1 . Are you a fan of outdoor adventures? Do you enjoy scenic views to relax? Look no further, as the following destinations offer all that and more.
Athabasca Falls
Alberta, Canada
Water from the Canadian Rockies flows down into the waterfalls of Jasper National Park, creating a flow with wild energy. The falls are wheelchairs accessible, with a paved path taking admirers to a number of viewpoints. If visitors leave the path, they can explore both the upper and lower regions of the trail.
Akaka Falls Trail
Hakalau, Hawaii
A short half-mile hike is big on sights and low on hard activity. The well-kept ring like trail guide visitors around to see a number of waterfalls, including the 442-foot main attraction, and beautiful local flora (植物群) among the famous landscape. Though there are no hills to climb, there are a number of stairways to go.
Nugget Falls
Juneau, Alaska
Located in Tongass National Forest about 12 miles from Juneau, the Mendenhall Glacier has produced Nugget Falls, a fan-like waterfall that leads into a lake. A series of short hikes allows for different views of the waterfall and icy surrounds, which are also known for frequent brown bear sightings.
Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Valley, California
Yosemite National Park is one of the oldest national parks in America and home to the fifth tallest waterfall in the world. Hikers can reach it by taking a 1-mile trail from the lodge or the 7.2-mile round-trip Yosemite Falls Trail route. Late spring is best, with the highest water flow. In the winter, the temperatures dip below freezing. A park admission fee applies.
1. Where can visitors expect to see frequent brown bear sightings?| A．Athabasca Falls. | B．Akaka Falls Trail. | C．Nugget Falls. | D．Yosemite Falls. |
| A．Winter. | B．Spring. | C．Summer. | D．Fall. |
| A．In a travel magazine. | B．In a novel. | C．In a history book. | D．In a diary. |
2 . Dan Scarfe, the boss of a new company that has found a way to unlock conversation for deaf people, says the idea hit him over Christmas with his family last year.
Scarfe’s grandfather was 97 years old with hearing problems, so he had great trouble communicating with others in the family. This inspired (激励) Scarfe to find a solution so that his grandfather could “talk” with others. “My grandfather either sits in silence or watches TV all the time with subtitles (字幕),” said Scarfe.
Now, just six months later, his company, with the help of Augmented Reality Classes, has invented XRAI Glasses.
The XRAI Glasses are connected to a mobile phone. Our software receives a sound from the microphone on these glasses and sends it down to the phone. Then the phone turns the sound into subtitles. Finally the deaf people can understand it.
“As a deaf person myself, I think it brings us much convenience,” said Steve Crump, Founder and Chair, DeafKidz International. “When I tried on the glasses, the real time subtitles make me join others in their “talk”. I have never done it before. It’s perfect”.
Though XRAI Glasses haves been considered by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People as a game changer with the ability to change lives, the invention is not without its disadvantages. It can’t understand group conversations well when many people talk together. Scarfe said, “we are doing research to make the glasses serve deaf people better. Hopefully, they are available (上市) by September”.
1. What inspired Dan Scarfe to invent the XRAI glasses?| A．Hoping to change the world. | B．Noticing his grandpa’s condition. |
| C．Seeing many deaf people around him. | D．Believing it as a way to make money. |
| A．Where the XRAI Glasses are made. | B．What the XRAI Glasses look like. |
| C．Why the XRAI glasses are popular. | D．How the XRAI glasses work. |
| A．Annoyed. | B．Anxious. | C．Satisfied. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．The XRAI glasses still need improvements. |
| B．The XRAI glasses are available to customers. |
| C．The XRAI glasses deal with group talking well. |
| D．The XRAI glasses can only be tested by the elderly. |
3 . There are some new inventions in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Let’s have a look.
Invention 1: A system to identify Parkinson’s diseaseThe system works by measuring a person’s breathing patterns during sleep. The researchers noted that early signs of Parkinson’s disease are not easy to discover. But the team said the experiments showed that with just one night of sleep, the AI system can correctly identify Parkinson’s disease up to 86% of the time.
Invention 2: A tool to interpret pig emotionsThe scientists developed an AI-driven algorithm to identify a series of emotions the pigs could be experiencing. The study centered on more than 7,000 audio recordings of pigs in different situations. The researchers said the tool can lead to further systems farmers can use to improve the productivity and well-being of their animals.
Invention 3: A system to identify and predict smellsThe scientists built on past research to produce a brain-like technology model to create a “principal odor map” to identify molecules related to smells. The team said such a system can be used across many different fields, including the healthcare, food and fragrance industries, The researchers reported that the system can be used to help fight one of the world’s biggest health problems--diseases spread through insects.
Invention 4: A tool to fill in missing words in ancient writingsThe tool, called Ithaca, is designed to help historians repair the writings and identify when and where they were written. The team said that when historians worked on their own, the success rate for repairing damaged inscriptions was about 25%. But when humans teamed up with Ithaca to assist in their work, the success rate jumped to 72%.
1. Which invention can help farmers increase income?| A．Invention 1. | B．Invention 2. | C．Invention 3. | D．Invention 4. |
| A．They are good for people’s health. | B．They should be used during sleep. |
| C．They can cure people of many diseases. | D．They focus on the research on smells. |
| A．By recovering their health. | B．By improving their accuracy. |
| C．By identifying their writings. | D．By stimulating their emotions. |
4 . One cold morning in early 2015, Lauren Passell was on her way to work. Suddenly, she fell down on the sidewalk. As she tried to stand up, a stranger appeared from the crowd and knelt (跪下) beside her.
The woman introduced herself as Sharon Evans. As Evans helped Passell up, all Passell could think about was that she needed to get to work. But she was in terrible pain, and could hardly stand. Seeing this, Evans told Passell to stay still while she called a taxi.
“And I said, ‘No, you don’t have to do that. I’m sure you have places to be, I can do it.’ And honestly, the second time she said, ‘No, I’m getting you a taxi’ I thought, ‘Oh, thank you. I don’t think I can do this alone.’ ”
Once the taxi arrived, Evans got in with her. Passell tried to tell her that it wasn’t necessary. But Evans stuck to it. Once again, Passel was secretly relieved (如释重负) to have Evans’ help.
Evans didn’t just go to the hospital with Passell. She helped her fill out the paperwork, and even took Passell to the bathroom. Each time, Passell tried to advise Evans to leave, to get to work. And each time, Evans refused.
Once it was time for Passell to be seen by doctors, Evans left. It turned out that Passell’s condition was serious. The doctors told her she needed to have an operation (手术) — if not, she could have died due to the blood clots.
Passell not only recovered (恢复), but ran a half marathon the next year. “I might’ve died if Sharon hadn’t shown so much kindness. So thank you, Sharon, for saving my life. And I hope one day I can pick someone off the sidewalk, just like you did for me.”
1. What happened to Lauren Passell on her way to work?| A．She ran a half marathon. | B．She met a traffic accident. |
| C．She talked with her friend. | D．She fell down and hurt herself. |
| A．Strangers. | B．Old friends. | C．Boss and worker. | D．Doctor and patient. |
| A．To run a marathon. | B．To help those in need. |
| C．To show kindness to Sharon. | D．To wait for Sharon off the sidewalk. |
| A．Brave and honest. | B．Clever and humorous. |
| C．Kind and helpful. | D．Outgoing and friendly. |
5 . Open Lands Day
Join us at the Rogue River Preserve for a very special Open Lands Day!
The preserve includes two miles of riverfront along the Rogue River, a large forest, and some woodlands. It is only open to the public during special events, work parties, and youth education programs. So, come and take advantage of this special opportunity and explore the trails at your own pace, attend a guided hike, bring a picnic lunch to enjoy by the river, or all three.
To limit crowding, registration is required for hikes or self-guided exploration for the day.
| Hike | Time | Activities | |
| Self-guided hike | 10: 00-3: 00 | Explore the preserve at your own pace. | |
| Guided hikes | Lichen Hike | 10: 30-12: 00 | Discover the mysterious lichens (地衣) that live on trees, rocks, and soil with lichenologist, Steve Sheehy. Learn how to identify some of the 57 liches that have been described on the preserve. |
| Cryptozoology Hike “Sassy with Sasquatch” | 12: 00-1: 00 | Bigfoot, Yeti, Sasquatch! Let’s go for a walk to the Fairy Forest and discuss the rare creatures of the Pacific Northwest. This hike will be guided by Rebekah Bergkoetter, Land Steward at SOLC. | |
| Cryptozoology Hike ‘Ness Around and Find Out’ | 1: 30-2: 30 | Learn about the monster (怪物) of Loch Ness while we walk around and find more creatures unique to this area. This hike will be guided by Rebekah Berg koetter, Land Steward at SOLC. | |
Meeting Location: Rogue River Preserve
Pet Policy (政策): This preserve is protected to conserve special habitats. Therefore, we kindly ask you to leave your pets at home. Certified Assistance Dogs will be the only dogs that are allowed.
1. What is a must for hikers at the Rogue River Preserve?
| A．To take a dog. | B．To follow a guide. |
| C．To make a schedule. | D．To register in advance. |
| A．Cryptozoology Hike ‘Ness Around and Find Out’. | B．Cryptozoology Hike ‘Sassy with Sasquatch’. |
| C．Self-guided hike. | D．Lichen Hike. |
| A．All kinds of pets are allowed at the preserve. |
| B．Visitors can only bring beautiful pets to the preserve. |
| C．The preserve can help visitors to take care of the pets. |
| D．Only Certified Assistance Dogs are allowed at the preserve. |
6 . When my son, Mark, was in the third grade, he saved all his pocket money for over three months to buy Christmas presents. The third Saturday in December Mark said he had made his list and had twenty dollars in his pocket.
I drove him to a nearby supermarket. Mark picked up a basket and went in while I waited and watched in the car. It took Mark over 45 minutes to choose his presents. Finally he came to the checkout counter and reached into his pocket for his money. It was not there! There was a hole in his pocket, but no money. Mark stood there holding his basket, tears falling down his face.
Then a surprising thing happened. A woman came up to Mark and took him in her arms. “You would help me a lot if you let me pay for you,” said the woman. “It would be the most wonderful gift you could give me. I only ask that one day you will pass it on. When you grow up, I would like you to find someone you can help. When you help others, 1 know you will feel as good about it as I do now.”
Mark took the money, dried his tears and ran back to the checkout counter as fast as he could. That year we all enjoyed our gifts almost as much as Mark enjoyed giving them to us.
I would like to say “thank you” to that very kind woman, and tell her that four years later, Mark went house to house collecting blankets and clothes for the homeless people in the fire. And I want to promise her that Mark will never forget to keep passing it on.
1. When did the story probably happen?| A．On Christmas Day. | B．Before Christmas Day, |
| C．On New Year’s Day. | D．After New Year’s Day. |
| A．His gifts were stolen. | B．He broke his basket. |
| C．He lost his money. | D．He lost his way. |
| A．Because she bought Mark a nice present. |
| B．Because she always paid money for others. |
| C．Because she collected clothes for the homeless. |
| D．Because she taught Mark to help people in need. |
| A．A big supermarket | B．A kind woman |
| C．A happy family | D．A wonderful gift |
7 . Scientists have designed a tiny, shape-shifting “spider-robot” that can passively use its body as it navigates its environment. The robot is a pioneer that could one day perform surgery or hunt for survivors in a disaster zone, its inventors say.
The robot, mCLARI, is 0.8 inch long, weighs less than 0.03 ounces and can scurry at a maximum speed of 2.4 inches per second, according to the research. The tiny robot is the smaller, faster successor to CLARI, which was designed by the same team. It also passively changes its shape in multiple dimensions to fit through gaps.
“In the long term, we believe such robots to be effective at navigating through human bodies and performing automated surgery such as clearing blocks in blood or removing a tumor (肿瘤). Because of the robot’s small size and the ability to shape change, we foresee applications of this technology in the following four major domains of socioeconomic importance.” Study lead author Kaushik Jayaram, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Colorado, told Live Science in an email. These include disaster response, high-value possession inspection, environmental monitoring and precision medicine.
With mCLARI, Jayaram’s team is inching closer to creating robots that can navigate complex environments — just like the organic creatures they’re inspired by. mCLARI robot has four leg modules that can move in two different dimensions. The robot can move in tight spaces by switching between running forward and side-to-side and can adopt multiple poses and rushing speeds. Its legs fasten to its body through passive joints, which enables mCLARI to alter its body shape based on the environment it encounters. For instance, its legs can stretch up to 50% in certain spaces.
As follow-up work, the scientists want to give mCLARI more power and sensing ability. “We are also excited about understanding the effect of shape change on enhancing motion ability,” Jayaram said.
1. Why does the author use numbers to describe mCLARI?| A．To illustrate its importance. |
| B．To explain its high speed. |
| C．To show its beautiful shape. |
| D．To highlight its advancement. |
| A．Move. | B．Change. | C．Transform. | D．Leap. |
| A．Replacing doctors. |
| B．Helping out in surgery. |
| C．Predicting natural disasters. |
| D．Evaluating family property. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Demanding. | C．Promising. | D．Dismissive. |
8 . Gather together a couple of good friends and take a leisurely stroll through the streets — this is what many youngsters in China enjoy doing when they visit a new city.
To them, Citywalk means “roaming around the city” on foot. Participants can follow a distinctive urban route, soaking up the atmosphere, exploring old buildings, browsing boutique shops, sipping a cup of coffee, or indulging in authentic local snacks.
Citywalk can be a special guided trip for a small group of people, or simply a leisurely stroll for one or two to explore new areas, sticking to the key point: avoiding famous scenic spots and big crowds to gain a more inclusive experience of the places you visit. Besides interacting with a city, Citywalk provides young people with a new social scene, where they who share the same interests and ideas can easily make friends.
In China, the Citywalk trend is spreading from first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai to second and third-tier cities, encouraging more participants and event organizers to get involved. Some organizers invite folk culture researchers and enthusiasts to act as tour guides. Xiao Yiyi, a young entrepreneur in Changsha, recently launched six Citywalk routes in different cities on her social media account, with the aim of providing experiences for visitors to “walk in open-air museums”. Her Changsha route features more offbeat sights like historical architecture from the 19th century, artsy old alleys, and even a stop-off to sample the local spicy crayfish specialty.
Even though Citywalk is a relatively new phenomenon, it is offering a positive change to urban travelers as they can better choose the experiences based on their interests and needs. At the same time, Citywalk represents an opportunity for tour guides and travel service providers to offer a more tailored, professional service to meet with ever-changing market demands.
1. Why do young people choose Citywalk?| A．To enjoy a guided tour. |
| B．To cut down expenses. |
| C．To dig deeper into a city. |
| D．To make new friends. |
| A．Doing sightseeing on foot. | B．Avoiding hot scenic spots. |
| C．Taking a local tour guide. | D．Keeping a fixed urban route. |
| A．A tour guide | B．A culture researcher. |
| C．A Citywalk enthusiast. | D．An event organizer. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Dismissive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unclear. |
9 . Studying abroad is full of adventures-everything is different and exciting. How can you adjust to the new environment soon? Homestay is a great way to get to know the culture from a firsthand aspect. Here are some tips on how to enjoy a successful homestay.
Bring a thoughtful gift.
Respect the schedule.
Even though you’ve paid for your stay, you’re still part of a family that is not yours - respect their schedules. If the meals are at 7 p. m., make sure you are on time.
Attend the family meals.
Most host programs will give you the choice to include meals in your homestay. It’s highly recommended that you join your host family for at least one meal each day
Be fair and honest when problems arise.
When it comes time to leave, you might be feeling some relief about getting back to a more familiar home. Do remember to make an effort to express your thanks to the family for let-ting you into their home and sharing their lives with you.
| A．Show great relief before you leave. |
| B．Express your gratitude before leaving. |
| C．Lies can only make things much worse. |
| D．This can help you taste homemade local food. |
| E．You don’t have to spend a lot of money on the gift. |
| F．Whenever people live together, there’s room for disagreement. |
| G．You must let your host family know in advance if you can’t arrive on time. |
10 . Most of us can’t start our day until we’ve had our morning coffee. However, the production of coffee makes large amounts of agricultural waste, about 50 percent of the actual weight of the coffee produced. Agricultural waste was a huge environmental issue for coffee producers and didn’t have any other purpose for it.
In the past, when coffee beans were roasted to make coffee, husks and pulp (外壳和果肉) were eventually turned into a powerful greenhouse gas. Now a company called Woodpecker mixes recycled plastic along with the coffee husks and pulp to create a new material that’s being used to build houses. The idea was not just to create any material but build one that was both affordable and lightweight. The material could change the way people build houses in hilly areas and remote destinations, where it’s usually harder to transport the traditional material such as bricks, and concrete.
Woodpecker experimented by combining various natural fibers with recycled plastic including rice, palm, and grass fiber. Through trial and error, the company came to the conclusion that the best natural fiber to combine with recycled plastic was coffee husks and pulp which lent the material strength and durability (耐久性). Most importantly, the material would be easily available. The material is also fireproof and prevents insect problems.
The company sponsored (赞助) two complete houses after a hurricane destroyed more than a thousand homes in Colombian. “The system worked perfectly considering there was no power supply, the ground was muddy, the airport was damaged, there was no food, etc., all the problems you can imagine. We believe that our houses are an excellent solution to the housing crisis there,” said Alejandro Franco, CEO of Woodpecker.
1. What makes the material a good choice to build houses in hilly areas and remote destinations?| A．They are easily available. | B．They are fireproof. |
| C．They are lightweight. | D．They are durable. |
| A．By collecting figures online to make a decision. |
| B．By doing experiments to make comparisons. |
| C．By turning to experts to find a solution. |
| D．By asking local people for help. |
| A．The lack of power supply. | B．The damage to the airport. |
| C．The shortage of food and water. | D．The housing crisis after a hurricane. |
| A．Positive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Concerned. | D．Subject. |
