Think about how much reading you do everyday. When you look at it, you might find that reading is the work-related skill that you use most often! 1. After all, if we can read and comprehend textbooks, then aren’t we good readers? Maybe not. Given the time that reading consumes, it may be a skill that we can and should improve.
2. It means getting faster and more efficient at reading, while still understanding what you’re reading. Although you spend a good part of your day reading, have you ever thought about how you read? How do your eyes make sense of the shapes of the letters, and then put those letters together to form sentences that you can understand?
Reading is quite a complex skill. It was previously believed during reading, both eyes focus on particular letters.3. Scientists now believe that the eyes lock onto different letters at the same time, usually two characters apart. Your brain then fuses (融合) these images together to form a word. This happens very swiftly, as we look through pages of text！
Many people read at an average rate of 250 words per minute. 4.
Imagine, then, if you could double your rate to 500 words per minute. 5. You could then spend the saved time on other tasks, or take a few extra minutes to relax. Another important advantage of speed reading is that it allows one to better comprehend the overall structure of an argument. This leads to better “big picture” understanding, which can greatly benefit your work and career.
A.Recent research shows this isn’t the case.
B.Speed reading has a great many benefits.
C.You should practice to improve your reading speed.
D.But what does becoming a better reader involve?
E.You could read all of this content in half the time.
F.It’s also a skill that most of us take for granted by the time we reach age 12.
G.This means that an average page in a book or document takes 1-2 minutes to read.
They make a guest appearance in at least half of the articles on Medical News Today. They are responsible for many of the biggest breakthroughs in medicine. However, the humble lab mice also shoulder much of the blame when the failure of drugs to translate from animal models to humans keeps worrying the whole of medical research. Should scientists abandon lab mice altogether?
Mice were introduced into the lab back in the 1920s. An ambitious young American geneticist Clarence Cook Little strongly believed that cancer was an inheritable (有遗传性的) disease, and that mice were the ideal subjects for his experiments.
Other animals were, and still are, used to study disease. Cats and dogs are popular, as well as chimpanzees. Of course, ethical (伦理的) considerations get more complicated the further up the food chain you go. And mice are in sufficient numbers for researchers to conduct thousands of trials. Add to that the problem of cost: A standard lab mouse costs about $20---far cheaper than a healthy cat or dog. So their importance in scientific research has become well-established.
We share more than 97 percent of our working DNA with mice, a consequence of a shared ancestor 75 million years ago. This similarity has been both a blessing and a curse. While we share many basic biological processes, it is the three percent of the genes which set us apart from mice that can have a big influence on how our bodies work.
Mice may not always be the perfect model for understanding our own bodies, but they do hold real value to researchers. Their usefulness will only increase as scientists work out better ways to modify (修改) their genes to compensate for their shortcomings. The difficult part of the issue may be that researchers need to be more critical as they evaluate the type of model that is best for their experiment.
In the end, the story of scientists’ relationship with lab mice will possibly be one of gradual advances to improve an imperfect system. This is exactly how most scientific research progresses — by critically examining what we know to expand our knowledge of what we do not.
1.What does the underlined word “they” in the first paragraph refer to?
A.American geneticists B.cats and dogs
C.lab mice D.breakthroughs in medicine
2.Paragraph 4 mainly answers the question “________?”
A.Why do drugs that work in mice fail when tried in humans
B.Why are mice the ideal subjects for medical research
C.Why do we and mice share more than 97% of our working DNA
D.How can we understand our own bodies by studying lab mice
3.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Mice are in sufficient numbers because they are at the lower part of the food chain.
B.Many scientist are considering stopping the use of lab mice.
C.More genetically modified mice will be used in medical research in the near future.
D.It will become easier for researchers to choose the proper type of lab mice.
4.What is the author’s attitude to the use of lab mice?
A.Disappointed B.Supportive
C.Indifferent D.disapproving
Following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP), also named COVID—19 by WHO, there is a general fear of the unknown virus as its full effects remain to be seen. Fever, coughing, sore throat, difficulty breathing—the NCP’s symptoms (症状) are similar to the common cold or the flu, but it’s potentially more dangerous.
Viruses could be deadly, like HIV and Ebola (埃博拉). But what are viruses? How can they cause so much trouble?
Viruses are non-living organisms (有机体) approximately one-millionth of an inch long. Unlike human cells or bacteria, they can’t reproduce on their own. Instead, they invade (入侵) the cells of living organisms to reproduce, spread and take over.
Viruses can infect every living thing — from plants and animals down to the smallest bacteria. For this reason, they always have the potential to be dangerous to human life. Sometimes a virus can cause a disease so serious that it is fatal. Other viral infections trigger (引起) no noticeable reaction.
Viruses lie around our environment all of the time, waiting for a host cell to come along. They can enter our bodies by the nose, mouth, eyes or breaks in the skin. Once inside, they try to find a host cell to infect. For example, HIV, which causes AIDS, attacks the T-cells of the immune system.
But the basic question is, where did viruses first come from? Until now, no clear explanation for their origin exists. “Tracing the origins of viruses is difficult,” Ed Rybicki, a virologist at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, told Scientific American, “because viruses don’t leave fossils (化石) and because of the tricks they use to make copies of themselves within the cells they’ve invaded.”
However, there are three main hypotheses (假说) to explain the origin of viruses. First, viruses started as independent organisms, then became parasites (寄生者). Second, viruses evolved from pieces of DNA or RNA that “escaped” from larger organisms. Third, viruses co-evolved with their host cells, which means they existed alongside these cells.
For the time being, these are only theories. The technology and evidence we have today cannot be used to test these theories and identify the most reasonable explanation. Continuing studies may provide us with clearer answers. Or future studies may reveal that the answer is even murkier (含糊不清的) than it now appears.
1.What can we learn about viruses from the text?
A.Viruses have nothing to do with the common cold.
B.Viruses are really small living organisms.
C.Viruses can’t reproduce unless they find a host cell.
D.Viruses enter our bodies mainly through the mouth, nose and hair.
2.Which of the following might explain the origin of viruses?
A.They evolved from the fossils of large organisms.
B.They evolved from parasites into independent organisms.
C.They evolved from the T-cells in animals.
D.They evolved along with their host cells.
3.What can we conclude from the text?
A.Viruses live longer in human host cells than in animals’.
B.Viruses will become more like bacteria as they evolve.
C.It may take a long time to understand the origin of viruses.
D.The author is optimistic about future virus research.
4.What’s the best title of this passage?
A.The Mystery of Virus Evolution
B.The Invasion of Deadly Viruses.
C.The Reaction of Viral Infection
D.The Future Studies of Viruses
It was a nervous time. World War II had started, and British ships were always watching for German submarines called U-boats. The ship Ben Lomond had left Cape Town, South Africa, with a crew of 55, including a young officer named Poon Lim.
On November 23, 1942, the worst fear came true. The Ben Lomond was attacked by a U-boat. Within minutes the boat was sinking. Poon Lim grabbed a life jacket and leaped over the side. He swam rapidly away from the ship in case it exploded. Sure enough, it let out a large boom and sank beneath the waves. For two hours Poon Lim struggled in the water. Once he almost got onto a life raft with five other sailors, but it got away from his grasp. Then he saw another life raft that was empty, swam to it, and climbed aboard. He found a few cans of biscuits, a water jug, some flares, and a flashlight, which could be enough supplies for about a month.
Day after day Poon Lim had his few biscuits and a couple of sips of water. He searched the horizon for ships. Twice he leaped up to shout and wave when he saw help coming. Once he saw a freight ship. It passed him. At a later time, he saw a United States Navy plane. It flew low over the raft but then disappeared. Still later a U-boat spotted him but for some reason left him alone.
Poon Lim knew he needed to stay strong. He couldn’t get much exercise on an eight-foot-square raft, but he could swim. A couple of times a day, he circled the raft, always watching for sharks. Soon his food and water ran low. He knew that drinking seawater would make him sick, so he tore off the canvas cover on his life jacket and set it out to catch rainwater. Then he took apart the flashlight and used a wire inside to make a fishhook. For months Poon Lim drifted, catching fish and sometimes birds. One time he even caught a shark. Finally, after 130 days, he noticed that the color of the water was changing. Two days later, on his 133rd day, he saw a boat. Three sailors in a small sailboat picked him up and took him to Belem, a city on the coast of Brazil. Poon Lim had crossed the Atlantic Ocean.
No one ever had survived longer on a raft at sea. Poon Lim received many honors, including Britain’s highest award. A booklet of his survival methods was put into every British life raft.
1.What happened just after Poon Lim’s ship was hit?
A.It immediately exploded.
B.Poon Lim jumped over the side.
C.Poon Lim found a life raft.
D.The U-boat picked up survivors.
2.What did Poon Lim do just after his food and water ran low?
A.He jumped up and down and waved, hoping to attract help.
B.He went swimming, hoping to find some fish.
C.He made a rain catcher and some fishing equipment.
D.He spotted a United States Navy plane.
3.Which of these things happened last?
A.Poon Lim noticed that the water had changed color.
B.Poon Lim landed in a Brazilian city.
C.Some sailors picked up Poon Lim.
D.Poon Lim caught a shark with his fishhook.
4.Why was Poon Lim presented with many honors?
A.He had voyaged the longest time on the Atlantic Ocean.
B.He managed to spend 133 days on a life raft with determination.
C.He had a knowledge of survival methods on the sea.
D.He didn’t surrender himself to German U-boats.
What if you could take your drawing pen and simply scan any color you want and then turn around and draw with it? This new pen design allows you to do that. That is Scribble. And it’s very easy to use.
·How does Scribble work?
The built-in RGB sensor (传感器) lets you easily get any color — simply point it at an object and press the button! Red, green and blue inks are then mixed — much like in a traditional printer — to create your desired color.
·Different tips
The Scribble Pen (for paper) comes with three different sizes of drawing tips. Scribble is perfect for both drawing and writing. The Scribble Stylus Pen comes with two different tips — hard tip and soft tip. It works on more than just paper; it can be used for drawing or writing on your mobile device.
·Rechargeable battery
Scribble’s battery is rechargeable and lightweight. The Scribble Pen’s battery lasts seven hours. And the Scribble Stylus Pen’s battery lasts as long as 15 hours.
·Price
The regular price of a Scribble Pen is US$400. Now, you can have it at 40% off the regular price. And you can have a Scribble Stylus Pen at US$119 (save US$80). You also need to pay US$15 for postage. Remember to choose the color you want. At present, we offer five colors for you to choose from. If you are an artist, you really need a pen like this. It’s the last pen you will ever need to buy.
To learn more information about the products you can visit our website.
1.What can we learn about Scribble from the passage?
A.It is connected to a printer.
B.It is lighter than an ordinary pen.
C.It doesn’t need electricity to work.
D.It can be used for both drawing and writing.
2.Which is true about the Scribble Stylus Pen?
A.It works best on paper.
B.It can create five colors at present.
C.It is initially designed for mobile devices.
D.It has a better battery life than the Scribble Pen.
3.If you buy a Scribble Pen now, how much should you pay in total?
A.US$175. B.US$240.
C.US$255. D.US$260.
Since we are social beings，the quality of our lives depends in large measure on our interpersonal relationships.
One strength of the human condition is our tendency to give and receive support from one another under stressful circumstances. Social support consists of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties.
Those of us with strong support systems appear better able to deal with major life changes and daily difficulties. People with strong social ties live longer and have better health than those without such ties. Studies over a range of illnesses，from depression to heart disease，show that the presence of social support helps people protect themselves from illness，and the absence of such support makes poor health more likely.
Social support cushions stress in a number of ways. First，friends，relatives，and co-workers may let us know that they value us. Our self-respect is strengthened when we feel accepted by others despite our faults and difficulties.
Second，other people often provide us with informational support. They help us to explain and understand our problems and find solutions to them. Third，we typically find social companionship supportive. Engaging in leisure-time activities with others helps us to meet our social needs while at the same time distracting(转移……注意力)us from our worries and troubles. Finally，other people may give us instrumental support-financial aid，material resources，and needed services-that reduces stress by helping us solve and deal with our problems.
1.Research shows that people's physical and mental health has much to do with ______ .
A.the social medical system
B.the amount of support they get from others
C.their strength for dealing with interpersonal ties
D.their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles
2.The underlined word "cushions" probably means" ______ ".
A.adds up to B.lessens the effect of
C.does away with D.lays the foundation for
3.Helping a sick neighbor with some repair work is an example of ______ .
A.important support
B.instrumental support
C.social activity
D.the strengthening of self-respect
4.Social companionship is beneficial in that ______ .
A.it helps strengthen our ties with relatives
B.it enables us to get rid of our faults and mistakes
C.it makes our leisure-time activities more enjoyable
D.it draws our attention away from our worries and troubles
