Reading Comprehension阅读理解

閱读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

（一）

A

Slow down and take some time to explore the world and nourish your soul and brain by traveling.

Little Trains of the Pyrenees

Eight days from ?1，049 per person—from May to September

Enjoy the slow journey on the incredible Roses Express. Step aboard the Yellow Train in the Pyrenees. Travel in style on the Núria Valley Rack Railway. Relax on board the Red Train in the Pyrenees.

Includes

● Return by Eurostar from London to Paris

● Seven nights half board accommodation in Roses

Please note

The deposit （订金） of the room： ?275

Scottish Highland Railways

Five days from ?576 per person—from April to October

Experience some of the worlds most spectacular scenery as you enjoy journeys on three of Scotlands most celebrated railways.

Includes

● Four nights dinner and bed， and Scottish breakfast accommodation at the Carrbridge Hotel

● Return flights to Scotland

Lake Como， St. Moritz & the Bernina Express

Eight days from ?959 per person—from May to October

Take one of the worlds great railway journeys to Switzerlands most celebrated holiday hideaway. Spend a week on the shores of Lake Como and enjoy its elegant villas and glorious gardens—which have inspired artists and writers for generations.

Includes

● Seven nights dinner， bed and breakfast accommodation at your chosen hotel

● A ride on the Bernina Express

● Return flights to Milan

● Comfortable coach travel and transfers throughout

1. How much does a couple pay at least for a journey to the Pyrenees？

A. ?1，427.                      B. ?1，918.                       C. ?2，373.                      D. ?2，648.

2. Which place is most suitable for a writer lacking inspiration？

A. The Carrbridge Hotel.                                      B. The Núria Valley Rack Railway.

C. The Bernina Express to St. Moritz.                 D. Villas and gardens near Lake Como.

3. What do the journeys have in common？

A. They are available in October.                        B. They design train-riding trips.

C. They provide free accommodation.          D. They include air tickets to the destination.

B

A very dear friend has been experiencing numerous challenges these past few months. She mentioned how it sometimes felt like she was hanging on by a thread with no quick fix in sight.

It reminded me that the monarch caterpillar （毛蟲） that I cared for just changed into a butterfly that morning. After eating on milkweed leaves from our garden， the hungry caterpillar found a comfortable spot at the top of the net butterfly enclosure and spun a silken thread to attach itself there. The caterpillar hung upside down in a J shape for a day or so. Then， in less than a few hours of struggling， the caterpillar was a beautiful green butterfly！

All the research Ive done indicates that the change into a butterfly should take between 10—12 days. I can only imagine what is going on there， but Im sure its a huge struggle and reforming. Havent we all been doing the same to some degree lately？ These especially challenging times are presenting us with the unavoidable experiences needed for our inner selves to use as food for growth. Not easy？ You bet！ Worth it？ Yes！

Many thanks to our local library for the loan of the butterfly enclosure. They raised and released painted butterflies as part of their childrens summer reading program this year. I had no idea that planting a few milkweed plants would lead to such a fascinating study of caterpillars and butterflies. The caterpillar has kept me mindfully occupied and fascinated.

Hanging on by a thread as we transform， keep in mind the beautiful wings we are growing. We are all somewhere in the midst of that unbelievable process. Trust the process. Have faith. Know that you are becoming the most beautiful person that you can be.

4. What did the authors friend and the caterpillar have in common？

A. They lived comfortably.                                  B. They suffered from hunger.

C. They experienced a hard situation.                  D. They were well cared for by the author.

5. What does the author say about the struggle in Paragraph 3？

A. It is necessary.          B. It is avoidable.           C. It is dangerous.          D. It is meaningless.

6. What does the author want to encourage us to do in the last paragraph？

A. Help friends in need timely.                            B. Learn from other creatures sincerely.

C. Join in childrens experimental projects.        D. Face the hardships of life optimistically.

7. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Life Is Hanging on by a Thread                       B. Reinvent Yourself as a Butterfly

C. Avoid Challenging Experiences    D.We Are Fascinated by Butterflies

C

Shaanxi kuaiban is a traditional Chinese form of storytelling in the Shaanxi dialect to the rhythm of bamboo clappers. It can be performed by a group or solo. The art form can be traced back to the late Qing Dynasty （1636—1912）. At first， the art was used by farmers to share their knowledge and earn money. But now， more people perform Shaanxi kuaiban on different occasions—for example， at festival celebrations， parties and art shows.

Yang Jinlong， 45， is an experienced Shaanxi kuaiban artist. He first learned the art at the age of 9. Before that， he often went with his father， an amateur performer to watch kuaiban performances.

“As a young boy， I was attracted to the art form because many of the stories are about heroes. The performer tells stories while playing kuaiban， and its easy for the audience to remember the stories since all the lines rhyme，” Yang said.

He has practiced Shaanxi kuaiban for more than 30 years. Since 2003， he has been teaching the art form to young people. On weekdays， he teaches students about Shaanxi kuaiban in primary and middle schools in Xian. On the weekends， he teaches for six hours each day at art education institutions in Xian.

Yang has made some adaptations to the art form to relate more to students. When he tells modern stories， Yang abandons the traditional gown （长袍） and wears a suit. He also integrates many pop elements like tap dance， ballet， jazz dance and the rhythm of popular music into kuaiban performances. His stories focus on more trendy topics， like stories of heroes who have worked to alleviate （减轻） poverty， as well as the Chinese Olympic team.

“Art education is important for students in China. Just as many students learn to play Western musical instruments like the piano and violin， there are many people learning traditional Chinese folk arts， including Shaanxi kuaiban. They are committed and passionate，” Yang said.

8. What can we learn about Shaanxi kuaiban？

A. It is performed in Shaanxi dialect.

B. It focuses on Chinese ancient literature.

C. It dates back to the early Qing Dynasty.

D. It was originally used by teachers for teaching.

9. Why was Yang Jinlong interested in Shaanxi kuaiban as a child？

A. He liked it as all the lines rhyme.                    B. He liked stories about heroes.

C. He thought it was a way to earn money.          D. He wanted to be like his father.

10. What did Yang Jinlong do to promote Shaanxi kuaiban？

A. He wore local clothes of Shaanxi.                 B. He added pop elements to it.

C. He told stories about superheroes.                 D. He performed it in Western countries.

11. What words can best describe Yang Jinlong？

A. Talented and modest.                                     B. Patient and energetic.

C. Determined and creative.  D. Humorous and responsible.

D

Yellow is usually the color of happy， joyful emotions. But according to a new study， not all people associate sunshine with good atmosphere.

To find out what factors might play a role， researchers tested a new hypothesis （假設）： What if peoples physical surroundings affect their feelings about certain colors？ For instance， if someone lived in cold and rainy Finland， would they feel differently about the color yellow from someone who lived near the Sahara Desert？ The researchers looked at color-emotion data from an ongoing international survey of 6，625 people in 55 countries. The survey asks participants to rate 12 colors on how closely they are associated with feelings including joy， pride， fear and shame.

The team looked only at the data for yellow， and analyzed how different factors—including hours of sunshine， hours of daylight， and amounts of rainfall—lined up with the emotions people reported for the color. The two best predictors of how people felt about yellow were the annual amount of rainfall， and how far they lived from the equator （赤道）， the team reports in theJournal of Environmental Psychology.

The farther someone lived from the equator， the more likely they were to appreciate some bright colors—in Egypt， the likelihood of yellow being associated with joy was just 5.7%， whereas in rather cold Finland it was 87.7%. In the United States， with its moderate climate and amber （黃褐色） waves of grain， peoples yellow-joy association levels were between 60% and 70%.

The team also checked whether associations changed with the season—whether， for example， people in a certain country liked yellow more in the winter than they did in the summer. The researchers found that opinions about color remained fairly constant year-round—even when the weather changed， the data on yellow-joy associations were as good as gold.

12. To test the hypothesis， researchers surveyed people ＿＿＿ .

A. in Finland                                                       B. in the United States

C. from different countries                                 D. near the Sahara Desert

13. What may most affect the emotions associated with yellow？

A. The annual amount of rainfall.                      B. Hours of daylight.

C. Hours of sunshine.                                         D. Seasons in a year.

14. Who are more likely to appreciate bright colors？

A. People living in warm areas.                         B. People growing up in Egypt.

C. People living near desert.                              D. People living far from the equator.

15. What does the text mainly tell us？

A. Yellow is the color of happiness and joy.

B. Researchers did a survey on the color yellow.

C. Different people have different emotions to the color yellow.

D. A study shows the connection between emotion and yellow can vary.

（二）

A

Australia is a heaven for those people looking for something different in their travels. Not only that， Australia also offers much in natural wonders， local cuisine and culture.

Jenolan Caves

The Jenolan Caves are a must-see for adventurous tourists. It was discovered by a criminal in 1838 and has since then served as one of the most famous tourist attractions in Australia. These caves numbering more than 300 are all interconnected and filled with unusual and wonderful rock formations. Here tour guides will be at your side as you walk around the lighted caves.

Whitsundays

Whitsundays is one of the places in Australia with great night life. Here you can have great evenings eating at the restaurants and having fun in the local bars. Also， Whitsundays is known as a great jump point to the Great Barrier Reef and the beautiful island resorts.

Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is a great getaway for surf and beach lovers. Here you can not only spend days perhaps in the theme parks and national parks with its great waterfalls and natural beauty， but also nights in the local restaurants and in the local bars.

Magnetic Island

Magnetic Island is one of the national parks of Australia because it is home to colonies of kangaroos and koalas. It is also located near the town of Townsville famous for its great beaches. This island was actually named by Captain Cook because it was said that his compass has gone funny when he passed by it.

1. Where can you go if you like taking risks？

A. Jenolan Caves.          B. Whitsundays.             C. Gold Coast.               D. Magnetic Island.

2. What can you enjoy in both Whitsundays and Gold Coast？

A. Visiting islands.        B. Local food.                C. Beautiful waterfalls. D. Surfing at the beach.

3. Where can you learn about animals and history？

A. In Jenolan Caves.   B. In Whitsundays.     C. In Gold Coast.       D. In Magnetic Island.

B

Sandi Pattys name has been synonymous （同義的） with Gospel music because of her singing ability since she released her first album in 1979.

Pattys newest book，The Voice， takes a deep dive into parts of her life shes kept private for years. Surprisingly，The Voiceis not primarily concerned with Pattys singing voice. Patty was always a talented singer. However， she struggled to find her inner voice and speak up for herself. “I was a shy kid. Words were hard for me，” Patty said.

One of the reasons why Patty found it so difficult to use her voice was atraumaticchildhood experience. At age six， she was abused by a friend， an experience she opened up for the first time in the book.

She is sharing the story of her experience now， hoping it will help other people feel less alone. “Feeling alone keeps everybody silent about the tough times in our lives， so we think were the only ones，” Patty said. She wrote inThe Voicethat she felt like it was her job to make everyone feel better.

Friendships were vital for helping Patty find the courage to speak up. They reminded her that she didnt need to make others feel better because the people she loved didnt doubt she cared for them.

Friends and family were extremely important for helping Patty confront （处理） another struggle she faced—shame. She felt unpleasant for insecurities about her weight and her divorce. “Ive heard it explain that guilt tells us we have done something wrong and shame says we are wrong，” Patty said.

“I want people to know that their stories and their voices matter，” Patty said. “We have to figure out a way to take our pain away and put it where it needs to be， without letting it guide our lives. Pain is a part of our story. It describes us， but it doesnt need to define us.”

4. What does Pattys newest book focus on？

A. Her singing ability.                                          B. Her dream of success.

C. Her advice on singing well.                             D. Her personal experiences.

5. What does the underlined word “traumatic” in Paragraph 3 mean？

A. Bitter.                        B. Relaxing.                   C. Valuable.                   D. Practical.

6. How did Pattys friends influence her？

A. By helping her get rid of loneliness.               B. By accompanying her around.

C. By inspiring her to act bravely.                       D. By helping her solve problems.

7. What does Patty mainly want to show in the last paragraph？

A. The need to be independent.                            B. The importance of removing our pain.

C. The necessity of accepting our life.          D. The meaning of learning about ourselves.

C

The meaning of silence varies among cultural groups. Silences may be thoughtful， or they may be empty when a person has nothing to say. A silence in a conversation may also show stubbornness， or worry. Silence may be viewed by some cultural groups as extremely uncomfortable; therefore attempts may be made to fill every gap with conversation. Persons in other cultural groups value silence and view it as necessary for understanding a persons needs.

Many native Americans value silence and feel it is a basic part of communication among people， just as some traditional Chinese and Thai persons do. Therefore， when a person from one of these cultures is speaking and suddenly stops， what maybe implied is that the person wants the listener to consider what has been said before continuing. In these cultures， silence is a call for reflection.

Other cultures may use silence in other ways， particularly when dealing with conflicts among people or in relationships of people with different amounts of power. For example， Russian， French， and Spanish persons may use silence to show agreement between parties about the topic under discussion. However， Mexicans may use silence when instructions are given by a person in authority rather than be rude to that person by arguing with him or her. In still another use， persons in Asian cultures may view silence as a sign of respect， particularly to an elder or a person in authority.

Nurses and other care-givers need to be aware of the possible meanings of silence when they come across the personal anxiety their patients may be experiencing. Nurses should recognize their own personal and cultural construction of silence so that a patients silence is not interrupted too early or allowed to go on unnecessarily. A nurse who understands the healing value of silence can use this understanding to assist in the care of patients from their own and from other cultures.

8. What does the author say about silence in conversations？

A. It implies rudeness.                                          B. It promotes friendship.

C. It is culture-specific.                                        D. It is content-based.

9. Who might regard silence as a call for careful thought？

A. The Chinese.             B. The French.               C. The Mexicans.          D. The Russians.

10. What does the author advise nurses to do about silence？

A. Let it continue as patients please.                 B. Break it while treating patients.

C. Evaluate its harm to patients.                        D. Make use of its healing effects.

11. What is the best title for the text？

A. Sound and Silence                                          B. What It Means to Be Silent

C. Silence to Nurses and Patients      D. Speech Is Silver; Silence Is Gold

D

British research scientist， Dr Donna Kean is training 170 rats to be sent into earthquake ruins to do vital work in finding earthquake survivors. The project has trained about seven rats to date， taking around two weeks to get the rescue rats up to speed. These rescue rats are sent into mock （模擬的） earthquake ruins with tiny backpacks that contain microphones， video gears， and location trackers. These tools will allow the rescue teams to communicate with earthquake survivors in real-time.

“I train these clever creatures to save victims trapped in collapsed buildings after earthquakes. We kit them out with a rat backpack， and train them to activate a switch when they find a victim and come back for a tasty treat，” posted Dr Donna Kean on Twitter.

Dr Kean expressed how the rescue rats are ideal for this type of work， saying， “Rats would be able to get into small spaces to get victims buried in rubble （瓦礫）.” The highly swift rats never set off landmines （地雷） and their natural swiftness makes them ideal for use in hard-to-navigate disaster zones. Their suitability for this work goes further， with rats being good at surviving in different environments and living off of anything. The rescue rats are even being trained to respond to beeps that call them back to their base.

Dr Keans team works with the non-profit organization APOLO for their “Hero Rats” project. These “Hero Rats” are set to start working with a search and rescue team in Turkey， joining earthquake rescue efforts in the high-risk area. The group of 170 rats is being trained for additional projects involving landmines， tuberculosis， and even sniffing out Brucellosis， an infectious disease that impacts farm animals. Dr Kean feels hopeful about her projects promising results and is excited to be the only organization in this space working with this species.

12. Why are the rescue rats equipped with backpacks？

A. To monitor the rats.                                                                              B. To locate the survivors.

C. To record the rescue process.                        D. To keep track of the survivors.

13. What is a rat trained to do if it finds a victim？

A. Set off landmines accurately.                        B. Dig out the rubble.

C. Send out a signal from beeps.                        D. Come back immediately.

14. What makes rats outweigh other animals in this project？

A. Their running speed.                                      B. Their nature of rescuing.

C. Their eagerness for survivals.                        D. Their adaptability to environments.

15. What can we learn about the “Hero Rats“ project？

A. Its results fail to prove the potential.            B. Its future is full of challenges.

C. It is the first one in this field.       D. It is well received by many countries.

（三）

A

Volleyball games are a hit in school recently. Click the following websites to learn more about volleyball.

www.avp.com.（Association of Volleyball Professionals） is an excellent spot to begin educating oneself on volleyball players around the world. It has drop-down menus for the top 50 male and female volleyball players in the world， such as Phil Dalhausser or Kerri Walsh. Additionally， there is a “History of the AVP” section that goes back as far as 1895. Using this one could easily learn about the most famous volleyball players of all time.

Another excellent resource would bewww.fivb.com.（Federation International de Volleyball）. While the AVP is dedicated primarily to beach， the FIVB includes both beach and indoor volleyball. It also includes an excellent history section， entitled “The Story of the Game”， which will teach you more about famous volleyball players throughout history.

If youre mostly interested in famous volleyball players who play for China， check outwww. volleychina.org.This website is dedicated to those volleyball players famous and skilled enough to play for the Chinese national team， either indoor or beach. It also has information about the junior teams， so you can see who the up-and-coming volleyball players are. Clicking on the menu called “National Team” will lead you to any name list you might want to， so you can see who the best and most famous volleyball players are in any given division. They also have an excellent resources section that can teach you the rules and how to be a judge.

The last place to go to learn all about famous volleyball players is the Volleyball Hall of Fame，www.volleyhall.org.， by clicking which you can see everyone who has been admitted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame.

1. Which website gives you access to the worlds top 50 volleyball players？

A.www.avp.com.B.www.fivb.com.

C.www.volleychina.org.D.www.volleyhall.org.

2. What can you learn about from both the AVP and the FIVB？

A. Both beach and indoor volleyball.                   B. Information about junior teams.

C. Famous volleyball players in history.             D. Famous players in the Volleyball Hall of Fame.

3. What might you learn fromwww.volleychina.org.？

A. The promising volleyball players in China.

B. The stories of world-famous volleyball players.

C. The rules of the games and courses for players.

D. The history of Association of Volleyball Professionals.

B

I was a newcomer in a class. So was Alice. Thats where the similarities ended. I was tall and she was small. My thick， black hair had been recently cut short. Her natural blonde hair flowed to her waist and looked great. I was awkward and shy. She wasnt. I couldnt stand her. I considered her my enemy. She liked me. She wanted to be my friend.

One day， she invited me over and I said yes—I was too shocked to answer any other way. No one had invited me over to play. But this girl who wore the latest fashions wanted me to go to her home with her after school. I got very surprised when she led me into an apartment building. She lived on the fourth floor in a two-room place with her mother， her stepfather， her two brothers and her sister. When we got to the room she shared with her sister， she took out a big case of Barbies—which was my next surprise. I would have thought shed grown too mature for them. I had never played with them. But we sat on the floor of a walk-in closet， laughing as we made up crazy stories about the Barbies. Thats when we found out that we both wanted to be writers when we were older and we both had wild imaginations. We had a great day that afternoon. Our jaws ached from smiling so much.

She showed me her wardrobe， which had mostly come from a designer clothing store down the block. The woman who owned it used her as a model sometimes for her newspaper ads and gave her clothes in exchange.

Soon I was included in her magic world. We slept over at each others houses， and spent every free moment together. My dark hair grew out and I learned to love being tall.

Alice， my first real friend since childhood， has taught me an amazing and very surprising thing about making friends—your worst enemy can turn out to be your best friend.

4. What can we infer about the author from Paragraph 1？

A. She was envious of Alice.                                B. She looked up to Alice.

C. She wished to be similar to Alice.                   D. She tried to get along well with Alice.

5. What did the author think of the Barbies for Alice？

A. They had been kept well.                                 B. They cost much.

C. They must be made by Alice.                          D. They were not suitable for Alice.

6. How did Alice get the designer clothes？

A. By acting as a model.                                       B. By working for a newspaper.

C. By working as a designer.                                D. By advertising for a Barbie doll shop.

7. What did Alice and the author have in common？

A. They were humorous.                                      B. They had blonde hair.

C. They were outgoing.                   D. They intended to be writers.

C

The narwhal is a mysterious resident of the remote Arctic. The species， a relatively small whale， is known for growing a spiral tusk （螺旋长牙） that resembles the historical description of a unicorns horn.

Experts have longspeculatedwhy narwhals have this strange long tooth. Some think that the tusk is a tool for survival， as they could possibly use it to break up ice or spear fish for meals. However， the vast majority of female narwhals dont have tusks， and females tend to live longer than males. Most scientists now think the tusk provides no advantage for survival， but rather acts as a sex characteristic and determines the social rank. But the tusk may also have another purpose. A 2014 study found the narwhals tusk is full of sensitive nerve endings that allow the whale to detect changes in the environment， such as changes in temperature and salinity. The finding suggests that the tusk might also be a sensory organ.

Narwhals are an important subsistence resource （生存资源） for high Arctic communities. They provide the humans with high-calorie fat， protein and nutrients， vital and hard to come by in the harsh northern winters. Narwhal tusks were carved into artworks and sold to support families with few job opportunities.

Narwhal tusk is protected now. But similar to all other Arctic wildlife， narwhals are likely to struggle in the face of climate change. Warm temperatures in the Arctic have caused sea ice to disappear at an alarming rate. New shipping channels have become accessible， threatening narwhals and other marine mammals. Researchers suggest that narwhals are the most vulnerable （易受傷害的） marine mammals to human activities in the Arctic because these isolated creatures are highly sensitive to ship activities. Their response to changing conditions near the pole could provide insight into larger changes in Earths future.

8. What does the underlined word “speculated” in Paragraph 2 mean？

A. Realized.                   B. Guessed.                    C. Overlooked.              D. Concluded.

9. What did the 2014 study find out about the narwhals tusk？

A. It is an indicator of sex.                                   B. It determines the social rank.

C. It can sense changes in the water.                    D. It can be used to dig fish for meals.

10. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us about narwhals？

A. They are sensitive to ships.                           B. They are vulnerable.

C. They are still facing problems.                      D. They are struggling against climate change.

11. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Research on Narwhal Tusks                          B. Narwhals： Mysterious Sea Creature

C. Narwhals Feature and Behavior   D. The Effects of Climate Change on Narwhals

D

Singapore researchers say they have developed a form of electronic skin that can create a sense of touch. They hope their invention will give people with prosthetic hands （假肢） the ability to identify different objects.

The skin device measures 1 square centimeter. The system contains 100 small sensors that attempt to recreate things like texture （質地）， temperature and even pain. The researchers call the device Asynchronous Coded Electronic Skin （ACES）， which can process information faster than the humans nervous system. Machine learning methods trained the device to recognize 20 to 30 different textures. It can even correctly read Braille letters （布拉耶盲文） most of the time.

The system does not require the users movement to work. They just need to slide to feel texture. But in this case the skin， with just a single touch， is able to detect textures of different roughness.

A demonstration showed that the device could identify the difference between a soft ball and a solid plastic one. “When you lose your sense of touch， you essentially become numb and prosthetic users face that problem，” said Benjamin Tee， leader of the research team. “So by recreating an artificial version of the skin for their prosthetic devices， they can hold a hand and feel the warmth and feel that it is soft.”

Tee said his idea for the device came from the movieStar Wars， when character Luke Skywalker loses his right hand and it is replaced with a robotic one. In the film， the new hand is able to experience touch sensations just like the real one.

The artificial skin technology is still going through experiments and development. But Tee said there had already been a lot of interest in the system， especially from the medical community. Tee said similar inventions that his team has developed include see-through skin that can repair itself when torn and a material for wearable electronic devices that gives off light.

12. What can we learn about the artificial skin in Paragraph 2？

A. It is sensitive to high temperature.                B. It reacts faster than our nervous system.

C. It can recognize different objects.                 D. It helps users memorize Braille letters.

13. What can we infer about the artificial skin from Benjamin Tees words？

A. It feels like a real thing.                                 B. It makes users feel warm.

C. Its warmly welcomed by users.                    D. It helps users solve many problems.

14. What inspired Benjamin Tee to create the artificial skin？

A. The desire to help those in need.                   B. The wishes of the disabled.

C. A dream of creating new things.                    D. A scene from a famous movie.

15. Which word can best describe the artificial skin technology？

A. Impractical.         B. Stable.    C. Promising.   D. Challenging.

（四）

A

Stanford Summer Session provides high-achieving and ambitious students with a transformative educational experience at a world-class university. Here is a list of the courses.

Cellphone Photography

Instructor： Yanez， V

Course Description： The course combines critical analysis of cellphone photography with the creation of photographic artworks that explore this specific mediums experimental， social and documentary potential. Note： No lab fee. Limited enrollment （注冊人数）. Attendance at the first class required. Enrollment will be determined at the first class meeting.

Human Rights and World Literature

Instructor： David Palumbo Lui

Course Description： This course has two components. The first will be a set of readings on the history of modern human rights. These readings will come from philosophy， history， political theory. The second component consists of novels and films that come from different locations in the world， each telling a good story.

Technology and Inequality

Instructor： Jihye Lee

Course Description： This course will provide an introduction to the social， political， and economic inequalities arising in the digital age. It also functions as an introduction to entry-level data science whereby you develop basic programming skills and apply them to present your group project. No previous programming experience is necessary.

Public Speaking： Romancing the Room

Instructor： James Wagstaffe

Course Description： A practical approach to the art of public speaking. The course aims to develop skills in speech types including those used for personal communication， interviews， demonstrations， persuading， and special occasions. Materials include video tapes， texts of famous speeches， and a final dinner program of speeches. Students evaluate presentations by others. $55 materials fee.

1. What should students do if they take Yanez， Vs class？

A. Show up at the first class.                                B. Pay for using labs.

C. Have programming experience.                       D. Bring their photographic works.

2. What is Jihye Lee expert at？

A. Cellphone photography.                                   B. Social psychology.

C. Movie review.                                                  D. Computer science.

3. Which course charges materials fee？

A. Cellphone Photography.                                  B. Human Rights and World Literature.

C. Technology and Inequality.           D. Public Speaking： Romancing the Room.

B

Robbie Gay is a young boy with a kind heart. He had a horrible start to life， hospitalized twice with brain injuries before entering the foster care system. When he was finally adopted by his parents， he was so hurt by his experiences that he was unable to cry.

However， he found therapy （治療） in a most unlikely place—his local animal shelter. There he took comfort in caring for the older dogs whod been left behind. “People dont want older dogs. They only want puppies，” Robbie explained. His ability to empathize （共情） with the older dogs obviously comes from his own shocking experiences， as his mom shared， “He knows what its like not to be loved and cared for.”

Now in a safe and loving home， hes able to open his heart completely to these unfortunate dogs and practice compassion. It was this kindness that led him to find his tears again when one of his foster dogs died.

One of the difficulties in caring for the older dogs is that many dont stay alive for long. But Robbie insists on staying with them right up until they pass away， as he quite rightly says， “I dont think of when theyre going， I think of how they feel right now.”

Robbie is unusual in that he not only wants to care for aging dogs， he also hopes to foster children when he grows up. He truly shows compassion and understanding， even if it leaves him heartbroken when his four-legged friends depart too soon. Hopefully， Robbie will continue to care for others， through his beautiful heart， continue to heal and feel loved with his wonderful furry family and the human one！

4. What made Robbie care for older dogs in his local animal shelter？

A. His childhood dream.                                       B. His studying background.

C. His early experiences.                                      D. His familys encouragement.

5. What words can best describe Robbie？

A. Generous and caring.                                       B. Confident and creative.

C. Energetic and active.                                                                               D. Determined and considerate.

6. What does Robbie care most while looking after the older dogs？

A. Where they came from.                                   B. When they will pass away.

C. Why they were left behind.                              D. How they feel at the moment.

7. What does the text mainly tell us about Robbie？

A. He suffer a lot.                                                 B. He lives an unusual life.

C. He loves helping others.    D. He cares for older dogs.

C

Flash droughts （驟旱） are relatively new for natural disasters， and come on fast， with conditions going from normal to severely dry in less than one month. This means people have no time to prepare for the consequences， which can include dried crops， streams or wells.

A well-documented flash drought swept across the central US in 2012. Normal winter and spring rainfall made people assume it would be a normal summer. But it suddenly stopped raining in May， leading to the driest summer in the Great Plains since 1895. The drought destroyed crops in six states， resulting in $35.7 billion of agricultural loss.

The 2012 disaster inspired researchers to concentrate on flash droughts. In a study published in 2021， Cook and his colleagues， using tree ring data paired with soil moisture data， reconstructed the frequency and scale of flash droughts in the Central Plains over the past 500 years. The model showed that over one-third of all flash droughts since AD 1500 occurred in the 20th century.

However， while science is giving some insights into where and how these rapid droughts happen， we still dont know how to predict them.

“We know the physical ingredients that cause flash droughts， but we dont really understand what triggers them in the soil column，” says Justin Mankin， a geography professor.

Part of the reason flash droughts are difficult to forecast is because theres a lack of on-the-ground monitoring， including real-time measurements of soil moisture （水份）. Tools like the US Drought Monitor rely on satellite imagery of vegetation （植物） as well as other geophysical data. But they only provide a guess of soil moisture， rather than showing whats happening beneath the surface.

“Plants are doing the water exchange between the land and the atmosphere，” explains Mankin. “That exchange is happening in what we call the root zone about a meter underground， which is difficult to monitor from a satellite.”

8. Why does the author mention the 2012 drought？

A. To highlight the loss it brought.                      B. To show the history of flash droughts.

C. To further explain flash droughts.                   D. To illustrate its harm.

9. How did Cook and his team study flash droughts？

A. By doing experiments.                                     B. By analyzing statistics.

C. By studying the history.                                   D. By observing nature.

10. What can the current monitoring tools do？

a. predict soil moisture                        b. depend on satellites and data

c. get clear pictures                             d. track water exchange

A. a; b; d                      B. b; c; d                         C. a; c; d                        D. a; b; c

11. What can be the best title for the text？

A. What Flash Droughts Are？                            B. How Flash Droughts Form？

C. What Flash Droughts Bring？         D. How We Predict Flash Droughts？

D

Canes （手杖） for navigation have been used for centuries by some visually impaired （受損的） and blind people. By the early 20th century the white cane—the white is meant to make the cane most easily noticeable to others—became a visual assistance. But theyre not a perfect solution to detecting obstacles （障碍物） while walking， even after the extensive training needed to use them.

Engineers at Stanford University have attempted to improve the standard white cane. Their design， simply named the Augmented Cane， which is described in a new study published inScience Robotics， has two major differences from a typical white cane. Near the top， theres a device filled with various sensors， including a camera that collects information about the environment around the person， including GPS and LIDAR data. At the foot of the cane， theres an omnidirectional （全方向的） wheel that comes with settings to adjust for a persons walking speed and touch feedback to remind the user to steer left or right as needed. In theory， the device should pick up on potential obstacles ahead and assist in navigating unfamiliar places.

To test out their cane， Patrick Slade， a PhD student in robotics at Stanford， and his team had visually impaired and sighted people （24 in total） complete a series of navigation challenges in both outdoor and indoor environments. Sighted people werenovicesat using a cane， while those visually impaired had at least a few years of experience; all of them were blindfolded beforehand.

“Our experimental findings showed that across a range of indoor and outdoor tasks people with impaired vision chose to walk faster when using the Augmented Cane compared to a standard cane. This means our device provides some mobility benefits，” Slade said. “In addition， we did some experiments to show our device could provide assistance that a normal cane could not， for example， routing to a specific room or object in an indoor setting like going to a coffee shop in a mall.”

12. Why do the researchers develop the Augmented Cane？

A. To replace the white cane.                             B. To achieve obstacle detection.

C. To meet the needs for training.                      D. To make the cane more noticeable.

13. What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us about the Augmented Cane？

A. Its usage.                 B. Its feature.                 C. Its production.           D. Its performance.

14. What does the underlined word “novices” in Paragraph 3 mean？

A. Amateurs.               B. Experts.                     C. Followers.                 D. Beginners.

15. What does Slade think of the Augmented Cane according to the last paragraph？

A. It works longer.     B. It is more noticeable.        C. It is more reliable.  D. It needs improving.

（五）

A

Before traveling around the world， take some time and find out what sightseeing destinations are. Some of those spots that most guides mention are the following thrilling attractions.

Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls has always been considered to be an incredible place worth taking pictures of. There are a lot of spots that tourists love. Some of them are very dangerous for people. Yet the brave are ready to overcome their fear for a shot of a lifetime.