1 . Soap (肥皂) might seem like a reasonable way to avoid mosquito bites (蚊子叮) on the basis that if mosquitoes can’t smell you, they can’t bite you. However, a recent study has found that rather than protecting you, certain soaps might actually make you more attractive to mosquitoes.
In the study, conducted at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, four volunteers were asked to wear a sleeve before and after washing with four different brands of soap. The researchers then watched female mosquitoes as only females feed on blood landing on the fabric sample to show their preference. They found that some people washing with some brands of soap, increased their attractiveness to mosquitoes, while washing with other brands of soap tended to repel (驱除) mosquitoes. The repellent effect of some soap may be due to its coconut scent, as coconut oil is known to act as a natural mosquito repellent. The reason behind this attraction is believed to be related to mosquitoes’ sugar intake. When mosquitoes are not feeding on blood, they add their diet with plant juice or sweet water from flowers, “The fact we are taking those flowery and fruity smells and putting them on our bodies means that now the same object smells like a flower and a person at the same time,” said Clément Vinauger, who led the study. It would be like waking up and smelling the smell of coffee and bread, very attractive.
Interestingly, the effects of the soap varied among people, possibly due to the interaction (相互作用) between the soap and each person’s unique body scent. “It’s remarkable that the same person that is extremely attractive to mosquitoes when he is unwashed, but he becomes even more attractive to mosquitoes with one soap, and then become repellent to mosquitoes with another soap,” said Vinauger. Further research is needed to better understand the interaction between different soap and body scents, as well as to develop more effective mosquito repellents.
1. What has the study found?A.Soap attracts many mosquitoes. | B.Male mosquitoes feed on blood. |
C.Some plants drive away mosquitoes. | D.Not all soap can stop mosquito bites. |
A.By observing the mosquitoes’ behaviour. | B.By exploring the history of mosquitoes. |
C.By interviewing a lot of volunteers. | D.By examining old studies. |
A.To stress the importance of breakfast. |
B.To discuss their probable health benefits. |
C.To compare the difference of objects used in the study. |
D.To prove the attractiveness of some soap to mosquitoes. |
A.Health. | B.Chemistry. | C.Sports. | D.Tour. |
2 . The design theory behind a pair of tiny robots may one day find its way into environmental monitoring, as well as search and-rescue tasks. Modeled after a water strider (水黾), an insect, the two robots each weigh in at 8 and 55 milligrams, and may mark the smallest, lightest, and fastest fully functional micro-robots in the world, according to Washington State University (WSU).
Developed by a team of WSU researchers, the robots’ tininess largely relies on a material known as a shape memory alloy (合金). Although shape memory alloys change form when heated, they can “remember” their original shapes and return to them after cooling. Because of this, the two micro-robots do not require standard motors, and they use light and small ones instead of bulky moving parts.
Both the robots’ motors are each made up of two shape memory alloys, allowing them to move their fins as fast as 40 times a second while also lifting over 150 times their weight. “They’re very technologically sound. The development of the very lightweight robots opens up new possibilities in micro-robotics,” said Conor Trygstad, a material engineering PhD student and study lead author. “Although the robots are impressive when compared to other robots, the pair still fall behind their biological relatives’,” Trygstad said. They can currently move at a speed of about six millimeters a second; a water strider, by comparison, speeds along at about a meter per second. For now, the robots also require wired (连线的) power sources, thus seriously preventing any real-world applications for the moment.
Going forward, however, the team plans to copy other small insect species while also creating a new water strider robot which can move at a higher speed. Depending on using small batteries could also greatly increase the robots’ areas of use, If the breakthrough designs continue improving, similar micro-robots could one day be employed to monitor hard-to-reachor dangerous environments.
1. What is the inspiration for the two robots?A.A special monitor. | B.The lightest micro robot. |
C.An insect species. | D.A search-and rescue task |
A.Cheap. | B.Huge. | C.Cool | D.Fast. |
A.Both robots can identify sound. | B.Both robots need wireless power sources. |
C.Both robots work better than water striders. | D.Both robots have weaknesses besides strengths. |
A.Robots Are Saving Environment | B.Shape Memory Alloys Are The Key |
C.Human Beings Learn From Animals | D.Two Micro robots Can Play A Big Part |
3 . Born in 1873 in an old town, the Carival of Viareggio now is one of the most popular events held in Vareggio, Italy. Some of the biggest carnival floats (彩车) in Viareggio are known to the whole world, turning into a kind of symbol (象征) showing peace, unity and love.
The Location And Transportation
The huge street parades (游行) take place on the seaside walkway of Vareggio. To get to Viareggio before the parades, visitors can easily arrive here by direct trains from Florence, Pisa, Lucca and Cinque Terre. The train station is only 10-15 minutes walk from the seaside walkway.
The 2024 Time Plan Of The Carnival
2023 was special because it was the 150th birthday of the Carnival of Viareggio. All stories and cultures of the carnival come from different corners of the world. This is why people call it “a common carnival”. Only a few days after the end of the 2023 carnival, its organization already worked out the dates of the 2024 carnival’s parades, The following is the schedule of the 2024 carnival’s parades.
Date | Time | Event |
Saturday, Feb 3 | 4 pm | First floats parade |
Thursday, Feb 8 | 6 pm | Second floats parade |
Sunday, Feb 11 | 3 pm | Third floats parade |
Tuesday, Feb 13 | 5 pm | Fourth floats parade |
Sunday, Feb 18 | 3 pm | Fifth floats parade |
Saturday, Feb 24 | 5 pm | Sixth and final floats parade |
The winners will be showed and there will be fireworks at the end of the parades.
1. What is the Carnival of Viareggio famous for?A.Its carnival floats. | B.Its long history. |
C.Its famous stories. | D.Its seaside walkway. |
A.By boat B By plane C.By railway. D. By subway. |
A.On Tuesday, February 13, at 6 pm. |
B.On Sunday, February 11, at 3 pm. |
C.On Sunday, February 1l, at 5 pm. |
D.D.On Tuesday,February 13,at 3 pm. |
It is exciting and enjoyable for one to experience both being fired for being honest and being rewarded. It was a pleasant Tuesday morning. Sunray Mart, a high-end (高端的) supermarket opened its doors to its customers. 60-year-old Billy had just started his first day on the job as the store’s sales associate (业员), and he couldn’t have been happier. Getting a job at 70 was quite challenging, and Billy could not thank his fate enough for somehow bringing him this work.
Wearing a warm smile, he began his work. After a while, he noticed one customer, a man in a clean black suit, approaching the store manager at the checkout....
“Excuse me, young man,” the customer greeted the manager at the billing desk. “Could you please tell me how much this toy costs? I left my glasses in my office, so I can’t see the price clearly. Would you please help me out?” “It’s $ 800, sir!” the manager took a look and said.
Billy was quite surprised and raised a brow (额头). He had just arranged the toys from the collection the man had wanted, all of which cost at most $ 200. So Billy lifted the exact toy from the lower shelf to double check its price and learned that it was actually $ 200, not $800 like the manager had claimed. Without further hesitation, Billy decided to correct the manager and approached the two men at the checkout, “Excuse me, sir, I think there’s been a mistake... That toy costs $ 200, not $ 800,” Billy said, pointing to the toy box his manager held.
Billy’s manager frowned (皱眉) and was clearly frustrated as he stared angrily at him, “apologize on behalf of my new sales associate,” the manager rolled his eyes and turned to the customer. “He’s new here, sir... and is probably a bit confused about the items listed for sale, The toy is $ 800.” Billy realized that his manager was trying to cheat the customer.
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.
But Bill could not openly oppose (反对) him.
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All of a sudden, the man Billy “helped” appeared from nowhere.
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Acupuncture (针灸),
Looking beyond China, acupuncture has become a
As a traditional Chinese medical practice with a rich history
6 . It’s never easy to say “no”, especially when we’re asked by someone close to us, Maybe a friend is asking you for a favor, or a co-worker is asking you to cover their shift for the afternoon
Be kind but forthright. Though you can always just say “no” on your own terms, you might find more success by padding your refusal with positivity.
Offer a brief explanation. Providing a concise explanation as to why you’re refusing a request is one polite way to say “no”. For instance, if you already have other work this week that would prevent you from hitting a pew deadline, let the person know that. You’d better avoid adding too much fluff (无价值的东西) to your explanation.
Know yourself. Knowing yourself and your needs will help you decide if you should say“no”. Have a brainstorming session about areas where you have too much on your plate.
A.Set healthy boundaries. |
B.Be honest about your own needs. |
C.When should you say “no” to them? |
D.Set boundaries between work and your personal life. |
E.That can very likely give the other person false hope. |
F.You can try keeping your voice calm, welcoming and kind. |
G.How can you stand your ground politely without feeling guilty? |
7 . Dallas-based Knit Wits is made up of a group of grandmothers with a strong love for knitting (编织) who tum their love for crafting into a purposeful attempt. Meeting regularly, they pour their collective love into every stitch (针法) they make. The group has been working for over ten years, meeting every Friday, to support organizations that help others, locally and around the world. Over the years, they’ve crafted thousands of items insupport of the important things.
Recently the Knit Wits member Mary Ann Stover was inspired to have the group knit hats for infant (婴儿) patients with heart disease at Children’s Health Hospital. The hats, each a unique work of art, designed with holiday themes, reflect the skill of the Knit Wits. More importantly, the special of Knit Wits is its understanding of the emotional effect these small objects can have on the infants experiencing medical treatments.
Bealle, a certified child life specialist at Children’s Health Hospital, explained how the hats are making a difference to the tiny patients and their families. “Caregivers are able to wear the hats on their body to move their smells before placing the hats back on the infants, encouraging connecting and making the infants less stressful,” he said.
Throughout the infants’ admission, many holidays are celebrated. At times, some infants are seriously ill and unable to dress up for holiday photos the families have planned. Thanks to the donations from Knit Wits, the hospital team is able to prove the family with a suitable themed infant hat the family can use for their photos and holiday celebrations.
1. What do we know about the hats from paragraph 2?A.They centre on spiritual comfort. |
B.They have holiday food subjects. |
C.They are knitted by the caregivers |
D.They are worn on child parents’ birthdays. |
A.To hold an artistic activity. |
B.To see off the recovered patients. |
C.To relax the infants for treatments |
D.To welcome the arrival of various holidays. |
A.Why some holiday celebrations are held. |
B.What the hats can be used as on holidays. |
C.Why some special photos are important. |
D.What the hats can be matched with. |
A.Unsuccessful | B.Impractical. | C.Warm-hearted | D.Dishonest. |
1. Why do fewer and fewer people do the cooking?
A.They are living a busy life. |
B.It’s difficult to cater for all tastes. |
C.There’s a wide variety of takeout food. |
A.Fast food. | B.Home-made dishes. | C.Low-sugar dessert. |
A.Ordering food on the Internet. |
B.Cooking healthy meals at home. |
C.Eating at a restaurant in the neighborhood. |
A.Americans’ daily diet has changed a lot. |
B.People like trying different cooking styles. |
C.Ordering food online is convenient and popular. |
1. What do the club members do most of the time?
A.Practice painting. |
B.Appreciate pictures. |
C.Take part in competitions. |
A.At 3:00 pm. | B.At 4:30 pm. | C.At 6:00 pm. |
“Mom! I’m home!” John closed the door and dropped his books on a nearby chair. “Hi, John, home already?” His mom turned around.
“It’s spring. I was thinking more of our annual spring cleaning,” John’s mom suggested. “Tomorrow is Saturday. Let’s do some cleaning, okay?” “Okay,” John agreed unwillingly.
The next day, they cleaned upstairs, downstairs, inside, outside, until everything was spotless. Tired, they sank into the couch. Pointing to Grandpa’s chair, John’s mom exclaimed, “Oh my! That old chair has got to go. We’ll buy Grandpa a new one.” John’s grandpa lived with them since Grandma had died. “John, Let’s take the chair to the curb (马路边). Tomorrow the garbage truck is picking up on our block.”
As they attempted to move the chair, Grandpa walked by dragging his feet through the door and quickly blocked their way. “Oh, no!” he protested. “You can’t take my chair.”
“It’s old and worn. We’ll buy you a new one,” John’s mom argued.
“No,” John’s grandpa persisted, trying to push his chair back into place. “I don’t want a new one,” his voice trembled.
John’s mom had to give up and said she would discuss it with John’s dad, who was still at work. John’s mom left the living room to prepare the dinner. With a sigh of relief, the old man sank into his chair and closed his eyes.
“Grandpa, why won’t you let us get rid of the chair? It’s so old,” John asked his grandpa when his mom left the room.
“You don’t understand, John,” Grandpa shook his head from side to side. After a long pause he said, “I sat in this chair, with your grandma right here, when I asked her to marry me. When I sit in this chair and close my eyes I feel she is near.” Grandpa softly stroked (轻抚) the arm of the chair. “And the night your father was born, I sat in this chair. I was nervous and scared when they placed the tiny baby into my arms, yet I was never happier.” A smile flashed across his old face.
“I think I’m beginning to understand,” John said thoughtfully. “The chair gave you comfort and warmth. This is not just a chair. It is more like a friend.” However, that night when John and his grandpa were asleep, John’s mom and dad carried the chair to the curb.
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。
Paragraph 1:
The next morning, when John came downstairs, his grandpa stood by the window and looked outside sadly.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
Seeing John rescue the chair from the garbage men, his mom turned and looked at John’s grandpa.
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