2 . Many of us are disgusted at spiders or afraid of them. We don't like to touch them or go near them, and if we see one in our house, we'd better watch out. But do you know that a spider's natural color may inspire a new shade of blue textiles and offer a solution to the glare on the screen of your phone when you're out in the sun?

This color is a shade of blue, inspired by the cobalt blue tarantula (钴蓝狼蛛) — a species of spider that is native to the rainforests of southeast Asia. What surprised scientists who observed the eight-legged furry spider was that its color did not change at all even when viewed from different angles.

A team of scientists, led by Bill Hsiung from the University of Akron in Ohio, have been studying tarantulas for some time. Blue is a rare color in the animal kingdom, so the researchers set out to find the exact nature of this blue. They found that the outer body of the tarantula is covered with tiny crystalline (晶体的) structures. These tiny structures act like a mirror and when light strikes them, they reflect only one particular wavelength of light - blue. This kind of natural color is referred to as the “structural color”.

Usually, when colors are viewed from different angles, they appear different because of how light is reflected. This is because of a phenomenon known as iridescence (彩虹色). However, the blue color produced by tarantulas appears the same from all angles. Scientists find that it is the tiny crystal structures on the tarantula’s body arranged in a flower-like shape that reduce iridescence.

Scientists have known about structural colors for a while, but they have not seen them used for dye. With a clearer understanding of how “structural colors” work, scientists can now create a pigment (色素) similar to the tarantula blue to dye textiles and other products. Watch out for the tarantula blue-a color that may soon take the fashion industry by storm!

1. What is special about the cobalt blue tarantula?

A．Its body color is unchangeably blue.

B．Its legs look crystal clear in the sun.

C．Its smell is naturally disgusting.

D．Its fur can be made into textiles.

2. What’s the author’s purpose in writing Paragraph 4?

A．To introduce the tarantula's body structures.

B．To show the phenomenon of color iridescence.

C．To explain the principle of the structural color.

D．To discuss the importance of reflection angles to colors.

3. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．A color inspired by a spider

B．The development of blue textiles

C．A spider with structural colors discovered

D．The cobalt blue tarantula-a rare species

3 . Some people can't wait for the lovely colors, cooler weather, and cozy sweaters of autumn. In fact, fall is Americans' favorite time, but for a minority of others, the transition from summer creates worry, fear and worse. According to Carrie Landin, a psychologist from the University of Colorado Health Integrative Medicine Center, a significant number of people actually experience autumn anxiety.

For some people, stress is triggered (触发) by environmental factors: Decreases in daylight cause chemical changes in the brain. "Less daylight leads to lower levels of chemicals like serotonin and dopamine that control our emotions," says Kimberly Asner-self, associate professor at Touro Colleges` School of Health Sciences. "As these chemicals drop, the body responds by increasing levels of cortisol. the hormone released in situations where we face threat." The result can be an increased anxiety, difficulty sleeping and depression.

But it's not just increasing darkness that can trigger these symptoms. For people who feel this way every year, some of the reaction is mental. "When we know there's the potential for stress ahead we tend to anticipate the problems, feeling anxious before they even happen," Landin says.

The fall features more than its fair share of impending (迫在眉睫) events: back to school at the beginning of the season and family get-togethers toward the end. Mayra Mendez, a psychologist from Providence Saint Johns Health Center, suggests identifying your personal triggers and making a plan to manage them before they feel overwhelming. For instance, if you're concerned about family issues and holiday parties, decide in advance that it's perfectly OK to say no to some of them. If fall's stricter work and school schedules make you anxious, plan regular breaks and vacations to look forward to.

Finally, you should also find ways to embrace the present moment. Remember: while autumn may throw you a few tricks, there are plenty of treats to be found too.

1. What may be the cause of autumn anxiety?

A．Cooler weather.	B．Less daylight.
C．Sleep difficulties.	D．Vacation plans.

2. Landin's words are mentioned in paragraph 3 to show__________.

A．potential stress can be predictable	B．stress can be triggered by chemicals
C．depression is related to family issues	D．anxiety can be caused by mental factors

3. What does the author probably think of autumn stress?

A．Manageable.	B．Overwhelming.
C．Troublesome.	D．Beneficial.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Seasonal Anxiety	B．Tricks or Treats
C．The Autumn Blues	D．Characteristics of Fall

4 . Many people today think of the pyramids of Giza as the symbol of ancient Egyptian culture. But who actually built them? For years, we did not know for sure. Now, however, archaeologists have discovered an ancient city near the pyramids. Close by, there is a cemetery (墓地) where the pyramid builders were buried. From studying these places, archaeologists are sure that the pyramids were not built by slaves or foreigners.    1    

It took about 80 years to build the pyramids. Archaeologists believe that about 20,000-30,000 people took part in the construction.     2     Some dug up the rock, some moved it, and some shaped it into blocks. People also worked on different teams, each with its own name. Workers often competed to see whose team could do a job faster.

“We can see that in their skeletons(骨骼),” says Azza Mohamed Sarry El-Din, a scientist studying bones found in the cemetery. According to her research, the bones show signs of arthritis (关节炎)．    3     Archaeologists have also found many female skeletons in the ancient city and cemetery. The damage to their bones is similar to that of the men.    4     Male workers generally lived to age 40-45, but women to only 30-35. However, workers usually had enough food, and they also received medical care if they got sick or hurt.

    5     On a wall in Khufu's Great Pyramid, for example, a group of workers wrote Friends of Khufu. “It's because they were not just building the tomb of their king,” says Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass. “They were building Egypt. It was a national project, and everyone was a part.”

A．It still remains a mystery.

B．Ordinary Egyptians built them.

C．The workers took on different roles.

D．In fact, their lives may have been even harder.

E．They worked on the same jobs but competed to be the best.

F．The task was challenging, but builders were proud of their work.

G．This probably developed from carrying heavy things for a long time.

5 . The benefits of regular exercise are well documented but there’s a new bonus to add to the ever-growing list. New researchers found that middle-aged women who were physically fit could be nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia in later life, and as they did, it came on a decade later than less sporty women.

Lead researcher Dr. Helena Horder, of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said : "These findings are exciting because it’s possible that improving people's cardiovascular （心血管的）fitness in middle age could delay or even prevent them from developing dementia. "

For the study, 191 women with an average age of 50 took a bicycle exercise test until they were exhausted to measure their peak （最大值的） cardiovascular capacity. The average peak workload was measured at 103 watts.

A total of 40 women met the criteria for a high fitness level, or 120 watts or higher. A total of 92 women were in the medium fitness category; and 59 women were in the low fitness category, defined as a peak workload of 80 watts or less, or having their exercise tests stopped because of high blood pressure, chest pain or other cardiovascular problems.

These women were then tested for dementia six times over the following four decades. During that time, 44 of the women developed dementia. Five percent of the highly fit women developed dementia, compared to 25 percent of the women with medium fitness and 32 percent of the women with low fitness.

"However, this study does not show cause and effect between cardiovascular fitness and dementia, it only shows an association. More research is needed to see if improved fitness could have a positive effect on the risk of dementia and also to look at when during a lifetime a high fitness level is most important. " She also admitted that a relatively small number of women were studied, all of whom were form Sweden, so the results might not be applicable to other groups.

1. What is on the ever-growing list mentioned in the first paragraph?

A．Positive effects of doing exercises.

B．Exercises suitable for the middle-aged.

C．Experimental studies on diseases.

D．Advantages of sporty woman over man

2. Why did the researchers ask the women to do bicycle exercise?

A．To predict their maximum heart rate.

B．To assess their cardiovascular capacity

C．To change their habits of working out

D．To detect their potential health problems

3. What do we know about Dr Horder's study?

A．It aimed to find a cure for dementia.

B．Data collection was a lengthy process.

C．Some participants withdrew from it.

D．The results were far from satisfactory.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．More Women Are Exercising to Prevent Dementia

B．Middle-Aged Women Need to Do More Exercise

C．Fit Women Are Less Likely to Develop Dementia

D．Biking Improves Women's Cardiovascular Fitness

6 . The United States rose to global power on the strength of its technology, and the lifeblood that technology has long been electricity. By providing long-distance communication and energy, electricity created the modern world. Yet properly understood, the age of electricity is merely the second stage in the age of steam, which began a century earlier.

"It is curious that no one has put together a history of both the steam and electric revolutions." writes Maury Klein in his book The Power Makers, Steam, Electricity, and the Men Invented Modern America. Klein, a noted historian of technology, spins a narrative so lively that at times it reads like a novel.

The story begins in the last years of the 18th century in Scotland, where Watt perfected "the machine that changed the world". Klein writes, "America did not invent the steam engine, but once they grasped its passwords they put it to more uses than anyone else. "

Meanwhile, over the course of 19th century, electricity went from mere curiosity to a basic necessity. Morse invented a code for sending messages over an electromagnetic circuit. Bell then gave the telegraph a voice. Edison perfected an incandescent bulls that brought electric light into the American home.

Most importantly, Edison realized that success depended on mass electrification, which he showed in New York City. With help from Tesla, Westinghouse's firm developed a system using alternating current, which soon became the major forms of power delivery.

To frame his story, Klein creates the character of Ned, a fictional witness to the progress brought about by the steams and electric revolutions in America during one man's lifetime. It's a technique that helps turn a long narrative into an interesting one.

1. What is Klein's understanding of the age of electricity?

A．It is closely linked to the steam age.

B．It began earlier than proper thought.

C．It is a little-studied period of history.

D．It will come to an end sooner or later.

2. What can be inferred about Ned?

A．He was born in New York City.	B．He wrote many increasing stories,
C．He created an electricity company.	D．He lived mainly in the 19th century.

3. What is the text?

A．A biography.

B．A book review.

C．A short story.

D．A science report.

9 . When asked what his father did for a living, Mike explained to his kindergarten teacher that “he steals things, but it’s OK, because he gets paid to do it. ”

He isn’t wrong. His father is a hacker(黑客), who is proud of his job, just like doctors are proud of the work they do. Thanks to security researchers’ hacking practices, leaks in a new version of the most common Wi-Fi code standard(WPA3)were found before criminals could use them to break into home and business networks. In another case, criminals found an unknown weakness in Google’s Android operating systems before security researchers did, giving the bad guys full control of more than a dozen phone models.

However, finding Mike’s father’s personalized plates for his car with the word ‘HACKING’, an employee of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles quickly took them away, claiming that a license plate displaying “HACKING” publicized criminal activity. While this reaction really isn’t the fault of the well-intentioned employee, it’s a sign of how a deeply rooted misrepresentation of his profession has created a fixed wrong image. It seems that the way that hackers are described in Hollywood has contributed to the word ‘hacker’ paralleling ‘criminal’, where hackers are often referred to as figures in dark rooms engaged in illegal activity while tapping at keyboards.

But actually, hacking is just an activity. What separates any activity from a crime is, very often, permission. People are free to drive, but they do not have permission to drive 150 miles per hour, which is a criminal offense. Since a driver is just a driver, why must a hacker be a criminal? Someone who engages in the illegal use of hacking should not be called a ‘bad hacker’ but a ‘cybercriminal’. Contrary to popular belief, most hackers like Mike’s father undoubtedly play an important role in keeping companies and people safe.

1. What did Mike’s son think of Mike’s job?

A．Admirable.

B．Amazing.

C．Acceptable.

D．Annoying.

2. What does the second paragraph mainly talk about concerning the hackers’ job?

A．Its weakness.

B．Its importance.

C．Its variety

D．Its security.

3. Why does the writer mention ‘Hollywood’ in paragraph 3?

A．To entertain the renders.	B．To question the employee’s claim.
C．To clarify the concept of hacking.	D．To trace the wrong image of hackers.

4. What message does the author really want to convey in the text?

A．Hacking mostly counts.	B．Hacking is actually a crime.
C．Hacking is popular with people.	D．Hacking needs licenses.