls |
| D．They can’t provide 24-hour care. |
| A．It requires a special kind of 3D printer. |
| B．It makes the production of soft robots simpler. |
| C．It has been put onto the market. |
| D．It is hard for users to master. |
| A．The robot industry in the future |
| B．Effects of population ageing |
| C．Robots for the elderly created with 3D printers |
| D．The development of caregiving robots |
7 . Everybody, at some point in their lives, has experienced failure. It could be something as simple as not getting the job you wanted, or getting fewer marks even after hard work. But what makes you is not your failure, but how you get back up after being hit.
Once, a young school boy was caught in a fire accident in his school and was assumed that he would not live. His mother was told that he was sure to die, for the terrible fire had destroyed the lower half of his body. Even if he were to survive, he would be lame throughout his life.
But the brave boy did not want to die nor did he want to be lame. Much to the amazement of the doctor, he did survive. But unfortunately from his waist down, he had no motor ability. His thin legs just hung there, lifeless. Eventually he left the hospital. But his determination to walk was unshakable. At home, when he was not in bed, he had to stay in a wheelchair. One day, he threw himself from the chair and pulled himself across the grass, dragging his legs behind him. He reached the fence, raised himself up and then began dragging himself along the fence, firmly determined. He did this every day, with faith in himself that he would be able to walk unaided. With his iron determination, he did develop the ability to stand up, then to walk on and off, then to walk by himself and then to run.
He began to walk to school, and then run to school, to run for the joy of running. Later in college he was on the track team.
In February 1934, in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, this young man who was not expected to survive, who would surely never walk, who could never hope to run — this determined young man, Dr. Glenn Cunningham, ran the world’s fastest mile.
A good example of the power of positive(积极的) thinking and faith in oneself, Glenn Cunningham continues to be an inspiration for many, and his story, a brilliant evidence to how one can bounce back even when all difficulties are piled against one, to the degree that death seemed the preferable choice.
1. What was the doctor’s opinion about Glenn?| A．There was a little chance that Glenn could survive. |
| B．Great determination could make a difference to Glenn. |
| C．Glenn was able to walk with his own great effort |
| D．Glenn could live a normal life with the upper half of his body. |
| A．for himself | B．without help |
| C．with disability | D．without hesitation |
| A．Glenn took recovery exercise in hospital. |
| B．Glenn inspired people with his moving story. |
| C．Glenn won the first place in Marathon. |
| D．Glenn organized a track team in college. |
| A．Stand up after failure | B．Strengthen determination |
| C．Go after dreams | D．Face difficulty bravely |
8 . Hollywood’s theory that machines with evil(邪恶) minds will drive armies of killer robots is just silly. The real problem relates to the possibility that artificial intelligence(AI) may become extremely good at achieving something other than what we really want. In 1960 a well-known mathematician Norbert Wiener, who founded the field of cybernetics（控制论）, put it this way: “If we use, to achieve our purposes, a mechanical agency with whose operation we cannot effectively interfere(干预), we had better be quite sure that the purpose put into the machine is the purpose which we really desire.”
A machine with a specific purpose has another quality, one that we usually associate with living things: a wish to preserve its own existence. For the machine, this quality is not in-born, nor is it something introduced by humans; it is a logical consequence of the simple fact that the machine cannot achieve its original purpose if it is dead. So if we send out a robot with the single instruction of fetching coffee, it will have a strong desire to secure success by disabling its own off switch or even killing anyone who might interfere with its task. If we are not careful, then, we could face a kind of global chess match against very determined, super intelligent machines whose objectives conflict with our own, with the real world as the chessboard.
The possibility of entering into and losing such a match should concentrate the minds of computer scientists. Some researchers argue that we can seal the machines inside a kind of firewall, using them to answer difficult questions but never allowing them to affect the real world. Unfortunately, that plan seems unlikely to work: we have yet to invent a firewall that is secure against ordinary humans, let alone super intelligent machines.
Solving the safety problem well enough to move forward in AI seems to be possible but not easy. There are probably decades in which to plan for the arrival of super intelligent machines. But the problem should not be dismissed out of hand, as it has been by some AI researchers. Some argue that humans and machines can coexist as long as they work in teams—yet that is not possible unless machines share the goals of humans. Others say we can just “switch them off” as if super intelligent machines are too stupid to think of that possibility. Still others think that super intelligent AI will never happen. On September 11, 1933, famous physicist Ernest Rutherford stated, with confidence, “Anyone who expects a source of power in the transformation of these atoms is talking moonshine.” However, on September 12, 1933, physicist Leo Szilard invented the neutron-induced(中子诱导) nuclear chain reaction.
1. Paragraph 1 mainly tells us that artificial intelligence may .| A．run out of human control |
| B．satisfy human’s real desires |
| C．command armies of killer robots |
| D．work faster than a mathematician |
| A．prevent themselves from being destroyed |
| B．achieve their original goals independently |
| C．do anything successfully with given orders |
| D．beat humans in international chess matches |
| A．help super intelligent machines work better |
| B．be secure against evil human beings |
| C．keep machines from being harmed |
| D．avoid robots’ affecting the world |
| A．It will disappear with the development of AI. |
| B．It will get worse with human interference. |
| C．It will be solved but with difficulty. |
| D．It will stay for a decade. |
9 . If you are planning on traveling，there are a few simple rules about how to make life easier both before and after your journey.
First of all，always check and doublecheck departure (出发) time.It is surprising how few people really do this carefully.Once I arrived at the airport a few minutes after ten.My secretary had got the ticket for me and I thought she had said that the plane left at 10：50.When I arrived at the airport，the person at the departure desk told me that my flight was closed.Therefore，I had to wait three hours for the next one and missed an important meeting.
The second rule is to remember that even in this age of credit cards (信用卡)，it is still important to have some local money in cash (现金).Once I arrived at a place at midnight and the bank at the airport was closed.The only way to get to my hotel was by taxi but because I had no dollars，I offered to pay in pounds instead.“Listen！I only take real money！”the driver said angrily.You can imagine how terrible I felt at that moment.
The third and the last rule is to find out as much as you can about the weather at your destination before you leave.I feel sorry for some of my workmates who travel in heavy suits and raincoats in May，when it is still fairly cool in London or Manchester，to places like Athens，Rome or Madrid，where it is already beginning to get quite warm during the day.
1. Where is the writer most probably from？| A．Britain. | B．The USA. |
| C．Italy. | D．Greece. |
| A．asked the driver to give him a free ride |
| B．offered to pay in pounds |
| C．gave the driver some fake (假的) money |
| D．tried to pay by credit card |
| A．warm and dry | B．cold and dry |
| C．hot and wet | D．cool and rainy |
| A．how to make life easier |
| B．how to be well prepared for a trip |
| C．how to enjoy ourselves on the trip |
| D．how to schedule our trip |
