Scientists are fond of running the evolutionary clock backward, using DNA analysis and the fossil record to figure out when our ancestors stood straight and split off from the rest of the primate evolutionary tree. But the clock is running forward as well. So where are humans headed? Here's a thoughtless assessment of possible paths, ranging from similar humans to alien-looking hybrids bred for interstellar (星际的) travel.
Different populations of a species have to be separated from each other in order for those populations to diverge into separate species. Populations are increasingly in contact with each other， leading to greater gene-mixing. It's believable that separate species would appear. Evolution is still at work and the trend may well be accelerating. Cultural diversity is fading as human society becomes more interconnected globally.
The radical king of evolution moves much more quickly than biological evolution. High-tech improvements are ranging from Supermen, to camera-equipped flying drones（遥控飞机）, to pills that keep soldiers going without sleep or food for days. To date, genetic medicine has focused on therapies that work on only one person at a time. The effects of those therapies aren't carried on to future generations. Tinkering with the germline could conceivably produce a superhuman species in a single generation-but could also conceivably create a race of monsters.
Today the rapid pace of cybernetic(计算机控制论的) change has led to worry that artificial intelligence may outpace human’s natural smarts. In some fields, artificial intelligence has already bested human. We're already making machines that can be assimilated (同化) including artificial limbs, mechanical hearts, and artificial retinas (视网膜).
If humans survive long enough, there's one sure way to grow new branches on our evolutionary family tree by spreading out to other planets. If humans established a permanent settlement on other planets, the radically different living conditions would change the evolutionary equation (方程式) What will be inconceivable millions of years from now? Two intelligent species
, human and machine, definitely work together to spread life through the universe.Scientists study the evolution according to .
| A．different populations of a species |
| B．DNA analysis and the fossil record |
| C．cultural diversity and greater gene-mixing |
| D．high-tech enhancements and biological evolution |
Which is NOT true about human beings' evolution?
| A．New species will appear. |
| B．Human's evolution is faster than biological evolution |
| C．Cultures will become more colorful. |
| D．The evolution might create a race of monsters. |
What might bring threat to human beings?
| A．Supermen. | B．Monsters. |
| C．Alien. | D．Artificial intelligence. |
Which of the following must happen in the future?
| A．Humans survive long enough. |
| B．Humans spread out to other planets. |
| C．Human and machine work together. |
| D．Living conditions change the evolutionary equation. |
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，每题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Is there something that you’ve always wanted to try but just never had the time? Well, make plans to try it now since you are on summer vacation．Not all vacations call for taking a tour bus to take photos of famous landmarks. Some vacations allow you plenty of opportunities to learn.
The most difficult aspect of a learning vacation vacation may be choosing one because the possibilities are endless．If you enjoy cooking, various companies can take you to Italy, France, Spain, Mexico or even Peru. Once there, you can learn to prepare the local cuisine（烹饪）. Trips are often planned to fit in with local food festivals or special events.
The term “learning vacation” often brings language to mind. The best way to learn a language is in an environment where it’s spoken. Study Spanish, French or English. Or attempt a more unusual language like Polish, Estonian or Thai. You’ll be able to learn about the country and absorb the culture at the same time.
If you are fond of sports, you can polish your skills or learn new ones. Golf and tennis schools welcome players of all levels. If you want a bigger thrill, you can learn to surf, go climbing or race cars. It’s even possible to learn the art and techniques of bull fighting while on vacation!
You can also discover our inner artist. Many places offer painting classes in different mediums. The scenic locations of the schools offer plenty of subjects that provide inspiration for practice.
If you prefer capturing the world on film, take a photography vacation. Travel with a small group to photograph beautiful animals or scenery. You can also practise your technique on people or at historical sights.
Once you decide on a vacation, choose a company carefully. Request names of recent customers you can contact, and then ask them for an evaluation. The more you know before you go, the better prepared you’ll be. Then go out and learn something!
56．Why is it hard for you to decide on a learning vacation?
A．Because it is hard for you to make plans.
B．Because the possibilities are unlimited.
C．Because there are many good foods from abroad.
D．Because there’re too many food festivals or events.
57．The advantages of learning a language in its native country is that______.
A．the environment is fit for you to use the language
B．you are able to learn the original foreign language
C．native speakers offer you a lot of chances to practise
D．you can learn the language and experience its culture
58．Which of the following sports suit you if you don’t like thrills?
A．Car racing. B．Playing tennis. C．Rock climb. D．Surfing.
59．The structure of the text would be .
|
60．The purpose of writing the text is to .
A．advertise some popular summer programmes
B．encourage readers to have a good time relaxing
C．offer some tips on how to enjoy a learning vacation
D．attract more readers to spend summer time learning
C
I believe that animals possess greater intelligence than most people think. But plants? I've never considered the possibility of plant intelligence. The idea seems absurd.
Yet I've had friends argue that plant intelligence might exist. "What are the differences between plants and animals?" they ask, and then they argue about certain species that seem to share the intelligence of both plants and animals.
New research suggests that plants communicate via "networks". Plant communication is not idea, and cannot indicate that its is a kind of intelligence, but it is still interesting.
Recent research from Vidi researcher Josef Stuefer at the Radboud University Nijmegen shows that plants have their own chat systems that they can use to warn each other. Therefore plants are not boring and passive organisms that just stand there waiting to be cut down or eaten up. Many plants form internal communication networks and are able to exchange information networks and are able to exchange information efficiently.
Many herbal plants such as strawberries and clovers (三叶草)naturally form networks.
Individual plants remain connected with each other for a certain period of time by means of runners (plant stems that grow along the ground and put down roots to form new plants). These connections enable the plants to share information with each other via internal channels. They are therefore very similar to computer networks. But what do plants chat to each other about?
Recently Stuefer and his colleagues were the first to prove that clover plants warn each other via the network links if danger is nearby . If one of the plants is attacked by caterpillars (毛虫)，the other members of the network are warned via an internal signal. Once warned the intact (完好无损的)plants strengthen their chemical and mechanical (机体的)resistance so that they are less attractive to advancing caterpillars. Thanks to this early warning system, the plants can stay one step ahead of their attackers. The research has shown that this significantly limits the damage to the plants.
Again, I don't believe this reflects intelligence, but it's is certainly fascinating.
66.The author thinks that the plant communication .
A.is absolutely a new idea
B.is a sign of plant intelligence
C.is related to animal communication
D.is interesting and fascinating
67.Clover plants warn each other when danger is nearby by .
A.making sounds
B.releasing chemicals
C.strengthening mechanical resistance
D.sending internal signals
68.Which of the following statements about the research is NOT true?
A.Most plants have no chat system and are passive organisms.
B.Individual plants can also remain connected with each other.
C.The communication between clover plants can protect them from damage.
D.The research is the first to show how clover plants warn each other.
69.The author's attitude towards plant intelligence is
A. unconcerned B. doubtful C. positive D. hopeful
70" What's the best title for the passage?
A.Does Plant Communication Really Exist?
B.Some Discoveries About Clover Plant
C.Does Plant Communication Imply Intelligence?
D.A New Study on Plant Communication
B
Canadian scientists have found that the more emotional or mental challenges a person faces in a day, the less determined they become to work out physically.
However, the findings should not stop us from keeping fit. Experts believe that willpower (意志力)is like a muscle ， and needs to be exercised to help one avoid the temptation (诱惑)spending a night on the couch instead.
Kathleen Martin 一 Ginis, a professor of kinesiology 一 the science of movement 一 who led the study, says everyone has a limited amount of willpower, and that it will be reduced by stress. Miss Martin 一 Ginis, of Canada' s McMaster University, explains, "Cognitive (认知的)tasks, as well as tasks such as regulating (调整)one' s emotions, can reduce one' s capacity to force oneself to exercise."
Her team of scientists performed a so — called " Stroop" test on volunteers to reach their conclusions. The experiment involved showing participants words associated with colors but printed in different colors - for example ， the word " blue " written in red ink . ' Participants were divided into two groups. One group was asked to name the color of the ink ， instead to say the printed word ， while the other wasn't Martin ― Ginis says ， " After we used this cognitive task to use up their self 一 regulatory capacity, the participants didn't exercise as hard as those who had not performed the task. ，， The more people concentrated on the cognitive task ， the more likely they were to skip exercise sessions (活动时间)over the next eight week. You only have so much willpower .
However, there are ways to strengthen willpower. The study found the listening to music before going to the gym can help, as well as making a commitment to work out with friends. It also concluded that willpower can be stretched by constantly cake ， or forcing oneself to study an extra hour each night.
Martin - Ginis adds, "There are strategies people can use to help revitalize (使恢复活动) themselves after they’ve used up their self 一 regulation. Willpower is like a muscle ： it needs to be used to stay strong.
61.According to the experts, human willpower .
A.can be exercised through muscle movement
B.can regulate itself to resist temptations
C.is weakened by stressful cognitive or emotional tasks
D.is reduced by lack of physical exercise.
62.We learn from Paragraph 4 that the experiment .
A.made use of the Stroop test
B.asked one group of participants to name the words
C.required researchers to write the word "blue" in red ink to make it easily recognizable.
D.showed that those who hadn't performed the task were smarter than those who had
63.All the following are ways to strengthen one's willpower EXCEPT________
A.listening to music before doing exercise
B.promising to work out with friends
C.training oneself repeatedly to resist temptations
D.forcing oneself to do the same thing each day
64.Which of the following is in agreement with Miss Martin ― Ginis' idea?
A.Human's willpower is limited to a certain level
B.The cognitive tasks could make people ignore exercise
C.Challenging tasks could make people ignore exercise
D.Exercise is an important way to strengthen one's willpower.
65.What can we infer from the passage?
A.Willpower can be challenged to become powerful.
B.McMaster University is famous for its kinesiology.
C.Effective ways to resist temptations have been found.
D.the study has an impact on the science of movement.
PART THREE READING COMPREHENSION
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked with A, S, C and D, Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
A
Matt Scott, who was born with spina bifida (脊柱裂)，grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where he participated in a variety of sports alongside his healthy friends. Now as a member of University of Wisconsin -Whitewater wheelchair basketball team, Scott has won four national championships, and hats' recently been selected to the Paralympic team for the second time. The 23 ― year 一 old college senior owes his achievements to his hard work and the support of his friends and family, who never allowed him to use his disability as an excuse. "My mother was always great. Whenever I felt giving up, she had no sympathy. She really helped me build my independence by not babying me the way other mothers would have," Scott says.
It was Scott' s independent nature and strong will, along with his on - the - court skills, that attracted the attention of America's most influential sports apparel (衣服)company, Nike. Nike was searching for an athlete with a disability to represent its "Just Do It " trademark. A handful of superstar athletes with disabilities came to audition for the role, but the company picked Scott to star in the 30 一 second commercial.
"I think that they were looking for the prettiest face in America, and found me," Scott jokes about the selection process.
After being picked, Scott flew to California to film the commercial with Oscar - winning documentary director Errol Morris. The ad gave Scott celebrity (名人)status in the community of disabled athletes. He's been asked to speak at a number of disability - related events, and feels it's his duty to use the media to draw attention to those with disabilities. "I've been given a voice, and I want to do whatever I can to break down the social barriers that are still faced by disabled athletes, and make people realize that they have a very high athletic level," Scott says.
56.When Scott was young, •
A.he only played basketball with other disabled children
B.he became disabled during a basketball match
C.his friends looked down upon him during basketball matches
D.his mother didn't give him special treatment
57.Nike chose Scott to star in its commercial for his ________.
a. pretty appearance b. independent nature
c. strong will d. excellent basketball skills
e. status in the community of disabled athletes
A. bee B. ade C. abd D. bed
58.The underlined phrase "audition for " in the second paragraph means " ".
A. try out for B. look out for C. take on D. pick out
59.Which of the following about Scott is TRUE?
A.He has graduated from the University of Wisconsin ― Whitewater.
B.He thinks it's unwise for the disabled to use disability as an excuse.
C.He starred in a commercial together with Errol Morris.
D.He thinks it's important to have many goals.
60.To Scott, the most important result of the ad was that .
A.it made people realize the athletic talent of the disabled
B.it gave him a chance to show his basketball skills
C.he could do more for disabled athletes
D.he was selected to the Paralympic team again
D
Advertising gives useful information about which products to buy. But modern advertising does more than gives news about products and services. Today’s advertisements, or ads, try to get consumers to buy certain brands(品牌) . Writers of advertising are so skillful they can sometimes persuade a consumer to wear a certain kind of clothing,eat a special kind of cereal, or see a movie. Consumers might never even want a product if they did not see or hear advertisements for it. For example, you probably do not need the newest cereal in the supermarket. There are probably many cereal brands on your kitchen helves. You may not have extra-tasty and has a free prize in the box, you may want it. Advertising must get attention. To be effective, it must be exciting, entertaining, or provide some pleasure. The secret of writing good advertising copy is to offer a good idea as well as a product. The idea is what the ad is really selling. One example is an ad that says eating a certain cereal will make a person do well in sports. That cereal brand may sell better if consumers think it offers strength and energy.
68. What is discussed in this passage?
A. The content of modem advertising. B. The skills of modern advertising.
C. The results of modem advertising. D. The writing of modern advertising.
69. According to the passage, a good advertisement should_______.
A. be both persuasive and effective B. give people useful information
C. show people a product D. show people a new idea of a product
70. From the passage, we know that ____
A. modem advertising has less effect on customers.
B. once customers see ads about a new cereal, they are sure to buy it.
C. cereal can make people strong.
D. cereal is a kind of food which is popular among people.
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