The 2.4-km-long Peljesac Bridge (佩列沙茨大桥), connecting Croatia’s mainland with the Peljesac Peninsula on the country’s southern Adriatic coast,
The bridge has
The construction team attached great importance
“I have worked on some other big projects in Europe, but none compare with the Peljesac Bridge project,” Selma Knudsen said,
2 . The green, natural forest absorbs carbon dioxide from the air through photo- synthesis (光合作用). There is another way of dealing with the climate crisis. That is setting up fields of dark-colored solar panels (太阳能电池板), also known as “solar forests”, which replace power stations that use fossil fuels such as coal and gas to make electricity, thus mitigating harmful emissions (排放) of greenhouse gases.
But since they are both relatively dark, they absorb a lot of solar radiation. Some of the energy is used for photosynthesis in natural forests or to produce electricity in “solar forests”, but most returns to the atmosphere, heating it up. Then what would be the more effective land use option in terms of the climate crisis: planting a forest, or building solar panels? This issue has long been debated by decision-makers around the world. Now, we may have an answer, thanks to a new study.
First, the researchers compared the impact of a forest on the climate crisis in a dry area to that of a solar farm in a similar environment. The researchers found that the albedo effect (反射效应) of both of these “forests” was similar, but that the absorption or prevention of carbon emissions was very different. It turns out that it takes 2.5 years for the heat emitted by solar farms to be balanced by the carbon emissions that are avoided, thanks to the energy they produce. In the case of a natural forest of similar size, it would take more than 100 years of photosynthesis to balance its heating effect.
The researchers also studied how the heating-cooling relationship changed in other climates and found that in more humid environments, the heating effect of planting large numbers of trees is smaller. And the break-even point is reached within 15 to 18 years.
“In dry places, building solar forests seems far more effective in addressing the climate crisis. Meanwhile, forests absorb about a third of annual carbon emissions and play a vital role in the global rain cycle, in maintaining biodiversity and in many other environmental and social contexts. Preventing them from being cut down and planting more trees in humid areas are of great significance,” explains one of the researchers in the study.
1. What does the underlined word “mitigating” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?A.Releasing. | B.Decreasing. | C.Generating. | D.Stabilizing. |
A.They cause much damage to the land. |
B.They result in a serious loss of farmland. |
C.They contribute to the warming of the atmosphere. |
D.They lose energy during the absorption of solar radiation. |
A.The natural forest exhibits a stronger albedo effect. |
B.The solar forest can generate more energy in dry areas. |
C.The solar forest is superior in balancing the heating effect. |
D.The natural forest is more effective in solving the climate crisis. |
A.More trees should be planted in dry regions. |
B.More methods should be adopted to address the climate crisis. |
C.Fields of solar panels should be set up everywhere on the earth. |
D.Building solar panels and planting trees should be effectively combined. |
3 . At the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Romanian gymnast Nadia Comǎneci made history. She performed a routine
Perfectionism is generally appreciated as a good quality. Therefore, it’s not
Aiming for a high degree of success isn’t necessarily
Maladaptive perfectionism, which involves an intense
A.randomly | B.temporarily | C.faultlessly | D.repeatedly |
A.talent | B.discoveries | C.transformation | D.achievements |
A.interesting | B.necessary | C.apparent | D.surprising |
A.professions | B.experiences | C.advertisements | D.agreements |
A.theory | B.tendency | C.measure | D.difficulty |
A.insist | B.confirm | C.worry | D.regret |
A.detail | B.interaction | C.instruction | D.recognition |
A.miss out | B.hold onto | C.set aside | D.rely on |
A.beneficial | B.reliable | C.harmful | D.significant |
A.avoid | B.tolerate | C.identify | D.forget |
A.argument | B.competition | C.desire | D.strategy |
A.indicate | B.weaken | C.stress | D.inspire |
A.shift | B.adopt | C.accept | D.strengthen |
A.realistic | B.cautious | C.decisive | D.helpful |
A.challenge | B.mention | C.evaluate | D.prioritize |
Scientists at South Korea’s Yonsei University have created a new type of hybrid (杂交) rice that not only has a meaty pink color but is also packed with beef protein (蛋白质) and fat cells.
Rice is already one of the most nutritious foods available in nature, but thanks to some scientific “magic", it could soon become
“Imagine obtaining all the nutrients we need
In the future, scientists plan to use sustainable supplies of cells
After little Julie lost her parents, she lived with Aunt Clara, who worked day and night to support her and her own daughter Mira. As the school prom (舞会) approached, both Julie and Mira dreamed of buying beautiful dresses for the occasion. However, Clara’s limited budget posed a challenge, as she could only afford one dress.
To determine who would receive the dress, Clara suggested the girls draw lots (抽签). Unfortunately, luck was not on Julie’s side, but she remained optimistic. “Don’t worry about me,” Julie smiled. “I’ll figure something out.”
Julie reached under her bed and pulled out a box containing money from Grandma. Grandma loved Julie and Mira very much. Every year, Grandma would send cash gifts to both of them. Julie had carefully saved her money and now had enough to buy a prom dress. With excitement and anticipation, she purchased a beautiful black dress, imagining being the prom queen at the prom.
The following Sunday morning, Aunt Clara left for work early. When Julie woke up, she was shocked that the dress she had hung over the nearby chair was gone! She looked out of the window and froze in horror at the sight of the family dog tearing it to pieces.
She screamed as she ran toward the dog. “What have you done to my dress?” Mira soon learned of the situation and rushed to help Julie to remove her dress caught between the dog’s teeth. However, it was already completely ruined and unable to be repaired. Julie felt heartbroken at the thought of not being able to afford another dress.
Lost and unsure of what to do, Julie went to her grandma’s house with the remains of her dress, seeking comfort and advice. When Grandma answered the door, Julie cried and said what had happened. Grandma comforted her and offered a glimmer of hope. “I can help you with your dress,” she smiled. “Follow me."
Grandma, who suffered from Parkinson’s disease (帕金森病),walked slowly and led Julie into the dining room. There, she removed the cover from her old sewing machine and instructed Julie to open the top drawer of the dresser, where an abundance of colorful cloth was stored.
Paragraph 1:Julie said, “But I’m afraid that you couldn’t sew anymore. You know, your hands.”
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
Eventually, their joint efforts bore fruit, and they completed a new prom dress.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6 . In one of my teaching experiences, a colleague invited me to talk to his undergraduate class about being a clinical psychologist. Afterward, a line of students stopped me before I could go out. They didn’t have questions about the lecture.
There are two ways that people try to deal with these feelings: avoiding opportunities and seeking them excessively. Opportunity-avoiders are too hesitant to follow through with pursuing opportunities. Since they are afraid of failure, they avoid having a try at the opportunity.
Compulsive (难控制的) opportunity-seekers get excited by the idea of an opportunity itself rather than identifying what the opportunity will mean for their quality of life. They find it painful to pass up opportunities even when they don’t have time for them and might say “yes” to thankless tasks.
These two ways are well-intentioned but they are also self-defeating. The healthiest way to go about opportunity-seeking and -taking is building self-awareness.
A.But I didn’t have any opportunities for them. |
B.They hesitate to ask for help, sometimes out of shame. |
C.Figure out whether your behavior is clouded by emotion. |
D.Rather, they were eager to seek a chance to work with me. |
E.Pursuing opportunity is a healthy behavior that society celebrates. |
F.It could also mean being patient for a better time to start a new opportunity. |
G.As can be imagined, overloading one’s schedule does not do much to improve self-worth. |
7 . Seated at the grand piano in MIT’s Killian Hall last fall, first-year student Jacqueline Wang played one piece of Mozart’s music. When she’d finished, Mi-Eun Kim, a pianist and lecturer at MIT, asked her to move to the back of the hall. Kim tapped at an iPad. Suddenly, the music Wang had just played poured forth again from the piano — its keys sinking and rising just as they had with Wang’s fingers on them. Wang stood with a confused expression, taking in a repeat of her own performance.
This unusual lesson took place during a three-week residency (驻留期) of the Steinway Spirio|r, a piano that obtains the data of live performances and offers students new possibilities for studying and experimenting with music.
Wang was one of several participants to have the experience of hearing herself play while watching the data of her performance move up and down across a screen: color-coded rectangles (矩形) indicating the speed and duration of each note, and a moving line charting her use of the damper pedal (阻尼踏板). Wang could even edit her own performance when Kim suggested her rhythmic use of the pedal might be unnecessary. Using the iPad interface to erase the pedaling entirely, they listened to the playback again, the notes gaining new clarity,
For Wang, the session introduced an element she’d never experienced since beginning her piano studies. The visual display of how long each key was played and with what speed gave her a more precise demonstration of the ideas of voicing and evenness.
Playing the piano is one of the most complex activities that humans do with their hands. Some people might think the new technology will replace the pianist. In Kim’s view, that human complexity is complemented by this kind of technical possibility. But it doesn’t mean all of the things that go into learning music will be abandoned. It’s going to be an invaluable third partner: the student, the teacher, and the Spirio|r. It’s going to play a necessary role in lots of musical efforts.
1. What happened after Jacqueline Wang finished her performance?A.Her teacher played a piece of music to compete against her. |
B.She got her performance reviewed on the Spirio|r. |
C.She was asked to comment on her performance. |
D.Her teacher instructed her to improve her skills. |
A.It is difficult to operate. | B.It needs to be more intelligent. |
C.It might reveal users’ privacy. | D.It is beneficial for students’ learning. |
A.The music world is full of uncertainties. |
B.Technology cannot replace human pianists. |
C.There won’t be fiercer competition among pianists. |
D.Pianists should be updated with the latest technology. |
A.Making Full Use of MIT’s Program |
B.The Evolution of Musical Instruments |
C.Exploring Music with the Steinway Spirio|r |
D.The Challenges of Learning a New Instrument |
8 . Four Wonderful Hotels in India
Vythiri Resort, Lakkidi, Kerala
Vythiri Resort has five tree houses, including the one that’s child-friendly and buried in the jungle. This 150-acre property is built around a stream, and the tree houses have been hand-made by local people using local materials. The resort has an Ayurvedic spa, a game room, a health club, and a big free parking lot.
The regular tree house for one night is CNY 1,300 for two adults and a free stay for your child. Breakfast is included in the fee.
Rainforest Resort, Kerala
If the thought of a bird’s eye view of Athirapally Falls, Kerala’s largest waterfall, appeals to you, then book yourself into the tree house at the Rainforest Resort, which hides in the Sholayar rainforest. The resort is set among seven acres of jungle. It’s not cheap, though. You can use free parking and free Internet.
A standard double room for one night is CNY1,920 with meals included for two adults and a child.
The Tree House Resort, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Situated around an hour’s drive from the city center, The Tree House Resort is the largest resort in the world of its kind. It’s located at Nature Farms in the Syari Valley. The tree houses are divided into many “nests”. Some even have tree trunks running through them. All are air-conditioned and have wireless Internet and satellite TV. Activities include jeep tours and nature walks.
A garden room for one night is CNY 820 for two adults and one child. However, breakfast is not included.
Tranquil Resort, Kolagappara, Kerala
Also located in Kerala’s Wayanad district, the Tranquil Resort is, in fact, a coffee plantation homestay. There are 13 walking trails (小路) there and more than 100 species of birds. The resort has a tree house and a 1,000-square-foot tree villa. The villa is apparently a bit expensive. The two are popular, so do book early online or by phone. Fresh coffee is served.
The prices of a tree house and a tree villa are respectively CNY 1,430 and CNY 2,100 per night. And for more than 2 guests, an additional fee of CNY 200 is required.
1. What do the above four hotels offer guests?A.The free parking service. | B.A chance to get close to nature. |
C.A taste of India’s traditional cuisine. | D.Interactive activities for parents and children. |
A.It’s relatively small. | B.It’s unfriendly to kids. |
C.It charges for breakfast. | D.It’s inconveniently located. |
A.CNY 1,430. | B.CNY 1,630. | C.CNY 2,100. | D.CNY 2,300. |
9 . While many of us might long to just sleep through this entire winter, humans, unlike a lot of other mammals - don’t have the capacity to hibernate (冬眠). But researchers think they have found some tell-tale marks on the fossils, which suggests that early humans may have survived the harsh winter by hibernating.
Bears have specialized metabolic (新陈代谢的) processes to protect them from this extended sleep, but sometimes this process doesn’t quite go to plan. For example, hibernators can end up with a host of diseases after hibernation if they don’t get enough food reserves before they go down for the winter. The researchers believe this may have been the circumstance of some human ancestors whose remains with deep cracks in bones were discovered in a Spanish cave called Sima de los Huesos. This deep hole is home to an incredible number of fossils, with archaeologists having discovered thousands of early humans’ skeletal remains that are around 430,000 years old and probably the ancestors of the Sima people or others.
In a paper published in L’Anthropologie, two experts argue that the fossils found in Sima de los Huesos show seasonal variations that suggest that bone growth got interrupted for several months of each year. They suggest these early humans found themselves being in metabolic states that helped them to survive for long periods of time in extremely cold conditions with limited stores of body fat.
The researchers admit the idea “may sound like science fiction”, but they point out that many mammals including primates (灵长类动物) do this. “This suggests that the genetic basis and physiology for such slow metabolism could be preserved in many mammalian species including humans," state Arsuaga and Bartsiokas.
However, Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London pointed out that large mammals such as bears do not actually hibernate, because their large bodies cannot lower their core temperature enough. Instead, they enter a less deep sleep known as torpor. In such a condition, the energy demands of the human-sized brains of the Sima people would have remained very large, creating an additional survival problem for them during torpor.
1. Why does the author mention the example in Paragraph 2?A.To explain the special ability of bears. | B.To provide the background to the research. |
C.To show the basis of researchers’ evaluation. | D.To discuss a new cause of hibernating disease. |
A.They were badly preserved with deep cracks. |
B.Their growth discontinued temporarily for some reason. |
C.Their appearances varied from individual to individual. |
D.They showed signs of people living in comfort in the past. |
A.It’s quite possible. | B.It merely appears in science fiction. |
C.It’s an exception to human genetics. | D.It solved the mystery of humans’ evolution in Europe. |
A.They might have developed smaller brains. |
B.Their daily sleep quality might become poor. |
C.Their body temperature might increase rapidly. |
D.They might suffer from life-threatening starvation. |
1. What does Ann say about her performance in the World Championships?
A.She did better than she had expected. |
B.She regretted not preparing well enough. |
C.She was disappointed to win a silver medal. |
A.Once a week. | B.Every day. | C.Six days a week. |
A.She avoids close contact with them. |
B.She likes to communicate with them. |
C.She has made good friends with them. |
A.Flying kites. | B.Reading. | C.Skiing. |