They say music is universal, and it seems to be true since wherever we go, we see people listening, playing or dancing to it. We tend to think that music is larger than our cultural differences and shows the deeper connections between us.
But according to a recent study published in the journal Current Biology, music doesn’t speak to everyone. There is a condition, the researchers argue, called “musical anhedonia”. They say that those who have this condition lack the ability to experience pleasure from music.
For the study, 30 people listened to the same, mostly classical music pieces. They were then asked to complete a questionnaire on how they felt about the music. At the same time, the researchers measured their heart rate and skin reaction, which are considered physiological measures of emotion.
According to the researchers, most of the people in the study got pleasure from the music. They had a quicker heartbeat and sweated more. However, a small number had very little and even no pleasant feeling while they listened. These people had none or very few of the physical signs the others in the study experienced.
The researchers say that this means people have different abilities to enjoy music and that “there are people who specifically can’t enjoy music at all”, study author Josep Marco-Pallres of the University of Barcelona in Spain told Live Science.
To study the condition further, another group of scientists, at Columbia University, US, researched brain activities. They found that the key is the blood flow to the reward system in the brain.
“People who got less pleasure from music had lower blood flow to areas involved in the reward system of the brain when listening to music,” reported the Daily Mail.
The lower blood flow makes it more likely that the brain’s “reward system” will not be active. Thus, it will produce less of the “pleasure chemical” dopamine. As a result, people get less pleasure from music.
If the research is correct, according to National Public Radio, there are simply people who just don’t get music. They may get pleasure from many things, but a good song isn’t one of them.
1.What do we know about people with musical anhedonia?
A.They usually avoid listening to music.
B.They like to listen to certain types of music.
C.They believe cultural differences are larger than music.
D.They can’t feel the pleasure that music brings to others.
2.What was the purpose of the study?
A.To learn how music influences people’s emotions.
B.To understand the relationship between music and the body.
C.To learn what music people love the most.
D.To see whether music works in the same way for all people.
3.What happened to the participants when they listened to music?
A.Those who enjoyed music had more dopamine produced.
B.Those who enjoyed music had slower blood flow.
C.All of them had faster heartbeat and sweated more.
D.They showed different physical signs as the music changed.
4.Which is the best title of this passage?
A.How people get pleasure from music?
B.Why music isn’t for everyone?
C.What brain produces with music?
D.A new research of listening.
Foldable future has arrived
Tablets are really useful devices, but their big screens always make them as a burden to carry around without a bag. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a phone with the powers of a tablet that could be folded up and fit into the hand?
Now something like a tablet-shaped but foldable phone is about to show up. In February, South Korean electronics company Samsung and China’s Huawei both produced foldable phones, The Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X. Mobile phone use has entered the “foldable future”, The Verge said.
The technology could change our lives in meaningful ways. These devices, because of their bendable screens, give us the larger screens we want. Meanwhile, they still fit easily into the pocket.
The technology could change other devices too. For example, we could make TVs that stick to walls like posters, or fold up easily to hide away in drawers. In crowded modern cities, they will help us to make full use of space.
In a speech, Samsung’s senior vice president of mobile product marketing, Justin Denison, called the foldable screen “the base for the smartphone of tomorrow”. “It’s a white paper for us to do something beautiful together,” he said.
According to tech news website Android Authority, the necessary parts of foldable phones were difficult to produce. In 2012, nine out of every 10 OLED screens produced were not perfect. Today, that 10 percent rate has been improved to between 50 and 90 percent. However, at present these foldable devices are expensive. For example, the price of Huawei Mate X is 17,500 RMB. That’s a price that few people will be able to afford.
But if the foldable device isn’t going to change the world overnight, there is no doubt that it is coming. Patrick Moorhead, an industry analyst told The Verge, “Few are debating if foldable mobile screens are the future of smartphones; the only question is when and by whom.
1.What is the main idea of Paragraph 3 and 4?
A.Possible advantages of the foldable screen.
B.Where the idea of foldable screens came from.
C.Popular foldable screen devices on the market.
D.People’s words on the foldable screen.
2.What can we learn from Denison’s words?
A.The Galaxy Fold still has many problems.
B.The foldable screen has bright future.
C.The production of foldable phones will soon increase.
D.Companies need to work together to develop foldable phones.
3.Which statement is TRUE about the problem of foldable phones now?
A.90 percent of their screens are not perfect.
B.Their screens are difficult to produce.
C.They are too expensive for most families.
D.They are not as useful as thought.
4.What is the author’s attitude toward the future of the foldable screen?
A.Positive B.Unconcerned
C.Worried D.Cautious.
Staying connected
When Central Bucks South became one of the first Philadelphia-area high schools to close because of the fear of novel coronavirus exposure in early March, 16-year-old sophomore Andrew Chen knew that things were not going to return to normal as quickly as some of his peers hoped.
But still, the change from seeing his friends on the swim team during daily practices to learning alone at home was jarring.
“I only have three years here at South, and it pains me to see one of them being wasted,” Chen said.
The coronavirus has changed everyone’s lives, but for students, the disruption feels particularly serious. Schools closed and graduation ceremonies were put off. Summer plans, such as camps, are up in the air.
But right now, many students are trying to stay connected, struggling with false information, and finding out the best ways they can help – through online method.
For Josh Harycki, 17, a senior student at the Shipley School in Philadelphia, the best way to help was to create a “social distancing promise” for young people.
“I saw a lot of young people not paying attention,” he said. “They were … still going out, hanging out with others. I thought that there had to be a way to reach younger people, who were possibly not watching the news.”
Harycki started a call to action on social media and then built a website with a map that followed and kept the locations of people who’d signed the promise. The site also shares links to accurate sources of information like the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Harycki knows that his peers are worried they can’t connected with their friends in the same way, so he created the social distancing promise to strengthen that although everyone might be physically distant, they’re still connected.
“Part of what we’re showing is that you might feel like you’re the only one taking this seriously, but our map shows that you’re not alone,” he said.
1.What does the underlined word “jarring” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.natural
B.necessary
C.worrying
D.reasonable
2.Who does Harycki mainly want to reach?
A.Friends who are worried and bored.
B.Young people not aware of the situation.
C.Younger students trying to help.
D.People taking the coronavirus seriously.
3.What’s Harycki’s purpose in creating the “social distancing promise”?
A.To order young people to stay at home.
B.To follow those infected with the coronavirus.
C.To tell young folks of latest news about the coronavirus.
D.To show young people that they are still connected.
4.Why does the author describe Andrew Chen’s experience in the text?
A.To explain what worried students most when schools closed.
B.To show the different views of students toward the coronavirus.
C.To show how the coronavirus affected students’ lives.
D.To explain the proper reaction to the close of school.
Here we have some amazing plans for your travelling. Come and have a look!
Perth to Broome overland
Running: February 1 through April 30
Activities:
· Explore the Pinnacles Desert
· Sandboard down the sand dunes of Jurien Bay
· Discover the diverse scenery at Kalbarri National Park
· Visit the rare and beautiful Shell Beach
· Make friends with the dolphins at Monkey Mia
· Relax and explore at Coral Bay
Price: ＄1100
What’s included: Accommodation, expert guide, meals, transport (coach, trails).
Not included: International flights; insurance.
Adelaide to Alice Springs tour
Running: May 5 through August 28
Activities:
· See Australia’s incredible Lake Eyre
· Explore beautiful stones in Coober Pedy
· Visit a Kangaroo orphanage
· Experience Australia’s red center, Uluru
Price: ＄850
What’s included: Accommodation, expert guide, meals, transport.
Not included: International flights; insurance
Brisbane to Cairns adventure
Running: October 1 through December 20
Activities:
· Walk through rainforests and relax on beaches
· Explore Fraser Island with a jeep ride
· Watch the sun set as you sail the Whitsundays Islands
· Make life-long bonds and party the night away in the town Cairns
· Go diving on the Great Barrier Reef
Price: ＄1200
What’s included: Accommodation, expert guide, meals, transport (air-conditioned coach with WiFi in most regions)
Not included: International flights; insurance; other activities
Ultimate Oz tour
Running: November 1 through December 10
Activities:
· Enjoy a bonfire party, beachside
· Take on a Sydney Harbor boat cruise
· Try your hand at sandboarding
· Go to a Sydney pub
Price: ＄920
What’s included: Accommodation, expert guide, meals, transport
Not included: International flights; insurance
1.What can you do only on Adelaide to Alice Springs tour?
A.Walk through a rainforest.
B.Play with dolphins.
C.Visit a kangaroo orphanage.
D.Go sandboarding.
2.How is the Brisbane to Cairns trip different from the others?
A.Tourists may go diving.
B.Tourists can party on the beach.
C.It offers the highest price.
D.It has the longest travel time.
3.Which is included in the fees of all the tours?
A.Accommodation and insurance.
B.Expert guides and transport.
C.Meals and international flights.
D.WiFi service and expert guides.
假如你是李华，你校英国交换生David在邮件中告知你他被牛津大学（Oxford University)录取了，想邀请你本周六晚参加庆祝派对，但你因故不能前往。请你用英语给他回封邮件。内容包括：
1.表示祝贺；
2.不能赴约的原因；
3.补救措施。
注意：1・可以适当补充细节，以使行文连贯；2.词数80左右。
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阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
In elementary school, George wasn’t 1. (exact) popular, but he always had a couple of really good friends. In middle school, he was really good at science and math. 2. most kids were going to 3.movies on weekends, George preferred to design his own special projects. He dreamed of owning his own technology company someday. When George got to high school, some of the other students made fun of him for being into books and computers. This made George very upset, but he tried not to let anything keep his dream from 4. (achieve). George got excellent grades and was admitted 5. both Harvard and Yale, but he decided to go to Stanford 6. there were many opportunities for people 7. wanted to work in Silicon Valley. This was the first time George 8. (feel) accepted by the people around him. He took many computer classes, and kept designing his own projects on weekends. During the summer months, he would take extra classes, and he ended up 9. (graduate) a year early. He took a job 10. a computer programmer at Apple. After five more years there, George left to start his own company, finally realizing his childhood dream.
