New research shows sheep are clever
People often make jokes about how dull sheep are, but new research shows they may be cleverer than we think. Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that Welsh mountain sheep have brainpower that equals rodents (啮齿动物). Tests found that the sheep can map the area they live in, and some may even be able to plan ahead.
Young fish prefer noisy neighbors
A new study has shown that young fish like to live on reefs with noisy neighbors! Researchers from the universities of Auckland and Bristol found that young fish looking for a home choose areas where other noisy fish live. The scientists produced all kinds of sounds which had been recorded in different natural environments. The young fish seemed to prefer the sounds of natural reefs, complete with noisy animals! The scientists compared the choice to a music fan wandering around at a music festival, choosing to set up a tent closest to the music they like best!
Butterflies are disappearing
A new study has shown that 17 species (物种) of butterfly found in Europe have dropped by 70% in the last 20 years. The information collected from 3,000 sites across 15 countries shows it may be caused by the loss (减少) of grasslands covered with flowers. You can encourage butterflies to come into your garden by planting flowers. What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Some new studies about animals. | B．People’s wrong ideas about animals. |
| C．Why the number of animals has dropped. | D．The importance of protecting animals. |
According to the first paragraph, we may infer that sheep _____.
| A．are less clever than rodents | B．can find their home |
| C．can read maps | D．are good planners |
Which seems to have to do with the number of butterflies?
| A．The species of grass in grasslands. | B．The species of trees in grasslands. |
| C．The number of flowers in grasslands. | |
| D．The number of animals in grasslands. |
In which part of a newspaper can we most probably read the passage?
| A．Geography. | B．Culture. | C．Travel. | D．Nature. |
As a young girl, Margaret “Mattie” Knight never played with dolls, preferring to make toys for her brothers instead. In 1849, Knight went to work in a cotton factory where she witnessed a “shuttle,” a device that carries thread back and forth across a textile loom（纺布机）, fly off the machine when the thread broke, striking and killing a young boy about her own age.
The 12-year-old Knight developed a safety mechanism that made it impossible for a shuttle to leave the loom. The design was so effective, soon virtually every new power loom carried her invention, saving countless workers from injury or death. Being so young, she didn’t bother to patent the device, so she never received payment.
Knight wouldn’t make the same mistake later in life when she invented a machine that could produce flat-bottomed paper bags. Knight had built a small wooden model in her home, but she needed a metal version to show it could hold up to the stress of mass production. So she hired Charles Annan to make the full-sized machine for her, only to have him try to claim the patent for himself. When Knight sued（起诉）, Annan’s argument was that the design had to be his, because no woman could possibly understand the complex mechanics. Knight proved him wrong when she brought back her wooden prototype and explained how every part worked. She won the case in 1871, making her the second woman to hold an American patent. Over a hundred years later, her design is still used as the basis for many modern flat-bottom bag machines.
But that wasn’t the last the world heard of Mattie Knight. During her lifetime, she made about 90 inventions and received 26 patents, becoming one of the most productive female inventors of the 19th century. We can learn from Paragraph 1 that ________.
| A．Knight behaved like boys | B．Knight had an unhappy childhood |
| C．Knight did a poor job of making toys | D．Knight liked inventing things as a child |
What do we know about Knight’s first invention?
| A．It is still used today. | B．It brought her great profit. |
| C．It was made when he was 20. | D．It reduced injuries at textile plants. |
Knight sued Charles Annan because he _______.
| A．stole the wooden model for the machine she invented. |
| B．failed to make the full-sized machine for her |
| C．tried to patent her invention for himself |
| D．kept the metal version for himself |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Mattie Knight’s fight for her patent | B．A great woman in the 19th century |
| C．“The female Edison”, Mattie Knight | D．Great inventions, great woman |
Across the planet there are millions of people who engage in some type of meditation, the practice of concentrating and clearing the mind to bring the body into a state of peace, at least a semi-regular basis. For some, particularly among practitioners of Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, this is part and parcel of their religious practice.
For others, particularly in Western cultures, meditation tends to be a response to stress. With the world economy approaching meltdown and people worried about their job or their ability to keep their home, it’s a way for people to attain a state of peace of mind and well-being.
For those interested in taking up the practice, instruction in meditation for beginners can be found in literally thousands of sources.
One of the most popular styles of mediation in the West, with classes offered in most major cities, is called Transcendental Meditation. TM, as it is known among its practitioners, first came to worldwide attention when the Beatles began practicing it in 1967. For direct, guided, personal instruction in meditation for the beginner, TM may be the hallmark.
Part of the confusion about how to practice meditation effectively is due to the fact that there are literally hundreds of techniques championed by various groups and individuals. As a general principle, it might be said that all meditation techniques seek to have the practitioner attain a state of consciousness that is different to our ordinary state of awareness. They attempt to train people to clear their minds and achieve a sense of inner peace. It sounds simple enough, but of the huge number of people experiment with meditation, very few are able to maintain its practice over the long haul. In most cases, this is due to frustration over the inability to experience any dramatic, instantly recognizable effects.
This is quite a sad state of affairs, that so few these days are willing or equipped to persist in something that doesn’t provide immediate life-changing results. It reflects a culture in which demands for discipline and sustained effort are considered unnecessary or even unfair. It is no surprise therefore that many people abandon their efforts at meditation before they have a chance to bear fruit.
But for anyone who does decide to take up this worthwhile practice, please remember. You must clear your mind, relax and “take it as it comes”. Maintain the practice with a sense of discipline and devotion, and eventually benefits of inner peace and calm will be yours. The underlined part “part and parcel of” in paragraph 1 is nearest in meaning to ________.
| A．closely associated with | B．very different to |
| C．usually sent from | D．an important element of |
The goal of meditation is ________.
| A．to clear the mind | B．to practice a religion |
| C．to develop a technique | D．to carry out an experiment |
What can we infer about meditation from the passage?
| A．It has two main types. |
| B．It is practiced by many famous artists. |
| C．Its benefits are not immediately obvious. |
| D．Most people find it a very good way to relax. |
According to the writer, what has attracted many Western people to meditation practices in recent years?
| A．Their improved understanding of foreign culture. |
| B．The need to fill in their growing free time. |
| C．Increasing employment instability. |
| D．Migration from countries in which meditation is traditional. |
Who is the probable audience for this article?
| A．Experienced meditation practitioners. |
| B．People interested in starting to learn meditation. |
| C．Buddhists and Hindus. |
| D．People who are very religious. |
Studying volcanoes is a demanding profession. Hazel Rymer frequently has to struggle through rainforests, climb to the top of mountains, then climb 200 metres into the crater of active volcanoes. But the 38-year-old volcanologist does her best to make it sound less alarming than it is. “Driving to work is more risky,” she insists. “And the deepest I go into the crater of a volcano is about 300 metres,” she adds, trying to make it all sound as ordinary as taking the dog for a walk.
Hazel has been studying volcanoes for a long time, so it’s not surprising she is used to the danger. Her interest in volcanoes began at school. A teacher gave her a book about Pompeii. “I remember reading about the eruption of Vesuvius and the destruction of the city,” she explains. “The thought of all those people just frozen in time had quite an effect on me and I am still excited by their dangerous beauty today.”
Nowadays, volcanoes are getting more and more unpredictable. There have been many changes in sea level caused by global warming and melting ice caps. These have resulted in some dormant volcanoes erupting, so studying them is more dangerous than ever before. Hazel says that although she doesn’t take any unnecessary risk she has had some frightening moments. Her worst experience was on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, when she was slowly surrounded by lava. “I had a choice of walking ten hours to get around the lava flow or just walking across it,” she explains. She chose to pick a path across the cooler rocks in the lava stream. “I guess it was five metres. The flow was 1,000°C, so if you hesitated your boots would begin to melt. It was scary, but it really was a practical decision --- there wasn't time to do anything else.”
And what about the future? “I haven’t been to the volcanoes in Indonesia yet. And I would love to spend some time working in the Antarctic,” she says. “I would also like to know why quiet lava flows erupt from some volcanoes and why other volcanoes go bang.” In other words, Hazel Rymer won’t be exchanging her volcanoes for the relative safety of driving to work just yet. Hazel’s claim that “driving to work is more risky” than exploring volcanoes shows that ______.
| A．people have exaggerated the dangers of volcanoes in the past |
| B．Hazel does not really understand the dangerous situations she puts herself in. |
| C．there are many bad drivers in the place where Hazel lives |
| D．Hazel is being modest and understating the dangers she faces |
When did Hazel first become interested in volcanoes?
| A．When she was visiting Italy. |
| B．When she was at school. |
| C．When she was twenty. |
| D．When she saw Vesuvius. |
The underlined word “these” (in paragraph 3) refers to __________.
| A．melting ice-caps | B．volcanic eruptions |
| C．changes in sea level | D．higher temperatures |
When Hazel was on Mount Etna she had to ________.
| A．take a dangerous route |
| B．take an unnecessary risk |
| C．leave her boots behind |
| D．walk for ten hours around the mountain |
In the future, Hazel wants to ________.
| A．revisit volcanoes she knows |
| B．go on holiday to the Antarctic |
| C．find a less dangerous job |
| D．discover new things about volcanoes |
Normally when I pop in to see my parents, my mum bursts out of the house with a big smile. Not today. "Your brother," she says, "he's showered twice this afternoon. Does he know how much it costs to run this house?" Are we limiting water now? I didn't think the recession(萧条) had got that bad. My poor brother is a boomerang kid. Like 60 percent of guys immediately after university, he's back at home. Graduating ￡15,000 in debt and faced with unpaid internships(实习期) or low wages thanks to the flooding of the market with graduates, a lot of twenty some things simply don't have the necessary income or parental support to live independently.
Three years after getting their degree, most graduates are still not earning above the average salary. They have a near 50 percent tax burden, thanks to student loan repayments and council tax on top of income tax and national insurance. Unless you have parents who can afford to finance what is effectively a second home for them, returning to the parental nest is often the only affordable option.
The boomerang effect is becoming even more pronounced thanks to the recession. One in four of those losing their job during the downturn is under 25. Only 13 percent of final-year students have jobs. Home is the only place many are going: 111,000 16-29 year olds moved back home in 2008, five times the average of previous years.
Boomeranging is bad news. It poses serious problems for parents' finances. They've already supported their children through university, topping up loans with handouts, averaging ￡12,300 in total, to keep twenty somethings afloat. Now their retirement savings are being eaten away by continuously dependent children.
It’s bad for the returning kids too. Ambitious young people will be left frustrated, seeing their university peers from more wealthy backgrounds excel only because parents' money was there to support them through the initial period of poverty wages. Those living in rural areas are further disadvantaged by lack of access to cities where most new jobs are located. Half of all young people now feel they will not achieve their goals. Research by the Prince's Trust reveals that one-quarter of all 16-25 year olds are regularly down or depressed. And depression does not help self-motivation, the very trait needed to seek out job opportunities. In paragraph 1, the mother’s criticizing her son for showering too often shows _________.
| A．the price of water has increased |
| B．she thinks her son is selfish |
| C．her son is an economic burden |
| D．she wants to have a shower herself |
What is the boomerang mentioned in the passage?
| A．A person earning low income. |
| B．A person who has heavy tax burden. |
| C．A youth who cannot get parental support. |
| D．A youth returning to parents after graduation. |
According to the passage, which of the following does NOT contribute to the tax bill of most young graduates?
| A．National insurance. | B．Income tax. |
| C．Council income. | D．Student loans. |
Who is comparatively most affected by the recession according to the passage?
| A．Those who haven’t completed their university studies. |
| B．Those who are supported through by their parents. |
| C．Those who can have access to the urban facilities. |
| D．Those who were born into the well-off families. |
Which is the best title of the passage?
| A．Global Recession |
| B．Boomerang Kids |
| C．Unemployment Rate |
| D．Falling Incomes |
Just as some people think that certain numbers are lucky or unlucky, others believe that we can use numbers to understand our personalities, or predict what will happen to us in the future.
Numerology is a way of using numbers to describe a person’s character, and to make predictions about future life events. Numerologists use the numbers 1-9, 11 and 22 — also known as the “master” numbers — to help a person understand his or her personality, life goals, and destiny.
Numerologists consider your Life Path number to be the most significant because this number describes your character. To find this number, add together all the numbers in your date of birth. For example, a person born on April 25, 1985 would add the month (4), to the numbers of the date (2+5), plus the numbers of the birth year (1+9+8+5). In this case the total is 34, so this person’s life path number is 7(3+4). Numerologists believe that people with this number are peaceful and affectionate but can also be very reserved.
Your Expression number describes your talents and predicts how you should use these to fulfill your destiny in life. Numerologists assign a number between 1 and 9 to each of the letters in your name. These numbers are then added together in the same way as before to find your Expression number. Numerologists can also do calculations to predict when the most challenging periods of your life will be.
Numerologists also believe that the day a person is born is important. Each day of the month has a character description. People born on the fourth are said to be responsible, honest, and stubborn. People born on the fifteenth have very strong attachments to family and home. Those who celebrate their birthday on the thirtieth are artistic, creative, and imaginative, and often make good writers.
If we calculate the numerical value of our name and birth date, numerologists believe that we can learn more about our personalities. They also believe that we can predict our destinies, how our lives will progress, and what challenges we may face along the way. To the numerologist, numbers can be used in many more ways than we think. If a person was born on November 8, 1995, what is his Life Path number?
| A．7 | B．8 | C．9 | D．11 |
To understand your abilities and how to use them in your life, you should calculate your ______.
| A．Life Path number | B．Expression number |
| C．birthday | D．name and birth date |
According to the passage, a person born on the fifteenth tends to be _______.
| A．stubborn | B．home-loving | C．artistic | D．imaginative |
According to the passage, numerologists believe that _________.
| A．Life Path number can be used to predict a person’s most challenging life periods |
| B．Expression number is the most meaningful for people to learn a person’s character |
| C．numbers can help people better understand themselves |
| D．numbers can be used to change a person’s future |
The function of the passage is __________.
| A．to raise doubts about the usefulness of numerology |
| B．to persuade readers about the benefits of the practices it describes |
| C．to describe some of the numerological practices and their purpose |
| D．to tease those who take such beliefs seriously |
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