1 . People experience a flow state when they become deeply focused on an activity that is challenging but not outside of their skill set. Getting into a flow state helps people learn and further develop their skills while also increasing their enjoyment of those skills.
In the 1960s, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi noticed that many artists fell into this single- minded state while doing their creative work. His research on the topic showed that people can experience flow during different situations, including games like chess, sports like surfing or rock climbing, professional activities like performing surgery, or creative activities like writing or painting. Time seems to pass more quickly than usual when people are in this state. He used the term “flow state” to describe this experience because many of the people he interviewed about it said the experience was like being “in flow”.
The state of flow can be brought about by any experience, whether work or play, he explained, “It is the full participation of flow, rather than happiness, that makes for excellence in life. Flow is also valuable for learning and developing skills. He noted the value of increasing challenges so they are just a little outside one’s skill set. This encourages the person to stay in the flow state while also helping them to learn new skills.
Many people are interested in achieving flow because it can help improve performance and increase happiness. This can be different for different people. While one person may enter a flow state while gardening, another may do so while drawing or running a marathon. The key is to find an activity that the person is passionate(热情的) about and finds it enjoyable.
In addition, the activity must be challenging enough to need people to raise their skill level just beyond their abilities. Finally, the balance between skill level and challenge must be optimal to achieve flow. If the challenge is too high, it can lead to anxiety(焦虑); if the challenge is too low, it can lead to boredom. High challenges and high skills will result in deep involvement(参与) in the activity and create the desired flow state.
Today it can be hard to ensure one’s environment is good for flow. If the noise keeps appearing, it won’t lead to a flow state. You should turn off mobile phones if you want to achieve flow.
1. What can we learn from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s research?| A．People feel bored when they are in the state of flow. |
| B．Time seems to pass more slowly when people experience flow. |
| C．Flow state can prevent people from achieving their goals. |
| D．People may experience flow when they deeply keep their minds on something. |
| A．The history of the research. |
| B．The benefits of a flow state. |
| C．The difficulties of learning new skills. |
| D．The challenges of a flow state. |
| A．opposite | B．new | C．suitable | D．familiar |
| A．people get into a flow state in all kinds of environment |
| B．people feel bored when the challenge is too high |
| C．anxiety can help people get into a flow state |
| D．both high challenges and skills are necessary for a flow state |
Owls live in almost every country in the world. Most owls don’t sleep at night. When they fly, you can’t hear them. They are very quiet. Owls are good at hunting（捕猎）. They eat a lot of things such as mice, snakes, small birds and even fish. Owls have very good hearing. That helps them to hunt well in dark places. Their eyes are special. Both of their eyes face front. They can see very far away. There are facial disks（面盘）around their eyes. These facial disks can help with their hearing. Owls can turn their heads 270°. That helps them see what’s going on all around them.
Maybe because owls look a little different and have special life habits. There are a lot of stories about them. Some cultures believe that owls are very clever and some cultures think owls may bring bad luck to people. In fact, owls are really good friends of people. They eat lots of mice every year. That helps save a lot of food for people. But the number of owls in the world is becoming smaller and smaller because of people’s activities. Now owls are protected by law（法律）in many places of the world. For example, in some places, people can’t keep an owl as a pet at home.
1. We can learn from the passage that ________ are not owls’ food.| A．mice | B．snakes | C．fish | D．cats |
| A．they protect people’s homo at night | B．they can help save food for people |
| C．they like to live close to people | D．they are pets in many families |
| A．history | B．art | C．animals | D．sports |
3 . Sleeping
Sleeping is important for your health and fitness. It’s often overlooked(被忽视) as a key part of your health. Why is sleep so important and what happens when you’re sleeping?
Sleeping is actually a very active time for your body. It’s not just you are closing your eyes and waiting to wake up. Sleep is made up of stages. In the first couple stages, your mind stops worrying about what is happening around it and your body relaxes. Your heart rate(速率), temperature and breathing are all lower as your body relaxes. As you fall more deeply asleep, your muscles(肌肉) relax and your cells(细胞) start to rebuild. Growth hormones(激素) are released(释放) in deep sleep to help you grow and build muscle. Your body repairs itself.
Later, you will fall into REM sleep. This is probably the most important part of your sleep when you are dreaming. Your muscles turn off completely, but your brain is very active. It helps provide energy(能量) for the brain and gives you daytime energy. You usually drop into dream or REM sleep about every 90 minutes you are asleep. That’s why sleep is important.
Hormones that control mood, energy level, your immune(免疫的) system and appetite(食欲) are all affected(影响) by sleep. Getting the proper amount of sleep allows your body to function(运转) at its very best. It also helps you to grow. Your memory doesn’t even work as well when you are tired. How can you make good decisions and concentrate without proper sleep?
1. What does the word “stages”in Paragraph 2 probably(可能) mean?| A．Letters. | B．Steps. | C．Units. | D．Notes. |
| A．Hormones can make you have a good sleep. |
| B．During deep sleep, your body stops working. |
| C．Teenagers usually need less sleep than their parents. |
| D．When you are dreaming, your brain stays active and get energy. |
| A．have enough sleep | B．grow up happily |
| C．do more active exercise | D．study the sleep |
4 . Natural Disasters
Earthquakes are natural disasters. They are the shaking of the earth’s surface（表面）. The earth makes these natural earthquakes in order to release pressure（释放压力）.
More than a million earthquakes happen in the world each year. Earthquakes usually last less than a minute but you can feel them. The scary thing about earthquakes is that they begin with no warning. But scientists are still working on the problem.
There are about 20 plates（板块）along the surface of the earth that move slowly all the time next to each other. When the plates touch each other, huge rocks are created（创造）and explode（爆炸）with great power（力量）, causing an earthquake. As the plates move, they put pressure on themselves and each other. When the pressure is large enough, the crust（地壳）is forced（被迫）to break.
Shaking and ground breaking are the main effects（影响）created by earthquakes. After an earthquake is over, buildings are usually damaged（破坏）and people get hurt even killed.
Some people think animals can predict（预言）an earthquake. The earliest reference（参考） about unusual animal behavior is from Greece in 373 BC. Rats and snakes reportedly left their homes and headed for safety several days before an earthquake. Scientists can easily explain the cause of unusual animal behavior seconds before humans feel an earthquake. Very few humans notice the smaller P wave that travels the fastest from the earthquake source（源）and arrives before the larger S wave. But many animals are able to feel the P wave seconds before the S wave arrives. As for sensing an earthquake days or weeks before it happens, that’s a different story. Scientists have tried many different ways of predicting earthquakes, but none have been successful. They need to do much research on this subject.
So what should you do when an earthquake begins? If you are inside a building, you should take cover under a table. If you are outside, you should stay out in an open place.
1. An earthquake happens because ________.| A．the earth wants to release pressure |
| B．there are more creatures on the earth |
| C．there are about 30 plates along the surface of the earth |
| D．people damaged the surface of the earth |
| A．The places of earthquakes. | B．The reasons for earthquakes. |
| C．The ways of predicting earthquakes. | D．The bad result of an earthquake. |
| A．are very clever | B．can create an earthquake |
| C．like living in new places with their friends | D．can feel the P wave seconds before the S wave arrives |
| A．we should protect the animals before earthquakes |
| B．scientists can know earthquakes before they happen |
| C．people should learn to keep safe during earthquakes |
| D．earthquakes are the most dangerous natural disasters |
When watching sports events, we often notice athletes wearing earphones on while preparing in the locker room or entering the stadium. They keep their eyes shut, and gently nod along the beats. It seems the music is giving them power and cheering them up for the competition. We sometimes do the same. You might have a list of favorite songs for your morning exercises. But is there any science behind such practices?
According to a recent research, it turns out there is. Music actually does make us feel powerful, but not all songs have the same effect.
The research was led by Dennis Hsu of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwest University in the US. His team had people listen to 31 songs of different types. The listeners felt powerful after listening to some songs, such as Queen’s We Will Rock You and 2 Unlimited’s Get Ready for This.
Researchers also found that high-power music made people want to take control in social events and come first in competition. That matters a lot in sports. “It’s commonly said that sports are 90 percent mental and only 10 percent physical,” The Huffington Post reported.
Great athletes know this idea well. NBA player Kobe Bryant, for example, often put on big headphones and even fell into deep thought to boost his game and reduce his anxiety.
As for the reason for music’s magical power, Hsu’s team came up with one possible explanation: when people hear music that expresses a sense of power, they mimic (模拟)these feelings in their mind.
When choosing music, we also need to look at the type of music, according to researchers. In previous research by the Music in Exercise and Sports Group at Brunei University in London, they found that pop was perfect for slower, more repetitive-type tasks. If you’re warming up or cooling down after exercises, pop songs are the correct choice. Dance music was found to be best suitable to strength and weight training because it’s “fast and rhythmical (有节奏感的).” During high-intensity (高强度的) workouts, though, you’d better not listen to rock. Its different changes in tempo (节拍)can affect your rhythm.
1. What is the main purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To introduce favorite songs for morning exercises. |
| B．To lead in the topic that music matters in sports. |
| C．To give an example of athletes’ daily life. |
| D．To explain how to choose music. |
| A．listening to music always makes athletes relaxed |
| B．powerful music can make people produce similar feelings in their mind |
| C．the result of a game is mainly affected by the physical condition of the players |
| D．most athletes still don’t know the effects of high-power music on their performance |
| A．Pop music is a reasonable choice for high-intensity workouts. |
| B．Rock music helps people keep their rhythms when exercising. |
| C．People are advised to listen to pop music before and after exercise. |
| D．People should dance to music while doing strength and weight training. |
From driver-less cars to voice control in the house, AI (人工智能) has developed so fast. “AI is going to change the world more than anything in the history of mankind. More than electricity (电力).” said AI expert Dr. Kai-Fu Lee.
That’s true. According to a research by scientists at the University of Oxford, AI will be better than humans at translating languages by 2024, writing school essays by 2026, selling things by 2031, writing a bestselling book by 2049, and treating diseases by 2053. In the next few years, AI will become an important part in our lives.
These are just a few examples of how AI will change the future. But wait, what about jobs? Will they steal our jobs in the future?
“AI will take our jobs!” is the most common fear. In fact, with AI automating (自动操作) all kinds of work, we can think of a more comfortable future for ourselves with millions of new job chances. According to a report on the Future of Jobs by World Economic Forum, AI will create 97 million new AI jobs by 2025. There is an excellent chance that by 2030 AI will substitute humans in most of the mental (脑力) tasks. However, it doesn’t mean it will take away jobs.
In fact, the Indian AI industry has doubled in size in 2019 compared to the previous year. In just one year, 3 times more companies are working on AI-based projects and this trend is likely to continue. India almost doubled its AI engineers in 2019 (from 40K in 2018 to 72K in 2019) but still faces a talent shortage. Top technology companies are in a race to implement AI in our day-to-day lives, which will lead us to a really exciting AI future.
Artificial Intelligence Future is coming – coming soon! Now is the time to prepare for the age of AI by investing in education and training. The choice remains with you. Will you upgrade your skills to stay ahead or will you remain still and slow in the industry? Aren’t you eager to be a part of this fourth industrial revolution (工业革命)?
1. According to the passage, Dr. Kai-Fu Lee thinks that AI will ________.| A．change the long history of electricity |
| B．change anything in the human history |
| C．change the world in the same way as electricity did |
| D．change the world more than electricity |
| A．The importance of AI in our future lives. | B．The popularity of AI in our lives. |
| C．What AI is good at right now. | D．How AI is changing our lives. |
| A．have to do with | B．do worse than |
| C．take the place of | D．make up for |
| A．most people will choose to remain still and slow in the AI industry |
| B．the fourth industrial revolution is a part of a bright AI future |
| C．we can better prepare for AI Future by investing in AI technologies |
| D．AI will create more new jobs instead of stealing them |
7 . 
Lots of kids want to keep healthy by eating well. Here’s something kids can do to eat healthily：learn the differences between Go, Slow and Whoa foods.
The US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute asks kids to start thinking about whether（是否）foods are Go foods, Slow foods or Whoa foods.
Go foods
These foods are good to eat almost anytime. They are the healthiest ones. Examples, tofu, fresh fruit (apples, oranges, bananas, etc.) and fresh vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, etc.).
Slow foods
We should eat these foods sometimes. We shouldn’t eat them every day. At says Susan. “I can’t most, eat them a few times a week. Examples, 100% fruit juice, sports drinks and pancakes.
Whoa foods
These foods should make you say that—Whoa! Should I eat that? Whoa foods are least healthy. Examples：ice cream, cakes and candy.
Now you know what Go, Slow and Whoa foods are. You can choose what to eat. Be sure to tell your parents about the three groups. Then everyone in the family can learn when to say Go and when to say Whoa!
1. The passage is written for ________.| A．parents | B．teachers | C．kids | D．cooks |
| A．Orange juice. | B．Tofu. | C．Ice cream. | D．Candy. |
| A．We should eat Whoa foods every day. |
| B．Children can have sports drinks anytime. |
| C．Children should say “Whoa” to get ice cream. |
| D．We can eat apple pancakes a few times a week. |
| A．Some ideas about eating healthy food. |
| B．Some ways of cooking food in the kitchen. |
| C．The differences between three food groups. |
| D．The interesting sayings about different foods. |
8 . 
Do you walk slowly? If so, you may not want to hear the findings of this study.
Scientists at Duke University found that the slower a person walks, the less（较少的）capable his or her brain is.
Scientists studied the walking speeds（速度）of 904 middle—aged people from New Zealand starting from when they were just 3 years old. Over 42 years, scientists tested their walking speed many times.
They found that the speed had something to do with the brain. If the subjects （实验对象）had lower IQ scores and worse language skills as children, they were likely to become slow walkers as they reached middle age. At the age of 45, the average gap in IQ between the slowest and the fastest walkers was 16 points.
Scientists said that genes （基因） might be the reason for this. However, smarter people may be more likely to do physical activity, which means they may walk faster later in life.
Can slower walkers make their brains work better? Maybe. Scientists looked at the brain scans of 926 people. They asked them to walk as fast as they can for two minutes. Scientists checked the distance they walked and then asked them to take some tests. Those who walked further and faster did better on the tests.
1. Scientists found that people who walk slowly ________.| A．are much smarter | B．are good at working |
| C．may be less smart | D．have high IQ scores |
| A．Most people in the study were 42 years old. |
| B．People in the study were smarter than other people. |
| C．Scientists at Duke University studied 1, 000 people. |
| D．Scientists tested people’s walking speed more than once. |
| A．The ages of the subjects. | B．The findings of the study. |
| C．How to get better skills. | D．How to carry out the study. |
9 . Don’t Cry, Mom
One day, when I walked into the kitchen, I saw my mom crying. “Mommy, what happened? Why are you sad?” I asked.
Mom smiled at me. “I have tears in my eyes,” she said. “But I am not sad.”
“I am cutting onions, as you can see.” Mom said.
“Onions have a strong chemical that hurts our eyes. But don’t worry. Our body is amazing. It senses the danger of this chemical and sends tears to our eyes to get rid of it. Tears protect our eyes from danger.”
That is interesting! I learned something else too. All animals cry to protect their eyes. But humans are the only animals that cry when they are sad.
I love learning about my body. It all seems to work perfectly! The more I learn about it, the more amazed I am.
1. Why mom is crying?
| A．Because she is sad. | B．Because she is cutting onions. |
| C．Because she is eating. | D．Because she is happy. |
| A．To show they are sad. | B．To communicate. |
| C．To protect their eyes. | D．To fight with others. |
| A．He is stupid. | B．He is willing to learn. |
| C．He is exiting. | D．He is talkative. |
10 . We often find ourselves struggling to control our thoughts, but why is it so hard to stop our minds wandering（漫游）? Research found our thoughts are less focused and under less control than we realize. In a 1996 study, participants reported more than 4,000 thoughts daily, each lasting no more than five seconds. In a 1987 study, people took 22% of their thoughts as strange, unacceptable or wrong. Then, is it possible to avoid unwanted thoughts, whether it’s an upcoming exam or an unpleasant conversation? The answer is: maybe.
In a 2022 study, the researchers showed paid volunteers a series of slides（幻灯片）showing different nouns（名词）. Each noun was repeated on five different slides. As they viewed the slides, the participants wrote down a word they associated（联想）with each given noun—for example, “road” in response to “car.” Only the experimental group were told they wouldn’t get paid for repeated words. With this method, the researchers wanted to create a situation when someone experiences unwanted thoughts.
When the experimental group saw each noun for a second time, they took longer than the control group to come up with a new association, suggesting their first response popped into their mind before they replaced it. However, they got quicker each time they viewed the same slide, indicating that their association between the given word and their first response—the thought they were trying to avoid—was weakening.
“We didn’t find evidence that people can entirely avoid unwanted thoughts,” said research leader Isaac Fradkin. “But the results suggest that practice can help people get better.”
Not everyone agrees that a slideshow of random（任意的）words can tell how people stop emotional thoughts. Other research suggests that avoiding thoughts can backfire. When we do it, we’re sending our brains a message. This effort labels them as something to be feared, making them more powerful.
In the end, it might make more sense to take a mindful approach. “We can allow these thoughts to just be in our minds, not holding onto them too tightly and not trying to fight them,” said Fradkin.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?| A．Almost all our thoughts are valueless. | B．We tend to focus more on negative thoughts. |
| C．We can’t keep our thoughts for over five seconds. | D．Our thoughts can appear and disappear easily. |
| A．The result of the research. | B．The participants of the research. |
| C．The design of the research. | D．The problems of the research. |
| A．Have an opposite effect. | B．Take back the wrong message. |
| C．Reveal hidden problems. | D．Cause a mental breakdown. |
| A．Let’s stop our minds from wandering. | B．Unwanted thoughts: Leave them alone. |
| C．Hold onto the uncontrollable thoughts. | D．Emotional thoughts: Avoid them or fear them. |
