A. assigned. B. bond. C. consequently. D. deliberately. E. discomfort F. eliminate G. measured. H. pass. I. reluctant J. reveal K. sympathetic |
There are plenty of complaints about how social media — texting in particular — may be harming children’s social and intellectual development. But a new study suggests that constant instant messaging(IM’ing)and texting among teens may also provide benefits, particularly for introverts, who are
British researchers analyzed 150 conversations exchanged by 231 teens. In 100 of these chats, the study participant began IM’ing while in a negative emotional state such as sadness or anger. The rest were conversations begun when the participant was feeling good or neutral. After the chat, participants reported a 20%reduction in their distress — not enough to completely
“Our findings suggest that IM’ing between distressed adolescents and their peers may provide emotional relief and
Why would digital communication beat human contact? The regions are complex, but may have something to do with the fact that users can control their expressions of sadness and other emotions they may be having via IM without having to
A. ballooning. B. frost-intolerant. C. directly. D. contributors. E. erupted F. conditions. G. shaded H. sensor-equipped I. engineering J. situated K. properly |
Farm of the Future in the Sky
Five storeys off the ground at Colorado State University, a highly unlikely garden grows under a long row of rooftop solar panels. It's late November at 9 am, when the temperature is-2℃ and the wind is cutting. Not long before my arrival, researchers had pulled the last
This is no ordinary green roof, but an expansive and
Therefore, the overall goal of the rooftop farm is to grow more food for
However, being
It is obviously early days for rooftop farms, but some effects were already evident. Instead of being big, dead spaces, roofs may act as booming ecosystems.
A. attraction B. waiting C. mystery D. unique E. simply F. originally G. stable H. popularity I. donating J. searching K. interfere |
There’s a rarely-visited, dusty corner of the world where something magical happens. The place, which looks like Mars with its red rock landscape, is the Tatacoa Desert, in Colombia.
Tatacoa is located in the region of Huila, south of the country’s capital Bogotá. Although Tatacoa, with its protruding cacti and red rippled rocks, is called a desert, it is in fact a dry tropical forest. But the exciting, and very
Thanks to its remote location — it’s almost 30 miles and an hour’s drive over bumpy winding roads to the nearest town — Tatacoa has no light pollution to
Up to 88 constellations (星座) are visible on a clear night, as well as both hemispheres — something that happens nowhere else in the world.
The warm and dry climate helps with stargazing; a
Not only is Tatacoa a natural wonder, but the DIY observatory that’s run by a Colombian man named Javier Fernanda Rua Restrepo has become a star
The Colombian, who is
At first Restrepo had worked at the Colombian government’s observatory, which he helped staff for 15 years. But after budget cuts meant he lost his job, he figured he would
In 2015, Restrepo opened the doors to his observatory — Tatacoa Astronomia — with just one telescope. Now, as Colombia has grown in
Tatacoa Astronomia is only open on starry nights, and Restrepo remains the sole employee. But that doesn’t distract from the intimacy and the specialness of the place. The structure sits on a small patch of land that Restrepo bought himself, and is cordoned (隔离) off by tarpaulin (油布) to add an extra sense of
“The stars… they put my life into its tiny perspective,” he says, “and they constantly remind me there are greater things out there.”
A. carved B. unknowingly C. ecosystem D. artificial E. elemental F. changing G. practically H. wrinkled I. unmoving J. species K. inspection |
Magical Creatures: AN APPRECIATION OF AUTUMN MOTH (蛾)
Moths seem to have a bit of a bad reputation: to some they are ill indications or something scary, to others they are dull in comparison to our well-loved butterflies. But moths are an essential part of a(n)
My first meeting with an Angle Shades moth was nearly a non-encounter. I almost passed by without noticing it, thinking it was a fallen leaf on a fence post. But there was something about it that stopped me in my tracks. Its angular shape perhaps? Or the way it sat,
The Canary-shouldered Thorn, with its hairy buttercup-coloured body and yellow and orange wings, reminds me of a fallen silver birch (白桦树) leaf. A night-flyer, it favours gardens and woodlands, and is often drawn to
There’s more to these imitators than fallen leaves. The Green-spotted Crescent, which
A. smoothing B. remain C. switched D. likelihood E. impact F. tip G. broadly H. headed I. booming J. positioning K. reliably |
Sea-level rise predictions
A team of University of Idaho scientists is studying a fast-moving glacier in Alaska in hopes of developing better predictions on how quickly global sea levels will rise.
Tim Bartholomaus, a professor in the Department of Geography and Geological Sciences, spent several weeks on Turner Glacier in Alaska’s southeastern
A surging glacier is defined,
During Turner’s surges, the mass of ice and rock will increase its speed from roughly 3 feet a day to 65 feet per day.
All of that is important because glaciers falling into the ocean are a major contributor to sea level rise, and current climate change models don’t
Glacial movement has something to do with water running underneath the glacier. Glaciers are full of holes, and water runs through those holes. When the water pressure is high underneath a glacier, it starts to move, partly because it’s lifting the mass of ice and rock off the ground and partly because it’s
But how exactly does that water move through the glacier, and how does the movement
Bartholomaus, some graduate students and researchers from Boise State University,
A. contributors B. publisher C. conferences D. alternatives E. chalked F. passive G. general H. inherited I. completely J. duly K. order |
Textbooks
Textbooks represent an 11 billion dollar industry, up from $8 billion in 2014. Textbook publisher Pearson is the largest
It is true that textbook publishers have recently reported losses, largely due to students renting or buying used print textbooks. But this can be
Today’s psychology texts, for example, ask: “How much of your personality do you think you
7 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.
A. unanticipated B. moments C. evolved D. basically E. explored F. clearly G. navigate H. rituals I. integral J. access K. inspiring |
Boat of Power
Dragon boat racing began in China more than 2,000 years ago as part of a cultural community event to memorize the ancient poet, Qu Yuan. The traditional holiday was a time to perform
The Toronto-based Dragons Abreast team stands out at this sport for a few reasons. For one, the79-member team includes people ranging in age from 30 to 93. Prior to joining Dragons Abreast, some members hadn’t been part of a sports team since childhood and wouldn’t have described themselves as particularly athletic ones. And what has brought these women together is something
The breast cancer survivors on this team are in the same boat in every way. For many, being part of a community that knows
“I was so surprised at how
Being out on the water and connecting to the environment is an important aspect of dragon boating for many of the team members. They talk about how it provides
A.normally B. boost C. sustain D. gains E. assessing F. substantially G. efforts H. mixed I. surprising J. anticipate K. assigned |
Your Social-Media Detoxes (脱瘾治疗) Probably Aren’t Helping You
We’ve all heard the supposed benefits of unplugging from digital devices, even for 24 hours. Such breaks are said to
The researchers recruited 600 undergraduate students in three places: the United States, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. All participants were randomly
Even short social-media breaks can be hard to
9 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.
A.attractive B.bothered C.building D.contrasts E.crossed F.demonstrates G.dramatically H.greyed I.instrumental J.sustaining K.vividly |
A Review on Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer is Christopher Nolan’s film about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man known as “the father of the atomic(原子的) bomb”. As a drama about genius, pride and error, it
Oppenheimer is a great achievement, partly because it
The story tracks Oppenheimer across decades, starting in the 1920s with him as a young adult and continuing until his hair
The path of Oppenheimer’s life
François Truffaut once wrote that “war films, even those who support peace, even the best, willingly or not, present wars in a certain
10 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in each blank with a proper word given in the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.
A. housed B. overcome C. mounting D. distress E. marveling F. instrument G. chain H. facilitate I. pilot J. confused K. striking |
Unlocking The Vatican Museums
Gianni Crea has, almost every morning for the past decade, unlocked the doors to the Vatican Museums. He has seen the splendor of the Sistine Chapel and admired the textures of ancient Egypt. “Yes, I’m a key keeper. But the doors I open are the ones to the history of art, and it’s here that exists the biggest and most beautiful history in the world,” says Crea.
The Vatican Museums have
“In the difficult current context the world is experiencing, in which sadness and
There is also
“Everyone can find something beautiful and moving here,” says Crea, who always welcomes travelers from around the world to accompany him during his morning routine on select dates. “The Vatican Museums will give you an understanding of art and history regardless of your faith.”