1 . Scientists have been trying to figure out how to alter the genes of humans for many years, and it looks like they’ve finally cracked (破解) the code. But while this may seem like a great step forward in science, some also believe that it’s one step back when it comes to ethics (道德准则). In August, a group of scientists from the USA and South Korea worked together to successfully edit a human embryo (胚胎) and remove a genetic mutation (突变) that would have led to heart disease, reported The Guardian. This was done with the help of CRISPR, a gene-editing tool that allows scientists to “cut and paste” human DNA.
Although this was the first example of an embryo’s genes being changed successfully, the advantages of gene editing have already been tested in living patients. In 2015, a five-month-old girl from the UK was saved after doctors used edited cells to fight off her cancer. As of today, she’s alive and well. And in the USA last year, scientists managed to remove HIV cells from several patients by editing the genes inside their bodies.
Some people hope that in the future, diseases or birth defects could simply be "edited out”. However, others believe this could lead to so-called designer babies, giving parents the option to choose everything from eye color to intelligence. “You could find wealthy parents buying the latest “upgrades” for their children, leading to even greater inequality than we already live with,” Marcy Camovsky, director of the San Francisco Center for Genetics, told BBC News.
In spite of these ethical concerns, experts say it’s not possible to create the “perfect” human being. Despite the progress scientists have made, we don’t understand human genes enough to give all unborn children great brainpower or amazing singing abilities. “Right now, we know nothing about genetic enhancement,” Hank Greely, a director at Stanford University, USA, told The New York Times. “We’re never going to be able to say, honestly, this embryo looks like it would score high on the two-part SAT.”
So it looks like if we want good exam results, or to impress people with our piano skills, we’ll have to stick with the old fashioned method of plain hard work---at least for now.
1. The underlined word “alter” in Paragraph 1 probably means ________.| A．record | B．change | C．remove | D．increase |
| A．A genetic mutation related to heart disease was removed by scientists. |
| B．A newborn baby with cancer was saved by edited cells. |
| C．HIV cells were removed from patients9 bodies. |
| D．Some birth defects were simply edited out. |
| A．They don’t think it is an effective way to fight diseases. |
| B．They are concerned that it could lead to genetic mutations. |
| C．They think it could lead to designer babies and increased inequality. |
| D．They worry that it could make parents abandon children with birth defects. |
| A．Gene editing is regarded as the perfect way to treat birth defects. |
| B．There is still a long way to go to fully understand human genes. |
| C．Gene editing could help enhance human intelligence in the near future. |
| D．Scientists are pessimistic (悲观的) about the future of gene editing. |
2 . Becoming a parent brings out the best in many animals. Although parenting is usually left to the females, males from many species go above and beyond to care for the offspring. Take anemone fish (海葵鱼) for example. In finding Nemo, Marlin swims over 1,000 miles from the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney to rescue his son Nemo, who has been caught by divers. In reality, anemone fish rarely move so far away from their home.
Despite their smaller size, the males help the females defend the nest, but only the male anemone fish take care of it. They use their fins as fans to provide a constant flow of oxygen and keep the surroundings clean. They also put a lot of effort in building the nest.
The eggs take about five days to hatch. During this important period, dads fan them to provide oxygen and remove the rubbish. They also pick up the eggs in their mouths and move them around to remove any bacteria. One of the biggest threats comes from female sticklebacks (刺鱼), who form organized groups and attack the nests to eat all the eggs.
Males defend the newborn fish and bring back the ones who move too far from the nest. Once the fish grow up, they become a little bit more independent and start to swim away. The dad swims after them, picks them up in his mouth, and spits them back into his nest. Eventually, he gets to the point where he can’t keep track of them and that’s when they separate.
Doting (溺爱的) fathers are not restricted to the world of fish. In some poison frog species, the dads also warn the moms when the young ones are hungry and need to be fed. It’s generally believed that moms are the caregivers. In fish and frogs, it’s actually more common for the dads to provide care.
1. What does the underlined word “offspring” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Children. | B．Relatives. | C．Friends. | D．Colleagues. |
| A．They take full responsibility for building the nest. |
| B．They are much larger than female anemone fish. |
| C．They are actually extremely excellent fathers. |
| D．They frequently make attacks on other fishes. |
| A．The dad can’t tend to the young fish. |
| B．The young fish are already independent. |
| C．The living environment is worse. |
| D．The dad is in a state of aging. |
| A．The Model Father in the Animal Kingdom |
| B．The New Role of the Male Anemone Fish |
| C．The Really Caring Caregivers in Life |
| D．A Strange Phenomenon in Nature |
3 . On October 3, 1945, a ten-year-old boy stood on stage at a contest. One of his teachers had encouraged him to enter the contest after hearing him sing one morning. He placed fifth.
A few months later, he received a guitar for his 11th birthday. What he really wanted was a bicycle. Two of his uncles gave him basic guitar lessons. But he didn’t like singing in public. He was too shy.
Yet something inside kept pulling him back to music. In 1948, his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. The boy would spend every moment of his free time on Beale Street, the heart of the Memphis Blues Scene. He’d often bring his guitar to school. Yet his eighth grade teacher gave him a C in music. She told him that he had “no gift for singing”.
In 1953, the young man walked into the offices of Sun Records. But the record went nowhere. He tried out for a local singing group, but failed in the audition. He told his father, “They told me I couldn’t sing.”
Then Sam Philips, the owner of Sun Records heard this young man’s record. Sam invited him back to the studio and asked him to sing as many songs as he knew. Yet even then, it was not going well. The young man was about to go home when he suddenly picked up his guitar and started singing a 1946 Blues song, That’s All Right. Philips immediately began taping; he knew this was the sound he’d been looking for. Sun Records released the album. No one had ever heard anything like it before.
Within three years Elvis Presley（猫王）was an international superstar.
1. What did the boy hope for as the 11th birthday gift?| A．A guitar. | B．A birthday party. |
| C．A bike. | D．A music lesson. |
| A．He eventually gave up singing. | B．His teacher encouraged him. |
| C．His family sent him to a music school. | D．He was still addicted to music. |
| A．A short performance. | B．A previous plan. |
| C．A singing contest. | D．A new record. |
| A．Actions speak louder than words. |
| B．Two heads are better than one. |
| C．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| D．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
4 . Before she could even talk, Ellie Heath spent hours drawing pictures. When she grew older, the 15-year-old discovered the joy of sewing (缝纫). She says she finds it calming. She started out making small things, like jewelry and soft toys. Over time, she began making clothing. Her love of the creative work led her to open a business. Three Blue Bunnies is the name of her company, which makes what he calls “wearable art.”
“My definition of wearable art is something that makes you feel unique. It’s one of a kind, often handmade,” she explains. She sells her creations in farmers markets and at sales for local churches.
All the pieces Ellie creates are made of used or donated fabrics(捐赠的布料). She works a lot with jean jackets, renewing them with artistic additions. The process starts with finding cloth material that looks good with the jackets. “Then, I find out the design that works on it through trial and error (反复尝试) or the design comes to me,” she explains.
Ellie sharpened her creative skills at school. Cheryl Crow was one of her teachers early on. Crow call Ellie “a dream student.” She says Ellie worked hard and made progress. “She was always very creative, but also very kind, helpful to the other students.”
Ellie has many dreams. She wants to be a teacher and spread the joy of creativity among children. She also dreams her business will grow and become a model for other young people who have a dream they want to come true.
1. What does “wearable art” mean according to Ellie Heath?| A．Something that can be worn. |
| B．Something that is valuable. |
| C．Something that cannot be found anywhere else. |
| D．Something that makes you different from others. |
| A．Responsible and clever. | B．Energetic and outgoing. |
| C．Creative and warm-hearted. | D．brave and capable. |
| A．All of the cloth comes from donation. |
| B．Ellie got a lot of pleasure from her design. |
| C．It is a piece of cake for Ellie to create a wearable art. |
| D．The process of artistic design is usually not easy. |
| A．Improved. | B．Performed. | C．Changed. | D．Applied. |
5 . I always wanted to be extraordinary at something. Not just as in, “Great job, Jimbo!” No, I wanted to be best-in-class, awe-inspiring, tiptop; a world-famous genius, like Michael Phelps or Mark Zuckerberg.
Unfortunately, my version of reality did not quite line up with thisdelusionalvision. I was a good swimmer, but I peaked at the collegiate State Championships level. My academic record was pretty solid, but I never would have made it into one of those ivy-league schools.
Though I rose to above-average status in a couple of areas, the disappointing truth was that I would never amount to anything more than a mid-sized fish in a small pond. God apparently had other plans.
What drove me crazy, though, was the superstar talent thrown in my face at every turn. Some folks just seemed to get an unfair intensive dose (剂量) of it. Why couldn’t I be like Bernie William, the famed New Yorkees player who also happens to be a world-class jazz guitar virtuoso (艺术大师)?
Some say greatness is simply a function of putting in the practice time. Around ten thousand hours, to be precise, according to author Malcolm Gladwell. I don’t question the theory of devoting extraordinary efforts to developing one’s expertise, but it seems that raw talent is equally important. You either have it or you don’t.
I’ve heard that as people approach middle age, their life satisfaction increases because they begin to accept the gap between the expectations for themselves and the reality. After a few decades of frustration without the desired results, we eventually come to terms with how our lives turned out, even if it falls far short of our idealized youthful expectation.
Hope bends, it seems.
1. What does the word “delusional” in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?| A．Practical. | B．Realistic. |
| C．Abstract. | D．Imaginary. |
| A．a world-famous genius | B．a mid-sized fish in a small pond |
| C．a world-class virtuoso | D．a student in an ivy-league school |
| A．Raw talent. | B．Talent and time. |
| C．Extraordinary efforts. | D．Ten thousand hours of practice. |
| A．Hope Bends | B．Frustrating Decades |
| C．Practice Works | D．Youthful Expectation |
6 . Advertising is an audio or visual form of marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, non-personal message to promote or sell a product, a service or an idea. Sponsors of advertising are often businessmen who wish to promote their products or services. Advertising is different from public relations since an advertiser usually pays for and has control over the message. It is different from personal selling since the message is non-personal, i.e. not directed to a particular individual.
Advertising is communicated through various mass media, including old media such as newspapers, magazines, television, radio, outdoor advertising or direct mail; or new media such as search results, blogs, websites or text messages. The actual presentation of the message in a medium is referred to as an advertisement or “ad”．
Commercial ads often seek to increase consumption of products or services through “branding”, which associates a product name or image with certain qualities in the minds of consumers. Noncommercial advertisers who spend money in advertising items other than a consumer product or service include political parties, interest groups, religious organizations and governmental agencies. Non-profit organizations may use free modes of persuasion, such as a public service announcement. Advertising may also be used to reassure employees or shareholders that the company is successful.
Modern advertising was created with the techniques, with tobacco advertising in the 1920s.The most significant example was the campaigns of Edward Bernays, considered the founder of modern“Madison Avenue” advertising.
In 2015, the world spent an estimate of $ 529.43 billion on advertising.Its projected distribution for 2017 is 40.4% on TV,33.3% on digital,9% on newspapers,6.9% on magazines,5.8% on outdoor activities and 4.3% on radio. Internationally , the largest “big four” advertising conglomerates are IPG, Omnicom, Publicis Groupe, and WPP.
1. In what way does advertising differ from public relations?| A．Advertisers pay for and are in charge of the message. |
| B．Messages advertised are non-profit. |
| C．Advertising is communicated through various mass media. |
| D．Advertising is used to reassure employees or shareholders. |
| A．direct mail | B．Television | C．websites | D．newspapers |
| A．Profits. | B．Popularity. | C．Consumers. | D．Brands. |
| A．businessmen | B．companies | C．stores | D．organizers |
7 . Ghina Ghaliya of Indonesia says a stranger’s visit to her house led to a campaign to help students affected by the COVID-19. Ghaliya remembers when a garbage collector come to her house in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital. The man asked if she had an old mobile phone that his children could use to get on the Internet. Even ugly phones were okay.
“He said it does not matter if it is the ugly one, as long as his children can use it for learning from home,”she said. “I thought there must be many people who need second-hand mobile phones out there.”
Ghaliya works for a national newspaper. Shortly after the COVID-19 hit Jakarta, she and 11 other journalists organized a group to provide food and money for poor people. They started hearing from parents who wanted their children to study online but lacked a way to use the Internet. Ghaliya thought of her meeting with the garbage collector when she and her group decided to donate mobile phones to poor students.
Many of these children were not able to do face-to-face learning when the new school year started in July. When the journalists announced their campaign through social media, the reaction was overwhelming. Many people donated second-hand phones, while others gave cash donations. As of November, the journalists had collected more than 200 mobile phones and the donations of more than $35,000. They used the money to buy more phones. They also paid for Internet use for those needing it.
Qayran Ruby had also been using his father’s mobile phone to attend three video calls a week with his teachers and get homework. But the 11-year-old boy sometimes sent his homework late because he had to wait for his father to return from work in order to get back online, which made him upset. But a big smile appeared on his face when he received the mobile phone sent by Ghaliya’s group. “I will use the phone to do online school every day.”Ruby said.
1. Why did the garbage collector go to Ghaliya’s house?| A．To collect the garbage in the house. |
| B．To get on the Internet for a phone. |
| C．To help her with some housework. |
| D．To ask for the second-hand mobile phone. |
| A．She started a campaign to help out-of-school children. |
| B．She is kind journalist who is dedicated to the charity. |
| C．She and her colleagues donated much money to poor children. |
| D．She provided online lessons for students with other journalists. |
| A．sensitive | B．confusing | C．fierce | D．dull |
| A．He couldn’t hand in his homework online on time. |
| B．His father didn’t allow him to use his mobile phone. |
| C．He had to attend three video calls a week with his teachers. |
| D．He was asked to use the phone to do online school every day. |
8 . The situation of the world’s plants is not good. One fifth of the kinds of plants are in danger of disappearing, according to a report.
“Plants are very vital to human beings,” said Kathy Willis, who led the new report. “Plants provide us with everything—food, fuel, and medicine, and they are very important for our climate controlling. Without plants we would not be here.”
The good news is that deforestation rates around the world have dropped largely since the 1950s. However, this report on the health of plants around the world shows that there is much more to be done.
The report predicts that there are now 390,900 kinds of plants. And about 21 percent of those plants are in danger of disappearing. “The good side is that we’re still discovering lots of new plants, about 2,000 each year,” said Dr. Willis. “The bad side is that we’ve seen a huge change in land cover, mainly caused by cultural activity, with a little bit of climate change in there as well.”
Human activity has a great effect on the danger of plants disappearing. As humans cut down forests to make room for agriculture, towns and cities, biodiversity is lost. This could not only affect our own food supply directly, but also affect the food web.
1. What does the underlined word “vital” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Useless. | B．Friendly. | C．Equal. | D．Important. |
| A．New plants are more than ever before. | B．About half the plants will disappear soon. |
| C．Many new plants are found every year. | D．Plants mustn’t be used to produce medicine. |
| A．We have made little progress. | B．There is a long way for us to go. |
| C．We have achieved our goal. | D．There will be nothing we can do. |
| A．Biodiversity Being Lost | B．Human Social Activity |
| C．Environment Protection | D．Nature Climate Change |
Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.
Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.
Exploration also allows minerals and other potential resources to be found. Even if we have no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by-products of technological developments in the space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.
While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds dangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human being to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.
While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.
1. What is the reason for exploring space based on Paragraph2?
| A．Humans are nature-born to do so. |
| B．Humans have the tendency to fight. |
| C．Humans may find new sources of food. |
| D．Humans don’t like to stay in the same place. |
| A．survival chances | B．potential resources |
| C．unexpected benefits | D．physical possessions |
| A．Our genetic makeup. |
| B．Resources on the earth.. |
| C．The adaptive ability of humans. |
| D．By-products in space exploration. |
| A．Space exploration has created many wonders. |
| B．Space exploration provided the best value for money. |
| C．Space exploration can benefit science and technology. |
| D．Space exploration may help us avoid potential problems on Earth. |
10 . "The firefighters of Paris told me they are very hopeful about saving the northern tower, " French Junior Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Twitter late Monday, adding that the firefighting efforts would continue for hours.
The Notre Dame Cathedral(巴黎圣母院)， one of the most famous landmarks in the French capital， was engulfed in flames Monday evening as a catastrophic fire tore through the historic structure， collapsing its spire as fire officials raced to save the monument from total destruction.
Video and photos posted on social media showed flames engulfing the cathedral, thus both the ceiling and the 90-meter spire came crashing down. The fire spread to one of the cathedral's towers, but French officials said late Monday that firefighters were optimistic they could save both towers.
French President Emmanuel Macron said a national fundraising campaign would be launched on Tuesday and called on the world's "greatest talents" to assist in the effort. "We will rebuild, Macron told reporters. "We will rebuild Notre Dame because this is what the French expect, because this is what our history deserves.
Officials said there were no deaths in the fire. Jean-Claude Gallet, chief of the Parisian fire department, said one firefighter was injured while responding to the flame. Two-thirds of the cathedral's roof was destroyed, Gal let said. The fire broke out just before p. m. minutes after the cathedral, which has been partly rebuilt, closed to the public. Around 30 000 people visit the church daily.
Despite its long history and many treasures the Cathedral needed the help of a writer to become truly famous. Victor Hugo's 1831 novel, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, presented the building to a wide audience of readers. The book's ugly lead character, Quasimodo, serves as a symbol for Paris forgotten Gothic architecture. Hugo wrote the book to remind people of it, with hope they would work to protect the beautiful old buildings of Paris. The loss of cultural relics will never come again if they are lost only once. This is a painful loss of world civilization.
1. The following issues are wrongly stated in the text except________________.| A．the Notre Dame Cathedral was totally destroyed |
| B．firefighters were pessimistic because they couldn't save both towers |
| C．a national fundraising campaign would be launched to rebuild the cathedral |
| D．the Cathedral became truly famous for its long history and many treasures |
| A．Flooded. | B．Swallowed. |
| C．Disappeared. | D．Constructed. |
| A．A fire broke out in the Notre Dame Cathedral |
| B．The mystery of the Notre Dame Cathedral |
| C．A national fundraising campaign |
| D．The rebuilding of the Notre Dame Cathedral |
