University can be the most sociable time of your life.
For most students, social media is the glue that holds packed social diaries together.
Facebook will let you know if a game is cancelled, Twitter can promote your DJ set in 140 characters, and your Instagram account will remind you when there are new photos.
These tools have made the world increasingly connected, and most students wouldn’t consider shunning them at such a sociable stage of their lives.
But social media is by no means a requirement at university, and many do without.
“I’m a private person and don’t feel the need to share everything with everybody I know,” says Caty Forster, 20, a student at the University of Manchester, who has never used Facebook or Twitter.
Despite social media’s benefits, Forster is largely indifferent.
Bethany Elgood, 25, stopped using Facebook after she discovered she had developed a bit of an anxiety towards the social media platforms that contain lots of personal details.
”
I quit Facebook when I was 13.
I left because, not only was I bored of passively involved in its Newsfeed, I was also experiencing anxiety.
To me, Facebook meant clicking and nosing around people’s lives.
People would ask, “How do you keep in touch with people?” and “Won’t you miss out anything important?” I was in agreement with Forster, who says, “I never feel like I’m missing out too much.
I don’t feel like I’d have anything valuable to share or gain from it.
”
Adrienne Jolly, a careers advisor at UEA, says, “It’s hard to prove reliable statistics on social media.
But it’s generally accepted that social media networks are pretty influential in this process—for better or worse.
”
You might decide quitting social media isn’t practical in the long run.
However, if its ugly side is bringing you down, why not consider taking leave? By doing so, I gained confidence and a strong connection with reality.
130．The author listed three kinds of social media to prove they _______.
A．are important for him and others like Caty
B．have the power to make students learn more
C．are frequently used by many university students
D．should be used by all of the students in universities
131．The underlined word“shunning”in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by “___________”
A．avoiding B．choosing
C．using D．adding
132．Why doesn’t Bethany use social media?
A．She hates to share everything with others.
B．She hopes her personal information is safe.
C．She buries herself in the busy studies every day.
D．She doesn’t care what has happened to her friends.
133．What is the attitude of Adrienne Jolly to using social media online?
A．She is completely against them.
B．She herself refuses to use them.
C．She is completely for them.
D．She is objective.
The oldest and most common source(来源) of renewable energy known to man, biomass is one of the most important forms energy production in the United States and elsewhere.
Since such a wide variety of biomass materials is everywhere ---- from trees and grasses to agricultural and city ---- life wastes ----biomass promises to play a continuing role in providing power and heat for millions of people around the world.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists(UCS), biomass is a kind of renewable energy source that produces no carbon dioxide(二氧化碳), because the energy it contains comes from the sun.
When plant matter is burned, it gives off the sun’s energy.
In this way, biomass serves as a sort of natural battery(电池) for storing the sun’s energy.
As long as biomass is produced continuously ----with only as much grown as is used--- the “battery” lasts forever.
According to the Energy Information Administration, biomass has been one of the leading renewable energy sources in the United States for several years running through 2007, making up between 0.
5 and 0.
9 percent of the nation’s total electricity supply.
In 2008----although the numbers aren’t all in yet----wind power probably took over first place because of the rapid development of wind farms across the country.
Producing power from biomass helps reduce some 11 million tons of carbon dioxide each year.
Some homeowners also try to make their own heat by using biomass materials.
Such practice may save homeowner’s money, but it also produces a lot of pollution.
So, the best way is to encourage power plants to use it.
134．Why is biomass considered as “ a sort of natural battery”?
A．It burns merely plant matter.
B．It keeps producing electricity.
C．It stores the energy from the sun.
D．It produces zero carbon dioxide.
135．We learn from the text that in 2008 ______.
A．Wind power would be the leader of renewable energy.
B．there was a rapid growth of electricity production
C．biomass might become the main energy source
D．0.
5~0.
9 of power supply came from biomass
136．Why does the author encourage power plants to use biomass?
A．To prevent the waste of energy.
B．To increase production safety.
C．To reduce pollution.
D．To save money.
137．Where does the text probably come from?
A．A research plan.
B．A science magazine
C．A book review.
D．A business report.
The traditional tent cities at festivals such as Glastonbury may never be the same again.
In a victory of green business that is certain to appeal to environmentally-aware music-lovers, a design student is to receive financial support to produce eco-friendly tents made of cardboard that can be recycled after the bands and the crowds have gone home.
Major festivals such as Glastonbury throw away some 10,000 abandoned tents at the end of events each year.
For his final year project at the University of the West of England, James Dunlop came up with a material that can be recycled.
And to cope with the British summer, the cardboard has been made waterproof.
Taking inspiration from a Japanese architect, who has used cardboard to make big buildings including churches, Mr.
Dunlop used cardboard material for his tents, which he called Myhabs.
The design won an award at the annual New Designers Exhibition after Mr.
Dunlop graduated from his product design degree and he decided to try to turn it into a business.
To raise money for the idea, he toured the City’s private companies which fund new businesses and found a supporter in the finance group Mint.
He introduced his idea to four of Mint’s directors and won their support.
Mint has committed around ￡500,000 to MyHab and taken a share of 30 per cent in Mr.
Dunlop’s business.
The first Myhabs should be tested at festivals this summer, before being marketed fully next year.
Mr.
Dunlop said that the design, which accommodates two people, could have other uses, such as for disaster relief and housing for the London Olympics.
For music events, the cardboard houses will be ordered online and put up at the sites by the Myhab team before the festival-goers arrive and removed by the company afterwards.
They can be personalized and the company will offer reductions on the expense if people agree to sell exterior(外部的) advertising space.
The biggest festivals attract tens of thousands of participants, with Glastonhury having some 150,000 each year.
Altogether there are around 100 annual music festivals where people camp in the UK.
The events are becoming increasingly environmentally conscious.
138．“Eco-friendly tents” in paragraph 1 refer to tents .
A．economically desirable
B．favorable to the environment
C．for holding music performances
D．designed for disaster relief
139．Mr.
Dunlop established his business .
A．independently with an interest-free loan from Mint
B．with the approval of the City’s administration
C．in partnership with a finance group
D．with the help of a Japanese architect
140．It is implied in the passage that .
A．the weather in the UK.
is changeable in summer
B．most performances at British festivals are given in the open air
C．the cardboard tents produced by Mr.
Dunlop can be user-tailored
D．cardboard tents can be easily put up and removed by users
141．The passage is mainly concerned with .
A．an attempt at developing recyclable tents
B．some efforts at making full use of cardboards
C．an unusual success of a graduation project
D．the effects of using cardboard tents on music festivals
Dogs are likely to have complex emotions such as jealousy(嫉妒)and pride, according to a new scientific research.
Dogs feel very jealous when they find that they are unfairly treated.
And they do not like seeing their owners being kind to other creatures, especially other dogs.
They often react negatively(消极地)when their owners bring home new pets, the research found.
“Dogs show a strong aversion to unfair treatment,” Dr.
Friederike Range of the Vienna University said.
At first, people believed most animals lack(缺少)the “sense of self” , which is needed to experience so-called secondary emotions such as jealousy, embarrassment or guilt.
These emotions are more complex than feelings such as anger or joy.
Besides dogs research, another research includes cows, horse, cats and sheep, and all the results have shown that animals are far more self-aware than we thought.
Dr Paul Morris, a psychologist at the University of Portsmouth who studies animal emotions, told The Sunday Times, “We are learning that dogs, horses, and perhaps many other species are far more emotionally complex than we ever realized.
They can suffer simple forms of many emotions we once thought only primates (灵长类) could experience.
”
In research among dog owners, Dr Morris found almost all of them reported jealous behavior by their pets.
The dog often tried to keep their owner away from a new lover in the early days of a relationship.
Behavioral experts suggest that owners should keep a close relationship with the dog as usual when a new pet or child comes along in order to prevent jealous activity from the dog such as interruptions with barking.
142．What is the new discovery about the relationship between dogs and human?
A．Dogs usually have more emotions than humans.
B．Dogs are often treated unfairly by humans.
C．Humans are angry about their dogs’ negative reactions.
D．Dogs feel unhappy when their owners show kindness to other creatures.
143．What does the underlined word “aversion” in the second paragraph mean?
A．Internet B．Dislike
C．Concern D．Fear
144．What does the “the sense of self” in the third paragraph probably mean?
A．It is a complex feeling that belongs to humans.
B．It is a kind of ability to feel other people’s emotions.
C．It is a necessary awareness to feel some complex emotions.
D．It is a kind of emotion which is based on anger or joy.
145．Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the fourth and fifth paragraphs?
A．The research includes four kinds of animals.
B．Animals are more self-aware than humans.
C．Dogs experience more emotions than primates.
D．Animals are emotionally complex.
Imagine a cat that does not need someone to clean up after it keeps an older people company and helps them remember to take their medicine.
That is the shared dream of the toy maker Hasbro and scientists at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
The researchers received a $ 3-million-dollar from the National Science Foundation for a special project.
They want to find ways to add artificial intelligence, or AI, to Hasbro’s “Joy for All” robotic cat.
The cat has already been for sale for two years.
Though priced at over 1,000 dollars, it sold quite well.
It was meant to act as a “companion”(陪伴) for older people.
Now the project is aimed at developing additional abilities for the cat.
Researchers are working to decide which activities older adults may need the most.
They hope to make the cat perform a small number of activities very well.
Such activities include finding lost objects and reminding the older people to take medicine or visit their doctor.
They also want to keep the cost down to just a few hundred dollars.
It is an idea that has appealed (有吸引力) to Jeanne Elliott.
Her 93-year-old mother Mary Derr lives with her in South Kingstown.
Derr has dementia (痴呆).
The Joy for All cat that Elliot bought this year has become a true companion for Derr.
The cat stays with Derr and keeps her relaxed while Elliott is at work.
Elliot said a robotic cat that helps her mother to remember to take her medicine and be careful when she walks would be greater.
The researchers are trying to learn how the improved cats will complete helpful activities and how they will communicate.
They say that they do not want a talking cat, however.
Instead they are trying to design a cat that can move its head in a special way to successfully communicate its message.
In the end, they hope to create an exchange between the human and the cat in which the human feels the cat needs them.
By doing so, the researchers hope they can even help prevent feelings of loneliness and sadness among elderly people.
146．What’s the purpose of the project?
A．To reduce the pain of the elderly.
B．To increase the sales of a medicine.
C．To help make the robotic cat smarter.
D．To invent a robotic cat for the elderly.
147．What can we know about the cat?
A．It will be on sale in two years.
B．It may be cheaper in the future.
C．Its abilities will be made simpler for the elderly.
D．It can tell the activities that older adults need the most.
148．What does the example in Paragraph 3 show?
A．The cat gives much help to the elderly.
B．The cat works well to talk with the patient.
C．The cat can make the dementia patient less painful.
D．The cat should be designed to satisfy patients’ need.
149．What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A．Each family can afford such a cat in the future.
B．A talking cat is quite popular among the elderly.
C．Feelings of sadness among the elderly are unavoidable.
D．The feeling of being needed is important to the elderly.
Some of the best research on daily experience is rooted in rates of positive and negative interactions, which has proved that being blindly positive or negative can cause others to be frustrated or annoyed or to simply tune out.
Over the last two decades, scientists have made remarkable predictions simply by watching people interact with one another and then scoring the conversations based on the rate of positive and negative interactions.
Researchers have used the findings to predict everything from the likelihood that a couple will divorce to the chances of a work team having high customer satisfaction and productivity levels.
More recent research helps explain why these brief exchanges matter So much.
When you experience negative emotions as a result of criticism or rejection, for example, your body produces higher levels of the stress hormone, which shuts down much of your thinking and activates(激活) conflict and defense mechanisms (机制).
You assume situations as being worse than they actually are.
When you experience a positive interaction, it activates a very different response.
Positive exchanges increase your body’s production of oxytocin, a feel-good hormone that increases your ability to communicate with, cooperate with and trust others.
But the effects of a positive occurrence are less dramatic and lasting than they are for a negative one.
We need at least three to five positive interactions to outweigh( 比……更重要) every one negative exchange.
Bad moments simply outweigh good ones.
Whether you’re having a conversation, keep this simple short cut in mind: At least 80 percent of your conversation should be focused on what’s going right.
Workplaces, for example, often see this.
During performance reviews, managers routinely spend 80 percent of their time on weaknesses and “areas for improvement”.
They spend roughly 20 percent of the time on strengths and positive aspects.
Any time you have discussions with a person or group, spend the vast majority of the time talking about what is working, and use the remaining time to address weaknesses.
150．Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined part “tune out”in Paragraph 1?
A．stop listening
B．change one’s mind
C．lose temper
D．be at a loss
151．What will happen if you experience negative emotions?
A．Much of your thinking will be prevented.
B．You’ll begin to look for the bright side of life.
C．You will feel an urge to improve and become better.
D．You’ll be motivated to resolve conflicts with people.
152．What can we infer from Paragraph 4?
A．We need a positive feeling to beat one negative feeling.
B．Negative feelings can sometimes promote our productivity.
C．Our conversation should center on what needs improvement.
D．The effect of negative feelings lasts longer than that of positive ones.
153．Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A．Ways to prevent negative thoughts.
B．Positive interactions make the difference.
C．Why negative thinking is unnecessary.
D．How to promote workplace productivity.
Dr.
Michael Prager, a leading Botox expert, said that a growing number of women are developing something called “computer face”.
He also mentioned that professionals who worked long hours in front of a screen were ending up with saggy jowls(颚骨下垂),“turkey neck” and deep-set wrinkles(皱纹)on their forehead and around their eyes.
The Botox expert said that, of all his clients, office workers were most likely to show premature (过早的)signs of aging.
“ If you are one of the unfortunate people who frown(皱眉)while you are concentrating on the screen then, over time, you will inevitably(不可避免地)end up with frown lines.
'' Dr.
Prager said.
“What is perhaps more surprising is the number of women with saggy jowls because they are sitting in one position for so long.
If you spend most of the time looking down then the neck muscles shorten and go saggy, eventually giving you a second neck.
”
Dr.
Prager, who has a practice near Harley Street in London, said he encourages his clients to put a mirror next to their computer so they can see if they are frowning at the screen.
“When people are stressed or thinking hard about something, then they will often put on a grumpy(脾气暴躁的)face' without even knowing what they are doing.
When my clients put a mirror next to their desk, they are often shocked by the angry, frowning face which stares back at them.
”
He said, “The women I am seeing at the moment have only been using computers at work for the last decade or so.
But women in their 20s have grown up with them and use them for every single task.
I think the problem is going to become much, much worse.
In another ten years, they could be looking quite awful.
”
Dr.
Prager said there were several simple steps which could avoid “computer face” such as regular screen breaks and stretching the neck muscles.
And, of course, there was always Botox(肉毒杆菌).
He said that, after a couple of sessions of Botox, the habit of “grumpy face” could be broken.
154．According to the passage, which of the following are signs of aging?
A．Saggy jowls and short necks B．Turkey neck and frown lines
C．Deep-set wrinkles and angry faces D．Second neck and stressed muscles
155．Why does Dr.
Prager suggest a mirror for his clients?
A．To be aware of their “computer face” B．To see if they have got a second neck
C．To make sure their make-up is perfect D．To find more signs of premature aging
156．From the last 2 paragraphs, we can know that_____
A．“computer face” is avoidable B．we should give up using computers
C．we should break the habit of “grumpy face D．the younger generation is worse at computers
A smartphone program is helping scientists learn about changes taking place in nature.
More than 100,000 citizen-scientists around the world are taking pictures of many kinds of plants and animals using a program called iNaturalist.
The program gives researchers much information about where plants and animals live, and how a growing human population is changing plant and animal life.
In Arlington, Virginia, naturalists are making a record of the plants and animals that live in the heavily populated area.
Alonso Abugattas is the local government’s natural resources manager.
He works to protect and improve Arlington’s natural spaces.
The group is using the iNaturalist smartphone program to record its observations.
Then iNaturalist users throughout the world can look at the images and try to help recognize them.
The program records where and when the picture was taken.
This lets experts like Abugattas and others create maps that show where plants and animals are living, and how that changes because of development and climate change.
That is important in Arlington and around the world.
Scott Loarie is co-director of iNaturalist.
He said species are dying at a faster speed than ever, and the mix of life on Earth is threatened.
“And we’ve only begun to understand exactly how those ecosystems contribute to our food system, or human health—all these things that we depend on.
”
Loarie says iNaturalist lets citizen-scientists help professional (专业的) scientists gather data of the wild plants and animals in the world.
More than 100,000 iNaturalist observers on all seven continents have made more than four-and-a-half million observations.
The information has been used in studies of other animals.
Alonso Abugattas says the group in Arlington recorded more than 450 kinds of animals and plants.
“If you just open up your eyes to the natural world, you’d be amazed at what’s out there.
”
157．Which of the following is the function of the iNaturalist smartphone program?
A．Creating maps to show climate change.
B．Reminding experts to make out the photos.
C．Marking the time and places of the photos.
D．Writing down the names of species in the photos.
158．What did Scott Loarie want to tell us?
A．The goal of iNaturalist.
B．The regret for dying species.
C．The importance of scientists.
D．The value of species to humans.
159．What do we know about the iNaturalist smartphone program?
A．It calls on people in the world to change nature.
B．It directly helps professional scientists to gather data.
C．It gets wildlife information and data from all over the world.
D．It lets professional scientists pay attention to humans’ behaviors.
160．What can be the best title for the text?
A．Two Heads Are Better Than One
B．A Cheap Way to Study Plants and Animals
C．Measures Are Being Taken to Protect Plants and Animals
D．Naturalists Use a Smartphone Programme to Take Photos of Wildlife
Technology that connects computers to telephones has developed very fast in the last ten years.
This is clear in the development of the fax.
A traditional fax can include many documents and is simple to send.
It is rather like a copier combined with a telephone.
First, you insert a document into the fax machine, enter the fax number and then turn on the machine.
If it connects, the sending fax machine reads the document and sends it to the receiving fax machine.
At the same time, the receiving machine receives the document and then prints it.
But technology never stays still.
New technology like PC fax programs and LAN fax servers (局域网传真服务器)have recently been introduced to improve fax communications.
The latest improvement is the IP fax which uses Internet Protocol(因特网协议)to send faxes.
There are two basic ways of sending information using the IP fax system: store-and-forward or real-time.
Store-and-forward ways of sending messages are widely used.
In this mode, the entire document is sent to a network-based server that stores it and then sends it on to the receiving fax.
Real-time IP faxing is closer to sending a fax in the traditional way.
Real-time mode allows two fax machines to directly communicate and send the material more efficiently.
IP fax can send a fax document from one person to another.
A fax machine or a computer can be used to send or receive the fax.
IP fax also allows e-mail to be used to receive faxes.
This enables users to receive faxes anywhere at anytime as long as they have an Internet fax address.
161．The passage deals mainly with ________.
A．PC fax and LAN fax
B．technology of connecting computers to telephone
C．information technology
D．new machines
162．The IP fax system can use all of the following to send and receive a fax except ________.
A．a fax machine B．a cellphone
C．a computer D．e-mail
163．In real-time IP fax mode ________.
A．two fax machines communicate directly
B．a network-based server is used
C．users can receive faxes anywhere
D．the PSTN has to be used
A number of companies have used the wind and sun to produce energy.
Now, one company called ORPC is using the force of flowing rivers and ocean currents(水流).
The company recently presented the new technology at an energy conference near Washington, DC．
Christopher Sauer is the chief executive officer of ORPC．He says the technology was designed for small, rural communities that do not have easy access to power sources.
The ORPC technology is an energy generator(发电机) which can be put under water, called RivGen.
It works in a series of steps.
First, the generator is put in the middle of a steel cage on top of a wide boat.
Wheels – or, turbines – are attached to each side of the generator.
The boat, cage, and generator all sink(下沉) to the bottom of the river.
There, the river current turns the wheels and creates as much as 50 kilowatts of power.
The turbines are safe for the animals that live in the river.
The generator is not very tall, so it can work in water areas that are not very deep.
Other companies are not able to work in shallow (浅的)water.
Another feature of the technology are “crossflow turbines(双击式水轮机).
” They make the turbines move in the same direction, whatever way the water is flowing.
The turbines’ shape helps the generator harvest power from tidal currents in the ocean.
The company's ocean turbine is called TidGen.
It can create up to 600 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power a small settlement.
Right now, the amount of power TidGen can harvest changes as the strength of the tide goes up and down.
But ORPC workers are trying to make the power harvest steady(稳定的).
In time, they want TidGen power to be part of the main energy sources.
164．What does “RivGen” refer to in the text?
A．A boat.
B．TidGen.
C．An energy generator.
D．The ORPC company.
165．What is special about ORPC’s generator compared with other companies?
A．It is safe for the sea animals.
B．It is suitable for small rural communities.
C．It can work in water that is not deep.
D．It can take energy from water movement.
166．What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A．ORPC is able to make much power at the same speed.
B．The strength of the tide decides on the amount of power.
C．TidGen power has become part of the main energy sources.
D．Water’s flowing helps the turbines move in different directions.
167．What’s the purpose of the text?
A．To introduce.
B．To sell.
C．To educate.
D．To prevent.
Yasuda is 95 years old.
Looking for easier ways to search the Web and send email, he bought Apple’s iPad.
The company has sold 3.
27 million iPads since they entered the market in April.
Although it’s impossible to know with certainty how many seniors (老年人) are buying them, evidence suggests that it’s a hit with seniors.
The iPad’s intuitive interface (直观界面) makes it attractive to seniors around the world, says Takahiro Miura, a researcher at the University of Tokyou.
“The iPad is a good tool for seniors because it’s very easy to use,” he says.
Unlike the PC, it doesn’t require former knowledge.
”
James Cordwell, a researcher in London, says the iPad’s popularity with seniors is helping Apple reach beyond its traditional base of young customers.
“The world’s population, especially in developed markets, is getting older.
It’s probably a market where Apple has least entered,” Cordwell says.
Senior users are a key source of growth for them in the future.
Seniors make.
up about 22 percent of the population in Japan.
They may prove that seniors are willing to accept the iPad.
Besides the customer group under 30, they spend more than any other group in the country, according to a report.
Motoo Kitamura, 78, a former gas salesman, bought an iPad to help him communicate with his 2-year-old grandson and prevent him from experiencing some of the mental problems that sometimes come with getting older.
“Trying new things like that is good mental exercise,” he says.
168．The underlined part “a hit” in Paragraph 1 probably means .
A．a sudden attack
B．a heavy burden
C．very familiar
D．quite popular
169．Which of the following is NOT an advantage of the iPad?
A．It has intuitive interface.
B．It is easy to operate.
C．People can use it as a way to do mental exercise.
D．Beginners can use it without similar experiences.
170．What can we learn from the text?
A．The traditional customers of Apples products are usually the young.
B．People above thirty are Apples largest customer group in Japan.
C．Seniors will soon grow into Apples largest customer group.
D．Seniors in Japan are fond of buying latest hi-tech products.
171．What is the text mainly about?
A．iPad influencing the customer group.
B．iPad leading Apple to seniors.
C．iPad’s arrival causing Japanese to think.
D．iPad beating the traditional PC．
Why texting harms your IQ
The regular use of text messages and e-mails can lower the IQ more than twice as much as smoking marijuana (大麻).
That is the statement of researchers who have found that tapping away on a mobile phone or computer keypad or checking for electronic messages temporarily knocks up to 10 points off the user’s IQ.
This rate of decline in intelligence compares unfavorably with the four-point drop in IQ associated with smoking marijuana, according to British researchers, who have described the phenomenon of improved stupidity as “infomania”.
The research conducted by Hewlett Packard, the technology company, has concluded that it is mainly a problem for adult workers, especially men.
It is concluded that too much use of modern technology can damage a person’s mind.
It can cause a constant distraction of “always on” technology when employees should be concentrating on what they are paid to do.
Infomania means that they lose concentration as their minds remain fixed in an almost permanent state of readiness to react to technology instead of focusing on the task in hand.
The report also added that, in a long term, the brain will be considerably shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life.
At a microcellular level, the complex networks of nerve cells that make up parts of the brain actually change in response to certain experiences.
Too much use of modern technology can be damaging not only to a person’s mind, but to their social relationship.
1100 adults were interviewed during the research.
More than 62 per cent of them admitted that they were addicted to checking their e-mails and text messages so often that they scrutinized work-related ones even when at home or on holiday.
Half said that they always responded immediately to an email and will even interrupt a meeting to do so.
It is concluded that infomania is increasing stress and anxiety and affecting one’s characteristics.
Nine out of ten thought that colleagues who answered e-mails or messages during a face-to-face meeting were extremely rude.
The effects on IQ were studied by Dr.
Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at University of London.
“This is a very real and widespread phenomenon,” he said.
“We have found that infomania will damage a worker’s performance by reducing their mental sharpness and changing their social life.
Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working.
”
172．We can learn from the passage that “infomania” ______.
A．has a positive influence on one’s IQ
B．results in the change of part of the brain
C．lies in the problem of lack of concentration
D．is caused by too much use of modern technology
173．The research mentioned in the passage is most probably about ______.
A．the important function of advanced technology
B．the damage to one’s brain done by unhealthy habits
C．the relevance between IQ and use of modern technology
D．the relationship between intelligence and working effectiveness
174．The underlined word “scrutinized” probably means “______”.
A．examined carefully B．copied patiently
C．corrected quickly D．admitted freely
175．Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
CP: Central Point P: Point Sp: Sub-point (次要点) C: Conclusion
A． B．
C． D．
My house is made out of wood, glass and stone.
It is also made out of software.
If you come to visit, you'll probably be surprised when you come in.
Someone will give you an electronic PIN (个人身份号码) to wear.
This PIN tells the house who and where you are.
The house uses this information to give you what you need.
When it's dark outside, the PIN turns on the lights nearest to you, and then turns them off as you walk away from them.
Music moves with you too.
If the house knows your favorite music, it plays it.
The music seems to be everywhere, but in fact other people in the house hear different music or no music.
If you get a telephone call, only the nearest telephone rings.
Of course, you are also able to tell the house if you want something.
There is a home control console(控制台), a small machine that turns things on and off around you.
The PIN and the console are new ideas, but they are in fact like many things we have today.
If you want to go to a movie, you need a ticket.
If I give you my car keys, you can use my car.
The car works for you because you have the keys.
My house works for you because you wear the PIN or hold the console.
I believe that ten years from now, most new homes will have the systems that I've put in my house.
The systems will probably be even bigger and better than the ones I've put in today.
I like to try new ideas.
I know that some of my ideas will work better than others.
But I hope that one day I will stop thinking of these systems as new, and ask myself instead, "How will I live without them?"
176．What does the passage mainly discuss?
A．How to develop a new system.
B．The function of the PIN.
C．A home for the future.
D．Easy life in the future.
177．What can’t be done in the writer’s new house according to the passage?
A．Turning on the lights.
B．Going swimming.
C．Getting a telephone call.
D．Playing music.
178．The writer's new house is different from ordinary ones mainly because _______.
A．it has your favorite music following you
B．you can make a telephone call anywhere
C．the writer is able to change his new idea into practice
D．it has been controlled by computers
179．What is the writer most likely to be according to the passage?
A．An IT expert B．A famous doctor
C．An idealist D．An experienced teacher
Last night's meteor(流星) shower left many people in Emerald Valley dissatisfied.
They gathered in the suburbs of the city with heavy telescopes，expecting to watch the brightly burning meteors passing through the sky.
However, what they found was a sky so brightened by the city's lights that it darkened the light of the meteors passing overhead.
“My family was so frustrated，” admitted town resident Duane Cosby, “We wanted to make this an unforgettable family outing，but it turned out to be a huge disappointment.
”
Astronomers—scientists who study stars and planets—have been complaining about this problem for many years.
They say that light pollution prevents them from seeing objects in the sky that they could see quite easily in the past.
They call on people and the government to take measures to fight against it.
Besides professional and amateur(业余的) star observers, there is yet a population that suffers even more from light pollution.
This population consists of birds，bats, frogs, and snakes etc.
For example, outdoor lighting severely affects migrating(迁徙的)birds.
According to the International Dark�Sky Association, “100 million birds a year throughout North America die in crashes with lighted buildings and towers.
”
Countless animals injuries and deaths result from the use of artificial lighting.
Clearly, people enjoy the benefits of lighting their evenings, but some scientists think it can be harmful to humans, too.
They worry that exposure to light while sleeping can increase people's chances of getting cancer.
Emerald Valley is only one community that is becoming aware of the negative effects of light pollution.
For years, Flagstaff, Arizona has enforced lighting rules in its city in order to help astronomers with their observations.
Similar efforts have been made worldwide, and a movement is underway to remind us to turn off lights when we are not using them, so that other creatures can share the night.
180．It happened last night that ________．
A．the city's lights affected the meteor watching
B．the meteors flew past before being noticed
C．the city’s lights show attracted many people
D．the meteor watching ended in a social outing
181．According to Paragraph 4, we know that ________．
A．birds may take other migration paths
B．animals' living habits may change suddenly
C．varieties of animals will become sharply reduced
D．animals' survival is threatened by outdoor lighting
182．Lighting rules in Flagstaff, Arizona are put into effect to ________．
A．reduce the chance of getting cancer
B．create an ideal observation condition
C．ensure people a good sleep at night
D．enable all creatures to live in harmony
183．What can we learn from the text?
A．Saving wildlife is saving ourselves.
B．Great efforts should be made to save energy.
C．Human activities should be environmentally friendly.
D．New equipment should be introduced for space study.
New research brings some good news for lovers of spicy(辛辣的) foods, after finding that eating hot red chili peppers might help to extend lifespan（寿命）.
Consuming hot red chili peppers might reduce death risk, say Chopan and Littenberg from the research team.
In hot peppers, such as Mexico peppers, the strong flavor comes from a compound(复合物), which does not exist in sweet peppers or onions.
Studies have suggested that this compound can offer a welth of health benefits.
A study of more than 16,000 people in the United States revealed that individuals who consumed red chili peppers had a lower risk of death from all causes over an average of 18 years than those who did not eat the spicy food.
Compared with participants who did not consume hot red chili peppers, those who did were found to be at 13 percent reduced risk of all-cause death.
For example, a recent study reported by Medical News Today, found that the compound might have the potential to stop breast cancer, while an earlier study linked the compound to a reduced risk of digest system cancers.
Still, the available data suggested that hot red chili pepper consumption was most strongly associated with a reduced risk of death from heart disease.
While the researchers are unable to identify the concrete compound by which red chili peppers might extend lifepan, the team says that it is likely due to the compound that is effectively against obesity(肥胖症).
Overall, the team says that these latest findings support those of the 2015 study, linking spicy food intake to reduced risk of death by showing “a significant decrease in death associated with hot red chili pepper consumption.
” However, Chopan and Littenberg note that the earlier study was only conducted in Chinese adults, so the now research makes these findings more credible.
184．What can be inferred from the passage?
A．The study only goes for American people.
B．Red chili pepper can all-cause disease.
C．The compound protects people against obesity.
D．Onion consuming can reduce death risk.
185．What is the finding of the new research mainly about?
A．Hot red chili pepper lovers develop no cancers.
B．Hot red chili peppers help control breast illness.
C．Hot red chili peppers decrease heart disease.
D．Hot red chili pepper intake may increase lifespan.
186．Which of the following has the closest meaning to the underlined word “credible”?
A．Convincing.
B．Practical.
C．Encouraging.
D．Attractive.
As if there weren’t enough of them in the world already, scientists have succeeded in cloning flies.
The alike fruit flies are the first insects ever cloned, says the Canadian team that created them.
The question everyone asks is why anyone would want to clone flies in the first place.
She hopes that the insects , which are very easy to experiment with , will help to adjust the cloning process in other animals and even in humans, where the technique is being researched to aid production of therapeutic (治疗的) stem cells.
In cloning, the DNA-containing nucleus (细胞核) of an adult cell is injected into an egg whose own nucleus has been removed.
At the moment, the majority of cloned mice, sheep and other animals die before birth.
It is thought this is because the adult DNA is not properly ‘reprogrammed’.
Using flies, researchers might discover genes that are important for this reprogramming, and that have matches in other animals.
That is because it is relatively easy in flies to knock out the function of a single gene and then attempt cloning with these cells, which will test whether that gene is important.
If such genes are confirmed, then in theory cloned mammalian embryos(晶胚) might be grown in selected solutions that change the activity of those genes to improve the technique’s success rate.
Although some groups have attempted to clone insects before, Lloyd says this is the first time it has been successful.
The team used a slight difference on the standard cloning process: they transferred nuclei taken from embryos rather than fully-grown adult cells.
They sucked several nuclei out of developing fly embryos, and injected them into a fertilized(已受精的) fly egg.
From over 800 early attempts, they cloned five adult insects, the group reports in the journal Genetics.
187．The best title of this passage probably is _______.
A．The importance of clone
B．First insects are cloned
C．The disagreement in clone
D．The advantages of clone
188．The scientists cloned flies because________.
A．there are fewer and fewer flies in the world
B．flies are easy to find and cheap to use
C．they can gain some experience before cloning other animals
D．it is safe to clone flies
189．The failure of most cloned animals is due to _______.
A．the difference of other animals’ genes
B．the improper technique of clone
C．the complex of other animals
D．the improper rearrange of the adult gene
190．It can be inferred from the last paragraph that ______.
A．the clone of insects before used grown-up cells
B．the clone of insects were never experimented before
C．this time scientists cloned flies successfully and easily
D．based on this success, other animals will be cloned in large quantities.
If you want to get something done, you might want to put your mobile phone back in your pocket.
Researchers have found that the mere presence of a phone is distracting (分心) — even if it is not your own.
And the devices (设备) are likely to distract you, even if they are not ringing or “pinging” with text messages.
People asked to carry out electronic tests of their attention spans were found to perform worse when a mobile phone was present than other people performing in the presence of a paper notepad.
Scientists from Hokkaido University in Japan said that their findings show that it is harder to concentrate when one of the electronic devices is present.
The effect was most marked on people who are not regular users of phones.
In tests on 40 undergraduates.
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