Are we getting more stupid? According to Gerald Crabtree, a scientist at Stanford University in the US, we are. You may not want to hear this, but Crabtree believes that human intelligence reached its peak more than 2,000 years ago and ever since then has been going downhill. “If an average Greek from 1,000 BC were transported to modern times, he or she would be one of the brightest among us,” Crabtree told The Guardian.
At the heart of Crabtree’s thinking is a simple idea. In the past, intelligence was critical for survival when our ancestors had to avoid dangerous animals and hunt for food. The difference of being smart or stupid is often life or death. However, after the spread of agriculture, when our ancestors began to live in dense ( 稠密的）farming communities, the need to keep their intelligence in peak condition gradually reduced. This is not hard to understand. Most of the time,pressure is what keeps us going – you need the pressure from your teachers to finish your homework; the pressure of looking pretty prompts(促使) you to lose weight when summer comes. And the same is also true of our intelligence – if we think less, we become less smart.
These mutations(变) are harmful to our intelligence and they were all developed in the past 3,000 years. The other evidence that Crabtree holds is in our genes. He found that among the 2,000 to 5,000 genes that we have that determine human intelligence , there are two or more mutations in each of us. However, Crabtree’s theory has been criticized by some who say that early humans may have better hunting and surviving abilities, but people today have developed a more diverse intelligence. For example, spearing a tiger doesn’t necessarily require more brainpower than playing chess or writing a poem. Moreover, the power of modern education means a lot more people have the opportunity to learn nowadays. “You wouldn’t get Stephen Hawking 2,000 years ago. He just wouldn’t exist,” Thomas Hills of the University of Warwick, UK, told Live Science. “But now we have people of his intellectual capacity doing things and making insights(洞察力) that we would never have achieved in our environment of evolutionary adaptation.”
1.What is Crabtree’s recent finding according to the article?
A. The Greeks from 1,000 BC could have been the smartest in human history.
B. Our ancient ancestors had no better surviving abilities than we do nowadays.
C. Humans have been getting steadily more intelligent since the invention of farming.
D. Mutations in genes that decide human intelligence have affected the development of intelligence.
2.According to Crabtree, ancient humans _______.
A. had many more genes that determine human intelligence
B. were forced to be smart due to natural selection pressures
C. relied more on group intelligence than individual intelligence
D. developed a diverse intelligence to adapt to the hard realities
3.Some argue that Crabtree’s theory is false because they think _______.
A. people today are under much more pressure than early humans
B. it’s ridiculous to compare a hunter’s and a poet’s intelligence
C. modern education is far more advanced than ancient education
D. human intelligence nowadays is different from that of the distant past
4.What is Thomas Hills’ attitude toward Crabtree’s theory?
A. Supportive B. Unfavorable
C. Worried D. Confused
I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (贴标签 ) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got nearer and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, "Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!" Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬) under her covers, sobbing.
Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart. Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn't notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me. "Thanks."
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn't always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in cleaning up and holding on.
1.What made Kate angry one evening?
A. She couldn't find her books.
B. She heard the author shouting loud.
C. She got the news that her grandma was ill.
D. She saw the author's shoes beneath her bed.
2.The author tidied up the room most probably because_______.
A. she was scared by Kate's anger
B. she hated herself for being so messy
C. she wanted to show her care
D. she was asked by Kate to do so
3.How is Paragraph I mainly developed?
A. By analyzing causes.
B. By showing differences.
C. By describing a process.
D. By following time order.
4.What might be the best title for the story?
A. My Friend Kate
B. Hard Work Pays Off
C. How to Be Organized
D. Learning to Be Roommates
YOUR mom might cook a bowl of noodles for you on your birthday. But in the US, a mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birthday.
Cupcakes are small, round cakes topped with frosting (糖霜). It has been an American tradition that moms bring cupcakes to the classroom to celebrate their child’s birthday. But recently some doctors have called for this to be banned. They believe cupcakes contribute to child obesity. Despite their good intentions, however, some people believe that experts are interfering (妨碍) with American culture. The cupcake is seen as American as apple pie — only prettier.
According to Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, the cupcake is the most democratic (民主的) of desserts. As they are small enough for one person, you don’t have to share your cupcake with anyone — it’s all yours. They are also all of the same size, so there can’t be any cries of “she got the bigger piece!”
Each bite can taste different depending on how much icing you have. It is a lesson in self-determination. Some people eat only a little of the frosting every time, others have it all in just one bite.
In recent years, eating a cupcake has become as trendy as having a cup of Starbucks coffee.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton jokingly promised on a talk show that if she was elected president, she would give everyone a cupcake on her birthday. Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine, explains that the rise of the cupcake is very much about going back to American national identity in food, which is all about comfort. “People want to think about when they and their country were innocent,” she said.
1.According to the passage, it has been an American tradition that ___________.
A. a party is held for children on their birthday
B. A mom cooks a bowl of noodles for her children on their birthday
C. A mom makes a cupcake for her children on their birthday and brings it to the classroom
D. parents go travelling with their children on their birthday
2.Which of the following is Not true according to Marion Nestle?
A. The cupcake is more democratic than any other deserts in the US.
B. The cupcake is too small to share with others.
C. The sizes of cupcakes are the same so it’s equal to everyone.
D. Cupcakes will lead to child obesity so they should be banned.
3.Why did the writer mention Hillary Clinton and Ruth Reichl?
A. To arouse the readers’ attention.
B. To show that cupcakes are becoming a popular to show kindness and comfort.
C. To make a comparison between them.
D. To give readers a general idea of cupcakes.
书面表达
假如你是李华，你在网上看到你所在城市的一个英语培训中心拟招收暑期助教，请根据以下要点写一封英语申请信。
内容包括：1．申请原因；
2．自我优势（口语能力，组织能力，沟通能力）；
3．希望获准。
注意：1．词数100左右：
2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3．信的开头已给出，不计入总词数。
参考词汇：助教 teaching assistant
Dear Sir/Madam,
I’m glad to see your advertisement on the Internet. ______________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
短文改错
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。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号(∧), 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。
Dear Angela,
I’m glad to hear the news you’ll come to Hangzhou for a visit. You know, Hangzhou is a beautiful city on the east coast of China. It is said that Marco Polo, a well-known Italy traveler once visited Hangzhou, and was striking by its beautiful scenery. Hangzhou is one of the oldest cities for a long history. It was the capital of several dynasty. As the result, it has a lot of famous temples and old towers. The West Lake, with green hills on three sides or many beautiful parks around, attracts a large number of visitors at home and at abroad. I think you’ll have a good time during our stay in Hangzhou. I’m looking forward to see you here soon.
Yours,
Li Hua
语法填空
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。
I was traveling in a small place in New York. That place had no taxi for a short 1. (distant). One had to take a rickshaw(人力车).
I called out for an old man in the 2. (wait) line. Before I got on the rickshaw, I 3. (automatic) asked how much he would charge to take me across to the Mall. I 4. (tell) “10 dollars”. Then I started bargaining. He just gave a hard smile and said, “ 5. you feel like, please give me. It is not necessary to bargain on this small amount.”
I was a bit ashamed at myself and kept quiet while he continued, “ 6. (like) those taxis, my vehicle does not run on petrol or diesel(柴油) or even gas; it runs on my sweat. So please give it to me with a smile, for the money has to feed so many 7. (hunger) mouths at home.”
When we reached the Mall, I gave him the money and the smile 8. requested and added 9. gentle pat on his back. He smiled back as if 10. (give) me a receipt and I would preserve his smile for a long time.
