1 . How cool can libraries be in an era(时代)of iPods and Kindles? More than you think. Only if you know where to go.
Central Library: Seattle, Washington, United States
The Central Library in Seattle is modern and fashionable and has tourists from around the world paying visits and taking tours. It was designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and American designer Joshua Ramus. Tours began in 2006, two years after its opening. The library holds various art exhibitions, book signings and other events, while visitors can stop by the Chocolate cart for a coffee and scan through the gift shop anytime.
Trinity College Library: Dublin, Ireland
The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. It is the largest single library in the world, also known as the Long Room, which contains more than 200,000 of the library’s oldest books. The Long Room houses one of the oldest harps (竖琴) in Ireland. Dating to the 15th century, the old harp is the model for the symbol foreland.
Geisel Library, University of California: San Diego, United States
At first glance, it looks like a spaceship. Architect William Pereira, who helped design actual space launch facilities at Cape Canaveral in Houston, Texas, designed the library in 1970. It has been featured in sci-fi films, short stories and novels. The library hosts “Dinner in the Library”, which invites readers for cocktails, and also a special speech from distinguished authors.
TU Delft Library: The Netherlands
The library at the Delft University of Technology was constructed in 1997 and has more than 862,000 books, 16,000 magazine subscriptions and its own museum. The building itself exists beneath the ground, so you can’t really see the actual Library. What makes it interesting is the roof, which is a grassy hill. The roof covers 5,500 square meters. And it has become one of the most striking and greenest structures in the area.
1. What can you do in Central Library?| A．You can buy souvenirs. | B．You can drink cocktails. |
| C．You can enjoy sci-fi films. | D．You can see the old harp. |
| A．Queen Elizabeth I founded the library. |
| B．It has a reoffer grassy hill. |
| C．Famous writers often deliver speeches there. |
| D．It is the largest single library in the world. |
| A．Central Library. | B．Trinity College Library. |
| C．Geisel Library. | D．TU Delft Library. |
2 . Playing sports is a lot of fun. But getting hurt is unavoidable.
Wear protective equipment.
The equipment you wear depends on the sport you play. Helmets(头盔)are the most common protective equipment. They protect your head while you’re playing football, baseball and softball, biking and so on.
Warm up.
Know the rules of the games.
Traffic lights help prevent crashes between the cars that drive on the roads together. This works because drivers know the rules and follow them--at least most of the time.
Some rules have nothing to do with scoring points, They are just about protecting other people. For example, a diver would make sure that the pool is clear before diving in. Otherwise, he or she might land on someone else.
This is a really important one. If you love sports, you may get right back to the game even you’re injured. But playing when you’re hurt is a bad idea. It can lead to an even worse injury.
| A．Watch out for others. |
| B．Don’t do too much exercise. |
| C．It’s the same way with sports. |
| D．Don't play when you’re injured. |
| E．It’s not a good idea to just go to the field and start playing. |
| F．You and the other players know what to expect from each other. |
| G．Take these steps to prevent injuries so that you can stay in the game. |
3 . Research has previously shown that years living alone can have harmful effects on a person’s health, and a new study published Monday shows that at least one of those impacts may be particularly bad for men.
The study looked at blood samples of 4, 835 participants from the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank to examine levels of inflammation (炎症). “We have found a significant association between partnership breakups or years living alone and inflammation for men only, after adjustment for selected confounders (干扰因素).” said Dr. Karolina Davidsen, research associate in the Department of Public Health at University of Copenhagen and publishing author of the study. “In women, we find no such effect.” The study, published in the journal BMJ, looked at both years living alone and numbers of breakups because the end of significant relationships are often followed by years living alone, the researchers wrote.
“This study strengthens the link experts have seen between the nervous system and inflammation, which is a significant contributor to heart disease”, said Dr. Peter Libby, a cardiovascular (心血管的) medicine specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, who was not involved in the study, “There is increasing understanding of fundamental links between psychological stress and physical health related to inflammation, Libby said.
Dr. Davidsen said that while women didn’t report this finding, one reason for this could be the fact that there were fewer women in the study than men.
The levels of inflammation in the participants might also have looked different if they were measured at more advanced ages, Davidsen added. The average age of those studied was 54. 5years old, and it is possible that the impacts of the breakups and years living alone would have continued as the participants aged, she said.
1. What element is looked at in the study?| A．Blood types. | B．Social status. |
| C．Cultural background. | D．Periods of living alone. |
| A．Women handle loneliness better. |
| B．Fewer women are surveyed. |
| C．Women differ from men physically. |
| D．Women care more about themselves. |
| A．The researchers involved are male. |
| B．The result has caused lots of arguments. |
| C．The impacts will continue as people age. |
| D．The impacts decline when people grow old. |
| A．Living alone: a cause of inflammation |
| B．Living alone: a great threat to men’s health |
| C．Inflammation: a contributor to heart disease |
| D．Inflammation: a factor in health improvement |
4 . My cellphone rang while I was working on my computer. I looked at the phone and saw it was my 17-year-old son, Tom. I quickly picked it up. “Mom, I got a 71 on the test. I did it.” With those few words, I could feel my heart start to pound.
Living in New York State, students cannot graduate from high school unless they pass at least five exams: one in English, one in science, two in history and one in math. For most students, who work hard, attend class, and do their homework, it isn’t that hard. But for Tom, who is dyslexic(朗读困难的), it is such a real challenge that some teachers have feared he would never be able to even attempt, never mind achieve.
We were honest with him about his trouble, letting him know that there was nothing to be ashamed of. Some people learn differently. If he was willing to work, we would help him find a way to do as much as he could in his academic career. All that was standing in his way was this math test. He had taken it three times and did better each time, but he continued to fail. He was starting to get a bit tired of me saying this was a marathon not a sprint(冲刺). My heart broke each time we would get the failing results.
“Mom, thanks. I love you. Thanks for believing I could do this.”
For one of the few times in my life, I really had nothing left to say. For that one brief moment I knew, really, really, knew that everything we did to help our son achieve what he wanted was worth it.
1. What does the underlined word “pound” in Paragraph l probably mean?| A．Sink suddenly. | B．Beat wildly. |
| C．Ache violently. | D．Break totally. |
| A．Students in New York State can graduate from high school if they pass four exams. |
| B．Students in New York State needn’t to learn math even if they want to graduate. |
| C．It is very hard for students in New York State to graduate from high school. |
| D．It is a challenge for Tom to graduate from high school. |
| A．English | B．science | C．math | D．history |
| A．She felt grateful and relaxed. | B．She felt surprised and bitter. |
| C．She felt proud and satisfied. | D．She felt worried and anxious. |
5 . It’s generally believed that a useful method to be successful is to copy the success of other persons’.
If you can’t copy someone else’s success, then how can you learn from other people? Well, one thing you can do is learn from their attitudes towards their life and work.
| A．So you must believe in yourself and be yourself. |
| B．Also you should recognize the limitations of your heroes. |
| C．The big problem of copying success directly is that it generally can’t be done. |
| D．Find someone who inspires you and who has achieved the things you want to achieve. |
| E．Meanwhile, limit your own creative thoughts and your own ideas. |
| F．Knowing where others have made mistakes prevents you from making similar mistakes. |
| G．Model yourself on other successful people and you’re sure to be successful, right? |
6 . A Guangzhou-based company that runs the world's largest factory of mosquitoes used to control the species signed agreements Tuesday to control mosquitoes in Beitun, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
Guangzhou Wolbaki Biotech Co will help Beitun city in Xinjiang's Altay prefecture(地区) fight mosquitoes. The Altay region is one of the world's four places with the largest mosquito population, said Xu Longquan, deputy mayor of Beitun.
In spring and summer, when the snow on the Altay Mountains melts, water from reservoirs (水库)runs into forests and meadows（草地）and forms swarms(沼泽) and pools that become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, Xu said.
Between May and August, which is a local tourism peak season, the number of mosquitoes soars（激增）, annoying local residents and tourists, he said.
Although efforts are made every year to control mosquitoes, it is hard to tackle the problem at the root.
Guangzhou Wolbaki chairman Xi Zhiyong, who is also director of the Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control and Prevention at Guangzhou-based Sun Yat-sen University, has led the research on using mosquitoes to eliminate mosquitoes.
In the research, male mosquitoes are infected with Wolbachia, a bacterium that exists widely in many insects, including mosquitoes.The eggs produced by female mosquitoes that mate with Wolbachia-infected male are infertile(不能生殖的) and that helps lead to reduced mosquito numbers.
Xi also said :“ The company will apply this kind of method to the control of mosquitoes in Beitun, hopefully, we will help improve the life of locals and tourists’experience.”
1. What does the underlined words “breeding grounds” mean?| A．Fields that have swarms and pools. . |
| B．Places to reproduce. |
| C．Someplace near water. |
| D．Places mosquitoes like. |
| A．Altay region has the largest mosquito population. |
| B．Mosquitoes have become a problem because of climate change. |
| C．The mosquito problem may not have affected the local tourism. |
| D．Water and temperature are the factors for the thriving（兴盛）of mosquitoes. |
| A．a biological method. |
| B．other animals. |
| C．some chemicals. |
| D．whatever they can. |
| A．Mosquitoes－a major problem in Xinjiang, |
| B．Wolbaki Biotech Co －a mosquito control company. |
| C．A mosquito control company gets contracts in Xinjiang. |
| D．Efforts to control mosquitoes in Beitun,Xinjiang. |
7 . In spring 2016,Liza Goldberg asked scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center if she could do research there. There was a problem, though. She was just 14 years old, and NASA's internship(实习) program only accepts students starting at age 16.
David Lagomasino and Temilola Fatoyinbo are NASA satellite experts. They saw Liza’s request. In it,she talked about how she had studied trees in her own backyard to learn about climate change. The two NASA scientists were impressed. “This girl sounds great,’’ Lagomasino remembers saying. “Let’s bring her in.” They made a special role for her outside the internship program.
Lagomasino and Fatoyinbo thought Liza could help them use satellite data to map mangroves(红树林), a small tree that grows in muddy forests on the coastlines of many tropical(热带的) countries. Mangroves are very important as they store huge amounts of carbon, which makes them helpful for fighting global warming. They are also home to fish that millions of people depend on for food.
Less than two years later, Liza has developed what might be the world’s first satellite-based system to determine where mangroves are in trouble. The work uses data from four satellites. It covers mangrove growth and loss, rainfall, agriculture and city growth.
Lagomasino and Fatoyinbo brought Liza in during the summer before she started high school. The teen had seen mangroves only once before, during a trip to Fort Myers, Florida. Soon, she would see many more,at least on her computer screen.
Liza learned that half of the world's mangroves had disappeared. She was shocked and motivated to do something. I wanted to create some kind of solution,she said. She would even work during school breaks or at home on her projects. Liza's hard work is starting to pay off. Already, environmental groups are eager to use her system to make their work more effective.
Now that she has turned 16,Liza has finally joined NASA's official internship program.
1. Why was Liza outside the internship program at first?| A．She knew little about global warming. |
| B．She didn't show her talent properly. |
| C．She didn't meet the required age. |
| D．She lacked the experience of data-collecting. |
| A．They are food for fish. |
| B．They keep a balanced ecosystem. |
| C．They forecast climate change. |
| D．They are commercial crops. |
| A．The data. | B．The satellite. | C．The system. | D．The work. |
| A．It will lead to a future job with NASA. | B．It took up her school time. |
| C．It earned her fame. | D．It is fruitful. |
8 . Thirty female contestants, all older than 30, took part in a reality show this summer, competing for five places in a performance group.
The program immediately became a hot topic nationwide, as the entertainment industry in China traditionally favors women in their early 20s or even younger.
Named Sisters Riding the Winds and Breaking the Waves, the show premiered (首映) on June 12 on Hunan Television and Mango TV, a livestreaming platform.
Actresses Ning Jing, 48, and Christy Chung, 50, along with singers Zhang Hanyun, 31, and Yu Kewei, 37, were among the contestants. A panel (专门小组) of coaches joined the show, including a well-known actor, the head of a music company, a celebrity manager, a music director and a stage director.
The first episode attracted more than 15 million viewers and sparked heated debate online. The contestants showed their dancing and singing abilities with solo and group performances.
Yang Chang, who works for a media company in Beijing, said: "Bringing these women together arguably contributed to making the most interesting reality show of the year. It sends a message that although we live in a youth-obsessed (着迷的) culture, there's still something to be said for the enduring appeal of women who are established and experienced."
Molly Tang, another fan of the show, who is approaching 30, said: "The women are very cool, fashionable and attractive. They have their own styles, rather than following a trend. I really admire their courage in breaking conventional stage or screen stereotypes (刻板印象)." She added that after watching the show, she is no longer afraid of becoming older.
1. Why did the program become a hot topic?| A．Because the contestants are traditional. |
| B．Because Hunan Television and Mango TV have huge influence on youngsters. |
| C．Because the female contestants are all old. |
| D．Because its contestants contrasted sharply with traditional shows. |
| A．5 contestants will be the final winners and form a group. |
| B．A music director and a stage director also joined in the show as contestants |
| C．The contestants performed singly and cooperatively. |
| D．Mr.Yang admitted that we live in a youth-obsessed culture. |
| A．Mr. Yang is not a fan of the reality show. |
| B．Mr. Yang favors the experienced entertainers more than the young ones. |
| C．Miss. Molly is in her 30s. |
| D．Miss. Molly got inspired and became more confident. |
| A．The older people get, the more attractive they become. |
| B．People get old, but gold will shine. |
| C．Never follow the trend. |
| D．It is never too old to learn. |
9 . Best Smartphone Games to Put Your Brain to Test
I am a fan of NMORPGs. But sometimes I play brain games. Here are four games for you that will surely put your brain to test.
Real Chess
Chess has been bursting brains for many centuries, and this virtual (虚拟的) change of chess really brings a new taste. It’s not an ordinary game, for it’s a 3D virtual chess that lets you play with users from all around the world. You can chat with opponents, play with AI, get newbie (新手) tips and much more. The animations and 3D structures are really cool as well.
Juice Cubes
Juice Cubes is a light and colorful game full of fruity juice cubes that you need to connect to pop and clear levels. There are multiple types of challenges, power ups, and more than 550 levels to keep you addicted. It might seem easy at the start, but it will burst your brain when you reach higher levels.
WorldBrain 2
WorldBrain 2 is really a fun word game where you need to guess words based on the number of letters provided. Each word puzzle has a theme category, such as food, human body, color or even space. And you can also use hints(暗示) to solve the level when you get stuck. Your vocabulary is sure to be challenged in it.
Puzzlerama
Puzzlerama basically joins some of the top puzzles in one single app, making it a perfect app for puzzle lovers. It lets you play popular puzzle games such as flow, jigsaw, unblock, pipes, tangram and more. There are hundreds of levels available for each puzzle type and things get really tough as you advance. The game interface (界面) is also very colorful, and smooth animations make the game fun to play.
1. In which of the games you are not playing alone, and you can play with a partner?| A．Real Chess. | B．Juice Cubes. |
| C．WorldBrain 2. | D．Puzzierama. |
| A．People who dare face challenges. | B．People who have a smart brain. |
| C．People who have strong power. | D．People who have a large vocabulary. |
| A．It has very colorful interface. |
| B．Animation is used in the app. |
| C．It includes some best puzzle games. |
| D．It is easy at first and get tough as you advance. |
10 . Signs of an Eating Disorder
About 30 million Americans live with an eating disorder. Some symptoms of an eating disorder may be more visible to the eyes.
Firstly, they are constantly talking about dieting.
Secondly, their fitness or eating habits are constantly out of the ordinary. Changes in mood or behaviors surrounding food or exercise can be signs of concern. This could mean a switch in activity level like over-exercising, too often counting calories, frequently visiting the bathroom after eating, fasting (禁食) or eating too much.
Thirdly, avoiding interactions such as birthday parties or going out to dinner with friends is a significant danger signal. People living with the condition have an intense focus on food or body image.
The best way to support someone who may be experiencing an eating disorder is by talking with them, but when and how you do it matters.
| A．Yet many others are often hidden in plain sight. |
| B．This also might come with noticeable weight loss or gain. |
| C．They are constantly turning down food-centric social gathering. |
| D．Mood changes associated with eating may also be a danger signal. |
| E．The discussion around changing eating habits is incredibly common. |
| F．It should be away from the normal routine and outside of a mealtime. |
| G．Eating disorders are a group of conditions marked by an unhealthy relationship with food. |
