1 . Why do we talk the way we do? It might date back to when our ancestors left the jungle for the open plain. Between 5.3 million and 16 million years ago, Africa’s landscapes changed from thick, leafy forests to wide-open grasslands. This environmental change pushed our ancestors out of the trees and onto the ground. Along with all of the physical and behavioral changes this may have caused, researchers also believe it may have changed the way we speak.
“Open landscapes provide us with fewer objects to affect signal communication, meaning our voices can travel further compared with that in thick forests,” Charlotte Gannon, a researcher who studies language development, told Newsweek. “The move to these open spaces may have increased the effectiveness of our communication.”
By comparing the vocal calls of the orangutan (大猩猩) , Gannon and her team were able to establish how different calls could travel across different landscapes. In their study, the team played 487 calls from orangutans and measured their audibility (可听度) at set length over an overall distance of over 1,300 feet in the South African plain.
“Our results were surprising,” Gannon said, “The rule of sound spread suggests that lower-frequency (低频率) sounds (the grumphs) would have traveled further than higher-frequency sounds (the kiss squeaks). Our results actually found the opposite to this.” In these environmental settings, consonant (辅音)-like calls traveled a lot further than vowel (元音) -like calls. Actually, around 80 percent of consonant-based calls were audible at 1,300 feet, compared to only 20 percent of vowel-based calls.
Gannon said these results highlight the importance of studying living orangutan to learn about our species’ history. “We can view them as time machines that allow us to recreate key moments of our history so we can learn more about the development of our language,” Gannon said. “Despite their popularity in modern languages, consonants have often been forgotten when discussing speech development. Our research highlights not only their presence in ancient times but their importance to the development of language.”
1. What led to the speech development?A.Behavioral change. | B.Time development. |
C.Physical development. | D.Environmental change. |
A.Less block. | B.Better tools. | C.Louder voice. | D.Larger vocabulary. |
A.The results of the study. |
B.The process of the research. |
C.The purpose of the program. |
D.The participants of the project. |
A.The living orangutan can recreate our language. |
B.Consonants are significant in language development. |
C.The sound of grumphs travels further than that of kiss squeaks. |
D.Consonant-like calls travel four times further than vowel-like calls. |
2 . Njobati, a young woman from Cameroon, faced a challenging journey when she moved from her English-speaking area to a French-speaking area of the country to attend university. The sharp differences between these areas, once part of the British and French empires, made it difficult for her to fit in, which led her to examine her own identity—who she truly was.
Seeking guidance, she turned to her grandfather who also felt disconnected from his own culture. He expressed sadness about what the Nso had lost both culturally and materially, including Ngonnso statue. Ngonnso was the founder of Nso dating back to the 14th Century, whose statue was an important cultural symbol for the Nso. However, it was taken by the Germans in 1902 and has been housed in Berlin’s Ethnological Museum ever since.
Inspired by her grandfather’s desire and saddened by the loss of culture, Njobati made a promise to bring back the statue. She believed it would not only achieve her grandfather’s wish but connect her with her Nso heritage again.
Njobati did many researches about the statue and former unsuccessful attempts. She realized that restitution (归还) was actually about facing the colonial ( 殖民主义的) past. Njobati decided to try differently. To gather support online and offline, Njobati began a grassroots campaign. She organized meetings in community halls and churches, met people one-on-one, and used the power of social media.Through Twitter, she established contact with the Ethnological Museum.
Njobati’s tireless efforts paid off. She was told that a decision about Ngonnso statue was coming, which was an important moment for her.
“Finally, this is happening. Not just for me, but for the Nso people, and for Cameroon,” She cried. “This also lends a hand to other communities that are seeking justice for stolen culture relics.”
1. What made Njobati decide to bring back the Ngonnso statue?A.Her interest in colonial history. |
B.Her grandfather’s identity problem. |
C.Her desire to reconnect with Nso culture. |
D.Her experience in attending university. |
A.She did wide and complete researches. |
B.She turned to her grandfather for guidance. |
C.She contacted the Ethnological Museum directly. |
D.She organized meetings and using social media. |
A.The fight for the statue. | B.The promise she made. |
C.The grassroots campaign. | D.The return of the statue. |
A.A fight against colonialism. | B.A cultural fighter. |
C.A promise for grandpa. | D.A stolen cultural symbol. |
3 . About Byron
Whether you’re in Byron for fun or work, there are plenty of things to do to fill your spare time.
Byron, Georgia makes travel sweeter with its slower pace and breathtaking attractions. It’s full of historic sites, museums, shopping malls, and more. In this city at the center of Georgia’s peach industry, you can take a vacation that leaves you rested, not annoyed.
EventsGeorgia Peach Festival-June
Fall Market Days-September
Georgia National Fair-October
Byron Christmas Parade-December
Local attractionsByron Welcome Center
Located in the Peach Shops, the Byron Welcome Center is your first stop in our area. The Byron Welcome Center is ready to help you make the most of your stay in Byron, Georgia.
North Peach Park
North Peach Park is the place for traditional festivals, movies in the park, and many other events. The park has picnic shelters, playgrounds, football fields and soccer fields all year round. North Peach Park also has an indoor, climate-controlled multi-purpose room.
The Big Peach Shopping Mall
One of Georgia’s major shopping malls, and Central Georgia’s biggest and best variety of goods, the Big Peach has something for everyone! Open seven days a week and located directly off I-75, the Big Peach is Central Georgia’s favorite shopping destination.
Party Playground Indoor Fun Center
Let the kids work out some energy with an hour or two at the Party Playground Indoor Fun Center. This room full of safe and soft play equipment will let your little ones run, jump and play, rain or shine. It’s also a great place to have a birthday party.
Contact usFor more information, contact us at (478) 956-2409
Email: byronwelcomecenter@gmail.com
1. When is the best time to enjoy delicious peach in Byron?A.June. | B.September. | C.October. | D.December. |
A.North Peach Park. |
B.Byron Welcome Center. |
C.The Big Peach Shopping Mall. |
D.Party Playground Indoor Fun Center. |
A.A course plan. | B.A travel brochure. | C.A journal. | D.An encyclopedia. |
4 . What will restaurants look like in the future? What would your dinner taste like if a robot cooked it? A robot restaurant in Tianjin may give you the answers.
Covering an area of over 400 square meters with a total of 112 seats, the X Future Restaurant is a robot restaurant that opened in November 2018. The restaurant has amazed customers with its fully-automated (全自动的) technology, which covers every step of the dining experience, from ordering to cooking to serving the dishes and even taking payment.
Entering the restaurant, one can order dishes by simply scanning the QR codes on the table. There are over 40 choices of dishes. After taking the order, “robot cooks” prepare dishes using fixed time, temperature and ingredients designed by famous Chinese cooks.
“As the cooking is controlled by a computer system, the taste and quality of dishes can be good,” said Li Xiaokui, manager of the X Future Restaurant.
Robots also complete the delivery of dishes. Without following any designed route, the robot waiters serve meals thanks to automated driving technology, which helps each robot timely change its route when something is in the way.
These eye-catching technologies have received wide praise from customers. “The dishes taste surprisingly good. I couldn’t believe that they were made by robots, especially dishes that were difficult to cook.” one customer said. “The application of robots has increased our efficiency and cut down our costs,” Li said, “I think robot restaurants will develop fast and have a bright future.”
1. What do we know about the X Future Restaurant?A.It covers over 112 square meters with 400 seats. |
B.Robot waiters deliver dishes following fixed routes. |
C.Customers could enjoy fully-automated services. |
D.Robot cooks design dishes by themselves. |
A.They are prepared by human cooks. |
B.They are not easy for robots to prepare. |
C.They are not accepted by customers. |
D.They are ordered by scanning QR codes. |
A.The choices of dishes are limited. |
B.It takes a long time for the robots to prepare the dishes. |
C.Customers are willing to dine in the restaurant. |
D.The delivery routes are designed by the waiters. |
A.Hopeful. | B.Doubtful. | C.Puzzled. | D.Worried. |
5 . India, as a country with plenty of resorts (旅游胜地), is popular with different kinds of travelers. If you’re planning to visit the country, the followings are the places that may interest you.
DelhiDelhi is a perfect place for those who love history, and there are plenty of attractions here to keep tourists of all interests entertained. It’s often the first city that many tourists visit on a trip around India. There are many resorts including India Gate, the Lotus Temple, Qutub Minar, and Humayun’s Tomb.
AgraAgra is most well known for the Taj Mahal, which draws a large number of tourists to the city. Built in the 1600s, the Taj Mahal is still standing strong today and is admired by tourists as an important part of India’s heritage (遗产).
KashmirKashmir is one of the most beautiful cities in India. With flower gardens, amazing water-falls, and snow-topped peaks, it’s a simply unforgettable place that tourists want to return to time and time again. Kashmir is especially popular with honeymooners and loved-up couples, because a lot of romantic trips are on sale in Kashmir.
GoaThough Goa is small in size, it’s one of the top resorts for young tourists and those who love taking beach vacations. The golden sands and coconut palm trees are the charm (吸引力) here, and the sunrises and sunsets are so gorgeous that you’ll never forget them.
1. What do we know about Delhi from the text?A.It is the highest city in India. |
B.It is known for the Taj Mahal. |
C.It is attractive to history lovers. |
D.It is the coolest city in India. |
A.It is the smallest place. |
B.It is the capital city of India. |
C.It offers many tours attracting couples. |
D.It drives young people crazy. |
A.Delhi. | B.Goa | C.Kashmir. | D.Agra. |
6 . The Internet plays a big part in human life. We use it for work and entertainment. We can find new recipes on the Internet or advice on staying healthy. We can even use it to learn a new language and connect with family and friends.
As far as the Internet being a part of our lives —well, that train has left the station. This expression means there is no going back to an Internet-free life. But can using the Internet too much be bad for our health? It might be, say researchers.
A new study finds that heavy Internet use may be connected to high blood pressure in an unlikely group— teenagers. The study results show that teens who spend at least 14 hours a week online were more likely to have high blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause heart and kidney (肾) disease. It is also closely linked to some forms of dementia (痴呆), a brain disease. Dementia is marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and a reduced ability to reason.
The Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan did the study. 335 young people from 14 to 17 years old participated in it. One hundred and thirty-four of the teens were described as “heavy Internet users.” Researchers found that out of these 134 teens, 26 had high blood pressure.
The lead researcher of the study is Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow. In a statement she said, “Using the Internet is part of our daily life but it shouldn’t consume us.” For the purpose of the study, she explains, teens considered heavy Internet users were online on “average 25 hours a week.” Ms. Cassidy-Bushrow adds that it is important for teens to take “regular breaks from their computers or smartphones” and to do some “kind of physical activity.”
1. Which of the following statements is closest in the meaning to the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2?A.The train has stopped at the wrong station. |
B.There is something wrong with the train. |
C.Life without the Internet is nowhere to be found. |
D.The train has changed its course. |
A.will remember everything clearly | B.will change his character |
C.will develop a brain cancer | D.can do analysis accurately |
A.40% | B.19% | C.25% | D.7% |
A.The Internet Does Harm to the Study. |
B.Too Much Internet May Be Bad for Teenagers. |
C.We Should Stop Using the Internet. |
D.High Blood Pressure Is around the Comer. |
7 . Bertha von Suttner received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905 — she was the first woman to receive it, and also the inspiration for the creation of the Nobel Prize.
She met Alfred Nobel, a rich millionaire, by answering his newspaper ad for a secretary. Although she only worked for him for a few weeks, she remained good friends with Alfred Nobel for the next 20 years. When she became involved in the peace movement in Europe, she promised to keep Nobel informed of its progress. When Alfred Nobel died in 1896, his will included the establishment of a peace prize, thanks to Bertha von Suttner’s influence.
Bertha von Suttner was born in an aristocratic military family, but she spent the second half of her life working for peace. She wrote books, attended peace conferences, gave lectures and helped organize peace societies in Austria, Germany and Hungary, as well as the International Peace Bureau in Switzerland. Her novel, Lay Down Your Arms, was one of the most influential antiwar books of all time, and helped to make her a leader of the peace movement in Europe. Its end to war theme was both the ambition and the most important goal in the life of this great woman.
Bertha von Suttner worked so hard for peace because she believed that a terrible war would break out in Europe if nations didn’t work hard to establish lasting peace institutions. She made many major achievements for a more peaceful world, but two months after she died, World War I broke out. A hundred years after she won the Nobel Peace Prize, nations still seem to view war as a choice to work out their problems. But like Bertha von Suttner did, many today are working hard around the world to help strengthen peace institutions and spread the idea that it’s time to put an end to war.
1. Bertha von Suttner .A.worked for Alfred Nobel for 20 years |
B.helped Alfred Nobel draw up his will |
C.persuaded Alfred Nobel to join the peace movement |
D.inspired Alfred Nobel to establish the Nobel Peace Prize |
A.efforts and contributions to the peace movement | B.family background and work experiences |
C.writing career and life experiences | D.ambition and goals in life |
A.It was based on a true story. | B.It recorded Bertha von Suttner’s daily life. |
C.It was about an aristocratic military family. | D.It showed Bertha von Suttner’s wish for peace. |
A.Bertha von Suttner’s fight for peace is still shared by many. |
B.Bertha von Suttner failed to found peace institutions. |
C.Bertha von Suttner successfully predicted a war. |
D.Bertha von Suttner lost her life in World War I. |
8 . Thousands of books are published daily, and book advertisements play a crucial role in increasing awareness about those books. But it’s too easy to be tricked into bad “advertising opportunities” and make the wrong decisions. Here are several forms of digital advertising proven to work well.
Facebook advertising: Facebook provides the perfect advertising platform for authors because it allows targeting very specific categories of people. The other advantage is that it’s easy to test. You can start with a budget as low as $5 and gradually increase your monetary (货币的) commitment if your return on investment is positive.
Amazon advertising: Amazon allows you to show ads about your book directly on other book pages and search result pages. Since their main US rollout in 2017, they’ve become the most effective advertising place for authors.
Bookbub advertising: Bookbub rolled out a self-serve ad platform in 2016, which they’ve greatly improved since. It’s a less competitive playing field than Facebook or Amazon, but it does have its features.
Discount/promotion advertising: If you’re running a discount or free promotion on one of your books, you can apply to have it advertised in the newsletters of platforms such as Freebooksy, Bargainbooksy, etc.
Other types of advertising include search advertising, Goodreads advertising, banner ads on websites, etc. These haven’t produced the same effective results for most authors yet, but they could be just as effective (or more) if you write in a certain field.
1. What is special about the Facebook advertising?A.It is easy for authors to access. |
B.It aims at saving money for readers. |
C.It allows adjusting investment by profit. |
D.It includes different categories of information. |
A.Facebook. | B.Amazon. | C.Bookbub. | D.Freebooksy. |
A.To get readers to buy more books. |
B.To raise people’s reading awareness. |
C.To offer authors advertising platforms. |
D.To help publishers communicate with readers. |
9 . Here are some ways you can change your inner thoughts to stop stress having an effect on your mental and physical health.
ExerciseExercise can be used as a tool to enable you to deal with stress. The feel-good chemicals released(释放)by the brain when you exercise give a sense of well-being and calm.
Having some people who support you helps you to feel calm. When you meet with difficulties, there are people who will have your back. You feel much less stressed when you have friends and family on your side. Build your support network by giving to others when they need you.
Tiredness, the inability to think straight and sleep deprivation (缺乏) make you feel stressed. Improving sleep quality itself does a lot in reducing stress.
Make sure you are giving yourself some time in your week.
A.Be really strict with work-life dividing line. |
B.Don’t be afraid to ask for the same in return. |
C.It’s of great importance to choose someone you trust. |
D.Put aside some screen-free time before going to bed. |
E.Be organized, prepared and on time for jobs that matter to you. |
F.People often care about what doesn’t go right instead of what goes well. |
G.Challenging yourself to keep working out can make you build self-respect. |
10 . A new study, led by Dr. Rebecca Stone, has shown that children as young as four years old eat 79% more calories when they are bored, compared to when they are in a normal mood (情绪) .
The researchers have explored the behaviors that make children more likely to eat when they experience negative emotions. Often when children experience bad emotions such as boredom or sadness, caring adults will use food to soothe them. However, this behavior, known as emotional feeding, appears to increase the possibility of children eating more when they are in low spirits. As time passes, too many calories intake will have a significant effect on children’s health both mentally and physically.
Dr. Stone stresses that the experience of boredom is important in the development of children’s sense of self and creativity, so she does not recommend that children should avoid being bored. Instead, she suggests children learn to experience boredom without turning to food. She also suggests that parents turn their children’s attention away from food when they feel bored, or restructure the home food environment to make it less likely that children turn to food in response to being bored.
While there do appear to be individual differences between children in terms of their eating when bored, it is helpful to know that the feeding practices that adults use around food might shape the likelihood of this happening. Although it is attractive to use food as a tool to help children, emotional feeding might lead to greater emotional eating in the future. It is important for parents and caregivers to be aware that this short-term fix could create future problems.
It is hoped that, on the original basis of the study, the team will deeply explore other negative mood states in children and offer advice and support for families to find more effective ways to manage challenges around children eating behavior.
1. What does the research focus on?A.How children form good living habits. | B.How children face challenges in life. |
C.How boredom impacts on children eating. | D.How parents bring up their children. |
A.Ignore. | B.Comfort. | C.Excuse. | D.Control. |
A.It makes children lose weight quickly. |
B.It creates a new home food environment. |
C.It cannot keep children trusting their parents. |
D.It may not help handle bad moods in the long run. |
A.Expectations for further studies. |
B.The importance of going on a diet. |
C.The necessity of managing moods. |
D.Ways to strengthen family relationship. |