Now a group of scientists, including ones from CalTech, MIT and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration finally found the gravitational waves(引力波)．They announced they were able to see ripples(波纹) in the structure of spacetime.

What are these gravitational waves? Well, imagine throwing a rock into a pond. When the rock hits the flat surface of the water, it creates ripples. Spacetime is like the surface of the water. So gravitational waves are like the ripples moving out from where the rock hits the water.

It was Einstein who said these gravitational waves should be observable. But these are not huge waves. They are smaller than the size of an atom, which is why it took so long to find them.

Since 2002, scientists have been watching for these gravitational waves, using a giant scientific tool called LIGO. They have been watching two black holes in another galaxy(星系) faraway. The two were spinning around each other, moving closer and closer together. When they finally crashed into each other, gravitational waves were caused. With great power and force, they rang throughout the universe, like a giant bell. Those waves, traveling at the speed of light, finally reached the Earth, some 1.3 billion years later. The National Science Foundation said that each of the black holes was 29 to 36 times the mass of our sun.

This discovery means our understanding of the heavens has changed greatly.

1.The author explains the gravitational waves by ________.

A. presenting recent research findings

B. drawing a vivid picture

C. comparing them to something familiar

D. using proper examples

2.According to the author, finding the gravitational waves means ________.

A. there is a better way to deal with physics problems

B. we have a better understanding of the universe

C. we have reached a new level in earth studies

D. there exists another galaxy in the universe

3.What does the word “they” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A. The black holes.

B. The gravitational waves.

C. The scientific tools.

D. The galaxies.

4.This passage mainly talks about ________.

A. a new theory of gravitational waves opposite to Einstein’s

B. a description of the scientific research on black holes

C. the relationship between black holes and gravitational waves

D. the discovery of gravitational waves Einstein believed observable

In a certain store where they sell puddings, a number of these delicious things are laid out in a row during the Christmas season. Here you may select the one which is most to your taste, and you are even allowed to sample them before coming to a decision.

I have often wondered whether some people, who had no intention of making a purchase, would take advantage of this privilege. One day I asked this question of the shop girl, and I learned it was indeed the case.

“Now there’s one old gentleman, for instance,” she told me, “he comes here almost every week and samples each one of the puddings, though he never buys anything, and I suspect he never will. I remember him from last year and the year before that, too. Well, let him come if he wants it, and he is welcome to it. And what’s more, I hope there are a lot more stores where he can go and get his share. He looks as if he needed it all right, and I suppose they can afford it.”

She was still speaking when an elderly gentleman walked up to the counter and began looking closely at the row of puddings with great interest.

“Well, that’s the very gentleman I’ve been telling you about, ”whispered the shop girl. “Just watch him now.” And then turning to him, “Would you like to sample them, sir? Here’s the spoon for you to use.”

The elderly gentleman, who was poorly but neatly dressed, accepted the spoon and began eagerly to sample one after another of the puddings, only stopping occasionally to wipe his red eyes with a large torn handkerchief.

“This is quite good.”

“This is not bad either, but a little too heavy.”

All the time it was quite obvious that he sincerely believed that he might eventually buy one of these puddings, and I am positive that he did not for a moment feel that he was in any way cheating the store. Poor old man! Probably he had come down in the world and this sampling was all that was left to him from the time when he could afford to come and select his favorite pudding.

Amidst the crowd of happy, rich?looking Christmas shoppers, the little black figure of the old man seemed pitiful and out of place, and in a burst of benevolence, I went up to him and said, “Pardon me, sir, will you do me a favor? Let me purchase you one of these puddings. It would give me such pleasure.”

He jumped back as if he had been stung, and the blood rushed into his wrinkled face.

“Excuse me,” he said, with more dignity than I would have thought possible considering his appearance, “I do not believe I have the pleasure of knowing you. Undoubtedly you have mistaken me for someone else.” And with a quick decision he turned to the shop girl and said in a loud voice, “Kindly pack me up this one here. I will take it with me.” He pointed at one of the largest and most expensive puddings.

The girl took down the pudding from its stand and started to make a parcel of it, while he pulled out a worn little black pocketbook and began counting out shillings and pennies on to the counter. To save his “honor” he had been forced into a purchase which he could not possibly afford. How I longed for the power to unsay my tactless words! It was too late though, and I felt that the kindest thing I could do now would be walk away.

“You pay at the desk,” the shop girl was telling him, but he did not seem to understand and kept trying to put the coins into her hand. And that was the last I saw or heard of the old man. Now he can never go there to sample puddings any more.

1.By saying “it was indeed the case” in Paragraph 2, the author meant that ________.

A. many shoppers would sample puddings before buying them

B. the Christmas season was the time to promote pudding sales

C. some people just sampled puddings but didn’t buy them

D. the store’s allowing people to sample puddings was a privilege

2.From her words, we know that the shop girl ________.

A. looked down upon the old man

B. felt pity for the old man

C. thought poorly of sampling puddings

D. was good at pretending to be friendly

3.The underlined word “benevolence” in Paragraph 10 is closest in meaning to “________”．

A. curiosity B. appreciation

C. meanness D. kindness

4.The old man finally bought a pudding because ________.

A. he had intended to buy the pudding

B. he was annoyed by the author’s offer

C. he didn’t want others to help him

D. he decided not to cheat the store any more

5.After saying the words to the old man, the author wanted to walk away because he ________.

A. found himself in a rather awkward situation

B. felt upset that the old man refused his offer

C. decided to pay the money for the pudding

D. failed to express himself to the old man

6.What can we learn from the author’s experience?

A. Never judge a book by its cover.

B. Old people are mentally weak.

C. Helping others involves respect.

D. Don’t take advantage of stores.

The Internet has become a way of life for many people around the world.So what would happen if one fine morning，you woke up to find the Internet has no existence? How would your life be changed? Well，your lifestyle might be impacted.If you were an Internet addict，you would find that your life has come to an end.With no online facilities，a considerable part of your time would be spent waiting in long lines at banks，post offices or government offices.You would be waiting for days or even weeks for your mail to arrive from another corner of the world.Suddenly，you would realize that your fast?paced life is running at a snail’s pace.

Without the Internet，your socializing would also be impacted.If you’d gotten very used to socializing online，you would now be clueless as to how you could share the pictures of your recent trip you went for with your friends across the globe.It would be difficult to interact with people living outside your locality.You might have to become a member of a club or a community in your neighborhood to make new friends.With no online social media，you would find yourself saying this very often: Let’s go and talk to them!

With no way to use emails，instant messaging，chat or social media，we would have to take advantage of the option of a telephone conversation，or sending a snail mail.Communication via the internet is free，whereas the options available otherwise would cost you extra money and time.Your would have to write letters and buy stamps，as we used to do before the Internet became popular.

The Internet has become a huge sea of information and resources.No Internet would mean no instant and easy access to information at the click of a button.You would have to walk down to your local library and actually search the whole place to get the information you’re looking for，with little chances that you’ll find what you seek instantly.The students who were accustomed to using the Internet for completing their assignments would have a tough time.There would be no way to get an education without actually going to a school or a college physically.

Without the Internet，things at your workplace would be turned upside down.If your work was largely Internet?based，your company might have to shut down.If your work involved only minor use of the Internet，for example，using online system to acquire statistics from the Internet，this simple task would now be a complicated and time?consuming process.Your desk would be full of documents and files，and you would have a nightmare searching or sorting them out by hand.In any case，life without the Internet would seem like a nightmare! So enjoy living in the paradise we call the Internet and make wise use of it！

Many people in England are angry that drivers park their cars on the pavements. Cars that are on the pavement prevent people from walking safely down the street. They have to walk into the road to get around the running cars. It’s a lot more difficult for blind people to walk around the town if cars are in their way. A spokesman for a charity told the BBC, “It can be frightening for anyone who is forced to step into a road because the pavement is blocked by a van, car or other badly parked vehicle. Imagine you have to step into a road where you can’t see oncoming traffic.”

A survey on parking in Britain found that 70 percent of people want a ban on parking on pavements. A town south of London has already started a system to get drivers to park in a proper car park. Any motorist who parks on the pavement gets a $115 fine. However, many people say the fines do not work. Local people say car owners ignore the fine and park where they want. One woman said there would soon be a very serious accident because of a car parked on the pavement. She wants her town to be like London, which has strict rules against pavement parking.

【写作内容】

1．用约30个单词概括上文的主要内容；

2．用约120个单词就“人行道停车”谈谈你的看法，内容包括：

(1)分析驾驶员在人行道上停车的原因；

(2)简述人行道停车给行人带来的不便；

(3)你对解决该问题有何建议？

【写作要求】

1．写作过程中不能直接引用原文语句；

2．作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称；

3．不必写标题。

【评分标准】

内容完整，语言规范，语篇连贯，词数适当。

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“How do you account for your remarkable achievements in life?”Queen Victoria of the UK asked Helen Keller. “How do you explain the fact that even though you were both blind and deaf,you were able to achieve so much?”

Ms.Keller's answer is a tribute（致敬）to her kind teacher.“If it had not been for Anne Sullivan,the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown.”

According to speaker Zig Ziglar,Annie Sullivan was no stranger to hardship.She was almost sightless herself and was,at one time,diagnosed as hopelessly “insane” by her caregivers.She was locked in the basement of a mental institution.Occasionally,Annie would violently attack anyone who came near.Most of the time she generally ignored everyone in her presence.

An elderly nurse believed there was hope,however,and she made it her work to show love to the child.Every day she visited Annie,and she left cookies for her and spoke words of love and encouragement.She believed Annie could recover,if only she were shown love.

Eventually,doctors noticed the change in the girl.Where they once witnessed anger and hate,they naw noted a gentleness and love.They moved her upstairs where she continued to improve.Then the day finally came when this seemingly “hopeless” child was released.

Anne Sullivan grew into a young woman with a desire to help others as she,herself,was helped by the kind nurse.It was she who saw the great potential in Helen Keller.She loved her,disciplined（约束）her, played with her, pushed her and worked with her until the flickering candle that was her life became a beacon（灯塔）of light to the world.Anne Sullivan worked wonders in Helen's life;but in was a loving nurse who first believed in Little Annie and lovingly transformed an uncommunicative child into a kind teacher.

“If it had not been for Anne Sullivan,the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown.”But if it had not been for a kind and dedicated nurse,the name of Anne Sullivan would have remained unknown.

1.What does the underlined part “account for” probably mean?

A. show B. prove

C. explain D. present.

2.What do we know from the Third paragraph?

A. Sullivan had very normal behavior.

B. Sullivan was ignored by everyone.

C. Sullivan was kept away from her parents.

D. Sullivan was believed lo have a mental problem.

3.What would be the best title for the next?

A. The Power of Love B. Making a Difference

C. A Good Teacher D. Remarkable Achievements

Events at Brown

12:00 PM—1:00 PM,March 1,2017

"I had no ideal"—Export Control Brown Bag (4-part series)

Horace Mann House,Room 103,47-49 George Street

Brown's Office of Research Integrity (ORI) is hosting a 4-part Brown Bag series on “Export Controls at the University”.Export Controls are federal government laws and regulations.The series will explore when research activities fall under Export Control laws,why “fundamental research”is so important,and why traveling to sanctioned（被制裁的）or embargoed（被禁运的）countries,such as Iran or Cuba,still presents a lot of challenges.The first session,“I had no idea!”,will explore why export controls cannot be ignored at a university campus.

The sessions are open to the entire Brown community.Booking in advance is required: juliane_blyth@brown.edu

4:00 PM—5:00 PM,March 1,2017

JCB Weekly Afternoon Talk

John Carter Brown Library,Reading Room,94 George Street

Informal weekly afternoon presentation in the MacMillan Reading Room at the John Carter Brown Library (JCB).Fellows in Residence will give a talk on their current research project.Q & A session follows,along with a display of relevant items from our collection.All are invited to attend this free,weekly event.

6:30 PM—7:30 PM,March 1,2017

Brow Amateur Radio Club Meeting

Sayles Hall.Room 305,79-81 Waterman Street

The weekly meeting of the Brown Amateur Radio Club.All are welcome to attend and learn more about radio and join the club—no license required!

8:00 PM-9:00 PM,March 1,2017

Athletes in Action Prime Time Gathering

Pembroke Field House,449-451 Brook Street

Join your fellow Brown University athletes to learn more about faith,sport,and life.Through guest speakers, team building activities,and small group discussions,we explore the intersection（交集）of the spiritual and the physical in order to maximize our potential.

We meet every Thursday 8-9 pm in Pembroke Field House.There are new athletes that attend every week,and most likely you'll know a number of them already since there are many different teams represented.Hope to see you there!

1.Which event can be beneficial to those who do international research?

A. “I had no idea!”—Export Control Brown Bag

B. JCB Weekly Afternoon Talk

C. Brown Amateur Radio Club Meeting

D. Athletes in Action Prime Time Gathering

2.What will those who attend the JCB Weekly Afternoon Talk do?

A. Meet at Sayles Hall. B. Charge entrance fees.

C. Share their research. D. Collect relevant items.

3.What can you do in the Athletes in Action Prime Time Gathering?

A. Play basketball with new athletes. B. Discuss your potential.

C. Play games to develop teamwork. D. Watch new athletes play games.

4.Where would you be most likely to find the text?

A. In a travel guidance. B. On a university website.

C. In an academic magazine. D. In a local newspaper.

It’s good to make mistakes,and here is why.

First of all,mistakes are a clear sign that we are trying new things.It’s always good to try new things because when we are trying new things,we are growing.If we never try anything new,how can we improve?The simple answer is,“We can’t”.

Another good thing about mistakes is that when we are making them,we are learning.Consider this—Edison failed 10,000 times before he perfected the light bulb.When asked how it felt to fail that many times,he said that he had learned 10,000 things that didn’t work.

When we make a mistake,we are much closer to success.Because every time we make a mistake,we eliminate one of the things that keeps us from success.

But all this doesn’t mean that we should go through life without considering the consequences of a mistake. Instead,when we try something new,we have to be willing to set some reasonable limits so that in the event that it doesn’t work out the way we want it to,we will be in a position to try again.We all have limited resources—in the form of time and money—so we shouldn’t blow them all on one approach to a problem.It’s best that we realize it probably won’t be perfect the first time and allocate these resources appropriately so we can learn,make corrections, and try again.Only by accepting and using our mistakes in this way can we make significant advances in our lives.

There is an old saying that goes,“If you’re not making mistakes,you’re not trying hard enough.”So go forth and make mistakes.

1.Which can be used to replace the underlined word "eliminate" in Paragraph 4?

A. make up for B. get rid of

C. accept D. expect

2.What do we know from the fifth paragraph?

A. We should ignore the possible consequences.

B. We should accept the outcome willingly.

C. We should make some limits for our next try.

D. We should avoid making the same mistakes.

3.What is the text mainly about?

A. Dealing with mistakes. B. Making mistakes.

C. Making progress. D. Benefiting from mistakes.

4.What may the writer suggest we say to ourselves when making a mistake?

A. Never mind,I tried my beat. B. Great!Now I have learned something.

C. This is a waste of time. D. Look at this mess.I should just give up.

Pollution’s serious effects on the environment have become more obvious in recent years.Most scientists agree that efforts are necessary to protect our environment from further harm.

As we know,the construction industry consumes a large quantity of energy and resources and creates a huge amount of pollution.So green buildings are in great need.

The environmental benefits of building green include the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity（生物多样性）,improved air and water quality,less waste flowing into streams and the protection of natural resources.Green buildings can also result in lower operating costs because they typically use less energy and fewer materials and improve indoor air quality,improving the health of people who live there.

The process of building green includes technical and artistic planning with nature protection in mind.Building designs often reflect the surrounding environment and natural resources and use renewable building materials such as bamboo and straw.In addition,recycled resources found locally are used for green buildings,reducing the cost and air pollution associated with transporting materials long distances.

Careful site selection is important to minimize（最小化）human effect on the surrounding environment.For example,placing a structure in an area that allows it to take advantage of cool breezes（微风）and sunlight can reduce energy use and expenses.More energy and expense are needed for larger buildings as well,so it is important to build small.

Green roofs are another feature of green houses that reduce energy use and cost.These roofs are partially or completely covered with plants,which helps to keep heating and cooling costs low,prevent water running off and deal with pollutants.

Other features of green buildings often include energy and water protection,recycling and waste reduction.In addition,renewable energy sources such as solar power,waterpower and wind power are used for heat and electricity, which greatly reduces costs and decreases the influence on the environment.

1.What can we know about green building?

A. Producing no waste. B. Only using clean energy.

C. Being made of new materials. D. Environmental friendly.

2.What is a green building probably like according to the fifth paragraph?

A. Large. B. Small.

C. Green. D. Low.

3.What is the purpose of using green roofs?

A. To fit the environment. B. To keep warm.

C. To collect nature water. D. To lower costs.

4.What is the text mainly about?

A. Promoting energy efficiency. B. Environmental benefits.

C. Building green. D. Ecosystems and biodiversity.

Many teenagers wants to look cool.1.Chloe Murray,an eighth-grader at Jefferson Middle School in the US, realized this problem and established a charitable clothes closet（衣橱）to help her peers.

2.The school let her use a room for the project.Chloe’s classmates joined her as well.Last month,the charitable clothes closet,called Chloe’s Closet,opened.3.“Confidence is a real issue in middle school,especially when it comes to clothing,”Chloe told the Chicago Tribune,a daily newspaper in Chicago,US.

4.Many people from the school’s community and neighboring schools donated used and new clothes.The clothes closet is only open after school.Students can “buy” these clothes by earning “money” when they turn in their schoolwork on time,make corrections on homework,participate in a school activity or express helpfulness to their peers and teaches.Since the first week in March,about 100 items have been “sold” to students.

“5.Then,they will be better able to focus on the learning material rather than paying too much attention to what they are wearing,”Shannon Arko,a language arts teacher at the school,said about the mission（使命）of the closet.“Feeling good about yourself translates into a better learning experience overall.”

A.Where are the clothes from.

B.Her school supported the idea too.

C.Fashion has already became an important part of students’ lives.

D.You need to supply children with basic needs,such as clothing.

E.But everyone can afford to keep up with the changing fashion trends.

F.But not everyone can afford to keep up with the changing fashion trends.

G.It’s filled with trendy clothes for girls and boys to help students look their best.

Once there was a young girl named Eliza.She was the daughter of a king and she was very lazy.She_______had her servants do everything for her.

“I am very thirsty,and my_______is on the table.Please get it for me.”She called._______a servant picked the glass up from the_______next to Eliza and held it up to her_______until Eliza was no longer_______.The next day.Eliza was walking to dinner when her hat_______.She called for a servant and a young man ran over,picked up the hat,_______it off,and placed it back on Eliza’s head.

She continually_______her servants to do simple tasks for her.Her father noticed her________and decided to punish her. He set her in a________with only a loom（织布机）and some thread.No________were allowed in the room

“You will________in this room,not eating or drinking until you have woven a blanket for me.You have to do all of the work by________.”The king left Eliza all alone in her room.

Eliza called for her servants,________none appeared.Then she________her father telling her about Athena,the goddess of wisdom.She called for Athena over and over until finally,she fell________.

While she was sleeping,she had a________.Hermes spoke to her in her dream.He said “Athena has heard your pleas（请求）for________.She is very angry with you.She will come to you and inform you of your________”.Eliza awoke very frightened.

1.A. seldom B. always C. never D. sometimes

2.A. hat B. thread C. blanket D. glass

3.A. Immediately B. Suddenly C. Fortunately D. Eventually

4.A. floor B. shop C. table D. kitchen

5.A. bed B. room C. lips D. shoulders

6.A. angry B. hungry C. happy D. thirsty

7.A. fell off B. went away C. jumped off D. stood up

8.A. took B. dusted C. kicked D. paid

9.A. begged B. required C. advised D. persuaded

10.A. happiness B. wisdom C. laziness D. honesty

11.A. school B. factory C. room D. church

12.A. servants B. classmates C. relatives D. sisters

13.A. rest B. study C. play D. stay

14.A. himself B. myself C. herself D. yourself

15.A. but B. so C. also D. even

16.A. forgot B. remembered C. regretted D. suggested

17.A. ill B. hungry C. asleep D. worried

18.A. time B. power C. chance D. dream

19.A. help B. playing C. accompany D. living

20.A. praise B. punishment C. pleas D. freedom