Mice and rats have long been used in medical research because of their biological similarities to humans. Now, scientists have trained rats to drive small vehicles created for them. One of the main findings of the experiment was that the driving activity seemed to help the rats relax.
Researchers at the University of Richmond in Virginia led the experiment. The team built tiny cars out of plastic and other materials. The vehicles had an opening at one end where electrical wires were attached. By touching one of three different wires, the rat could control the direction of the vehicle.
Researchers trained 17 rats over several months to drive around the experiment containers. The animals proved that they could be trained to drive forward as well as in other directions to get to the sweet treats placed inside the containers.
The researchers examined levels of two hormones (荷尔蒙) in the rats—one that causes stress and another that reduces it. All rats that took part in the training had higher levels of the hormone that reduces stress. The research suggests the increased relaxation levels could be linked to the enjoyment of successfully completing a new skill. The team also found that the rats that drove themselves showed higher levels of the stress-fighting hormone than those that simply rode in small cars controlled by humans.
Lambert said the most exciting result of the experiment for her was about the possible effect on humans. The research may open new areas of non-drug treatments for people suffering from mental health conditions.
“There’s no cure for schizophrenia or depression and we need to catch up,” she said. “And I think we need to look at different animal models and different types of tasks and really respect that behavior can change our neurochemistry (神经化学). ”
Speaking to the British-based magazine New Scientist, Lambert said her team is planning to continue experiments to learn more about how the rats learned to drive. The new research will also examine why some activities appear to reduce stress, and which areas of the brain are involved in the process.
1.What did the experiment find?
A.Rats are able to drive vehicles. B.Rats feel relaxed when driving.
C.Rats can be used in medical research. D.Rats are biologically similar to humans.
2.The finding of the hormone examination in the rats suggests that ___________.
A.one hormone causes stress and another reduces it B.acquiring a new skill brings about joy
C.levels of hormone are controlled by stress D.relaxation contributes to enjoyment
3.The research is significant because ___________.
A.it may lead to a way to treat human mental problems
B.it will affect the way that humans drive their cars
C.it may help people train animals better.
D.it can surely change neurochemistry
4.What Lambert’s team will do next is find out ___________.
A.which parts of the rats’ brain control their emotions
B.why rats have the ability of fighting stress
C.when activities affect the levels of stress
D.why certain activities reduce stress
Frederick Phiri is the junk-art king of Zambia: at just 22, he started to earn an international reputation for being able to make complex and elegant sculptures from scrap (废弃的) metal found in his community.
Phiri’s father died when he was starting primary school. Then his mother abandoned him and he had to stay with his grandfather. His grandfather paid for his schooling through primary school but when he entered secondary school, he had to get various jobs to pay for his fees. Yet even in school, he was always drawing and making things in class.
After graduating, he did what he could to support himself by making animal sculptures from wires and sold them to tourists. His work was so popular that it caught the eye of Karen Beattie, director of Project Luangwa, a nonprofit organization dedicated to education and economic development in central Africa.
“I introduced him to a local welder (焊工),” Beattie told Newsweek.
In 2017, Phiri worked with welder Moses Mbewe during the rainy season, helping to make a complex set of doors for Project Luangwa. The piece sparked an idea in Beattie’s mind: “I handed him a bunch of scrap metal and said, ‘Make something with this.’ And he did. It was wonderful.”
Today, Phiri continues his art, using pieces of junk people bring him—keys, broken bike chains, old metal plugs and whatever scrap metal is lying around. He then turns the junk into abstract animals—elephants, cranes, giraffes, chameleons—and sells them at Project Luangwa headquarters. The community has recognized his talents.
“My dream is to earn enough to study art at the Evelyn Hone College in Lusaka and be able to make a living from it,” Phiri said “and then to make very large sculptures.”
1.What is Phiri known for?
A.Serving his community. B.Collecting works of art.
C.Being the king of Zambia. D.Turning trash into treasure.
2.What can we learn about Phiri from paragraph 2?
A.He had an unhappy childhood. B.He paid for his primary school.
C.He had to support his grandfather. D.He missed school to do part-time jobs.
3.How does Phiri feel about his future?
A.Uncertain. B.Confident.
C.Depressed. D.Satisfied.
4.What can be a suitable title for the passage?
A.A Successful Path of Art. B.The Junk-art King of Zambia.
C.A Young Man’s Wildest Dream. D.The Modern Junk Works of Art.
Camp All-Star
Welcome to Camp All-Star, your No. 1 summer sports camp for kids! Located on the famous Kents Hill School campus by the beautiful lake, Camp All-Star hosts kids from around the world. When thinking about your next overnight summer camp, consider the best—Camp All-Star!
Great Sports Summer Camps for Kids
Camp All-Star stands out among the successful camps in the U.S. We have the best sports fields and courts to make your child’s sports camp experience a successful one. Your child can enjoy playing for hours in any of our more than 30 sports and activities each day. Our camper to staff rate is three to one, which makes it possible for children to receive more careful instruction.
We have a wide variety of activities and sports to choose from: fishing, dance, basketball, soccer, baseball, and tennis. Boys and girls, aged 8-16, can customize their own schedules in our 2, 3, 4 or 6 week summer camp session for kids.
The aim of Camp All-Star is to develop athletic skills, encourage abilities in leadership, fair play and team work, and provide a fun, rewarding and memorable summer sports camp experience. Our staff have the experience and qualified training necessary to ensure that your child has a successful, memorable and enjoyable time at our summer camp.
Call Today About Our Overnight Summer Camps for Kids
Don’t let your kids waste another summer playing video games and sitting around. Let them enjoy their time and get some exercise at our exciting and friendly summer sports camp. Information for our upcoming camps can be found on our website. For additional information or questions, contact us today. We hope your kids can join us at Camp All-Star!
1.Camp All-Star stands out among the others because ___________.
A.it is surrounded by a beautiful lake
B.it provides various activities and sports
C.it offers timely information on its website
D.it allows children to play outside all day long
2.Which is one of Camp All-Star’s goals?
A.To fire kids’ imagination. B.To build up kids’ confidence.
C.To develop kids’ leadership skills. D.To promote kids’ self-control.
3.Where is this text most likely taken from?
A.A newspaper. B.A guidebook.
C.A news report. D.A textbook.
假定你是李华，你收到外国朋友Peter的邮件，他想了解你校在新冠疫情（COVID-19 epidemic）期间线上教学的情况。请你给他回复邮件，内容包括：
1. 课程与时间；
2. 你的学习状态；
3. 你的期待。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Peter,
I’m so glad to hear from you and know what you are doing these days.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best wishes,
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。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：把多余的词用删除符号（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，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。
One day when I was walking home, I had heard a noise behind me. It was a pretty dog, and he followed me home. Dad was surprised, saying she looked as the Smiths’ pet dog. Realizing she was very tired, I gave her a bath but kept her company until she felt comfortably.
A big surprise came next morning, when I found her with four little cute puppies! I was in great excite. Before long Dad led Mrs. Smith in, that thanked us for taking care of the dog. She asked whether I wanted to keep one of them — I was thrilling for the sudden joy!
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
When you read a book, you’ve probably noticed that a brand new book has a rather special smell, 1. differs from that of an older book. Where does 2. come from? Three sources — the paper, the ink and the glue.
Around 200 AD, the Chinese first came up with paper, one of the greatest 3. (invent) in the world. It is made 4. wood. The wood must be processed with various chemicals 5. (add) to change its structure, to remove acid and to whiten the paper. Then comes the ink — there are many kinds. Some fade with time, while others get 6. (dark) than years ago. Finally, different glues are used to join the sheets together and attach the covers, whether hardcover 7. paperback. Therefore, you can smell different chemicals 8. (come) out of your new book.
Today, the forms of books 9. (change) dramatically since the birth of eBooks. They might be 10. (convenience), but you can’t give your copy to others as a present, and they don’t smell as nice.
