1 . What began in the late 1990s as a research project helmed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two students in Stanford University’s Ph. D. program, is now one of the most influential companies in the world: Google. At first, the students’ goal was to make an efficient search engine that gave users relevant links in response to search requests.
While search is still Google’s core purpose, the company now provides services and goods ranging from email and photo storage to productivity software, the Internet browser Chrome, the mobile operating system Android, Chrome laptops and the Pixel mobile phone. Google has evolved from that two-man enterprise into a multibillion-dollar corporation. In 2015, it re-structured and is the jewel of parent company Alphabet, making it one of the big-gest and richest companies in the world.
Google has long been the most visited site on the Web, too, making the company’s influence on commerce and culture undeniable. Practically every webmaster wants his or her site listed high on Google’s search engine results pages because that almost always translates into more traffic. Google has also acquired other Internet companies, ranging from blogging serv-ices to YouTube. For a while, the company’s search technology even powered rival companies’ search engines: Yahoo relied on Google searches for nearly four years until developing its own search engine technologies in 2004.
In this article, we’ll learn about the backbone of Google’s business, its search engine. We’ll also look at other services Google offers. Then we’ll take a quick glimpse at some of the tools, both software and hardware, which Google has developed over the years. We’ll also learn more about the equipment Google uses to keep its massive operation running. Finally, we’ll take a closer look at Google, the company.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “helmed” in paragraph 1?| A．predicted | B．investigated | C．confirmed | D．conducted |
| A．Good service. | B．Search engine. | C．Many customers. | D．Wide search. |
| A．Blogging services don’t belong to Google. |
| B．Google’s influence on agriculture is beyond doubt. |
| C．Google doesn’t help webmasters increase more traffic. |
| D．Yahoo didn’t possess its own search engine before 2004. |
| A．How does Google develop? | B．How do we operate Google? |
| C．Who is the founder of Google? | D．What benefits can we obtain from Google? |
2 . The country’s first national park, Yellowstone, is renaming one of its largest mountains to honor indigenous people after research revealed the man it had been named after helped lead a massacre (屠杀) against local tribes. As part of the park’s 150th anniversary, officials announced the 10,551-foot high peak formerly called Mount Doane is now First Peoples Mountain.
“It is a victory, yes. Is history being rewritten and retold truthfully? I hope so,” William Snell, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, told NPR. His group helped advise federal officials on the name change. In an email, Snell said the change to First Peoples Mountain couldn't have come at a better time as Yellowstone officials prepare for the park’s anniversary in August.
The peak—along a range on the eastern side of Yellowstone Lake—had been named after Gustavus Doane, who helped lead the Washburn-Langford-Doane exploration in 1870 that eventually led to the park getting federal protection.
But recently, historians uncovered Doane’s role in an attack that left at least 173 Native Americans dead. Known as the Marias Massacre, Doane carried out the attack over the killing of a white fur trader. In writings, Doane cast a favorable light on the attack and even showed off about it for the rest of his life, the National Park Service said last week.
The renaming to First Peoples Mountain is part of a trend to better recognize the roles and contributions of Native Americans. It has also become a priority of the nation’s first indigenous cabinet secretary—the Interior Department’s Deb Haaland, who oversees the National Park Service—and Charles SamsⅢ, the first Native American to serve as that agency’s director.
Across the American West, many iconic representative mountains and other environmental places were named after early white settlers, mostly men and some with terrible pasts.
In Yellowstone, park officials say they may consider further changes to derogatory (贬损的) or inappropriate geographical names in the months ahead.
1. Why does Yellowstone decide to rename one of its largest mountains?| A．To gain more profits. | B．To uncover the history of 1870s. |
| C．To be in honour of Native Americans. | D．To change people's attitude towards the park. |
| A．The terrible pasts of Doane. | B．The effort historians made. |
| C．The contributions Doane made. | D．The conclusion National Park Service drew. |
| A．Improve the service qualities. | B．Learn from history events and characters. |
| C．Protect the environment of Yellowstone Park. | D．Consider renaming improper geographical names. |
| A．Doane regarded his deeds as a shame. | B．Doane was once mistaken for a hero. |
| C．Americans reacted to the renaming negatively. | D．The government thought little of the renaming work. |
3 . The Best Time To Visit Masai Mara
High season
Months: June, July, August, September & October
These are the best months to visit the Masai Mara as it is the long dry season with little or no rainfall. It is easy to spot animals as the bush is less thick and animals gather around available water sources and rivers. It is the best time to witness the Great Migration herds. Accommodation cost will also be high, and as this is the busiest period, so bookings in advance are essential!
Green season
Months: April, May & November
The long rains occur during April and May and short rains in November. Mornings are usually clear and dry, with clouds building into dramatic thunderstorms by late afternoon. A plus to travel during the green season is that fewer people are travelling, which means fewer people and low lodge(旅舍)prices. Some of the lodges and camps close down during these months.
Shoulder season
Months: December, January, February & March
These shoulder months are a time of transition(过渡). Temperatures start to fall off, and migratory birds move on. Animals start to gather in areas where they know there will be water. For birdwatchers they are the best months, as in addition to the resident species, migratory birds, coming here from Europe to spend the winter, are also present. January and February are the best months to witness the birth of wildebeest, zebra and antelope.
1. What is special about the high season?| A．It rains a lot. | B．Lodge prices are high. |
| C．More birds migrate here. | D．Many zebras are born. |
| A．In September. | B．In October. |
| C．In November. | D．In December. |
| A．A travel guide. | B．A news report. | C．A children’s story. | D．A diary entry. |
On March 14, 2018, Stephen Hawking finally died
Hawking’s children followed with a statement: “ We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today. He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man
10 days before his death, the new report, authored by physicist Thomas Hertog, argues against the idea
5 . A gentleman was walking through an elephant camp, and he
The only reason that the elephants weren’t breaking free and escaping from the camp was that over time they adopted the
| A．noticed | B．stared | C．suspected | D．witnessed |
| A．ponds | B．fountains | C．cages | D．ceiling |
| A．chain | B．wire | C．towel | D．rope |
| A．Although | B．As | C．Since | D．Unless |
| A．sad | B．frustrated | C．sensitive | D．confused |
| A．power | B．strength | C．mind | D．energy |
| A．slightly | B．easily | C．lively | D．barely |
| A．Curious | B．Embarrassed | C．Ashamed | D．Delighted |
| A．assistant | B．keeper | C．leader | D．trainer |
| A．tackled | B．inquired | C．replied | D．convinced |
| A．solid | B．same | C．pure | D．regular |
| A．one | B．an | C．that | D．those |
| A．break away | B．break down | C．break in | D．break out |
| A．Nevertheless | B．Besides | C．Thus | D．Yet |
| A．assumption | B．expectation | C．blame | D．belief |
6 . If you need to give a speech in elementary school, high school, college, or university, it helps to practice as possible as you can.
Talk about what you know. If possible, choose a topic for your speech or presentation (演讲) that you know a lot about and love.
Grab the audience’s attention. Most of your fellow classmates will pay attention for at least the first 20 seconds.
| A．Concentrate on your message. |
| B．Tell someone about your anxiety. |
| C．Focus on one central theme and your classmates will learn more. |
| D．Even great speakers practice their speeches beforehand. |
| E．Therefore, grab their attention during those early moments. |
| F．Take the time to watch other speakers who are good at what they do. |
| G．Your passion for the topic will be felt by the audience. |
7 . All evidence points to the fact that Mars once had flowing water, but numerous flybys, orbiters and landers have confirmed one undeniable fact — any liquid (液体的) water that was once on its surface is now long gone.
One idea, the Mars Ocean Hypothesis, suggests that Mars not only had some liquid water, but a lot of it. But the new study’s co-author Kun Wang says his team’s finding pours cold water on it.
“Mars’ fate (命运) was decided from the beginning.” Wang, an assistant professor of Earth and planetary sciences, said in a statement. That’s because the lower mass and gravity of Mars makes it easier for volatile (挥发) elements and compounds such as water to escape from its surface into space.
The researchers looked at 20 Martian meteorites (陨石) ranging in age from about 200 million years old to 4 billion years, dating back to a time when the solar system was still in the chaos of formation. The researchers analyzed water behaves in much the same way, indicating that most of it would have been lost to space during the formation of Mars.
The liquid water that did remain on the Martian surface carved out the riverbeds and other formations that we see there today, Wang says. But that water, too, would likely have disappeared had it not been trapped as ice at the Martian poles as the climate on the planet became colder, he notes.
“This does probably indicate a lower limit on size for a planet to be truly habitable,” Wang says, “Understanding that lower limit is important — there are lines of evidence that small planets are more common than big ones, so if the small ones are dry, then there are fewer habitable (适于居住的) worlds out there than we thought.”
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?| A．To present an argument. | B．To make a comparison. |
| C．To reach a conclusion. | D．To explain a concept. |
| A．Water is too easy to dry out. |
| B．The cold weather froze the water. |
| C．Flybys consumed most of the water. |
| D．The gravity of the Mars can hardly lock water. |
| A．Comparing results. | B．Listing figures. |
| C．Giving examples. | D．Raising questions. |
| A．We are in great need of water on earth. |
| B．They are trying to find suitable place for humans. |
| C．Mars is the destination to explore in the long run. |
| D．Mars is very significant for the health of the earth. |
8 . Charles Daniels didn’t grow up with a father in his house. As a child, he wasn’t given an explanation and that experience fueled his life’s mission (使命).” I was once that kid who blamed myself for my father’s absence. He wasn’t absent because he didn’t care about me.” Daniels tells Yahoo Life.
18.3 million children in the United States live without a father in the home. With his organization, Fathers’ Uplift, Daniels provides mental health coaching to assist fathers to overcome the barriers that prevent them from remaining engaged in their children’s lives.
“We have to be open to understanding why fathers are absent instead of judging them for being absent. The reason matters,” says Daniels. “Lots of them have issues with child welfare cases where they’ve not been able to see their kids.”
One way that Fathers’ Uplift provides support is by creating community. Many of the coaches are also fathers who have to overcome their own obstacles (障碍). The men call each other on their birthdays and they share their wins and losses.
At home, Daniels is a husband and father of two. When he thinks about his own children, his parenting philosophy is simple. He wants them to accept their imperfections. He also wants them to know they are loved by their family.
As Father’s Day approaches, Daniels realizes that the day can be tough for men who are separated from their children. He encourages them to hold on and to focus on what matters most.
1. Why did Daniels create his organization?| A．To educate his own children. |
| B．To provide guidance for fathers in need. |
| C．To help find missing fathers. |
| D．To offer help to children without father. |
| A．The reason. | B．The result. | C．The effect. | D．The length. |
| A．Don’t feel upset for their absence. |
| B．Go back to stay with their children. |
| C．Apologize to their children and family. |
| D．Concentrate on what they think is important. |
| A．A Father’s Day Gift |
| B．Realizing a Lifelong Dream |
| C．Daniels and Fathers’ Uplift |
| D．Growing up Without a Father |
9 . Shanghai became the first city to enforce its strictest-ever garbage regulation on July 1. According to the regulation, residents are required to separate dry refuse, wet trash, recyclable waste and dangerous waste. Individuals who fail to sort garbage face fines of up to 200 yuan (about $29). Enterprises can be fined up to 5, 000 yuan for failure to sort waste. China Daily readers share their opinions.
Fatdragon (UK)
In the UK, they force householders to sort the waste and administer heavy fines for getting it wrong. Needless to say, having acquired tons of waste that has been sorted for recycling, administers found the waste often just sits in a field because there is no market for it.
Bushier (Malaysia)
All that is needed is money invested in semi-auto sorting machines inside a factory and guaranteed, and then these garbage problems are solved. Some workers are still needed when machines are unable to sort correctly. New York has a garbage factory like this.
Mixamixa (Finland)
In Finland all apartment buildings with more than five apartments must recycle paper, cardboard, glass, metal and bio-waste. Failing to do so will give your apartment company a big fine. In Finland all soft drinks, wine bottles, beer bottles and strong alcohol bottles have a deposit. For example, a 1.5 liter Coca-Cola bottle has 0.4 euro deposit in the price when you buy it. You get the money back if you return the bottle to the store.
Ck47 (China)
I doubt whether it will achieve expected results, but things will improve for sure. Some people will start to put garbage in different bins and realize the importance of classifying garbage, but some will not do it as they are told, because it’s such a trouble. I am all for it though. It’s a good cause and with our efforts we will make it a nice planet for our kids.
1. What does Bushier think is most important in sorting garbage?| A．Education. | B．Money. | C．Technology. | D．Workers. |
| A．Give you a big fine if fail to do so. |
| B．Give money back if you recycle the bottle. |
| C．Give you a reward if you recycle the bottle. |
| D．Give you extra goods if you recycle the bottle. |
| A．To educate. | B．To advertise. | C．To introduce. | D．To instruct. |
10 . Research shows people have a tendency to seek out information during uncertain times — it’s a natural coping mechanism (机制). But is continuous information-seeking on social media, sometimes called doomscrolling (末日刷刷刷), helpful during a pandemic, or any time?
Research on the effects of bad news on mood suggests exposure to negative COVID news is likely to be dangerous to our emotional well being. For instance, one study conducted in March 2020 involving more than 6,000 Americans found that the more time participants spent consuming COVID news in a day, the unhappier they felt.
These findings are striking but leave a few key questions unanswered. Does doomscrolling make people unhappy, or are unhappy people just more likely to doomscroll? How much time spent doomscrolling is a problem? And what would happen if, instead of doomscrolling, we were “ kindness scrolling ” — reading about humanity’s positive responses to a global crisis?
To find out answers to these questions, researchers conducted a study where they showed hundreds of people real-world content on either Twitter or YouTube for two to four minutes. The Twitter feeds and YouTube videos featured either general news about the COVID, or news about kindness during COVID. Researchers then measured these participants’ moods using a questionnaire, and compared their moods with participants who did not engage with any content at all.
People who were shown general COVID-related news experienced lower moods than people who were shown nothing at all. Meanwhile, people who were shown COVID news stories involving acts of kindness didn’t experience the same decline in mood, but also didn’t gain the boost in mood they’ d predicted. These findings suggest that spending as little as two to four minutes consuming negative news about COVID-19 can have a negative impact on our mood.
Researchers are still working on what people can do to look after themselves, and make time on social media more pleasurable.
1. How did the author introduce the topic of the text?| A．By asking a question. | B．By telling a story. |
| C．By listing lots of figures. | D．By answering a question. |
| A．To figure out why people like doomscrolling. |
| B．To find out what news has bad effects on emotion. |
| C．To figure out the answers to the few key questions. |
| D．To find out what news people like about doomscrolling. |
| A．No news may lead people to low mood. |
| B．General COVID-related news may cause low spirits. |
| C．COVID news of kindness may boost mood. |
| D．2-4 minutes of COVID-19 news viewing doesn’t affect mood. |
| A．The research time. | B．The results of the study. |
| C．The study institution. | D．The number of participants. |
