1 . A blind skateboarder has proven that his lack of sight won’t stop him from living a normal life—and now he’s learned some of the most complicated tricks.
Dan Mancina, 34,from Michigan,the US,was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at 13,a rare genetic disease and it causes loss of vision. Around five years ago,Dan lost his vision completely and now is defined as a blind person—but refuses to let it hold him back. Dan said that he was discouraged by other people’s behaviors and was determined to prove people wrong,so he started skateboarding,practiced every day,and soon he was landing trick after trick.
Dan started performing tricks that some might not expect a blind person to be able to do—like throwing darts(飞镖)—but they would be wrong. He said he felt a need to prove himself to those who doubted his abilities. So Dan,who has been skateboarding since he was seven years old,recently posted a video of himself performing a trick on the Internet.
The experience reminded him of his love for the sport and inspired him to continue pursuing his passion,but now his methods are somewhat different. Before skating at a park,Dan uses a stick to measure the different ramps(斜坡)and corners,and get a feel for the area. He also uses a beeper box or a Bluetooth speaker to bounce the sounds off anything in the environment—such as a nearby road—warning him of any dangers in the area.
The skateboarder said, “I get a mental map of the area where I am and use every other sense I have. I'm always trying to progress and keep pushing myself further and further. I have certain goals that I want to achieve. One day I want to film full-length skateboard videos without any cuts. That’s really my goal.”
1. What happened to Dan Mancina when he was thirteen?| A．He became completely blind. | B．He was not allowed to skateboard. |
| C．He suffered from a severe eye disease. | D．He got injured while skateboarding. |
| A．To show he could live a normal life. | B．To achieve his childhood dream. |
| C．To shoot a video about his success in life. | D．To become the focus of public attention. |
| A．Dan’s training field. | B．Dan’s passion for sport. |
| C．Dan’s training equipment. | D．Dan’s preparations for skateboarding. |
| A．He who laughs last laughs best. | B．All that ends well is well. |
| C．Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. | D．A good beginning makes a good ending. |
2 . More than two thirds of students are experiencing poor sleep quality and this is linked to mental health problems, new research suggests. The findings, based on more than 1,000 men and women attending university full-time, also show those with depressive (抑郁的) symptoms were almost four times as likely to suffer from inadequate sleep.
Excessive (过度的) daytime sleepiness (EDS) was a problem among over half the students—they were almost twice as likely to have depression or experience high stress levels.
The authors warn stressors, such as course demands, make college students have sleep disorders which in turn affect academic performance and health. They’re calling on universities to do more to promote positive sleep habits and good mental health.
Living away from home for the first time, using stimulants (刺激物) that damage sleep and keeping irregular bedtimes are all factors that make students suffer from a lock of quality rest at night. An average of seven hours’ sleep has been reported by those attending college while nine hours is considered the ideal for young adults.
Poor sleep and EDS in those attending university have already been identified by studies, but few have probed any link with stress or depression. This new research is the first of its kind. Participants were asked about their sleep quality, EDS, socioeconomic status, and their body mass index (BMI) was also assessed.
The data was used to evaluate the level of association between sleep quality and stress levels. Results showed a significant link between these factors, and depressive problems and high stress levels. The study also found that students studying biological and health sciences were more likely to suffer from poor quality of sleep than those studying social and human sciences. The mechanism (机制) behind sleep disturbance and depression is not unclear, as is whether mental health problems cause poor quality sleep or vice versa.
1. Why is it necessary for universities to promote positive sleep habits?| A．Because college students are under heavy course pressure. |
| B．Because college students are more likely to have depression |
| C．Because sleep disorders affect college students academically. |
| D．Because sleep disorders are common among all college students |
| A．approved of | B．believed in | C．left out | D．looked into |
| A．Majors play a role in students’ sleep quality. |
| B．The mechanism disturbing sleep is still unknown. |
| C．Mental health problems result from poor sleep habits. |
| D．Students studying health sciences have better sleep habits. |
| A．Good Sleep Habits Are Vital to Students |
| B．Lack of Sleep Affects Students’ Mental Health |
| C．Mental Health Problems Affect Students’ Sleep Quality |
| D．Mental health Guarantees Students’ Academic Performance |
3 . Plastics have been found from the top of Mount Qomolangma to newly-formed beaches in Hawaii. The amount of plastic in our environment is shocking. What can we do about it? I’m inspired by Kate Nelson, who has lived without using single-use plastic for over ten years. Kate is also the founder of Sea the Mermaids, an organization focusing on stopping human-sourced ocean pollution through education and community action.
She recently wrote an inspiring and practical guidebook I Quit Plastics: and you can too, which is full of information and tips on how to cook, clean, shop, wear and live plastic-free. Upon first opening, you will see a recipe for Cashew Cheese that looks amazing! Not only does this book provide many delicious recipes, but also explores interesting problems about plastic pollution.
For example, Kate explores the problems about plastics and social justice, including plastic privilege(特权). She points out that wealthier countries, such as the USA, export their plastic waste to Southeast Asia, but many of these countries cannot process their own waste. In addition, most of the affordable food, though processed and unhealthy, is heavily packaged in plastic. People that live in “food deserts” in cities and depend on corner stores have no choice when it comes to avoiding plastics. Kate writes in the book, “Not everyone will have bulk (散装) food stores or farmers’ markets near where they live.”
Kate’s writing is easy to read without sounding preachy (说教的). Her explanations and reasoning are clear. From food to beauty to cleaning, Kate’s practical recipes and tips make it easy for everyone to reduce their chances of using single-use plastic. She develops effective strategies that others can easily adopt and offers clear steps to help people improve on the plastic quifting journey.
1. Why does the author talk about plastic in the first paragraph?| A．To lead to the topic. | B．To share an experience. |
| C．To doubt serious pollution. | D．To explain plastic pollution. |
| A．Famous persons. | B．The latest news. |
| C．Classic music. | D．Reusable shopping bags. |
| A．They eat too much unhealthy food. |
| B．They can’t afford to buy enough food. |
| C．They can’t avoid plastic-packaged food. |
| D．They prefer bulk food to packaged food. |
| A．An environment report. | B．A book review. |
| C．An author’s introduction. | D．A scientific research. |
4 . The new member to the UAE's astronaut training program, the first female Emirati (阿联酋) astronaut, hopes that her mechanical engineering degree will be her ticket to the moon.
Nora AlMatrooshi and her fellow trainee astronaut Mohammad AlMulla were selected from 4000 highly qualified candidates to lead the nation’s 9.8 million citizens into space.
The two are looking forward to the laborious 30-month program ahead of them which has already begun with them getting their divers’ licences, picking up the Russian language and coaching for their many media interviews—and will move on to flight and weightlessness school at the Johnson Space Centre in Texas and eventually cruel survival training.
“They will need mechanical engineers to build a base on the moon,” says the 28-year-old, who represented her nation at the Mathematics Olympics and worked as an engineer at the National Petroleum Construction Company.
AlMatrooshi says she has dreamed of the stars since kindergarten, when her teacher set up the classroom as the Lunar surface and the five-year-old future astronaut constructed a cardboard moonbase. That early longing to explore space charted her degree choice.
“I actually went after it. I chose to study a degree in mechanical engineering because of a documentary I watched when I was in high school. It was about a group of astronauts going to the International Space Station and the role of the mechanical engineer was highlighted,” she say.
Leading big construction projects in the desert has helped equip the daughter of two academics—a PhD father and English teacher mother—for Lunar construction.
AlMatrooshi’s fellow trainee astronaut, UAE police helicopter pilot AlMulla, meanwhile says astronaut training has been “a big career change”.
“I spent 15 years qualifying to be a pilot, including training in Australia for my commercial pilot’s licence,” says the father of two. “As a pilot you get used to mastering everything—suddenly I’m changing my path.”
“I’m a big fan of SpaceX. The rockets and even the fancy space suits. And hopefully all four of us—and all the astronauts who come after us will get to be a part of future missions—perhaps even to the moon eventually.”
1. What preparation have they made before the training program?| A．They have grasped their native language. | B．They have had cruel survival training. |
| C．They have learned to deal with the press. | D．They have done some weightlessness training. |
| A．She got help from her academic parents. |
| B．She has had a big dream since her childhood. |
| C．She has experience in big construction projects. |
| D．She was the winner of the Mathematics Olympics. |
| A．I’ll be a master of life. | B．I’m an enthusiast for SpaceX. |
| C．I’m settling my new problem. | D．I’m starting a new life from scratch. |
| A．The fans of Space X | B．Dream and achievements |
| C．Passion and preparations | D．Future astronaut training program |
5 . A mysterious illness is turning some black bears friendly and unafraid of humans, among other strange symptoms.
Researchers believe the illness, which young bears around a year old appear to suffer from, is a kind of encephalitis (脑炎), according to a news report by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife late last month. Since 2014, a handful of bears in Nevada and Caledonia have shown signs of the condition, and four California bears were confirmed to have it last year. One of them walked into a school and entered a classroom where she sat down among the children, behaving very much like a friendly dog.
The encephalitis has other serious effects on the nervous system of the bears, including tremble, head tilts and seizures (癫痫). Affected bears also tend to be seriously underweight. One female bear, observed in February picking up an apple and eating it among humans in a yard, weighed only 21 pounds when she should have been around 80 pounds. She was also covered in ticks (扁虱), walked strangely and was ultimately euthanized (安乐死).
It’s still unclear exactly what's causing the brain illness. But in the course of studying the phenomenon, scientists have identified five previously unknown viruses in the affected bears.
Bears suffering from encephalitis typically have to be euthanized. Their symptoms make them unequipped to survive in the wild, and those placed in zoos or shelters can become a huge burden due to the lifelong medical care they need.
Two bears exhibiting neurological (神经系统的) issues in recent years, however, were able to find new homes. One, now named Elinor, was brought to the Orange County Zoo. The other bear, who has become famous after being caught on camera sniffing a snowboarder and is now named Benji, lives at the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center. Last month, Benji celebrated his third birthday there with a cake made out of fruit and potatoes. Details are as follows.
1. Which of the following is uninvolved in the symptoms of the bears’ disease?| A．Serious weight loss. | B．Getting close to humans. |
| C．Some neurological issues. | D．Desiring to learn knowledge. |
| A．An environmental change. | B．A severe shortage of food. |
| C．Some unknown kinds of viruses. | D．The lack of necessary medical care. |
| A．Add some background knowledge. |
| B．Provide some advice for the readers. |
| C．Summarize the previous paragraphs. |
| D．Introduce some further information about Benji’s birthday. |
| A．Black Bears in Nevada and California |
| B．A Disease Making Bears Endangered |
| C．An Unknown Bear Species |
| D．Black Bears Getting Much Friendlier |
6 . In an era of endless notifications(通知) from apps, devices and social media platforms, as well as access to more information than we could possibly consider, how do we find ways to manage? And is the way we think, focus and process information changing as a result?
Maryanne Wolf is the director of the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice at the University of California in the United States. Wolf is concerned that “the amount of interaction we have with our screens and devices and the speed at which we necessarily have to function have changed us by removing from us the ability to be present. And we’re so accustomed to going so fast that becoming completely involved in an activity is difficult.”
Kai Lukoff is an assistant professor at Santa Clara University in the US. He researches how apps, social media platforms and technology designers attempt to attract a user’s attention. “There are a thousand or more engineers, developers, designers on the other side of the screen who are purposefully or intentionally designing these services in order to attract your attention, to get you to spend more time on the site and to get you to click on more ads.”
Daniel Le Roux is a senior lecturer at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. He looks at the effects of what we’re doing when we’re “media multitasking”. “Everybody’s doing it, and it’s, in a large way, a natural adaptation to the technological environment that has been created around us.” he said.
Media multitasking, like skimming, is an adaptive response to an environment filled with information. And media multitasking comes at a cognitive(认知的) cost. Le Roux points out. “We bring what we might call a switch cost; that means our performance in our central task is going to suffer. If you think of driving as the central task, the reason we prohibit drivers from using their smartphones while they’re driving is that it distracts them from the task of driving.”
1. What is the result of much interaction with screens and devices according to Maryanne Wolf?| A．Having trouble in concentrating. |
| B．Becoming addicted to the Internet. |
| C．Being exposed to harmful information |
| D．Building more relationships with others. |
| A．Why social media apps are popular. | B．How social media platforms operate. |
| C．Platform workers try to attract users. | D．Social media platforms provide great services. |
| A．To explain media multitasking is common. |
| B．To show the harm of media multitasking. |
| C．To explain why we’re media multitasking. |
| D．To show the difficulty avoiding media multitasking. |
| A．By quoting from some experts’ speeches. |
| B．By providing some typical examples. |
| C．By using the results of some surveys. |
| D．By analyzing some social phenomena. |
7 . Living a Balanced and Healthy Life
What are the most important steps to follow if you want to feel good from morning to night? Feeling good means that your body and mind are working at their peak level. And you have a general sense of well-being.
To feel good day after day, try the following tips:
Get sunlight during the day.
Sunlight stimulates the brain chemical serotonin (血清素), which plays a role in helping you feel happy. While you’re outdoors in the sun, use the time to exercise.
Set yourself up for good sleep.
In the evening as the sky grows darker, your brain makes a hormone called melatonin (褪黑素).
* Be sure to get that daily exercise in the sun, since it also helps you sleep at night.
*
Eat “ feel-good ” foods
* Focus on multicoloured whole foods that are recently alive. That means fresh vegetables, fruit, beans, and whole grains instead of processed foods.
* Make room for vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, and kale.
* Avoid foods that make your blood sugar soar like sweetened sodas and sugary baked goods. They aren’t good for your health, or your energy level.
| A．Turn off the lights. |
| B．Turn on the lights. |
| C．This helps you get sleep. |
| D．They’re super-foods for feeling good. |
| E．Health depends on good food, fresh air and enough sleep. |
| F．The way you eat makes a bit difference in whether you feel strong or weak. |
| G．Research has found that physical activities can work well for treating depression. |
8 . The behavior of beavers and other animals has often inspired expressions in English. If someone is very industrious or hard-working in tackling many things at once, we can say the person is “as busy as a beaver.” This phrase hints at one of the characteristics of these wild animals—they are indeed active creatures.
With their large teeth, which are orange due to iron in the tooth enamel (牙齿的珐琅质), beavers can cut down trees and change their environments like no other animals except humans. They use these fallen trees to build dams, creating safe, watery environments. The busy beavers build homes — called lodges — in the ponds created by the dams. The only way to get in and out of lodges is by entering an underwater opening of the structures. This offers beavers protection from predators such as bears, wolves, or coyotes.
It’s also interesting to note that beavers have another reason for cutting down trees aside from building dams. Beavers can digest cellulose, so wood is a significant food source for them, with their diet 15 also consisting of leaves and aquatic plants. Chewing on trees also helps beavers keep their teeth sharp, making it easier for them to keep chopping down trees.
Of course, no discussion about beavers would be complete without mentioning their most noticeable feature their large, flat tails, which have different uses. One is that they act as a rudder, helping them steer in the water. Another is that the animals pound their tails on the water to warn other beavers of danger. Since beavers work so hard building their homes and warning others of potential harm, it’s no surprise that busy as a beaver is a common phrase.
1. Which of the following usages of “as busy as a beaver” correct?| A．My cat is as busy as a beaver since it always lies on the sofa. |
| B．This kind of tree is as busy as a beaver because it takes hundreds of years for it to be used as timber. |
| C．Hanna is having a cup of coffee and listening to music in the living room. She is truly as busy as a beaver. |
| D．Oliver is responsible for two projects and has to train the three new employees, so he has been as busy as a beaver recently. |
| A．What countries beavers are found in. | B．How beavers keep themselves safe. |
| C．The animals that threaten beavers. | D．The food that beavers eat. |
| A．The wood is very strong. |
| B．The water from dams helps beavers digest wood. |
| C．Dams make it harder for other animals to catch. |
| D．Dams provide beavers with lots of water to drink. |
| A．Tail | B．Teeth | C．Paw | D．Head |
9 . In America, the “Big Dig”, a highway project that resulted in a mess of traffic in the centre of Boston for years, came in five times over its initial budget. Even the Germans get huge projects wrong. Conception to operation of Berlin Brandenburg Airport has taken 30 years, with seven missed opening dates. The airport ended up costing $8.2 billion. However, the original estimate was about $2.7 billion.
Huge projects like Berlin Brandenburg Airport are the subject of an amusing new book called How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner. Mr. Flyvbjerg sets up a database of over 16, 000 projects and data analysis reveals that only 8.5% of the projects meet their initial estimates on cost and time, and 0.5% of them achieve what they set out to do on cost, time and benefits.
Over-optimistic time and cost estimates originate from both psychological and political perceptions: the reliance on intuition (直觉) rather than data, and a problem that Mr. Flyvbjerg calls “strategic misrepresentation”. This is when budgets are intentionally reduced in order to get things going. And once the projects are under way, they will not be stopped, because money spent on them will thus be wasted.
Mr. Flyvbjerg speaks highly of Pixar’s methodical approach to developing and testing films in great detail before they go into production. He also tells the story of how Frank Gehry’s well-developed architectural models helped ensure the success of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. Narrowing down the producing window of a project before it is actually carried out reduces the probability of unexpected events.
Big customized projects are particularly likely to run into trouble. However, the more a project can be divided into standardized processes, the better its prospects are. Projects run into problems for specific reasons as well as general ones: Britain’s trouble is not something that China has to worry about, for instance. But the iron law is that if you plan strictly and standardize where possible, you are less likely to dig yourself into a hole.
1. How does the author introduce the topic of the passage?| A．By making a contrast. | B．By giving an explanation. |
| C．By presenting examples. | D．By showing an experience. |
| A．Projects’ success rates can be estimated. |
| B．Projects’ desired outcome can’t be achieved. |
| C．Most projects suffer overspending and delays. |
| D．Most projects lack comprehensive data analysis. |
| A．Failures in decision-making. | B．Methods of reducing massive costs. |
| C．Strategies for getting work done. | D．Reasons behind inaccurate estimates. |
| A．Planning thoroughly in advance. |
| B．Analyzing specific and general reasons. |
| C．Focusing on efficiency of projects. |
| D．Drawing lessons from former experiences. |
