选择知识点

Sea urchins（海胆）are small creatures,but what's really remarkable about them is that they eat anything that happens to float by.They have really sharp teeth they use to rid rocks of algae（海澡），which makes them pretty valuable especially in places like Hawaii where algae are threatening the coral reefs.In the summer of 2019，500，000 of them were used to deal with the algae.
  The problem started when non-native algae were introduced to the ecosystem of Kane'ohe Bay in the 1970s.Because they had no enemies,they ended up taking over the bay,according to the National Marine Fisheries Service（NMFS）．The algae blocked sunlight from reaching the coral,which in turn affected the local fish because they changed the chemistry of the water.
  That's when the NMFS turned to sea urchins that loved to devour the algae.But they had to grow to the size of a cherry tomato before they could be used.Since 2011，sea urchins have been grown and used to handle the algae problem.Some of the funds are available due to an unfortunate incident.
  In 2005，a ship was grounded on a shallow reef near Kane'ohe Bay.When the ship was removed,20 acres of reefs have been damaged.When there is environmental damage,the NMFS and other agencies receive funds from the wrongdoers and the funds are used to restore the damage.Some funds were spent on other projects like the sea urchins.When they are large enough,divers carefully place them on the reef.
  Algae isn't the only thing that threatens the coral reefs.Climate change and the effects of fishing and tourism in the area also endanger the coral reefs.But turning to sea urchins instead of man-made solutions seems like the best way to go.



Why are sea urchins regarded as outstanding creatures？ ______

A. They are tiny but have teeth.
B. They can keep the ocean clean.
C. They are useful in removing algae.
D. They grow on coral reefs with algae.

What happened after non-native algae arrived at Kane'ohe Bay？ ______

A. They helped the coral reefs to survive.
B. They spread to every corner of the bay.
C. They didn't fit in with the new surroundings.
D. They fought against other species to get food.

What does the underlined word "devour" in paragraph 3 mean？ ______

A. Eat.
B. Block.
C. Tease.
D. Attract.

What does the author suggest doing to save coral reefs？ ______

A. Relying on humans' solutions.
B. Banning fishing and tourism.
C. Employing divers to handle algae.
D. Letting nature take care of nature.

Something strange was happening inside Anne's home. During the summer of 2014， twins Gavin and Garrett, then three, each had skin rash（疹子） that wouldn't go away. 14-year-old J．D．had stomach pains so severe that he couldn't climb the stairs,but tests found nothing wrong. By winter, the family's health problems were getting worse.
  One day, Anne found brown water flowed out of the tap. Worried that the water was polluted, the family began using bottled water for cooking,drinking, and bathing.
  In January 2015，the city of Flint sent out a notice stating that the water supply-which had been switched, in a cost-cutting measure, from the Detroit water system to the Flint River the previous spring-contained high levels of trihalomethanes（三卤甲烷）．The notice warned that elderly people might be at risk for health problems but emphasized that the water was otherwise safe to drink.
  Shocked, the self-claimed "stay-at-home mom turned water warrior" researched the water supply and searched the Internet for information that she distributed to city officials, listing the side effects of exposure to trihalomethanes. Then she urged her neighbors to attend city council meetings, where they shared their health problems. Still, officials insisted the water was safe to drink. So Anne demanded that the city test her water. The results were disturbing. The trihalomethanes were the least of her problems. The tests included that the lead levels in her water were nearly seven times the legal amount.
  Anne had her children tested for lead. All the kids showed lead poisoning. She requested Flint's water quality reports and discovered that the city wasn't applying the proper corrosion（腐蚀） control standards to its pipes； the standards prevent the metal in pipes from leaking into the water.



How did Gavin suffer from the disease？ ______

A. His stomach hurt so much that he couldn't climb the stairs.
B. He had rash on his skin which wouldn't disappear.
C. His disease got too ill for him to get any medical tests.
D. He had weak eyesight and couldn't go to school.

Why did the city of Flint change its water supply？ ______

A. The Detroit water system had been polluted.
B. The Flint River was made clean a year ago.
C. They wanted to cut the cost of water supply.
D. The Flint River always has brown water.

The test of the water from Anne's home showed that ______ ．

A. her family had the worst of the trihalomethanes pollution
B. the water from her tap was safe to use except for drinking
C. her family was located in the most polluted part of the city
D. there was something more serious than the trihalomethanes

The water problem was caused by ______ ．

A. the lack of proper corrosion control to the pipes
B. the overuse of water-purifying chemicals
C. the exposure to trihalomethanes in the water
D. the improper use of metal in the pipes

The United States will have more adults aged 65 and over than children by the year 2035， the US Census Bureau says. As the American population ages, the demand for services and care for older adults is growing.
  SenCura is a company that provides non-medical at-home care for seniors in the northern Virginia area.Cliff Glier founded the company 12 years ago. He says its services include help with bathing, transportation, getting dressed and planning and preparing meals.
  Hollie is one of SenCura's professional caregivers. She visits 88-year-old Olga Robertson's home every day for three hours. Robertson says she likes having Hollie's help.
  Well, she cooks for me and she does a good job. She takes me to appointments（约会） and things like that and whatever I want to do. Sometimes, we go to walk in the mall if it's cold out in the winter time.
  But when Hollie is not around, Robertson still has a caregiver -a robot named Rudy, who can have a conversation and also tells jokes and plays games and dances with Robertson.
  In addition to keeping Robertson mentally and physically active, Rudy provides services 24 hours a day. He watches for lost things, reminds Robertson about her doctor's appointments and tells her when it is time to take her medicine. The robot is a little more than one meter tall. It has a screen that makes checking in with family and caregivers easy.
  Anthony Nunez is the founder of INF Robotics, the company that created Rudy. He says the idea for the robotic caregiver was inspired by what his own mother lived through when his grandmother got older.
  SenCura's Cliff Glier met Nunez and his team at an event more than a year ago. He became interested in introducing Rudy to his own customers. Glier says Rudy is not competition for human caregivers. He says the robot is there to help but cannot do all the things that caregivers do, like bathing and dressing seniors.



What does the company SenCura do？ ______

A. It focuses on care service for seniors.
B. It supports medical research projects.
C. It develops robots helping poor seniors.
D. It provides medical services for seniors.

Which of the following can not the robot Rudy do？ ______

A. Talk with seniors.
B. Dress seniors.
C. Tell jokes.
D. Play games with seniors.

What inspires Anthony Nunez to invent the robot Rudy？ ______

A. The change in the population of the United States.
B. The fast development of modern science and technology.
C. The work experience from a professional caregiver called Hollie.
D. His mother's experiences of looking after his grandmother.

What's the best title of the text？ ______

A. The American Population Ages Seriously
B. Professional Caregivers for Seniors Are popular
C. INF Robotics Invented New Robots for Children
D. New Caregivers for Seniors

Nature can provide almost everything human beings need if we follow her rules.But if we break the rules,she is likely to be cruel and lash out at us.
  The outbreak of the COVID-19 in China and some other countries is an example.Dr Peter Daszak,president of the US-based health organization,said,"This outbreak is a lesson for us.On a global scale（规模），human population density（密度），wildlife diversity,and land usechange are what drive new pandemics（流行病）．"
  In ancient times,people needed to rely on nature to survive so they held it in awe（敬畏）．For example,the American Indians believed that humans are a part of nature and nature is apart of humans.Chinese ancients always tried to keep the harmony between nature and human beings.
  However,as human beings master more knowledge and make more advanced tools,people try to change and even conquer nature.They use more land to make buildings and capture wild and rare animals to suit their own needs.In this process,humans gradually lose contact with nature and even throw it out of balance.
  Although we don't know for sure what first caused the COVID-19 outbreak,it's time for people to reflect on our relationship with our planet and reconnect with this world and everything that we've been given.After all,nature is not the place to visit.It's our home.



What does the phrase "lash out at" in Paragraph 1 probably mean？ ______

A. Control.
B. Challenge.
C. Destroy.
D. Punish.

What lesson did Daszak think human beings should learn from the COVID-19 outbreak？ ______

A. Humans should live peacefully with nature.
B. Bats are one of the most dangerous wild animals.
C. We should stop the wildlife trade around the world.
D. It's impossible to prevent new pandemics globally.

What is the main idea of Paragraph 4？ ______

A. How human activities cause global warming.
B. How human beings break the balance of nature.
C. How human beings become their own masters.
D. How humans use technology to improve their lives.

What is the author's purpose in writing this article？ ______

A. To reflect on the COVID-19 outbreak.
B. To explain what led to the COVID-19 outbreak.
C. To describe experts' predictions on new pandemics.
D. To compare ancient and modern attitudes toward nature.

Experts say that food is one of the biggest greenhouse gas polluters.The reason is the rising demand for meat.Animal farming is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas methane（甲烷）emissions（排放）． While cows are the worse contributors,pigs,sheep,donkeys and other animals play a part as well.
  Animal farming also causes land to become damaged,water to be polluted and forests to get destroyed.That is why experts are advocating substituting（替代）some of the beef,chicken or pork with ordinary insects!
  Insects,which grow into adults within a matter of months,if not weeks,are ready for consumption much faster than domestic（驯养的）animals.They also require much less room, use less water and food,and produce far less greenhouse gas than animals.
  Of the 1.1 million insect species worldwide,scientists have identified 1.700 as eatable.Among them are ants,grasshoppers,grubs,and earthworms.Just like animals,each insect has a different taste.Tree worms taste just like pork,and grubs are similar to smoked meat.
  While eating insects might be a new concept for Western people,over 2 billion people worldwide consume insects as a regular part of their diet.Besides being delicious,insects are high in protein,have very few calories,and are free of the saturated（饱和）fat.So eat insects,both your body and Mother Earth will thank you for it!



Which of the following animals are responsible for the most global methane emissions？ ______

A. Sheep.
B. Pigs.
C. Cows.
D. Donkeys.

How is the third paragraph mainly developed？ ______

A. By asking questions.
B. By providing examples.
C. By listing the numbers.
D. By making comparisons.

What do tree worms taste like？ ______

A. Pig meat.
B. Tomato soup.
C. Fresh vegetables.
D. Fried chicken.

What can be inferred from the last paragraph？ ______

A. Few people eat insects regularly.
B. Ordinary insects are high in fat.
C. Saturated fat is harmful to health.
D. Insects contain various vitamin.

Nasr Majid started hunting this fall at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge （保护区）on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in USA． He's one of the relatively few new hunters who officials hope will help stop a nearly four-decade decline nationally in what has become a hobby for fewer than 5 percent of Americans.
  Natural resources and wildlife officials in Maryland are encouraging hunting of deer, turkeys and some other wild animals, which is believed to be good for the environment. Without hunting, they say, sika deer will overpopulate the wildlife refuge and they'll overeat the bushes and other plants that provide important habitat for birds. On the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, hunting is also important to prevent the spread of diseases such as Lyme.
  In many families, the hunting tradition has been handed down for generations. But as longtime sportsmen age and children lose interest, the number of hunters in the United States fell by 2 million, from 2011 to 2018， to about 11 million.
  '"Everything is changing. Kids are growing up in front of video games and computers instead of going hunting." said Chris Markin, a hunting specialist for the state natural resources department."Adults usually focus on working and providing for their families. Those pressures are preventing many other potential hunters from going out, and from raising the next generation of hunters."
  To avoid such a decline, a new approach is needed. Government agencies and nonprofit groups are now launching mentoring（指导） programs to train more hunters, which not only helps preserve an industry and a culture but also means more protection for wildlife and their habitats through deer population control and investment.
  Luckily, there are those still eager to learn, like Majid. He was just looking for an outdoor hobby he could share with his children when he came across the mentorship program. Now, he feels capable of hunting on his own, but also has someone he can text with questions that pop up. His new pastime has already paid off for him - on his second hunt with his mentor, in the last minutes of daylight, he bagged his first deer.



In this passage, Nasr Majid is considered as a symbol of ______ ．

A. devotion
B. bravery
C. enthusiasm
D. hope

What can be inferred from Chris Markin's words？ ______

A. No one is interested in hunting any more.
B. The hunting tradition is facing challenges.
C. Parents fail to spend enough time with kids.
D. Hunting adds to many adults' life pressures.

What does the underlined words "new pastime" refer to？ ______

A. Raising questions.
B. Looking for hunters.
C. Learning to hunt.
D. Sharing a new hobby.

What is the best title for the text？ ______

A. Teach Hunters New Skills
B. Make Hunting More Popular
C. Reduce the Pressure of Life
D. Train more skilled hunters

  For all the technological wonders of modern medicine, health care-with its fax machines and clipboards（写字板）-is out of date. This outdated era is slowly drawing to a close as the industry catches up with the artificial-intelligence（AI） revolution.
  Eric Topol, an expert in heart disease and enthusiast for digital medicine, thinks AI will be particularly useful for such tasks as examining images, observing heart traces for abnormalities or turning doctors' words into patient records. It will be able to use masses of data to work out the best treatments, and improve workflows in hospitals. In short, AI is set to save time, lives and money.
  The fear some people have is that AI will be used to deepen the assembly-line culture of modern medicine. If it gives a "gift of time" to doctors, they argue that this bonus should be used to extend consultations, rather than simply speeding through them more efficiently.
  That is a fine idea, but as health swallows an ever-bigger share of national wealth, greater efficiency is exactly what is needed, at least so far as governments and insurers are concerned. Otherwise, rich societies may fail to cope with the needs of ageing and growing populations. An extra five minutes spent chatting with a patient is costly as well as valuable. The AI revolution will also enable managerial accountants to adjust and evaluate every aspect of treatment. The autonomy of the doctor will surely be weakened, especially, perhaps, in public-health systems which are duty-bound to cut unnecessary costs.
  The Hippocratic Oath（誓言） holds that there is an art to medicine as well as a science, and that "warmth, sympathy and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug"． There's lots of sense in it： the patients of sympathetic physicians have been shown to recover better. Yet as the supply of human carers fails to satisfy the demand for health care, the future may involve consultations on smartphones and measurements monitored by chatbots. The considerately warmed stethoscope（听诊器），placed gently on a patient's back, may become a relic of the past.



What's Dr Topol's attitude toward AI's coming into medicine？ ______

A. Concerned.
B. Doubtful.
C. Optimistic.
D. Cautious.

What does the author of the text attach more importance to？ ______

A. Medical costs.
B. National wealth.
C. Longer consultation.
D. Greater efficiency.

Why is the Hippocratic Oath mentioned？ ______

A. To prove the bright future of AI．
B. To show the advantage of a human doctor.
C. To explain medical equipment is more important.
D. To argue a human doctor performs as well as a robot.

What may be the best title for the text？ ______

A. Health care and AI
B. AI and its applications
C. Doctors and Patients
D. Dr Topol and digital medicine

These Children's Books Written by Celebrities（名人） Are Perfect for Your Little Kids   Kelly Clarkson Wrote a Book Inspired by Her Daughter
   When Kelly Clarkson wrote River Rose and the Magical Lullaby, she named the main character after her young daughter. The story follows Rose, who finds herself in a magical dream world, guided by the voice of her mother. Writing the book offered the American Idol winner a new challenge. She said, "It's so helpful with learning."
   Jim Carrey Is on a Roll with This Book
   Jim Carrey's 2013 book, How Roland Rolls, however, is very much for the little ones. The winner of the 2013 Gelett Burgess Children's Book Award,How Roland Rolls is about a wave who worries about what will happen when he finally hits the beach. His fear disappears when he realizes he's more than just a wave, but he's the entire ocean! Coming up, this horror film star isn't trying to scare（使害怕） any kids with herbook.
   Jamie Lee Curtis Has Been Writing Since the 1990s
   You might know her best from the Halloween series movie. This Is Me is a story about immigration（外来移民）．Curtis says she has no political intentions with her book,saying, "Every person has an immigrant story about their ancestors, and we're losing that. I thought it was important to connect that thread back to who we are."
 Steve Martin's Books Prove He's a Comedian for All Ages
   You may have ever read one of his books, like Shopgirl. If you're a fan of his and you have kids, you'll be happy to know that now your kids can read his books, too. Since getting into children's literature, Martin has written and published several books, including Late for School and The Alphabet From A to Y with Bonus Letter Z． Each letter of the alphabet is paired with a poem by Marin.



Which book describes a character that is not a human being？ ______

A. This Is Me.
B. Late for School.
C. How Roland Rolls.
D. River Rose and the Magical Lullaby.

What can This Is Me remind readers of when they read it？ ______

A. Their roots.
B. Their dreams.
C. Their children.
D. Their school life.

Who wrote a book about the English alphabet？ ______

A. Jim Carrey.
B. Steve Martin.
C. Kelly Clarkson.
D. Jamie Lee Curtis.

There has been a debate for some time that food can be addictive（上瘾的）． Most  researchers may not agree with it. But this spring, experts on health discovered that for some, obesity（肥胖症） is "an addiction like smoking." One month earlier, a lecture showed that food and drug addictions have much in common, especially in the way that both damage the parts of the brain involved in pleasure and self-control.
  Earlier this year, some scientists carried out brain-scan studies on children who looked at pictures of chocolate milkshakes（奶昔） and later ate the milkshakes. Children who are regular ice-cream eaters may require more and more ice cream for the reward centers（奖励中枢） of their brains to tell that they are satisfied.
  However, meditation and exercise can help the brain to overcome food addiction. Food addicts（嗜食者）should look for alternatives that still give pleasure - a fruit smoothie, for example, instead of ice cream.
  Food addiction seems to be linked to the types of foods we're eating. It's easier for human body to deal with foods found in nature, not processed（加工的） foods. When a highly processed food is eaten, the body may go uncontrollable. Potatoes are not addictive, but when they are processed into chips, what happens？ Products like chips are described as super-delicious foods. They were the right combination of something salty, sweet and fatty along with "mouth-feel."



Why may regular ice-cream eaters need more ice-cream over time？ ______

A. To stop being addicted to it.
B. To meet the needs of the brain.
C. To control the centre of the brain.
D. To satisfy the needs of the stomach.

What does the underlined word "alternatives" in paragraph 3 mean？ ______

A. Replacements.
B. Fruits.
C. Methods.
D. Drinks.

What can we know from the last paragraph？ ______

A. Processed foods are healthier.
B. People are born with food addiction.
C. Processed foods usually have a better taste.
D. Processed foods are usually more expensive.

Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley, turned 200 years old in 2018! It has been called the first true work of science fiction and the first English horror novel. The story has been told over and over again-not just in books, but in movies and television shows. To celebrate, New York City's Morgan Library & Museum has a special exhibit on the writer and the book.
  The reason for the success is that Doctor Frankenstein and his creature, the monster, live on in numerous remakes, shows, and even comic books.
  Mary Shelley's classic is one of the most famous horror stories of all time. But Frankenstein is so much more than that. It presents ideas or themes that are still important today. Knowing something about her suffering can help readers have a good knowledge of her work. Shelley wrote the book when she was only 18 years old. And it relates to her own sad life. Her mother died 10 days after she gave birth to her. She knew what it meant to be a child without a mother. It is no surprise that Shelley wrote a story about a motherless creature one that is very much alone in the world.
  Losing her mother shortly after her birth in 1797 was only part of her life story. Mary Shelley gave birth to four children, but only one child survived to adulthood.
  Around the age of 17， she fell in love with the poet Percy Shelley. The two writers got married in 1816． However, the marriage of Percy and Mary Shelley was short-lived. Her husband died in a sailing accident in 1822． She was still in her twenties when she became a widow. In some ways, it's not entirely surprising that she ended up with a story about a monster without a mother.
  After the publication of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley continued to write. She died from brain cancer on February 1，1851． Her most important legacy（遗产）is a monster that is still very much alive today.



What do we know about Frankenstein？ ______

A. It exists in different forms of art.
B. It is a romantic fiction.
C. It is not popular with modern readers.
D. It has been made into the most interesting science fiction movie.

What did Shelley and the monster have in common？ ______

A. They were quite creative.
B. They felt lonely.
C. They had the same character.
D. They behaved badly at home.

Why did the author mention Shelley's sufferings？ ______

A. To show pity to her.
B. To introduce her to readers.
C. To make readers understand her novel better.
D. To show her difficulty in writing the novel.

What is the main idea of the text？ ______

A. Success comes from struggle.
B. Hardship creates a great person.
C. Shelley's experiences contribute to the success of Frankenstein.
D. Frankenstein comes into the market.