Light pollution is blocking a starry view of the night sky for more than half of people across England, a research has found.
Fifty-seven percent of stargazers（观星者）struggled to see more than 10 stars, while just 2% of participants said they experienced a truly dark sky making them be able to count more than 30,9 according to the research by the Campaign to Protect Rural England （CPRE）. People in the countryside were encouraged to count how many stars they could see with eyes within the constellation （星座）of Orion, which is visible only in the winter months.
Campaigners said the results of the star count, supported by the British Astronomical Association, showed the problem of light pollution and how it affected one of the countryside’s most magical sights—a dark, starry night sky. They said the results of the research to map England’s night skies suggested more could be done by the government, local councils and the general public to reduce the negative effects of artificial light from streets and buildings.
Emma Marrington, dark skies campaigner at the CPRE, said “We’re hugely grateful to the people who took the time to get out and take part in our star count. But it’s deeply disappointing that the vast majority were unable to experience the natural wonder of a truly dark sky blanketed with stars. Without any action, our night sky will continue to be lost under a covering of artificial light, ruining the health of the natural world.”
She added: “The star count results show just how far-reaching the light from street lights and buildings can be seen. Light doesn’t respect boundaries, and careless use can see it spread for miles from cities.”
She suggested better-designed lighting, street light dimming（暗淡）systems and part- night lighting where some street lights are turned off during the small hours should provide an opportunity to limit the damage caused by light pollution, reduce carbon emissions and save money.
1.What effect does the light pollution bring about to England?
A.It leads the stars to disappear.
B.It makes the countryside dim.
C.It makes the environment terrible.
D.It prevents the people seeing stars.
2.What causes the light pollution according to the text?
A.More and more buildings.
B.Less and less outdoor activities.
C.The overuse of artificial light.
D.The spread of light in the countryside.
3.How does Emma feel about the stargazers’ efforts?
A.Disappointed. B.Surprised.
C.Regretful. D.Appreciative.
4.What is Emma’s suggestion for dealing with the light pollution?
A.Using street lights wisely. B.Turning off lights at night.
C.Spreading light further. D.Changing the streets1 design.
Are you wondering whether it’s worth going for a little jog? Don’t hesitate, and get your sports shoes on. A new study shows that proper running lowers the risk of death before the normal time.
In a survey of 14 previous studies from the US and Denmark, the group of researchers from institutes in Australia and Finland concluded that running would probably lead to improvements in population health and longevity（长寿）.The studies involved 232,149 participants over time periods ranging from 5. 5 to 35 years.
On the whole, people running any distance were related with a 27% lower risk of death from all causes than those who did not, the study shows. Running was also related with a 30% and 23% lower risk of death from cardiovascular（心血管的）disease and cancer.
Previous studies had concluded “inconsistent findings” about whether running could lower the risk of death before the normal time, according to the researchers. Lead researcher Jim White, a professor at Victoria University in Melbourne, told CNN: “Our recent findings may encourage physically inactive individuals to take up running and those who already run to keep on doing it.”
He added that doctors may be encouraged by our findings to promote running as a part of “lifestyle medicine”. In their paper, which will be published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the researchers say health professionals are sometimes wary of promoting running because vigorous（剧烈的）use of it has been linked with sudden heart death.
Jim and his team deny this by noting that the benefit of running outweighs the risk. However, they did say advice should be given on a case — by — case basis, as running might not be appropriate for everyone. Although running has a clear health benefit, the researchers point out that higher “doses” of running may not reduce the risk of death further. According to the WHO s guidelines, adults aged between 18 and 64 should take 150 minutes of gentle exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.
1.What did the new study focus on?
A.The benefit of jog. B.People’s lifestyles.
C.People’s living conditions. D.The popularity of jog.
2.What will the study contribute to according to Jim?
A.Doctors’ quicker treatment. B.People’s losing weight.
C.People’s involvement in running. D.Researchers’ promotion of sport.
3.What does the underlined word "wary" in paragraph 5 mean?
A.Certain. B.Tired.
C.Cautious. D.Confident.
Can robots be creative? British art gallery owner Aidan Meller thinks so. He hopes to begin answering that question with a robot called Ai-Da. Meller is watching the building of all Ai-Da’s parts by engineers at Engineered Arts, a company based in Cornwall, England. The engineers believe the robot will be able to make pictures of people from sight with a writing instrument in her hand. Meller wants the robot to perform like a human artist.
After seeing Ai-Da’s head being carefully brought to life by specialists who were connecting individual hairs to form eyebrows, Meller said, “She’s going to actually be drawing and we’re hoping to then build technology for her to paint.” But also as a performing artist, “she’ll be able to communicate with audiences and actually get messages across, asking those questions about technology today,” he added.
Ai-Da’s robotic head may still be separate from her body, but her movements are very alive. Cameras in each of her eyeballs recognize human body parts. Ai-Da will make eye contact and follow you around the room, opening and closing her mouth as you do. If you get too close, the robot will back away, closing and then opening her eyes as if in shock.
The specialists are using the company’s Mesmer lifelike robot technology to create her head. Once finished, Ai-Da will have a mixed-race appearance, with long dark hair and manmade skin. The teeth and skin inside her mouth will come from a 3-D printer. Marcus Hold works at Engineered Arts. He said Mesmer “brings together the development of software mechanics and electronics to produce a lifelike face with lifelike gestures in a small human sized package.”
Ai-Da will make her first public appearance at an exhibition called “Unsecured Futures” at the University of Oxford. Some of her pictures are expected to appear at another show in London later this year.
1.How will Ai-Da do when you get very close to her?
A.Keep still. B.Step back.
C.Run away. D.Speak aloud.
2.Which of the following is Ai-Da good at?
A.Taking care of the old. B.Communicating with persons.
C.Doing housework. D.Making up like humans.
3.What may be the best title for the text?
A.Ai-Da, a Creative Robot B.Meller, a Great Engineer
C.Ai-Da Makes Painting Easier D.Meller Helps Robot Cleverer
假定你是李华，是学校英文报“Advice”栏目的编辑。你收到一封署名为Miss Worried的来信。信中该同学诉说了自己的困扰：本学期期中考试后经常感到压力大晚上睡不好，使正常的学习和生活受到了影响。请用英文给该同学写一封回信。内容包括：
1. 表示理解并给予安慰；
2. 提出建议并说明理由。（至少两条建议）
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头与结尾已为你写好。
Dear Miss Worried,
I’m sorry to know that you’re having difficulty falling asleep.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I hope you’ll find them useful.
Yours,
Li Hua
单词拼写
1.We should never __________ (忽视) young children’s education.
2.He did not think she could __________ (认出) his car in the snow.
3.He can speak English as __________ (流利) as an Englishman.
4.The fashion from country to country may show the c__________ differences.
5.In that big fire, all their houses were completely d__________, so they had to build new ones.
6.It took a long time for him to r__________ from a bad cold.
7.I would __________ (感谢) it if you could give me an early reply.
8.He himself was __________ (不安的) because he’d been lying.
9.I felt I __________ (值得) better than that.
10.Visitors p__________ the beauty of the scenery.
11.The parents, whose son was lost for several days, __________ (遭受) a lot.
12.Taking proper and __________ (定期的) exercise can help you have a good shape.
13.Lucy was a __________ into her dream university, which made her feel excited.
14.If you have a dream, d__________ yourself to it and finally your dream will come true.
15.Titanic was a British ship that s__________ into the North Atlantic Ocean.
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
I am fond of my sister 1. she has one serious shortcoming. She can be 2. (real) stubborn. Although she didn’t know the best way of getting to places, she insisted that she 3. (organize) the trip properly. Now I know that the proper way is always her way. I kept asking her, “When are we leaving and when are we coming back?” I asked her whether she 4. (look) at a map yet. Of course she hadn’t; my sister doesn’t care about 5. (detail).
So I told her that the source of the Mekong is in Qinghai Province. She gave me a 6. (determine) look - the kind 7. said she would not change her mind. When I told her that our journey would begin at an altitude of more than 5,000 metres, she seemed to be excited about it. When I told her the air would be hard 8. (breathe) and it would be very cold, she said it would be an interesting experience. I know my sister well. Once she has made up 9. (she) mind, nothing can change it. Finally, I had to give 10..
