2 . By now you’ve probably heard about the “you’re not special” speech, when English teacher David McCullough told graduating seniors at Wellesley High School: "Do not get the idea you're anything special, because you're not." Mothers and fathers present at the ceremony — and a whole lot of other parents across the internet — took issue with McCullough's ego-puncturing words. But lost in the anger and protest was something we really should be taking to heart: our young people actually have no idea whether they're particularly talented or accomplished or not. In our eagerness to elevate their self-esteem, we forgot to teach them how to realistically assess their own abilities, a crucial requirement for getting better at anything from math to music to sports. In fact, it's not just privileged high-school students: we all tend to view ourselves as above average.

Such inflated (膨胀的) self-judgments have been found in study after study, and it's often exactly when we're least competent at a given task that we rate our performance most generously. In a 2006 study published in the journal Medical Education, for example, medical students who scored the lowest on an essay test were the most charitable in their self-evaluations, while high-scoring students judged themselves much more strictly. Poor students, the authors note, "lack insight" into their own inadequacy. Why should this be? Another study, led by Cornell University psychologist David Dunning, offers an enlightening explanation. People who are incompetent, he writes with co-author Justin Kruger, suffer from a "dual burden": they're not good at what they do, and their wry ineptness (笨拙) prevents them from recognizing how bad they are.

In Dunning and Kruger's study, subjects scoring at the bottom of the heap on tests of logic, grammar and humor "extremely overestimated" their talents. Although their test scores put them in the 12^th percentile, they guessed they were in the 62^nd. What these individuals lacked (in addition to clear logic, proper grammar and a sense of humor) was "metacognitive skill" (元认知技巧): the capacity to monitor how well they're performing. In the absence of that capacity, the subjects arrived at an overly hopeful view of their own abilities. There's a paradox (悖论) here, the authors note: “The skills that develop competence in a particular domain are often the very same skills necessary to evaluate competence in that domain. "In other words, to get better at judging how well we’re doing at an activity, we have to get better at the activity itself.

There are a couple of ways out of this double bind (两难). First, we can learn to make honest comparisons with others. Train yourself to recognize excellence, even when you yourself don't possess it, and compare what you can do against what truly excellent individuals are able to accomplish. Second, seek out feedback that is frequent, accurate and specific. Find a critic who will tell you not only how poorly you're doing, but just what it is that you're doing wrong. As Dunning and Kruger note, success indicates to us that everything went right, but failure is more ambiguous: any number of things could have gone wrong. Use this external feedback to figure out exactly where and when you screwed up.

If we adopt these strategies — and most importantly, teach them to our children — they won't need parents, or a commencement(毕业典礼) speaker, to tell them that they're special. They'll already know that they are, or have a plan to get that way.

1. The underlined phrase "took issue with" in paragraph 1 most probably means      .

A．totally approved of	B．disagreed with
C．fully understood	D．held discussion about

2. The author thinks the problem that shouldn't be overlooked is that      .

A．we don’t know whether our young people are talented or not

B．young people can't reasonably define themselves

C．no requirement is set up for young people to get better

D．we always tend to consider ourselves to be privileged

3. Which is NOT mentioned about poor students according to the passage?

A．They lack the capacity to monitor how well they are performing.

B．They usually give themselves high scores in self-evaluations.

C．They tend to be unable to know exactly how bad they are.

D．They are intelligently inadequate in tests and exams.

4. We can infer from the passage that those high-scoring students      .

A．are not confident about their logic and grammar

B．tend to be very competent in their high-scoring fields

C．don't know how well they perform due to their stringent self-judgment

D．is very careful about their self-evaluations because they have their own limits

5. The strategies of becoming special suggest that      .

A．the best way to recognize excellence is to study past success and failure

B．through comparison with others, one will know where and when he fails

C．we need internal honesty with ourselves and external honesty from others

D．neither parents nor a commencement speaker can tell whether one is special

6. Which can be the best title of this passage?

A．Special or Not? Teach Kids To Figure It Out

B．Let's Admit That We Are Not That Special

C．Tips On Making Ourselves More Special

D．Tell The Truth: Kids Overestimate their Talents

3 . The Last Robot-Proof Job in America?

You can get most food, such as warm cookies or vodka, to your doorstep in minutes. But try getting a red snapper (红鲷鱼). Until recently, if you could obtain it, it would likely have been pre-frozen and shipped in from overseas.

A new tech startup is aiming to ____________this situation. Based inside the Fulton Fish Market, a seafood wholesale market, the startup, called FultonFishMarket.com, allows customers across the whole country, both restaurants and individuals, to buy from the market. The fish is shipped ____________, rather than frozen, thanks to an Amazon advanced logistics system. Mike Spindler, the company’s C.E.O., said recently, “I can get a fish to Warren Buffett, that’s as fresh as if he’d walked down to the pier (码头) and bought it that morning.”

There is one thing, ____________, that the sophisticated logistics system cannot do: pick out a fish. If Warren Buffett orders a red snapper, the company needs to ____________ that his fish is actually red snapper, and not some other. According to the ocean-conservation organization, more than 20% of the seafood in restaurants and grocery stores in America is ___________. For this task, the company has employed Robert DiGregorio, a forty-seven-year veteran of the business, who possesses a blend of judgement and ___________ knowledge that, so far, computers have yet to replicate.

“___________ the food-safety stuff, our business could be any market from the last three thousand years of human history,” Spindler told me. He is experienced in the ___________ business. When he arrived at the fish market in 2014, people were cautious. “They thought selling fish on the Internet was___________.” DiGregorio said, speaking for the fishmongers(鱼贩). “They didn’t see how it could possibly work.” Five years ago, DeGregorio didn’t know how to use a computer, but when the Web-site people arrived at the market, he sensed an opportunity. Together, they’ve created a human-machine fish-buying operation.

By 1 a.m. each night, the company collects __________ from around the country and sends them to DiGregorio. He heads into the market, carrying his tablet computer. The company’s algorithms（算法） ___________ data on their sources and can tell DiGregorio, for example, which stall to go to get the best tuna (金枪鱼). The computer is a “learning system,”, so if DiGregorio makes a choice it didn’t ___________, it asks, “Was the fish not available? Was it damaged?” All that information is fed back in for next time.

Then, what can a fishmonger see that a computer can’t? DeGregorio showed me his part of the ___________ process. “I’m assessing a few things,” he said. First, ___________. Fish should have “nice” slime(粘液). Then, smell. He sniffed the air above the box. “when fish goes bad, it smells like ammonia.” Besides, to get the best stuff, “Fishmongers have to have a relationship with you. To trust you.” He added.

Is he ever __________being replaced by the learning system of computers? DiGregorio shrugged. “By the time they invent a computer that can do what I can do,” he said, “I’ll be dead.”

1.

A．maintain

B．remedy

C．substitute

D．recognize

2.

A．free

B．overseas

C．separate

D．fresh

3.

A．therefore

B．otherwise

C．however

D．thus

4.

A．ensure

B．propose

C．concede

D．remind

5.

A．overpriced

B．misidentified

C．displaced

D．modified

6.

A．computer

B．cuisine

C．fish

D．marketing

7.

A．Rather than

B．Thanks to

C．Except for

D．Prior to

8.

A．fund-raising

B．online-grocery

C．fish-selling

D．non-profit

9.

A．significant

B．worthy

C．responsible

D．ridiculous

10.

A．sales

B．orders

C．alternatives

D．statistics

11.

A．analyze

B．supply

C．prioritize

D．feed

12.

A．require

B．process

C．predict

D．value

13.

A．calculation

B．decoding

C．correction

D．selection

14.

A．smash

B．touch

C．wipe

D．roll

15.

A．concerned about

B．eager for

C．delighted with

D．capable of

4 . After my public lectures on evolution, someone in the audience asks, “Are we still evolving?” People want to know if humans are getting taller, smarter, better looking or more athletic. My answer is truthful but _______: We’re almost certainly evolving, but we don’t know in what _______ or how fast.

We’ve seen some evolution in our species over the past few millennia, but it was detected by reconstructing history from DNA sequences. For example, we know that during the past 10,000 years, several populations of humans — those keeping sheep, cows or goats for milk— gained the ability to digest dairy products. This quality was _______ in our earlier ancestors who, after babyhood, never encountered milk. And in the past 3,000 years, Tibetans have acquired _______ adaptations that allowed them to develop well in their high-altitude, low-oxygen home. But these well-documented changes are limited to particular populations, so the _______ for recent evolution of our entire species, remains not much.

The authors of “Evolving Ourselves” _______. Not only, they claim, are we evolving faster than ever, but we’re doing it to ourselves. Juan Enriquez and Steve Gullans argue that humans have _______ evolution — not just in our own species but virtually in all species: “For better or worse, we are increasingly in charge. We are the primary drivers of _______. We will directly and indirectly determine what lives, what dies, where, and when. We are in a different phase of evolution: the future of life is now _______.”

According to the authors, we’ve replaced natural selection with what they call “________selection.” Overfishing, for example, has reduced the average size of many fish species, for taking the biggest fishes is ________ those smaller fishes.

Yet while there’s no doubt that we’re changing the planet, the claim that we’re completely changing evolution on the planet ________. Let’s take those fish that are evolving to reproduce smaller and younger for example. This ________ has been documented in many species that we eat, but this is just a minuscule fraction (极小的一部分) of the 30,000 known species of fish.

The authors speak with ________ assurance about how our species is evolving in response to nearly everything. When they claim, for example, our ingestion (摄取) of drugs and exposure to chemicals mean that “our children’s brains are evolving fast,” they are abusing (滥用) the word “________.” Our children’s brains may be changing fast in response to the new pharmacological (药理学的) environment, but change alone is not evolution.

1.

A．instructive

B．disappointing

C．decisive

D．conflicting

2.

A．direction

B．region

C．frequency

D．condition

3.

A．beneficial

B．adaptable

C．unique

D．useless

4.

A．unproved

B．changeable

C．genetic

D．mysterious

5.

A．study

B．evidence

C．interest

D．implication

6.

A．disagree

B．support

C．follow

D．approve

7.

A．delayed

B．overdone

C．neglected

D．controlled

8.

A．unbalance

B．disaster

C．change

D．disturbance

9.

A．in our hands

B．out of order

C．in peace

D．out of control

10.

A．destructive

B．unnatural

C．adventurous

D．emotional

11.

A．by means of

B．at the cost of

C．in favor of

D．for the protection of

12.

A．makes no sense

B．makes great impression

C．calls attention

D．comes to an end

13.

A．problem

B．mistake

C．phenomenon

D．obstacle

14.

A．strong

B．baseless

C．sensitive

D．persuasive

15.

A．environment

B．technology

C．exposure

D．evolution

5 . I was cycling and noticed a person, about a quarter of a kilometer in front of me. I could tell he was cycling a little slower than me and decided to try to _______ him. I had about a kilometer to go on the road _______ turning off.

So I _______ cycling faster and faster and every _______ I was gaining on him just a little bit. After just a few minutes I was only about 100 yards _______ him, so I really picked up the pace and _______ myself You would have _______ I was cycling in the last section of London Olympic triathlon.

_______,I caught up with him and passed him by. On the inside I felt so _______.I beat him, of course, but he didn't even know we were __________ .

After I passed him, I __________ that I had been so focused on competing against him that I had __________ my turn. I had gone nearly six blocks past it and had to turn around and go all the way back.

Isn't that what happens in life when we __________ competing with co-workers, neighbors, and friends, trying to __________ that we are more successful or more important? We spend our time and ____________ chasing after them and we miss out on our own __________ to our future.

The __________ of unhealthy competition is that it's a never-ending ____________, because there will__________ be somebody ahead of you, someone   with a better job, more money and more education, etc.

Therefore, just take what life has given you, your height, weight and personality. Stay focused and live a healthy life. There's no __________in life. Run your own race and wish others well!

1.

A．follow

B．catch

C．remind

D．grasp

2.

A．before

B．after

C．unless

D．when

3.

A．stopped

B．enjoyed

C．started

D．regretted

4.

A．way

B．block

C．step

D．time

5.

A．apart from

B．above

C．ahead of

D．behind

6.

A．protected

B．pushed

C．supported

D．comforted

7.

A．thought

B．remembered

C．dreamt

D．hoped

8.

A．Fortunately

B．Finally

C．Surprisingly

D．Apparently

9.

A．calm

B．lucky

C．astonished

D．good

10.

A．racing

B．exercising

C．celebrating

D．cycling

11.

A．believed

B．expected

C．realized

D．understood

12.

A．escaped

B．missed

C．made

D．lost

13.

A．worry about

B．care for

C．depend on

D．focus on

14.

A．prove

B．declare

C．explain

D．inform

15.

A．tears

B．money

C．energy

D．pain

16.

A．paths

B．entrances

C．plans

D．barriers

17.

A．task

B．difficulty

C．problem

D．goal

18.

A．movement

B．cycle

C．event

D．routine

19.

A．never

B．often

C．sometimes

D．always

20.

A．mistake

B．competition

C．pressure

D．challenge

6 . Babies made from three people approved in UK

Babies made from two women and one man have been approved by the UK’s fertility regulator. The historic and controversial move is to prevent children from being born with deadly genetic diseases.

Doctors in Newcastle — who developed the advanced form of In Vitro Fertilization or IVF (人工授精) — are expected to be the first to offer the procedure and have already appealed for donor eggs. The first such child could be born, at the earliest, by the end of 2017.

Some families have lost multiple children to incurable mitochondrial (线粒体的) diseases, which can leave people with insufficient energy to keep their heart beating.

The diseases are passed down from only the mother, so a technique using a donor egg as well as the mother’s egg and father’s sperm has been developed.

The resulting child has a tiny amount of their DNA from the donor, but the procedure is legal and reviews say it is ethical (伦理的) and scientifically ready.

“It is a decision of historic importance,” said Sally Cheshire, chairwoman of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). “I’m sure patients will be really pleased by what we’ve decided today.”

But some scientists have questioned the ethics of the technique, saying it could open the door to genetically-modified(转基因) ‘designer’ babies.

The HFEA must approve every clinic and every patient before the procedure can take place. Three-person babies have been allowed only in cases where the risk of a child developing mitochondrial disease is very high.

Prof Mary Herbert, from the Newcastle Fertility Centre, said, “It is enormously pleasing that our many years of research in this area can finally be applied to help families affected by these devastating diseases”.

“Now that we are moving forward towards clinical treatments, we will also need donors to donate eggs for use in treatment to prevent affected women transmitting disease to their children.”

Prof Sir Doug Turnbull, the director of the Welcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University, said, “We are delighted by today’s decision. We will also provide long-term follow up of any children born.”

NHS England has agreed to fund the treatment costs of the first trial of three-person IVF for those women who meet the HFEA criteria, as long as they agree to long-term follow up of their children after they are born.

1. Why is it historically important to approve babies made from three people?

A．It helps couples who lose the ability to give birth to a baby.

B．It marks a foundation stone to change babies’ appearances before birth.

C．It stops deadly genetic diseases passing down to newly-born babies.

D．It turns out to be an advanced form of In Vitro Fertilization.

2. Which of the following is TRUE about mitochondrial diseases?

A．They pass down on to babies from their parents.

B．They prevent people’s heart from functioning normally.

C．Some children infected can be cured with proper treatment.

D．Babies can be infected with them through a donor’s egg.

3. How can a clinic or a patient be approved of applying the three-person baby technique?

A．Only when the baby to be born needs it to survive.

B．Only when the patient gets financially prepared.

C．Only when the clinic gets scientifically ready.

D．Only when the technique is ethnically accepted.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards the approval of babies made from three people?

A．Supportive

B．Indifferent

C．Worried

D．Objective