Whenever I moved to a new city, the first thing I did was to hire a bicycle. Why? 1. You travel much faster than on foot and you notice so much more of your surroundings than when in a bus or a car. It's more appealing to wander down small streets if they seem interesting, as you can quickly get back to the main road. Besides, I soon discovered more benefits of cycling.
A bicycle means that fewer places, especially in a small city like the one where I live now, feel far away. For example, cycling to work takes me half the time that it would to walk, 2.
Of course, there are obvious health benefits of cycling — a bit of extra movement as part of your daily routine can help you keep fit and healthy. Cycling on my way to work also makes me feel more energetic in the mornings.
3. While cars pollute the environment，bicycles are carbon neutral (碳平衡的). Furthermore, thanks to being petrol-free, bicycles are cheaper to run, buy and fix than cars. Even if you don't own a car，a bicycle can pay for itself when compared to the price of bus tickets.
4. Always wear a helmet, pay attention to other traffic and don't forget your lights at night. Make sure you know the road rules, especially in a new place. Some cities are more bicycle-friendly than others. 5. Luckily, where I live now is quite easy to ride a bicycle around, thanks to having lots of cycle lanes and not too many hills!
A.However, be careful when you are cycling.
B.But sometimes city roads are difficult for cyclists.
C.I should learn to ride safely on the right of the road.
D.Importantly, cycling also helps to decrease your carbon footprint.
E.Cycling to work is fit for whoever wants to save their pocket money.
F.Riding a bicycle also means you aren't limited by the bus timetables.
G.Seeing a city by bicycle is perfect for settling in and learning your way around.
The remains of an ancient ape (猿) found in Bavaria suggest that humans' ancestors began standing upright millions of years earlier than previously thought.
An international team of researchers said the fossilized skeleton (化石骨骼) of a male ape that lived in the warm and damp forests of what is now southern Germany was quite similar to modem human bones. In a paper published by the journal Nature, they concluded that the previously unknown species — named Danuvius guggenmosi — could walk on two legs but also climb like an ape.
''The findings raise fundamental questions about our previous understanding of the evolution of the great apes and humans, '' said Madelaine Boehme, who led the research.
The question of when apes could walk on two legs has fascinated scientists since Charles Darwin first argued that they were the ancestors of humans. Previous fossil records of apes with an upright move — found in Crete and Kenya — dated only as far back as 6 million years. These apes are called Toumai.
Boehme, along with researchers from Bulgaria, Canada and the United States, examined more than 15,000 bones recovered from the archaeological remains found. Among the remains they were able to piece together were primate (灵长目动物) fossils belonging to 4 individuals that lived 11.62 million years ago. The most complete, an adult male, likely stood about 1 meter tall, weighed 31 kilograms and looked similar to modern-day bonobos, a species of chimp.
Like humans, Danuvius had an S-shaped backbone to hold its body upright while standing. Unlike humans, though, it had a powerful big toe that would have allowed it to grab branches with its foot easily.
Fred Spoor, a biologist at the Natural History Museum in London, called the fossil finds ''fantastic'', but said they would likely be denied or suspected by others, especially because they could challenge many existing ideas about evolution.
1.Where did the scientists find the fossilized ape skeleton?
A.Germany. B.Canada.
C.Bulgaria. D.Kenya.
2.What can we infer about Danuvius guggenmosi?
A.It was a species of chimp.
B.It lived in Crete and Kenya.
C.It could walk with a backbone.
D.It existed much earlier than Toumai.
3.How does Spoor feel about the finding?
A.It is the most fantastic one.
B.It is a support to evolution.
C.It may cause lots of debate.
D.It denies the previous ideas.
4.What might be the best title for this text?
A.Legend of Humans' Ancestors
B.The Secrets Uncovered from Fossils
C.The Oldest Example of Upright Ape Found
D.Recent Findings against the Theory of Evolution
Scientists have created the world's first living, self-healing robots using stem cells (干细胞) from frogs. Named xenobots after the African clawed frog from which they take their stem cells, the ''machines'' are less than a millimeter wide — small enough to travel inside human bodies. They can walk and swim, survive for weeks without food, and work together in groups. ''These are entirely new life forms, '' said the University of Vermont, which conducted the research with Tufts University's Allen Discovery Center.
The researchers removed living stem cells from frog embryos (胚胎), and left them to hatch. Then, the cells were cut and reshaped into specific ''body forms'' designed by a supercomputer — forms ''never seen in nature''，according to a news release from the University of Vermont.
Xenobots even have regenerative abilities. When the scientists sliced into one robot, it healed by itself and kept moving. They don’t look like traditional robots - they have no shiny clothing or robotic arms. Instead, they look more like a tiny drop of moving pink flesh. The researchers say this is deliberate — this ''biological machine'' can achieve things typical robots of steel and plastic cannot. ''Traditional robots degrade over time and can produce harmful ecological and health side effects, '' researchers said in the study. ''As biological machines, xenobots are more environmentally friendly and safer for human health.''
According to the researchers, these robots could be used to clean up radioactive waste, collect microplastics in the oceans, or even carry medicine inside human bodies. Aside from these immediate practical tasks, they could also help researchers to learn more about cell biology - opening the doors to future advancement in human health and longevity. This sounds like something from a sci-fi movie. Some people even voiced their concern that humans might be taken control of by those xenobots. However, the researchers in the study say there is no need for alarm. They can't reproduce or evolve (进化).
1.What is this passage mainly about?
A.The advantages of a medical robot.
B.The application of robots in biology.
C.The general introduction of a living robot.
D.The medical value of African clawed frogs.
2.The underlined word ''regenerative'' in Paragraph 3 probably means ''________''.
A.living longer B.growing again
C.replacing old cells D.defending against attacks
3.What can we know about xenobots?
A.They can do everything that traditional robots can.
B.They can break up steel and plastic while degrading.
C.They are able to cure people of all kinds of diseases.
D.They are harmless to the environment and human health.
4.What is the researchers' attitude to the development of xenobots?
A.Doubtful. B.Positive.
C.Cautious. D.Casual.
Harper Lee was an American novelist widely known for To Kill a Mockingbird, published in 1960, which won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic of modern American literature. The 1962 film adaptation starring Gregory Peck won three Academy Awards.
For decades, the book was Lee’s only major work of published fiction, but it was hugely influential for generations of US readers. It has sold more than 10 million copies, and is one of the most widely taught novels in the US schools. In 2007 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her contributions to literature.
Lee wanted to live a simple life and was never comfortable with the attention the novel won her, and she practically disappeared from public life after it appeared. The world, however, continued waiting for a new novel from her, and on occasion she suggested that she had a story in progress.
In 2015, a book did come out. Go Set a Watchman was more of a first draft, featuring Scout, the young girl who was the main character of To Kill a Mockingbird. Go Set a Watchman tells a story of Scout as an adult. Accusations arose that the 89-year-old Lee was not able to agree to the manuscript’s release，and that various parties had signed on her behalf.
Though Lee moved to New York in 1949, she spent many years guarding her privacy (隐私) in Monroeville, which served as the clear inspiration for the setting in To Kill a Mockingbird.
In 2007, Lee suffered a stroke (中风), but recovered and later settled in Monroeville permanently to care for her sister, Alice, who died in 2014. She was said to eat breakfast every morning at the same fast-food spot, and was friendly with her neighbors. The countless Americans knew her only through her works，and they will undoubtedly miss her.
1.What can be learned about Harper Lee from the first two paragraphs?
A.She was regarded the greatest writer in America.
B.She made great contributions to American literature.
C.She once starred in a film adapted from her own novel.
D.She got her novels well accepted in most American schools.
2.Why did Harper Lee disappear from public life after her first novel came out?
A.She tried to get out of accusations.
B.She wanted to write another novel.
C.She intended to avoid being bothered.
D.She wasn’t comfortable with her novel’s influence.
3.What can we learn about Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman?
A.It tells her own life story.
B.It is adapted into a famous film.
C.It won her lots of honors and awards.
D.It continues the story of her earlier one.
4.What can be inferred about Harper Lee from the last paragraph?
A.She died of a stroke in 2014.
B.She will be remembered forever.
C.She cared much for her neighbors.
D.She led a lonely life in her later life.
It's time for fun outside! Take your bathing suit and sunscreen and head to these sunny spots that offer the best getaways for every interest!
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Head to the hot city nightlife of San Juan. Top chefs, stylish hotels, bars, clubs and shops are all just steps away from the tropical beaches. And since Puerto Rico is a United States Commonwealth, it's one of the easiest islands in the Caribbean to visit since you won't need a passport, have to change money, or even worry about your cellphone working. Puerto Rico is also one of the best tropical vacations you can take without leaving the United States.
Riviera Maya, Mexico
What's better than diving into the salty sea? Going into the clear and salt-free waters of the naturally occurring limestone cenotes (石灰岩沼穴) of the Riviera Maya and Yucatan Peninsula. Spend a sunny day exploring these natural cave pools filled with cool water that springs from the ground below and the thick palm forests that surround them. Then head back to the perfectly located Fairmont Mayakoba for comfortable rooms and modem Mexican cuisine.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans' lively nightlife and live-music scenes make ''the Big Easy'' a great girls' getaway. And even if your crew isn't one to seek out the boozy Bourbon Street crawl, there's plenty of amazing food in the French Quarter，plenty of shopping and strolling in the Garden District.
Clearwater, Florida
If you want to meet a real movie star while also enjoying the sunbath, head to the Gulf shores of Clearwater, Florida. Here you can meet the stars of Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2, Winter and Hope, who are in residence full-time at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
1.What makes Puerto Rico an easy tourist spot to visit?
A.It lies in the Caribbean. B.No passport is needed.
C.It’s near the tropical beaches. D.Many travel services are offered.
2.What can you do if you travel to Riviera Maya?
A.Taste various foods. B.Meet some famous stars.
C.Dive into the salty waters. D.Explore natural cave pools.
3.Which place will you choose if you are a film fan?
A.Clearwater, Florida. B.Riviera Maya, Mexico.
C.San Juan, Puerto Rico. D.New Orleans, Louisiana.
假定你是李华，最近获悉你的美国网友Peter家乡受到飓风(hurricane)侵袭，损失惨重。请你用英语给Peter写一封慰问信。信的内容包括：
1. 得知情况及感受；
2. 表达安慰和鼓励；
3. 打算提供的帮助。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯.
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