1 . When it comes to being fit and healthy, we’re often reminded to aim to walk 10,000 steps every day. This can make many unhappy because it is a task difficult to achieve, especially when we’re busy with work and other businesses — and yet where did this number actually come from?
The 10,000 steps a day target sens to have come about from a trade name pedometer (计步器) sold in 1965 by Yamasa Clock in Japan. The device was called “Manpo-kei”, which translates to “10,000 steps meter”. This was a marketing tool for the device and has seemed to have stuck across the world as the daily step target. It’s even included in daily activity targets by popular smart watches,such as Fitbit.
Research has since investigated the 10,000 steps a day target. But while some research has shown health benefits at 10,000 steps, recent research from Harvard Medical School has shown that,on average, around 4,400 steps a day is enough to clearly lower the risk of death in women. This was when compared to only walking around 2,700 steps daily. The more steps people walked, the lower their risk of dying was, before leveling off at around 7,500 steps a day. No additional benefits were seen with more steps. Although it’s uncertain whether similar results would be seen in men, it’s one example of how moving a little bit more daily can improve health and lower risk of death.
Recent research at the University of Texas has also shown that if you’re walking fewer than 5,000 steps a day, your body is less able to metabolize (新陈代谢) fat the following day. A buildup of fat in the body can also increase a person’s likelihood of developing heart disease and diabetes. This is further supported by earlier research which showed people who walked less than 4,000 steps a day could not change this decreased fat metabolism.
If you want to increase how many steps you get daily, or simply want to move more, one easy way includes walking to work if possible, or taking part of an online exercise program if you’re working from home. Meeting with friends for a walk — rather than in a cafe or pub — can also be useful.
1. What does the author think of the 10,000 steps every day?| A．It is hard to achieve for many people. |
| B．It is likely to go out of style quickly. |
| C．It is obviously good for women only. |
| D．It is helpful to slow fat metabolism. |
| A．It matters as much as 7,500 steps a day. |
| B．The more steps, the lower risk of death. |
| C．A bit more than the target can improve health. |
| D．About half that target appears to be enough. |
| A．Absence of earlier research. |
| B．Recent findings of fat buildup. |
| C．Problems of less daily walking. |
| D．Possible causes of physical challenges. |
| A．Working at home. | B．Treating friends in a cafe or pub. |
| C．Driving to work. | D．Signing up for online exercise programs. |
2 . Engineering researchers at the University of Waterloo are successfully using a robot to help keep children with learning disabilities focusing on their work. This was one of the key results in a new study that also found both the youngsters and their instructors valued the positive classroom contributions made by the robot.
“There is definitely a great potential for using robots in the public education system.” said Dr Kerstin Dautenhahn, a professor of electrical and computer engineering. “Overall, the findings imply that the robot has a positive effect on students.” Students with learning disabilities may benefit from additional learning support, such as one-on-one instruction and the use of smartphones and tablets.
Dautenhahn has been working on robotics in the context of disability for many years. He conducted a series of tests with a small humanoid robot called QT. Dautenhahn said the robot’s ability to perform gestures using its head and hands, accompanied by its speech and facial features, makes it very suitable for use with children with learning disabilities.
Building on promising earlier research, the researchers divided 16 students with learning disabilities into two groups. In one group, students worked one-on-one with an instructor only. In the other group, the students worked one-on-one with an instructor and a QT. In the latter group, the instructor used a tablet to direct the robot, which then autonomously performed various activities using its speech and gestures.
While the instructor controlled the sessions, the robot, triggered by the instructor, took over at certain times to lead the students. Besides introducing the session, the robot set goals and provided self-regulating strategies, if necessary. If the learning process was getting off-track, the robot used strategies such as games, riddles, jokes, breathing exercises and physical movements to redirect the students back to the task.
“Students who worked with the robot were generally more engaged with their tasks and could complete their tasks at a higher rate compared to the students who weren’t assisted by a robot,” Dautenhahn said. Further studies using the robot are planned.
1. How can robots benefit students with learning disabilities?| A．By providing advanced knowledge. | B．By offering emotional support. |
| C．By giving extra learning help. | D．By acting as learning companions. |
| A．Its ability to make gestures. | B．The popularity of robots. |
| C．Its convenience to use. | D．The low cost in making QT. |
| A．picked up | B．set off | C．taken out | D．brought in |
| A．A number of students suffer from learning disabilities |
| B．A robot can provide self-regulating strategies for students |
| C．A robot has a great potential in the public education system |
| D．A robot helps students with learning disabilities stay focused |
3 . Time is running out for coral reefs as the climate gets hotter. So scientists are searching the globe for corals that are better at enduring heat, Now, new research shows how those “super corals” can survive: less roommate drama.
Reefs depend on a crucial partnership between the corals and the algae (海藻) that live in the corals’ tissue, The algae make food for the corals using sunlight and in exchange, get a nice spot to live. But when oceans heat up, that relationship goes bad, and the corals kick the algae out, Without their roommates, corals can die, turning a ghostly white, bleached (白化) color.
Still, some corals seem to resist bleaching better than others, A new study shows that those corals depend on algae that are better at tolerating heat. Researchers hope that pinpointing these abilities will help develop new conservation tools to preserve the world’s reefs as temperatures rise. About 1/4 of all marine life rely on coral reefs in some way, along with half 1 billion people around the world also depend on reefs for their food and livelihoods.
“Heat stress can kill a lot of corals really fast,” says Kate Quigley, a research scientist at James Cook University and the Minderoo Foundation in Australia. “I hope that nature does have some mechanisms to get us through the next few years while we get our act together.”
While the hope is that those algae could also aid in reef conservation in the future, researcher Patrick Buerger says it’s likely that it wouldn’t help all coral species. And even the toughest corals can only endure so much. Currently, the world is on track for just under 3degrees Celsius of warming by 2100, a level that would wipe out nearly all coral reefs.
“The action has to be on climate change,” he says. “This is a short-term solution that might buy some time for corals to adapt. But the main focus has to be on climate. There’s not a silver bullet to the problem.”
1. What is the feature of super corals?| A．Sun-loving. | B．Long-living. | C．Good-looking. | D．Heat-bearing. |
| A．Habitat. | B．Food. | C．Sunlight. | D．Friendship. |
| A．The population of marine life. | B．The importance of coral reefs. |
| C．The seriousness of global warming. | D．The living conditions of coral reefs. |
| A．It is useless | B．It is the last hope. | C．It is temporary. | D．It is the silver bullet. |
4 . It was a normal Wednesday by any measure. I had just gotten home from work when
I dialed her number quickly and waited with a growing sense of
A half hour later we arrived at grandmother’s house. Her red brick house was completely closed off. The gate was shut, and the curtains were
And then I knew even though she hadn’t called me, somehow, I still
| A．suddenly | B．normally | C．completely | D．frequently |
| A．sister | B．grandmother | C．father | D．grandfather |
| A．surprise | B．curiosity | C．anxiety | D．anger |
| A．impressed | B．formal | C．influential | D．unusual |
| A．cellphone | B．glasses | C．clothes | D．apartment |
| A．advice | B．help | C．care | D．confidence |
| A．strict | B．filled | C．wrong | D．painful |
| A．cheered up | B．called off | C．broke out | D．set off |
| A．closed | B．hung | C．painted | D．lifted |
| A．knocked | B．broke | C．left | D．cleaned |
| A．fix | B．remove | C．unlock | D．repair |
| A．demanded | B．concerned | C．saved | D．delivered |
| A．refused | B．received | C．ignored | D．relayed |
| A．club | B．party | C．family | D．society |
| A．danger | B．life | C．joy | D．secret |
5 . A museum in France found out recently that over half of their paintings were fakes (赝品). The museum was created to show the works of the painter Etienne Terrus, but over 80of 140 paintings were by other people.
Etienne Terrus was born in El ne in 1857, and died there in 1922. Terrus visited Paris, but unlike many other painters at the time, he did not move there. Instead, he spent a lot of time near El ne and painted scenes from the area. Terrus is important to the people of Elne because of this tie.
The Terrus Museum has been collecting artwork by Terrus for almost 20 years. Most of the art works have been bought in the last few years. The museum spent about $190,000 to buy paintings, drawings, and watercolours. Some pieces of art have also been given to the museum.
The museum recently closed for about 4 months while the building was being renovated. As they were getting ready to re-open the museum, people from the museum asked Eric Forcada to help them figure out how to organize the paintings.
Mr. Forcada studies art history. As he looked at the works of art that the museum had, it didn’t take him long to find out that something was wrong. Some paintings didn’t look at all like Terrus’s work or were painted on the wrong kind of canvas. Some paintings showed buildings that had been built a long time after Mr. Terrus died. Several paintings had the name of the artist written in ink on the painting. Mr. Forcada said, “On one painting, the ink signature was wiped away when I passed my white glove over it. Over 80 of 140 paintings were by other people.”
Mr. Forcada says that problems like these are more common for small museums like the Terrus Museum. Unlike big museums, small ones don’t have enough money to pay experts to check out artwork carefully. The good news for the Terrus Museum is that experts say that almost 58 of their Terrus paintings are real.
1. Why does Étienne Terrus mean a lot to the people of Elne?| A．He was born there. | B．His paintings were breathtaking. |
| C．He created many works from Elne’s scenes. | D．He differs from other painters of his time. |
| A．They were mainly purchased. | B．Some painters donated them. |
| C．The staff painted them. | D．They were renewed from the old ones. |
| A．Destroyed. | B．Constructed. |
| C．Moved. | D．Repaired. |
| A．Etienne Terrus Was a Born Landscape Painter |
| B．Over Half of a French Museum’s Paintings Are Fakes |
| C．Some Experts Proved the Art Works Not Real |
| D．Small Museums Lack Money to Buy Paintings |
6 . Last month, a group of university student volunteers from Wuhan, Hubei province, arrived at the home of a couple who have been married for more than 60 years.
The group was taking part in a programme launched in 2015 aimed at helping elderly couples fulfill their dreams of having special wedding photos taken. Zhang, 20, a freshman at Wuhan University of Engineering Science, is among the students taking part in the institution’s volunteer project, Dream Fulfillment Plan.
The project’s founder, Yu Jinwen, 35, a teacher at Wuhan University of Engineering Science, said that as of last month, the volunteers had taken wedding photos for more than 1,000 couples. They also interviewed their subjects and recorded their love stories.
The project was inspired by Yu’s regret at not having a good photo of his grandfather, who died in 2010. The family searched hard but was unable to find a quality shot. In desperation, Yu had to use the photo on his grandfather’s ID card as a portrait. In 2014, Yu led students applying to launch a volunteer service project, and came up with the idea of taking good photographs for the elderly free of charge.
“When these couples were young, there was no opportunity to take wedding photos. We can help them by taking special shots to bring back good memories of their younger days,” Yu said. Initially, he found it difficult to acquire wedding dresses and photographic equipment. However, one of his former classmates, who owned a wedding photography company in Wuhan, donated more than 70 secondhand wedding dresses to the project. Yu formed the first team, which consisted of 15 volunteers.
The project, which has grown over the years, now comprises 13 groups with a total of 590 volunteers. They have worked in 356 communities and rural areas across 43 cities in 13 provinces nationwide, gaining recognition and appreciation for their work. In 2021, the project won the silver prize at the sixth Chinese Youth Volunteer Service Project Competition.
1. What is the purpose of Dream Fulfillment Plan?| A．To offer opportunities to students to find jobs. |
| B．To help elderly couples realize their wedding photo dream. |
| C．To make Wuhan University of Engineering Science known. |
| D．To encourage more university students to do voluntary work. |
| A．His wish in childhood. | B．His passion for photography. |
| C．Lack of good photos for his late grandfather. | D．The encouragement of his teachers. |
| A．The members of the project. | B．The achievements of the project. |
| C．The promising future of the project. | D．The support given by the public. |
| A．Student volunteers help elderly couples turn the clock back. |
| B．Wuhan University of Engineering Science launched a project. |
| C．Taking good wedding photos for elderly people is no easy task. |
| D．Wedding photos for elderly people become more and more popular. |
7 . “Hi! Ms Brooks!” It was Sunday morning, my daughter and I were visiting a model home when I heard a(n)
Then my daughter pulled me away, but Evans stayed on my mind for the rest of the weekend. Evans was a
Evans’s grades showed no sign of
In a class project, I
| A．impolite | B．uncivilized | C．familiar | D．female |
| A．mournfully | B．awkwardly | C．vaguely | D．proudly |
| A．warm-hearted | B．open-mouthed | C．easy-going | D．hard-working |
| A．gardener | B．volunteer | C．pioneer | D．racer |
| A．In case | B．Even though | C．For fear that | D．As long as |
| A．improvement | B．confusion | C．judgment | D．intention |
| A．inquired | B．proposed | C．decided | D．doubted |
| A．determination | B．lifestyle | C．hobby | D．tune |
| A．tired | B．devoted | C．casual | D．independent |
| A．advised | B．admitted | C．assigned | D．asked |
| A．strange | B．difficult | C．important | D．exciting |
| A．pack up | B．care for | C．move away | D．show off |
| A．irrigated | B．cleaned | C．filled | D．polished |
| A．fruits | B．flowers | C．shoots | D．roots |
| A．appear | B．fade | C．shine | D．adjust |
8 . The Union Jack is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It is so called because it combines the emblems (象征) of three countries—England, Scotland and Ireland (although since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom).
The term “Union Jack” possibly dates from Queen Anne’s time, but its origin is uncertain. It may come from the “Jacket” of the English or Scottish soldiers; or from the name of James Ⅰ who originated the first union in 1603, in either its Latin or French form “Jacobus” or “Jacques”; or, as “jack” once meant small, the name may come from a royal proclamation (声明) issued by Charles Ⅱ that the flag should be flown only by ships of the Royal Navy as a jack, a small flag at the bowsprit (船首).
The Union Jack was originally a royal flag (when the present design was made official in 1801, it was ordered to be flown on all the King’s forts and castles, but not elsewhere); it is today flown above Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle when the Queen is not in residence. On news of a royal death, the Union Jack will be flown at halfmast (下半旗).
The flying of the Union Jack on public buildings is decided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport at the Queen’s command. The Union Jack is flown on government buildings on days marking the birthdays of members of the royal family, such as the Queen’s official birthday, and on the days of the State Opening and prorogation (休会) of Parliament; it is also flown on St David’s Day, St George’s Day, St Andrew’s Day, and St Patrick’s Day.
Although the Union Jack originated as a royal flag, it is now also flown by many people and organizations elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Its use as an emblem has extended beyond the form of a flag and the Union Jack is frequently shown on other objects.
1. The reason why the national flag of the United Kingdom is called the Union Jack is that ________.| A．the flag is made of jacket |
| B．the flag combines the emblems of three countries |
| C．the flag shows the symbol of unity |
| D．the flag originated from the existence of the United Kingdom |
| A．the origin of the national flag |
| B．the history of the national flag |
| C．the reason why the Union Jack has become the national flag |
| D．the way how the Union Jack has become the national flag |
| A．Once the Union Jack was not flown elsewhere except royal places. |
| B．The Union Jack will be flown at halfmast if a member of the royal family dies. |
| C．Many people and organizations can flow the Union Jack in the world. |
| D．The Union Jack can be flown in many places and on many days in the United Kingdom. |
| A．The Union Jack Everywhere | B．The Union Jack at Anytime |
| C．National Flag, the Union Jack | D．The History of the Union Jack |
9 . After graduating from Ontario College of Teachers, I became a teacher at a one-room country school in Aldborough Township.
That first day of school as a 19-year-old female teacher was a frightening experience. It was one thing to have graduated as a successful student; it was another thing to face a classroom of little faces that were waiting for the “new teacher.” I had a classroom of 21 children of different shapes and sizes. The youngest was five going on six and the eldest was 16.
There were two doors for entrance in my school, one for the girls, one for the boys and just inside each door was a chemical toilet — no outdoor facilities for us! The heat in the building was a wood-burning furnace (火炉) down in the basement. Tending the furnace was one of my responsibilities. Luckily, I knew a bit about starting a fire, so the school didn’t burn down.
What I found most difficult was that a parent might take a child out of school for any reason. I had one Dutch family, whose father would keep the children out of school to help with the farm work. Finally, I got tired of this and sent an education officer to solve the problem. Needless to say, I was very unpopular with that father from then on, but the children came to school much more regularly!
In the classroom, the older students helped the younger ones with learning, as well as with putting on coats and hats. If someone’s lunch was forgotten, everyone shared a bit of their food. We were a family. We had good times and bad times, but we kept learning. Far beyond maths, social studies, reading, grammar and writing, we learned how to get along with each other.
I loved teaching at this small school and knew I was teaching the children about life as much as about subjects. I’d like to believe some students will have an influence on the world that will last long after I am gone.
1. Why did the author feel her first day as a teacher frightening?| A．So many students were in class. | B．The situations were quite different. |
| C．No outdoor facilities were provided. | D．The students were curious about her. |
| A．It was poorly equipped. | B．The playground was large. |
| C．It was once damaged by a fire. | D．The students were of similar age. |
| A．A Dutch family hated her. |
| B．The students preferred farm work. |
| C．The education officer offered little help. |
| D．Some parents ignored children’s education. |
| A．They cared about each other. | B．They had an influence on the world. |
| C．They laughed away bad times. | D．They did well in almost every subject. |
10 . Famous Modern Chinese Buildings
The Beijing International Airport
The first place most visitors see when they arrive in China is the Beijing International Airport.
The airport was constructed in the 1950s. It has an indoor garden, a children’s playground,and over 70 food businesses in Terminal 3 alone.
The Shanghai World Financial Centre
Completed in 2008, SWFC took over 10 years to complete due to shortages of money and the construction delays. Since its completion, it has won countless architectural awards.
Tourists are welcome at SWFC’ s viewing platform, which is the world’s highest closed viewing platform.
The Water Cube
It was constructed for use during the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. Now visitors can express surprise at the architecture of the building. They can enjoy the indoor atmosphere as well.
Among the offerings of the Water Cube are a restaurant, a bar, a shopping area, and Water World, a family water park.
The Bird’s Nest
It was designed mainly for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It can hold up to 80,000 people. Nowadays, it also functions as a tourist attraction. It makes money from tourism. It draws more than 20,000 tourists every day.
The National Centre for the Performing Arts
It was completed in 2007. The building is surrounded by a man-made lake, requiring guests to enter through an underground hallway. It is home to an opera hall, a music hall, and a theatre.
1. Why was the construction of Shanghai World Financial Centre delayed?| A．It needed more construction workers. | B．It was short of money. |
| C．It added an extra viewing platform. | D．It faced too much terrible weather. |
| A．By renting the winter theme park. | B．By increasing its opening time. |
| C．By making money from tourism. | D．By giving some live concerts. |
| A．Enjoy sports events. | B．Play on the viewing platform. |
| C．Attend science lectures. | D．Watch different performances. |
