1 . It is that time of the year, when a handful of world’s leading scholars, social activists and researchers are rewarded with what is often cited as the most prestigious acknowledgement of human effort-the Nobel Prize. Here’s a look at who has won the prize and for what.
Physiology or Medicine
Swedish geneticist Svante Peabo won the first Nobel of the year, for starting the field of ancient DNA studies. He is well-known for extracting, sequencing, and analyzing ancient DNA from Neanderthal bones.
Physics
Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger’s work in quantum (量子) technology landed them the second Nobel Prize announced in 2022. Although Aspect is from France, Clauser from the U.S, and Zeilinger from Austria, the three separately performed “groundbreaking experiments” as one team. “Their results have cleared the way for new technology,” the committee stated.
Chemistry
The Nobel Prize for chemistry went to another trio, Carolyn R. Bertozzi from the U.S., Morten Meldal from Denmark and K. Barry Sharpless from the U.S. “for the development of click chemistry and biorthogonal chemistry,” the committee stated. Dr. Bertozzi is the eighth woman chemist to be awarded the prize, while Dr. Sharpless is the fifth scientist to be awarded two Nobel Prizes.
Economics
The Prize in Economic Sciences was awarded to three American economists, Ben S. Bernanke, Douglas W. Diamond and Philip H. Dybvig “for research on banks and financial crises,” the Nobel Prize committee announced on Monday. By studying the history of American economics, particularly the Great Depression of the 1930s,they improved how we understand the role of banks during times of hardship and the bank’s impact on societal functions.
1. What prize is related to the research with bones?| A．Physiology. | B．Chemistry. | C．Physics. | D．Economics. |
| A．About societal functions. | B．About the history of America. |
| C．About banks and financial crises. | D．About the Great Depression of the 1930s. |
| A．Their winners are from different countries. | B．They have three winners. |
| C．They improve new technology. | D．They help people understand hardship. |
Going to Antarctica, one of the remotest destinations on the planet, is not an easy (or affordable) endeavor. Perhaps the difficulty is part of the attraction—the seventh continent remains at the top of many travelers’ wish lists. The striking white desert, with its dramatic, snowy peaks and vibrant turquoise water, as well as its exotic wildlife, including emperor penguins and Weddell seals, can truly offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Hawaii
Hawaii is underrated. To be sure, it is a gorgeous place with breathtaking sunrise and sunset, and every beach is seemingly prettier than the next, but its beauty goes much deeper than its preternatural appearance. Extraordinary beaches—some even boast green and black sand (Papakōlea Beach and Punalu’u Beach, respectively)—have their expected appeal, but visitors who take time to venture out away from the coast quickly discover Hawaii’s charms are everywhere.
Canada
Skiing, surfing, hiking and the Northern Lights, eclectic cuisine, world-class shopping, diverse and rich cultures—this is Canada. The 13 provinces and territories make up the world’s second-largest country by the total area. It has something wonderful for every type of traveler. Nature lovers take solace in mountains, glaciers, waterfalls and the Atlantic or Pacific coastlines while sophisticated eaters nosh at Michelin-starred restaurants and hole-in-the-wall restaurants alike.
Singapore
Travelers don’t want to spend any more time in an airport than they have to. But Singapore Changi Airport is not an ordinary airport. While the rest of the world was staying at home, Singaporean locals had paid to hang out at Changi Airport, whether it was co-working in one of the lounges or camping alongside the world’s highest indoor waterfall, which opened in 2019.
1. Which place would you like to choose if you are an animal lover?| A．Hawaii. | B．Antarctica. | C．Singapore. | D．Canada. |
| A．It can almost satisfy all kinds of travelers. |
| B．It attracts many locals. |
| C．It has some extraordinary beaches. |
| D．It is the second most beautiful place in the world. |
| A．They can decorate the lounges together. |
| B．They can enjoy world-class shopping. |
| C．They can appreciate the world’s highest indoor waterfall. |
| D．They can experience Michelin-starred restaurants. |
3 . Mickey Mouse welcomed visitors to his new home in China on June 16, 2016 as Disney opened its first theme park in the country.
The park, located in the city of Shanghai, opened with fireworks.
Joe Schott, president and general manager of Shanghai Disney Resort, said, “I can promise you that there is still so much left to be revealed, and I cannot wait to share it all with you in the months and years to come.”
Tens of thousands streamed into Shanghai Disneyland for its debut(问世), an event that was nearly two decades in the making. The $ 5.5 billion resort(度假胜地) covers 963 acres, but Disney has already begun expansion.
Company officials said they tried to reflect Chinese preferences in the new park.
“We didn’t build Disneyland in China, we built China’s Disneyland,” said Bob Iger, Disney’s chairman.
There’s a traditional Chinese tea house featuring local food. The Lion King performed in Mandarin for the first time, features the Monkey King and characters dressed in Chinese opera garb(服装)to appeal to an Asian audience.
In the castle, guests not only walk through, as they do in other Disney parks, they can also eat and shop. When it was discovered that Chinese people didn’t have a favourite Disney princess, the company decided that the castle would feature all the princesses. Parks in California and France are based on the Sleeping Beauty story.
“The visitors can learn the princesses over time, and this gives them an opportunity to have an introduction to all of the princess stories,” said executive producer Ali Rubinstein.
However, China’s Disneyland sometimes are not closely related to China. Disney’s only animated film based on a Chinese story, Mulan, which tells the tale of a Chinese warrior woman, got neither its own ride nor stage show. The character appears only as a statue and afloat in the parade.
1. What’s Joe Schott’s attitude to Shanghai Disney Resort?| A．Disappointed. | B．Concerned. | C．Doubtful. | D．Confident. |
| A．They build the theme park in China. |
| B．The theme park belongs to China. |
| C．The theme park has Chinese elements. |
| D．The theme park has a long Chinese history. |
| A．Chinese people have no certain favourite Disney princess. |
| B．Chinese people don’t know any princess characters in Disney movies. |
| C．Chinese people believe “the more, the better”. |
| D．Parks in other countries are based on the Sleeping Beauty story. |
| A．To show the Chinese character of Disneyland. |
| B．To show Mulan is an important part of Chinese culture. |
| C．To show China’s Disneyland has not reflected enough Chinese culture. |
| D．To show Disneyland has too few Chinese character films. |
4 . China’s second national botanical (植物学的) garden, South China National Botanical Garden, was set up in Guangzhou on July 11th, 2022.
With a total of 319 hectares of core functional area planned, the new national botanical garden was built based on South China Botanical Garden. It spans Guangzhou and Zhaoqing, two cities in Guangdong Province.
The South China National Botanical Garden aims to strengthen the conservation, scientific research and knowledge broadcasting of tropical (热带的) and subtropical (亚热带的) plants. The garden has three research centers, two national-level field stations and three key laboratories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. There are 17, 168 protected plants, 643 rare and endangered plants, and 337 national key wild protected plants in the garden at present.
The garden will participate in plant diversity protection both in China and the world and achieve the conservation goal of 20, 000 species. Meanwhile, it aims to play a world-leading role in collection and storage of living plants, among which 6, 000 species are economic plants.
Besides, 95 percent of rare and endangered plants in South China will be effectively protected, thus to provide plant resources for green development.
China is one of the countries in the world with the richest biodiversity, having more than 37, 000 known species of higher plants, accounting for about one tenth of the world’s total.
The South China National Botanical Garden, together with the national botanical garden in Beijing, has formed a system of collection and complete the retention of wild plant groups, which is helpful to maintain the country’s plant diversity.
1. What can be inferred about South China National Botanical Garden?| A．It is well equipped. | B．It only offers service for research. |
| C．It has become a popular scenic spot. | D．It is the largest national botanical garden. |
| A．They are dying out sharply. |
| B．Most of them will be protected well. |
| C．They will be used to improve economic development. |
| D．Most of them are transplanted to botanical gardens. |
| A．Development. | B．Comparison. | C．Preservation. | D．Improvement. |
| A．A Garden For Collecting And Studying Plants |
| B．A Novel Way To Strengthen Plant Conservation |
| C．China’s Various Environmental Protection |
| D．China’s Second National Botanical Garden |
5 . Do you want to live another 100 years or more? Do you want to live never to die? Some experts say, it will not be a dream one day. Modern technology will make it come true. Man will live more years beyond what is now seen as the natural limit of the human life.
“I think we are knocking at the door of immortality,” said Michael, a professor and author of two books on human life expectancy. “I think by 2075 we will see it and it’s no longer a dream. Humans’ life expectancy may have no limit.”
At the meeting in San Francisco, Donald Louria, a professor at New Jersey Medical School said advances in using genes as well as other technology make it likely that humans will live in the future beyond what has been possible in the past. “There is a great push so that people can live from 120 to 180 years,” he said. “Some have suggested that there is no limit and that people could live to 300 or 500 years.”
However, many scientists are doubtful about it and say the human body is just not designed to last more than about 120 years. Even with healthier lifestyles and less disease, they say failure of the brain and other parts of the body will finally lead all humans to death.
Scientists also hold different opinions on what kind of life man might live. “If you pass 120, you know, could you be healthy enough to have good quality of life? It’s a big question,” said Leonard Poon, director of the university centre. “At present people who could get to that point are not in good health at all.”
1. What does the underlined word in the second paragraph probably mean?| A．Dying slowly. | B．Living longer. |
| C．Living forever. | D．Dying quickly. |
| A．Human beings may never die in the future. |
| B．It is not certain how long humans can live. |
| C．The human body can last about 120 years. |
| D．It is possible for man to live longer in the future. |
| A．Get that idea. | B．Get to 120 years old. |
| C．Know how to live forever. | D．Have good quality of life. |
| A．Living longer or not | B．Science and long living |
| C．No limit for human life | D．Healthy lifestyle and living |
6 . Russ Fee was asleep inside his tent last summer in Canada’s Banff National Park when a series of screams shocked him awake. Throwing on his shoes and grabbing a lantern his wife had handed him, he ran out to investigate. Despite the darkness, he could make out a neighboring tent. Backing out was a wolf, dragging something in his teeth—a man.
Moments earlier, Elisa and Matt, were asleep with their two young children when the wolf tore into their tent. “It was like something out of a horror movie,” Elisa recalled. For three minutes, Matt threw his body in front of Elisa and the boys and fought against the wolf. At one point, Matt got the upper hand, but the wolf turned the tables and dragged Matt outside while Elisa was pulling on his legs trying to get him back but in vain.
It was then that Russ Fee entered the picture. He ran at the beast, kicking it in the hip. The wolf dropped Matt and emerged from the tent. Fee felt like he had hit someone that was way out of his weight class.
Before the wolf could turn its anger on Fee, Matt, his arms bloodied, restarted the battle. The men threw at the wolf with rocks, forcing it back. Then the families fled to the shelter of the Fees, minivan and called an ambulance.
“Attacks are so rare that a person here has a greater chance of being killed by a dog, lightning, a bee sting, or a car collision with a deer than being injured by a wolf,” said Matt.
Fee did think about drawing back, if less heroic, during the heat of battle. The moment the wolf locked eyes with him, Fee said, “I immediately regretted kicking it.”
1. What were the two families doing in the park?| A．They were making a horror movie. | B．They were camping in the wild. |
| C．They were studying wolves. | D．They were investigating the park. |
| A．change the situation completely. | B．turn the table in another direction |
| C．tackle a problem wisely | D．compete violently with someone |
| A．Many deer are killed by vehicles. | B．There are many accidents in the park. |
| C．Wolves seldom attack people there. | D．People are often attacked by dogs. |
| A．Courageous and helpful. | B．Responsible and inspiring. |
| C．Indifferent and brave | D．Clever and determined. |
7 . A self-driving Uber vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian in a late-night accident in Tempe, Arizona, police said on Monday. The accident is believed to be the first pedestrian death involving the technology of autonomous vehicles.
The gray SUV had an operator in the driver’s seat and was traveling at about 40 miles per hour in autonomous mode when it struck a woman who was walking across the street late Sunday night, Tempe police said. The pedestrian was rushed to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead from her injuries.
“The City of Tempe has been supportive of autonomous vehicle testing because of the innovation and promise that the technology may offer in many areas, including transportation options for disabled residents and seniors,” Tempe Mayor, Mitchell said in the statement. “Testing must occur safely. All indications we have had in the past show that traffic laws are being obeyed by the companies testing here. Our city leadership and Tempe police will pursue any and all answers to what happened in order to ensure safety moving forward.”
Self-driving cars have been praised by technology companies as the wave of the future. Autonomous cars are already being in more than 30 cities around the world, with companies investing more than $80 billion into research and development.
“Everyone recognized that someone was going to die in a crash involving an autonomous vehicle eventually,” Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina who studies risks in automated driving systems, told NBC News. “As good as that technology tries to be, mistakes can happen, or it may be one of the small fraction of crashes. I just think everybody kind of hoped that one wouldn’t come this soon.”
Smith added that because federal and state agencies don’t have the resources to monitor individual vehicles, the responsibility for safety falls on the individual companies running the technology.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced that a four-person team has been sent to Tempe to investigate the crash.
1. Which of the following is true about the accident?| A．The woman was dead on the spot. |
| B．The accident is under investigation. |
| C．The driver was arrested for speeding. |
| D．It is the first accident caused by autonomous vehicles. |
| A．The autonomous vehicle can make transportation safer. |
| B．A large profit will be brought by the autonomous vehicles. |
| C．The autonomous vehicles will help disabled residents and seniors. |
| D．Companies invest more than $80 billion into research and development. |
| A．The driver. | B．The pedestrian. |
| C．The individual companies. | D．The federal and state agency. |
| A．Tempe is in favor of autonomous vehicle testing. |
| B．Autonomous vehicles have a lot of disadvantages. |
| C．Companies should take action to improve self-driving cars. |
| D．A self-driving Uber car caused a pedestrian’s death in Arizona. |
8 . Some scientists have traced the increase in earthquakes, especially in areas not known for the presence of fault lines or past seismic (地震的) activity, to human actions. The idea of humans causing earthquakes may seem strange at first. After all, you can run around your backyard and jump up and down as you want, and the ground isn’t going to start shaking. However, scientists have identified a variety of large scale human activities that can result in earthquakes.
Scientists have confirmed over 700 places where human activities have caused earthquakes over the last century. While many human-related earthquakes are mild and don’t cause much damage, some of them can be serious and dangerous. In fact, scientists believe human activity has caused earthquakes with magnitudes as high as 7.9 on the Richter scale.
Scientists believe most human-related earthquakes are the result of mining. As companies drill deeper and deeper below Earth’s surface to get natural resources, holes left behind can cause instability that leads to collapses that cause earthquakes. Another human activity leading to earthquakes is fracking (水力压裂) for oil and gas, including the high pressure waste water processing that usually goes with fracking. In this process, water, sand and chemicals are pressed underground under high pressure to break rocks to release natural resources.
Building large dams can also cause earthquakes. For example, about 80, 000 people died in China in 2008 as a result of a 7.9-magnitude earthquake caused by 320 million tons of water that had been collected in the Zipingpu Reservoir after a large dam was built over a known fault line.
These aren’t the only human activities that can result in earthquakes, though. Scientists point out that earthquakes can also be caused by other human activities, such as construction of skyscrapers and nuclear explosions.
1. What does the underlined part “fault lines” in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Regions with active human actions. | B．Places associated with natural balance. |
| C．Zones where natural resources are rich. | D．Areas where earthquakes tend to happen. |
| A．They break the balance of nature. | B．They destroy the stability of rocks. |
| C．They use high pressure to get resources. | D．They do much damage to Earth’s surface. |
| A．The 2008 earthquake is the worst in history. | B．Construction of dams should be stopped. |
| C．Tons of water must cause earthquakes. | D．The location of a dam matters much. |
| A．Nature punishes humans by means of earthquakes. | B．Progress has been made on earthquake research. |
| C．Humans are to blame for some earthquakes. | D．Earthquakes are no longer nature-made. |
9 . Make 2022 your most adventurous year by signing up for one of these trips of a lifetime. Sai to Aldabra Atoll for an attractive journey, walk along the frontiers (边境) of Georgia, and explore different habitats of human and animals. These journeys in the faraway areas are unlike any trip you’ve ever taken before.
Exodus Travels
This once-in-a-lifetime journey visits Aldabra Atoll, one of the most faraway UNESCO World Heritage sites on the planet. Hidden away from the impact of humans.
Aldabra has managed to maintain a population of 152,000 large tortoises (龟). This is the trip for those who are interested in wildlife. The clear waters of the Seychelles are home to 850 species of brightly colored fish that you’ll visit on snorkel and dive excursions (浮潜和潜水游览).
Wild Frontiers Adventure Travel
Wild Frontiers Adventure Travel’s Georgia Walking Tour shows the country’s wild side, with plenty of walks in the Svaneti Mountains mixed with cultural experiences like a visit to the faraway village of Adishi, home to just 12 families.
Natural Habitat Adventures
A nine-day adventure centered around Natural Habitat’s unique luxury (豪华的) base camp near the edge of the Greenland ice sheet. You’ll be in one of the world’s most faraway places (with a maximum of only 11 other travelers in your group), but still have the chance to use hot showers and well-prepared meals. You’ll spend your days exploring the nearby waters, meeting the local Inuit villagers and so on.
Mountain Travel Sobek
Together with expert guides, you’ll track gorillas (大猩猩) through Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, getting a rare chance to see these large creatures up close. You’ll also focus your search on another rare creature-the golden monkey.
1. Who will be most likely to choose Aldabra Atoll as a perfect destination?| A．A UNESCO officer. | B．An experienced walker. |
| C．An active environmentalist. | D．A devoted animal lover. |
| A．Travelers will take a cold bath. | B．Travelers have to make dinners alone. |
| C．Travelers will enjoy water sports. | D．Travelers need to prepare a horse. |
| A．They are in faraway places. | B．They provide wildlife visits. |
| C．They feature various cultural activities. | D．They offer stays with local families. |
10 . Danielle Waterman, an English woman rugby (橄榄球) player is interviewed and talks about her experience and opinions about the sport.
Having two older brothers taught me a lot about survival.
I was lucky to have supportive parents, especially my mother, who was my role model.
A few years ago, I got hurt in my knee and was told I couldn’t play again.
| A．That’s what women’s sport needs. |
| B．Sometimes I did feel different to other girls. |
| C．I never thought of myself as different from them. |
| D．Playing rugby is my passion, and it enriches me. |
| E．However, I decided to insist on and to get to the Olympics. |
| F．As well as the physical side, the sport also leads me to a happy life. |
| G．There weren’t many female role models in sport when I was growing up. |
