Few people can resist the lure (诱惑) of a delicious ice cream, especially on a hot day. The only thing that spoils the fun is that the treat is hard to enjoy slowly, often ending up with a sticky melted mess. Now, researchers from Colombia's Pontificia Bolivariana University may have found an unlikely partner to help solve this age-old problem---cellulose fiber(纤维素) extracted from banana plant waste. Bananas, as you probably know, grow in bunches on a tree-like plant. Each bunch is attached to a central stalk, called a rachis(叶轴), which is thrown once the fruit has been harvested. The team, led by Dr. Robin Zuluaga Gallego, began extracting cellulose nanofibrils (CNFS) from powdered rachis. The tasteless, odorless macro fibers, thousands of times smaller than the width of a human hair were then added in various concentrations to 100 grams of ice cream mix.
With the right amount of CNFS mixed in, the dessert lasted longer in its frozen state than conventional ice cream, extending both its shelf life and the amount of time the treat can be enjoyed. Even more exciting was that the fibers increased the stickiness of low-fat ice cream to levels higher than the full-fat one. Since this is what determines the frozen treats’ creaminess and texture, CNFS could help create healthier ice cream without compromising on taste.
The researchers, who presented their findings at the American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting in New Orleans on March 21, 2018, next plan to investigate how different types of fat, such as coconut oil, affect the behavior of CNFS in other frozen treats.
The Colombian researchers are not the only one working on creating a slower-melting ice cream. In 2015, scientists at the University of Dundee in Scotland found that a naturally occurring protein called BSIA(Bacterial Surface Layer A) was remarkably effective in keeping the treat frozen for longer periods of time. With both teams competing to be the first to get to market, the future of everyone’s favorite dessert certainly looks promising.
1.What prevents people enjoying an ice cream slowly?
A.The hot weather.
B.A kind of fiber from banana.
C.The ice creams’ stickiness.
D.The ice creams’ quick melting.
2.Which is NOT a benefit of CNFS added to ice cream mix?
A.To improve its flavor.
B.To make it more healthy.
C.To reduce its fat content.
D.To make it melt more slowly.
3.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.CNFS are more useful and effective than BSLA.
B.Ice cream with BSLA has been on sale at the market.
C.Slowly enjoying an ice cream will soon become a reality.
D.The Colombian research team has taken the lead in the competition with the Scottish team.
4.What's the author’s attitude towards the finding of CNFS?
A.Positive B.Casual
C.Defensive D.Suspicious.
When David Carter started to study art at The University of Texas (UT)at Austin in 1971, he had big dreams of becoming an artist or a writer. But his study came to a stop at 23 after he hurt his hand in an unpleasant event. He developed schizophrenia(精神分裂症) later and spent many years without a home.
Carter liked to spend time around UT, because he dreamt of being able to continue his study in the university and becoming a writer. After running into Carter many times, UT student Ryan Chandler decided to interview him for a project for the Daily Texan, the student newspaper of UT.
“I interviewed him on Austin’s homeless problems. After I heard his story, we kept in touch and really became friends. I learned he wanted to get back to UT, so I decided to help him,” said Chandler. “He had got 87 hours, very close to a degree. Now, with changing degree requirements, he only has 64 hours to go.”
With the help of Chandler, who worked with the university office, Carter was assigned an adviser by UT’s College of Fine Arts. “It' s the greatest gift I’ve ever received,” Carter said. “He did what had to be done to get me back to school, and I couldn't have done it without him”
After seeing a magazine article about Carter, a UT schoolmate decided to pay his tuition fees (学费)without telling Chandler his name.
Doug Dempster, dean of the College of Fine Arts, said in a statement, “David Carter's decision to complete his degree is a testament (证明) to finishing well what was started, and stopped, even many years earlier. We welcome him back as we do many students each year whose education could not be completed easily. We’ re going to help him through his remaining course work.”
1.Why did Carter stop studying in the university?
A.He hurt an artist. B.He couldn’t afford his study.
C.He got a strange disease. D.He had a hand injury.
2.What was Chandler’s purpose in interviewing Carter?
A.To do a project on homelessness.
B.To know why he hung around UT.
C.To make friends with a homeless person.
D.To finish his homework on helping others.
3.Which of the following words can best describe Chandler?
A.Brave. B.Honest.
C.Warm-hearted. D.Strong-minded.
4.What can we learn from Dempster’s words in the statement?
A.He encourages Carter to study hard.
B.He supports students who never give up.
C.He calls on other students to help Carter.
D.He suggests other students learn from Carter.
Creative alarm clocks
Dumbbell（哑铃） alarm clock
It is not a real dumbbell, but you have to shake it up and down 30 times to stop the alarm clock. And there is no stop button. Of course you will be totally refreshed by then. Don’t be lazy and take some exercise in the morning.
Target alarm clock
The alarm is ringing at the time you set it for！Do you see the target？Then hit it to stop the sound with a laser gun（激光枪）. Of course you have to be fully awake if you don’t want to miss the target.
Flying alarm clock
I’m sure you won’t be able to simply ignore this alarm as you usually do, because it flies！Its propeller（螺旋桨）flying off the alarm is the key. Before the frightening alarm sounds drive you crazy， you’d better quickly put the key back.
Banclock
Have you been keeping a pocketful of change for some time without knowing what to do with it？Maybe you can put those coins in your alarm. This is both an alarm clock and a money box. It only stops ringing if you put a coin in it.
IQ alarm clock
What about a brain workout in the morning？ IQ alarm will go off and ask you a set of IQ questions. Don’t even think about removing the battery, because it is hard to open. The only way to shut it off is to answer all questions correctly.
Mr. Bump-off-the-wall alarm clock
An alarm clock is so annoying when you are too tired and sleepy to get up. You can release your anger on Mr. Bump. It looks like a blue ball covered with “bandages（绷带）”. Just throw this alarm at the wall to silence it.
1.How can we turn off Target alarm clock？
A.By shooting at it. B.By shaking it 30 times.
C.By putting the key back on it. D.By answering questions shown on.
2.What is another function of Banclock？
A.Improving people’s sleep. B.Asking people to do exercise.
C.Testing people’s intelligence. D.Helping people to save money.
3.What can we infer about Mr. Bump-off-the-wall alarm clock?
A.It hangs on the wall. B.It is difficult to break.
C.It was invented by Mr. Bump. D.It rings louder than any other clocks.
假定你是李华，你校中国功夫俱乐部（Chinese Kung Fu Club）将面向国际学生招收新成员。请你用英语写一篇招募新成员的启事，内容包括：
1.本俱乐部历史；
2.参加本俱乐部的益处；
3.本俱乐部的联系方式（邮箱chinesekungfu@126.com）。
注意：1.词数100左右，开头结尾已给出，不计入总词数；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear international students，
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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。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（＼）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。
I was living a life in my screen but hardly noticed what was around me. I looked through news websites and checked my emails using his mobile phone. When I wake up at midnight, I did the same thing. The problem with me that I felt anxious every night. So when my friends invited me to the weekend camp with the cell service, I thought this was exact what I needed. Keep away from my phone for 48 hours changed my way of the life. I fell asleep listening to the song of frogs and insects. I listened to what my body wanted instead of that my phone was telling me to do.
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Earth is most likely experiencing its sixth mass extinction (灭绝). The planet has been through at least five such catastrophes 1., but this is the first one in human history — and the first one with human fingerprints.
A report by the World Wildlife Fund2.(offer) the details about this decline, which has cut the planet's vertebrate (有脊椎的) wildlife populations3. an average of 60 percent in just 40 years. Habitat loss is the main threat to many 4. (danger) land animals. "Science shows us the cruel 5. (real) that our forests, oceans and rivers are suffering at our hands now," says Marco Lambertini, director of WWF International, in a statement. "Inch by inch and species by species, 6.(shrink) wildlife numbers and wild places are an indicator of the huge influence and pressure we are putting on the planet. "
"The statistics are7.(scare), but all hope is not lost, "says Ken Norris, science director for the Zoological Society of London. The report exposes some environmental 8.(problem) around the world, but it also throws light on the ways we can still protect and recover what9.(leave). We have an opportunity to design a new path forward10. allows us to co-exist with the wildlife we depend upon.
