2 . Researchers say they have translated the meaning of gestures that wild chimpanzees (黑猩猩) use to communicate. They say wild chimps communicate 19 specific messages to one another with a “vocabulary” of 66 gestures. The scientists discovered this by following and filming groups of chimps in Uganda, and examining more than 5,000 incidents of these meaningful exchanges.

Dr Catherine Hobaiter, who led the research, said that this was the only form of intentional communication to be recorded in the animal kingdom. Only humans and chimps, she said, had a system of communication where they deliberately sent a message to another group member.

“That’s what’s so amazing about chimp gestures,” she said. “They’re the only thing that looks like human language in that respect.”

Although previous research has shown that apes and monkeys can understand complex information from another animal’s call, the animals do not appear to use their voices intentionally to communicate messages. This was a significant difference between calls and gestures, Dr Hobaiter said.

Chimps will check to see if they have the attention of the animal with which they wish to communicate. In one case, a mother presents her foot to her crying baby, signaling: “Climb on me.” The youngster immediately jumps on to its mothers back and they travel off together. “The big message from this study is that there is another species (物种) out there. that is meaningful in its communication, so that’s not unique to humans,” said Dr Hobaiter.

Dr Susanne Shultz, an evolutionary biologist from the University of Manchester, said the study was praiseworthy in seeking to enrich our knowledge of the evolution of human language. But, she added, the results were “a little disappointing”.

“The vagueness of the gesture meanings suggests either that the chimps have little to communicate, or we are still missing a lot of the information contained in their gestures and actions,” she said. “Moreover, the meanings seem to not go beyond what other animal convey with non-verbal communication. So, it seems the gulf remains. ”

1. What do chimps and humans have in common according to Dr Hobaiter?

A．Memorizing specific words.	B．Understanding complex information.
C．Using voices to communicate.	D．Communicating messages on purpose.

2. What did Dr Shultz think of the study?

A．It was well designed but poorly conducted.

B．It was a good try but the findings were limited.

C．It was inspiring but the evidence was unreliable.

D．It was a failure but the methods deserved praise.

3. What does the underlined word “gulf” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Difference.

B．Conflict.

C．Balance.

D．Connection.

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

A．Chimpanzee behaviour study achieved a breakthrough

B．Chimpanzees developed specific communication skills

C．Chimpanzees: the smartest species in the animal kingdom

D．Chimpanzee language: communication gestures translated

4 . My Favourite Books

Jo Usmar is a writer for Cosmopolitan and co-author of the This Book Will series(系列) of lifestyle books. Here she picks her top reads.

Matilda
Roald Dahl

I once wrote a paper on the influence of fairy tales on Roald Dahl’s writing and it gave me a new appreciation for his strange and delightful words. Matilda’s battles with her cruel parents and the bossy headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, are equally funny and frightening, but they’re also aspirational.

After Dark
Haruki Murakami

It’s about two sisters—Eri, a model who either won’t or can’t stop sleeping, and Mari, a young student. In trying to connect to her sister, Mari starts changing her life and discovers a world of diverse “night people” who are hiding secrets.

Gone Girl
Gillian Fynn

There was a bit of me that didn’t want to love this when everyone else on the planet did, but the horror story is brilliant. There’s tension and anxiety from the beginning as Nick and Amy battle for your trust. It’s a real whodunit and the frustration when you realise what’s going on is horribly enjoyable.

The Stand
Stephen King

This is an excellent fantasy novel from one of the best storytellers around. After a serious flu outbreak wipes out 99.4% of the world’s population, a battle unfolds between good and evil among those left. Randall Flagg is one of the scariest characters ever.

1. Who does “I” refer to in the text?

A．Stephen King.	B．Gillian Flynn.
C．Jo Usmar.	D．Roald Dahl.

2. Which of the following tells about Mari and Eri?

A．Cosmopolitan.	B．Matilda.
C．After Dark.	D．The Stand.

3. What kind of book is Gone Girl?

A．A folk tale.	B．A biography.
C．A love story.	D．A horror story.

5 . Washington, D.C. Bicycle Tours

Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.

Duration: 3 hours

This small group bike tour is a fantastic way to see a world-famous cherry trees with beautiful flowers of Washington, D.C. Your guide will provide a history lesson about the trees and the famous monuments where they blossom. Reserve your spot before availability — the cherry blossoms—disappear!

Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour

Duration: 3 hours (4 miles)

Join a guided bike tour and view some of the most popular monuments in Washington, D.C. Explore the monuments and memorials on the National Mall as your guide shares unique facts and history at each stop. Guided tour includes bike, helmet, cookies and bottled water.

Capital City Bike Tour In Washington, D.C.

Duration: 3 hours

Morning or Afternoon, this bike tour is the perfect tour for D. C. newcomers and locals looking to experience Washington, D.C. in a healthy way with minimum effort. Knowledgeable guides will entertain you with the most, interesting stories about Presidents, Congress, memorials, and parks. Comfortable bikes and a smooth tour route(路线) make cycling between the sites fun and relaxing.

Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour

Duration: 3 hours (7miles)

Join a small group bike tour for an evening of exploration in the heart of Washington, D.C. Get up close to the monuments and memorials as you bike the sites of Capitol Hill and the National Mall. Frequent stops are made for photo taking as your guide offers unique facts and history. Tour includes bike, helmet, and bottled water. All riders are equipped with reflective vests and safety lights.

1. Which tour do you need to book in advance?

A．Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.

B．Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour.

C．Capital City Bike Tour in Washington.

D．Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour.

2. What will you do on the Capital City Bike Tour?

A．Meet famous people.	B．Go to a national park.
C．Visit well-known museums.	D．Enjoy interesting stories.

3. Which of the following does the bicycle tour at night provide?

A．City maps.	B．Cameras.
C．Meals.	D．Safety lights.

6 . OPENINGS AND PREVIEWS

Animals Out of Paper

Yolo！Productions and the Great Griffon present the play by Rajiv Joseph, in which an origami(折纸术) artist invites a teenage talent and his teacher into her studio. Merri Milwe directs. In previews. Opens Feb. 12. (West Park Presbyterian Church, 165 W. 86th St. 212-868-4444.)

The Audience

Helen Mirren stars in the play by Peter Morgan, about Queen Elizabeth II of the UK and her private meetings with twelve Prime Ministers in the course of sixty years. Stephen Daldry directs. Also starring Dylan Baker and Judith Ivey. Previews begin Feb. 14.(Schoenfeld, 236 W. 45th St. 212-239-6200.)

Hamilton

Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote this musical about Alexander Hamilton, in which the birth of America is presented as an immigrant story. Thomas Kail directs. In previews. Opens Feb. 17.(Public, 425 Lafayette St. 212-967-7555.)

On the Twentieth Century

Kristin Chenoweth and Peter Gallagher star in the musical comedy by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, about a Broadway producer who tries to win a movie star’s love during a cross-country train journey. Scott Ellis directs, for Roundabout Theatre Company. Previews begin Feb. 12.(American Airlines Theatre, 227 W. 42nd St. 212-719-1300.)

1. What is the play by Rajiv Joseph probably about?

A．A type of art.	B．A teenager’s studio.
C．A great teacher.	D．A group of animals.

2. Who is the director of The Audience?

A．Helen Mirren.	B．Peter Morgan.
C．Dylan Baker.	D．Stephen Daldry.

3. Which play will you go to if you are interested in American history?

A．Animals Out of Paper.	B．The Audience.
C．Hamilton.	D．On the Twentieth Century.

7 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Few people I know seem to have much desire or time to cook. Making Chinese     1    (dish) is seen as especially troublesome. Many westerners     2     come to China cook much less than in their own countries once they realize how cheap     3     can be to eat out. I still remember     4     (visit) a friend who’d lived here for five years and I     5    (shock) when I learnt she hadn’t cooked once in all that time.

While regularly eating out seems to     6    (become) common for many young people in recent years, it’s not without a cost. The obvious one is money; eating out once or twice a week may be     7    (afford) but doing this most days adds up. There could be an even     8     (high) cost on your health. Researchers have found that there is a direct link between the increase in food eaten outside the home and the rise in     9    (weigh) problems.

If you are not going to suffer this problem, then I suggest that the next time you go to your mum’s home     10     dinner, get a few cooking tips from her. Cooking food can be fun. You might also begin to notice the effects not only on your health but in your pocket.

8 . Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is road testing a new way to keep winter roads ice-free – by spreading on them cheese brine, the salty liquid used to make soft cheese, like mozzarella.

Wisconsin, also called "America's Dairyland," is famous for its cheese. The state produced 2.8 billion pounds of cheese last year! As a result, there was a lot of leftover cheese brine. Disposing of(处置)the brine can be expensive. So what should cheese makers do with the waste?

Normally, towns use rock salt to de-ice streets. The salt lowers waters' freezing point, causing ice to melt(融化). But using cheese brine could help both cheese producers and cities save money, while keeping roads safe. Cheese brine has salt in it, which, like the rock salt, helps lower water's freezing point.

In addition to saving money, cheese brine could also be a more environment-friendly option. Many people suspect that all the rock salt used every winter is harming the environment.

Rock salt is made of sodium chloride, the sane con-pound (化合物)in ordinary table salt. Sounds harmless, right? But while you probably add only a small amount of salt to your food, road crews spread about 20 million tons of salt on U.S. Roads every year!

The chemical washes off roads and goes into the ground. There it can pollute drinking water, harm plants. and eat away soil. By spreading cheese brine on streets before adding a layer of rock salt, Milwaukee may be able to cut its rock salt use by 30 percent.

Cheese brine has a downside too – a shell similar to that of bad milk. "I don't really mind it," Emil Norby told Modern Farmer magazine. He works for one of Wisconsin's county highway commissions and came up with the idea of using cheese brine. "Our roads smell like Wisconsin!" he said.

1. Why can cheese brine help keep winter roads ice-free?

A．It is soft.

B．It contains salt.

C．It is warm.

D．It has milk in it.

2. What is a benefit of using cheese urine on roads?

A．Improving air quality.	B．Increasing sales of rock salt.
C．Reducing water pollution.	D．Saving the cheese industry.

3. Milwaukee's new way to de-ice streets may be an example of_______________.

A．barking up the wrong tree	B．putting the cart before the horse
C．robbing Peter to pay Paul	D．killing two birds with one stone

9 . It was summer, and my dad wanted to treat me to a vacation like never before. He decided to take me on a trip to the Wild West.

We took a plane to Albuquerque, a big city in the state of New Mexico. We reached Albuquerque in the late afternoon. Uncle Paul, my dad’s friend, picked us up from the airport and drove us up to his farm in Pecos.

His wife Tina cooked us a delicious dinner and we got to know his sons Ryan and Kyle. My dad and I spent the night in the guestroom of the farm house listening to the frogs and water rolling down the river nearby. Very early in the morning, Uncle Paul woke us up to have breakfast. "The day starts at dawn on my farm," he said. After breakfast, I went to help Aunt Tina feed the chickens, while my dad went with Uncle Paul to take the sheep out to graze(吃草). I was impressed to see my dad and Uncle Paul riding horses. They looked really cool.

In the afternoon, I asked Uncle Paul if I could take a horse ride, and he said yes, as long as my dad went with me. I wasn’t going to take a horse ride by myself anyway. So, my dad and I put on our new cowboy hats, got on our horses, and headed slowly towards the mountains. "Don’t be late for supper," Uncle Paul cried, "and keep to the track so that you don’t get lost!" "OK! " my dad cried back. After a while Uncle Paul and his farm house were out of sight. It was so peaceful and quiet and the colors of the brown rocks, the deep green pine trees, and the late afternoon sun mixed to create a magic scene. It looked like a beautiful woven(编织的) blanket spread out upon the ground just for us.

Suddenly a little rabbit jumped out in front of my horse.

注意：

（1）所续写短文的词数应为l50左右；

（2）至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语：

（3）续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；

（4）续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。

Paragraph 1: Suddenly a little rabbit jumped out in front of my horse. ____________

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Paragraph 2: We had no idea where we were and it was getting dark. _____________

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10 . 阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

China plans to complete the construction of a space station and have    1    put into operation around 2022, said Zhou Jianping, the chief designer of China's manned space program, at a forum (论坛)    2    (hold) in south China's Guangdong Province. The space station,    3    could be enlarged if needed,    4    (design) to weigh 100 tonnes and accommodate three astronauts, according to Zhou.

“The main goal of the construction or the space station is to enable China to become a country    5    (independent) mastering the technology for long term manned flight in near Earth space, and having the capacity to carry out long-term manned scientific    6     (experiment) in near Earth space and comprehensive development and utilization (利用) of space resources,"    7    (say) Zhou at the 4^th China Summit Forum on Human Factors Engineering, which was held at SunYat-sen University from Saturday to Sunday.

The space station will be built as China’s main platform for space science research    8    the intention of mastering the technologies in constructing and    9    (operate) large space facilities, the technologies that guarantee life and health of astronauts who often fly in orbit, and the construction of a    10    (nation) space lab, according to Zhou.