1 . In recent years American society has become increasingly dependent on its universities to find solutions to its major problems. It is the universities that have been to blame for developing the expertise to place men on the moon; for dealing with our urban problems and with our worsening environment; for developing the means to feed the world’s rapidly increasing population. The effort involved in meeting these demands presents its own problems. In addition, however, this concentration on the creation of new knowledge significantly impinges on the universities’ efforts to perform their other principal functions, the transmission and interpretation of knowledge-the imparting of the heritage of the past and the preparing of the next generation to carry it forward.
With regard to this, perhaps their most traditionally acknowledged task, college and universities today find themselves in a serious situation. On one hand, there is the American commitment, especially since World War Ⅱ, to provide higher education for all young people who can profit from it. The result of the commitment has been a dramatic rise in enrollments(登记入学) in our universities, coupled with a striking shift from the private to the public sector of higher education.
On the other hand, there are serious and continuing limitations on the resources available for higher education. While higher education has become a great ”growth industry“, it is also at the same time a tremendous drain(耗竭) on the resources of the nation. With the vast increase in enrollment and the shift in priorities away from education in state and federal(联邦的) budgets, there is in most of our public institutions a significant decrease in expenses for their students. One crucial aspect of this drain on resources lies in the persistent shortage of trained faculty(全体教师), which has led, in turn, to a declining standard of competence in instruction.
Intensifying these difficulties is, as indicated above, the concern with research, with its increasing claims on resources and the attention of the faculty. In addition, there is a strong tendency for the institutions’ organization and functioning to fulfill the demands of research rather than those of teaching.
1. According to Paragraph 1, what should be the most important function of American universities?A.Sparing no effort to create new knowledge for students. |
B.Enhancing students’ competence of tackling social problems. |
C.Making experts on advanced industries out of their students. |
D.Preparing their students to transmit the knowledge of the past. |
A.more students and less investment | B.education quality and economic profit |
C.low enrollment rate and high education demand | D.private ownership and American commitment |
A.many public institutions have to cut down enrollments of students |
B.teachers are not competent enough to perform satisfactorily in class |
C.some institutions are forced to reduce the total expenses on research |
D.there is keen competition for resources between public and private institutions |
A.The improper distribution of American universities’ resources. |
B.The increasing argument over American universities’ primary task. |
C.The inability of American universities’ organization and fulfillment. |
D.The growing focus on American universities’ function of research. |
2 . This is the time of year when many gardeners are harvesting tomatoes. Gardening expert Jessica Damiano recently reported about the many pictures of strangely shaped tomatoes sent to her from fans of her gardening advice.
Not every tomato on an affected plant will be deformed (改变形状), however. What are the possibilities? Under the right conditions (temperatures that are too hot or even too cold), this could affect one or two tomatoes per plant, depending on where they are in the development process and what the (weather) conditions are, said Timothy McDermott, a professor at Ohio State University. The possibility of one of your tomatoes developing a locule oddity (怪异) is about one in a thousand, McDermott said.
And, when harvesting your crop, remember:
A.select the good-looking ones. |
B.Any tomato can grow an extra locule. |
C.the funny-looking tomatoes taste just as good! |
D.What causes the unusual appearance of tomatoes? |
E.Unless otherwise diseased, they are perfectly good for eating. |
F.She said people sometimes question if the tomatoes are okay to eat. |
G.Provide shade for your plants when temperatures are predicted to remain above 32℃. |
3 . According to a study published this week, habitual napping (打盹) appears to be associated with a large brain volume in adults although experts stressed that further research was needed. It reduces the cost caused from the lost time and the fatigue-related errors. The work followed previous studies that suggested a brief doze could improve people’s ability to learn.
Arianna Huffington, a co-founder of Huff Post and the founder and chief executive of Thrive Global, said, “Given the latest science on the effectiveness of napping and the clear link between employees feeling well rested and their productivity, it’s long past time that businesses embrace short naps at work.”
Some businesses, including Thrive Global, have already introduced facilities for employees to take naps. Google introduced sleep pods as far back as 2014 and companies like Nike and Ben & Jerry’s introduced nap rooms. The practice has even been adopted by the NHS, with a growing number of hospitals introducing sleep pods for staff in an effort to help them get more rest. Employees, it seems, are enthusiastic. Sean Greenwood, of Ben & Jerry’s, said, “If a quick nap gets employees more involved and creative, we’re happy to provide that for our team members.”
Unfortunately, the practice of napping still suffers from our collective concept that sleep equals weakness and laziness. However, the performance-enhancing benefits of naps have been no secret to many leaders throughout history. It also gives the higher-ups the chance to acknowledge the 24/7 culture and come up with top-down solutions that encourage workers to take care of themselves in and out of work.
While sleep experts stressed that a daytime doze could be beneficial, they said it was crucial to get enough shut-eye at the end of a day. It is the late stage of sleep, sometimes missed by early risers, that strengthens the nerve circuits that make for learning and memory, allowing the brain to make and consolidate new neutral connections. Additionally, prioritizing sufficient sleep during the regular nightly sleep period is essential for overall well-being.
1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?A.Work stress. | B.Learning abilities. |
C.A research finding. | D.The brain volume. |
A.Dismissive. | B.Approving. |
C.Unclear. | D.Critical. |
A.To advocate enough rest. | B.To praise creative employees. |
C.To compare the differences. | D.To present the current situation. |
A.The approaches to shut-eye. | B.The importance of napping. |
C.The secrets to well-being. | D.The benefits of memory. |
4 . Liu Jichen, 23, a student from Tsinghua University, has developed a WeChat mini-program called “Clear Your Plate”. After a meal, users can open the mini-program and take a picture of their empty plates. Once the image is recognized by the AI(Artificial Intelligence), students can collect points and use them to buy gifts or purchase charity meals to children in impoverished(贫困的) rural areas.
Liu and his team, together with other organizations, launched the “Clear Your Plate” campaign in November for the third year. It has swept over 1,017 universities across the country. The one-month campaign attracted almost 1.6 million participants and collectively reduced food waste by 862 tons and carbon emissions(碳排放) by 3,337 tons.
“Technological innovation is a good way to reduce food waste,” Liu thought. He organized a team of 20 members to work on the project at the end of 2017. To solve the AI’s problem of identifying photos of empty plates, the team spent half a year collecting over 100,000 samples in canteens and restaurants. In 2018, the mini-program was officially put into operation on Oct 16, World Food Day. They then launched a campaign later that year.
“There were so many unknowns in research and development. For our team members, the biggest challenge was whether we were confident enough to complete it,” Liu said. They not only achieved their goal, but now, the mini-program has more than 5 million registered users, according to Liu. “We hope our efforts can start a new trend among the younger generation by encouraging them to cherish(珍惜) their food and develop the habit of thrift(节约),” Liu added.
1. What can we know about the “Clear Your Plate” mini-program?A.It aims to put an end to waste and encourage thrift. |
B.Its 6 million users are mostly students. |
C.It helped reduce food waste by 3,337 tons. |
D.It is an exchange of food for rewards to help poor children. |
A.They found it tough to promote the campaign. |
B.They felt uncertain whether they could complete the project. |
C.They lacked professional technical support. |
D.They had difficulty gathering enough samples. |
A.Optimistic and demanding. | B.Generous and responsible. |
C.Talented and humorous. | D.Creative and determined. |
A.A guidebook. | B.A news report. | C.A book review. | D.A textbook. |
5 . How Did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Die?
On November 20th, 1791, Mozart suddenly came down with fever and was wracked with pain. His arms and legs were severely swollen. In the following days his health significantly deteriorated. He died on December 5 after lapsing into a coma. The death certificate states he died of “severe miliary fever”. Exactly which disease led to Mozart’s death has been a mystery for the last 200 years.
SpeculationsMany myths —some more plausible than others — entwine (缠绕) Mozart’s early demise. One of the most popular myths — that Mozart was poisoned by his rival Antonio Salieri — rose to prominence due to the popularity of the film Amadeus. This theory is supported by the fact that Mozart had been living through a phase of depression before his death, suffering from paranoia and existential fear. Mozart himself suspected that the cause of his deteriorating health was being poisoned over a long time. However, it is highly likely that this was just his subjective view of reality.
Many other speculations circulate. Syphilis and trichinellosis are frequently mentioned. In 1905, a French physician assumed uric acid poisoning due to a never fully healed nephritis. In 1961, lead poisoning was suggested as a possible cause of death.
Scientific attempts to explain Mozart’s deathIn 2000, a group of American scientists proposed rheumatic fever caused by a strep infection after conducting meticulous detective work. The symptoms stated in literature and the reports of Mozart’s contemporaries yielded the clues. Without antibiotics, such an infection would inevitably lead to death. Rheumatic fever causes a weakening of the heart, which could explain Mozart’s swollen limbs.
In 2009, the Dutch scientist Richard Zegers extensively studied surviving documents and concluded that Mozart had been suffering from pharyngitis, a throat infection with symptoms including cramps, fever, rashes and a swollen neck. Mozart’s sister-in-law Sophie Haibel had described these symptoms. The death registry of Vienna for winter 1791 lists several deaths caused by this disease.
Whatever the cause of Mozart’s death, it came far too early. Let us thank him for his manic urge to create art and remember him on December 5th!
1. Which of the following is similar in meaning to the underlined word “deteriorate” (Paragraph 1)?A.To become worse. | B.To change greatly. |
C.To recover quickly. | D.To be harmed rapidly. |
A.It is generally believed that Mozart was poisoned by his friend. |
B.Mozart’s depression paranoia and existential fear led to his death. |
C.Mozart had been poisoned sustainably for a long time before he died. |
D.Mozart once got a nephritis and it was never healed. |
A.Mozart’s disease was recorded in contemporary literature and reports. |
B.Antibiotics were not discovered at that time. |
C.Rheumatic fever can only be caused by strep infection. |
D.Mozart’s illness cannot be cured even today. |
A.To back up the Dutchman’s study. |
B.To prove they were common symptoms causing death in 1791. |
C.To prove Mozart did have such symptoms before his death. |
D.To emphasize her special identify as a witness to Mozart’s death. |
6 . A growing body of research suggests that the gut microbiome (消化道菌群) could play a major role in a rising chronic disease that makes us physically weaker. The illness, which is commonly called chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), is characterized by intense fatigue, gastrointestinal (胃肠道的) issues, muscle pain, and cognitive challenges such as headaches and difficulty concentrating, among other symptoms. It often follows a viral infection which can lead to a “disruption” in a balanced gut ecosystem. Actually, an increasing number of Americans have been the sufferers since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Two recent studies published in Cell Host &Microbe point to changes in the microbiome as a possible cause of CFS. Research groups at Columbia University and the Jackson Laboratory performed detailed analyses of the microbes in stool (粪便) samples from patients with CFS and compared them to healthy controls.
The two groups found similar bacteria species were less present in CFS patients compared to control patients. They focused on bacteria that produce butyrate, a fatty acid involved in regulating metabolism and the immune system. “Butyrate plays several roles in directing the body’s response to infections, while also protecting the barrier between the intestine (肠) and the circulatory system, regulating genetic changes in cells, and more,” says Brent Williams, lead author on the Columbia study. Williams and his colleagues extensively analyzed the role of butyrate in CFS patients’ guts, even identifying a correlation between low levels of bacteria that produce this acid and more severe symptoms.
Parallel findings from the Jackson Laboratory team suggest the bacteria that produce butyrate could be used to diagnose CFS. Previous research has identified microbiome issues in CFS patients, but the new findings help clarify which microbes could be related to the illness.
More research on butyrate-producing bacteria and other species identified in the studies is necessary to investigate these potential biomarkers of CFS, the authors say. If the findings are replicated, specific gut bacteria could be used to diagnose the illness, which is currently identified based on symptoms alone.
The findings additionally point toward possible treatments, such as probiotics or microbiome-focused diet adjustments—though patients who have been sick for long periods may require drugs that alleviate the damage done to their metabolism or immune system.
1. What do we know about CFS?A.It is caused by COVID-19 only. | B.It is an illness with systemic symptoms. |
C.It breaks the balance of the gut ecosystem. | D.The number of the infected is on the decrease. |
A.By controlling data. | B.By identifying genes. |
C.By analyzing samples. | D.By comparing symptoms. |
A.Butyrate’s multiple functions are promoted. |
B.Targeted gut microbes may be used to diagnose CFS. |
C.Certain microbes responsible for CFS are narrowed down. |
D.Probiotics supplement with drugs can be a treatment for CFS. |
A.Gut microbiome may be the key to CFS. | B.Microbes help digest food and aid absorption. |
C.Man’s gut is a rich, diverse tropical rainforest. | D.New method for diagnosing CFS are provided. |
7 . The teenage years are probably the most unsettled and stressful years in a person’s life. Teens experience significant physical, emotional, social and cognitive changes. And teens of today face more challenges as they go through more uncertain times of the 21st century.
As teens experience massive physical, social and emotional changes, the challenges are managing social expectations of ideal body images, developing their identity and finding their place in the world. In the past, a teen who was criticized for his or her larger figure or pimpled (有粉刺的) face, might feel embarrassed and dejected in school.
There have been many discussions about new technologies and ways of working, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, which will impact future jobs.
A.They can also be spread quickly by sharing with others. |
B.Furthermore, social media has taken bullying to a new level. |
C.The future has always been a dreamland for teens to anticipate. |
D.Today, these same sufferings can be expanded by social media. |
E.Social media, and technological advances are posing new challenges. |
F.Additionally, social media is a strong tool for a teen to defend himself. |
G.The challenge for a teen today is preparing for a largely unknown future. |
8 . Genetic information is important because it stores, processes and transmits biological data from generation to generation. Some scientists even assume that knowing genetic information itself matters.
For example, in quantum mechanics (量子力学), there is a popular theory known as the “observer effect”, which states that the act of observing a phenomenon (usually by making some kind of measurement) necessarily changes that phenomenon. In other words, just by being there and having an interest in the outcome, we affect that outcome.
While the explanations behind the observer’s influence in quantum mechanics come down to the measuring instrument and not the observer’s conscious mind, we also see strong evidence for the “placebo effect” in medicine: a patient’s condition can improve if they just believe they are receiving an effective treatment. And those beneficial effects can happen even if the patient is not actually receiving that treatment or if the treatment doesn’t actually work.
If our minds truly do have power over our surroundings and our bodies, what does having the genetic information do to us? Does simply knowing more about our own physiology (生理机能) change it? A recent study on exercise and obesity suggests that the answer is yes.
Those who were told they were at low genetic risk for obesity produced 2.5 times more of the fullness hormone and claimed to feel fuller despite eating the same meal as they had one week prior. Those who were told they had lower endurance because of their genes did worse on their physical test than they had before receiving that information: they showed lower lung capacity and quit sooner.
Thus, having information about our genetic risk can lead to improvements in our physiology (as was true for the eaters of the study), but it can also put us at a disadvantage (as with the poor exercise performers). So we certainly need to be cautious of incorrect genetic information. But as the Stanford study shows, even if the genetic information we receive is correct, how we receive it is also important.
1. How does the “placebo effect” in medicine work?A.The patient recovers with the timely treatment. |
B.The patient’s condition worsens due to a lack of treatment. |
C.The patient’s condition remains unchanged despite their belief. |
D.The patient’s condition improves with the belief in the treatment. |
A.They showed lower lung capacity. |
B.They quit their physical test sooner. |
C.They needed more food to satisfy their appetite. |
D.They felt fuller with more fullness hormone released. |
A.Positive. | B.Objective. |
C.Ambiguous. | D.Negative. |
A.The great power of the observer’s mind. |
B.The influence of knowing genetic information. |
C.The amazing application of genetic information. |
D.The connection between Quantum Mechanics and Medicine. |
9 . Have you ever made your life look a little more attractive on social media than it actually is? If so, you may be damaging your mental health.
The posts we make on social media platforms allow us to look back and see what we did on a given day. But what happens when, in an effort to impress our online friends, photos and videos we post become beautiful versions of the things we did?
A young girl named Sophia went out to a romantic anniversary dinner with her boyfriend, had a near relationship-ending fight during dessert, then came home and posted, “Had the best time out with the love of my life!”—even with a photo of the meal. No surprise, but according to a new study, Sophia was by no means unique. Two-thirds of users admit lying about their lives on social media with 20 percent of young people between the ages of 18 and 24 stating that they edit their own stories by frequently lying about relationships and promotions.
By beautifying our online stories, we are harming our memories. We start believing the stories we tell rather than remembering what really has happened. Soon, the real experience is lost and all that remains is the beautified version of history.
Scientists fear that these edited stories will end up changing our memories. It’s well confirmed through research that our own memories are often unreliable and can be easily controlled. Writing down one’s life in the form of a journal, or even on social media can help us keep our memories undamaged, but only if we tell the truth. And recording our experiences through whatever medium, to later recall lessons we have learned, is not only acceptable but desirable. In fact, looking back on our own past—however embarrassing or uncomfortable—is not just healthy but can be enjoyable.
1. Why did Sophia post her story with a photo of the meal?A.To make herself attractive. | B.To show her photography skill. |
C.To convince others of her story. | D.To show how amazing the meal was. |
A.Encouraging. | B.Critical. | C.Humorous. | D.Enthusiastic. |
A.recalling the unpleasant past can also be enjoyable |
B.writing down our life on social media does no good to us |
C.recording our experiences through media is unacceptable |
D.editing our own stories will make us unreliable |
A.Leaving others a good impression is desirable. |
B.Editing our online stories weakens our memory. |
C.Posting our experiences on social media is risky. |
D.Beautifying our history ends up hurting ourselves. |
10 . There are many ways to travel within a city. We can walk, cycle, or take a bus. But no matter which way we travel, we have to follow the route (线路) the city planners laid down for us.
Parkour practitioners (跑酷爱好者), however, see the city in a completely different way. To them, there are no designed routes. There are no walls and no stairs — they jump, climb, roll and crawl to move across, through, over and under anything that they find in their path. The city is their playground.
The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has noticed that this activity is drawing more and more people to it — there are 100, 000 people taking part in parkour today in the UK alone, according to The Guardian — and how it is helpful for people to be much stronger: It trains coordination and balance. So the FIG is thinking about recognizing parkour as a new sport and adding it to the Olympics by 2024.
But parkour practitioners themselves don’t seem to be happy with the idea. They see parkour as “a lifestyle”, wrote the website NextSportStar. “It’s a competition against the conditions rather than just a sport.”
Indeed, many do parkour just to “escape the daily routine and experience the city in different ways”, wrote reporter Oli Mould on The Conversation. They see parkour as a way to express themselves through relaxing moves and creative routes while freeing themselves from the pressure.
It’s great that the FIG wants to develop a new sport and stay close to a new cultural form. But it would be greater if they knew that not everything in life is a competition.
1. How do the parkour practitioners do parkour?A.They plan the way themselves. |
B.They move on as they wish. |
C.They run faster than others. |
D.They follow certain routes. |
A.It’s a special way of life. |
B.It draws their attention. |
C.It helps balance people’s life. |
D.It’s good for people to keep healthy. |
A.It is more exciting than other sports. |
B.It is worth adding to the sporting event. |
C.It is more a lifestyle than a competition. |
D.It encourages people to challenge themselves. |
A.Parkour practitioners |
B.Making the city their own |
C.Training in a different way |
D.A new sports competition |