1 . The world’s coral reefs do more for the planet than provide underwater beauty. They protect shorelines from the effects of hurricanes. An estimated 500 million people earn their livelihood from the fishing stocks and tourism opportunities reefs provide. The tiny animals that give rise to reefs are even offering hope for new drugs to treat cancer and other diseases.
Despite their importance, warming waters, pollution, ocean acidification, overfishing, and physical destruction are killing coral reefs around the world. So now scientists around the world are looking for all kinds of ways to protect and maybe even revive(复苏) corals. In the Bahamas, Ross Cunning, a research biologist at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, is focusing on corals with genes that could make them natural candidates for restoration projects. He recently published a study of two Bahamian reefs, one that seemed to survive an intense 2015 heat wave, and one that didn’t.“It sets the stage to find out which genes are responsible for thermal tolerance,” says Cunning, adding that he hopes discovering those genes will help scientists one day breed more heat-tolerant coral.
In Massachusetts, Cohen’s research has found two key elements that seem to protect corals. The first: internal(内部的) waves beneath the ocean’s surface that bring cooler currents to heat-struck corals, essentially air-conditioning them as temperatures rise. The second: adaptation, a quality that corals found in Palau’s warm lagoons(环礁湖) seem to display.On average, these lagoons submerge(淹没) coral in water that is two degrees Celsius warmer than the water outside the lagoons. “We think the fact that they can deal with these higher temperatures is built into their genetics and allows them to deal with the heat waves.”
She’s also found evidence of corals evolving more quickly in the past two decades to withstand rapidly warming temperatures. The big question scientists are now enquiring into, says Cohen, is whether there’s a cap on how much more heat corals can adapt to. Cohen calls these regions with heat-adapted corals as “super reefs,” and like Friendlander, advocates for using marine reserves to protect them.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．The protection for coral reefs |
| B．The great value of coral reefs. |
| C．The benefits for tourism from coral reefs. |
| D．The relationship between animals and coral reefs. |
| A．Cooling down the waters is the key to their success. |
| B．Some corals have been genetically improved successfully. |
| C．He expects to identify the genes of the heat-tolerant corals. |
| D．Some corals that survived 2015 heat wave surprised people. |
| A．How corals survive in the warm lagoons. |
| B．What are the key elements to protect corals. |
| C．How they can use natural reserves to protect corals. |
| D．What is the high temperature limit of the surviving corals. |
| A．Science. | B．Environment. | C．Animal. | D．Climate. |
2 . Even if we’ve never laid eyes on a certain person, the sound of their voice can relay a lot of information: whether they are male or female, old or young, or perhaps an accent indicating which nation they might come from. While it is possible for us to randomly deduce someone’s facial features, it’s likely that we won’t be able to clearly piece together what someone’s face looks like based on the sound of their voice alone. However, it’s a different matter when machines are put to the task, as researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have discovered in developing an AI that can vividly reconstruct people’s faces with relatively impressive detail, using only short audio clips(音频片段) of their voices as reference.
Named Speech2Face, the neural(神经的) network — a computer that “thinks” in a manner similar to the human brain — was trained by scientists on millions of educational videos from the Internet that showed over 100,000 different people talking. From this dataset, Speech2Face learned associations between vocal cues(声带) and certain physical features in a human face, researchers wrote in a new study. The AI then used an audio clip to model a photorealistic face matching the voice.
However, the tool was far from perfect. Speech2Face turned out “mixed performance” when confronted with language variations. For example, when the AI listened to an audio clip of an Asian man speaking Chinese, the program produced an image of an Asian face. However, when the same man spoke in English in a different audio clip, the AI generated the face of a white man, the scientists reported.
Thankfully, AI doesn’t know exactly what a specific individual looks like based on their voice alone. Voice privacy otherwise would be a concern like face recognition for us. The neural network recognized certain markers in speech that pointed to gender(性别), age and ethnicity(种族), features that are shared by many people, the study authors reported.“As such, the model will only produce average-looking faces,” the scientists wrote. “It will not produce images of specific individuals.”
1. What can best replace the underlined word “deduce” in Paragraph1?| A．Mistake. | B．Guess. | C．Record. | D．Search. |
| A．It produces the results with great accuracy. |
| B．It allows thousands of people to talk at the same time. |
| C．It has learnt the connection between speech and appearance. |
| D．It can tell the differences between the Chinese and the Europeans. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Confused. | C．Favorable. | D．Worried. |
| A．MIT’s New Discovery Give a Surprise to People. |
| B．AI Generated Your Faces by Listening to Your Voices. |
| C．Your Voice Could Give Away Your Nationality with the AI Tool. |
| D．Speech2Face: Neural Network Recognized You Behind a Picture. |
3 . 
Over eight million people live in London and it has about 26 million visitors each year. So what can you see in three days? Here are some must-see places.
DAY 1
THE RIVER THAMES is the heart of the city. There are 104 bridges—London Bridge and Tower Bridge are the most famous. Cross the new Millennium Bridge on foot. It’s London’s first bridge in 100 years.
SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE THEATER was built in 1997! (A) In the summer you can see plays there. (B) You can shout during a performance just like in Shakespeare’s time! (C) Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers in the world. (D)Take an umbrella—there’s no roof!
TATE MODERN is the world’s largest modern art gallery. Located in an old power station, it’s a fantastic place to visit. However, don’t miss the British Museum with its collection of over 8 million objects. Follow the museum’s three-hour guide of the highlights.
DAY 2
THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT and BIG BEN are London’s landmarks, so don’t forget your camera. You can go inside and watch the politicians in the two chambers (会议厅) — the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Big Ben, which has four faces, sits at the top of the clock tower in the Houses of the Parliament. So no matter where you stand, you can read the face of the clock.
The King’s or the Queen’s official London home is BUCKINGHAM PALACE. It’s got 775 rooms! About 50,000 guests a year come to parties and events-sorry, invitation only! But you can see the Changing of the Guard.
THE LONDON EYE is the world’s largest sightseeing wheel and the most popular UK tourist attraction with about 3.5 million visitors a year. You can often see distances of 40 kilometers.
DAY 3
London’s cathedral, ST PAUL’S is 108 meters tall and over 300 years old. The entrance ticket isn’t cheap, but the cathedral is impressive, and the dome has got amazing views. At 309 meters tall, the new Shard building is the second tallest building in Europe. You can’t miss it!
Where’s the best place to go when it’s sunny or to relax? One of London’s many large parks such as HYDE PARK, KENSINGTON GARDENS or REGENT’S PARK. There isn’t time for LONDON ZOO, but it’s in Regent’s Park.
The best place for shopping is CAMDEN MARKET. You can find vintage (优质的) clothes, jewelry, great food and all sorts of things. Or go to Harrod’s, the world-famous department store. It’s got over 330different departments and an unbelievable Food Hall.
1. When was Shakespeare’s Globe Theater built?| A．In 1699. | B．In 1837. | C．In 1997. | D．In 2000. |
| A．On the bank of the River Thames. | B．In an old power station. |
| C．On Tower Bridge. | D．In Regent’s Park. |
| A．Businessmen. | B．Scholars. | C．Police officers. | D．Politicians. |
| A．The Millennium Bridge is the first bridge on the River Thames. |
| B．You can only attend the King’s or the Queen’s parties with an invitation. |
| C．St. Paul’s Cathedral in London is over 300 years old. |
| D．For many people Camden Market is the best shopping place in London. |
| A．In the summer you can see plays there. |
| B．You can shout during a performance just like in Shakespeare’s time! |
| C．Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers in the world. |
| D．Take an umbrella—there’s no roof! |
4 . One Earth Award
About this award
Sponsored by the One Earth Fund, the One Earth Award offers $1,000 scholarships for four students whose works address the pressing issue of human-caused climate change.
Why should I create art or writing about climate change?
Some consequences of climate change include: sea-level rise, increase in air pollution, hurricane, droughts, extreme weather, and rising temperatures, among others. Your work can advance our thoughts about climate change and our understanding of solutions. It can also improve awareness of actions that we can take, in order to reduce the harm that human action has on our environment.
How do I apply?
Enter your work to any category in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. When selecting the category of your work, choose the One Earth Award. You will be required to include a personal statement on your work.
What should I write for the personal statement?
Your personal statement should be 50 words or more and answer the following questions:
What specific aspect of climate change does your work address?
What is your personal connection to this aspect of climate change, and why do you think talking about climate change is important?
Getting started on your work
These resources can help you learn about climate change and create your own art and writing about it.
Consider how poets talk about climate change with the Poetry Foundation.
Explore visual art activities and writing activities from the Teacher’s Climate Guide.
Try writing exercises developed by English Teachers Concerned about Climate Crisis.
1. What is the first thing to do to get the One Earth Award?| A．Choosing the One Earth Award. |
| B．Contacting the One Earth Fund. |
| C．Presenting the personal statement. |
| D．Visiting the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. |
| A．What action you will take. | B．What you are concerned about. |
| C．Why your work is important. | D．What suggestion you will make. |
| A．How do I apply? |
| B．About this award |
| C．Getting started on your work |
| D．What should I write for the personal statement? |
5 . Do you know that some kinds of foods you are eating every day are harming you slowly? Maybe you have a number of these foods on your menu. Let’s see if you need to start making changes in your diet.
If you have tooth decay (蛀牙) , you should avoid sugar as much as you can to reduce a risk of diabetes, cancers, obesity, heart disease and some other diseases. There are a lot of healthier ways to satisfy you. You can enjoy a bowl of fruit instead of some sweet snacks.
Cooking oil is a necessary part of your cooking. However, it has a high fat content, which can cause cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. It’s a good idea to choose olive oil, coconut oil or avocado (牛油果) oil.
Alcohol is high in calories, which can cause physical damage, weight gain and skin problems, not to mention the bad decisions you make when you are drunk. Therefore, if you want to damage your system, just believe marketing and drink alcohol daily. Otherwise, avoid it.
Too much carbohydrate can suddenly and greatly increase your blood glucose level, which can speed up the aging process and give you wrinkled (有皱纹的) skin. You’ll age faster and be prone to diabetes, which is a big problem.
If you eat too much salt, you may have high blood pressure which is one of the leading causes of death in the world. However, don’t be too nervous and cut out all salt as your body still needs it. Just limit the amount of salt. 3.75 grams of sodium (钠) per day is a safe amount. Anything that has above 6 grams causes a high risk of heart disease.
1. According to the second paragraph, you’d better to ________ keep healthy.| A．eat fruit instead of snacks |
| B．eat less cooking oil or salt |
| C．drink a little alcohol every day |
| D．enjoy sugar as much as possible |
| A．Don’t eat a lot of snacks |
| B．Eating no salt for a long time. |
| C．Don’t put a lot of salt in the soup. |
| D．Cooking food with olive oil or avocado oil. |
| A．Coconut oil and alcohol | B．Carbohydrate and alcohol |
| C．Sugar and coconut oil | D．Sugar and salt |
6 . It is one thing to visit a zoo as an ordinary member of the public but quite another to own a zoo and live in the middle of it; this at times can be a mixed thing. It certainly forces you to rush out at any time of the day or night to watch your charges (收费), but it also means that you are on duty 24 hours of the day and you can find that a fine little dinner party breaks up because some animal has broken its leg, or because the heaters in the snake house have failed. Winter, of course, is your least busy period and sometimes days pass without a single visitor.
But in the summer season the days are so full and the visitors so many that you can hardly seem to notice the passing of time and you forget how much you have in the bank.
1. From the passage we understand that the writer .| A．is always visiting zoos | B．lives in a cage in the zoo |
| C．is the owner of the zoo | D．can’t tell animals from people |
| A．you have to look after the animals every hour |
| B．you never have any free time |
| C．you only work at night |
| D．you are always having fine dinners |
| A．only one person visits zoo | B．the zoo is closed |
| C．nobody visit the zoo | D．very few people visit the zoo |
| A．The animals eat all he food. | B．It’s too hot in the snake house. |
| C．Something always goes wrong. | D．The animals break your legs. |
| A．there are too many visitors visiting the snakes |
| B．you don’t remember how much you have in the bank |
| C．time passes very slowly |
| D．you don’t know how to pass the time |
7 . On a tram smoothly pulling into the heart of Luxembourg City, Marck gives a smile and takes a look at the fabric of the seat next to him. For him, the city’s trams are more than just transport. More even than the focus of his job. They are about transforming his country and, perhaps, changing the world.
Marck is the director general of Luxtram, Luxembourg’s modern trams. It first started running services two years ago. Next year, Luxembourg will become the world’s only country to get rid of fares on all its forms of public transport. Luxembourg’s traffic problems come from its army of workers. The population of the capital city almost doubles during the working day, when more than 110,000 people travel in and out.
After three decades when its roads have become so crowded, Luxembourg is going to do something remarkable. Free fares, and a plan to persuade people to switch from cars to trams or trains. Marck, along with many others, is excited to see what happens next. “The fact that this is free means that everyone can use it — young or old, rich or poor,” he said. “Everyone can say to themselves it’s better to leave the car at home. We must continue to improve and extend the network. It must always be comfortable, well-connected, efficient.”
Lydie Polfer, the city’s mayor, says she hopes to reach the point where more than a third of people come into the city using public transport — at the moment, it’s less than one in five. She said, “It’s not practical to ban cars because some people, like the elderly, need them. But everyone has to be aware that he or she can do something to improve the situation. There is an expression in German — you are not in the traffic jam — you are the traffic jam, and that is true. I think that making it free will be the biggest arguments for people to use public transport. ”
1. Why does Marck think the city’s trams are more than just transport?| A．The trams are his goal that he strives for. |
| B．There are more means of transportation than trams. |
| C．City’s trams bring more changes beyond transport. |
| D．The trams are the heart of Luxembourg City transport system. |
| A．The cause of the traffic problems. | B．The means of public transport. |
| C．The development of running services. | D．The increase of working population. |
| A．The convenience. | B．The fare. | C．The comfort. | D．The efficiency. |
| A．The elderly needn’t use public transport. |
| B．It’s possible to persuade most people to use the trams. |
| C．Everyone can do his part to improve transport situation. |
| D．Those who don’t take public transport cause traffic jams. |
8 . The library is the heart of a university——its collections, services, and study spaces are central to every student’s educational journey. Let’s take a look at some famous university libraries around the world.
Magdalen College Old Library
Oxford University is famous for its academic programs, but it’s also known for its outstanding libraries that are said to include more than 11 million books. The Old Library at Magdalen College is the crown jewel of the university’s library system. It contains more than 20,000 rare books and manuscripts. Nearly all of these volumes were published before 1800.
TU Delft Library
The library at the Delft University of Technology was constructed in 1997, which has more than 862,000 books, 16,000 magazine subscriptions and its own museum. But it will only take a glance to be attracted, as it is a sight to remember. 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.
Trinity College Library
The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. It contains more than 200,000 of the library’s oldest books. Treasures of the library’s extensive collection include a rare copy of the 1916 proclamation of the Irish Republic and a beautiful 15th century harp (竖琴).
Joe and Rika Mansueto Library
Opened in 2011, the Joe and Rika Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago is designed with a grand glass roof, perfect for staring out when you are tired. The library can hold around 3.5 million volumes through its underground automatic storage and retrieval system. If you are not already impressed, the librarians, robotic cranes, will knock your socks off. They can locate and bring you any book within an average time of 3 minutes.
1. What do Magdalen College Old Library & Trinity College Library have in common?| A．Both house stringed instruments. | B．Both feature attractive designs. |
| C．Both boast numerous ancient books. | D．Both gain recognition as crown jewels. |
| A．TU Delft Library. | B．Trinity College Library. |
| C．Magdalen College Old Library. | D．Joe and Rika Mansueto Library. |
| A．The glass roof. | B．The volume of books. |
| C．The storage system. | D．The robotic librarians. |
9 . Have you gotten price shock lately when you looked at the cost of a new car? It’s not your imagination .The average price of a new car is the highest ever for the first quarter, according to CNBC. At $33, 319, the price is about $1,000 more than in 2018. Because of that, new car sales dropped by as many as 2.5 million units compared to the same quarter last year.
You’d think the drop might concern car makers, but as it turns out, the increase of the price reflects a choice. Many carmakers are stopping producing less expensive cars in favor of SUVS and pickup trucks, which bring in bigger profits(利润).
“Carmakers always say they build what people want.” The Wall Street Journal reporter Dan Neil said. “But they never mention the fact that they spend billions telling people what they want. It wasn’t that consumers wanted to have a truck that was as big as a house. No, that was a gradual process. And it has been mainly pushed by carmakers because bigger equals more profits.”
In late 2018, Ford announced it was gradually stopping producing its Fiesta, Focus, and C-max models in the United States while continuing to make the Mustang and Focus Active. Other big carmakers did the same, with General Motors ending production of the Chevy Volt, Cruz, Impala, Buick Lacrosse. Cadillac XTS, and Cadillac CT6 in the United States. And Fiat Chrysler is putting the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 to an end. “I can tell you right now that both the Chrysler 200 and the Dodge Dart, as great products as they were, are the least financially rewarding business that we’ve carried out in the last eight years,” said Fiat Chrysler CEO.
So where does that leave consumers? Well, if you’re in the market for an SUV or a top-of-the-line pickup truck, you can expect better features. But if you’re looking for a smaller, less expensive car you might be squeezed (挤)out of the market. More and more buyers are likely to look to used cars instead. But before car shopping, make sure you know the secrets car dealers don’t want to tell you.
1. What caused the drop in new car sales this year?| A．The decline of cars quality | B．The rising price of new cars |
| C．The change of market demand | D．The decrease of carmakers’ number |
| A．Carmakers always know the true need of consumers |
| B．Carmakers produce bigger cars because of the social trend |
| C．Consumers really depend less on carmakers in buying cars |
| D．Consumers’ shopping decisions are influenced by carmakers |
| A．are driven by profits | B．can be unwise sometimes |
| C．may influence the quality of cars | D．fail to meet some people’s demands |
| A．Most people don’t prefer small cars any more. |
| B．Producing small cars brings less profit to carmakers. |
| C．Small cars can’t provide better features for consumers. |
| D．Buying second-hand cars is a good choice for some people. |
10 . Canada’s Wonderland
From family-friendly rides to thrilling roller coasters, Canada’s Wonderland has plenty of attractions for all levels of adventure. Meanwhile, various delicious food choices, including the crowd-pleasing funnel cakes, are available. Visit the entertainment areas and find out who is performing at the Canterbury Theatre or take in a show featuring Snoopy and the Gang at the Playhouse Theatre. Cool down at the 50-acre water park, where you can choose from 17 different water rides to experience.
Fantasy Fair
Etobicoke’s Woodbine Mall is the home of Ontario’s largest indoor amusement park. There’s an antique carousel, electronic games popular during the 1980s, and many other activities and rides designed for small children. Ambitious kids can try the rock-climbing wall, and the XD simulators offer a great 3D movie experience. The large displays of dinosaurs will attract the younger kids.
Adventure Village
Adventure Village is a great open space with waterfalls, fish ponds and many fun activities. It’s the ideal place where you can show off your secret moves during a friendly, yet competitive game of outdoor laser tag or play golf on the 18-hole mini golf course. Kids will also enjoy learning new skills at the batting cage and the excitement of riding and spinning around on the bumper cars. No need to worry about getting hungry. Big Al’s Cook House offers you various choices on the menu.
Rail Yard Wake & Aqua Park
It’s Ontario’s largest inflatable (可充气的) water park and cable wakeboarding (尾浪划水) facility. There is a water park with many obstacle courses you’ll want to climb, jump and explore. Enjoy the thrill of watersports of wakeboarding, wakeskating and kneeboarding in a safe area.
1. What can tourists do in Canada’s Wonderland?| A．Enjoy tasty food. | B．Drive bumper cars. |
| C．Play video games. | D．Watch different dinosaurs. |
| A．It’s Ontario’s largest amusement park. | B．It provides indoor activities for children. |
| C．It allows kids to see exhibitions of planes. | D．It’s a place for tourists to watch 5D movies. |
| A．Fantasy Fair.1 | B．Adventure Village. |
| C．Canada’s Wonderland. | D．Rail Yard Wake & Aqua Park. |
