1 . Scientists have been experimenting with playing sounds to plants since at least the 1960s, during which time they have been exposed to everything from Beethoven to Michael Jackson. Over the years, evidence that this sort of thing can have an effect has been growing. One paper, published in 2018, claimed that an Asian shrub known as the telegraph plant grew substantially larger leaves when exposed to 56 days of Buddhist music — but not if it was exposed to Western pop music or silence. Another, published last year, found that marigolds and sage plants exposed to the noise of traffic from a busy motorway suffered growth difficulty.
Plants have been evolving (进化) alongside the insects that eat them for hundreds of millions of years. With that in mind, Heidi Appel, a botanist now at the University of Houston, and Reginald Cocroft, a biologist at the University of Missouri, wondered if plants might be sensitive to the sounds made by the animals with which they most often interact. They recorded the vibrations made by certain species of caterpillars (毛毛虫) as they chewed on leaves. These vibrations are not powerful enough to produce sound waves in the air. But they are able to travel across leaves and branches, and even to neighbouring plants if their leaves touch.
They then exposed tobacco plant — the plant biologist’s version of the laboratory mouse — to the recorded vibrations while no caterpillars were actually present. Later, they put real caterpillars on the plants to see if exposure had led them to prepare for an insect attack. The results were striking. Leaves that had been exposed had significantly higher levels of defensive chemicals, making them much harder for the caterpillars to eat. Leaves that had not been exposed to vibrations showed no such response. Other sorts of vibration — caused by the wind, for instance, or other insects that do not eat leaves — had no effect.
“Now speakers with the right audio files are more often being used to warn crops to act when insects are detected but not yet widespread,” says Dr. Cocroft. “Unlike chemical pesticides, sound waves leave no dangerous chemicals.”
1. What can we learn about plants from the first paragraph?A.They may enjoy Western music. | B.They can’t stand Buddhist music. |
C.They can react to different sounds. | D.They can make different sounds. |
A.Plants can make a cry for help. | B.Plants evolve alongside insects. |
C.Plants are sensitive to the sounds. | D.Plants have been studied for years. |
A.They can recongnize harmful vibrations. | B.They look like laboratory mice. |
C.They can threaten the caterpillars. | D.They can release poisonous chemicals. |
A.Disadvantages of chemical pesticides. | B.Application of the experimental results. |
C.Interaction between plants and insects. | D.Warning system of widespread insects. |
A.In 1973. | B.In 1975. | C.In 1977. |
1. 活动目的;
2. 介绍你参赛的生活技能(烹饪或手工等);
3. 个人感受。
注意:1. 写作词数应为80左右;
2. 可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
Life Skills Show
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . When we are married and have promised to live together, we may not even think about what that might mean in the future. We start a
Sometimes life
It is not always easy. There will be days when they
When my husband was first diagnosed with MS (a serious disease of the nervous system),we had no idea how it would all
Life is
A.completely | B.repeatedly | C.fortunately | D.respectively |
A.teaching | B.comparing | C.persuading | D.supporting |
A.throws | B.shows | C.promises | D.serves |
A.identified | B.diagnosed | C.determined | D.recognized |
A.shape | B.force | C.experience | D.doubt |
A.alternatives | B.fortunes | C.challenges | D.opportunities |
A.guide | B.blame | C.need | D.admire |
A.courage | B.insight | C.excuse | D.faith |
A.break up | B.work out | C.take over | D.carry out |
A.opinion | B.thought | C.front | D.back |
A.plans | B.solutions | C.arrangements | D.differences |
A.normal | B.perfect | C.patient | D.brave |
A.stay | B.recover | C.defeat | D.protest |
A.interesting | B.tough | C.ordinary | D.confusing |
A.risk | B.cheek | C.test | D.chance |
5 . How Taking Short Vacations Can Improve Your Well-Being at Work
Without doubt, the nonstop demands of work and life can be bad for your well-being, exhausting your physical resources and cognitive capacities-and possibly resulting in adverse health and performance results.
We know that being on vacation feels good and that it’s good for us.
No wonder, then, that most people don’t use all their vacation time. And over half (52 percent) of U.S. employees work while on vacation.
A.If working hard is the way to earn more bread, |
B.Even if many workers don’t use all their PTO, |
C.Taking a real break is important for so many reasons. |
D.But that doesn’t mean we always use our vacation time. |
E.So why do we neglect to take all the time we’ve earned? |
F.Do you know why people like to take vacations whenever possible? |
G.It also turns out that taking extended time away from the office causes a lot of stress. |
6 . Ugandan student’s study and adaptation of traditional Chinese craft helps build bridges through art. With its balanced, rounded pot and cups, the tea set seems like Chinese ceramic (陶瓷) at first glance. But closer inspection of its pattern reveals an ancient Ugandan design. “My projects always aim to join some aspects of Chinese and Ugandan culture together,” says the tea set’s creator, Ocen Robert.
In 2015, Robert arrived in China from the East African nation to pursue a higher education in ceramic arts at Jingdezhen Ceramic University in East China’s Jiangxi province. The Ugandan is also enrolled in a PhD program focusing on design, with his art pieces sold at national-level exhibitions in China.
He says, “I love it here not only because of its safety, but the raw materials and the production techniques for ceramics here are also among the best in the world.” During his time in China, Robert was given many opportunities to participate in ceramic production, exhibitions and even access to experts-all helping to grow the space where he could express his creativity.
To deepen his understanding and passion for traditional Chinese culture, Robert spends most of his free time in local museums’ culture and history sections. He also gets to know Chinese professionals inside and outside the ceramic world. “I would love to solidify my career as an artist here while helping to link Uganda and China,” Robert says.
“Ugandans are thankful, curious, and passionate about Chinese culture. I would love to introduce the artists back home to study and create ceramic artworks in China and promote them to the world.”
Robert says, “To be a modern artist in Chinese ceramics, one needs to comprehend the full flow of production, which requires years of practice and learning.” One of the most challenging areas of creating his pieces involves creating the “ideal shape and thickness”. He says “I fail at times, but I always practice and try again and again.” Robert has attained the essential spirit of Chinese ceramic arts——accepting and integrating the differences.
1. What is the goal of Robert’s art projects?A.To promote traditional Chinese ceramics in Uganda. |
B.To combine elements of Chinese and Ugandan culture. |
C.To compete in the international exhibitions. |
D.To restore and preserve ancient Ugandan arts. |
A.He intended to earn money in China. |
B.He desired to achieve a doctoral degree abroad. |
C.China has the best ceramic materials and craft. |
D.China is safer than any other country. |
A.By visiting famous masters of Chinese history. |
B.By comparing it with Ugandan traditions and customs. |
C.By acquiring related knowledge from local museums. |
D.By participating in art festivals and academic meetings. |
A.Creative and perseverant. | B.Kind and knowledgeable. |
C.Humorous and passionate. | D.Courageous and intelligent. |
写作要求:
1.写作词数应为100词左右;
2.行文流畅,语句通顺;
3.书写规范,字迹清楚,卷面整洁。
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
69% of the travelers try to put down their smartphones on vacation. | 1/3 of Americans always spend their time on the phone on holiday. | 16% of UK travelers always check their phones on vacation. | Most important objects USA: Mobile phone AUS: Camera UK: Sunscreen | ||
Holidays booking (预订) | |||||
3/4 of the travelers prefer to book trips online. | 84% of Americans say they are most likely to book online. | 3% of Australians book travel by phone. |
![](https://img.xkw.com/dksih/QBM/2024/2/15/3433614821335040/3433901728710656/STEM/6a0d05484e374d2ab4ea253c3326953b.png?resizew=484)
根据材料内容选择最佳答案。
1. What do one third of Americans always do during trips?
A.They always try to put down their phones. |
B.They always use a lot of sunscreens. |
C.They always take cameras with them. |
D.They always spend time on the phone. |
A.two | B.three | C.four | D.five |
A.![]() | B.![]() | C.![]() | D.![]() |
①From social media users.
②From other travelers’ reviews.
③From family and friends.
④From travel companies.
⑤From travel guides.
A.①④ | B.②⑤ | C.②③ | D.④⑤ |
A.The text is written to change travelers’ habits. |
B.UK travelers use mobile apps the least during trips. |
C.Sunscreen is the most important object for a US traveler. |
D.Most travelers like to communicate with their friends on vacation. |
9 . New research from the University of Portsmouth has shown a marked increase in shipping in the North East Atlantic. Scientists now warn that more monitoring is required to help protect sea life.
Researchers at the University of Ponsmouth have discovered that rates (率) of shipping in the North East Atlantic area rose by 34 per cent in a five-year period. The research is the first detailed survey of shipping activity in the North East Atlantic. Researchers used data from over 530 million vessel (船) positions recorded by Automatic Identification System(AIS). They looked at the change in shipping between 2013 and 2017 across ten different vessel types. In total the study area covered 1.1 million km², including waters off Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany,Iceland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal. Spain, and the UK.
Lead author, James Robbins said: “This change is likely to put more pressure on the marine (海洋的) environment, and may influence the protection of at-risk species. Renewed monitoring effort is needed to make sure that protective measures are enough to save species under threat in a changing environment.”
Some of the greatest shipping increases were found in areas close to the Spanish coast. The Espacio Marino de la Costa da Morte saw a rise of 413 percent in vessel activity. It is an area used to protect seabirds.
Dr. Sarah Marley, Visiting Researcher at the University of Portsmouth, said: “Shipping is the most widespread human activity in our oceans, carrying a set of threats-from unnoticeable effects like underwater noise pollution to serious results when ships hit whales.”
Professor Alex Ford. from the University’s Institute of Marine Sciences, said: “Given the well-documented effects that shipping can have on the marine environment, it is necessary that this situation continues to be monitored-particularly in areas used to protect vulnerable (脆弱的) species which may already be under pressure.”
1. What can we say about the new research?A.It started in 2013. | B.It is the first of its kind. |
C.It was carried out by AIS. | D.It covers the whole Atlantic. |
A.Rapid population growth. |
B.Rising global temperatures. |
C.The huge increase in shipping. |
D.The disappearance of marine life. |
A.Shipping plays an important role in the local economy. |
B.Shipping can be a danger to the marine environment. |
C.Noise pollution is closely related to human activity. |
D.Marine areas should be monitored more carefully. |
A.New waterways across the Atlantic |
B.The shipping industry in the North East Atlantic |
C.New research opens windows into life under the water |
D.Sea life needs better protection from an increase in shipping |
10 . Bred to be more sweeter, today’s cherries, bananas and apples taste different than they used — to but not necessarily better. Among fruit farmers, the word “quality” is now routinely used as a standard for “high in sugar”, though firmness, color and size are also considerations. In a recent study about ways to enhance the sweetness of fruit using “molecular (分子的) approaches”, a group of plant scientists wrote that, in general, the sugar content of many fruits are now higher than before owing to continuous selection and breeding. Modern apple varieties, the scientists stressed, were on average sweeter than older ones.
The sweetness of fruit depends not just on how it is bred but also on growing conditions, yield and harvest. The lead researcher, Sugiura, said, “If you could taste an apple harvested 30 years ago, you would feel the difference.” He believed that modern apples are picked so early that even if they are bred for sweetness, they often don’t develop their full character. The fragrance (香味) never develops in fruit that is harvested too early.
Jim Cooper, an apple farmer in England, is regretful to admit the fact that many people will never taste the “strawberry hint” in a really ripe Pearmain, a type of heritage apple. In a way, the rise of consistently sweeter fruit in our lifetimes has been a victory of plant breeding. After all, it’s a rare person who would seek out bitter grapes if they could have sweet ones instead.
But the sweetness of modern fruit is not without its problems, especially for people with diabetes (糖尿病), who have to reduce their intake of higher-sugar fruits. Fruit that is bred sweeter also tends to be lower in the chemicals that make it healthy. Considering health, maybe the real problem with modern fruit is that it has become yet another sweet thing in a world with sugar. Even grapefruits, which used to be quite bitter, are sometimes now as sweet as oranges. If you’ve never tasted a sour cherry, how can you fully appreciate a sweet one?
1. In what aspect is many fruits different from before?A.Sugar content. | B.Soft skin. | C.Bright color. | D.High yield. |
A.They are bred too early. | B.They taste so sweet. |
C.They are losing a good flavor. | D.They need a higher yield. |
A.Favorable. | B.Critical. | C.Ambiguous. | D.Indifferent. |
A.It’s a wise choice to breed fruits for sweetness. |
B.Breeding sweet fruits improves the quality of fruits. |
C.Some fruits like grapes and cherries taste the same. |
D.The sweetness of fruits will cause health issues. |