1 . Precognitive dreams are dreams that seemingly predict the future which cannot be inferred from actually available information. Former US President Abraham Lincoln once revealed the frightening dream to his law partner and friend Ward Hill Lamon, “…Then I heard people weep… ‘Who is dead in the White House?’ I demanded. ‘The President,’ ‘he was killed!’…” The killing did happen later.
Christopher French, Professor in the Department of Psychology at Goldsmiths, stated the most likely explanation for such a phenomenon was coincidence (巧合). “In addition to pure coincidences we must also consider the unreliability of memory”, he added. Asked what criteria would have to be met for him to accept that precognitive dreams were a reality, he said, “The primary problem with tests of the claim is that the subjects are unable to tell when the event(s)they’ve dreamed about will happen.”
However, some claimed to make such tests practicable. Professor Caroline Watt at the University of Edinburgh, has conducted studies into precognitive dreaming. She stated that knowing future through dreams challenged the basic assumption of science — causality (relationship of cause and effect).
Dick Bierman, a retired physicist and psychologist, who has worked at the Universities of Amsterdam, Utrecht and Groningen, has put forward a theory that may explain precognitive dreams. It is based on the fact that when scientists use certain mathematical descriptions to talk about things like electromagnetism (电磁学), these descriptions favour the belief that time only moves in one direction. However, in practice the wave that is running backwards in time does exist. This concept is called the time symmetry, meaning that the laws of physics look the same when time runs forward or backward. But he believes that time symmetry breaks down due to external conditions. “The key of the theory is that it assumes that there is a special context that restores the broken time-symmetry, if the waves running backwards are ‘absorbed’ by a consistent multi-particle (多粒子) system. The brain under a dream state may be such a system where broken time-symmetry is partially restored. This is still not a full explanation for precognitive dreams but it shows where physics might be adjusted to accommodate the phenomenon,” he explains.
Although Bierman’s explanation is still based on guesses and has not accepted by mainstream science, Watt does think it is worth considering. For now, believing that it’s possible to predict future with dreams remains an act of faith. Yet, it’s possible that one day we’ll wake up to a true understanding of this fascinating phenomenon.
1. According to French, what makes it difficult to test precognitive dreams?| A．Unavailability of people’s dreams. |
| B．That coincidences happen a lot in reality. |
| C．That criteria for dream reliability are not trustworthy. |
| D．People’s inability to tell when dreamt events will happen. |
| A．the assumption of causality | B．the time symmetry |
| C．memories of ordinary people | D．modern scientific tests |
| A．Lincoln was warned of the killing by his friend |
| B．Watt carried out several experiments on causality |
| C．researches on electromagnetism are based on the time symmetry |
| D．time’s moving in two directions may justify precognitive dreams |
| A．Should Dreams Be Assessed? |
| B．Can Dreams Predict the Future? |
| C．How Can Physics Be Changed to Explain Dreams? |
| D．Why Should Scientists Study Precognitive Dreams? |
2 . Addiction to Labeling
Maybe you’ve noticed it in the comments section of popular social media posts about anxiety. depression or things alike, with a number of people claiming to pick these labels for themselves.
These days, labeling is everywhere.
If you have done your research and genuinely feel that you have some form of mental health concern, then finally having a name for your behaviors can be great. But the risk is that many people will seek labels and intervention for any behavior, pattern or emotion that is outside of the permanent happy group that society has set as the norm. “
Nevertheless, the most important thing to bear in mind is that diagnosis doesn’t mean to indicate that you are broken or less capable.
| A．Labeling poses even more of a problem when it comes to kids. |
| B．It can be helpful for those not quite able to understand why they feel the way they do. |
| C．There seems to be a desire to see negative emotions as something requiring intervention or diagnosis. |
| D．Labeling leads to children’s overcoming their addiction to what is posted online. |
| E．Someone has had only a certain experience and judges all behavior with that experience. |
| F．The basic function of a diagnosis is to give you a name for those behaviors once felt unusual. |
3 . Charles Robert Darwin was born on 12 February 1809 in Shropshire, England. Darwin’s childhood passion was science, and his interest in chemistry, however, was clear; he was even nicknamed ‘Gas’ by his classmates.
In 1825, his father sent him to study medicine at Edinburgh University, where he learned how to classify plants. Darwin became passionate about natural history and this became his focus while he studied at Cambridge. Darwin went on a voyage together with Robert Fitzroy, the captain of HMS Beagle, to South America to facilitate British trade in Patagonia. The journey was life-changing. Darwin spent much of the trip on land collecting samples of plants, animals and rocks, which helped him to develop an understanding of the processes that shape the Earth’s surface. Darwin’s analysis of the plants and animals that he gathered led him to express doubts on former explanations about how species formed and evolved over time.
Darwin’s work convinced him that natural selection was key to understanding the development of the natural world. The theory of natural selection says that individuals of a species are more likely to survive when they inherit(经遗传获得) characteristics best suited for that specific environment. These features then become more widespread and can lead eventually to the development of a new species. With natural selection, Darwin argued how a wide variety of life forms developed over time from a single common ancestor.
Darwin married his cousin, Emma Wedgwood, in 1839. When Darwin’s eldest daughter, Annie, died from a sudden illness in 1851, he lost his belief in God. His tenth and final child, Charles Waring Darwin, was born in 1856. Significantly for Darwin, this baby was disabled, altering how Darwin thought about the human species. Darwin had previously thought that species remained adapted until the environment changed; he now believed that every new variation was imperfect and that a struggle to survive was what drove species to adapt.
Though rejected at the beginning, Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection is nowadays well accepted by the scientific community as the best evidence-based explanation for the diversity and complexity of life on Earth. The Natural History Museum’s library alone has 478 editions of his On the Origin of Species in 38 languages.
1. What made Darwin reconsider the origin and development of species?| A．Examining plants and animals collected. |
| B．His desire for a voyage to different continents. |
| C．Classifying samples in a journey to South America. |
| D．His passion for natural history at Edinburgh University. |
| A．used natural selection to develop new species |
| B．enjoyed being called nicknames related to science |
| C．learned some knowledge about plants when studying medicine |
| D．argued with others over the diversity of life forms for a long period |
| A．That he had ten children in all. | B．His youngest son’s being disabled. |
| C．That he lost his eldest daughter. | D．His marriage with Emma Wedgwood. |
| A．Darwin’s passion for medical science | B．Darwin’s theory and experiments |
| C．Charles Darwin’s changing interest | D．Charles Darwin’s life and work |
4 . Welcome to Muir Woods! This rare ancient forest is a kingdom of coast redwoods, many over 600 years old.
How to get here?People using personal vehicles must have reservations before arriving at the park. (Details at www.gomuirwoods.com.)
Muir Woods National Monument is open daily, 8 a. m. to sunset. Stop by Visitor Center to get trails (路线) and program information, and to take in exhibits.
What’s your path?Enjoy a walk on the paved Redwood Creek Trail (also called Main Trail). Choose short, medium, or long loops (环线). Other trails go deep into Muir Woods and Mount Tamalpais State Park.(Refer to the map of Muir Woods on the right for details.)
Ready to explore more?Muir Woods is part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes Marin Headlands, Alcatraz, the Presidio, and Ocean Beach. Download the app at www.nps.gov/goga.
Stay safe and protect your park.Wi-Fi and cell service are not available. ·Watch for poisonous plants and falling branches. ·Do not feed or disturb animals. ·Fishing is prohibited in the park. ·Do not mark or remove trees, flowers, or other natural features. ·Go to the park website for more safety tips and regulations.
AccessibilityWe make a great effort to make facilities, services, and programs accessible to all. For information, go to Visitor Center, ask a ranger, call, or check our website.
More InformationMuir Woods National Monument www.nps.gov/muwo Mill Valley, CA 94941-2696
①redwood lovers ②hunting lovers ③fishing lovers ④hiking lovers
| A．①② | B．③④ | C．①④ | D．②③ |
| A．Muir woods is surrounded by highland and ocean beaches. |
| B．Visitors can read electronic maps using Wi-Fi in Muir Woods. |
| C．Visitors are advised to call Visitor Center for safety tips and regulations. |
| D．Reservations should be made if visitors drive private cars to Muir Woods. |
| A．Bridge 4 is the farthest from the parking lots of all bridges |
| B．Mill Valley is located on the southwest side of Muir Beach |
| C．Bootjack Trail can lead one to Visitor Center from Bridge 3 |
| D．food and gifts can be bought on various sites in Muir Woods |
5 . Mars is no stranger to life. Seven U. S. spacecraft have successfully landed there, and all of them took microbes to the planet’s surface(though the bugs probably did not survive for long). Yet the world’s space agencies continue to maintain strict spacecraft sterilization (消毒) procedures in the hope of minimizing the spread of Earth life beyond our planet. For decades this idea — known as planetary protection—is widespread. Now, some scientists say, these procedures are preventing the search for life beyond Earth by raising costs and preventing innovative missions-without meaningful benefits.
Of all missions to Mars to date, only the Vikings, the first trip to the Red Planet, were intended to test for life. Spacecraft that went later did not have that ability. But a future mission will, and the protectionist thinking goes, a spacecraft might not be able to distinguish between a life form native to Mars and one with origins on Earth. In July 2013 astrobiologists Dirk Schulze-Makuch and Alberto Fairen argued against this in Nature Geoscience.
“If Earth life can thrive on Mars, they almost certainly already do,” the authors write. “If they cannot, the transfer of Earth life to Mars should be of no concern, as it would simply not survive.”
With clear evidence of a water y history and some signs of water present, Mars could be where we find life in our solar system. And with the development of Curiosity’s precise landing system, we can finally reach the mysterious parts of the planet. But it’s these areas that require a craft sterilization process.
In the 1970s Vikings 1 and 2 revealed what seemed like a dead planet, so planetary-protection requirements were relaxed. Now, with more knowledge of Mars’ environment, missions set to visit areas with evidence of flowing water below the surface have to meet the strict-and more costly- Vikings standards.
Finally, there’s the philosophical problem of what responsibility, if any, we have to other planets and any life we leave there. The truth is we’re never going to be able to fully protect Mars if we intend to explore it. And spreading is simply what life does.
“If we want to survive for a long time, we have to expand beyond Earth,” Schulze-Makuch says. “There’s no other way.”
1. Strict spacecraft sterilization procedures are meant to ______.| A．decrease the costs of space exploration |
| B．help the search for life forms beyond Earth |
| C．contribute to innovative missions in the universe |
| D．prevent Earth life being transferred to other planets |
| A．there was no preclse landing system |
| B．Mars was considered to be a lifeless planet |
| C．the mysterious parts of Mars remained unknown |
| D．flowing water was found below the surface of Mars |
| A．Mars is now on the edge of being destroyed |
| B．human beings are too ambitious to expand beyond Earth |
| C．there is no need to worry about bringing Earth life to Mars |
| D．we need to be responsible for keeping Mars what it is like now |
| A．optimistic | B．relaxed | C．debatable | D．negative |
6 . I was in seat 10F next to the emergency exit. A few minutes after take-off there was a loud explosion. Everybody gasped (倒抽气) and there were a few screams. Then, surprisingly, it went very quiet — everyone was assessing the situation.
It soon became obvious we weren’t going back to LaGuardia Airport and that we were heading for the water. I started thinking this was it. Then I heard the announcement, ‘This is the captain, brace for impact,’ and everything suddenly got clear. I had to stop thinking about death, and instead, about what I should do once the pilot landed in the water. ‘You sat in this seat,’ I thought, ‘you’ve got to get this door open.’
At about 300 feet (91.5 meters), I started reading the instructions. There were six steps, and I had just read them two or three times when we hit the water. It felt like the worst car crash you could imagine. Fortunately, I’d just read the instructions and managed to get the door open. The wing was sinking lower and lower. I walked out onto it and walked as far along as I could to make room for other people. It was freezing, and nobody had a jacket. Some people were underwater to their waists.
It felt like half an hour before we saw the first ferry, though it could have been only five or ten minutes. I was fourth onto the ferry, and I started helping people onto the boat. To our relief, everyone had survived the crash.
I got through the whole incident by taking it one step at a time: get the door open, throw the door out, figure out if you’re sinking. I just kept on doing that until I reached solid ground. Only then did I go into the men’s room and cry for a few minutes.
1. After hearing a loud explosion, what did passengers, including the writer, do?| A．They put on life jackets as instructed. |
| B．They tried to figure what had happened. |
| C．They couldn’t help shouting for help on end. |
| D．They asked the pilot to fly to LaGuardia Airport. |
| A．He sat by the emergency exit. | B．He had an experienced neighbor. |
| C．He was once taught how to open it. | D．He read and understood the instructions. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Aggressive. | C．Organized. | D．Expressive. |
| A．No one got killed in it. | B．It happened at the end of the trip. |
| C．The pilot managed to land the plane safely. | D．A ferry came to the rescue the moment it happened. |
7 . Google is my doctor
When illustrator Scott Adams lost his voice, his doctors were confused.
Adams is one of an increasing number of people who have started using the Internet to get health advice. The advantages are numerous, starting of course with the obvious convenience of getting a diagnosis from the comfort of your own home.
Diagnosing minor medical problems from information on the Internet can also have an impact on society’s medical costs. You can compare insect bites with Internet pictures, ask what type they are and whether they are dangerous without wasting your busy doctor’s precious time.
However, it must be said that diagnosis is tricky, and comparing your rash(疹子) with an online photo may lead you down the wrong path.
In conclusion, the Internet is a good starting point in diagnosing your health problems, but you should always consult your doctor before acting on anything you find there.
| A．On a professional level, there is no way one doctor car be an expert in everything. |
| B．It was not until he turned to the Internet that he managed to identify his condition. |
| C．This condition was the very one that made him unable to speak |
| D．Appearance provides only ten percent of the information needed to make a diagnosis. |
| E．Do not underestimate the value of talking to real people — doctors and telephone helplines will help you put what you read into context. |
| F．To sum up, if your doctor refuses to talk to you, the Internet will give you a better solution. |
8 . Club Activities in Japanese Schools
In the after-class activities of Japanese high schools, there are various clubs. Participation depends on students; however, most students choose a certain club.
A recent survey showed activity participation rate (比率). In junior high schools, participation rate was around 70% in sports clubs and around 20% in culture clubs. In senior high schools, participation rate in sports clubs dropped to about 50%, and in culture clubs, rose to around 25%. One reason is that there are more kinds of culture clubs in senior high schools than in junior high schools, so there is a wider range of choices.
The rate of junior high school students not choosing any club was less than 10%. However, that number more than doubled in senior high school. In recent years, the number of students not joining in any clubs is increasing. Stronger individualism, which causes unwillingness to participate in group activities, is one factor behind this change.
| A．Clubs are generally divided into two types — sports clubs and culture clubs. |
| B．Each sports club has a teacher, but the key is placed on student independence. |
| C．They are places where like-minded students can improve their creativity together. |
| D．Culture clubs in senior high schools tend to include traditional culture activities, such as tea ceremony. |
| E．It is also pointed out that culture clubs offer a more casual environment than sports clubs that require long and hard practice. |
| F．Actually, there are many advantages of participating in club activities in Japan. |
Interesting Traditions Around the World
Traditions are passed down from generation to generation to inform us of our history. Some are widespread and taken on by one and all, like celebrating New Year and birthdays, and then there are some that are quite strange or interesting and practiced only by a small group of people.
Famadihana, also called the turning of the bones, is a festival in Madagascar that honors the dead and celebrates family ties. Every seven years or so, families who can afford rich dinners for guests and new clothes for the living families and the dead, celebrate the festival. They give out gifts for the dead and crying is discouraged during the celebration.
Bali’s Day of Silence, or Nyepi, as they call it, is a holiday celebrated with eating little or no food as well as meditation, the practice of thinking deeply in silence. The whole island shuts off all sounds, lights, and all other activities, so there is peace all around. Days before the actual celebration, Balinese people make the ogoh-ogoh (dangerous animals) statues (雕像) that will be used and paraded through the streets the day before Nyepi. The statues are then usually burnt after supposedly attracting dangerous animals.
Having started in Middle Ages, flag throwing has long been popular in Tuscany. As the Italians love a good celebration, army parades were held with marching bands and flag bearers. Since flags are considered sacred, the flag bearers have to make sure that they do not fall to the ground. Today, flag throwing is not just popular in Tuscany but also in the whole of Italy.
Some traditions may sound strange, yet people hold them close to their hearts and still practice the age-old rituals to this day. These rituals are part of their culture and history and are able to shape and describe people.
Outline:
I. Introduction
As a form of historic culture, some traditions are shared altogether and others are
II. Body part
People in Madagascar celebrate Famadihana to honor the dead and
During Nyepi in Bali, people eat little or no food and
Flag throwing features army parades and gains popularity in Italy.
III. Conclusion
People still hold fast to some age-old rituals, because these traditions can
10 . Nothing compares with the joy of coming home to a lovely pet. Besides keeping one company, pets may also decrease stress, improve heart health, and even help children with their social skills. Over the past 10 years, researchers have been looking at what the possible effects are.
Animals can offer comfort and support. Dogs are especially good at this. They’re sometimes brought into hospitals or nursing homes. Ann Berger, a researcher at the NIH Clinical Center, teaches the patients with serious diseases about mindfulness to help decrease stress and manage pain. “Mindfulness includes attention, awareness, etc.,” Berger says, “all those are things that animals bring to the table. People kind of have to learn it, while animals do this innately.” Researchers are also studying the safety of bringing animals into hospital settings because animals may bring people more germs (病菌). A current study is looking at the safety of bringing dogs to visit children with a certain kind of illness. Scientists will be testing the children’s hands to see if there are dangerous levels of germs brought by the dog after the visit.
Dogs may also help in the classroom. One study found that dogs can help children with ADHD, a disease related to attention. Researchers divided children with ADHD into two groups. The first group of kids read to dogs once a week for 30 minutes. The second group read to toys like dogs. After 12 weeks, kids who read to the real animals showed better social skills. They also had fewer behavioral problems. “Animals can become a way of building a bridge for the social communication,” says Griffin, a child development expert at NIH. He adds that researchers are trying to better understand these effects and whom they might help.
While pets may bring many health advantages, an animal may not work for everyone. Recent studies suggest that living with pets at an early age may help protect young children from developing allergies (过敏), but for people who are allergic to certain animals, having pets in the home can do more harm than good.
Researchers will continue to explore the many effects of having a pet. They are trying to find out what’s working, what’s not working, and what’s safe.
1. When the author says “animals do this innately” in paragraph 2, he probably means ______.| A．animals learn from humans to do this | B．animals teach people to stop doing it |
| C．animals are born to be able to do this | D．animals learn to do this as humans do |
| A．Reading to real dogs could help kids improve behavior. |
| B．Researchers brought dogs there to attract kids’ attention. |
| C．Dogs have poorer social skills than the kids with ADHD. |
| D．Toy dogs work as well as real dogs in accompanying kids. |
| A．They still have a long way to go in exploring pets’ effect. |
| B．They don’t doubt the safety of using animals in hospitals. |
| C．Berger helps patients to gain the ability to cure themselves. |
| D．Griffin doesn’t agree that dogs improve children’s reading. |
| A．Pets’ Various Work | B．The Power of Pets |
| C．Pets as Assistants in School | D．Patients’ Call for Pets |
