1 . The baby is just one day old and has not yet left hospital. She is quiet but alert (警觉的). Twenty centimeters from her face researchers have placed a white card with two black spots on it. She stares at it carefully. A researcher removes the card and replaces it by another, this time with the spots differently spaced. As the cards change from one to the other, her gaze(凝视) starts to lose its focus—until a third, with three black spots, is presented. Her gaze returns: she looks at it for twice as long as she did at the previous card. Can she tell that the number two is different from three, just 24 hours after coming into the world?

Or do newborns simply prefer more to fewer? The same experiment, but with three spots shown before two, shows the same return of interest when the number of spots changes. Perhaps it is just the newness? When slightly older babies were shown cards with pictures of objects (a comb, a key, an orange and so on), changing the number of objects had an effect separate from changing the objects themselves. Could it be the pattern that two things make, as opposed to three? No again. Babies paid more attention to squares moving randomly(随意地)on a screen when their number changed from two to three, or three to two. The effect even crosses between senses. Babies who were repeatedly shown two spots became more excited when they then heard three drumbeats than when they heard just two; likewise(同样地) when the researchers started with drumbeats and moved to spots.

1. The experiment described in Paragraph 1 is related to the baby's ________.

A．sense of hearing	B．sense of sight
C．sense of touch	D．sense of smell

2. Babies are sensitive to the change in ________.

A．the size of cards	B．the colour of pictures
C．the shape of patterns	D．the number of objects

3. Why did the researchers test the babies with drumbeats?

A．To reduce the difficulty of the experiment.

B．To see how babies recognize sounds.

C．To carry their experiment further.

D．To keep the babies' interest.

4. Where does this text probably come from?

A．Science fiction.	B．Children’s literature.
C．An advertisement.	D．A science report.

2 . Monster Zoo

Monster Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world, covering more than 15 km squares. It is home to more than 50 species of rare and native animals. The zoo is located 70 km from the city New South Australia.

Monster zoo was founded in 1983 as a breeding area (繁殖区). Officially open to the public in October 1993, Monster Zoo is now home to more than 500 animals.

Opening Hours

Monster zoo is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm with last entry at 3:00 pm. The zoo is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day and all public holidays. The exception to this is if the forecast temperature for Monster Zoo is 40 degrees or above, it will be closed.

To get the most out of your visit we recommend setting aside a minimum of four to five hours to fully enjoy the Monster zoo.

Tickets

Child (4-14 years old) : AU $28.50

Adult (15 years old and over) : AU $ 51.75

Family / Mini Group: AU $132.75

Meet the Keeper

Monster zoo offers various daily zoo keeper talks and animal feeds that give guests the chance to interact (互动) with our friendly workers and learn about the zoo’s unique residents.

Looking for a more unique animal experience? Consider booking a Behind the Scenes Animal Experience to come face to face with some of our special animal residents.

Café

Ketabi Café is open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm daily and offers a variety of tasty treats, small snacks and hot meals.

Picnics

For those who prefer to bring their own meals, special picnic areas are available close to the Visitor Center. Please note that due to fire risk, the zoo does not allow for the use of BBQs.

1. What can we learn about the zoo from the text?

A．It is the largest zoo in the world.

B．It is open daily all year except Christmas Day.

C．It is open to the public ten years after it was founded.

D．It is home to 500 species of animals.

2. If three young men aged 12, 14 and 19 visit the zoo, how much will they pay?

A．AU $155.25.	B．AU $108.75.
C．AU $85.25.	D．AU $132.75.

3. Where does this text most probably come from?

A．A health newspaper.	B．An animal book.
C．A travel website.	D．A fashion magazine.

3 . Optimism (乐观) doesn’t mean paying no attention to things that cause stress. But when bad things happen, optimistic people are less likely to be unhappy about themselves and more likely to see the bad things as something that lasts a short time.

A new research has found a direct connection between optimism and healthier diet and exercise behaviors, as well as better heart health, a stronger immune system (免疫系统), better lung function, and lower death risk. “Optimistic people, regardless of sex, often have goals and the confidence to reach them,” Lee said. “Those goals could include healthy habits that contribute to a longer life.”

Studies find only about 25% of our optimism is controlled by our genes (基因), and the rest is up to us. It turns out we can actually train our brain to be more positive. Researchers studied the brains of monks (僧侣) and found surprising results: Tens of thousands of hours of meditation(冥思) had changed the function (机能) of their brains, which support positive qualities. And that may be key in producing the effect on the body.

There are simple mental exercises to develop an optimistic attitude. One of the most effective ways to increase optimism is called the “Best Possible Self” method. That is to imagine ourselves in a future in which we have achieved all our life goals. And keeping a diary in which we list the positive experiences we had can also help shape our attitude. Taking a few minutes each day to write down what makes us thankful can improve our view on life, too.

1. What is the meaning of Lee’s words?

A．Goals can lead to confidence.

B．Better lung function lowers death risk.

C．Optimism is connected with length of life.

D．Sex should be taken into consideration when studying optimism.

2. Why are the brains of monks studied?

A．To lengthen their life.

B．To improve their brains’ function.

C．To prove optimism can be learned.

D．To show genes’ connection with optimism.

3. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．How to be a positive person.	B．How to make people thankful.
C．What to write about in a diary.	D．What to do to achieve the goals.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A science magazine.	B．A guidebook.
C．A novel.	D．A diary.

4 . Instead of using a credit card or smartphone to pay for your goods, Amazon wants you to use your hands. In a blog post. Dilip Kumar, vice president of Amazon Physical Retail introduced the company's' palm recognition(掌纹识别) technology, known as Amazon One. The technology, first rolling out in Amazon's home market of Seattle: will use people's palms to identify(确认身份) them and combine that with details of the palm, such as lines and ridges, to build “palm signature.”

In addition to the trial in the company's stores in Seattle, starting today, Kumar added that Amazon One will come to other Amazon stores and will be used for more than just paying with your palm. "We believe Amazon one has broad applicability beyond our retail stores, so we also plan to offer the service to third parties like retailers(零售店), stadiums, and office buildings so that more people can benefit from this ease and convenience in more places, "Kumar added.

Though Amazon has introduced other ways to pay for goods at its physical stores. including the use of Cameras and an app linked to your Amazon account. Kumar explained palm recognition offers another level of privacy.

"We selected palm recognition for a few important reasons, Kumar wrote. "One reason was that palm recognition is considered more private than other biometric (生物统计的) identifiers because you can't determine a person's identity by looking at a picture of their palm. It also requires users to make an intentional gesture by holding their palm over the device to use. This puts customers in control of                                 when and where they use the service. What's more, it's contactless, which we think customers will appreciate, especially in current times.

To use Amazon One, people don't need an Amazon account, but simply phone number and a credit card. For those concerned about privacy, Kumar wrote, users can delete their biometric data if they decide they no longer want to use it.

1. Which of the following best describes Amazon One?

A．Convenient and safe.	B．Private and inexpensive.
C．Widespread and user-friendly	D．Healthy and popular.

2. From the first three paragraphs we can infer that_______.

A．Amazon One is designed for Amazon online stores.

B．Amazons' palm recognition technology is the best in the world.

C．Amazon One has not yet been used in places beyond Amazon stores.

D．Amazon provides various services for society.

3. What makes palm recognition a better way to pay than using a camera and an app.

A．Palm recognition makes fewer mistakes.

B．Customers don't need to make intentional gestures.

C．Customers can use their palm to open an Amazon account.

D．Customers can control when and where to use it.

4. Which section of a website is the passage most possibly from?

A．Online shopping.	B．Business news.
C．Education.	D．Advertisement.

5 . Everyone can be angry. But if you take the time to actually examine your anger instead of just “feeling angry” you’ll have a better understanding of yourself. Knowing why you feel so angry can provide you with some surprising answers. These answers can enable you to grow spiritually and mentally.

I can give you a personal example. I went to a meeting once and I was verbally attacked(言语攻击) over an application I supported at my workplace. Various people went on and on about how terrible this system was and that it never worked. That didn’t bother me that much. But I was absolutely furious at the comment, “Your job is pointless.”

I was upset that they would treat me that way. But once I took the time to think about what was really making me so mad, I learned a lot. I realized that the comment was more true than I wanted to admit. In the big scheme of things, my job was pointless. It wasn’t what I really wanted to be doing with my life and this is what frustrated me the most. Here I was pouring part of my heart and soul into a job I didn't even want to do. I was using it as crutch(依靠) because I didn’t have the confidence in myself to take the scary(令人害怕的) road toward what I really wanted to do. As soon as I realized that, a lot of my anger just melted away. I also realized that I needed to start focusing on what I really wanted to do.

I now consider this incident as a great gift. It got me back on track to move in the direction I want to go with my life. I probably wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn’t taken the time to figure out why I was really so angry.

1. What does the underlined word “furious” probably mean?

A．Surprised.	B．Relaxed.
C．Amazed.	D．Angry.

2. Why did the author admit that his work was pointless ?

A．Because he didn’t do his job wholeheartedly.

B．Because he didn’t make enough money.

C．Because he couldn’t get on well with his colleagues.

D．Because he didn’t have the chance to realize his potential.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The author isn’t easy to become angry any longer.

B．The author has achieved success in his present career.

C．The author received a lot of gifts after the incident.

D．The author was forced to quit his job.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A diary.

B．A guidebook.

C．A magazine.

D．A novel.

6 . Nao, a small robot, looks like a person. If Nao begged you not to shut it off, what would you do? Would you follow its wishes?

Scientists did a study to see how people treat’ robots that act like people. Eighty-nine people volunteered for the study. They were asked to help to improve Nao’s social skills by finishing two tasks with it

The tasks with the robot didn’t matter, though. What the scientists really wanted to see was how the participants (参与者) reacted once the tasks were over. They were asked to talk with Nao and finally shut Nao off but it was not easy to do. Some people did not want to turn the robot off while others take a long time to do it.

People often communicate with non-human objects such as TVs and computers nowadays. But robots seem more human than TVs. Robots can show social characters themselves, like speaking with human voices or taking the shape of a human body. Scientists said people might have seen Nao’s cries as a sign of independent thought. In turn, this could have led people to see the robot as having human-like characters.

For thousands of years, humans have lived In a world where they are the only ones who could have conversations, the study said. Our brains have learned to react to social situations in a certain way. But our brains are not used to telling the difference between the real people and fake (假的) people. The robot expresses feelings and desires, which gets people to want to treat the robot as if it was alive.

1. What’s the purpose of the study?

A．To test how fast human-like robots do tasks.

B．To improve human-like robots’ facial expressions,

C．To invent human-like robots to keep people company.

D．To learn how people might respond to human-like robots.

2. In the study, what is special about the participants behavior?

A．They had feelings for Nao.	B．They refused Nao’s requests.
C．They shut Nao off immediately,	D．They praised Nao’s social skills.

3. According to Paragraphs 4 and 5, what causes the result of the study?

A．Humans are born to be creative.

B．Humans dislike robots in some ways.

C．Humans don’t often deal with human-like robots.

D．Humans prefer dealing with lifeless objects.

4. The test is most probably taken from u magazine about ________.

A．healthy lifestyles	B．popular science
C．historical events	D．successful people

7 . Many college students turn to ADHD（注意缺陷障碍）medicine during the exam week, which is regarded as “smart drugs” that will help their academic（学术的）performance. The thinking is that if the drugs help students with ADHD improve their focus, they should provide the same benefit for people who don’t have the disorder.

But a new study shows that drugs can actually damage brain function of healthy students who take the drug hoping to boost their intelligence. “It’s not a smart drug which will suddenly improve their ability to understand information they read,” said Lisa Weyandt, a professor at the University of Rhode Island.

To test whether this effect is real or not, researchers organized 13 students to take part in two five-hour study sessions（一段时间）in the lab. The students took the standard 30mg ADHD drugs before one session, and a sugar pill before the other. Students on ADHD drugs did experience an increase in their blood pressure and heart rates. “The medicine was having an effect on their brain,” Weyandt said. The students also showed an improvement in their ability to focus, the researchers found.

However, students on ADHD drugs experienced no improvement in reading comprehension, reading fluency or knowledge reviews, compared to when they’d taken a sugar pill. “We read aloud stories to them and asked them to recall information from the stories, ”she said. “That didn’t improve.”

Worse, the ADHD drug actually harms students’ memory. It’s often misused because people pull all-nighters and they’re tired, and they think it’s going to keep them awake. Maybe it does, but it’s certainly not going to help their academic work. The brain is still developing until the mid to late 20s. It’s important to keep it healthy. There’s also a chance that ADHD drugs could endanger a student’s heart health.

1. Why do some college students take ADHD drugs?

A．To improve their sleeping.	B．To get higher marks.
C．To make them feel relaxed.	D．To treat brain disorder.

2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “boost” in Paragragh 2?

A．Analyze.	B．Affect.
C．Improve.	D．Understand.

3. What effect did ADHD drugs have on the students in the experiment?

A．They became more focused.

B．Their blood pressure was reduced.

C．Their reading fluency was greatly raised.

D．They could remember better and more quickly.

4. Where can we read this text?

A．In a drug instruction.	B．In a biology textbook.
C．In a travel magazine.	D．In a news report.

8 . Got 48 hours to relax yourself? You’ll make full use of your timeand have great fun at these amazing destinations.

Alabama: Gulf Shores

For relaxing weekend getaways in Alabama, head south to the white-sand beaches of Gulf Shores. Get on the water for some deep-sea fishing. History lovers can get a lesson in the Civil War along a 90-mile path with more than a dozen historic sites.

Alaska: Homer

How does fresh seafood sound? You’ll find it in Homer, located in south-central Alaska, which is either a short flight or a great four-hour scenic drive on the Seward Highway from Anchorage. Get your fill of fishing in Kachemak Bay, explore local trails and enjoy exceptional birding in this remote natural setting.

Arizona: Sedona

Adventurous types can get their fill in the magical red rocks of Sedona, which is said to be the location of healing centers of energy. People flood to the area to meditate, practice yoga and more. Sedona also offers fantastic hiking, off-roading, biking, and even climbing.

Arkansas: Hot Springs

Relax and renew in Arkansas’ hot waters in Hot Springs, an art community with Art Deco architecture that is also the home of Hot Springs National Park. Make time for a visit to Bathhouse Row, a National Historic Landmark of eight bathhouses, and Superior Bathhouse Brewery, which produces beer made of the hot spring water inside the National Park. Don’t miss these National Parks that are off the beaten path.

1. Which activity can be found in both Gulf Shores and Homer?

A．Going fishing.	B．Taking a flight.
C．Enjoying beautiful birds.	D．Visiting historic sites.

2. What is Superior Bathhouse Brewery known for?

A．Its bathhouses.	B．Its paths.
C．Its self-made beer.	D．Its architecture.

3. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A diary.

B．A survey.

C．A novel.

D．A magazine.

9 . Welcome to Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (水族馆)

Covering a total area of 22,400 square meters, Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (SOA) is located in Pudong New Area. With a theme of ‘“cross Continents — Through Worlds of Water,” the aquarium is divided into 8 zones, displaying more than 300 species and a total of more than 14,000 precious fish from five continents and four oceans.

What will you discover at the ocean aquarium?

Take an underwater journey that starts from China and continues throughout the major continents and regions of the world. Walk through a 200-meter-long undersea tunnel, one of the longest of its kind in the world, to have a close contact with the colorful ocean world. Admire the uniqueness of ocean life from the Polar Regions to the tropics, particularly rare and precious species from the famous Changjiang River.

Opening time

9:00-18:00

9:00-21:00 for Summer Holiday (July and August), National Day Holiday and Chinese New Year Holiday

Admission

Adult £10/ Child £6

Free guided tours run hourly from Monday to Saturday between 10 am and 3 pm.

On Sundays, service of a VR tour is offered, £5 for each person.

For groups with more than ten members, we offer free entry to 2 children (under 10) at most.

Since its opening in February, 2002, SOA has received more than 1 million tourists every year from within China and all over the world. For more information, visit https://www.trip.com/travel-euidc/shanghai/shanghai-ocean-aquarium-80473/, call (86-21) 58779988 or email us at Iearning@sh-soa.com.

1. In Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, visitors can do the following EXCEPT ________.

A．admiring precious fish	B．walking through underwater tunnel
C．swimming in the sea	D．increasing knowledge about sea life

2. Two adults with 10 eight-year-old kids will pay at least ________ if they all employ VR tour service this Sunday.

A．£80

B．£98

C．£128

D．£140

3. Where does this passage probably come from?

A．A news report.	B．A science textbook.
C．A nature magazine.	D．A tourist guide.

10 . STA Travel, the world’s largest students and youth travel agency, beats any price! Every day we’re working with our partners around the world to get you (students, teachers and anyone under 26) the cheapest and most comfortable fights and accommodations. This part of www.statravel.com provides great tips for green travel—how to pack, how to leave your house or apartment, and how to plan for your trips. You’ll also find a great number of green travel adventure (探险) trips to all comers of the world.

Green travel means responsible travel! Leave as little influence as possible on the places you visit and protect the environment both at home and during your trip. Think “Green” when you pack and when you travel. You’ll help prevent long-term effects on the communities you leave and visit!

Here’s some advice on how to do that.

Before you leave

◆Turn your water heater to its lowest setting.

◆Turn off your water from the outside.

◆Pack suitable clothes in your luggage, none of which is to harm the environment.

While you travel

◆Try products made from recycled materials.

◆Don’t buy souvenirs produced from endangered species (物种).

◆Carry a reusable bottle for water and refill it as you go.

◆Use the bathroom in the airport, NOT on the plane. The fuel used for a single flush (冲洗) could run a car for six miles.

1. What do green travelers care most about?

A．Flights.

B．Prices.

C．Pleasure.

D．Nature.

2. What are the readers advised to do during their trip?

A．Use environment-friendly products.	B．Take as much water as possible.
C．Pack as few things as possible.	D．Learn about adventure travel.

3. Where can we most probably read the text?

A．In a travel magazine.	B．On a travel website.
C．On an environmental poster.	D．In an environmental research paper.