【推荐2】Will people remember less with Internet users becoming more and more dependent on the Internet to store information? If you know your computer will save information, why do you store it in your own personal memory, your brain?

Professor Betsy Sparrow, together with her research team, has carried out some experiments in a recent study, wanting to know how the Internet is changing memory. In the first experiment, they offered people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood that the computer would save the information. The second group understood that the computer would not save it. Later, the second group remembered the information better. People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it.

In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the computer. The information was in a specific computer folder( 文 件 夹 ). Surprisingly, people later remembered the folder locations better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called “transactive memory(交互记忆)”.

According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet.

Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive memories; that is, people are learning how to organize huge quantities of information so that they are able to access it at a later date. This doesn’t mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.

1. Why does the text begin with two questions?

A．To make a comparison.	B．To introduce the main topic.
C．To show the author’s attitude.	D．To list some examples.

2. What can we learn about the first experiment?

A．The Sparrow’s team typed the information into a computer.

B．The two groups remembered the information equally well.

C．The first group did not try to remember the information.

D．The second group did not understand the information.

3. What do people usually do in transactive memory?

A．They remember how to find the information.

B．They organize information like a computer.

C．They change the quantity of information.

D．They bear the information in mind.

4. What is Sparrow’s attitude towards the influence the Internet has on people’s memory ?

A．Negative.

B．Passive.

C．Objective.

D．Doubtful.

【推荐3】Samsung Electronics America announced that Galaxy device owners can make their own repairs to the Galaxy S20 and S21 family of products, as well as the Galaxy Tab S7+, starting August 2nd.

Samsung is cooperating with iFixit, the leading online repair community, to deliver their Self-Repair program. This program adds to Samsung’s continued expansions for convenient repair for consumers and helps them with sustainable solutions to support a more circular economy by extending the life of their devices, as well as minimizing e-waste.

Samsung consumers who wish to make their own repairs can now purchase real device parts and convenient, easy-to-use repair tools, available through iFixit, Samsung retail (零售) and service locations, at the same pricing offered l0 our repair providers. In addition, Galaxy device owners will have full access to online repair guides that provide both visual and written step-by-step instructions, and best of all at no cost.

“Making replacement parts available is a key sustainability strategy. We’re excited to be working directly with Samsung and their customers to extend the lifetime of their phones,” said CEO of iFixit.

Starting today, Galaxy device owners can replace the phone screen, back glass, and charging ports. In the future, Samsung plans to expand self repair to include more devices and repair options from our extensive product portfolio (档案).

Furthermore, the program makes it easy for consumers to return their thrown-away parts for responsible recycling, as the new display kits will come with a return label to ship thrown-away parts back to Samsung - - at no cost to the consumer.

In addition to the convenience of these new self-repair options, Galaxy smartphone owners have a choice on how they can extend the life of their devices across Samsung’s expansive care options, including: Through Samsung’s perfect care network, customers have access to over 11,000 Samsung Mobile certified repair technicians in the U.S.

1. What is the Samsung company aiming to do according to paragraph 2?

A．To promote a circular economy.	B．To make full use of the old parts.
C．To enrich the life of the phone users.	D．To ensure better service by iFixit.

2. Which of the following is free of charge?

A．The Samsung device parts.	B．New Samsung products.
C．The written repair instructions.	D．The easy-to-use repair tools.

3. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．A New Invention	B．A New Technology
C．A Successful Cooperation	D．An Initiative practice

【推荐2】One sheep, two sheep. Wait, why are we counting sheep again? Counting sheep to fall asleep is a method that seems to be as old as time. But have you ever stopped to think about why they’re sheep? Why not cats? Or dogs?

While the origin of why people count sheep to fall asleep has no exact root, there’re a few guesses. The most popular belief, according to Mental Floss, has to do with shepherds in Britain in Middle Ages. Apparently, if shepherds used communal grazing land (公共牧场), they were responsible to keep a headcount of their sheep each night So before going to sleep, they counted their sheep to ensure they were all accounted for.

But at least one book claims the link between sheep and sleep goes back even further, reports Mental Floss. “A chapter in Disciplina Clericalis suggests that counting sheep has already been part of certain cultures for centuries.”

So does counting sheep to fall asleep actually work? Apparently, you might want to seek other options first. “Involving the brain in a relaxing, repetitive task slows the mind, and stops our racing stressful thoughts from taking over,” says Hilary Thompson, a health consultant. “Unfortunately, counting sheep isn’t one of these helpful tasks. Researchers at Oxford University put it to the test and discovered that subjects who pictured running waterfalls and rivers could fall asleep more quickly.”

In addition to picturing something relaxing, breathing techniques also tend to be very effective sleeping aids. “I prefer to teach patients the breath work,” says Dr Elizabeth Trattner. “Breath in through the nose for a count of 4, hold for 7 and make a whooshing noise out for the count of 8. This breathing technique resets the body, and lowers both stress and anxiety.”

1. Before going to bed, why did shepherds count sheep?

A．To learn to count numbers.

B．To help fall asleep quickly.

C．To make all sheep were there.

D．To play games with other shepherds.

2. What can be inferred from the book Disciplina Clericalis?

A．Counting sheep has a long history.

B．The book was written for a long time.

C．Counting sheep was quite interesting.

D．The book describes life of shepherds.

3. What is Hilary Thompson’s view on counting sheep?

A．It is helpful to sleep.	B．It doesn’t work very well.
C．It increases sleep time.	D．It makes mind relaxing.

4. What is the best way to fall asleep quickly by Elizabeth Trattner?

A．Listening to soft music.	B．Picturing water running.
C．Imagining relaxing things.	D．Applying breathing techniques.

【推荐1】As one of the world’s oldest holidays, Halloween is still celebrated today in several countries around the globe, but it is in North America and Canada that it maintains its highest level of popularity. Every year, 65% of Americans decorate their homes and offices for Halloween. Halloween is the holiday when the most candy is sold and is second only to Christians in terms of total sales.
Austria
In Austria, some people will leave bread, water and a lighted lamp on the table before retiring on Halloween night. The reason for this is that it was once believed such items would welcome the dead souls back to earth on a night which for the Austrians was considered to be brimming(溢)with strong cosmic energies.
Belgium
The Belgians believe that it is unlucky for a black cat to cross one’s path and also unlucky if it should enter a home or travel on a ship. The custom in Belgium on Halloween night is to light candles in memory of dead relatives.
Canada
Modern Halloween celebrations in Canada began with the arrival of Scottish and Irish immigrants in the 1800s. Jack- O- Lantern is carved and the festivities include parties, trick-or-treating and the decorating of homes with pumpkins and corn stalks.
France
Unlike most nation of the world, Halloween is not celebrated by the French in order to honor the dead and departed ancestors. It is regarded as an “American” holiday in France and was unknown in the country until around 1996.
1. In which countries does Halloween have its highest level of popularity?

A．France and North America.

B．Canada and North America.

C．Austria and Canada.

D．Belgium and Canada.

2. Why will people leave bread, water and a lighted lamp on the table in Austria?

A．These items would welcome the dead souls back to earth

B．These items are used to respect ancestors

C．These items are just for fun

D．The other items can replace them

3. In which country does Halloween is not celebrated as the others?

A．Canada.

B．Belgium.

C．Austria.

D．France.

【推荐2】Are you an optimist? Do you look at your glass and see it as half full? Do you believe that every cloud has a silver lining and that things generally turn out for the best? Do you believe that if something is meant to be, it will be? If you reply “yes” to all of these questions, then you are an optimist. You probably are enthusiastic, cheerful and outgoing. You may be successful at work and in love.
But you may be misguided because things don't turn out for the best. You may believe that when one door closes another one opens (for example, you may fail to obtain a new job; another chance will come around soon ). Wrong. When one door closes, another door slams ( 砰然关上 ) in your face. That’s bitter reality.
Now a book has been published which confirms what pessimists (悲观者) have suspected all along. It’s called The Positive Power of Defensive Pessimism. Its author argues that defensive pessimism can lead to positive results. Defensive pessimism is a strategy used to manage fear, anxiety and worry. Defensive pessimists prepare for the things by setting low outcomes for themselves. They carefully consider everything that may go wrong and plan for ways to handle these problems. And this gives them a sense of control. Lawrence Sanno, a psychology professor, says, “What's interesting about defensive pessimists is that they tend to be very successful people, so their low opinion of the situation's outcomes is not realistic. They use it to motivate themselves to perform better.”
So far, so good. _____________ Defensive pessimists prepare carefully and consider what might go wrong, whether at work, on date or even in a sports game. It makes sense to have a back-up plan. There are many sayings in English urging caution. For example, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
And “Don’t count your chickens until they hatch.” To have a confident and optimistic approach to life’s problems is good. But listen to what Woody Alien, the American comedian says ,” Confidence is what you have before you understand the problem.”
There are pros and cons to being an optimist and a pessimist. Don’t feel bad if you see the glass half empty. You are a realist. But lighten up and hook up with someone who sees the same glass half full.
1. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．The benefits of defensive pessimism.

B．How to become successful in life

C．The dangers of being too optimistic.

D．A book that has recently been published.

2. The underlined sentence “This is not rocket science” ( Para.4 ) means ______.

A．it’s not a dangerous thing to do

B．there is no real proof

C．the cost is not so high

D．it is quite simple to understand

3. Which of the following English expressions would a defensive pessimist believe?

A．Whatever will be, will be.

B．The glass is half full not half empty.

C．Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

D．Every cloud has a silver lining.

4. The writer would probably describe himself as ______.

A．an optimist	B．a realist
C．a defeatist	D．a scientist

【推荐3】Not all bad emotions (情感) are necessarily bad. In fact, they can direct your behaviour in useful ways. If you’re stuck in traffic, anger with the situation might motivate you to find an alternative route (线路), which will then relieve your stress. But anger is less useful if you’re in the same situation, but stuck on a motorway with no option to alter directions.

Emotions have physiological effects, such as raising the level of cortisol in your bloodstream, which can affect your health. Indeed, a new study, published in Psychology and Aging, shows that high levels of anger are associated with poor health in older people.

The Canadian study did the study on 226 adults aged 59-93. They took blood samples to assess levels of chronic (慢性的) low-grade inflammation (炎症) and asked the participants to report any age-related chronic illnesses they might have. The participants also completed a short questionnaire about the level of anger or sadness they experienced in three typical days over a one-week period.

For the analysis, the researchers considered whether age could affect the results. They found that higher levels of anger were associated with inflammation and ill health in the oldest participants (aged 80 and above), but not the youngest ones (59-79 years). Sadness was not associated with inflammation or ill health in either age group.

The study is cross-sectional, meaning that it assessed a group of people at a single point in time. To get a fuller understanding of the relationship between bad emotions and health, we need studies that follow participants for a period of time — so-called prospective observation studies. Future studies should also take into account other factors that might relate, such as other emotions, stress and personality.

Although this new research shows a link between emotion and health in older age, we do not know whether anger causes inflammation and illness or whether health problems make people angrier.

1. What does the underlined word “alter” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Change.	B．Control.
C．Measure.	D．Operate.

2. Why were participants taken blood samples?

A．To analyze their levels of health.

B．To fill in the form of questionnaires.

C．To know the levels of some inflammation.

D．To compare the change of anger in three days.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Anger is the greatest danger to health.

B．The influence of anger on illness is unclear.

C．People in poor health are easy to get angry.

D．Evidence is needed to prove the effect of health.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Adjusting Our Emotions Is Necessary

B．Bad Emotions Affect People’s Feelings

C．New Conclusions Make People Amazed

D．Anger Is Linked to Illness in Old Age

【推荐1】Plastic pollution has long been a problem, but now it's gotten to a new height literally. Microplastic, referring to plastic fragments and particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter, have been found on Mount Qomolangma as high as 8,440 meters above sea level, just 408.86 meters below the peak of the mountain, according to a recent study published in the journal One Earth.

“These are the highest microplastics ever discovered so far.” lead author Imogen Napper from the University of Plymouth, UK, said in a statement. Scientists collected snow and water samples from 19 different locations from 4,200 meters above sea level all the way up to the summit of Mount Qomolangma. They found microplastics in all the water samples and part of the snow samples. The most polluted sample was from the Base Camp in Nepal, where most human activities on the mountain are concentrated. It had 79 particles of microplastics per liter of snow.

But how have these fragments made it all this way and in such a great abundance? The answer is apparent human activities. It is climbers who bring plastic products to the mountain. Even if they don't litter, just walking for 20 minutes or opening a bottle of water can release microplastics into the environment.

The harsh fact is that plastic pollution has reached even the most remote places on Earth. Researchers even found a plastic bag al the deepest point in the world's oceans—in the Mariana Trench, located in the Pacific Ocean. The bag is the same as the ones commonly used in grocery stores. Even covered in ice, the Arctic is still a victim of plastic pollution. A 2020 report published in Nature suggests that there are 2.000 to 17,000 plastic particles per cubic meter in Arctic ice cores, and between 0 to 18 microplastic particles per cubic meter from the water beneath ice floes. Experts think microplastics may be transported by air and then reach the North Pole in snowfall.

“What we don t yet fully know is the potential problems these tiny pieces of plastic could be having to ecosystems, to organisms and even to our own health as well,” said Christian Dunn of Bangor University, UK. Then what can we do? “We need to start focusing on deeper technological solutions that focus on microplastics, like changing fabric design and including natural fibers instead of plastic when possible.”

1. What are the first two paragraphs mainly about?

A．The polluted samples from the peak were the most serious.

B．Plastic pollution has been discovered at high altitudes.

C．Humans have .climbed to the peak of Mount Qomolangma.

D．Microplastics are a newly-found material by researchers.

2. What can we infer from Paragraph 4?

A．Microplastics may go far beyond the range of human activities.

B．The means of microplastics transportation has been confirmed.

C．There are frequent exchanges between Arctic ice cores and ice floes.

D．Bags from grocery stores are the main source of plastic pollution.

3. According to Christian Dunn, the key to addressing microplastic pollution is                    .

A．to prohibit the use of plastic products	B．to diversify the design of microplastics
C．to apply only natural fibrous alternatives	D．to develop more advanced technologies

4. Which of the following is the best title?

A．Litter in the Mariana Trench	B．New One Earth Campaigns
C．Pollution Reaches New Height	D．Adventurous Human Activists

【推荐2】Depression is a mood disorder accompanied by emotional and physical symptoms that interfere with your daily life. Everyone experiences depression differently. Some people experience significant increases in their depression symptoms at night. Nighttime depression can also create or worsen insomnia, by keeping you awake longer or making it more difficult to fall asleep.

There are a number of causes that can contribute to increased depression at night. One commonly suggested reason for the increase is the lack of distractions (干扰). During the day, it’s a little easier for some people—especially those with mild or moderate depression—to keep themselves busy. Work, school, or social activities act as a distraction during the day. But at night, when you settle down to sleep, there’s nothing but you and your thoughts.

Researchers have looked into other things that could be increasing our nighttime depression symptoms. According to 2013 research on animals, bright lights (especially blue and white) at night can not only keep us awake, but may also increase symptoms of depression. In the study, even having a TV on in a dark room increased the animal’s cortisol levels and created changes in their hippocampus (海马体), both of which can increase depressive symptoms.

It’s also thought that if your circadian rhythm (生理节律) is disrupted, your depression may be triggered or your symptoms could increase in severity. One 2009 study found that increased artificial light can significantly disrupt our circadian rhythm, causing or increasing mood disorders like depression.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can cope with depression that occurs or increases in severity at night. For depression symptoms, regardless of the time of day they show up, you should maintain the treatment plan prescribed by your doctor.

1. What causes worsened depression at night?

A．Tiredness from hard work.	B．The blank and free brain.
C．Blue and red lights.	D．The complete darkness.

2. What may be helpful to reduce nighttime depression symptoms?

A．Sleeping in natural light.	B．Sleeping with the TV on.
C．Using only red lights.	D．Doing special research.

3. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．Depression can be controlled in some way.	B．One can completely get rid of depression.
C．Only doctors have cures for depression.	D．Depression in the day can be ignored.

4. What can be the best title of the passage?

A．Sleeping difficulty	B．Emotional health
C．Depression at night	D．Mood controlling

【推荐3】Shakespeare City Walk

This 90-minute leisurely walking tour does not go to the Globe Theatre (because everyone already knows it), but instead uncovers less known monuments and locations in the City of London with connections to Shakespeare’s life, his friends, his loves and his works.

The Shakespeare City Walk takes place on Fridays at 11 am. at Temple tube station.

Address: Temple tube station, London

Telephone: 44(0)790-574-6733

Camera Trails

Learn how to take better photos as you explore London with a professional photographer on a Camera Trails tour. Walk around Brick Lane and Spitalfields on the Urban East tour, or take photos of Elizabeth Tower and St. Paul's Cathedral on the South Bank tour.

Address: Trafalgar Square, London

Telephone: 44(0)798-957-9336

The Celebrity Planet

See celebrity (名人) homes, famous film locations, music landmarks and places linked to pop history on a Celebrity Planet tour. Find out about stars in Notting Hill, Mayfair, Primrose Hill or Chelsea, or try a Harry Potter, James Bond or Beatles tour.

Address: 40 Porchester Square, London

Telephone: 44(0)20-7193-8770

Email: info@thecelebrityplanet.com

Sandemans New London Tours

Sandemans New London Tours offer a completely free tour of Royal London, including the Changing of the Guard. There’s also an Old City of London Tour, and a Grim Reapers of London Tour. Our expert guides are all graduates of the world’s leading universities, including Yale, Cambridge and Oxford. As guides work for tips, you are guaranteed the best tour of London. Our walking tours are healthy and environmentally friendly, so you won’t contribute to the pollution problem of London’s cars and buses.

Email: info@neweuropetours.com

1. What is TRUE of the Shakespeare City Walk?

A．It takes place five days a week.

B．It consists of not so many famous destinations.

C．It lasts about half a day.

D．It includes a visit to a famous theatre.

2. If you want to take some wonderful photos of Elizabeth Tower, you may ________.

A．receive some professional training	B．go to Temple tube station
C．join the South Bank tour	D．join the Urban East tour

3. Sam is a movie fan. He will probably ________.

A．call 44(0)798-957-9336	B．call 44(0)790-574-6733
C．go to 40 Porchester Square	D．email info(@neweuropetours.com