1 . Winners of the Broadcom MASTERS

Girls took the top prizes at the Broadcom MASTERS, a science competition for middle school students.

Alaina Gassler

Alaina won the $25,000 Samueli Foundation Prize for the project of reducing blind spots in cars. She was inspired to solve this issue by her mother who didn’t like driving her vehicle because its large A-pillar (A柱) design made her feel in danger. “I started to think about how blind spots were a huge problem in all cars,” said Alaina. So she worked on and solved it.

Sidor Clare

Sidor won the $10,000 Marconi/Samueli Award for Innovation, an honor made by Samueli’s generous donation of his 2012 Marconi Society Prize Award. She developed bricks that could one day be made on Mars, so that humans wouldn’t be required to carry building materials with them in order to build there.

Alexis MacAvoy

Alexis won the $10,000 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Advancement, which recognized the student whose work and performance showed the most promise in health-related fields and demonstrated an understanding of the many social factors that affect health. She designed a water filter (过滤器) by using carbon to remove heavy metals from water.

Rachel Bergey

Rachel won the $10,000 Lemelson Award for Invention, awarded by The Lemelson Foundation to a young inventor creating promising solutions to real-world problems. She developed a trap made of tinfoil (锡纸) and netting for the spotted lanternfly, an invasive species causing damage to trees.

1. What is the purpose of Alaina Gassler’s invention?

A．To beautify vehicles.	B．To improve the safety of driving.
C．To decorate the sidewalk for the blind.	D．To reduce the carbon released from cars.

2. Whose invention is related to human health?

A．Alaina Gassler’s.	B．Sidor Clare’s.
C．Rachel Bergey’s.	D．Alexis MacAvoy’s.

3. What is the Broadcom MASTERS about?

A．Art.

B．Sport.

C．Technology.

D．Education.

2 . The Mona Lisa is the famous Leonardo da Vinci painting of a woman with a mysterious smile. This week, the painting gave up a secret.

Scientists using X-rays to examine the chemical structure of a small part of the painting discovered a technique Leonardo used in the work. An oil paint used for it was a special, new chemical mixture, which suggests that the Italian artist was in an experimental mood when he worked on the painting in the 16th century.

“He loved to experiment, and each of his paintings is completely different technically,”said Victor Gonzalez, a chemist who has studied the chemical element (成分) of several works by Leonardo and other artists. The researchers found a rare lead compound (铅化合物) — plumbonacrite, in Leonardo’s first layer of paint. The discovery proved that da Vinci most likely used lead oxide to thicken and help dry his paint. The paint in the study is about the thickness of a human hair, lying in the top right area of the painting.

The scientists looked into its atomic structure using X-rays, moving particles at the speed of light, permitting researchers to look deeper into the paint structure. “ Plumbonacrite is really a fingerprint of his recipe, as it’s the first time we can chemically confirm it,” Gonzalez said.

Dutch artist Rembrandt may have used a similar mixture when he was painting in the 17th century. Gonzalez and other researchers have found plumbonacrite in his work, too. Leonardo is thought to have put lead oxide powder, which has an orange color, in the oil to make it thicker and dry faster. “What you will get is an oil that has a very nice golden color,” Gonzalez said. “It flows more like honey.”

But the Mona Lisa — said by the Louvre to be a portrait (肖像) of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine silk businessman — and additional works by Leonardo still have other secrets to tell. “What we are saying is just a little brick in the knowledge,” Gonzalez said.

1. What’s the new discovery about the Mona Lisa?

A．A new explanation of the secret smile.

B．A new chemical element used in the painting.

C．The secret of the woman in the painting.

D．The structure of the paint da Vinci used.

2. Which best explains the underlined word “fingerprint” in paragraph 4?

A．Open secret.

B．Widespread use.

C．Hidden element.

D．Long-term dream.

3. How does Gonzalez view the use of lead oxide powder in paintings?

A．It helps to make many things into paints.

B．It helps to make paints easy to deal with.

C．It helps to keep the paintings last long.

D．It helps to make paintings rich in color.

4. What can we learn about the Mona Lisa from the last paragraph?

A．It has more secrets to tell the world.

B．It’s the portrait of a silk businessman.

C．It’s well kept in bricks in the Louvre.

D．It has a mixture of different art styles.

3 . Someday, you may no longer need to brush your teeth by hand. Instead, billions of nanoparticles(纳米颗粒)could automatically do all that work for you. The nanoparticles are very tiny. Magnets(磁铁)can make them move. If you set up a magnet in just the right way, says Ed Steager, “You can arrange them into any shape you want.”

Steager is an engineer at the University of Pennsylvania. Together, he and his colleague Hyun Koo found a way to form the nanoparticles into long, skinny bristles(鬃毛), a lot like the ones on a toothbrush. But these bristles shape-shift to fit whatever surface they encounter. They can even squeeze between teeth.

The scientists tested the robotic bristles in the lab. But the device isn’t yet ready for people to use. The magnets and nanoparticles will need to fit comfortably and safely inside a person’s mouth. The researchers are working with a company to accomplish this safely and effectively. But if these inventors can perfect the device, a lot of people will benefit, especially the disabled.

The tooth-cleaning robot works thanks to two magnets. One goes on each side of the teeth. The nanoparticles sit in a water-based solution between the magnets. All of this may fit into something the size and shape of a mouthguard, though the researchers haven’t settled on a design for the device yet.

As a bonus, the nanoparticles also kill those harmful bacteria in the mouth. The water-based liquid that holds them contains a substance commonly added to toothpaste(牙膏)and mouthwash. It kills some bacteria on its own. But when these nanoparticles react with it, powerful germ-killing substances get created.

The new device is just a proof of a notion. The researchers still need to turn it into a product that people will want to use. It must fit comfortably and safely in people’s mouths. It can’t draw too much power or cost too much. “There’s a lot of engineering to get from here to there,” says Steager. But, as Melo says, “every good idea needs to have a start.”

1. What are the researchers doing now?

A．Putting the new invention into the market	B．Carrying out surveys about the new device.
C．Testing the robotic bristles on the disabled.	D．Making the device suitable for a person’ mouth.

2. What mainly operates the new device?

A．The nanoparticles.	B．The toothbrush.
C．The magnets.	D．The bristles.

3. What is a function of the new invention?

A．It can help adjust teeth.	B．It can work as toothpaste.
C．It can replace liquid in the mouth.	D．It can change the mouth shape.

4. What does the underlined word “notion” probably mean in the last paragraph?

A．Prediction.

B．Existence.

C．Product.

D．Concept.

4 . When my daughter completes a task, I can’t help but praise her. It’s only natural to give praise where praise is _______ , right? But is there such a thing as too much praise?

According to psychologist Katherine Phillip, children don’t _______ from constant praise as much as we’d like to think. “Parents often praise, _______ they are building their child’s self-confidence.   _______ over-praising can have a negative effect,” says Phillip. “When we use the same praise _______ , it may become empty and no longer _______ by the child. It can also become a (an) _______ that anything they do must be rewarded with praise. This may lead to the child avoiding taking risks due to _______ of disappointing their parents.”

Does this mean we should _______ all the praise? Phillip says no. “The key to healthy praise is to focus on the process ________ the outcome. It is the recognition of a child’s attempt, or the process in which they achieved something, that is ________ ,” she says. “Parents should encourage their child to take the risks needed to learn and grow.”

So how do we break the ________ of praise we’re all so accustomed (习惯) to? Phillip says it’s important to ________ the distinction between “person praise” and “process praise”. “Person praise is simply saying how ________ someone is. It’s a form of personal judgement. Process praise is ________ of the efforts the person has just undertaken. Children who receive person praise, are more likely to feel shame after losing,” says Phillip.

1.

A．normal

B．intelligent

C．due

D．grateful

2.

A．analyze

B．define

C．profit

D．reflect

3.

A．convincing

B．believing

C．claiming

D．debating

4.

A．Therefore

B．Moreover

C．Meanwhile

D．However

5.

A．merely

B．rarely

C．gradually

D．repeatedly

6.

A．constructed

B．understood

C．prized

D．evaluated

7.

A．curiosity

B．potential

C．virtue

D．expectation

8.

A．lack

B．fear

C．infection

D．presence

9.

A．do away with

B．get away with

C．look up to

D．give way to

10.

A．other than

B．rather than

C．or rather

D．more than

11.

A．emotional

B．remarkable

C．essential

D．accessible

12.

A．pattern

B．custom

C．tendency

D．response

13.

A．identify

B．confirm

C．clarify

D．classify

14.

A．annoying

B．disturbing

C．great

D．crucial

15.

A．completion

B．objective

C．consequence

D．acknowledgement

5 . Successful individuals do things just a little differently than the average people.     1     Here are four key habits that athletes have to create success.

· They get real.

Don’t let the professional athletes fool you. Achieving racing success is not easy, even though there are some people out there who always seem to make it look so.     2     They set realistic goals with each event. They equip themselves with effort, patience, and persistence(坚持) because they know the journey can sometimes be long and difficult.

· They have grit (勇气).

Anyone who wants to take charge of their own future must have grit. It takes courage and thick skin to become a successful athlete. Fear of failure can be very unpleasant. There will always be naysayers (爱唱反调的人).     3    

· They believe in being their best, rather than being the best.

Successful athletes know that there is always room for improvement. It’s like squeezing (挤) the last bit of toothpaste out of the tube. Just when you think it’s empty, you squeeze out just a little more.     4     Sometimes it involves a different technique, strategy, or even a different coach. It also may involve learning a new skill altogether.

·    5    

Successful athletes surround themselves with positive energy and other successful people. There is a quote that says, “Surround yourself with people who support your dreams.” In order to create success, you should find those people and groups that support your goals.

A．They hang out with good apples.

B．The same goes for athletes as well.

C．They put themselves in others’ shoes.

D．Successful athletes know this and plan accordingly.

E．Success, therefore, is built on small sustainable changes.

F．In order to do this, you must first believe in your ability to do so.

G．However, you must commit to your goals and hold firm in the face of difficulties.

6 . 运用下列写作词汇，自己创设一个语境，形成一个小语段。(3~5句)
disaster, strike, destroy, damage, affect, calm, trap, ruin, rescuer, whistle, tap, pipe, effort, survive, wisdom
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7 . Everyone has a wish to travel.But those who cannot do so themselves might find it _________ to work in a travel agency(旅行社),_________ journeys for other people.Brian Lawley does this,working in a small travel agency in an industrial city.Most of his work is concerned with holidays,both at home and abroad.Every autumn the agency _________ hundreds of booklets(小册子) full of attractive,coloured photographs,_________ the holidays that the customers will be able to have the next year.Soon,people begin to come into the office to _________ their holidays:perhaps a week’s skiing in Australia in January,perhaps a seaside holiday in Spain in May,or a tour of North Africa.Brian often has to _________ people on what holidays will be _________ for them.And people always have a lot of questions.Last year,for example,a lady of eighty-two wanted to book a mountaineering holiday in the Alps,and Brian had great difficulty in _________ her that it would not be suitable.In the end,she decided to go for a Mediterranean cruise(游览) _________. 

Arranging journeys for people who have to travel ____________ on business is often very complicated,but Brian ____________ his work.For example,last spring,Mr Perry,director of a local chemical firm,____________ a business trip,and Brian arranged it all for him.First,Mr Perry travelled to London by train,and stayed overnight in a hotel near the airport,because his plane ____________ early the next morning.He flew to Frankfurt,where he ____________ the morning discussing business.Then he went on by train to Zurich,and spent three days there ____________ going on to America.He had business in Seattle,Chicago and New York,and then went home by train.The next day he telephoned the agency to thank Brian for arranging everything so well for him.

1.

A．boring

B．hard

C．interesting

D．sad

2.

A．arranging

B．taking

C．making

D．creating

3.

A．receives

B．takes out

C．gets

D．sends out

4.

A．describing

B．telling

C．drawing

D．designing

5.

A．need

B．ask

C．book

D．request

6.

A．request

B．advise

C．instruct

D．remind

7.

A．necessary

B．probable

C．possible

D．suitable

8.

A．preventing

B．persuading

C．asking

D．promising

9.

A．though

B．therefore

C．however

D．instead

10.

A．abroad

B．at home

C．away

D．long

11.

A．leaves

B．enjoys

C．dislikes

D．refuses

12.

A．carried out

B．got through

C．picked up

D．went on

13.

A．left

B．arrived

C．landed

D．returned

14.

A．took

B．cost

C．spent

D．wasting

15.

A．until

B．before

C．after

D．while

8 . For the past 60 years, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has protected animals, restored lost habitats and advocated for policy changes that benefit wildlife. Now, the conservation organization is trying a new approach.

This year, AWF launched the inaugural Benjamin Mkapa African Wildlife Photography Awards. The contest aims to reach a different audience. While photography competitions are nothing new, the AWF hopes that the exhibition of winning entries will encourage African people to take a more active role in conservation. Its CEO Kaddu Sebunya said, “Africans need to take the responsibility for the conservation of their heritage.”

Photographers of all ages and backgrounds, professional and amateur, were invited to submit to the competition. A judging panel (评选委员会), comprised of photographers, conservationists, activists and safari guides, selected photos from 12 categories including “Art in Nature” “Coexistence and Conflict” and “Conservation Heroes”.

The “Conservation Heroes” category had special appeal for Kenyan conservation photographer Anthony Ochieng Onyango. “I realized there was a communication gap because most of what was being communicated was data in scientific publications,” said Onyango, adding that images are a simple way for people to connect to complex issues.

While there were many entries in the AWF competition, there’s only one 19-year-old Cathan Moore from South Africa among the category winners. There’s a lack of opportunity for young aspiring photographers on the continent. AWF is seeking grants and partnerships to enable more African people to participate next year, and to make nature photography competitions more accessible to those unable to pay or buy expensive camara equipment, allowing people to use whatever camera they have and photograph wildlife in urban environments.

Sebunya hopes that the competition can open up a dialogue about conservation — and why it’s so important for Africa’s future. Many people in Africa look at conservation as a thing done by and for foreigners, said Sebunya. While he praised the work of international NGOs, he emphasized that it’s vital that African voices are heard and for local people to lead conservation efforts.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

A．African people take photographs in order to protect wildlife.

B．AWF calls for people’s active involvement in wildlife conservation.

C．A communication gap exists between ordinary people and wildlife conservation.

D．AWF holds photography competition for the conservation of wildlife.

2. Which of the following statements about the photography competition is TRUE?

A．The winners’ works will be on display to promote wildlife conservation.

B．This year’s winners include quite a number of teenage photographers.

C．The judging panel includes both professional and amateur photographers.

D．People who are not skilled in photography can’t take part in the competition.

3. According to Anthony Ochieng Onyango, what caused the communication gap?

A．People’s lack of desire to connect to the issue.

B．The lack of scientific publications on the issue.

C．The lack of simple and direct ways to present the issue.

D．People’s lack of professional camera equipment.

4. What’s Sebunya’s attitude toward the competition?

A．Cautious.

B．Appreciative.

C．Skeptical.

D．Neutral.

9 . We’ll have our sports meeting on the playground next week, but I have no idea ________.

A．when to have	B．how long it will last
C．what will the weather be like	D．where we shall have it

10 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Probably, most of you had the feeling before, at least once—you had been waiting for a long time, yet being afraid of getting. It was exactly my state of mind before the first day at college. I had been working hard to pass the necessary tests and have my application to the undergraduate programme in management approved. And when the time had come for me to visit the college for the first day of the study,I couldn't sleep all night because of being anxious about how to look good physically in front of the whole new world I was about to enter. However,the positive attitude and readiness to accept support from others helped a lot in a new environment.

It was Monday morning. Being too excited to sleep the night before, I came to the college half an hour earlier for the first lecture and was walking nervously through the hallway. About 15 minutes after I came, the hallway started to be full of students. Professors who walked on their business probably didn't pay attention to me. I knew which hall to go to and had already checked that it was open. However,I was hesitant to enter the hall and sit there alone. People were moving around me as if they hadn't seen me. I felt disappointed with the fact that I had nobody to talk to in the new and seemingly unfriendly place.

Suddenly,a well-dressed man who seemed to be in his late twenties approached me. He introduced himself as Mathews and asked whether I was lost and whether he could help me with anything.In that situation,I realized it was very kind of him and that he was exactly the person I wanted to ask in my thoughts a minute before, but then I was too nervous for a friendly chat. As a result, instead of welcoming the opportunity to make the first acquaintance （相识）, I told the man to mind his business and leave me alone since I was an adult capable of finding my class without anybody's assistance.

注意∶
1.续写词数应为 150左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Luckily,the man didn't seem to be angry.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Professor Mathews turned out to be an excellent speaker and the lecture went really well.

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