Mouse embryos (胚胎) have been cultured (培养) on the International Space Station (ISS), marking a significant step in understanding reproduction in space. Led by Teruhiko Wakayama from the University of Yamanashi in Japan, this experiment studied the possible safety of human pregnancy (怀孕) during long space journeys, such as a trip to Mars that lasts more than six months. Wakayama emphasized the importance of this research, saying, “We are conducting research to ensure we will be able to safely have children if that time comes.”
The experiment began on Earth, where early two-cell stage embryos from pregnant mice were taken out, frozen, and sent to the ISS on a SpaceX rocket. Astronauts on the ISS then warmed up and cultured the embryos for four days using devices specially designed for this task. Afterward, the embryos were kept and returned to Earth. The four-day growth period was chosen as embryos can only survive for this length outside a uterus, according to Wakayama.
Upon their return, the embryos were examined to check the impact of space’s unique conditions, such as higher radiation (辐射) levels and microgravity (微重力). The results were promising; the embryos showed no DNA damage from radiation and showed normal structural development, including the crucial change into two cell groups necessary for forming the fetus and placenta. Wakayama found these results significant, as it was previously believed that microgravity might prevent the embryo’s ability to separate into these separate cell types.
While these findings are promising, further research is needed to fully understand space reproduction. Wakayama referred to a previous study involving pregnant rats in space, which resulted in the birth of typical-weight rats, suggesting normal development. The team now aims to further study the health of embryos exposed to space conditions and plans to test whether mouse embryos sent to the ISS can develop into healthy young after returning to Earth.
1.What was the main purpose of sending mouse embryos to the ISS?A.To test the possibility of embryos in space. |
B.To study the effects of radiation on DNA. |
C.To culture embryos using specific devices. |
D.To observe the growth of pregnant mice. |
A.DNA damage from radiation | B.failed separation into cell groups |
C.adjustment to microgravity | D.normal growth |
A.To provide supporting evidence for the results |
B.To describe the conditions for raising rats |
C.To recommend a new research method |
D.To introduce an unsuccessful experiment |
A.Space Mice: A Genetic Revolution |
B.Pregnancy in Space: A Mouse Embryo Study |
C.Mars Trip: Embryo Challenges |
D.Mouse Embryos: Freezing Techniques |
For most people traveling abroad, their first choice is probably to make a beeline for (直奔) tourist sights. For me, I find lots of joy in grocery (食品杂货店) shopping on holiday.
As a vegetarian (素食主义者) , finding restaurants that meet my needs is not always easy abroad.
The variety of foods attracts me every time I travel somewhere new. In Malta, I found the most delicious chocolate-filled cakes, a product I would struggle to find even in the UK.
Grocery shopping on holiday sounds unusual. But it means being involved in the day-to-day lives of a country’s citizens. I can pretend I am a local and put myself in their shoes. I can watch kids begging their parents for sweets, an international experience that needs no language, or watch couples pick up snacks and drinks for a party on a Friday night.
A.I ended up eating these every day for breakfast. |
B.The challenge of finding food is interesting, too. |
C.So I always make sure to book a place with a kitchen. |
D.Grocery shopping was a vital part of the holiday experience. |
E.It’s an act of understanding people as much as of buying food. |
F.Com pancakes always require a trip to the bigger grocery store. |
G.By wandering around in a new country, I start to see what they value. |
Our neighbors had a loud party last night. We weren’t
What
And it really worked in their favor. My husband and I were so friendly that even when the event went past the
It takes such little effort to make people feel that they
A.located | B.explored | C.challenged | D.invited |
A.trapped | B.impressed | C.annoyed | D.embarrassed |
A.later | B.closer | C.earlier | D.further |
A.shocking | B.frightening | C.puzzling | D.amazing |
A.cell number | B.room number | C.account number | D.car number |
A.anxiously | B.politely | C.regularly | D.obviously |
A.imagination | B.consideration | C.recognition | D.organization |
A.promised | B.supplied | C.designed | D.compared |
A.stress | B.anxiety | C.worry | D.anger |
A.respond | B.adapt | C.contribute | D.apply |
A.figure | B.succeed | C.matter | D.access |
A.sleep | B.maintain | C.travel | D.relax |
A.noticed | B.delivered | C.explored | D.proved |
A.surrounding | B.respect | C.curiosity | D.distance |
A.strategy | B.apology | C.communication | D.inspiration |
In December, an adult day center nurse in New York came to the rescue of her patient after deciding to adopt the dog he could no longer look after.
John Burley, 60, was a daily
Jennifer Smith knew
Now John Burley is a rehabilitation patient at the center. He is able to
“Once John was
“When he saw Jennifer and Boomer come around the corner, he just burst into tears and
A.patient | B.victim | C.prisoner | D.shopper |
A.studies | B.works | C.recovers | D.hides |
A.terrifed | B.arrested | C.accused | D.hospitalized |
A.unclearly | B.publicly | C.exactly | D.hurriedly |
A.assessed | B.charged | C.received | D.paid |
A.grabbing | B.shopping | C.searching | D.begging |
A.spoiled | B.lazy | C.comfortable | D.frightened |
A.make | B.receive | C.deny | D.pay |
A.designed | B.shaped | C.become | D.considered |
A.trapped | B.stationed | C.settled | D.recorded |
A.harm | B.sight | C.service | D.touch |
A.up to | B.far from | C.back to | D.up against |
A.worked | B.looked | C.voted | D.reached |
A.sharp | B.big | C.dry | D.teary |
A.apologetic | B.sympathetic | C.loyal | D.grateful |
Dad was always full of advice. One of the biggest lessons he taught me one summer was about having a strong
Every time we went to work, Dad was there to watch. I used to wonder
One day we were
I frowned, hoping he would go home. He kept
Other neighbors
The lesson my dad taught me stayed with me: Be professional. If you say you are going to perform a job at a certain time, keep your
A.work | B.family | C.neighbor | D.academy |
A.save | B.share | C.earn | D.borrow |
A.how | B.whether | C.when | D.why |
A.rainy | B.snowy | C.hot | D.warm |
A.visiting | B.cutting | C.cleaning | D.digging |
A.excited | B.confused | C.frightened | D.tired |
A.pay for | B.throw away | C.turn off | D.try out |
A.strange | B.thick | C.different | D.high |
A.ignored | B.forgot | C.comforted | D.thanked |
A.going | B.pointing | C.shaking | D.disturbing |
A.hurting | B.cheating | C.killing | D.welcoming |
A.took care of | B.took advantage of | C.took notice of | D.took hold of |
A.luck | B.information | C.business | D.advice |
A.space | B.peace | C.word | D.need |
A.offer | B.receive | C.provide | D.exchange |
A. address B. challenges C. imaging D. monitor E. navigate F. operations G. respond H. setting I. short J. successive K. worth |
Satellites Can Help Us Fight Climate Change
At the beginning of 2021, President Joe Biden exclaimed that “science is back” as we continued our efforts to
Recently the Interior Department’s U.S. Geological Survey assumed
I attended the historic launch of Landsat 9 in California. It was nothing
All around the globe, scientists are using Landsat and other imagery to interpret what is happening on Earth today and to compare it with the 50 years’
This science-based program and those like it across federal agencies are powerful tools in our efforts to responsibly manage our resources. Their prioritization helps to demonstrate the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to lead with science. So, too, the resources provided through the president’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act will be key to the development of longer-term sustainability measures as we
Landsat NEXT is the upcoming mission we will develop with NASA to power better science and decision-making for the next 50 years. Science is indeed
Gu Ailing,
With the Winter Olympics
People say that Gu Ailing is
When it comes to the reason
I've been writing since before I could write. As a kid, I dictated stories to my parents.About 12 years ago,I was living in New York City and pursuing a master in creative writing. For years I'd been suffering vision disorder,but in New York my symptoms worsened. I became unable to read or write for any considerable length of time. I tried vision therapy(疗法),an overhead projector,a special pair of glasses-all in vain.
Eventually,I discovered a computer program for the visually challenged. As I typed,my words were read aloud by an automated voice. With my screen dimmed to black,I relied entirely on audio feedback to know what I had written.
Facing the blank page is worrying,but facing the black page is worse. The dark screen is a sinkhole that swallows creative hope. Sentences disappear into it like an astronaut into a black hole. I managed to complete my master degree, but it took me years to adapt to my new reality. The greatest barrier seemed to be the automated voice, which was like a robot parrot on my shoulder, and I wanted nothing more than to drive it away. If a pianist were forced to practice on an untuned piano,would it corrupt his ear over time?
Of course,I could have quit writing and stopped making myself suffer.But it honestly never occurred to me-and I'm glad it didn't. Last year, after I told my story on the radio,I was contacted by VocaliD,a Massachusetts-based company that created a voice modeled on my own.
The first time I heard the voice they created, it is so close to my own that the two are nearly indistinguishable. I've only just begun using this new voice. My hope is that this will restore a sense of solitude(孤独) to my writing process,allowing me easier access to that inner space where the imagination can take over, and I can forget myself, and the real work can begin.
The black screen still exists-it always will-but the robot parrot has taken wing.
1.What happened to the author when pursuing a master degree in New York?A.His sight started to fail due to much reading. |
B.His eyes couldn't sustain long hours of reading. |
C.He had to drop out due to his vision disorder. |
D.He successfully overcame his vision problem. |
A.The untuned automated voice. |
B.The pet parrot on his shoulder. |
C.The computer with a dark screen. |
D.The noise from a neighboring pianist. |
A.Excited. | B.Annoyed. |
C.Unmoved. | D.Relaxed. |
A.The automated voice is too annoying to bear. |
B.The author can restore his sight to normal. |
C.The author starts to enjoy his writing again. |
D.It is likely that the technology will improve. |
Columbus Day has been on American calendars since 1937, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared October 12 a federal holiday to honor the Italian explorer who “discovered” the Americas in 1492. However, the holiday has always been controversial. Many people believe that Christopher Columbus should not be given credit for “discovering” the continent, since native Americans had already been living there for generations.
Besides, the explorer’s mission was not a scientific “voyage of discovery”, but one intended to conquer the new land. Critics maintain that the Spanish army Columbus brought on his second voyage, caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of indigenous(土著的) people. Those that survived the massacre became slaves, working in mines. Many, therefore, believe that the explorer’s arrival should not be celebrated.
In 1977, a delegation of Native nations at the International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, proposed renaming the holiday to “Indigenous People’s Day”. The proposal passed with a majority.
However, convincing the rest of the country to do the same was not that easy. It took 15 years before the city of Berkeley in California adopted the name in 1992 and then 22 more years before Minneapolis, MN and Seattle, WA did the same in 2014. The following year, eight more cities including Albuquerque, NM and Portland, OR, began celebrating the second Monday of October as “Indigenous People’s Day”. The movement really started to gain momentum in 2016 when 19 cities, including Boulder, CO and Phoenix, AZ, as well as the states of Minnesota and Vermont, all decided to rename the day to honor Native Americans. In 2017, 21 more cities, including Austin, TX and Los Angeles, CA have made the shift.
With the increasingly larger number of cities moving away from Columbus Day each year, it will be interesting to see if “Indigenous People’s Day” gets federal recognition. Meanwhile, it will continue to be the focal point of debates throughout the Americas.
1.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?A.Indigenous People’s Day Has Got Federal Recognition after Years’ Work |
B.Columbus Day Honoring the Italian Explorer Has Always Been Controversial |
C.Christopher Columbus Should Not Be Given Credit for Discovering Americas |
D.More Cities Have Replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day |
A.Columbus discovered the continent |
B.Columbus was a remarkable explorer |
C.Native Americans were abused |
D.Columbus Day is a public holiday |
A.Columbus was well received by indigenous people |
B.The indigenous people hated the Columbus’ arrival |
C.The Spanish army rebelled against Columbus’ rule |
D.Few soldiers survived the attack by native Americans |
A.Portland | B.Phoenix |
C.Seattle | D.Los Angeles |
In our information-driven society, shaping our worldview through the media is similar to forming an opinion about someone solely based on a picture of their foot. While the media might not deliberately deceive us, it often fails to provide a comprehensive view of reality.
Consequently, the question arises: Where, then, shall we get our information from if not from the media? Who can we trust? How about experts—people who devote their working lives to understanding their chosen slice of the world? However, even experts can fall prey to the allure of oversimplification, leading to the “single perspective instinct” that hampers(阻碍)our ability to grasp the intricacies of the world.
Simple ideas can be appealing because they offer a sense of understanding and certainty. And it is easy to take off down a slippery slope, from one attention-grabbing simple idea to a feeling that this idea beautifully explains, or is the beautiful solution for, lots of other things. The world becomes simple that way.
Yet, when we embrace a singular cause or solution for all problems, we risk oversimplifying complex issues. For instance, championing the concept of equality may lead us to view all problems through the lens of inequality and see resource distribution as the sole panacea. However, such rigidity prevents us from seeing the multidimensional nature of challenges and hinders true comprehension of reality. This “single perspective instinct” ultimately clouds our judgment and restricts our capacity to tackle complex issues effectively.
It saves a lot of time to think like this. You can have opinions and answers without having to learn about a problem from scratch and you can get on with using your brain for other tasks. But it’s not so useful if you like to understand the world. Being always in favor of or always against any particular idea makes you blind to information that doesn’t fit your perspective. This is usually a bad approach if you would like to understand reality.
Instead, constantly test your favorite ideas for weaknesses. Be humble about the extent of your expertise. Be curious about new information that doesn’t fit, and information from other fields. And rather than talking only to people who agree with you, or collecting examples that fit your ideas, consult people who contradict you, disagree with you, and put forward different ideas as a great resource for understanding the world. I have been wrong about the world so many times. Sometimes, coming up against reality is what helps me see my mistakes, but often it is talking to, and trying to understand, someone with different ideas.
If this means you don’t have time to form so many opinions, so what? Wouldn’t you rather have few opinions that are right than many that are wrong?
1.What does the underlined word “allure” in Para.2 probably mean?A.Temptation. | B.Tradition. | C.Convenience. | D.Consequence. |
A.They meet people’s demand for high efficiency. |
B.They generate a sense of complete understanding. |
C.They are raised and supported by multiple experts. |
D.They reflect the opinions of like-minded individuals. |
A.Simplifying matters releases energy for human brains. |
B.Constant tests on our ideas help make up for our weakness. |
C.A well-founded opinion counts more than many shallow ones. |
D.People who disagree with us often have comprehensive views. |
A.Embracing Disagreement: Refusing Overcomplexity |
B.Simplifying Information: Enhancing Comprehension |
C.Understanding Differences: Establishing Relationships |
D.Navigating Complexity: Challenging Oversimplification |