1 . No matter where you go around the globe, everybody loves to celebrate. And when it comes to celebration, festivals offer something for everyone.
Mardi Gras （New Orleans, Louisiana）
Also known as Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras in New Orleans is a cultural event. Though the celebration
is held every year on the day before Ash Wednesday, the festivities last for months, banning in November throughout January and early February. And if you love music, check out the annual Galactic concert at the world-famous Tipitina’s on Lundi Gras (the day before Mardi Gras).
La Tomatina （Valencia, Spain）
Launched way back in 1945, La Tomatina is one of the oldest festivals on our list. It's also easily the happiest but the messiest, coming off like the world's biggest food fight.
Legend has it that the whole thing started when some local boys joined a parade alongside musicians. The boys made the performers so angry that they tried hit the boys, and a vendor's (小摊贩)vegetable stand fell victim to the incident.
If you go, please follow some simple rules: Don't throw hard objects, squash the tomato before throwing it, stay a safe distance away from tomato trucks, and stop in time.
Montreux Jazz Festival （Switzerland）
Founded back in 1967, Montreux is one of the oldest music festivals in the world. It's also the second largest jazz festival, after the Montreal International Jazz Festival. That Canadian concert may attract more visitors-around 2 million annually. But Montreux benefits from its pretty location on the attractive shores of Lake Geneva. The area is particularly beautiful in late June/early July, when the festival is held.
1. When is Galactic concert held?| A．On Mardi Gras. | B．On Lundi Gras. |
| C．On Montreux Jazz Festival. | D．On La Tomatina. |
| A．Punish naughty boys. | B．Enjoy musicians' performance. |
| C．Throw tomatoes without hurting. | D．Catch people who destroy tomatoes. |
| A．News report. | B．Academic journal. |
| C．Conceit brochure. | D．Travel magazine. |
2 . A shark that walks in water instead of swimming might sound like a creature straight out of a science fiction thriller. However, that is precisely how the four new species of the fish-found in the tropical waters of Northern Australia-move across the seafloor. The unique ocean animals were discovered by a team of scientists, led by Dr Christine Dudgeon from Australians University of Queensland, during a 12-year-old global conservation study.
The newly-found sharks have all evolved to survive in low oxygen environments, enabling them to hunt during low tides. The researchers believe their ability to use their fins to walk across the water affords the sharks substantial advantage over the unsuspecting smaller animals they prey on .
“Though they are super hunters in their shallow habitat, the tiny sharks are harmless to humans," says Dudgeon. "At less than a meter long on average, walking sharks present no threat to people. They're incredibly cute little animals and are really more like gecko than a shark.”
A DNA analysis of skin samples from the sharks suggests that walking sharks broke away from their brothers and sisters about nine million years ago and became a distinct species. Though that may appear to be a long time ago, it is relatively recent given that sharks have been around for more than 400 million years. In fact, Dudgeon and her team believe walking sharks are the youngest kind of sharks on Earth!
The researchers, who published their findings in The Marine and Freshwater Research journal on January 21, 2020, say that the sharks' small numbers and shallow habitat make them extremely vulnerable to natural disasters and overfishing. Three of the nine walking shark species , all of which live in the waters off Northern Australia, eastern Indonesia, and near the island of New Guinea, are currently on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, which lists species at risk. Dudgeon and her team believe sensible conservation management plans are urgently needed to protect the walking sharks and other endangered animals from further threats.
1. What is the most noticeable feature of the newly-found sharks?| A．They are cute and harmless to humans. | B．They can survive in their shallow habitat. |
| C．They walk on their fins across the seafloor. | D．They are the youngest kind of sharks on Earth. |
| A．The evolution of the sharks. | B．The behavior of the sharks. |
| C．The population of the sharks. | D．The DNA samples of the sharks. |
| A．Adjusting the methods of fishing. | B．Putting the sharks on the Nature Red List. |
| C．Changing the sharks' living environments. | D．Adopting necessary measures to protect the sharks. |
| A．A film guide. | B．A fashion magazine. |
| C．A news report. | D．A science fiction. |
3 . Scientists have created an "artificial leaf" to fight climate change by inexpensively changing harmful carbon dioxide into a useful alternative fuel. The new technology was inspired by the way plants use energy from sunlight to turn carbon dioxide into food.
Scientists call it an artificial leaf because it mimics real leaves and the process of photosynthesis(光合作用). A leaf produces glucose(葡萄糖) and oxygen. Scientists use an artificial leaf to produce methanol(甲醇) and oxygen. Making methanol from carbon dioxide, the primary contributor to global warming, would both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide a substitute for the fossil fuels.
The key to the process is a cheap, fully used red powder called cuprous oxide. Engineered to have as many eight-sided particles as possible, the powder is created by a chemical reaction when four substances are added to water that has been heated to a particular temperature. The powder then serves as the catalyst(催化剂), or trigger, for another chemical reaction when it is mixed with water into which carbon dioxide is blown and a beam of white light is directed with a solar simulator(模拟器). "This is the chemical reaction that we discovered," said Wu, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering, has worked on the project since 2015. He added, " Nobody has done this before." The reaction produces oxygen, as in photosynthesis, while also changing carbon dioxide in the water-powder solution into methanol. The methanol is collected as it evaporates when the solution is heated.
Next steps in the research include increasing the methanol yield and commercializing the patented process to convert carbon dioxide collected from major greenhouse gas sources such as power plants, vehicles and oil drilling. "I'm extremely excited about the potential of this discovery to change the game," said Wu, "Climate change is an urgent problem and we can help reduce CO2 emissions while also creating an alternative fuel."
1. What is the function of an artificial leaf?| A．Turning carbon dioxide into a solid fuel. | B．Changing a chemical reaction into food. |
| C．Producing much glucose and oxygen. | D．Making methanol and oxygen cheaply. |
| A．It's a powder containing four substances. |
| B．It should be directed with a solar simulator. |
| C．It's a key substance to cause another chemical reaction. |
| D．It's used to collect methanol from a chemical reaction. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Wait- and- see. | C．Skeptical. | D．Negative. |
| A．A short story of an artificial leaf. | B．An advertisement for a famous company. |
| C．A report in a science journal. | D．An introduction to a science fiction. |
4 . Black Valley, 63 kilometers from downtown Chongqing, is one of the best preserved natural wonders around the municipality. The national 5A-level scenic spot is a popular summer resort for sightseeing, forest adventures, outdoor camping, hunting and angling.
Located in Heishan town, Wansheng Economic Development Zone, the scenic spot spans over 103 square kilometers, 97 percent of which are covered by primitive forests. With over 110,000 negative oxygen ions in each cubic centimeter of air, it is dubbed as a natural oxygen bar and “the most beautiful healthcare-themed valley.”
Black Valley is also known as “the natural gene bank of Chongqing and Guizhou regions” for the diversity of its rare plants and wildlife, including Cathaya argyrophylla, Davidia involucrata, Trachypithecus francoisi and clouded leopards.
Scenic spot level: AAAAA
Address: Heishan town, Wansheng Economic Development Zone, 63 kilometers from downtown Chongqing Opening hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm (peak season from November to February), 9:00 am-3:00 pm (off season from March to October)
Ideal sightseeing season: from May to September
Ticket price: 60 yuan ($8.72) during off season and 100 yuan during peak season, sightseeing bus and cable not included.
Notes:
1. It is recommended that tourists start from the higher southern area for a downward journey.
2. The average temperature is 18.1 degrees.
3. It’s a good idea to experience the local folk culture of the Miao ethnic group, especially when you choose to visit in May when the traditional Caishan Festival of Miao ethnic group is celebrated.
1. What can we know about Black Valley?| A．It lies in downtown Chongqing. |
| B．Plants and wildlife are rarely seen there. |
| C．A visit there costs at most 100 yuan. |
| D．The air is very high in negative oxygen ions there. |
| A．January. | B．March. | C．May. | D．July. |
| A．Culture. | B．Travel. | C．Nature. | D．Wildlife. |
5 . Perfumes, soaps, and other products often contain special smells called fragrances. Fragrances are often not natural smells, but they're meant to be pleasant. Fragrances can strongly affect those who smell them. Though some people are sensitive to the smells, hoping the smells will be ridded some day, creating and selling fragrances brings in about ＄48 billion every year across the globe, causing some companies to take advantage of computers and other high-tech methods to help them. Many universities specially have the major for creating fragrances, which many students are eager to take.
IBM is a computer company whose Artificial Intelligence (AI) system for fragrances is called Philyra that can't actually smell, but can use lots of different information to find and act on new patterns. The information Philyra needs comes from a German company Symrise. Symrise has derailed information on all kinds of materials used to make perfumes. It also has about 1.7 million different formulas—special recipes for making fragrances, and it is also able to give Philyra information about what kinds of smells people like. For example, the kinds of smells most liked by men, women, or people in different age groups or in different countries.
O Boticario, Brazil's second-largest beauty store, asked IBM to come up with two new perfumes that millennials(千禧二代) would like. So Philyra began creating new formulas based on patterns it spotted in the information about different materials, different formulas and the kinds of fragrances people like. Philyra came up with many formulas very quickly. The master perfumer David Apel worked with the AI, and he said that the way Philyra combined different spices(香料) with milk and butter was something that he would never have thought of doing. When O Boticario tried out the new perfumes on groups of millennials, they were very popular. They even beat out some famous perfumes. The new special perfumes will go on sale soon this year.
1. What do we know about creating and selling fragrances from paragraph 1?| A．It's being done by computers. |
| B．It's a big business in the world. |
| C．It's been directed by AI system. |
| D．It will disappear sooner or later. |
| A．Making fragrances for IBM. |
| B．Offering fragrance information. |
| C．Using AI to create various smells. |
| D．Developing AI system for fragrances. |
| A．Unnoticed fragrances. |
| B．Expert favored. |
| C．Personal smells. |
| D．AI-created. |
| A．Entertainment. |
| B．Health. |
| C．Education. |
| D．Technology. |
6 . Americans are now allowed to get a COVID-19 vaccine （疫苗）. But the process in America is not going as smoothly as some had hoped. Many people are still facing a wait for their first shot. Moreover, the vaccines aren't available to kids under 16 yet. That's because scientists have only tested if the vaccine works in adults.
The good news is that there are two companies, Moderna and Pfizer, making COVID-19 vaccines. They are now running clinical trials（临床实验）to test their vaccines in teens and kids. Volunteers are given a treatment plan and then evaluated after.
Clinical trials are designed with safety in mind and usually done in adults first. They work like this: volunteers get placed into one of two groups. One group receives the vaccine. The other group gets a placebo. This is a shot given in the same way as the vaccine but with no effect. Scientists can compare the effects of the real vaccine against the placebo to see if the vaccine works. Researchers want to know everything that a person experiences when they get the shot, so they can detect any harmful effects. If anything did happen, the trial would stop immediately.
Some teens are eager to volunteer because they want to help people. Maybe you're the right age to be part of a clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine. Why not volunteer For A Vaccine Trial? Interested kids should read about the trials because every trial has risks. They should talk to their doctor and weigh the benefits and risks. Every vaccine has rare side effects in a few patients.
If you want to participate in a trial, you can try to sign up online by just clicking here, clinicaltrials gov. which lists every clinical trial in the US, including COVID-19 vaccine trials.
1. Why kids under 16 can't get a COVID-19 vaccine?| A．Because the vaccine is too hard to get. |
| B．Because the vaccine is too expensive for them. |
| C．Because they are not at the risk of getting COVID-19. |
| D．Because the effectiveness of the vaccine for kids hasn't been tested . |
| A．A substance to comfort patients | B．A pill to treat patients |
| C．A prize to award patients | D．A way to cure patients |
| A．To tell American adults they can get a COVID-19 vaccine. |
| B．To inform that American children can't get a COVID-19 vaccine. |
| C．To give information about clinical trials of vaccines in teens and kids. |
| D．To provide information for potential volunteers on trials. |
| A．Newspapers. | B．Magazines. | C．Internet. | D．Textbooks. |
7 . The first known dress, as well as the earliest known bar and restaurant in France, were identified this week. The discoveries, reported in the journal Antiquity, provide a glimpse of what early life was like in both ancient Egypt and southern France thousands of years ago.
The garment, which dates to around 3482 BC, is known as the Tarkhan Dress, and now looks like a shabby and dirty shirt. When new, however, the linen dress would have looked fashionable even today, as researchers determined it featured a natural pale gray stripe with pleated sleeves and bodice. Its edge is missing, so the original length of the dress is unknown.
"The survival of highly perishable textiles（纺织品）in the archaeological record is exceptional（例外的）, the survival of complete, or almost complete, articles of clothing like the Tarkhan Dress is even more remarkable," Alice Stevenson, head of the University College London（UCL）Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, said in a press release.
Now that the dress' age has been confirmed, it has been named Egypt's oldest garment and is the oldest known surviving woven garment in the world. To calculate its age. Michael Dee of the University of Oxford and colleagues measured a small Sample of the dress to determine how much radiocarbon remained in the linen. Linen is especially suitable for radiocarbon dating, according to the researchers, because it is made of flax fibers that grow over a relatively short time. The dress, currently on display at the UCI.
Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, features wear and tear that date back to its earliest days. The researchers believe that a young teenager or a very slim woman wore it.
A separate study in the same journal reports the discovery of a hotel in southern France. At first the researcher thought that they had found a bakery, since they determined that the site once featured three huge ovens. They later, however, found that another nearby room across from a courtyard, had furniture lining its walls.
1. Why is it difficult to determine the length of the garment?| A．Its bottom edge is gone. | B．It has broken into pieces. |
| C．Part of the bottom is missing | D．The edge of sleeves is missing. |
| A．Really in high quality. | B．Valuable and unusual. |
| C．Lasting for quite a long time | D．Being rotten or destroyed easily. |
| A．linen is especially suitable for radiocarbon dating |
| B．the dress proves to be the oldest woven one in the world |
| C．how radiocarbon in the linen is measured by the researchers |
| D．the researchers of University of Oxford knew the dress' age |
| A．TV series. | B．A book review. |
| C．A science report. | D．A fashion show. |
8 . Most online fraud(诈骗) involves identity theft Passwords help. But many can be guessed. Newer phones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers often have strengthened security with fingerprint and facial recognition. But these can be imitated. That is why a new approach, behavioural biometrics(行为生物识别) is gaining ground.
It relies on the wealth of measurements made by today’s devices. These include data from sensors that reveal how people hold their phones when using them, how they carry them and even the way they walk. Touchscreens, keyboards and mice can be monitored(监测) to show the distinctive ways in which someone’s fingers and hands move. These features can then be used to determine whether someone attempting to make a deal is likely to be the device’s habitual user.
“Behavioural biometrics make it possible to identify an individual’s unique motion fingerprint”, says John Whaley, head of Unifyid, a firm in Silicon Valley that is involved in the field. When coupled with information about a user’s finger pressure and speed on the touchscreen, as well as a device’s regular places of use—as revealed by its GPS unit—that user’s identity can be pretty well determined.
Used wisely, behavioural biometrics could be a great benefit. In fact, Unifyid and an unnamed car company are even developing a system that unlocks the doors of a vehicle once the pace of the driver, as measured by his phone, is recognized. Used unwisely, however, the system would become yet another electronic spy on people’s privacy, permitting complete strangers to monitor your every action, from the moment you reach for your phone in the morning, to when you throw it on the floor at night.
1. What is behavioural biometrics for?| A．To identify network crime | B．To ensure network security. |
| C．To track online fraud. | D．To gather online data. |
| A．By limiting and discovering users’ passwords. |
| B．By spotting and revealing where a device is regularly used. |
| C．By offering and analyzing users’ facial features. |
| D．By monitoring and comparing how users interact with devices. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Concerned | C．Favorable. | D．Objective. |
| A．Science and technology. | B．Health and wealth. |
| C．Finance and economics | D．Books and arts |
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1. How much should you pay to buy a pair of HCR3?| A．$229. | B．$249. |
| C．$458. | D．$478. |
| A．It can reduce noise automatically. |
| B．It has little in common with previous hearing aids. |
| C．It makes speech understood more easily with no whistling. |
| D．It’s rechargeable and can work for 16 hours if fully charged. |
| A．A magazine. | B．A business report. |
| C．A textbook. | D．A guidebook. |
10 . When people see machines that respond like humans, or computers that perform amazing functions, they sometimes joke about a future in which humanity will need to accept robot overlords(霸主). But buried in the joke is a seed of unease. Science-fiction movies have ever shown us about artificial intelligence (AI) that escapes its creators’ control.
Even in the real world, not everyone is ready to welcome AI with open arms. In recent years, as computer scientists have pushed the boundaries(界限) of what AI can accomplish, leading figures in technology and science have warned about the frightening dangers that artificial intelligence may pose to human beings, even suggesting that AI could destroy the human race. But why are people so frightened about the idea of AI?
Elon Musk is one of the famous voices that have raised red flags about AI. In July 2017, Musk told people at a meeting of the National Governors Association, “I have exposure to the very cutting-edge AI, and I think people should be really concerned about it. I keep sounding the alarm bell. But until people see robots going down the street killing people, they don’t know how to react, because it seems so impossible. ”
Earlier, in 2014, Musk had labeled AI “our biggest existential threat”, and in August 2017, he declared that humanity faced a great risk from AI.
Physicist Stephen Hawking, who died on March 14, also expressed concerns about AI, telling the BBC in 2014 that “the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”
It’s also less than reassuring that some programmers—particularly those with MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts—seem determined to prove that AI can be terrifying.
1. What are top scientists in AI worried about?| A．It has wonderful functions. |
| B．It contributes too much to movies. |
| C．It may end the human race some day. |
| D．It’s ability to bury our seeds in jokes. |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Ambiguous. |
| C．Understanding. | D．Supportive. |
| A．Be a great threat to human beings. |
| B．Learn the human emotions like fear. |
| C．Predict the future of the human race. |
| D．Turn horrible tales into scary stories. |
| A．Technology. | B．Health. |
| C．Culture. | D．Nature. |
