A. Based on people’s grammar scores and information about their learning of English, the researchers developed models that predicted how long it takes to become fluent in a language and the best age to start learning.
B. To find the answer, the research team turned to the Internet, to collect data on a person’s current age, language ability and time studying English.
C. The older you get the more difficult it is to learn to speak English like a British. But no one knows exactly at what age it becomes harder, to learn a new language.
D. They concluded that the ability to learn a new language is strongest until the age of 18. This is not to say that we cannot learn a new language if we are over 18, but most of us will not be able to master grammar like a native speaker.
E. They also created a short online grammar quiz that tested noun-verb agreement, pronouns, prepositions, and relative clauses, etc.
The local government of Zibo issued two open letters to all citizens. The government extended its gratitude for the citizens’
Since early March, Zibo local barbecue
Zibo’s sudden boom in popularity also resulted
3 . Lionel Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Argentina. He was nicknamed “Leo”. He was the third child in a middle-class family who loved football.
At four years old, Leo joined the Grandoli local club, where he was
His grandmother used to
But as he grew older, his height remained the same. He was
Despite all of these
As the seasons went on, the talented football player kept improving and breaking his own records. Now he has
| A．Surprisingly | B．Personally | C．Naturally | D．Eventually |
| A．coached | B．pushed | C．raised | D．scolded |
| A．considering | B．skipping | C．blocking | D．arranging |
| A．description | B．expectation | C．motivation | D．instruction |
| A．motivated | B．benefited | C．comforted | D．affected |
| A．entirely | B．routinely | C．sincerely | D．properly |
| A．company | B．attention | C．absence | D．presence |
| A．touch | B．pick | C．grab | D．tackle |
| A．amazed | B．unique | C．sacred | D．proud |
| A．outcome | B．victory | C．credit | D．wonder |
| A．diagnosed | B．infected | C．surrounded | D．associated |
| A．turned out | B．ended up | C．kept up | D．stood out |
| A．changes | B．crises | C．losses | D．obstacles |
| A．file | B．signature | C．contract | D．initiative |
| A．pursued | B．challenged | C．scored | D．achieved |
Yu Rong, a Chinese artist, thinks of a new way to introduce
Hua Mulan,
To better tell the story, Yu Rong takes inspiration from her several visits to sites of ancient battles and Henan Province’s Yu Opera
5 . Fish genetically engineered to glow blue, green, or red under blacklight have been a big hit among aquarium lovers for years. But the fluorescent (发荧光的) pet is not restricted to glass displays anymore. The red-and-green-glowing versions, more vivid than normal zebrafish even in natural light, have escaped fish farms in southeastern Brazil and are multiplying (繁殖) in creeks in the Atlantic Forest, a new study shows. It is a rare example of a transgenic animal accidentally becoming established in nature, and a concern for biologists, who worry the transgenic fish could threaten the local fauna (动物群) in one of the most bio-diverse spots on the planet.
In the 2000s, companies saw the potential of the fish as pets. Trademarked as Glofish, they became the world’s first genetically engineered species to be commercially available. Now, they are one of the first to escape and thrive in nature. Early on, environmentalists worried about the possibility, and Glofish sales were banned in some U. S. states such as California and several countries-including Brazil. In 2014, a single Glofish was spotted in canals of Florida. But it had not multiplied, probably because native predators such as the eastern mosquitofish and the largemouth bass ate the intruder, said the biologist who spotted the fish, Quenton Tuckett. Unlike Florida, Glofish thrived in the Brazilian creeks. In 2017 he and colleagues began to survey five creeks in three cities, finding transgenic zebrafish in all of them.
The Glofish are reproducing all year round, with a peak during the rainy season — just as native zebrafish do in Asia. But the transgenic fish seem to achieve sexual maturity earlier than their forebears, which allows them to reproduce more and spread faster. The invaders are also eating well: a diversified diet of native insects, algae, and zooplankton.
Despite Brazil’s ban on sales of the fish, stores all over the country sell them as pets. They may soon colonize other parts of the country. Tuckett says it should be “a wake-up call”. For now, the glowing fish “could be considered little weeds growing up out of the concrete”, Tuckett says, but points out that even little weeds can grow to cause a lot of damage.
1. What is the concern of the biologists?| A．The ecological impacts are unpredictable. |
| B．The transgenic fish could do harm to the local animals. |
| C．The transgenic fish accidentally became established in nature. |
| D．The transgenic fish are more vivid than normal zebrafish in natural light. |
| A．They were kept as pets before the 2000s. |
| B．They were prohibited from sales throughout the U. S. |
| C．They didn’t thrive in Florida probably due to the local enemies. |
| D．They were found in all of the Brazilian creeks in 2017. |
| A．The Glofish. | B．The native zebrafish. |
| C．The largemouth bass. | D．The eastern mosquitofish. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Ambiguous. |
| C．Cautious. | D．Supportive. |
6 . Fighting through pain after running for 28 hours, and amid the sound of tired feet struggling through the Arizona dirt—finally soft, soothing (舒缓的) music could be heard over the horizon. The finish line, which was once 100 miles away, was right in front of him. A small, roaring human victory tunnel welcomed Zach Bates as he ran across the finish line.
Diagnosed with autism (自闭症) at the age of four, Bates completed the 100-mile ultramarathon (超级马拉松) earlier this year, becoming the youngest finisher in the race’s history, aged 19. Bates was a member of the cross-country team in high school but, after graduating he surprised his family with a new goal—to run a 100-mile race before his 20th birthday.
Neither Bates nor his parents had any prior experience in preparing for the task at hand, but Brian, his father, found ways to help, truly making it a family affair. In addition to hiking safe trails, they read books together, organized all his nutrition, and made sure their son had the right equipment—like the watch he wore on long runs so they could track him and make sure he was safe and on course. Rana and Brian even helped with training schedules before finding more experienced ultramarathon runners—such as mentor John Hendrix and coach Nickademus de la Rosa. With Hendrix and de la Rosa’s expertise, the young American prepared by competing in shorter distances and successfully worked his way up to the 100-miler in a short time.
Rather than having his autism be a reason to make the goal unreachable, his mom said the challenge has helped him stay focused. “If we listen to our children and allow them to do what they want to do and be a support to them, you’ll be so surprised at where they’ll end up,” Rana says.
1. How did Bates probably feel when he ran across the finish line?| A．Tired but cheerful. | B．Proud and overconfident. |
| C．Painful but peaceful. | D．Comfortable and relaxed. |
| A．Because he was diagnosed with autism. |
| B．Because he was a cross-Country team member. |
| C．Because he graduated from high school just now. |
| D．Because they considered the new goal impractical. |
| A．Guidance from experts. | B．His perseverance to the goal. |
| C．Support from his family. | D．Encouragement of team members. |
| A．Save for a rainy day. | B．All we have is now. |
| C．Nothing is impossible. | D．Fortune favors the bold. |
Videos of 77-year-old Xu Xiuzhen, who speaks different languages with foreigners while selling water, postcards and headdress flowers, have brought her fame (名声).
To support her family, Xu, who dropped out of junior school in the third grade, began to learn different languages
Xu said she would convert (转变) words in any language into Chinese
Over the past two decades, Xu
“More and more foreign tourists are coming to Yangshuo, and I hope they will feel at home here with my help.” she said.
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9 . The measure of a good night’s sleep is usually based on two things—the amount of time spent sleeping and the quality of that sleep. But now researchers say there is a third thing that matters even more than the other two when it comes to keeping good sleep habits, and that is having a regular bedtime.
A study has found that going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day have an important effect on one’s health. Adults who stick to a regular bedtime tend to weigh less, have lower blood sugar and reduced risk of heart disease.
The researchers studied the sleeping habits of 2,000 adults with an average age of 69. They found that people with greater irregularity (无规律) in their sleep patterns tended to go to sleep later at night, feel sleepy and sleep more during the day, and experienced reduced light exposure. These people were also more likely to be stressed. Among the three kinds of sleep problems, sleep regularity was the most strongly associated with health.
Of course, there are many people for whom this may be impossible, such as night-shift workers or those with late-night duty. But for those who don’t have mandatory (强制的) reasons to stay up late, they should make an effort to go to bed at the same time every night. Skip the late afternoon coffee. Get off the phone. Try this calculator to figure out the best bedtime.
As Matthew Walker, a scientist, wrote, “The shorter your sleep, the shorter your life.” Surely that’s reasonable enough to go to bed on time.
1. What can we infer from the research?| A．People feel more stressed when they grow older. | B．The old often have less sleep. |
| C．Adults enjoy sleeping late. | D．Regular bedtime does good to our health. |
| A．Reduced light exposure. | B．Sleep regularity. |
| C．Sleeping during the day. | D．Sleeping later at night. |
| A．Avoid the late-night duty. | B．Skip the late-night coffee. |
| C．Get off the phone while working. | D．Try to sleep at the same time each night. |
| A．The Importance of Sleep | B．Ways to Have a Good Sleep |
| C．Regular Bedtime for Your Health | D．The Suitable Time for Sleep |
10 . Class Format: Created by Sadie Kurzban, 305 Fitness is a fierce dance cardio class with a live DJ. No prior dance experience is required, but you’ll be moving your body nonstop and learning choreography that will help you become a better dancer and build confidence. Here, you can burn 700+ calories in under an hour while getting lost in the music.
How often should you go? “I recommend 2 classes per week,“ says Founder Sadie Kurzban.
When can you start seeing results? ”Most clients report seeing results after just 4 or 5 classes. It’s incredibly effective!”
Locations: For class schedules and locations, click here.
Cost: $34 for a single class-and new clients get a second class free! For other package options(选择),click here.
Class Format: Wondering where the Victoria’s Secret Angels hit the gym? One word: DOGPOUND. Clients have the choice of joining in on a class, working out with a friend or partaking in one-on-one training. Everyone\ body is different, and DOGPOUND offers a fully personalized workout for your individual needs. Workouts include high intensity training, boxing, strength training, and more.
How often should you go? “Fitness is all about getting what you put into it. If you work out consistently, as well as adjusting dietary habits outside of the gym, you will begin to feel and notice the results your body is making soon,“ says Rhys Athayde, founding trainer at DOGPOUND.
Location: 1 Renwick Street, New York, NY 10013; 646-620-6533.
Cost: Classes start at $42, and for more package options, click here.
Class Format: P.Volve was founded by celebrity and Victoria’s Secret trainer, Stephen Pasterino. Here, you’ll never do the same workout twice; it consists of hundreds of moves.
When can you start seeing results? You’ll start seeing results within 1-2 months. How often should you go? Ideally, clients should be going to P.volve 3-4 days/week.
Location: 112 Bowery, New York, NY 10013; 888-338-2351.
Cost: Single classes start at $40 and P.volve’s online streaming workouts are $29.99/month-with the first two weeks free.
1. Jane wants to attend a dance course to lose some weight, she______.| A．She can call 888-338-2351 for more information. |
| B．She can get the first two classes for 34 dollars only. |
| C．She will start seeing the result 1 month later. |
| D．She needs to go to 1 Renwick Street, New York, NY 10013. |
| A．It holds the lowest cost. |
| B．Its results are slower than the other two. |
| C．It offers more package options. |
| D．It provides personalized training. |
| A．You may learn hundreds of moves. |
| B．You can train the first two weeks for free. |
| C．You ought to go there at least twice a week. |
| D．You will do the same workout at most a month. |
