2 . If you search the internet these days, you’ll likely run across some strange-looking, yet cheerful cartoon characters. These computer-generated people have small heads and exaggerated bodies.     1     The happy figures are often moving or doing something creative.

In 2017 Facebook paid a design team to develop a positive illustration system.     2     She worked to show human connection, motion, energy and joy in her drawings. She wanted to portray that sense of joy people feel when they’re sharing things together. The name which was given to the new art form when it was completed was very appropriate. They named it Alegria, which means joy in Spanish.

Why did Alegria art become popular so quickly? There are many reasons. As websites depended on illustrations to fill space, Alegria-type art became increasingly useful.     3     By comparison, more detailed art designs require extra time, skill and money to produce. Businesses also love the fact that Alegria’s characters celebrate diversity by featuring international cultural events. The illustrations convey good feelings. Those feelings help people believe they can trust the companies that feature them on their pages.

    4     These people think companies like Facebook have simply prepared over their problems with positive images. They’ve failed to address their real problems or make lasting changes.

For many, however, Alegria is a nice visual language that represents happiness. From children hugging to couples dancing, the images are all about positive energy.     5    

A．The style is flat, simple and easy to create.

B．For some consumers, though, that’s a problem.

C．One of the designers took that message to heart.

D．For the netizens, Alegria helps build trust on the big companies.

E．No wonder Alegria is now the most popular style of illustrations for books.

F．All in all, it seems that Alegria is the perfect name for this playful, fun art style.

G．They’re created in bold colors with arms and legs that resemble giant wet noodles.

4 . It was a very hot day in late summer. I was a young dad working in a local wood mill. It was dangerous, back-breaking work that paid very little. In the year I worked there, only four other people hadn’t quit and been replaced with new faces. Those of us who stayed did so just because there was no other work to find to support our families.

On this day all of us were covered in sweat and dust. When I looked around, every face I saw looked angry and frustrated. Suddenly, a voice called out, “Hey! There’s a deer in here,” A lost little female deer had wandered through the open loading bay doors and was now cowering in between the huge stacks of wood. All of us stopped working immediately and went looking for her as she ran about looking for a way out.

Now most people where I live hunt deer for meat in the fall but also treat them with great kindness the rest of the year. Many will even buy 50 bags of corn to help feed them during the harsh winter months. It was no surprise then that all of us were soon quickly working together to free this little creature. By blocking off all the other routes, we were able to guide her search back to the open bay doors. We watched as she jumped out of the building and back into the woods. Then we walked back in to work. I noticed something, though. On every face there was a joyful smile. It was as if this one single act of kindness had energized us again and reminded us of what life is all about.

1. Why did the author keep working in the local wood mill?

A．He wasn’t content with the pay and working conditions.

B．He was tired of wood cutting and wanted more freedom.

C．He disliked the treatment of the boss and animals around.

D．He didn’t find other jobs to make money for his family.

2. How did the men free the deer in the end?

A．They blocked all the routes except the proper ones.

B．They caught her and then sent her to the wide wild.

C．They used signals to guide the deer out of the woods.

D．They used foods to guide the deer out to the open doors.

3. What can be seen from the whole passage?

A．Life is not always a bed of roses.	B．Roses given, fragrance in hand.
C．Don’t go against the law of nature.	D．The weak are the prey of the strong.

5 . Students’ Journey to Empower Rural Heritage

From Aug 18 to 22 a team of 15 Tsinghua University students, representing diverse backgrounds from China, South Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia, set foot on an overseas research exploration focusing on rural revitalization (振兴) in Indonesian villages, particularly within Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB).

With the diverse cultural heritage, Indonesia is home to over 83,000 villages, each radiating its own charm and character.     1    

The research mission took the students to Sukarara and Sade villages, two of NTB’s tourist destinations.     2    . Sukarara and Sade are a world apart from the busy cities to which most of the students are accustomed, but the villages are a living test to Indonesia’s rich culture and its devotion to preserving traditions. Revitalizing these villages goes beyond mere economic development.     3    . The weaving skills and architectural techniques of Sukarara and Sade villages are not only beautiful, but they are also an inseparable part to the identity of these communities. It’s essential that they strike a balance between progress and preservation.

    4    . They carried with them not only the memories of their experiences there, but also the responsibility to make a positive impact on these remarkable places.     5    . They were optimistic that Indonesian villages could experience meaningful development, ultimately leading to increased opportunities for employment and an improved quality of life.

A．In Sukarara, a local tradition requires girls master weaving skills before marriage

B．They decided to be a bridge between tradition and progress, united for their growth

C．Both were selected for revitalization efforts led by the Village Revitalization Team

D．While these villages possess undeniable fascination, many remain underdeveloped

E．It’s about preserving the cultural heritage and ensuring traditions being passed down

F．As the journey came to an end, all the students regarded it as a rewarding experience

G．This effort includes the knowledge exchange between the students and local villagers

6 . An era in which an Alzheimer’s (阿尔兹海默) diagnosis can begin in a doctor’s office is now arriving. Advances in technologies to detect early signs of disease from a blood sample are helping doctors to identify the memory-robbing disorder more accurately and to screen participants more quickly for trials of potential treatments for the more than five million people in the U.S. afflicted with Alzheimer’s. Estimates predict that, by 2030, there will be 76 million people worldwide who will receive a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or other dementias.

Last fall, a blood test developed by C2N Diagnostics in St Louis, Mo., became available to most of the U.S. as a routine lab test—regulated under the CMS Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) program. It has also received a CE mark as a diagnostic medical device in the European Union—indicating it has met safety, health and environmental protection standards for the region.

“The development of a blood-based test for Alzheimer’s disease is just phenomenal,” says Michelle Mielke, a neuroscientist and epidemiologist at the Mayo Clinic. “The field has been thinking about this for a very long time. It’s really been in the last couple of years that the possibility has come to fruition.”

The C2N test, called PrecivityAD, uses an analytic technique known as mass spectrometry (质谱分析技术) to detect specific types of beta-amyloid (β-淀粉样蛋白), a protein fragment that is a pathological (病态的) hallmark of disease. Beta-amyloid proteins accumulate and form plaques (斑块) visible on brain scans two decades before a patient notices memory problems. As plaques build up in the brain, levels of beta-amyloid decline in the surrounding fluid.

Such changes can be measured in spinal (脊髓的) fluid samples—and now in blood, where beta-amyloid concentrations are significantly lower. PrecivityAD is the first blood test for Alzheimer’s to be cleared for widespread use and one of a new generation of such assays that could enable early detection of the leading neurodegenerative disease—perhaps decades before the onset of the first symptoms.

1. According to the blood test developed by C2N Diagnostics, we can know that ________.

A．it can be applied in a few areas in the United States

B．it was carried out under the supervision of under the CMS’s program

C．it obtained the CE mark issued by the United States for diagnostic medical equipment

D．it has reached the safety, health and environmental protection standards of the world

2. What is MichelleMielke’s attitude towards blood test?

A．Supportive.

B．Opposed.

C．Cautious.

D．Wait-and-see.

3. Which of the following best explains “assays” underlined in the last paragraph?

A．samples

B．experiments

C．changes

D．symptoms

4. From the passage, it can be inferred that ________.

A．by 2030, more people around the world will suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia

B．as plaques accumulate in the brain, the level of beta-amyloid protein in the surrounding fluid will rise

C．Alzheimer’s patients are expected to be diagnosed decades before the initial symptoms appear

D．many blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease are under development now

7 . A 40-year-old mom has entered the history books by becoming the first female Olympian ever to complete a full triathlon in under 8 hours—smashing the world record by over 40 minutes.

Two-time Olympic Nicola Spirig _________ the finish line in Germany in an astonishing 7 hours, 34 minutes and 19 seconds.

She accomplished the _________ despite earlier this year breaking three ribs, fracturing (使断裂) her collarbone and puncturing a lung in a cycling accident that almost _________ her career. She recovered and went on to fulfill this lifelong triathlon ambition on the edge of ending her 20 years of international competitions and _________ the sport this year.

The _________ race in Germany was organized specifically to let two of the world’s greatest female triathletes _________ against each other, in a challenge to break the 8-hour barrier. _________ athletes broke the decade-long world record for women of 8 hours, 18 minutes and 13 seconds. Not only did Nicola smash her   _________ record of 9 hours, 14 minutes and 7 seconds, she crossed the line in a (n) _________7 hours, 34 minutes and 19 seconds—three minutes after Ironman champion Kat Matthews, a British army captain.

“Nicola has __________ the impossible and is the perfect embodiment (化身) of how the power of __________ can overcome every obstacle toward fulfilling your dreams and ultimate ambition,” says Feliciano Robayna. “__________ your career-long dream as a 40-year-old mother of three shows there is no __________ that cannot be broken.”

Beyond __________ seven 70.3 Ironman titles — and being on the stage at each half Ironman race she has ever __________ — Nicola has also managed to study to become a   lawyer.

1.

A．crossed

B．approached

C．completed

D．blocked

2.

A．task

B．journey

C．distance

D．achievement

3.

A．launched

B．impacted

C．ended

D．changed

4.

A．dealing with

B．carrying on

C．participating in

D．retiring from

5.

A．unique

B．significant

C．typical

D．ultimate

6.

A．protect

B．compete

C．charge

D．fight

7.

A．All

B．Many

C．Both

D．Most

8.

A．ambitious

B．temporary

C．remarkable

D．personal

9.

A．impressive

B．reasonable

C．individual

D．specific

10.

A．ignored

B．identified

C．restricted

D．challenged

11.

A．reputation

B．honor

C．determination

D．teamwork

12.

A．Quitting

B．Realizing

C．Pursuing

D．Valuing

13.

A．barrier

B．promise

C．rule

D．balance

14.

A．winning

B．changing

C．giving

D．adopting

15.

A．organized

B．advocated

C．sponsored

D．entered

9 . In a major medical breakthrough, Tel Aviv University researchers have “printed” the world’s first 3D vascularized (有血管的) engineered heart using a patient’s own cells and biological materials. Their findings were published on April IS in a study in Advanced Science.

“This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart,”says Prof. Tal Dvir of Department of Materials Science and Engineering, who led the research for the study. “This heart is made from human cells and patient-specific biological materials. In our process, these materials serve as the bioinks, something made of sugars and proteins that can be used for 3D printing of complex tissue models,” Prof. Dvir says. “People managed to 3D print the structure of a heart in the past, but not with cells or with blood vessels (血管). Our results demonstrate the potential of our approach for engineering personalized tissue and organ replacement in the future.”

According to Prof. Dvir, the use of “native” patient-specific materials is important to successfully engineering tissues and organs.

The researchers are now planning on culturing the printed hearts in the lab and “teaching them to behave” like hearts, Prof. Dvir says. They then plan to transplant the 3D-printed heart in animal models.

“We need to develop the printed heart further,” he concludes. “The cells need to form a pumping ability; they can currently contract (收缩) , but we need them to work together. Our hope is that we will succeed and prove our method’s efficacy (功效) and usefulness. “Maybe, in ten years, there will be organ printers in the finest hospitals around the world, and these procedures will be conducted routinely.”

1. What do we know about the latest3D-printed heart?

A．It can be cultured in the lab.

B．It can match a patient perfectly.

C．It has been transplanted in animals.

D．It has been widely used in hospitals,

2. What is Prof, Dvir’s attitude to the development of the printed heart?

A．Ambiguous.	B．Positive.
C．Disapproving.	D．Cautious.

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

A．To explain the basic principle of 3Dtechnology.

B．To introduce a breakthrough of medical research.

C．To doubt the medical value of a new invention.

D．To prove the effectiveness of the new technology.

10 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Mystery is No Mystery

The area of ocean between Florida, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda, known as the Bermuda Triangle, is the source of much mystery. Over the centuries, reports of ships and planes disappearing     1     a trace have seized the public attention, leading the zone     2    (nickname) “The Devil's Triangle.” Suggested causes for these mysterious disappearances range front supernatural powers to underwater alien bases. However, there is a more basic question to ask: Do more craft really disappear in the Bermuda Triangle than in any similarly trafficked area? The answer,     3     it turns out, is no.

The Bermuda Triangle covers a vast700,000 square-kilometer swathe of ocean. Close to the equator(赤道) and near the United States, it is a particularly busy pa tch of sea with heavy traffic. According to Lloyd's of London and the U. S. Coast Guard,     4    you were to compare the number of disappearances to the large quantity of ships and planes that have passed through the Bermuda Triangle, you would find that there     5     (be) nothing out of the ordinary about the area.

These days, new theories are being put forward, with a bit of scientific truth to them. Some have attributed Bermuda Triangle disappearances to explosive releases of methane (甲烷) gas,    6    (trap) as methane hydrate inside water molecules beneath the cold seabed of the deep ocean. Such blowouts could potentially release a giant amount of gas that could cause the sea to bubble like it was boiling, which could possibly sink ships because the resulting bubbles would be much     7     (thick) than the water on which large ships normally float. The gas could also rise into the sky,     8     (produce) a mixture of five to 15 percent methane which could explode on contact with the engine exhaust of a hot airplane.

The only problem with this theory is that scientists won't be able to tell with much certainty if this is a factor     9     the ocean floor is mapped in greater detail. It remains to be seen     10     they will succeed in their attempt to clear up the Bermuda Triangle “mystery” this time around.