1 . There’s a useful concept from psychology that helps explain why good people do things that harm the environment: the false consensus (共识) effect. That’s where we overvalue how acceptable and widespread our own behavior is in society. Put simply, if you’re doing something (even if you secretly know you probably shouldn’t), you’re more likely to think plenty of other people do it too. What’s more, you likely overestimate how much other people think that behavior is broadly OK.
This bias (偏见) allows people to justify socially unacceptable or illegal behaviors. Researchers have observed the false consensus effect in drug use and illegal hunting. More recently, conservationists are beginning to reveal how this effect contributes to environmental damage.
In Australia, people who admitted poaching (偷猎) thought it was much more widespread in society than it really was, and had higher estimates than fishers who obeyed the law. They also believed others viewed poaching as socially tolerable; however, in reality, more than 90% of fishers took the opposite stand on this. The false consensus effect has also shown up in studies examining support for nuclear energy and offshore wind farms.
Just as concepts from psychology can help explain some forms of environmental damage, so too can they help solve it. For example, research shows people are more likely to litter in areas where there’s already a lot of trash thrown around; so making sure the ground around a bin is not covered in rubbish may help.
Factual information on how other people think and behave can be very powerful. Energy companies have substantially reduced energy consumption simply by showing people their difference in electricity use compared to their neighbors. Encouragingly, stimulating people’s natural desire for social position has also been successful in getting people to “go green to be seen”, or to publicly purchase eco-friendly products.
As the research evidence shows, social standards can be a powerful force in encouraging and popularizing environmentally friendly behaviors. Perhaps you can do your bit by sharing this article!
1. Which example best illustrates the false consensus effect?| A．A student spends long hours surfing the Internet. |
| B．A blogger assumes many people dislike his posts. |
| C．A smoker believes people generally approve of smoking. |
| D．A driver frequently parks illegally in public places. |
| A．It is contradictory. | B．It is impractical. |
| C．It is widespread. | D．It is unacceptable. |
| A．Develop green habits for better health. |
| B．Choose green items that are easy to spot in stores. |
| C．Join green movements for personal fulfillment. |
| D．Make green choices that others can perceive. |
| A．Justify social standards. | B．Publicize sustainable practices. |
| C．Encourage technological innovations. | D．Highlight personal responsibilities. |
2 . A blind fish living within a Mexican cave system’s deep, enduring darkness still maintains some ability to sense light. As the cave fish no longer seem to rely on an internal daily cycle and some sleep very little, biologist Inca Stein-dal and her colleagues were keen to see if their bodies can still regulate cyclically through time. Most animals on Earth have an internal clock for this the circadian rhythm (昼夜节律) that uses light levels to make our bodies fit in with our planet’s day and night cycles. This rhythm is then used to cycle through different biological processes that can influence our behaviour, such as our hunger cycles.
The Mexican blind cave fish live in a complex of over 30 isolated caves, within which they have each independently adjusted to the dark. Their bodies are extra sensitive to vibrations (震动), allowing them to sense changes in water currents for navigation (导航) in compensation for their limited or complete lack of sight. This adaptation occurred despite the fish from each cave evolving from the same species with fully functioning eyes. This ancestral group still lives in the surface waters in the El Albra region of Mexico and some parts of the Southwestern US.
Steindal and her team took tissue samples from the blind cave fish, from three isolated caves, and their surface relatives and tested the cells in different conditions. They detected the activation of several molecular (分子的) clock mechanisms when the cells were exposed to light, even in the cave fish cells. “Non-visual light detection is maintained at a fundamental cell-based level,” the researchers explain,although the cave fish cells did not respond as strongly as those cells from surface fish. While there were some similarities between the fish from the different caves compared to their surface relatives, there were also differences that confirm their biological clock changes each evolved independently of one another via different molecular mechanisms.
“We have provided proof that despite being blind, cells from the Mexican blind cave fish can detect light and make their clocks fit in with a light/dark cycle,” Steindal and her colleagues conclude. The team hopes these can help us learn more about the circadian rhythm and provide an easier way to study animal adaptations to dark environments.
1. As to the cave fish, what did Steindal and her fellows try to find out?| A．If they have a circadian rhythm. | B．If they rely on an internal daily cycle. |
| C．If they need to sleep. | D．If they are able to sense light. |
| A．The Mexican cave fish’s ancestors had normal vision. |
| B．The Mexican cave fish’s home is in the dark deep sea. |
| C．The Mexican cave fish have adapted to darkness. |
| D．The Mexican cave fish have trouble navigating. |
| A．Cave fish’s unique molecular structures. |
| B．Non-visual light detection in cave fish cells. |
| C．The cave fish’s adjustment t0 molecular clock mechanisms. |
| D．Biological clock changes evolved independently. |
| A．Why Do the Mexican Cave fish Live in the Darken“ |
| B．A Blind Cave fish Can Still Perceive Light. |
| C．How Can the Mexican Cave fish Fit in with the Day Cycles? |
| D．The Biological Clocks of the Life in the Sen Are Constantly Changing. |
3 . Electrically powered vertical-take-off-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft—flying cars are an idea whose time has not quite yet come, but is fast approaching. Many firms are offering various designs. None of these, however, will be Jetson-like family flying cars. Pivotal, based in Silicon Valley, by contrast has crafted something that people can purchase and pilot themselves. Helix is a single-seat vehicle, so “flying motorbike” might be more accurate. From next year, many people will be able to order one for personal use, though they will not be able to take delivery until June.
Marcus Leng founded Pivotal in 2011, and some back-of-the-envelope calculations he made suggested that electric lift-off of a human-carrying craft, using motors powered by the lithium-ion batteries ought to work. He thus built a model and flew it in the garden of his house in Warkworth, Ontario.
Now, after ameliorating it, the firm thinks it has something marketable. The aircraft has, nevertheless, changed little in its fundamentals over the years. It has two pairs of wings and eight propellers (螺旋桨), making it slightly resemble a squashed “H” when seen in the sky from below. And there is no undercarriage. Instead, its belly is curved in a way similar to a humpback whale’s, so it rocks to stability after landing.
Pilot’s licence or not, buyers will still need some training to fly a Helix. Pivotal insists on this. For the same reason, the craft’s software will stop the pilot doing anything that does not fit its safety rules. And if, despite this, something does go wrong, it is fitted with a parachute（降落伞）.
The Helix’s top speed is a respectable 100 kph, but its range is only 30 km. And refueling it is a bit of a pain. Filling up from the mains takes four and a half hours, though a special high-power system similar to those employed for electric cars can bring that down to 75 minutes. While Helix still doesn’t compare to the flying car from the Jetsons, it could be a step forward.
1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?| A．Helix has been used in Warkworth widely. |
| B．Flying cars won’t be allowed for personal use. |
| C．Leng was the first person to design flying cars. |
| D．Helix is only suitable for one person to drive. |
| A．Testing. | B．Driving. | C．Improving. | D．Repairing. |
| A．Helix’s relative devices. | B．Helix’s training process. |
| C．Helix’s safety measures. | D．Helix’s working principle. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Objective. | C．Indifferent. | D．Cautious. |
Sugar, protein and fat: if you’re good at scanning those nutrition facts on food and drinks packages, it’s thanks in large part to Burkey Belser, who is a well-known American graphic designer (平面设计师). But his work extended far beyond groceries. If you’ve noticed the Drug Facts box on over-the-counter medicines seems to be like the food label, that’s because Belser designed it, as well. He also created the yellow Energy Guide box for home appliances.
Belser’s passion for design started at a young age. He studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and began a journey to become a graphic designer. His exceptional talent and skill quickly gained recognition, earning him numerous awards and accolades.
Belser’s work is seen on billions of products. The nutrition fact box has been copied around the world. Creating the official food information box was a complicated process, with input from business groups and health advocates, along with Food and Drug Administration( FDA) experts. The design team worked through 35 versions before the product came out, and it was a huge success. “ That is a masterpiece of information architecture, and quite a victory for social responsibility, ” commented one Italian designer.
The nutrition label reflects Americans’ evolving (演变) relationship with food, shifting from an emphasis on vitamins and minerals to addressing obesity (肥胖) and related conditions. Belser’s work not only made an impact within the industry but also played a crucial role in effectively communicating important messages to the public.
Speaking of his success, Belser said that luck had probably played a big role. But he added, “ I’d say the willingness to work hard sets the stage to take advantage of whatever luck comes your way.”
1. What can we learn about Burkey Belser from paragraph 1?| A．He worked in groceries. | B．He majored in medicine. |
| C．He designed package labels. | D．He updated home appliances. |
| A．Opportunities. | B．Degrees. | C．Suggestions. | D．Praises. |
| A．It helps fight Americans’ obesity. |
| B．It improves the public’s eating habits. |
| C．It makes information easily accessible. |
| D．It promotes the food industry’s images. |
| A．His good luck. | B．His determination. |
| C．Public donation. | D．Business cooperation. |
5 . Humans have sailed the oceans’ surfaces for millennia, but their depths remain effectively uncharted. Only about a quarter of the seafloor has been mapped at high resolution. Maps of most regions display only approximate depths and often miss entire underwater mountains or canyons (峡谷).
So researchers have introduced some deep-diving experts: Elephant Seals. Scientists have been placing trackers on them around Antarctica for years, gathering data on ocean temperature. For a new study, the researchers compared these dives’ location and depth data with some of the less detailed seafloor maps. They spotted places where the seals dove deeper than should have been possible according to the maps meaning the existing depth estimates were inaccurate.
In eastern Antarctica’s Vincennes Bay, the diving seals helped the scientists find a large, hidden underwater canyon of more than a mile in depth. An Australian research ship called the RSV Nuyina later measured the canyon’s exact depth using sonar (纳),and the researchers have proposed naming their find the Mirounga-Nuyina Canyon — honoring both the ship and the involved Elephant Seals, genus Mirounga.
But seals can’t chart the entire ocean floor. The trackers used in the study could pinpoint a seal’s geographical location only within about 1.5 miles, which allows for useful but not exactly high-resolution data. Plus, because the seals don’t always dive to the bottom of the ocean, they can reveal only where the bottom is deeper than in existing maps- not shallower. Deep-sea research experts suggest improving on these data by using more precise GPS trackers and analyzing the seals’ diving patterns to determine whether they have reached the seafloor or simply stopped going down.
The potential use of the current seal-dive data is to gather information about the deep ocean around Antarctica, specifically regarding the location and depth of sea-floor canyons. This data can be valuable for predicting how Antarctica’s ice will melt. By understanding the presence and characteristics of these canyons, scientists can better assess how warmer water from the deep ocean flows towards the ice along the continent’s coast, This knowledge is crucial for accurately modeling and predicting the future behavior of Antarctica’s ice sheets and their contribution to sea-level rise.
1. How did the researchers find out the depth inaccuracies?| A．By gathering temperature data. |
| B．With the help of seals’ diving. |
| C．By improving resolution of maps. |
| D．With the trackers placed on canyons. |
| A．To provide more reference data. | B．To introduce a new topic. |
| C．To give supporting evidence. | D．To make a comparison. |
| A．Researchers can assess ocean features. |
| B．Data can be used to track ice location. |
| C．Underwater flow can be controlled. |
| D．Scientists can monitor ice melting. |
| A．Seals assist charting ocean floor. |
| B．Seals advance GPS trackers’ precision. |
| C．Scientists draw inspiration from seals. |
| D．Scientists uncover seals’ diving patterns. |
As my parents worked a late shift, my three small sisters looked at me. “What’s for dinner?“ one of them said. The last time I made dinner was when I made pizza in high school. Now, I had three mouths to feed—ages two, six and nine—but I was short on ideas. Like a deer in headlights, I searched for a possible answer.
“Where’s the Twister (转盘游戏) game?”
“Not Twister,” Abby, my oldest sister, scolded, “Dinner. ”
I walked to the closet, pulled out the game. and tested the spinner (转盘). Then I slid a couple of sheets of paper between the plastic arrow and the cardboard base and divided it into four quadrant (象限). I looked at my sisters.
“Who wants chocolate?” Alice, my youngest sister, screamed happily. Abby crossed her arms. “Mum wouldn’t let that happen. ”
“Mum’s not here. ”I wrote in the upper right quadrant: chocolate. Andy, my middle sister, asked, “What are you doing?”
“You’ll see in a second.” I pointed at the second area. “How about noodles?” Alice started dancing around in a circle.
“When we get four options written on the spinner, we’ll spin to see what we do for dinner tonight.”
My youngest sister said, “Dress up like superheroes. ”
“Absolutely!” I wrote superheroes, with no idea how that would turn into a dinner idea, hoping the dial would land somewhere else. They debated the final section for a few seconds and then collectively decided on pizza. If they had suggested ”Run around at the mall“, I would have written it down. I set the spinner in the middle of the table. We gathered around the spinner, and I held up my hands. “We are going to spin it once, and whatever we land on、that’s what we’ll do tonight. ”
Abby shook her head. “I don’t think this is a good idea.” “It’s okay, honey. Mum will understand. ”
Alice yelled, “I want to spin it. ”Alice’s try sent the little, plastic arrow flying around and around until it landed on... pizza. Everyone shouted, “Pizza”, including me. I still had no idea what we were going to do. Abby looked at me. “But what are we going to do?”
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
“Let’s buy some materials for making pizza first,” I said.
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We were excited about preparing dinner by ourselves.
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7 . On July 28, I retired from my position. After teaching for many years, I looked forward to kayaking (划独木舟) with my grandsons, seeing friends and traveling for leisure with my husband. But my body had other plans for me. A broken spine (脊椎) in my back took me down a path that upended my plans.
I have long had back pain. However, I pushed through the pain to do my work, which worsened my condition. Doctors urged an operation when increased disability meant I could not sit, stand or walk for a long time. But I wanted to see whether physical therapy (治疗) could create an easier option.
Indeed, hard work with a great physical therapist has let me improve my mobility, sitting and standing. But X-rays told a different story. My spine was unstable and bending. After careful consideration and a second opinion from another professional, I agreed to surgery yet in the near term. Needless to say, the past months have been tough and the way ahead will be even tougher. Kayaking with my grandsons in the peacefulness of the lake is all out of reach, for now.
When I met my physical therapist for the first time, I was a mess. He listened to me outline my history with tears and then calmly said, “You have to make friends with your body.” I have repeated that line to myself daily and worked to embrace my body. I have focused on gratitude. I’m grateful that I do not have a fatal disease. I’m grateful that the body I have remains alert to the world, loved by family and friends. I’m grateful that I am still myself.
I don’t know exactly how the future will play out. The surgeon assures me that I should be able to get in my kayak by summer. But I may have to make friends with a different body, one that is mine regardless of the shape.
1. Why did the author’s condition become worse?| A．She disliked physical therapy. |
| B．She hurt her back when kayaking. |
| C．She still worked despite back pain. |
| D．She was unwilling to have an operation. |
| A．She forgot to kayak with her grandsons. |
| B．She decided to accept an operation right away. |
| C．She completely recovered after physical therapy. |
| D．She asked another doctor for advice on the operation. |
| A．Her wish to enjoy retirement life. |
| B．Her physical therapist’s advice. |
| C．Her worsening physical condition. |
| D．Her love for her family and friends. |
| A．Learning to accept my body |
| B．Enjoying my retirement life |
| C．Fighting against my back pain |
| D．Being grateful for what I have |
I entered my freshman year of high school with a clear goal: work hard, stick to whatever I could succeed at and graduate with great achievements. I wouldn’t waste my time where I didn’t perform as strongly. And this belief served me well. My academic standards were high. I was the star player of all the teams I joined. My friends would joke about my pursuit of perfection, but in my eyes, it was the only sure path to success.
In the second term I joined the cross-country running club. When I came to the first practice, I was filled with the desire to make the varsity (校队) team. But as the distance we ran each practice gradually increased from three, to four, to six miles, I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I was one of the slowest on the team. This realization disappointed me. And the pain in the muscles following every practice was unbearable. I wanted to quit! What was the point of putting myself through so much pain and being the slowest racer?
Then we had our first cross-country race. When we got off the bus, the sight of the other teams warming up made my hands sweaty. When we started the race, I felt the enormous pressure of expectations sink onto my shoulders. It was a challenging course, consisting of a series of winding and rocking hills.
After a while I stopped running and struggled up the last hill. The steps under my feet felt as heavy as thousands of pounds, mirroring the weight of my despair. With every racer passing me, frustration washed over me-I would never win honor for my team. I’d just be letting them down.
注意：
1.续词为150个左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
With every passing second, my ambition fell apart.
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My team’s support encouraged me to move on.
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You enter through a round entrance known as a moon gate. There before you, is a
1. What is the man speaker satisfied with?
| A．The song. | B．The book. | C．The screenplay. |
| A．Appealing. | B．Accurate. | C．Unsatisfactory. |
