1 . Each week, the BBC Autos editors select their favourite transport-related news stories, features and videos from around the web. This week, we noticed a trend toward offering creative solutions to global transportation problems.
Carry on without your carry-on
In an effort to save money and increase customer spending, United Airlines will restrict some passengers’ access to overhead compartments. The Huffington Post reports that United will be the first US airline to limit “basic economy” flyers to a single free carry-on bag that can fit under a seat.
Grandad’s Coke pool rust-removal stunt goes wrong
Not only are fizzy drinks(起泡饮料) capable of rotting teeth, they can also remove rust(锈). One Latvian grandfather decided to put cola to the ultimate rust-removal test by submerging his car in a pool of Coca-Cola. In a video posted online, the unnamed daredevil grandad fills a lined pit with 6,000 two-litre bottles of Coke. He then settles into the driver’s seat and speeds into the hole, smashing the front of his red Audi. Whether or not the rust was removed is unknown, but the Daily Mail contends that “
A.Improvement in the amount of rust on the car was far less than the damage to the vehicle. |
B.The problems have stirred up heated discussion on the Internet. |
C.Some of the suggestions are innovative and intelligent, but others are likely to make travelers feel funny. |
D.Coca-Cola is already a food giant, which attracts children and adults alike around the world. |
E.In other words, starting next year, those who purchase the cheapest fares will not only be allowed one personal item that fits under the seat in front of them. |
F.United’s move to limit carry-on bags and charge more for flying perks (飞行特权) isn’t a new concept. |
2 . Most animal species in the world have developed some sort of natural camouflage that helps them find food and avoid attack. The specific nature of this camouflage varies considerably from species to species.
Camouflage develops differently depending on the physiology and behavior of an animal.
An animal's environment is often the most important factor in what the camouflage looks like. The simplest camouflage technique is for an animal to match the "background" of its surroundings.
Since the ultimate goal of camouflage is to hide from other animals, the physiology and behavior of an animal's predators or prey is highly significant.
In addition to background-matching coloration, many animals have distinctive designs on their bodies that serve to conceal them. These designs, which might be spots, stripes or a group of patches, can help the animal in a couple of ways. First, they may match the pattern of "the model", the background of the animal's surroundings. Second, they may serve as visual disruptions. Usually, the patterns are positioned out-of-line with the body's contours (外形).
Other animals use a more aggressive sort of mimicry. Several moth species have developed striking designs on their wings that resemble the eyes of a larger animal. The back of the hawk moth caterpillar actually looks like a snake head, a frightening visage for most predators he moth would come across.
Mimicry is a different approach than ordinary camouflage, but it works toward the same end. By developing a certain appearance, an animal species makes itself a harder target for predators and a sneakier hunter for prey. As animal species evolve, they become more and more in tune with their environment.
A.Often, these sorts of adaptations are more effective survival tools than an animal's more aggressive weapons of defense (teeth, claws, beaks). |
B.This disruptive coloration is particularly effective when animals in a species are grouped together. |
C.For example, an animal that swims in large schools underwater will develop different camouflage than one that swings alone through the tees. |
D.An animal will not develop any camouflage that does not help it survive. |
E.In this case, the various elements of the natural habitat may be referred to as the "model" for the camouflage. |
F.That is, the pattern seems to be a separate design superimposed on top of the animal. |
3 . A breed of upstart apps is taking on an internet function that might seem unneeded or even ill—advised: helping teens talk to strangers.
Branded as “social discovery” services, these apps pitch themselves as alternatives to outlets that already specialize in online connections, like Facebook and Instagram. They say they are better at helping young users meet like —minded people outside their existing circles. And they say they have safeguards, such as separating users by age and using artificial intelligence, to protect against their appropriate or unsafe behavior that has plagued previous attempts to connect young people online.
Their user numbers suggest that, whether they succeed in striking the right balance, apps like Yubo and Hoop are tapping into a need among teens and 20 —somethings for new ways to branch out online.
“There is no place today to socialize online,” says Sacha Lazimi, the 26—year—old French co—founder of Yubo, which connects strangers with messaging and live streaming.
It is a counterintuitive statement for anyone who had seen teens sending Snaps rapid fire to their friends, responding to videos on TikToK, Face Timing for hours, or using Instagram. But Mr. Lazimi thinks those platforms allow for too much passive participation. “Snapchat, Instagram and Tik Tok are all about performance, content and individual”, he says.
Yubo features a swiping interface similar to that of Tinder. But Mr. Lazimi insists it is not adating app. The point, he says, is to facilitate communication between people all over the world who share mutual interests. Yubo isn’t present everywhere in the lives of American teens yet —and may be never will be—but the company says the app has 25 million users signed up, with nearly half of daily use now coming from America.
But some of these apps have also been the subject of safety concerns. Yubo has also faced its own safety challenges. In Florida, law—enforcement officially say they arrested a man who reportedly lured a teenager through Yubo.
In a statement, Yubo said that the prevention of child abuse has been a key priority for the past three years. “Yubo recognizes its responsibility in protecting young people using its service and has gone far beyond many of the main social media services.”
However, actually teens are doing more to protect themselves than many give them credit for, says Dr. Hinduja. “They are doing something to keep themselves safe or we would have strikingly more victimization than we do.”
1. In this passage, the word “plagued” (paragraph 2) is closest in meaning to________A.highlighted | B.justified | C.troubled | D.extended |
A.compare the various functions different apps boast |
B.state the necessity for the emergence of apps like Yubo |
C.clarify the reason for their being replaced by other apps |
D.prove the importance of active participation in communication |
A.Instagram has lost its appeal to teens and 20—somethings. |
B.Yubo fails to do more than enough to protect teenagers. |
C.Hoop is intended for communication among colleges. |
D.Tinder is a dating app exclusively used in America. |
A.Supportive. | B.Indifferent. | C.Prejudiced. | D.Negative |
假设你是明启中学高一学生李明,最近你校英语报正在开展"The electronic device that I must take while travelling"的征文活动。
你对此话题很感兴趣,写一篇文章,内容须包括:
1)你在旅游途中一定携带的电子设备;
2)你的理由。
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5 . Recently I attended several meetings where we talked about ways to attract students and keep younger faculty members from going elsewhere. It seems higher education has become an industry of meeting-holders whose task is to “solve” problems — real or imagined. And in my position as a professor at three different colleges, the actual problems in educating our young people and older students have deepened, while the number of people hired — not to teach but to hold meetings — has increased significantly. Every new problem creates a new job for an administrative fixer. Take our Center for Teaching Excellence. Contrary to its title, the center is a clearing house (信息交流中心) for using technology in classrooms and in online courses. It's an administrative sham (欺诈) of the kind that has multiplied over the last 30 years.
I offer a simple proposal in response: Many of our problems — class attendance, educational success, student happiness and well-being — might be improved by cutting down the bureaucratic (官僚的) mechanisms and meetings and hiring an army of good teachers instead.
If we replaced half of our administrative staff with classroom teachers, we might actually get a majority of our classes back to 20 or fewer students per teacher. This would be an environment in which teachers and students actually knew each other. The teachers must be free to teach in their own way — the curriculum should be flexible enough so that they can use their individual talents to achieve the goals of the course.
Additionally, they should be allowed to teach, and be rewarded for doing it well. Teachers are not people who are great at and consumed by research and happen to appear in a classroom. Good teaching and research are not exclusive, but they are also not automatic companions. Teaching is an art and a craft, talent and practice; it is not something that just anyone can be good at. It is utterly confusing to me that people do not recognize this, despite the fact that pretty much anyone who has been a student can tell the difference between their best and worst teachers.
1. What does the author say about present-day universities?A.They are effectively addressing real or imagined problems. |
B.They often fail to combine teaching with research. |
C.They are over-burdened with administrative staff |
D.They lack talent to fix their deepening problems. |
A.Good classroom teachers. |
B.Efficient administrators. |
C.Talented researchers. |
D.Motivated students. |
A.They facilitate students' independent learning. |
B.They help students form closer relationships. |
C.They have more older students than before. |
D.They are much bigger than is desirable. |
A.Creating an environment for teachers to share their teaching experiences. |
B.Hiring more classroom teachers and allowing them to teach in their own way. |
C.Using high technology in classrooms and promoting exchange of in formation. |
D.Cutting down meetings and encouraging administrative staff to go to classrooms. |
假如你是某电视台青少年教育类节目主持人,现在有机会可以采访下列三位名人中的某一人,你会选择采访谁?你会问些什么问题?为什么?
中国女排教练:郎平 Jane Lang
流行乐歌手:周杰伦 Jay Chou
诺贝尔文学奖获得者:莫言 Mo Yan
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7 . The virtual world is full of opportunities to share with people around the world. It’s also a place where nothing is
Research shows that a high percentage of teens receive
If you are eager to let out angry comment on a message board or blog, it’s a good idea to wait a few minutes,
Chances are that you’ve already checked your “digital
A.restrictive | B.temporary | C.simple | D.memorable |
A.deleted | B.saved | C.copied | D.forwarded |
A.correct | B.positive | C.awkward | D.improper |
A.stimulated | B.troubled | C.fooled | D.bored |
A.doubt | B.hesitate | C.hide | D.respond |
A.cheer up | B.give in | C.calm down | D.shout out |
A.attend to | B.take to | C.lead to | D.stick to |
A.interpret | B.praise | C.regret | D.recommend |
A.intentionally | B.randomly | C.scarcely | D.illegally |
A.cheat | B.hurt | C.help | D.avoid |
A.Besides | B.However | C.Therefore | D.Likewise |
A.efficiency | B.expectation | C.quality | D.footprint |
A.Consequently | B.Surprisingly | C.Contrarily | D.Admittedly |
A.cleared | B.shaped | C.revised | D.transferred |
A.ambitious | B.responsible | C.fascinating | D.emotional |
A. peak B. bound C. considerate D. announced E. defeated F. related G. determination H. measure I. fever J. serve K. considerable |
It was very hot outside. The Chengdu Little Warriors were facing off against the Legendary Mighty Dragons of Beijing at a local indoor skating-rink (溜冰场). When I arrived, the Little Warriors, whose oldest player was eight years old, had just
The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were praised as a success by almost every
If 2008 was about China getting a seat at the table, the 2022 Winter Olympic Games
While the audience for winter sports may still be a small, relatively rich group, it is growing. To prove his commitments (承诺) to winter sports, President Xi Jinping
With all these efforts, the 2022 Winter Olympic Games are
9 . Patients often come into my office and ask, “How can I look younger?” While I always suggest healthy living — a balanced diet and regular exercise — in order to look and feel younger, I have never thought of facial exercises as part of that plan. That is, until a recent study, published in JAMA Dermatology (皮肤学), showed promising results that routine facial exercise may slow the merciless tide of time.
The theory behind the study originates from the fact that a major part of facial aging is due to the loss of fat and soft tissue, which leads to the growth and spread of wrinkles. If we can lift weights at the gym and enlarge muscles in arms, why couldn’t the same be done for muscles in our faces, therefore to create a more youthful face?
The concept of facial exercise is not a new one. A simple Internet search will produce a lot of blog posts and books on the subject, as well as various programmes that promise to be the next fountain of youth. What the JAMA Dermatology researchers did in their study, which was the first of its kind, was to examine this question from a more strict scientific aspect. They enrolled 27 women between the ages of 40 and 65 to perform daily, 30-minute exercises for eight weeks, and then continue every other day for a total of 20 weeks.
Dermatologists who did not know the participants were asked to rate their photographs before and after the exercise. The dermatologists found an improvement in cheek fullness and estimated the age of the participants at 51 years of age at the start of the programme and 48 at the end of the 20-week study. Furthermore, all the participants felt improvement in their own facial appearance at the end of the study.
While these results seem exalting, the study has some obvious limitations. Of the 27 patients involved, 11 gave up before completing the study. One reason may be that the programme was to time-consuming, clocking in at 30 minutes a day. The overall small size of the study also limits its generalizability to the larger population. In addition, there was also no control group, which would have helped reduce the possibility that this improvement happened by chance.
It’s also hard to draw conclusions about the longevity of these results. Probably the exercises must be continued to keep their effects. But for how long? And how frequently? Which exercises are most effective? Most studies are need to answer these questions.
1. According to the passage, which statement is true?A.Though the concept of facial exercise is new, much information about it can be found on the Internet. |
B.Some participants did not feel improvement in their facial appearance at the end of the study. |
C.If there is a control group, the possibility that the improvement in the facial appearance happened by chance will be increased. |
D.The reason why some participants quit the study before it was completely may be that they had not enough time. |
A.Calming. | B.Challenging. | C.Frustrating. | D.Exciting. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Positive. | C.Opposed. | D.Indifferent (中立的). |
A.The study published in JAMA Dermatology is not reliable. |
B.Healthy living is the only way to make someone look and feel young. |
C.More studies are needed to further the present study on facial exercises. |
D.As a dermatologist, the author was involved in the research project on facial exercises. |
A. honors B. inspiring C. cultural D. awoke E. promoting F. success G. distinguished H. similar I. considered J. normally K. incredibly |
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Being the first Asian to win the singles title of a Grand Slam tournament, Li Na opened the door to tennis in China and even Asia. Her victory at the French Open 2011 was like a fairy tale and she has since been