1 . City air is in a sorry state. It is dirty and hot. Outdoor pollution kills 4.2m people a year, according to the World Health Organization. Concrete and tarmac, meanwhile, absorb the sun’s rays rather than reflecting them back into space, and also
A possible answer to the twin problems of pollution and heat is trees. Their leaves may destroy at least some chemical pollutants and they certainly
To cool an area effectively, trees must be planted in quantity. Two years ago, researchers at the University of Wisconsin found that American cities need 40% tree
One group of botanists believe they have at least a partial
Dr Miyawaki’s insight was to deconstruct and rebuild the process of ecological succession, by which
Dr Miyawaki has
If your goal is to better your
A.thrive | B.nourish | C.displace | D.raise |
A.assessment | B.maintenance | C.spread | D.replacement |
A.release | B.trap | C.reflect | D.dissolve |
A.attraction | B.shadow | C.interaction | D.shade |
A.consumption | B.coverage | C.interval | D.conservation |
A.blessed | B.lined | C.piled | D.fascinated |
A.treatment | B.obstacle | C.warning | D.solution |
A.unnoticed | B.unpromising | C.untested | D.unfading |
A.criticism | B.favor | C.sponsor | D.anxiety |
A.bare | B.graceful | C.faint | D.mysterious |
A.highlights | B.skips | C.improves | D.pushes |
A.accessed | B.spotted | C.supervised | D.ranked |
A.disturbing | B.balancing | C.following | D.reducing |
A.for example | B.in essence | C.on the other hand | D.after all |
A.suburban | B.leisure | C.scenic | D.immediate |
2 . Investors probably expect that following the suggestions of stock analysts would make them better off than doing the exact opposite.
Gennaioli and colleagues shed light on this
After observing strong earnings growth—the explanation goes—analysts think that the firm may be the next Google. “Googles” are in fact more frequent among firms experiencing strong growth, which makes them
In related work, the authors also show that the same model can
These works are part of a research project aimed at taking insights from cognitive sciences and at
Representativeness helps describe
A.Consequently | B.Furthermore | C.Nevertheless | D.Meanwhile |
A.curious | B.controversial | C.concerned | D.optimistic |
A.In brief | B.By contrast | C.In addition | D.Without doubt |
A.engagement | B.concentration | C.puzzle | D.definition |
A.memorize | B.prioritize | C.modernize | D.fertilize |
A.representative | B.argumentative | C.executive | D.sensitive |
A.harsh | B.adaptable | C.crucial | D.rare |
A.cheers | B.disappoints | C.stabilizes | D.improves |
A.account for | B.count on | C.suffer from | D.hold up |
A.pouring | B.admitting | C.integrating | D.tempting |
A.pretend | B.afford | C.offer | D.tend |
A.effects | B.delights | C.intervals | D.codes |
A.companions | B.scales | C.expectations | D.findings |
A.necessity | B.involvement | C.perseverance | D.reluctance |
A.equivalent | B.exceptional | C.mysterious | D.distressing |
3 . In a letter he wrote in 1884, Mark Twain complained that “Telephones, telegraphs and words are too slow for this age; we must get something that is faster.” “We should communicate by thought only, and say in a couple of minutes what should have ballooned into
Despite the progress the previous century brought for our understanding of both language and the brain, we are no closer to telepathy(心灵感应), communication from one mind to another by
“Good old-fashioned telepathy” (GOFT) involves a direct transfer of
Besides, GOFT promises genuine communication. However,
These weaknesses have driven people to look for alternatives and finally inspired inventions of artificial languages trying to remove misunderstanding. Of course, one day when technology allows, a direct thought-to-thought transfer seems the
Many of us have the confidence that we can think faster than we can speak or write. Having to rely
A.words | B.gestures | C.actions | D.costs |
A.extra-genetic | B.extra-familial | C.extra-sensory | D.extra-legal |
A.sacrificed | B.popularized | C.enclosed | D.balanced |
A.strength | B.intelligence | C.thoughts | D.structures |
A.limitations | B.expenses | C.command | D.evolution |
A.replace | B.update | C.decode | D.imitate |
A.avoidance | B.discrimination | C.employment | D.expansion |
A.reluctance | B.privacy | C.fear | D.misinterpretation |
A.contradict | B.indicate | C.delay | D.justify |
A.multiple | B.invisible | C.ultimate | D.equivalent |
A.roughly | B.casually | C.entirely | D.willingly |
A.distraction | B.prospect | C.origin | D.regulation |
A.fed up | B.set up | C.cut off | D.let loose |
A.profitable | B.meaningful | C.steady | D.typical |
A.charm | B.recognition | C.efficiency | D.endurance |
4 . According to a Gallup World Poll, 1.1 billion people want to move temporarily to another country in the hope of finding more profitable jobs. An additional 630 million people would like to move abroad permanently.
The global desire to leave home arises from poverty and necessity, but it also grows out of a belief that such mobility is possible. People who hold fast to this universal
It leads to opportunity and profits, but it also has high
Such tolerance of emotional suffering became common among mobile Americans in the 20th century, and represented a(n)
Today, discussions of nostalgia are rare, for the emotion is typically regarded by individuals as an embarrassing block to progress and prosperity. The
Technology also tricks us into thinking that mobility is
But such a claim was
The persistence of homesickness points to the limitations of the universal philosophy that strengthens so much of our market and society. The idea that we can and should feel at home any place on the globe is based on a worldview that celebrates the independent, mobile individual and takes it for granted that men and women are easily separated from family, from home and from the past. But this view isn’t
A.subject | B.wealth | C.vision | D.exchange |
A.transferred | B.tied | C.reduced | D.bridged |
A.globalized | B.intense | C.exporting | D.degrading |
A.transporting | B.domestic | C.psychological | D.administrative |
A.displaced | B.suspected | C.abused | D.monitored |
A.guidance | B.emergency | C.departure | D.justification |
A.misleading | B.wearing | C.resisting | D.facilitating |
A.silence | B.restriction | C.obstacle | D.emotion |
A.temporary | B.traditional | C.painless | D.formal |
A.priority | B.alert | C.connection | D.privacy |
A.overly | B.ultimately | C.critically | D.narrowly |
A.advancement | B.suffering | C.immediacy | D.variety |
A.impossibility | B.diversity | C.distraction | D.scale |
A.in line with | B.in addition to | C.in honor of | D.in need of |
A.distributed | B.underestimated | C.illustrated | D.identified |
5 . A hundred years ago, the largest city in the world was London, with a population of 6.5 million. Today it is beaten by Tokyo. With barely a quarter the population of London a century ago, the Tokyo metropolitan area has since
This
The
Planners and architects now agree that to improve the social and environmental condition of cities the top
A.added | B.mushroomed | C.responded | D.adapted |
A.out-of-date | B.rural-to-urban | C.close-to-bottom | D.on-the-site |
A.cities | B.migration | C.poverty | D.communities |
A.increase | B.advantage | C.management | D.distribution |
A.criticism | B.comments | C.demands | D.impressions |
A.Promoting | B.Relating | C.Returning | D.Introducing |
A.disappear | B.decrease | C.exist | D.occur |
A.Generally | B.Naturally | C.Previously | D.Fortunately |
A.rely on | B.set aside | C.result in | D.look into |
A.self-driving cars | B.public transport | C.green buildings | D.eco-friendly packaging |
A.changing | B.arranging | C.separating | D.forcing |
A.concern | B.secret | C.reform | D.priority |
A.enough | B.possible | C.common | D.scarce |
A.emphasize | B.minimize | C.neglect | D.consider |
A.eagerly for | B.far from | C.close to | D.ignorantly of |
6 . Against all our wishes, advertising works, which is why, even in hard economic times, Madison Avenue is a $34-billion-a-year business. And if Martin Lindstrom, a marketing consultant is correct, trying to
83% of all forms of advertising principally
According to Lindstrom, the everyday sound that is most impressive, both in terms of interest and
In all of these cases, it doesn’t need an experienced advertisement designer to invent the sounds, associate them with meanings and then play them over and over until the subjects
Some TV ads have already given viewers close-up shots of meat with sizzling sounds. And retailers are
Of course, this doesn’t mean that advertisers can just press the audio button
Lindstrom’s experiment also shows that people respond to a sound better when it’s
A.tune out | B.admit to | C.depend on | D.take over |
A.evaluate | B.spoil | C.engage | D.portray |
A.classifying | B.ignoring | C.challenging | D.representing |
A.sensible | B.selfish | C.powerless | D.pleasant |
A.hollow | B.positive | C.violent | D.foreign |
A.infer | B.reject | C.internalize | D.perform |
A.consumption | B.reaction | C.favor | D.spread |
A.following suit | B.cooling down | C.losing heart | D.taking risks |
A.on guard | B.with ease | C.under way | D.in reality |
A.disliked | B.observed | C.represented | D.enveloped |
A.objective | B.temporary | C.mysterious | D.annoying |
A.association | B.agreement | C.tip | D.symptom |
A.responded | B.revived | C.crashed | D.persisted |
A.replace | B.rescue | C.balance | D.refund |
A.optional | B.random | C.specific | D.faint |
7 . NANNING - Every Monday morning in Mentun village, locals gather in their rural library to share books and they are often
The village's library was previously a small office, where about 3,000 books were
"There wasn't enough room in the library for visitors to read or
The village was once stuck in
"The village had no extra
As Chinese authorities urged efforts to provide better services and facilities in
In April last year, a local bookstore donated 30,000 new books and supporting facilities to the library in Mentun village, which allowed the library to be significantly
Ruan Wencheng, a villager in his 50s, has since become a regular library visitor.
"Last year, my family tried to raise silkworms, but we
Tao says that the library now continuously adjusts its books according to the needs of villagers, and it is gaining
To make libraries in the countryside more attractive, authorities have taken various measures in villages across the country. Take the library of the Nanzhan residential community in the Sanjiang Dong autonomous county of Guangxi as
The past few years have also witnessed the
"Many books are now available in digital libraries and I can read them on my TV," says Ruan. "My life has been enriched."
1.A.joined | B.interviewed | C.bothered | D.criticised |
A.donate | B.repair | C.frequent | D.follow |
A.used | B.available | C.borrowed | D.deserted |
A.share | B.produce | C.remove | D.purchase |
A.poverty | B.construction | C.travel | D.quarrel |
A.carefully | B.freely | C.barely | D.thoughtfully |
A.freedom | B.money | C.peace | D.protection |
A.rural | B.private | C.metropolitan | D.primary |
A.unknown | B.increasing | C.possible | D.imaginary |
A.upgraded | B.overloaded | C.absorbed | D.transferred |
A.fought | B.fled | C.failed | D.emptied |
A.breeding | B.cycle | C.secrets | D.exchange |
A.popularity | B.profit | C.balance | D.choices |
A.the model | B.the evolution | C.before | D.an example |
A.break | B.ban | C.symbol | D.boom |
8 . Everybody loves to hate invasive species. The international list of invasive species—defined as those that were introduced by humans to new places, and then
Some things that are uncontroversial (无争议的) are nonetheless foolish. With a few important exceptions, campaigns to
Start with the practical arguments. Most invasive species are neither terribly successful nor very
The philosophical reason for starting war on the invaders is also
A reasonable attitude to invaders need not imply passivity. A few foreign species are truly
A.multiplied | B.shrunk | C.disappeared | D.harvested |
A.conserve | B.eliminate | C.investigate | D.prioritize |
A.healthy | B.intentional | C.harmful | D.profitable |
A.As a result | B.For example | C.By contrast | D.In fact |
A.attraction | B.dominance | C.annoyance | D.substitute |
A.increases | B.destroys | C.reveals | D.targets |
A.oppressed | B.disturbed | C.cultivated | D.preserved |
A.acceptable | B.needless | C.mistaken | D.convincing |
A.fueled | B.organized | C.interrupted | D.greeted |
A.civilization | B.interference | C.interaction | D.maintenance |
A.tolerable | B.impossible | C.beneficial | D.critical |
A.reluctant | B.disorderly | C.invalid | D.unbalanced |
A.damaging | B.flexible | C.doubtful | D.outstanding |
A.pick up | B.take in | C.keep out | D.turn down |
A.agriculture | B.vegetation | C.atmosphere | D.nature |
9 . Success in 18 minutes
I believe that routines are the
In his book “18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done”, Peter Bregman outlines an 18-minute daily routine that will help us to reflect on where we are going, and to
The routine Morning — 5 minutes
Taking 5 minutes in the morning to plan your day is
Each hour — 1 minute × 8
Set an alarm for each hour. When your alarm goes off, take one minute to reflect. Take a deep breath. Reflect on the last hour — did you do what you wanted to get done? Did you
Evening — 5 minutes
Take 5 minutes at the end of your work day to reflect on how the day went. Bregman suggests asking yourself the following questions:
One: How did the day go? What success did I experience? What challenges did I endure? Is there any better way to
Two: What did I learn today? What do I plan to do — differently or the same — tomorrow?
Three: Did I interact with others? Is there anyone I need to thank, or ask a question, or
Again, the point is to reflect and ensure you’re on the right path, as well as setting you up for a productive day tomorrow.
Taking time to plan and reflect on your days is important. A simple, 18-minute routine is all you need to achieve this.
A.meaning | B.benefit | C.key | D.definition |
A.action | B.method | C.atmosphere | D.direction |
A.contrary to | B.in addition to | C.instead of | D.rather than |
A.struggle | B.progress | C.reflection | D.preparation |
A.objected | B.adapted | C.admitted | D.dedicated |
A.predict | B.ensure | C.maintain | D.request |
A.dramatic | B.complex | C.beneficial | D.affordable |
A.eventually | B.extremely | C.seriously | D.annually |
A.allows | B.recommends | C.requires | D.points |
A.joyful | B.appropriate | C.productive | D.alarming |
A.reflect on | B.depend on | C.focus on | D.apply for |
A.overcome | B.overlook | C.destroy | D.spot |
A.exchange | B.produce | C.provide | D.suggest |
A.If | B.Unless | C.Since | D.While |
A.Otherwise | B.Therefore | C.However | D.Besides |
10 . Most of us have no difficulty recognizing luck when it’s on apparent display, as when someone wins the lottery. But
Consider the history of the Mona Lisa. After having staved in the
One’s date of birth
To acknowledge the power of chance events is not to suggest that success is independent of
Of course, luck counts too. Being born in a good education system is a kind of luck we can control— that is, at least we can decide how lucky our children will be. But in America, we’ve been doing a bad job as the budget for education has
Luckily, there is a solution. Guiding people to
A.randomness | B.potential | C.masterpiece | D.success |
A.emergency- | B.maintenance | C.review | D.shade |
A.accidental | B.unsolved | C.official | D.objective |
A.protest | B.suspicion | C.publicity | D.investigation |
A.previous | B.negative | C.realistic | D.entire |
A.virtually | B.sustainably | C.adequately | D.negatively |
A.occurs | B.contracts | C.matters | D.approaches |
A.accessible | B.original | C.superior | D.secure |
A.effort | B.logic | C.relationship | D.investment |
A.deserve | B.evaluate | C.modify | D.exploit |
A.shone | B.shrunk | C.ballooned | D.flown |
A.preserve | B.popularize | C.underestimate | D.revolutionize |
A.challenge | B.luck | C.motivation | D.experience |
A.reflect on | B.save on | C.adjust to | D.live on |
A.mutual understanding | B.mental fitness | C.family value | D.common good |