Did you know that if you attach a weighed stick to the back of a chicken, it walks like a dinosaur?
No, you did not know(or care to know) such things, but now you do! Thanks to this year’s winners of the 12 Noel Prize! Now in is 251h year, the lg Nobel is the goofy younger cousin of the honored Nobel Prize. It applauds achievements in the fields of medicine, biology, physics, economies. literature. etc. Every September at Harvard University, awards are presented in 10 categories that change year to year, depending on - according to the organization - what makes the judges “laugh, then think”.
The ceremony officially begins when audience members launch paper airplanes at an assigned human target on the stage, then speakers only have 60 seconds to present their research. In previous year, the one-minute rule was imposed by a young girl - nicknamed Miss Sweetie Poo -who would go up to the platform and repeat the words: “Please stop, I’m bored.” in a sharp tone until the speaker left the stage.
Fortunately for candidates though, the Ig Informal Lectures are held afterwards on Saturday to give presenters more time to explain the crazy things they're working on.
The research can seem more like the brainchildren of teenage boys than of respectable adults. Justin Schmidt won the physiology Ig for creating the “Sting(蛰) Pain Index," which rates the pain people fell after getting stung by insects. Smith pressed bees against 25 different parts of his body until they stung him. Five stings a day for 38 days, Smith concluded that the most painful sting locations were the nose and the upper lip. Ouch.
As silly as they sound, not all of the Ig awards lack scientific applicability, A group of scientists from 12 different counties won in the medicine category for accurately diagnosing patients with appendicitis (阑尾炎) based on an unusual measurement: speed bumps(减速带) . They found that patients are more likely to have appendicitis if they report pain during bumpy car rides.
All these weird experiments have just one thing in common. They’re improbable. It can be tempting to assume that “improbable” implies more than that--implies bad or good, worthless or valuable, trivial or important. Something improbable can be any of those, or none of them, or all of them, in different ways. And what you don't expect can be a powerful force for not only entertaining science, but also for the boundary-pushing science we call innovation.
1.The underlined word “goofy” in Paragraph 2 probably means_______.
A.amusing B.boring
C.serious D.precious
2.According to the passage, what can we know about the awarding ceremony of Ig Nobel?
A.Ig Informal Lecture gives presenters 60 seconds.
B.The audience throw paper airplanes to end the ceremony.
C.Its categories of awards vary each yea.
D.It is held at a fixed place every other September.
3.The example in Paragraph 6 is used to show that Ig Nobel_______.
A.offers another opportunity to those who miss the Nobel Prizes
B.celebrates the diligent work of researchers
C.has no serious purpose except for amusing the audience
D.serves as a platform for the creative and practical achievements
4.Among the four candidates below, who is most likely to win an Ig Nobel?
A.A chemist who invents a type of battery.
B.An economist who studies which county's paper money is best at spreading bacteria.
C.A biologist who discovers how cell sense and adapt to oxygen availability.
D.A novelist who criticizes social injustice.
Large gatherings such as weddings and conferences can be socially stressful. Pressure to learn people’s names only adds to the stress. A new facial-recognition app could come to the rescue, .but privacy experts recommend going on with caution.
The app, called SocialRecall, connects names with faces via smartphone cameras and facial recognition. potentially avoiding the need for formal introductions.“It breaks down these social barriers we all have when meting somebody,” says Bany Sandrew, who Created the app and tested it at an event attended by about 10000 people.
After receiving an invitation to download SocialRecall from an event organizer, the user is asked to take two selfies(自拍) and sign in via social median At the event, the app is active within a previously defined geographical area. When a user points his or her phone camera at an attendee’s face, the app identifies the individual, displays the person’s name, and links to his or her social media profile. To protect privacy, it recognizes only those who have agreed to participate. And the app’s creators say it automatically deletes users' data after an event.
Ann Cavoukian, a privacy expert who runs the Privacy by Design Center of Excellence praises the app’s creators for these protective measures. She cautions, however, that when people choose to share their personal information with the app, they should know that “there may be unintended consequences down the road with that information being used in another context that might come back to bite you.”
The start-up has also developed a version of the app for individuals who suffer from prosopagnosia, or“face blindness”, a condition that prevents people from recognizing individuals they have met. To use this app, a person first acquires an image of someone’s face, from either the smartphone’s camera or a photograph, and then tags it with a name. When the camera spots that same face in real life, the previously entered information is displayed. The collected data are stored only on a user’s phone, according to the team behind the app.
1.SocialRecall is designed to________.
A.invite attendees B.identifying people
C.break barriers D.introduce strangers
2.What is the third paragraph mainly about?
A.Why the app was created. B.How to sign in the app.
C.How the app works. D.What information the app provides.
3.Ann Cavoukian warns the user of the app that_______.
A.it has caused unintended consequences. B.it can prevent communication disorders.
C.it may put people’s privacy at risk. D.its protective measures prove useless.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.New App Shares Personal Information B.New App Gets Rid of Face Blindness
C.New App Endangers Privacy D.New App Helps Recognize Faces
“I will need to open your neck to remove the tumor,” the surgeon told me on a hot summer day. The words turned into white noise.“So ,an ugly scar across my neck, then?” I asked. The nurse said: “Don’t worry. The closure is like his signature. Just like you want a perfect scar, he wants to give you one. You’ll barely see it.” I found some comfort in that.
I googled “cancer surgery scar”and was presented with neck images: necks with red and purple lines. closed with stitches or glue; necks with multiple scars....It was enough to make me shut my Macbook, as anxiety pulsed through my body. In the mirror, I admired my neck, running my finger across a gold chain I wore. Then a tiny voice said:“Mummy!”
My then fie-year-old son,. Jack, appeared in the mirror behind me. Our reflection was a big reality check. See, my son didn’t know I had cancer and was having surgery. I'm a single mom. Jack lives with me and doesn’t have a relationship with his father. I’m his hero. I'm the homework helper, nurse, chef, taxi driver, and every other variation of parent. I knew I couldn’t lose heart over cancer or some scar on my neck --I’m this kid's life!
So I did the next best thing I could think of: I made an appointment to get my hair done a few days before the first surgery. My goal was simple: golden hair to frame my scar. If I couldn’t hide it, I might as well show it off. I never had any intentions of hiding the scar. I didn’t want my son to think my scar was something to be ashamed of. I'm his role model and I needed to set a good example. Bad things can happen, but it's how you deal with them that matters.
The scar proves I faced my fear and won. If I got through that I can get through all the hardships, land on my feet and live boldly.
1.At first, the author felt.______about having a scar across her neck after the surgery?
A.comfortable and relieved. B.thrilled and embarrassed.
C.indifferent and unconcerned. D.anxious and frightened.
2.The author was determined to be courageous because_______
A.she was the role model of her son.
B.she thought she could overcome the cancer.
C.her son was tally dependent on her.
D.her son had a bad relationship with his father.
3.Why did the author want to get her hair styled?
A.To show her scar bravely. B.To shape beautiful hair.
C.To hide the obvious scar. D.To make her son proud.
4.What is the story intended to convey?
A.Parents should set a good example for their children.
B.We should challenge difficulty and face fear bravely.
C.Scars can never be regarded as personal signature.
D.We should never hide our scars or any other pain.
WELCOME AND ARRIVAL INFORMATION
Welcome to Harvard University Housing and thank you for choosing to live with us. To help you make a smooth transition please read the information below on panning your arrival.
Pets
Dogs living with you in your pet-friendly apartment must be vaccinated(接种疫苗) for rabies and licensed with the City of Cambridge every year.
International Students
Consider unlocking your phone prior to leaving your home county. This will enable you to use a SIM card from a company such as campus SIMS or US Mobile in your phone after you arrive. Those SIM cards may be available at the Property Management Office.
Driving
If you plan on bringing a moving van or truck it will not fit under the overpasses(天桥) on Soldiers Field Road and Memorial Drive. Plan your route in advance to avoid a risky and costly problem.
Parking arrangements for trucks and vans must be made in advance as well. Visit your property page for information about parking your car.
Furniture and Lighting
Most HUH units have no furniture-the unit is empty except for a stove and a refrigerator. You need to bring, buy, or rent a bed, other furniture, and household items. In many HUH units, rooms do not have overhead lights, so you also may need table or floor lamps.
If you want to stock up on groceries and some household items as soon as you arrive, please find information about“Grocery Shopping” by clicking the drop-down menu.
1.Suppose a French boy chooses to live in HUH units with a dog and a moving van, he should______.
A.make sure his dog is vaccinated and licensed in France.
B.unlock his phone after leaving France.
C.buy a phone with a SIM card at the Property Management Office.
D.avoid driving on Soldiers Field Road.
2.What are a majority of HUH units furnished with?
A.Table or floor lamps. B.Nothing at all
C.A stove and a refrigerator D.A bed and a table.
3.Where is this text most likely from?
A.A guidebook. B.A website.
C.A magazine. D.A notice board.
假定你是李华，你的留学生朋友Jerry将为高一年级学生进行一次英文演讲，发邮件向你询问有关演讲注意事项。请你回复邮件，给他一些相关建议。内容包括：
1. 熟悉演讲内容；
2. 注意肢体语言；
3. 礼貌退场。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头和结尾已为你写好，不计入总词数。
Dear Jerry,
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Dear sir,
I'm pleasing to know that you need volunteers for the Belt and Road Culture Festival, so I’m writing to apply to the position.
I strong believe that I am competent for it. Above all, having learned English for 8 years, I have good command of spoken and written English. Thus, I can communicate with foreigners with easy. Besides, I am fond of Chinese culture and had a rich knowledge about Chinese history, that enables me to make a detailed introduction of our colorful culture. I hope I will be make more friends abroad by take part in it. Thank you for you reading.
