1 . Blood donations save lives. But blood can only be stored under refrigeration for up to six weeks. After that, it’s no longer usable for transfusions. Because of that limitation, people have to continually donate blood to meet the needs.
Jonathan Kopechek, a bioengineer from University of Louisville says suspension to regular blood donations due to COVID-19 has put stress on the blood supply, and the pandemic underscores the need for more reliable long-term storage methods.
Good news is that Kopechek’s team has developed a method of preserving blood so it can be stored in a dehydrated(脱水的) state at room temperature. To do so, they turned to a sugar called trehalose(海藻糖), which is a common ingredient in donuts(甜甜圈). Trehalose is intended to help make them look fresh even when they are months old, and you wouldn’t know the difference.
The researchers chose trehalose because, in nature, it’s made by animals like sea monkeys—famous for their ability to survive dehydration. “So these animals can dry out completely for a long time and then be rehydrated and resume normal function. So we wanted to use the trehalose produced by these organisms and apply that to preserving blood cells in a dried state.”
But first, the researchers had to get trehalose into blood cells. To achieve this, they drilled temporary holes in the cell membranes(细胞膜). And they need to have sufficient trehalose on both the inside and the outside of the cell in order to survive the dehydration and rehydration process. At that point, the blood could be dried and made into a powder. “And then we can rehydrate the blood and have it return back to normal.”
Kopechek said the technique could be ready for clinical trials in three to five years. If successful, it could be used to create stores of dried blood in case of future pandemics or natural disasters—and for humanitarian aid work, military operations or even missions to Mars. Maybe first aid kits on Mars will include dried red blood cells.
1. Which has the closest meaning with the underlined word in Paragraph 2?| A．Satisfy. | B．Decrease. | C．Highlight. | D．Influence. |
| A．It can only be found in sea monkeys. |
| B．It should be preserved in a dried state. |
| C．It helps to keep donuts fresh and tasty. |
| D．It contributes to long-term blood storage. |
①Drying blood and making it into a powder. ② Getting trehalose into blood cells.
③Rehydrating the blood. ④ Drilling holes in the cell surface.
| A．④②①③ | B．④①②③ | C．②④①③ | D．②③④① |
| A．Dried blood has a promising prospect. | B．Trehalose could help stored blood last. |
| C．The need for stored blood is on the rise. | D．Storing blood longer is very challenging. |
2 . To-do things during your trip to Amsterdam
Canal Boat Trip
The UNESCO protected canal belt is the perfect image of Amsterdam. The sight is pleasing to the eyes after sundown when the bridges get lit up using fairy lights. You can consider hop on and off boats that dock in different areas, which is a large business. There are even free passenger ferries in the northern area of the city.
Coffee shops
If you are a coffee lover, you will be pleased to visit many quiet coffee shops that combine elegance and romance. The environment is great and relaxing and you may sip on a warm coffee in the beautifully-designed coffee shop which is also perfect for taking pictures. Great memories can be created here.
Museums
Located at the Museumplein(博物馆广场)are three major museums—the Ryksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelyk Museum. Regarded as the cultural heart of Amsterdam, the famous district can be said to be a paradise for those who love art. It has been recently restored so that it is of a world-class standard.
Square
The grand open square is full of activities throughout the day. You can encounter fantastic open-air exhibitions, markets as well as a huge paddling pool that lets one dip their toes into it when the day is warm. When it is winter the square becomes a huge outdoor ice area.
1. What do we know about Canal Boat Trip?| A．It is protected by UNESCO. |
| B．It is an ideal choice for art lovers. |
| C．It offers a fancy bridge light show. |
| D．It provides free ferries on every dock. |
| A．The Canal Belt. | B．A Coffee Shop. |
| C．Van Gogh Museum. | D．The Square. |
| A．Swimming in a pool. |
| B．Appreciating great arts. |
| C．Enjoying indoor exhibits. |
| D．Skating outdoors in winter. |
3 . What is talent? Are you born with it? Or does it seem to develop over time? Before I start, I’d like to say that one thing everyone agrees on is that the most skilled musicians have worked hard to get there.
While it’s true that a few of us had enough “talent” to avoid extra practice to do just as well as those who did, those who worked hard easily beat us. It is, in fact, very likely that if some of us “talented ones” had actually been practicing and improving our skill, we would have achieved a whole different level.
Another aspect of talent seems to be heart and passion (酷爱). The people I see who are the most talented musicians are crazy about music. They eat, breathe, and live music and they make an extraordinary effort to make it part of their lives. As Remus Badea said, desire for the musician-to-be is significant for them to be successful. This desire is easily found in those considered to be talented. When you want and love something so bad, it drives you and your entire character can be shaped around it. Such determined passion seems to produce incredible skill and talent.
The third aspect (方面) of talent is having talent around you. When surrounded by talented musicians, it only seems natural that you start to catch up to their level Take a look at almost any group of musicians in history. The more talented people in the group the more talented the group is as a whole. A great example of this is the relationship between audio producer and artist. The artist turns up to the studio with their song, and as they work through recording it, the audio producer will often suggest various changes to the song to make it better.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?| A．Pride goes before a fall. |
| B．It’s never too old to learn. |
| C．Practice contributes to talent. |
| D．Talent determines achievements. |
| A．Passion. | B．Character . | C．Skill. | D．Talent. |
| A．To introduce what real talents are. |
| B．To explain how a song is composed. |
| C．To prove talents need team spirit. |
| D．To show the benefits of being with talents. |
| A．Music has no limits. |
| B．Musicians are born with talent. |
| C．Music favors the talented. |
| D．Musicians are created, not born. |
4 . Of the many interactions I had with my mother years ago, one stands out. I remember the
The thought of cooking in a large three-legged pot in that high heat was sufficient to
Looking straight into my eyes, she said, “Johnson, why were you
If I had
| A．period | B．occasion | C．story | D．quarrel |
| A．send | B．demand | C．invite | D．guide |
| A．rest | B．chat | C．night | D．meal |
| A．prepare | B．beg | C．order | D．buy |
| A．satisfy | B．attract | C．please | D．upset |
| A．hide | B．express | C．defend | D．change |
| A．deliberately | B．usually | C．currently | D．secretly |
| A．fearful | B．content | C．excited | D．unhappy |
| A．poor | B．brave | C．weak | D．homeless |
| A．praise | B．suggestion | C．charge | D．encouragement |
| A．opinion | B．excuse | C．argument | D．idea |
| A．fortune | B．disaster | C．trouble | D．deal |
| A．booked | B．packed | C．offered | D．denied |
| A．travels | B．1essons | C．programs | D．struggles |
| A．If | B．As if | C．Even though | D．Before |
5 . The "30 by 30" campaign to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030, supported by more than 70 nations, is known mostly for ambition and few achievements so far. Just 7% of the seas are protected and only 2.7% are highly protected.
Setting aside nearly a third of the oceans, the fishers say, is an idea developing nations in South America and elsewhere can hardly afford. That argument against a large expansion of sea protected areas is heard around the world, and the gap between conservationists and fishers has grown wider as fish population declines and the appetite for seafood grows along with the global population.
Research published recently aims to dramatically change that situation. The study suggests that protecting 30% of the oceans not only could restore biodiversity to ocean habitats, it could also increase the annual global catch by eight million tons about 10% of the catch today. After all, the only way to get more food from the ocean is to protect more. And, as a bonus, it would provide a "cheap, natural solution" to climate change by reducing the amount of seafloor carbon emitted （排放）into the seas by fishing trawlers （拖网渔船）.
In the study, an international team of 26 scientists analyzed the world's unprotected ocean waters to calculate which are threatened by overfishing, habitat destruction, and release of carbon. The team then mapped locations globally where protections would provide the greatest benefits to fish resources, biodiversity and climate.
The findings can be used by nations to address the three related aspects separately or in combination. Fully addressing all three will require that at least 30% of the oceans be protected, but nations can still realize significant protections by focusing on key areas, and global cooperation to strategically locate protected areas can be nearly twice as effective as individual nations working alone.
1. What are the first two paragraphs mainly about?| A．The wide support for the campaign. |
| B．The challenges of protecting the oceans. |
| C．The worldwide efforts to resist illegal fishing. |
| D．The achievements in reducing ocean pollution. |
| A．It keeps sea species stable. |
| B．It improves the global climate. |
| C．It helps to increase fish population. |
| D．It removes carbon from the seafloor. |
| A．To discuss the methods of fishing sustainably. |
| B．To stress the importance of biological balance. |
| C．To appeal for building ocean protected areas globally. |
| D．To introduce the background of the "30 by 30" campaign. |
| A．Environment. | B．Geography. | C．Travel. | D．Economy. |
6 . Alfred Nobel Rests in Peace
People like Martin Luther King Jr. , Nelson Mandela, and Mother Teresa have become famous all around the world.
When Alfred joined the Nobel family company, it had been developing explosives for many years. His father had started the family fortune by working for the Russian army to produce landmines and sea mines. But the family made even more money by manufacturing nitroglycerine, which was a very dangerous explosive.
One day Alfred arrived home to find his 20-year-old brother Emil had been killed in a nitroglycerine explosion.
Alfred Nobel always wanted dynamite to be used for peaceful means. Unfortunately. when the First World War ended. dynamite had been used to take away the lives of thousands of young men.
Sometime later Alfred's older brother Ludwig died. One newspaper accidentally printed Alfred's obituary instead of his brother's. It described Alfred as a man who had become rich by inventing a weapon of mass destruction. After reading the review of his life. Alfred was horrified and decided to use the great fortune he had made to reward people who had been working to promote good in society.
In 1997 the Nobel Peace Prize went to an American called Jody Williams for her efforts to get landmines banned.
| A．And what do they have in common? |
| B．Hence, it was a large amount of money. |
| C．Alfred was determined to invent a safer explosive. |
| D．He was so grieved by the accident that he even desired to give up his job. |
| E．Ironically, of course, the Nobel family fortunes had been built on mines. |
| F．Alfred had always hated war and considered it to be 'the horror of horrors and the greatest of all crimes’ |
| G．The five awards he created were for physics. chemistry, medicine, literature and, most significantly, peace. |
7 . As a nation, we are getting bigger and eating more. But there are effective ways to control your appetite and eat only as much as you need.
Keep away from low-nutrition snacks
That means ice cream, sweets, chips biscuits, cakes and any other salty or sugary snacks you eat between meals. Although we have a tendency to eat them, you can learn to live without these unhealthy-and-fattening-additions to your diet. Try to make it a habit to eat them only when offered at social events or as a special treat.
Leave half an hour between main course and dessert
Having a break between courses gives your brain time to receive the fullness signal and make you more likely to refuse the sweet stuff. And, in fact, as soon as you feel the first signals of fullness, remove your plate from the table. That will tell your brain that food time is over.
Make yours a small helping
Put an end to super-sized portions. You won’t be missing out—today’s small was the medium or large of a few decade ago. Select or serve yourself a modest portion and eat it slowly, enjoying the flavors. Before you know it, small will feel just right. What’s more, ordering the smaller size leads to wearing the smaller size.
Distract yourself
When you find yourself hunting down food, even though you’re even hungry, do something else for 20 minutes. Drink a large glass of water as thirst is often confused with a desire for food. Choose something that engages your brain as well as your hands, such as writing a letter or listening to a song. You could also go for a short walk or do something that you enjoy. If you think you really are hungry, set an alarm for 20 minutes’ time and if you still want to eat when it rings, fine. If not, the urge will have passed.
1. Which way suits you better if you tend to order a large portion of food?| A．Distract yourself. |
| B．Make yours a small helping. |
| C．Keep away from low-nutrition snacks. |
| D．Leave half an hour between main course and dessert. |
| A．To give people time to chat. |
| B．To have a good appetite for sweet stuff. |
| C．To reduce appetite for dessert. |
| D．To give the host time to remove your plate. |
| A．Eat some biscuits. | B．Eat some sugary snacks. |
| C．Have some soft drinks. | D．Listen to a lovely melody. |
8 . When it comes to getting ahead, is IQ or EQ more important? A thought experiment conducted featuring butterflies and geniuses settles the question once and for all.
Imagine two groups of people. We’ll call them the Geniuses and the Butterflies for short.
But what the Butterflies lack in cognitive(认知的)horsepower, they make up for in social skills.
Well, communicating ideas within a group might not feel as impressive as coming up with brilliant ideas alone in a corner. Chatty Cathys(滔滔不绝的人)clearly have less cultural mystery than Nobel winners. But without them, new ideas don’t spread fast enough to-make big impact.
This fascinating thought experiment is good news for the communicators and connectors of the world, but it’s also a valuable lesson for anyone putting-together a team.
| A．Which society does better? |
| B．Each Butterfly has 10 friends. |
| C．The Geniuses are, well, geniuses. |
| D．Butterflies are pretty but lacking in strength. |
| E．Is it hard for the experiment to draw a conclusion? |
| F．In terms of group success, EQ matters more than raw IQ. |
| G．The Butterflies shouldn’t be compared with the Geniuses. |
9 . Babies who frequently communicate with their caregivers using eye contact and vocalisations(发声)at the age of one are more likely to develop greater languages skills by the time they reach two,according to new research.
In the study, researchers looked at 11- and 12-month-od babies' vocalisations. gestures and gaze behaviours ,and at how their caregivers responded to them.To measure he interactions ,the researchers videoed infants(婴儿)and caregiver at home,and asked them to play as usual.They took those recordings back to the university
The scientists then used statistical models to find that the best predictor of vocabulary at 24 months was when infants were seen to use vocalsatioms while looking at their caregiver's face when they were about a year old.The benefits were even greater when these interactions were followed by responses from the caregiver.
The statistics showed that at 19 months,children had an average of about 100 words.Those who exhibited the beneficial interactive behaviour earlier in life were seen to have an average of about 30 extra words.
"The message of this paper is that it is the result of a joint effort; noticing what your child is attending to and talking to them about it will support their language development." said McGillion, a co-author of the work.
"The joy of this message is that that can happen in any context... across any part of your day.It's not something that requires special equipment or even lots of time.I can happen when you're doing the laundry,for example—when you're taking out the socks, you can talk about socks...in the park, in the car, at mealtimes,at bathtimes.This finding can be used in any context,"added McGillion.
"This is a developmental snapshot in the first year of life, but children are constantly growing and changing and so are their behaviours. It would be interesting to look at these sorts of behaviours again as children progress through the second year of life to see what's happening there,"said Donnellan,the lead author on the study.
1. How did the researchers get the findings?| A．By interacting with babies. |
| B．By asking babies to vocalize. |
| C．By analyzing relevant recordings. |
| D．By referring to the previous statistics. |
| A．Infants' eye contact. |
| B．Infants' larger vocabulary. |
| C．The response from caregivers. |
| D．The best predictor of vocabulary. |
| A．I's easy to perform. |
| B．It's complex to understand. |
| C．It's difficult to copy. |
| D．It's interesting to video. |
| A．Children's academic progress. |
| B．Children's growing environment. |
| C．Children's potential physical development. |
| D．Children's behaviours across more age ranges. |
10 . The London Eye remains temporarily closed but in line with the Government's roadmap out of lockdown we plan to reopen from 17th May.You can pre-book now. Further information can be found here.
What to Expect
The London Eye soars 443 fee into the sky and views stretching25 miles every direction.Since opening in 2000,it has been used as a backdrop in countless films and is loved by Britons and visitors alike.This is the UK's most popular visitor attraction,visited by over 3.5 million people a year.
Each London Eye capsule holds up to 25 passengers comfortably. All capsules are fully air-conditioned and rotate (旋转)on a special device designed to keep everyone upright as the wheel makes a slow but progressive rotation.The full rotation lasts 30 minutes of an ever changing view of this dynamic city.
Opening Times
■September to May 10:00am—8:00pm daily
■June 10:00am—9:00pm daily
■July 10:00am—9:30pm daily
■August 10:00am—-8:30pm daily
■Not open on Christmas Day or during maintenance period.
Ticket Prices
| Adult: January to March ₤15.00 April to December ₤15.50 |
| Child (5-15 years): January to March ₤7.50 April to December ₤7.75 |
| Child under 5 years: free |
| Senior (60 plus): ₤12.00 |
Booking line
■9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Sunday
■Telephone: 0870 5000 600
1. Which of the following does the London Eye ride offer?| A．A 30-minute fast rotation. |
| B．An insight into its long history. |
| C．A 360°moving view of the city. |
| D．A non-chargeable admission. |
| A．10:00am—-8:00pm. |
| B．100am-9:00pm. |
| C．10:00am-—9:30pm. |
| D．10:00am—8:30pm. |
| A．₤30 | B．₤31 | C．₤37.5 | D．₤38.75 |
