4 . Honeybees can’t swim, and when their wings are wet, they can’t fly, either. But Chris Roh and other researchers at the California Institute of Technology found that when bees drop into bodies of water, they can use their wings to produce little waves and slide toward land-like surfers who create and then ride their own waves.

As with many scientific advances-Isaac Newton’s apple or Benjamin Franklin’s lightning bolt-Dr. Roh’s experiment began with a walk. Passing Caltech’s Millikan Pond in 2016, he observed a bee on the water’s surface producing waves. He wondered how an insect known for flight could push itself through water.

Dr. Roh and his co-worker, Morteza Gharib, used butterfly nets to collect local Pasadena honeybees and observed their surf-like movements. The researchers used a wire to restrict each bee’s bodily movement, allowing close examination of their wings. They found that the bee bends its wings at a 30-degree angle, pulling up water and producing a forward force. Bees get trapped on the surface because water is roughly three times heavier than air. But that weight helps to push the bee forward when its wings move quickly up and down. It’s a tough exercise for the bees, which the researchers guess could handle about 10 minutes of the activity.

The researchers said the surf-like movement hasn’t been documented in other insects and most semiaquatic insects use their legs for propulsion, which is known as water-walking. It may have evolved in bees, they-predicted.

Dr. Roh and Dr. Gharib have imagined many practical applications for bees’ surfing. One plan is to use their observations to design robots able to travel across sky and sea. “This could be useful for search and rescues, or for getting samples of the surface of the ocean, if you can’t send a boat or helicopter,” Dr. Gharib said.

1. What does the author intend to show by mentioning Newton and Franklin?

A．Roh’s admiration for them.	B．Roh’s chance discovery about bees.
C．Their outstanding talent for science.	D．Their similar achievements in discovery.

2. What plays the most vital role in a bee’s moving forward on water?

A．The air weight.	B．Its leg extension.
C．The water movement.	D．Its continuous wingbeat.

3. What does the underlined word “propulsion” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Fast flight

B．Driving force.

C．Pulling speed.

D．Explosive power.

4. What does the text mainly tell us?

A．Honeybees can surf to safety.	B．Bees help scientists make inventions.
C．Insects can adapt to the environment.	D．Nature is a helpful guide for discovery.

5 . By now, most of us have picked up at least one pandemic hobby. And there's a seemingly common pandemic hobby trend: People who haven't been able to go anywhere are making imaginary travel plans. Maybe you're among those who have spent hours researching locations-even though you're not actually planning to travel.

It turns out that you aren't alone. People who seem to be sticking to public safety recommendations are still planning trips they don't intend to book. And, when I suddenly found myself addicted to an imaginary girls' trip to Joshua Tree, I wondered whether this was a healthy distraction.

"It's an escapist imagination," said Regine Galanti, a psychologist, adding that there's nothing wrong with escapism during a global pandemic.

On the one hand, distractions are often beneficial right now. We are a full year into living with COVID-19 as a pandemic, and that means you've probably had to navigate a range of emotions like discomfort, sadness, or even boredom. So any hobby that doesn't harm anyone or endanger your well-being is probably a worthy attempt.

Even if vacation planning is your happy place, Dr. Galanti suggests you "actually think about what you're trying to achieve." Why? "Maybe what you're saying is, I need a vacation from work," Dr. Galanti explains. "Then take three days off even if you are not going anywhere. "When you figure out what you're looking for, you might be able to find a small socially distanced adventure in your backyard or a quiet place. Vacation planning is a good way to spend some time, but there might be an even better way to get what you're desiring.

Anyway, when uncertainty is all around us, creating things to look forward to isn't a terrible idea. And when things are safer, you'll have all your plans in place.

1. Why do people make imaginary travel plans during the pandemic?

A．To develop a new hobby.	B．To stay safe and sound.
C．To be distracted from reality.	D．To get ready for future travel.

2. Which of the following can replace the word "navigate" underlined in paragraph 4?

A．Express.

B．Balance.

C．Adapt to.

D．Deal with.

3. What is the writer's attitude towards imaginary travel plans?

A．Objective.

B．Negative.

C．Supportive.

D．Unclear.

4. Which section of the newspaper does the text probably come from?

A．Figures.	B．Lifestyle.
C．Food and recipe.	D．Science and technology.

6 . The COVID -19 pandemic has changed life as we knew it just a few weeks ago. Millions of people worldwide are now under required or voluntary lockdowns. All public attractions, including museums and aquariums, are closed, and the usually crowded streets of popular tourist destinations are empty. An unexpected silver lining during these challenging times for humans is that many animals are finally getting a chance to leave their normal habitats and move about freely.

The first animals to take advantage of human absence were Annie and Edward, two penguins who live at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium. A video released on March 15, 2020, showed the couple eagerly duckwalking around, exploring the aquarium's various exhibits. The video, which instantly became popular, inspired other institutions to share short videos of their four-legged creatures playing as well.

The Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio joined the fun trend on March 16, 2020，with a “Home Safari” live-stream series-the first staring its adorable baby panda，Fiona. “Let us help make your children's hiatus from school fun and educational,” zoo officials announced. “Join us for a Home Safari Online Live each weekday at 3 pm，where we will highlight one of our amazing animals and include an activity you can do from home.

Meanwhile，the San Diego Safari Park has kept their webcams（网络摄像头）rolling，allowing fans to enjoy lovable animals without leaving home. Animals in the wild are also lively as humans stay indoors. The absence of cruise ships is bringing large numbers of dolphins to a port in Cagliari，while groups of wild turkeys are happily walking on the streets of Oakland.

Though the animals indeed appear to be having a good time，the heartwarming videos and images shared on social media, are also bringing much -needed cheer to millions of humans worldwide. Stay strong and healthy! We are all in this together!

1. What changes has the COVID-19 pandemic caused to the zoo animals?

A．They are now under required or voluntary lockdowns.

B．They can enjoy a free life without tourists' disturbance.

C．They will be faced with unexpected existing challenges.

D．They get a chance to wander about freely in the wild.

2. What does the underlined word “hiatus” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Courses.

B．Sightseeing.

C．Activities.

D．Interruption.

3. Why has the San Diego Safari Park has kept its webcams rolling?

A．To enable people to admire animals at home.

B．To film the animals wandering about in the zoo.

C．To compete for more viewers online.

D．To record people's life in the COVID-19 crisis.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．The Pandemic Affects the World

B．Lovely Animals Bring fun to People

C．Animals Play in the Absence of Humans

D．Stay Strong and Healthy in the Pandemic

7 . Albert Einstein’s 1915 masterpiece “The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity” is the first and still the best introduction to the subject, and I recommend it as such to students. But it probably wouldn’t be publishable in a scientific journal today.

Why not? After all, it would pass with flying colours the tests of correctness and significance. And while popular belief holds that the paper was incomprehensible to its first readers, in fact many papers in theoretical physics are much more difficult.

As the physicist Richard Feynman wrote, “There was a time when the newspapers said that only 12 men understood the theory of relativity. I do believe there might have been a time when only one man did, because he was the only guy who caught on, before he wrote his paper. But after people read the paper a lot understood the theory of relativity in some way or other, certainly more than 12.”

No, the problem is its style. It starts with a leisurely philosophical discussion of space and time and then continues with an exposition of known mathematics. Those two sections, which would be considered extraneous today, take up half the paper. Worse, there are zero citations of previous scientists’ work, nor are there any graphics. Those features might make a paper not even get past the first editors.

A similar process of professionalization has transformed other parts of the scientific landscape. Requests for research time at major observatories or national laboratories are more rigidly structured. And anything involving work with human subjects, or putting instruments in space, involves piles of paperwork.

We see it also in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Nobel Prize of high school science competitions. In the early decades of its 78-year history, the winning projects were usually the sort of clever but naive, amateurish efforts one might expect of talented beginners working on their own. Today, polished work coming out of internships(实习) at established laboratories is the norm.

These professionalizing tendencies are a natural consequence of the explosive growth of modern science. Standardization and system make it easier to manage the rapid flow of papers, applications and people. But there are serious downsides. A lot of unproductive effort goes into jumping through bureaucratic hoops(繁文缛节), and outsiders face entry barriers at every turn.

Of course, Einstein would have found his way to meeting modern standards and publishing his results. Its scientific core wouldn’t have changed, but the paper might not be the same taste to read.

1. According to Richard Feynman, Einstein’s 1915 paper ________.

A．was a classic in theoretical physics

B．turned out to be comprehensible

C．needed further improvement

D．attracted few professionals

2. What does the underlined word “extraneous” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Unrealistic.	B．Irrelevant.
C．Unattractive.	D．Imprecise.

3. According to the author, what is affected as modern science develops?

A．The application of research findings.

B．The principle of scientific research.

C．The selection of young talents.

D．The evaluation of laboratories.

4. Which would be the best title for this passage?

A．What makes Einstein great?

B．Will science be professionalized?

C．Could Einstein get published today?

D．How will modern science make advances?

8 . If your in-box is currently reporting unread messages in the hundreds or thousands, you might have a hard time believing the news: e-mail is on the decline.

At first thought, that might seem to be the case. The incoming generation, after all, doesn’t do e-mail. Oh, they might have an account. They use it only as we would use a fax machine: as a means to communicate with old-school folks like their parents or to fulfill the sign-up requirements of Web sites. They rarely check it, though.

Today’s instant electronic memos — such as texting and Facebook and Twitter messages — are more direct, more concentrated, more efficient. They go without the salutation (称呼语) and the signoff (签收); we already know the “to” and “from.” Many corporations are moving to messaging networks for exactly that reason: more signal, less noise and less time. This trend is further evidence that store-and-forward systems such as e-mail and voicemail are outdated. Instead of my leaving you a lengthy message that you pick up later, I can now send you an easily-read message that you can read — and respond to — on the go.

The coming of the mobile era is responsible for the decline of e-mail. Instant written messages bring great convince to people. They can deal with them at about any time: before a movie, in a taxi, waiting for lunch. And because these messages are very brief, they’re suitable for smart phone typing.

Does this mean e-mail is on its way to the dustbin of digital history? Not necessarily. E-mail still has certain advantages. On the other hand, tweets and texts feel ephemeral — you read them, then they’re gone, into an endless string, e-mail still feels like something you have and that you can file, search and return to later. It’s easy to imagine that it will continue to feel more appropriate for formal communications: agreements, important news, longer explanations.

So, e-mail won’t go away completely. Remember, we’ve been through a transition (过度) like this not so long ago: when e-mail was on the rise, people said that postal mail was dead. That’s not how it works. Postal mail found its smaller market, and so will e-mail. New technology rarely replaces old one completely; it just adds new alternatives.

1. What would the incoming generation like to do with their e-mail accounts?

A．Check bank accounts.	B．Send long messages.
C．Fill in some forms.	D．Communicate with their colleagues.

2. Which of the following is mainly discussed in paragraphs 3 and 4?

A．The possible reasons behind the decline of e-mail

B．The likes and dislikes of the young generation

C．The rapid development of e-communication channels

D．Evidence about the uncertain future of easily-consumed messages

3. What does the underlined word “ephemeral” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．Automatically-sending.	B．Randomly-written.
C．Hardly- recognized.	D．Shortly-appearing.

4. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

A．It’s too early to determine the decline of e-mail.

B．E-mail has reasons to exist with its own advantages.

C．E-mail, just like postal mail has come to its end.

D．We should feel sorry for the decline of e-mail.

9 . Doctors in hospital emergency rooms often see accidental poisonings. A frightened parent arrives with a child who swallowed a cleaning liquid. Or perhaps the harmful substance is a medicine. Or it might be a chemical product meant to kill insects. These are common causes of accidental poisoning.

In cases like this, seek medical help as soon as possible. Save the container of whatever caused the poisoning. And look on the container for information about anything that stops the effects of the poison. Save anything expelled from the mouth of the victim. That way, doctors can examine it.

In the past, some people forced poisoning victims to empty the stomach. They need a liquid syrup of ipecac(催呕剂) to do this. But an organization of children’s doctors no longer advises parents to keep syrup of ipecac. The American Academy of Pediatrics says some poisons can cause additional damage when they come back up the throat.

Millions of people know a way to save a person who is choking on something trapped in the throat. The method is commonly known as the Heimlich Manoeuvre or abdominal thrusts(腹部按压), which you can do by getting directly behind a sitting or standing person. Put your arms around the victim’s waist. Close one hand to form a ball. Place it over the upper part of the stomach below the ribs. Place the other hand on top. Then push forcefully inward and upward. Repeat the abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled from the mouth. For someone who is pregnant or very fat, place your hands a little higher than with normal abdominal thrusts.

Red Cross experts say taking these steps can save many lives. But they also warn that abdominal thrusts are not for people who have almost drowned. They say the use of the method could delay other ways to re-start breathing in the victim. Abdominal thrust should be used only in cases where a near-drowning victim is choking on an object.

To learn more about first aid, ask a hospital or organization like a Red Cross or Red Crescent Society for information. There may be training classes offered in your area. If you know first aid methods, you can be calmer and more helpful in case of emergency.

1. Which of the following is NOT the common cause of accidental poisonings?

A．A harmful medicine.	B．A cleaning liquid.
C．Poisonous insects.	D．Dangerous pesticide.

2. Which is the closest in meaning to the underlined word “expelled” in Paragraph 2?

A．coming out	B．taking up
C．going away	D．getting down

3. What is probably inferred from the passage?

A．Abdominal thrusts are very complex to perform.

B．The Heimlich Manoeuvre is not suitable for the overweight.

C．Syrup of ipecac once had a postive effect on poisoning victims.

D．It is more cautious to save a drowning person using abdominal thrusts.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing this text?

A．To warn people to avoid accidental poisonings.

B．To provide a short medical guide to first aid.

C．To show how to perform abdominal thrusts.

D．To help people deal with accidental poisonings.

10 . The idea of using a public bathroom with see through walls may sound like the stuff of nightmares. But a famous Japanese is hoping to change that view, using new technology to make restrooms in Tokyo parks more inviting.

“There are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom, especially those cated at a park,” according to architect Shigeru Ban’s firm. “The first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside.”

The newly-invented transparent walls can turn off both of those worries, Ban says, by showing people what awaits them inside. After users enter the restroom and lock the door, the room’s walls turn a powdery paste) shade and are no longer see-through.

Ban’s are sure to make for great conversation among visitors to the park-and they’ll stand out even more after dark. “At night, the facility lights up the park like a beautiful lantern,” the architect’s website says.

The group is behind the Tokyo Toilet project, world-famous architects to create toilets “like you’ve never seen. The project’s eye catching toilets are part of a plan to put people ar ease when isiting a public bathroom. The project may seem silly, but the 16 architects who are reimagining public toilets are some of the brightest names in Japanese architecture. The list includes four Pritzker Prize winners-Ban, Toyo Ito, Tadao Ando and Fumihiko Maki-along with international stars such as Kengo Kuma and Sou Fujimoto. The fashion designer Nigo is also contributing.

Ban’s colorful public bathrooms opened to the public this month in two parks: Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park and Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park. Other bespoke commodes will be opening in coming months.

1. Why are people often worried before entering a public restroom?

A．Its lock is usually useless.

B．It’s usually at a huge distance.

C．It’s not always clean.

D．It’s always occupied.

2. What does the underlined word “transparent” mean in the third paragraph ?

A．Easy to see through.

B．Not easy to see through.

C．Full of bright colors.

D．Thick and strong.

3. What do we know about the project from the last two paragraphs?

A．It’s and silly.

B．It’s rewarding and.

C．It has won the Pritzker Prize.

D．It’s the fruit of colleqtive wisdom

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Should the public restrooms be upgraded?

B．The new high-tech walls of public restrooms are coming.

C．How do we live with see-through public facilities?

D．Some famous architects designed a silly project.