New research has found that grey seals can simulate(模仿）human speech and songs. The study carried out by Dr Amanda Stansbury and Professor Vincent Janik,at the University of St Andrews,found that grey seals use the same sound production system as humans due to having similar vocal tracts(声道）。
Three young grey seals-Zola,Gandalf and Janice-were monitored from birth by Stansbury and Janik to determine their natural talents.Once this process was complete, the researchers began teaching the seals to simulate common seal sounds or noises a seal might normally hear from a herd mate in the wild.Fish was used to encourage the seals to come out of the water and sing a series of notes.Stansbury would record the seals'own sounds and play them back.The seals quickly learnt that if they sang back the same notes, they would be rewarded with fish.
Once the seals were familiar with this process and could easily copy these basic sounds,Stansbury and Janik used higher and longer tones and unfamiliar vowels from human speech.The seals were then rewarded for matching these new sounds.Stansbury even used some combinations to simulate songs that no seal would be expected to produce under natural circumstances.Zola had a gift for copying up to ten notes of songs such as Twinkle,Twinkle,Little Star and the theme song of Star Wars.Gandalf and Janice were better at accurately reproducing combinations of human vowel sounds.
Stansbury said,"I was amazed how well the seals copied the model sounds we played to them.Copies were not perfect,but given that these are not typical seal sounds,it is pretty impressive.Our study really shows how flexible seal voices are."
After one year of working with the researchers,the seal pups were released back into the wild."This study gives us a better understanding of the development of vocal learning,a skill that is important for human language development."Janik believes this knowledge can help to develop new methods to study speech problems.
1.What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A.Grey seals 'learning environments.
B.A research finding on grey seals.
C.Humans 'sound production system.
D.A comparison of humans and grey seals.
2.In the study,fish would be given when the seals
A.made funny noisesre B.came out of the water
C.repeated the same notes D.copied typical fish sounds
3.What can we find about Zola based on the research?
A.It can copy some musical sounds played to her.
B.It is good at copying human vowel sounds.
C.It is smarter than Gandalf and Janice.
D.It likes singing children's songs.
4.What does Janik think of the research result?
A.It shows the living environments of grey seals.
B.It leads to a better understanding of human vocal system.
C.It raises an awareness of the need to protect grey seals.
D.It brings inspirations for research on speech problems.
It's common that a Japanese-American bows on the phone—but only in Japanese. Behaviors and manners can become so routine that they appear even when there's no need for them.Those who are bilingual and bi-cultural know first-hand that how we behave can depend on what language we are speaking.Experts have shown that who you are in the moment can depend on the language you are using at that time.
This is because when you have an experience,the language you are using becomes associated with it.For bilingual people,this means certain memories are more closely associated with one language than the other-a phenomenon called language-dependent memory.For example,a childhood memory is more likely to be remembered when the language spoken during that childhood event is spoken again.
How we think and feel can thus change depending on what language we are using.For example,people who are bilingual have an intensified stress response when listening to the words of scolding in a native language.This may be,in part,because our early memories associated with learning a"bad”word or being scolded by our parents happened in our native language.
Because emotions play a key role in how we make decisions,people are often more sensible when making choices in the less emotional foreign language.When asked whether they would be willing to give one person's life to save a group,people who speak more than one language are much more likely to say"yes" when answering in a foreign language.The unpleasant feelings that can prevent us from making difficult choices are reduced when we're using a non-native language.
The Language we speak has an influence on how we think,feel,and even behave.In a way,knowing different languages can provide people with a variety of views through which to see the world.
1.Why is the example of Japanese-American mentioned?
A.To show the influence of culture is huge.
B.To show bowing is Japanese people's routine.
C.To show Japanese people are polite on the phone.
D.To show one's use of language affects one's behavior.
2.What does the underlined word"intensified"in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.Worse.
B.Better.
C.Increased.
D.Limited.
3.When a person speaks a foreign language, he is likely to____
A.make a sound decision
B.prevent himself from danger
C.be influenced by other people
D.have difficulty making decisions
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.You Are Actually What You Are Speaking
B.Native Languages Make People Speak More
C.Different Languages Have Different Influences
D.Speak Your Native Language in Other Countries
On the 3rd of July,about six in the morning,I was watering my flowers.A young man entered the garden.He was blonde,beardless;he wore a German cap and gold glasses in a proud way.A long,loose woolen coat hung down in a sad way around his body.He wore no gloves;his leather shoes had huge soles.I put down my watering-pot, and greeted him in German with:"Guten Morgen!”＂Monsieur,"he said to me in French, but with a very unpleasant accent,"my name is Hermann Schultz;I have come to pass some months in Greece,and I have carried your book with me everywhere."
That praise filled my heart with sweet joy;the stranger's voice seemed more beautiful than Mozart's music,and I directed a swift look of gratitude toward his gold glasses.You would hardly believe how much we love those who have taken the trouble to understand our jargon(行业术语)。
I took him by the hand and seated him beside me on the garden-bench.He told me that he was a botanist and that he had a commission from the"Jardin des Plantes"in Hamburg.In order to complete his herbarium(植物标本馆)，he was studying the country,the animals,and the people.He expressed himself uneasily,but with frankness which inspired confidence.He questioned me,if not about every one in Athens,at least about all the principal persons in my book.In the course of the conversation,he made some statements on general subjects,which seemed to me quite insightful.Therefore, they motivated me to think more deeply and get a more reasonable opinion.At the end of an hour we had become good friends.
1.How did the author find the young man at first?
A.Fashionable.
B.Unfavorable.
C.Easy-going.
D.Indifferent.
2.Why did the author feel grateful to the young man?
A.Because he brought the author a good pair of glasses.
B.Because he thought highly of the author's achievements.
C.Because he delighted the author with Mozart's music.
D.Because he took the time to read the author's work.
3.What can we infer about the young man from the last paragraph?
A.He was good at public speaking.
B.He was lacking in self-confidence.
C.He was slow in learning German culture.
D.He was enthusiastic about studies of plants.
4.What's the author's purpose in writing the text?
A.To introduce a young botanist's achievements.
B.To show the start of his friendship with a stranger.
C.To describe the benefits of doing gardening.
D.To explain the beauty of studying biology.
Meeting at a church on a Friday night is not usual for most college students,but it is usual for the women members of the Alcoholics Anonymous(AA)in my hometown, which is an organization for alcoholics who want to stop drinking alcohol.AA is founded upon a number of principles,including twelve steps and twelve traditions,but the only requirement for becoming a member is a strong wish to stop drinking.
The AA meeting I attended was in a speaker week,which meant that most of the time was spent listening to a member talking about her journey with alcohol.The speaker told other members her true story of alcohol problems.The group processed the story in a positive way.I noticed several times when members laughed,smiled,and made brief supporting comments while she spoke.Later,a member named Lucy shared with me her view that"this is the kind of place where you can talk about things,and everyone just laughs...no judgment but support."Being able to talk about her feelings and experiences,receiving support,and the lack of judgment were a large part of her decision to keep coming to the meetings.
Years later,I looked back on the meeting I attended with positive memories.The members at the meeting were mothers,sisters,grandmothers,aunts,daughters,and friends.Some were professionals, some were students,and some were unemployed. Despite their differences,they united in their common goal for a better life.AA is a prime example of how a group of people follow a program and work together at changing their habits.The meeting changed the way I looked at addiction-it was no longer a monster. Now I think it's essential to have support when you're struggling with addiction,just as with any lifestyle change.
1.What is the purpose of the Alcoholics Anonymous?
A.To create a program for college students.
B.To improve the alcohol industry.
C.To help people give up drinking.
D.To break twelve traditions.
2.What is most likely to hurt Lucy's feelings according to the text?
A.Unfriendly judgment on her stories.
B.Loud laughter from the audiences.
C.Too little time left for her.
D.Silence after her speech.
3.What is the text mainly about?
A.Sharing feelings with friends.
B.My experience of an AA meeting.
C.AA helping women lead a better life.
D.Tips on getting rid of alcohol addiction.
假如你是李华，你的美国笔友Jerry来信表示对中国高中生疫情复课后的学校生活感兴趣，询问你复课后高中学习的变化和感受，请根据以下提示写一封回信并询问美国的复课情况。
1.复课后的学习变化；
2.复课后你的感受；
3.询问美国的复课情况。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
3. 参考词汇：新型冠状病毒病 COVID-19; 疫情 pandemic;复课 resume classes
Dear Jerry,
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours Sincerely,
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。作文中共有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：在缺词处加一个漏子符号（∧）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。
The bicycle is still popular. In some countries, people use bicycles because they are the cheapest way to getting around. In some another countries, people use them mainly because they prefer this form of transport than any other.
It is said that when a German inventor created the first bicycle in 1816. It was two-wheeled and moved along by push of the rider's feet upon the ground. This vehicle was improving in 1839 by a Scottish blacksmith, which invented pedals(踏板). Eventually, bicycles are also made specially for women. They had big rear wheels than front wheels, and riders could sit more upright. Nowadays, women’s bicycles have changed again to become more usefully to those involved in sports.
