We like to think that the human mind is special. One sign of our superiority is self-awareness, which is generally seen as the peak of consciousness. Only a select group of species has passed the test of being able to recognise themselves in a mirror. Most, including elephants, apes and dolphins, are smart. But now a little fish, the cleaner wrasse has become the first fish ever to pass the mirror test——a classic experiment used to judge self-awareness in animals. What are we to make of this?
Admittedly^ the mirror test is a questionable way of probing （探究）the minds of other animals. But the finding does fit with a new idea that the ability to recognise oneself is more related to an animal’s lifestyle than to its brain size. Self-awareness is likely to occur in creatures whose survival is dependent on reading the minds of others. In fact, by this way of thinking, it is nothing more than an accidental by-product of evolution^ a simulation （模拟）created by the brain, or even just a hall of mirrors giving the illusion of complexity.
The cleaner wrasse lives on coral reefs and provides a service by biting parasites （寄 生虫）off the scales of bigger fish gently, a delicate relationship that may require insight into the minds of its clients. Such “theory of mind” has long been seen as another cornerstone of human mental superiority. The possibility that fish possess it is not, however, the only threat to our human exceptionalism （例外）.It may not be long before computers give us a run for our money , too.
Researchers have created a set of tests to look for theory of mind in artificial intelligence— and some systems are on the point of passing. No AIs have passed the tests yet, but one got extremely close. We probably don't need to worry about robots that can recognise themselves in mirrors. But we might want to be more open to the idea that human intelligence isn't quite as special as we like to think.
1.What can we learn from the mirror test?
A.Mammals have a more adaptive body system.
B.A species of fish is capable of self-recognition.
C.The human mind is just as special as expected.
D.Humans have reached the peak of consciousness.
2.According to the passage, self-awareness .
A.is formed during evolution by chance B.corresponds with the size of the brain
C.isn't a hall of mirrors but a simulation D.reflects the typical mental complexity
3.The underlined part in Paragraph 3 probably means "
A.bring us huge profits
B.cost us a lot of money
C.have great control over us
D.challenge our exceptionalism
4.What' s the main idea of the passage?
A.Fish possess no level of intelligence.
B.Humans are not unique in intelligence.
C.AIs will be able to understand our thoughts.
D.Self-awareness is a big mystery of the mind.
According to new health guidelines, even a minute or two of physical exercise is better than nothing: just walking upstairs and down again, before continuing your otherwise entirely sofa-based afternoon of crisps and television, makes for a healthier life than if you hadn' t bothered. The previous recommendation was for a 10-minute minimum, but for years’ the general direction of research has been toward the conclusion that there is no minimum at all. This doesn51 just go for exercise^ either. Five minutes in nature can boost your mental health; and while one daily serving of vegetables may be too few, it's definitely preferable to zero. If you are wondering whether or not some tiny but healthful activity is worth it, the answer^ almost always, is yes.
It' s a little strange actually, that this is even a topic of debate. Of course anything is better than nothing. For one thing, it's a good start for building habits. For another, tiny actions are valuable in themselves. Human bodies aren't digital devices, and health generally isn't a matter of reaching fixed thresholds （门槛）；what is good for the organism in large quantities is usually good in smaller ones, too.
The real reason for the debate is not that the facts are in dispute （争议）.It's that information is dangerous. When public bodies recommend^ say, a 10-minute minimum, it's because they worry that if they don't, people who might otherwise have exercised for 10 minutes will stop after two.
Even this column risks making things worse. If you had truly been planning to spend all day on the sofa, perhaps I have inspired you to take a five-minute walk; but if there is a chance that you would have gone to the gym for an hour, reading these words might persuade you to settle for the stroll （散步）instead.
Ideally, we would stop thinking about healthy behaviours in terms of minimums: within reason, you should be doing as much exercise as you can, not as little as you can get away with—while remembering that nothing is too minor to be not worth the bother. This is a sensible approach to much of life, I would say, from being a good friend or paying attention to your kids, to saving money or reducing your environmental impact. However much you do9 it will never be enough. But that is not a reason to do nothing—on the contrary^ it' s a reason to do something.
1.Tiny healthy actions are worthwhile because •
A.they contribute to good habits and health
B.they provide abundant choices for fitness
C.they add a new dimension to people, s lives
D.they are easily conducted in people5 s daily lives
2.Why don public bodies recommend a minimum time for exercise?
A.People have their own concept of time.
B.It contradicts with new health guidelines.
C.There is a lack of scientific research on it.
D.People may misinterpret its real intentions.
3.What does the writer want to stress in the passage?
A.Life lies in movement.
B.All roads lead to Rome.
C.Actions speak louder than words.
D.Anything is better than nothing.
About The Postal Museum
There’ s nothing ordinary about the story of the post. From five -wheeled cycles and rockets to a lioness and flintlock pistols （手枪），the award-winning Postal Museum offers a surprising and entertaining half day out for all ages.
See a restored Mail Coach that thundered across 1800s Britain, get up close to the only existing sheets of the world5 s first postage stamp, the Penny Black, and explore Mail Rail—one of London's hidden gems—with a 15-minute ride through the underground tunnels of the Post Office5 s own 100-year-old railway.
Forget what you think you know about the post and visit one of London's newest museums to discover just what it took to keep us all in touch.
Know Before You Go
• Mail Rail is a miniature railway designed to carry post, not people. As such, it's not suitable for everyone and we^re unfortunately unable to accommodate wheelchair users on the ride itself.
• The Postal Museum is open 10am-5pm every day (closed at Christmas).
• Please ensure you arrive at least 15 minutes before the end of the one-hour Mail Rail timeslot shown on your ticket. Failure to arrive on time may result in being unable to ride Mail Rail.
• Re-entry is permitted any time between 10am and 4:30pm on the date stated on the ticket.
1.A visitor to the Postal Museum will have the chance to .
A.take the restored Mail Coach
B.ride Mail Rail for 15 minutes
C.get a copy of the Penny Black
D.hear an unusual story of the post
2.From the advertisement, we can know that .
A.re-entry is not permitted during the opening hours
B.the museum reduces the opening hours at Christmas
C.unpunctual visitors may not get the most out of the tour
D.wheelchair users cannot ride Mail Rail without attendance
I had a rocky start to life. My mum brought me up as a single parent. School was a ____ experience. I was troublesome and ____ teachers in lessons.
At 14, I was ____ out of school. My mum took me to the Caribbean, where my grandparents lived. It turned out to be a good experience for me: I returned to school and became ____ It was a kick up the backside （警醒）to see a different culture. I returned to the UK after two years and ____ applied to study in a college.
It was then that I knew I really had to ____ and avoid getting into trouble. One day, a college tutor told me he felt I had ____ and told me not to waste it. He was the first teacher to ____ me. He gave me a self-development book that explored ____ From there I started reading all sorts of self -development books and watching ____ speakers.
I ____ studying business and marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University. I realised I could stay out of ____ and make money, and it made me ____ to start my own business.
I received a ____ of £2,000 and business support from the Prince's Trust to help me set up a sportswear business. I also ____ We Shine Together, a social enterprise that provides training programmes to help people from ____ communities gain qualifications. Tm also a motivational speaker and regularly ____ my story at schools and colleges around Birmingham.
I like to ____ in myself and regularly buy self -development books and go on courses. I feel like I've ____ my life massively. ____ I was kicked out of school, I knew what I wanted in life. I always had that kind of courage and determination in me.
1.A.pleasant B.shared C.negative D.rewarding
2.A.assisted B.challenged C.defended D.monitored
3.A.kicked B.helped C.freed D.scared
4.A.arbitrary B.intelligent C.aggressive D.disciplined
5.A.successfully B.temporarily C.previously D.unrealistically
6.A.relax B.focus C.hide D.suffer
7.A.money B.time C.sympathy D.potential
8.A.doubt B.trust C.bless D.warn
9.A.nature B.culture C.business D.education
10.A.fragile B.desperate C.tricky D.inspiring
11.A.ended up B.gave up C.objected to D.stuck to
12.A.order B.sight C.trouble D.hand
13.A.hesitant B.disappointed C.determined D.reluctant
14.A.deposit B.pension C.revenue D.grant
15.A.praise B.avoid C.run D.shut
16.A.wealthy B.civilized C.disadvantaged D.harmonious
17.A.publish B.share C.read D.invent
18.A.invest B.take C.trade D.interfere
19.A.shrank from B.turned around C.broke down D.messed up
20.A.Before B.Unless C.As if D.Even though
—The development of gene-editing has released huge innovation potential.
—But if used illegally, such a promising technology could become ____.
A.a Pandora’s box B.a dark horse C.a child's play D.a Herculean task
—What about your trip to Nantong Printed Blue Nankeen Museum?
—It displays traditional Chinese art and craft and we ____ a great time there.
A.had B.have C.would have D.had had
