1 . A ship that sank off the coast of California decades ago was recently reconstructed in detail. The 3D digital model even included hundreds of sponges (海绵动物) that have gathered on the ship’s surface since it sank.
Named American Heritage, the supply ship sank in Santa Monica Bay on May 4, 1995, and for decades its exact location was unknown. Researchers with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) spotted a strange shape in that area in 2008. But it wasn’t until May 2018 that MBARI scientists identified its exact location and mapped the site in detail, showing what appeared to be a shipwreck (失事船只).
Even then, the identity of the shipwreck was uncertain. Yet another MBARI team revisited the location to do further exploration. They sent remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and took photos of the damaged ship. Though it was covered with deep-sea sponges and other animals, the scientists were able to spot letters spelling out its name, confirming that the shipwreck was American Heritage.
As one of the MBARI scientists who found American Heritage, chief ROV pilot Knute Brekke had worked on the ship before. And he was on duty with the diving company American Pacific Marine — the owner of American Heritage — the night the ship began taking in water and eventually sank.
MBARI spokesperson Kim Fulton -Bennett said to Live Science about the discovery, “The model is not complete, as floating ropes and poor visibility kept the pilots from getting too close to the wreck. But the 3D reconstruction is detailed enough to show that American Heritage is now home to thousands of sponges. Shipwrecks often turn into the shelter for diverse communities of ocean life.”
1. What is the main idea of the text?| A．A valuable treasure was discovered. |
| B．Special sponges were found under sea. |
| C．3D model reconstructed a sunken ship. |
| D．A sunken ship was gotten out of water. |
① Something strange was found in the area.
② ROVs were sent under sea to take photos.
③ A ship sank in Santa Monica Bay.
④ The identity of the ship was confirmed.
⑤ Scientists tried to locate the shipwreck.
| A．②③⑤④① | B．③①⑤②④ |
| C．⑤③①④② | D．④③①②⑤ |
| A．He was familiar with the sunken ship. |
| B．He was in charge of a diving company. |
| C．He was responsible for the rescue work. |
| D．He was the first one to witness the accident. |
| A．Critical. | B．Doubtful. | C．Amazed. | D．Objective. |
2 . There are lots of ways to educate yourself on the Internet. You can find photos, documents, and films on almost any topic you can imagine. And at www.ted.com, you can access lectures by artists, scholars, designers, technicians and others.
TED began in 1984 as a conference that brought together individuals from the fields of technology, entertainment and design. It was intended to be a one-time event focusing on technology and design. The event ended up losing money, and it was six years before the founders tried it again. This time it worked, and since 1990, the TED conference has been an annual event. There are now two held every year, with topics as diverse as music, medicine, and money. Other specialized spin-off conferences address narrower issues.
The TED website came from a desire to share the conferences with the world, to “offer free knowledge from the world’s most inspired thinkers,” as the website puts it. The current version of the site was launched in April 2007, and contains videos of talks given at the TED conferences around the world. The talks are transcribed into hundreds of languages.
The TED website is owned by the Sapling Foundation, a non profit devoted to fostering the spread of great ideas. The Sapling foundation acquired TED in 2001. Since then, it has been focusing on using TED to broadcast ideas that might change the world.
TED, of course, isn’t immune to criticism. It’s been called elitist(精英) for its high ticket prices (more than 6,000 dollars total). It’s been accused by a few people of censorship for not publishing their talks. One controversial speaker was upset about being criticized by the conference’s host afterward.
The complaints, however, seem to be relatively few for such a large, long-running organization. And accusations of elitism ring hollow when so much is given away for free on TED’s website. Whatever its failings, TED is a source of inspirational information for those who seek it out.
1. What is the main topic of the article?| A．The case against TED. | B．What’s on TED today. |
| C．Pros and cons of www.ted.com. | D．What is TED. |
| A．The TED conference came after the success of www.ted.com. |
| B．Two TED conferences are now held every year. |
| C．TED talks are available in many languages. |
| D．The Sapling Foundation owns www.ted.com. |
| A．it is accepted to all involved that some TED talks might not be published |
| B．the host of the conference is one who plays a supportive role to the speakers |
| C．TED is criticized for giving special treatment to the wealthy or powerful |
| D．the negative comments on TED greatly affects its reputation |
| A．TED is elitist | B．TED is beneficial |
| C．TED isn’t important | D．TED is the best website |
3 . In the near future, IoT (Internet of Things) will drive huge innovation (革新) in the way our food is grown. Plants will have a “voice”, not a human voice, but a voice based on data that can tell people, computers, and machines when, for example, they are thirsty, or need more sun, medicine, etc.
Take vertical (垂直的) farms, for example. Farming is moving indoors where the growth of plants can be monitored and controlled. The facilities are built vertically, so growing areas can be put in piles. This greatly reduces the amount of land needed for farming.
From an IoT point of view, vertical farms are connected in two ways. First, small sensors (传感器) in the soil or connected to plants tell a control system exactly how much light, water, and nutrients are needed to grow the healthiest crops. Sensors will also tell vertical farmers when crops are nearing their peak for harvesting at just the right time to make sure it’s still fresh when it reaches its final destination.
Second, vertical farms will be connected to other networks and information systems, including databases that track local demand. For example, local restaurants may input when they need fresh food supplies. And vertical farmers could get that information so they know which crops to grow in what quantities. This type of IoT system would have been unimaginable a generation ago.
Today, vertical farms are being experimented. Yet, the numbers point to a bright future for the industry, especially as the world’s population continues to grow. For example, Green Sense Farms in Chicago is able to harvest crops 26 times a year using 85 percent less energy, one-tenth the water, and no pesticides. A side benefit of lower energy use is lower CO2 output of two tons per month, with the added benefit of creating 46 pounds of oxygen every day.
1. What is the main idea of the text?| A．Voice machines help plants speak up. |
| B．Farmers are all turning to vertical farming. |
| C．IoT has brought great innovation to our future life. |
| D．Vertical farms driven by IoT are a future for agriculture. |
| A．By recording farmers harvesting crops. |
| B．By monitoring farmers working their fields. |
| C．By analyzing information to preserve crops. |
| D．By passing information on to a control system. |
| A．expand the output of crops | B．match supply with demand |
| C．determine the needs of farmers | D．move restaurants onto farms |
| A．Negative. | B．Indifferent. | C．Optimistic. | D．Doubtful. |
4 . In the United States, it is important to be on time , or punctual , for an appointment , a class, a meeting, etc. However, this may not be true in all countries. An American professor discovered the difference while teaching a class in a Brazilian (巴西的) university. The two-hour class was scheduled to begin at 10 A.M. and end at 12. On the first day , when the professor arrived on time, no one was in the classroom. Many students came after 10:30 A.M. Two students came after 11 A.M. Although all the students greeted the professor as they arrived, few apologized for their lateness.Were these students being rude? He decided to study the students’ behavior.
The professor talked to American and Brazilian students about lateness in both an informal and a formal situation:at a lunch with a friend and in a university class, respectively.He gave them an example and asked them how they would react, If they had a lunch appointment with a friend,the average American student defined lateness as 19 minutes after the agreed time. On the other hand, the average Brazilian student felt the friend was late after 33 minutes.
In an American university, students are expected to arrive at the appointed hour.In contrast, in Brazil,neither the teacher nor the students always arrive at the appointed hour.Classes not only begin at the scheduled time in the United States,but also end at the scheduled time.In the Brazilian class, only a few students left the class at 12:00;many remained past 12:30 to discuss the class and ask more questions.While arriving late may not be very important in Brazil , neither is staying late.
1. The word‘punctual’ most probably means________.| A．leaving soon after class | B．coming early |
| C．arriving a few minutes late | D．being on time |
| A．He felt puzzled at the students’ being late. |
| B．He felt angry at the students' rudeness. |
| C．He wanted to make the students come on time later. |
| D．He wanted to collect data for one of his studies. |
| A．American students will become impatient if their friend is five minutes late |
| B．neither Brazilian nor American students like being late in social gatherings |
| C．being late in one culture may not be considered so rude in another culture |
| D．Brazilian students will not come thirty-three minutes after the agreed time |
| A．It is important to be on time for class in the United States. |
| B．The importance of being on time differs among cultures. |
| C．People learn the importance of time only from their own culture. |
| D．Students being late for class should explain the reason to their teacher. |
5 . In recent years, Boston Dynamics has become known for two things. One, creating robots whose movements mimic (模仿) humans and animals. Many find their accuracy surprising and concerning. The second reason is posting mysterious videos of these robots online without warning. The videos quickly go popular and spread a mixture of excitement and terror over the rapid rise of self-operating machines.
The company has made four-legged robots in recent years, with names like Spot, Wildcat and BigDog. These robots can do tasks such as open doors, carry heavy loads and run nearly 20 miles per hour. The company's most popular product appears to be Atlas, the robotic athlete. It calls Atlas "the world's most dynamic humanlike robot."
The robot is guided by 3-D vision. It also uses LiDAR, short for Light Detection And Ranging, a sensor (传感器) that uses a laser (激光) to measure the distance between objects. With this technology, the small robot can pull nearly 25 pounds. The company says Atlas can also handle objects in its environment, cross rough land, keep its balance when pushed and get back up when knocked down.
Three years ago, Atlas was recorded clumsily walking through the snow at a slow speed. Curiosity about Atlas increased last year when Boston Dynamics posted a video clip on YouTube. In it, the previously awkward robot goes for a jog in a grassy area. The video seemed to surprise many viewers, including the newspaper called the Daily Mail. The newspaper was reporting on Atlas's physical accomplishment at the time.
The paper wrote, "If you thought you'd be able to run away from the terrifying new robots, bad news."
1. What is the main idea of the passage?| A．Robots mimicking humans and animals go popular. |
| B．Boston Dynamic is likely to create more new robots. |
| C．Humanlike robots are developing at a surprising speed. |
| D．A new video of the latest robots make people amused. |
| A．Dangerous. | B．Unskillful. |
| C．Graceful. | D．Convenient. |
| A．It’s bad that we can run away from the new robots. |
| B．People are happy about the improvements to new robots. |
| C．Human’s power over machines and robots has come to an end. |
| D．Improvements to robots raised concern among us human. |
| A．A science magazine. | B．An advertisement. |
| C．Children’s literature. | D．A fantasy novel. |
6 . “If I only had a little humility, I’d be perfect,” the media giant Ted Turner supposedly said sometime in the 1990s. Why be modest? Aristotle said: “All men by nature desire to know.” Intellectual humility is a particular instance of humility, since you can be down-to-earth about most things but still ignore your mental limitations.
Intellectual humility means recognising that we don’t know everything. Actually, it means we should acknowledge that we're probably biased in our belief about just how much we understand and seek out the sources of wisdom that we lack.
The Internet and digital media have created the impression of limitless knowledge at our fingertips. But, by making us lazy, they have opened up a space that ignorance can fill. The psychologist Tania Lombrozo of the University of California explained how technology enhances our illusions (错觉) of wisdom. She argues that the way we access information is critical to our understanding—and the more easily we can recall an image, word or statement, the more likely we’ll think we’ve successfully learned it, and so withdraw from effortful cognitive processing. Logical puzzles presented in an unfriendly font (字体), for example, can encourage someone to make extra effort to solve them. Yet this approach runs counter to the nice designs of the apps and sites that populate our screens, where our brain processes information in a “smooth” way. What about all the information that presents online? Well, your capacity to learn from it depends on your attitudes. Intellectually humble people don’t hide or ignore their weaknesses. In fact, they see them as sources of personal development, and use arguments as an opportunity to refine their views. People who are humble by nature tend to be more open-minded and quicker to resolve disputes, since they recognise that their own opinions might not be valid.
At the other end of the scale lies intellectual arrogance. Such arrogance almost always originates from the egocentric bias – the tendency to overestimate their own virtue or importance, ignoring the role of chance or the influence of other people’s actions on their lives. This is what makes these people credit success to themselves and failure to circumstance. From an evolutionary perspective, intellectual arrogance can also be seen as a way of achieving dominance through forcing one’s view on others. Intellectually arrogant people hardly invest mental resources in discussion or working towards group consensus, thus making it hard for groups to work successfully.
The Thrive Center for Human Development in California, which seeks to help young people turn into successful adults, is funding a series of major studies about intellectual humility. Their hypothesis is that humility, curiosity and openness are key to a fulfilling life. “Without humility, you are unable to learn,” Laszlo Bock, Google’s Head of People Operations, notes.
1. The passage is mainly about ______.| A．the harm arrogance does to us |
| B．the key elements to a fulfilling life |
| C．the significance of intellectual humility |
| D．the way people access information online |
| A．enables people to think critically |
| B．offers too much unreliable information |
| C．allows easy access to abundant information |
| D．makes it hard for people to recall information |
| A．value others’ opinions more than their own |
| B．use online information to better themselves |
| C．are unwilling to show their strengths |
| D．prefer to solve difficult problems |
| A．intellectual arrogance is the result of evolution |
| B．intellectually arrogant people often lack team spirits |
| C．successful people are often unaware of their limitations |
| D．circumstances don’t favor intellectually arrogant people |
7 . Leftover again? Hurray
Here’s the deal: You’re as hungry as a horse and you want a delicious meal from a fine restaurant, but you’re a little low on funds.
So what do you do? If you happen to live in Europe, the answer is as easy as pie: You pull out your smartphone or tablet, and tap Too Good To Go, Europe’s most popular app. Approximately 23,000 restaurants and food sellers post their leftover offerings on the app for half their usual cost.
Why all this incredible generosity? Unbelievably, one-third of the world’s food is thrown away, and nearly one billion people don’t have enough to eat. Besides, burning wasted food releases harmful carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, which contributes to climate change. That’s why environment-minded companies around the world are creating apps for phones, tablets, and other smart devices that connect uneaten food with people who want or need it.
After a long day at work, Anne, a 34-year-old student, pulls out her smartphone and chooses a noodle dish—pasta with mushrooms. Then she heads to a restaurant on the banks of the Spree River, where the owner packs her dinner and also offers her a scoop of free ice cream, which is a reward for bringing her own container.
Indeed, there are many programs serving the same mission around the world. In America, people are using an app called Food for All. One hour before a restaurant closes, its staff can post leftover meals to the app for up to 80 percent off menu prices. The app also allows customers to donate leftover meals to others.
In the Netherlands, 77,000 people have downloaded an app called NoFoodWasted. This program allows grocery store workers to share products that are approaching their expiration dates with customers who might need them.
Some countries are taking their commitment to reducing food waste a step further. France and the Czech Republic, for example, have laws that prohibit restaurants and grocery stores from throwing away food. Instead, workers are required to donate that food to charity.
So think about if there might be a better use for your uneaten vegetables. The planet will thank you.
1. What is this passage mainly about?| A．Restaurants can post leftover meals on the app Food for All. |
| B．Apps are designed connecting leftover food with people in need. |
| C．Stores share food approaching their expiration dates with customers. |
| D．It’s popular for people to claim food that might otherwise be thrown away. |
| A．Carbon dioxide is given off, worsening the problem of climate change. |
| B．Some countries have laws making restaurants donate the food they make. |
| C．Governments have made many apps that let people find cheap meals. |
| D．Nearly one billion people on the planet do not get enough food to eat. |
| A．Anne packed a tasty pasta and mushroom dish to give away to charity. |
| B．The restaurant Anne visits sells its leftover food at a discount each day. |
| C．The 80-percent-off deal offered on app is not available during lunch hours. |
| D．Laws have been passed to prevent restaurants from throwing out leftover food. |
| A．application of technology to help solve the problem of leftover food |
| B．laws to help promote the safe transportation and sale of food products |
| C．restaurants using high-tech solutions to reduce packaging waste |
| D．methods to design apps that connect restaurants with customers |
8 . For some parents, hitting a child who misbehaves is a common punishment. In fact, they may think that a physical type of punishment is good for children and will teach them to behave in the future.
However, a leading group of child health specialists suggest that the opposite is true. These experts say that hitting is not only ineffective, but may even cause long-term harm to the child. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently changed its policy on physical punishment for a child. Released in October, the academy warns that hitting a child may have long-term effects. These effects include “aggression, brain changes, substance abuse and suicidal behavior in adulthood”. The report admits that not every child who is spanked will have these problems later in life. It makes this observation: “Although many children who were spanked become happy, healthy adults, current evidence suggests that hitting is not necessary and may result in long-term harm.”
In recent years, many American experts have been advising parents against the use of physical punishment. Many other countries have already banned corporeal punishment. Sweden was the first nation to do so in 1966. Earlier studies have shown that corporal punishment can also affect a child’s ability to think and learn. In 2012, a Canadian study found that hitting children can cause long-term developmental damage and may even lower a child’s intelligence test scores. The American Academy of Pediatrics also warns against using strong verbal abuse or shame to discipline a child. These types of punishment can also cause long-term problems for a child. Instead, they suggest other types of punishment that are appropriate for the age of the child.
For younger children, punishment could be taking away a favorite toy. For older children, a parent can limit the time the child spends watching television or playing with computers or electronic games.
1. What can we know according to the experts?| A．Spanking a child is not effective but harmful. |
| B．Sweden was the first country to spank a child in 1996. |
| C．The study from Canada found that spanking children can lower children’s grades. |
| D．Many American experts found spanking a child can cause anti-social behavior. |
| A．Protect. | B．Control. | C．Persuade. | D．Punish. |
| A．We should take away younger children’s favorite toys as punishment. |
| B．As for older children, we need allow them to watch TV or play games. |
| C．Different children should be given different ways to punish. |
| D．It may be ineffective for younger or older children to have punishment. |
| A．A physical type of punishment. |
| B．The effects of punishment. |
| C．Different countries have different types of punishment. |
| D．How to punish the mischievous children. |
9 . We can make mistakes at any age. Some mistakes we make are about money. But most mistakes are about people. Did Jerry really care when I broke up with Helen? When I got that great job, did Jim really feel good about it, as a friend? Or did he envy my luck? And was Paul friendly just because I had a car? When we look back, doubts like these can make us feel bad. But when we look back, it’s too late.
Why do we go wrong about our friends or our enemies? Sometimes what people say hides their real meaning. And if we don’t really listen, we will miss the feeling behind the words. Suppose someone tells you, “You’re a lucky dog.” That’s friendly. But there’s a bit of envy in those words. Maybe he doesn’t see it himself. But bringing in the dog bit puts you down a little. What he may be saying is that he doesn’t think you deserve your luck.
“Just think of all the things you have to be thankful for” is another phrase that says one thing and means another. It could mean that the speaker is trying to get you to see your problem as part of your life as a whole. But this phrase contains the thought that your problem isn’t important. It’s telling you to think of all the starving people in the world when you haven’t got a date for Saturday night.
How can you tell the real meaning behind someone’s words? One way is to take a good look at the person talking. Do his words fit the way he looks? Does what he says agree with the tone of voice? His posture (姿态)? The look in his eyes? Stop and think. The minute you spend thinking about the real meaning behind one’s words may save another mistake.
1. This passage is mainly about__________.| A．how to interpret what people say |
| B．what to do when you listen to others talking |
| C．how to avoid mistakes when you communicate with people |
| D．why we misunderstand people sometimes |
| A．we fail to listen carefully when they talk |
| B．people tend to be annoyed when we check what they say |
| C．people usually state one thing but mean another |
| D．we tend to doubt what our friends say |
| A．your effort | B．a lucky dog |
| C．a bit of envy | D．your luck |
10 . Life in the Internet age is lonely—or is it? That’s what experts in human interaction are debating after a new Stanford University survey has been published.
According to the study, the more time people spend online, the less they can spare for real-life relationships with family and friends. The researchers asked 113 people about the Web’s influence on daily activities. 36％ of those people are online for more than five hours a week.” As Internet use becomes more widespread, it will have an increasingly isolating (孤立的) effect on society,” says Robert Kraut, one of the researchers.
Scholars and Web lovers criticized the study for stretching its data to make the “isolating” point. While 13％ of regular Web users admitted the loss of time with loved ones, 60％ reported watching less TV. The survey also shows that E-mail is the most popular online activity. If some of webheads (网虫)spend what was once passive TV time keeping company with friends via E-mails, “that’s a move toward greater connectedness,” says Paul Resnick, a professor at the University of Michigan.
This isn’t the first claim that the Web should be criticized. A 1998 report monitored 73 Pittsburgh-area families’ Net use for a year. People who used the Internet more “talked less to family members and reported being lonelier and more depressed.” says Robert Kraut.
“It’s true that there have been big declines in social connectedness over the past decades, but those declines began before the Internet was invented,” says Thomas Putnam.
As Amitay Etzioni says, the Internet gives us a different kind of social life—not better or worse than before, but just different.
1. Who claimed that the Web had negative influence?| A．Paul Resnick. | B．Robert Kraut. |
| C．Thomas Putnam. | D．Amitay Etzioni. |
| A．the opinion expressed in Bowling Alone |
| B．the survey made by the University of Michigan |
| C．the conclusion in a report written in 1998 |
| D．the study conducted by Stanford University |
| A．watching TV used to take time away from staying online |
| B．the Web was blamed more than once for causing an isolating effect |
| C．36％ of web users spend more than five hours a week online |
| D．the Web has the same influence as telephones and televisions |
| A．how we can make a better use of the Internet |
| B．how declines in social connectedness appear |
| C．whether the Internet causes an isolating effect |
| D．what a different life the Internet brings to us |
