1 . Do you ever feel like there’s not enough time in the day? That time is somehow racing away from you, and it is impossible to fit everything in. But then, you step outside into the countryside and suddenly everything seems slower, more relaxed, like time has somehow changed. It’s not just you — recent research showed nature can control our sense of time.
Richardo Correia, the researcher at the University of Finland, found that being in nature may change how we experience time and perhaps, even give us the sense of time abundance (充裕). Correia compared people’s experiences of time when they performed different types of tasks in cities and natural environments. It showed that people reported a sense of expanded time when they were in nature compared to when they were in cities. For example, a walk through the countryside felt longer than a city walk of the same distance.
It’s not just our sense of time in the moment which appears to be changed by the natural world, and it’s also our sense of the past and future. Earlier research shows that spending time in nature helps to move our focus from the immediate (目前的) moment towards our future needs. So rather than focusing on the stress of the demands (需求) on our time, nature helps us to see the bigger picture. This can help us focus on what’s important so that we meet our long-term goals. This is partly because spending time in nature appears to make us less impulsive (冲动的), enabling us to think more about future benefits instead of wanting immediate ones.
1. How might you feel when you walk in the countryside?| A．Everything remains the same. | B．Time is racing away from you. |
| C．There are less hours in the day. | D．Things seem to go at a slower speed. |
| A．By doing online surveys. | B．By interviewing experts. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By reviewing earlier studies. |
| A．Real. | B．Lost. | C．Passing. | D．Increased. |
| A．By meeting our needs. | B．By changing our focus. |
| C．By showing us pictures. | D．By reminding us of the past. |
| A．What differences time brings us. | B．Where our sense of time has gone. |
| C．Why we lose sense of time in nature. | D．How nature changes our sense of time. |
2 . These days, we easily feel stressed as we need to do lots of work every day. It’s important to know how to solve problems and find ways to relax.
We should try organizing our problems from most important to least important as well as most urgent (紧急的) to least urgent. If some problems are both important and urgent, such as studying for a next-day test, do those tasks first. Once those are done, work on things that are important but not urgent, such as preparing for the final exams. From there, we can work on problems that are less important. Organizing our work this way helps a lot in knowing what to do first and not worrying about the rest.
Sometimes we feel stressed because we are not able to complete the task by ourselves. It’s better to ask someone for help. If we stick to doing these tasks ourselves, it can make us more stressed and upset. Open your mouth bravely, and someone must give you a hand.
Still, sometimes we don’t feel relaxed even after organizing our work well. That’s okay. We can try to plan some exercise in our daily life. It doesn’t even have to be a big trip to the gym, although that surely helps. It could be something as small as walking around the neighborhood for 10 minutes. Also, we can try different activities together with our family members or friends.
We can try meditation (冥想). Again, this does not need to be anything special. Just set aside 10to 20 minutes with a timer, sit upright, close your eyes, and focus only on breathing. If other ideas come up, accept that they are there and let them fall away on their own.
By trying these steps, we will go a long way toward feeling relaxed and peaceful when finishing all of the work.
1. In which order should we organize our tasks?a. Both important and urgent tasks. b. Less important tasks.
c. Important but not urgent tasks. d. Neither important nor urgent tasks.
| A．a→b→c→d | B．a→c→b→d | C．d→c→b→a | D．d→b→c→a |
| A．Always complete the tasks by ourselves. | B．We can tell the truth to other people. |
| C．Try to give a helping hand to others. | D．We should ask for help sometimes. |
| A．Go on a big trip. | B．Take a walk around. |
| C．Spend time organizing our work well. | D．Do the same activity every day. |
| A．Lie down and set a timer. | B．Try to breathe gently. |
| C．Just leave them alone. | D．Open and then close our eyes. |
| A．Ways of Organizing Tasks | B．Advice on Dealing with Stress |
| C．Advantages of Taking Exercise | D．Keys to Keeping a Peaceful Mind |
3 . Happiness has become a big deal in the past ten years. Hundreds of books, speeches and even the media tell us that happiness is within our reach. All we have to do is to follow some simple steps, like going to deep thoughts, living in the moment and doing yoga (瑜伽). But if you are going through a difficult time, none of these may work.
In fact, feeling deeply sad is a normal (正常的) part of getting better. It is said that if you are going through a hard time, it’s important for you to do something that can make you feel better. Here are some skills that have helped me and many people. Perhaps they can work for you too.
Looking at water while you are in nature can bring quietness. Being outside is also good. But if you’re not anywhere near an ocean, lake or river, looking at shapes of moving water on TV can be soothing.
But if you have lost the ability to find some pleasure in your daily life or from the people around you, think about the time you were at your happiest. Doing this actually sends chemicals to your brain, and it can make you feel better. If it still doesn’t work, something worse may have happened to you. You’d better think about getting yourself checked out by doctors.
We can’t allow our feelings of low points to rule our lives, but we can’t think little of them, either. They must be treated carefully so that we can move on.
1. According to the passage, if you are in a difficult time, ________ may be helpful.| A．going to deep thoughts | B．doing yoga as much as possible |
| C．living in the moment | D．doing something that can make you feel better |
| A．excited | B．sad | C．quiet | D．nervous |
| A．nervous | B．comfortable | C．crazy | D．excited |
| A．go to see a doctor | B．look at water in nature |
| C．watch TV | D．think about the sad time |
| A．How to Find Happiness | B．Our Feelings |
| C．Water Can Make You Quiet | D．Happiness Is a Kind of Feeling |
4 . Everyone has a better self in their hearts. But for many people, it is hard for them to make a change for that, especially a big one. Once we fail in that, we are less likely to do well in the future. Success leads to success, and failure repeats failure. But by taking small steps, we all can be a better one. Here are three practical examples.
Tidying your house. No matter how large or small a house you have, you may often delay the “spring clean” again and again until the summer comes. A big clean is seldom enjoyable, but you can tell yourself, “Today, I will do the bedroom, and nothing more.” Or, “I will do the chairs this morning, and the tables this afternoon.” It will probably take you longer, but it gets done.
Sporting achievement. To many people around the world, running a marathon (马拉松) is usually something impossible. But anything is simply one small step after another. Those great runners often repeat, “Just to the top of that hill,” or, “Just one more mile,” over and over—until one mile becomes 26.2 miles.
Changing your character (性格). There’s a lot of truth in the power (力量) of habit. When we do a thing over and over, our brains will form a fixed mind-set. It’s impossible to “be kind” overnight. It takes small change step by step. So, try to do one kind thing before lunch. Do another one before you go to bed. Over time, you will easily and habitually do kind things one day. You’ve become kind.
Rome was not built in a day and so does making changes. Slowly, slowly and over great time, great things can be done.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?| A．Everyone can be a better one. | B．Everyone has a big dream. |
| C．Failure is the mother of success. | D．There’s no way to success. |
| A．Hear of. | B．Put off. | C．Put up. | D．Look at. |
| A．Having good luck. | B．Being kind to others. |
| C．Getting help from others. | D．Sticking to what they want. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．Become Better Little by Little | B．Live a Successful Life |
| C．Make a Difference to the World | D．Change Your Character |
5 . 
| A．They have lots of worries. | B．They spend too much time on the phone. |
| C．They have some bad sleep habits. | D．They want to change everything at once. |
| A．Sana. | B．Lisa. | C．Judy. | D．Dave. |
| A．Ask experts for help. | B．Cut down screen time. |
| C．Keep a diary. | D．Share worries with others. |
6 . Do you like reading stories? Do you want to improve your skills and do great writing? Why not start by exploring? Here’s how to write a story.
| 1. Find inspiration (灵感) | The first step is coming up with an idea. You can find inspiration anywhere—your own experiences, news stories, historical events and so on. Make a habit of taking notes, you will find inspiration all around you. |
| 2. Make a brainstorm | Once you have an idea for a story, brainstorm. Write down all the ideas you have, including how the story will develop. With the basic points down, decide on the point of view you’ll use. |
| 3. Create an outline (提纲) | A story outline is similar to outlines used for other kinds of writing. Your outline is a basic framework (框架) for your story that lists its key characters and details (细节). For a lot of writers, a story’s outline is helpful in making up the story. |
| 4. Start writing | Find a quiet place and turn all your ideas into words. First, write down the main plot (情节) of the story. Then add details. Try to get all that story writing out of your mind. |
| 5. Check your story | At this step, it can be helpful to have others read your work. Ask a few close friends or loved ones to read your work. They will express their thoughts. Then you can make some changes according to their ideas. Finally, check your spelling and grammar. It will make your story perfect. |
1. What can you do to find the inspiration around?
| A．List key characters. | B．Create an outline. |
| C．Have a brainstorm. | D．Take notes often. |
| A．Ask readers for ideas. | B．Decide on your point of view. |
| C．Check the spelling and grammar. | D．Add more details to the story. |
| A．By telling stories. | B．By giving instructions. |
| C．By comparing facts. | D．By following the space order. |
| A．To show the reasons for writing a story. | B．To list different parts of a story. |
| C．To introduce how to write a story. | D．To explain what a good story is like. |
7 . Our planet is facing a big problem. It’s called environmental pollution. What is it? And why is it so bad? Let’s find out!
What is Environmental Pollution?
Environmental pollution is that the harmful things are put into the air, water, and soil. These harmful things can make our planet sick and affect the life on it.
Sources of Pollution:
★Air Pollution
Cars, factories, and power plants (电厂) release harmful gases into the air.
★Water Pollution
Factories, waste water, and plastic waste contaminate our rivers, lakes, and oceans.
★Soil Pollution
Chemicals from factories and pesticides from farming can harm the soil.
Effects of Pollution:
·Animals and plants can die.
·Our air and water can become unsafe.
·Climate change can get worse.
What Can We Do?
·Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: We should try to use less, reuse things, and recycle what we can.
·Green Energy: Use solar, wind, or water energy instead of fossil fuels.
·Plant Trees: Trees absorb harmful gases and give us oxygen.
·Awareness: Tell others about the importance of protecting our environment.
Conclusion:
Environmental pollution is a big problem, but if we all work together, we can make our planet healthy again. Let’s start taking action today!
1. Environmental pollution can make the earth ________.| A．get dry | B．get colder | C．get sick | D．get healthy again |
| A．Air pollution. | B．Water pollution. | C．Soil pollution. | D．Noise pollution. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．Influence. | B．Improve. | C．Control. | D．Pollute. |
| A．Face the Truth: Our Planet is in Danger. | B．Environmental Pollution: Our Biggest Challenge. |
| C．Keep Health: Let’s Start Taking Action Today! | D．Important Thing: Protect the Environment. |
8 . African elephants can now be counted from space, using high resolution images (高清图像). The researchers say the new technology can be used to protect the animals better.
The researchers used satellites (卫星) 372 miles above the earth to take some of the highest resolution images. They then made a computer program that could identify (识别) elephants within the images (图像). Dr. Olga Isupova, from the University of Bath, told the BBC, “We could train the machine to see small details that we wouldn’t be able to pick up with our eyes.”
Usual ways of counting elephants are to fly above them in the planes or get humans to count the animals on satellite images. This can be difficult, because elephants are hard to be seen when they are among trees or tall grass. It takes a long time and mistakes can be made. The new technology means elephants can be counted more correctly and the work is much faster. The computers can do the same amount of counting in a few hours by the new technology instead of (代替) humans’ monthly work. Clouds still are a challenge, because they can block (遮挡) the satellites’ view. Luckily though, most places where the elephants live do not have much cloud.
The researchers say the new technology can help to save elephant populations from being hunted (捕猎), because it is easier to find where the elephants are and so plans can be made to protect them.
1. What does the underlined word “They” in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．The elephants. | B．The images. | C．The satellites. | D．The researchers. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By comparing facts. |
| C．By listing numbers. | D．By telling stories. |
| A．It will miss the elephants among trees. | B．It collects images taken from planes. |
| C．It takes less time to do the counting. | D．Clouds are not a problem for it at all. |
9 . Are you the type of person who always says “yes”? Are you brave enough to say NO? It’s okay to say NO and people are still going to like you. They may even respect (尊敬) you more because they know you are honest.
I’m not saying to say “no” to someone who really needs your help. I’m talking about turning down that meeting that you really do not want to attend or that birthday party that you don’t want to be a guest at.
Think for a moment how you feel when you say YES to something that you really don’t want to do. If you are like I once was, you can’t sleep at night and you think about it too much. It weighs on your mind. Whatever you are saying to yourself, if you really wanted to go, you wouldn’t have all of these thoughts.
So, why not just say NO from the beginning? Maybe you feel like if you don’t show up at the meeting (by the way, it is not one you must attend), your boss isn’t going to like you or your coworkers won’t respect you. Maybe you feel as if your mom, dad or sisters won’t love you as much as before if you don’t do everything for them that they ask every occasion.
If these people are your true friends, family members, or a good boss, they will like or love you the same no matter what. People treat you the way you teach them to, and if you’re someone who always says “yes”, then that’s what they are expecting.
You need to do what is right for you. Of course we do have real obligations (义务) in life to fulfill, but we do not have to do everything others want us to do.
1. Why are two questions raised at the very beginning of the passage?| A．To ask for answers. | B．To give a real example. |
| C．To lead into the topic. | D．To express the writer’s opinions. |
| A．Something you think difficult to do. | B．Saying “yes”. |
| C．A friend’s birthday party. | D．Something you are unwilling to do. |
| A．Your boss won’t like you. | B．Your workmates won’t respect you. |
| C．Your relatives won’t love you. | D．Maybe people will respect you more. |
| A．Your mom asks you to walk the dog after dinner on weekends. |
| B．Your friend asks you to help with homework when you are free. |
| C．Your aunt invites you for dinner when you need to prepare for an exam. |
| D．Your teacher wants you to attend a competition which suits you the best. |
| A．Learn to Say No. | B．Learn to Make a Right Choice. |
| C．Be Yourself. | D．Do What You Want to Do. |
10 . ①That future is almost here. “I think it’s going to happen. Definitely in ten years…and hopefully much, much faster,” said Sebastian Thrun in 2021. At that time, his young company Kitty Hawk Corporation was working on developing a flying car known as eVTOL, or Electronic Vertical (垂直的) Take-Off and Landing vehicle (车辆).
②Flying to work or school sounds unbelievable. Not only is it fun to fly, but “there would never be traffic again, because the sky is very, very large,” says Thrun. He also thinks eVTOLs could be greener than common cars. “We go much faster, we go in a straight line, we fly on less energy,” he says.
③So far, though, flying cars haven’t taken off as a product. Will their day come? There are still many problems to solve. Their high price means most people won’t be able to afford one. So, some companies are developing them as air taxis that people could pay to ride. The main problem with flying cars is safety. Accidents in the air are dangerous to both the passengers and anyone on the ground beneath. To make eVTOLs safer, many developers are aiming to make them self-flying—no human pilot required.
④Another problem is space. Most aircraft need long runways to take off and land. Lifting straight up and down like a helicopter (直升机) solves this problem. But eVTOLs still need special spaces, called vertiports, for take-off and landing. Finding places to put these could be difficult, especially in crowded cities. But maybe some could go on top of buildings.
⑤What do you think? Would you enjoy riding to school or to visit a friend in a self-flying taxi? Are flying cars a good idea, or should we find other ways to get around in the near future?
1. What is Sebastian Thrun’s opinion about the future of flying cars?| A．He believes it will happen in ten years and faster. | B．He thinks it will never happen. |
| C．He thinks it will happen in the next century. | D．He is not sure about the future of flying cars. |
| A．To compete with common cars. | B．To solve safety problems. |
| C．To make them cheaper. | D．To provide rides for people. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．The History of Air Travel Technologies. | B．Is a Flying Car Your Dream Car? |
| C．The Exciting World of Electric Taxis. | D．Will Future Flying Cars Need Drivers? |
