【推荐1】On Us TV shows, you may sometimes see rubber balls on people’s desks. These balls are known as “stress relief balls”. People can squeeze them when they feel stressed out. It’s believed that by concentrating on the act of squeezing, they can let go of the negative energy in their bodies.

    1    Fortunately, we have many ways to deal with it.

In fact, the rubber stress relief balls that are so popular today in the US are believed to date back to ancient China.     2     By squeezing them during moments of anxiety, soldiers were able to calm themselves down before going into battle. And in the Ming Dynasty (1368—1644), people started rolling walnuts in their hands. Ordinary citizens—not just soldiers—developed the habit of rolling two walnuts, or balls made from iron or stone, around in their hands.     3    

And today, we have many gadgets (小器具) and toys that are designed to reduce stress in addition to stress relief balls. One example is the popular fidget spinner (指尖陀螺).     4     You just spin the gadget around. There’s also the fidget cube, which features different “gimmicks (机关)” on each side of the cube. You can click, spin, pull, push and rotate different parts of the cube.

    5     But perhaps we should take them more seriously. “After all, the history of stress balls is a history of modern-day coping,” reporter Nadia Berenstein wrote for Woolly magazine.

A．This helped them relax as well.

B．These gadgets may look like simple toys.

C．It keeps your hand busy with an easy task.

D．This is the only way to ease away your tension.

E．Indeed, stress is a big problem for many people.

F．A focused activity helps take your mind off the problems of your day.

G．Back in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), soldiers used walnuts to get rid of stress.

【推荐2】Runners need to move 15 per cent faster on a treadmill(跑步机) to burn the same number of calories as jogging outdoors, research reveals.

Researchers from Milan University analyzed the difference between running outdoors and on a treadmill in 15 physically fit males with an average age of 21. The participants completed a sprint(短距离快速跑) for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of recovery for a total of 15 minutes both outdoors and on a treadmill. Oxygen use and exercise intensity were measured after both types of running.

The findings were published in the journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism. Results revealed that when on a treadmill, runners use significantly lower amounts of oxygen, suggesting less effort is required. Therefore runners must move 15 percent faster on a treadmill to burn the same amount of calories as exercising outdoors, the study stated. The study authors wrote, "A 15 per cent increase in running speed during a period of stopping and starting often in high intensity treadmill training session is the best possible solution to reaching the same physiological responses as an outdoor training session.

Although the study did not speculate why treadmill running appears to be needing less effort and energy, previous research suggests the moving belt of a treadmill moves joggers forward, causing them to move faster. Exercising indoors also means gym-goers do not have to fight with steep hills or wind resistance.

Michael Silverman, director of rehabilitation and wellness(康复科) at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York, said, “Outdoors, you are changing surfaces constantly, fighting the wind, and making quick and sudden starts and stops, which will lead to increased caloric burn.” Shake magazine reported. "And while we don't recommend running in extreme temperatures, it is worth noting that your body burns extra calories to regulate your body temperature," he says.

1. Where can you find the specific findings of the study?

A．In Paragraph 2

B．In Paragraph 3

C．In Paragraph 4

D．In Paragraph 5

2. What can we know about the study?

A．Its participants were all 21 years old .

B．Michael is one of the researchers.

C．It revealed why treadmill running consumes less calories .

D．It took oxygen use and exercise intensity into consideration .

3. Why does running on a treadmill seem easier according to the study ?

A．The runners need less energy.

B．The runners can usually get enough oxygen .

C．The moving belt pushes joggers forward .

D．The intensity of running on the treadmill is more stable .

4. What does the underlined word “speculate” mean ?

A．conclude

B．research

C．oppose

D．doubt

【推荐3】Brazil is the greatest football nation in the world. There are 170 million Brazilians. How many of them are football fans? 100 million! All of them think that they know all about football. This makes life very difficult for the Brazilian team managers. When things go bad for the Brazilian team, the newspapers would demand that the team manager should leave his job. “If we win, they put me in heaven,” a manager once said. “If we lose, they put me in hell (地狱).”

You can’t escape football in Brazil. There are football matches on every street and beach. On television, the results of football matches come before the main news programs. There are six television channels (频道) in Rio de Janeiro. On Sundays each channel shows a different football match.

Brazil is not the richest country in the world, but the government spends lots of money on football. It cost more than one billion pounds to prepare for the 1978 World Cup. That’s 10 pounds for every Brazilian man, woman, and child. And many Brazilians don’t earn as much as 10 pounds a week. Is it worth it?

“Brazil must have a great football team,” says one journalist. “If it costs one billion pounds, that’s all right. If the government doesn’t give us a good team, then it will become unpopular. Football is more than a game in Brazil.”

Football is more than a game in Brazil. This is certainly true in its largest city, San Paulo. The most popular team is Corinthians. Corinthians’ fans are the most loyal and emotional in Brazil. When Corinthians win, production in the Sao Paulo car factories increases by fifteen per cent. When they lose, it drops. At one time Corinthians won the national championship for the first time. For four days fans danced and sang in the streets.

Why are people so loyal to one football team? What makes a football fan? One man says, “Without Corinthians my life would be sad. Corinthians bring some joy and excitement into my life. We all need that, don’t we?”

1. In paragraph 1, what the manager said means _______.

A．he is respected by newspapers	B．he will probably be killed by fans
C．he is judged on his team’s results	D．it’s difficult for him to get good scores

2. All the following statements about the Brazilians and football are true EXCEPT _______.

A．all the Brazilians know all about football

B．football has an influence on politics(政治) in Brazil

C．the Brazilians spend a lot of money on football

D．Corinthians’ fans are always supporting their team

3. Some people danced and sang in the streets for four days in Sao Paulo because _______.

A．production in the Sao Paulo car factories increased

B．Corinthians won a national football championship

C．Corinthians won the World Cup

D．the newspapers put a team manager in heaven

【推荐1】What’s the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of wheat straw? Most people would probably just see it as a pile of waste in a farmer’s field. However, Wu Cui, an intangible cultural inheritor, can turn the straw left over from harvested wheat into beautiful and eye-catching functional artworks.

The earliest straw-weaving (草编的) products were discovered at Hemudu Cultural Ruins, a Neolithic cultural site located in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. The Book of Rites, one of the classical works of Confucianism, also records that there were already mats made of cattail grass and professional straw-weaving craftsmen during the Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-256 BC).

Straw weaving is a method of manufacturing daily items or artworks. It was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Wu explains the process of straw weaving: selection of materials is the first step of a complicated, time-consuming and labor-intensive process that can take weeks, or even months, to complete. You need to sketch (素描) the piece on paper, which requires drawing skills. Next comes weaving, shaping and preserving of the work. Even by finishing that process, it does not mean that you will always create a good piece of work, and the hardest part is to make it vivid.

In the past, woven straw items could be found almost in every household in the countryside, such as straw hats and straw shoes, because they were practical in everyday life. But due to the impact of industrialization, manufactured goods have replaced such products, which produce low profits, and there are only about 100 individuals engaging in the work across the country. “The world has changed, and craftsmen need to transcend practicality and seek the beauty and artistry of straw culture to help the craft survive and develop,” Wu says.

As far as she is concerned, straw weaving should respond to people’s needs and preferences, while still drawing inspiration from traditional culture. “Craftspeople should make a great effort to grasp the trends and opportunities of the times to create new and relevant products,” she says. When asked about her plans, Wu says she wants to dig deeper into local traditional culture and create cultural creative products by developing the straw-weaving technique.

1. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about straw-weaving products?

A．Their major uses.	B．Their cultural value.
C．Their historic origins.	D．Their manufacturing process.

2. Which is the most difficult part for straw-weaving craftsmen according to Wu Cui?

A．Making the artworks lifelike.	B．Drawing sketches on paper.
C．Selecting suitable materials.	D．Preserving finished products.

3. What does the underlined word “transcend” in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Rely on.

B．Turn to.

C．Throw away.

D．Go beyond.

4. What can we learn from Wu Cui’s opinion according to the last paragraph?

A．Straw-weaving products are out of favor with customers.

B．Seeking fashion should be the first task for craftspeople.

C．Local people benefit a lot from the straw-weaving techniques.

D．Craftsmen should create the craft based on traditional culture.

【推荐2】It is not uncommon for people to say they have no sense of direction. The sense of direction represents the ability to find one’s way. In other words, it is about getting from point A to point B without a hitch. The journey begins with determining the initial position using landmarks in the environment. It’s really about choosing a route and following it. It is also a question of testing that this same route is the correct one, with the mental representation of space or the help of tools such as maps. Finally, the ability to identify the point of arrival is obviously very important.

In a study published in 2009, scientist Giuseppe Iaria, a scientist of the University of Calgary (Canada), who specialized cognitive neutral(认知神经) networks indicated that people lacking a sense of direction have a special condition: Develop mental Topographical Disorientation(DTD).

The sense of direction required large neutral networks for proper functioning, according to the expert. However, the fact is that a majority of people are unable to put a map in their head while on the move. In her book Mind in Motion(2019), Professor Emeritus of Psychology at St an ford University(USA)Barbara Tversky explains how most people do it.

She introduced a combination of methods. It’s a mix of turn-by-turn directions, bird’s-eye views and general information in the form of maps. However, it should be noted that most medium-complexity navigation(导航) directions depend in part on the ability of people to understand the perspective of a map. In other words, people without a sense of direction follow a route in pieces. Thus, they have no expanded understanding for space and navigate their environment without any mental map of their destinations.

However, there is a solution, namely to guide the person through a series of short routed.

1. What does the underlined phrase “without a hitch” in paragraph I mean?

A．With ease.	B．By oneself.
C．At ease.	D．Without reflection.

2. What is the cause of going short of a sense of direction?

A．Being unable to put a map at hand.	B．Expanded understanding for space.
C．Lack of guiding through short routed.	D．Neutral networks’ improper functioning.

3. What could be a challenge for someone without a sense of direction?

A．Reading a map.	B．Forming a map in mind.
C．Following a route in pieces.	D．Finishing a series of short routed.

4. What can be inferred from the text?

A．Mental map contributes to the sense of direction.

B．Having no sense of direction is merely an excuse.

C．Most people have long routed in their mind.

D．People with a sense of direction don’t need a map.

【推荐3】Can you imagine a world without music? Studies show that public schools across the country are cutting back on music classes to save money. Even worse, some schools have never had music classes to begin with. But without them, students' academic growth and spiritual health could suffer. In fact, music classes are necessary for all students in schools.

Recent studies Brown University have shown that students who received music education classes were better in math and reading skills than those without music classes. Another study by The College Board found that students taking music and art classes got higher points. Students' academic success seems to depend on their taking part in music education.

Music programs in public schools also help to add to a student's sense of pride and self-confidence. Teens today have too many learning tasks. Besides, they have family problems, self-confidence problems, relationship troubles, and choices about smoke and alcohol. All of these can stop academic success, but music education can help. A study by The Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse found that students who took part in school music programs were less likely to turn to smoke. Music programs encourage students to work together to produce an excellent performance.

Music crosses language, class and culture. Music allows students from different countries to connect. For example, at a school talent show, a new Japanese student played a piano duet with an American classmate. Two students from different cultures worked as a team with self-confidence and common purpose through music.

The gift of music is priceless. We need to be sure to have necessary music classes for all students. The world is losing its music, and putting music into schools is the first step to get it back.

1. What can we learn about education with music classes?

A．It does good to students' academic success and spiritual health.

B．It can cause a lot of academic problems.

C．It will affect the world cultural communication greatly.

D．It allows schools to make more money.

2. What do the two studies seem to show?

A．Students with great success attend music lessons.

B．Not all students could have music classes at school.

C．Music classes play an important role in students' growth.

D．Students who have music classes do better in all subjects.

3. What does the example in Paragraph 4 mainly suggest?

A．Japan has a good relationship with America.

B．Music makes cross-cultural communication possible.

C．Different cultures have different styles of music.

D．Japanese and American students are good at playing the piano.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．How to Get Music Back	B．Music—A Bridge to Understanding
C．Studies on Music Education	D．The Importance of Music Classes in School