1 . Kelly Roundtree was playing darts (飞镖) with his daughter on the balcony of his lakeside home on Aug. 1 when he heard calls for help coming from the other side of Stansbury Lake.
At first, Roundtree said he thought it might be children playing, but after another
He then
Officials say the paralyzed (瘫痪的) woman had rolled into the lake while
“911 had already been
While officials are
| A．dance | B．laughter | C．cry | D．sleep |
| A．wrong | B．interesting | C．missing | D．huge |
| A．detected | B．noticed | C．heard | D．sensed |
| A．decision | B．confusion | C．expansion | D．hesitation |
| A．jumped into | B．moved into | C．stepped into | D．skipped into |
| A．walked | B．drove | C．cycled | D．flew |
| A．invited | B．ordered | C．expected | D．directed |
| A．belted | B．addicted | C．locked | D．absorbed |
| A．roughly | B．softly | C．barely | D．visually |
| A．hand | B．head | C．heart | D．hair |
| A．treated | B．ignored | C．suspected | D．informed |
| A．story | B．novel | C．legend | D．trend |
| A．dizzily | B．happily | C．safely | D．humbly |
| A．appointing | B．recognizing | C．selecting | D．criticizing |
| A．office | B．rank | C．position | D．habitat |
2 . Fremont, Calif. , is the happiest city in the United States, according to a new WalletHub survey. There is no one way to define happiness or what causes it, but WalletHub researchers determined that people in the Bay Area city are content, in part, because of income.
According to the survey, about 80 percent of Fremont residents (居民) have an annual household income of over $75, 000—the most out of the 182 largest cities in the country. A landmark 2010 study found that increased income is linked to happiness up to a point—$ 75, 000 a year.
“A person living in poverty is, on average, less happy than a person who: makes enough money to pay the bills, have adequate health care, save a little, and take the occasional vacation,” said Matthew Joseph, an associate professor at Duquesne University. “And those in the top 1 percent are, on average, likely a good bit happier than the first person in poverty but only slightly happier (if at all) compared to the second person.”
However, another 2021 study contradicts (相矛盾) that study's findings, showing that people continue to report being happier even if their income climbs past this number.
Fremont residents also report high rates of life satisfaction and low rates of depression, the survey found. Most people in the city also, on average, have lived for a long time.
Another factor contributing to Fremont's happiness level is the city's. low separation and divorce rate—8. 9 percent, which is the lowest in the country.
Fremont residents also seem to be taking care of themselves psychologically (心理上) , according to the survey, since it has the lowest share of adults reporting 14 or more mentally unhealthy days in the past month.
1. What do the numbers in Paragraph 2 show?| A．Fremont residents are the happiest in the world. |
| B．There is no link between income and happiness. |
| C．80% of Fremont residents earn less than $75, 000 annually. |
| D．Fremont has the highest income among large cities in the country. |
| A．More money equals more happiness. |
| B．The top 1% are much happier than the poor. |
| C．Rich people are a lot healthier than the poor. |
| D．Economic security leads to more happiness than poverty. |
| A．High income. | B．Long life. |
| C．Low divorce rate. | D．Low separation rate. |
| A．To describe. | B．To entertain. | C．To inform. | D．To advertise. |
3 . People who eat just two servings of red meat per week may have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (糖尿病) compared to people who eat fewer servings, and the risk increases with greater consumption, according to a new study led by researchers from Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health.
While previous studies have found a link between red meat consumption and type 2 diabetes risk, this study, which analyzed a large number of type 2 diabetes cases among participants being followed for an extended period of years, adds a greater level of certainty about the association.
Type 2 diabetes rates are increasing rapidly in the U.S. and worldwide. The disease is not only a serious burden, but also a major risk factor for kidney disease, cancer, and dementia.
For this study, the researchers analyzed health data from 216,695 participants from the Nurses' Health Study, and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Diet was assessed with food frequency questionnaires every two to four years, for up to 36 years. During this time, more than 22,000 participants developed type 2 diabetes.
The researchers found that consumption of red meat, including processed and unprocessed red meat, was strongly associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Participants who ate the most red meat had a 62% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who ate the least. Every additional daily serving of processed red meat was associated with a 46% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and every additional daily serving of unprocessed red meat was associated with a 24% greater risk.
The researchers also assessed the potential effects of substituting one daily serving of red meat for another protein source. They found that substituting with a serving of nuts was associated with a 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, and substituting with a serving of dairy products was associated with a 22% lower risk.
In addition to health benefits, substituting red meat for healthy plant protein sources would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions: and climate change, and provide other environmental benefits, according to the researchers.
1. What sets the new study apart from previous research?| A．Different focus areas. | B．Scientists from Harvard. |
| C．Unique research methods and findings. | D．More participants and longer follow-up period: |
| A．By describing the research process. | B．By presenting the data of health risk. |
| C．By providing background information. | D．By comparing different kinds of meat. |
| A．Adding. | B．Decreasing. | C．Swapping. | D．Ignoring. |
| A．A medical journal. | B．A cook book. |
| C．A science fiction. | D．A fashion magazine. |
4 . When people ask about my journey of learning Cantonese, I recount a path fueled by endless curiosity and a strong desire to connect with a lively culture.
Growing up in a Russian family, my interest in languages blossomed thanks to my father, who was a language enthusiast. It was during a cultural appreciation class in junior high that I was first introduced to Hong Kong films, famous for their characteristic action-packed dramas and storytelling styles. However, what truly fascinated me was the uniqueness of the Cantonese language, sparking a deep urge within me to explore it and the rich culture it represents. This marked the start of an exciting linguistic adventure.
Learning Cantonese presented challenges, including unfamiliar characters, complex tones, and different grammar structures, yet I persevered. Immersed in textbooks and available online courses, I practiced the tones every day until my pronunciation flowed naturally. Cantonese dramas and music also played a role in familiarizing me with its rhythm.
To truly grasp the essence of Cantonese, I realized that self-study wasn’t enough—I needed firsthand experience. Thus, I took a gap year to journey to Hong Kong, a city featuring the lively heartbeat of Cantonese culture. Buried in its busy streets and daily conversations, from casual chats to food ordering, I found myself enveloped in a linguistic wonderland. Within a few months, my Cantonese skills grew rapidly, boosting my confidence significantly.
My explorations extended beyond the streets. I attended formal language classes that offered professional guidance. Through hard work, I successfully completed all the courses in Cantonese Linguistics. From then on, I’ve been passionately committed to spreading the Cantonese culture, ensuring its richness reaches a wider audience.
Today, I continue my Cantonese voyage with unflagging (无穷的) enthusiasm. It has transformed into more than just a linguistic pursuit; it gives me a passport to sincere connections, deep insights, and heartfelt admiration for its one-of-a-kind culture.
1. What truly inspired the author to learn Cantonese?| A．His teacher’s recommendation. | B．Influence of friends and family. |
| C．The uniqueness of the language. | D．His interest in Hong Kong films. |
| A．To explore tourist attractions. | B．To pursue career opportunities. |
| C．To attend formal language classes. | D．To immerse himself in Cantonese culture. |
| A．Curious and creative. | B．Determined and adventurous. |
| C．Outgoing and helpful. | D．Tolerant and passionate. |
| A．Cantonese’s Charm | B．A Journey to Hong Kong |
| C．Embracing Cantonese | D．The Power of Curiosity |
5 . The Best Hidden Beaches in the UK
Nanjizal Beach, Cornwall
Due to its remote location, stunning Nanjizal Beach is usually very quiet. You can reach it by walking along a pretty coastal path from Porthgwarra. The beach has caves to explore and an old watermill to see. It takes about 30 minutes to walk there from Porthgwarra, but it's worth it. The water is shallow and turquoise (蓝绿色的), perfect for a swim. You can bring your dog too because dogs are welcome here all year round.
Rhu Point, Scotland
Rhu Point in Scotland has beautiful white sand and blue water. It’s an isolated beach that you can get to by walking. If the weather is good, you can see great views of the Cuillin on Skye. There are rock pools to look in, and you can find shells on the shore. Keep an eye out for birds and marine animals like sea otters. It’s a lovely place to go for a holiday.
Steephill Cove, Isle of Wight
Steephill Cove on the Isle of Wight is a cute little fishing cove. You can get there by taking a ferry. It has colorful beach huts and sandy beaches. You can watch fishermen and explore rock pools. There are also nice walks nearby with beautiful views. If you walk to Ventnor, you’ll find shops and restaurants. It’s a nice place for a family holiday.
Bamburgh Beach, Northumbria
Bamburgh Beach in Northumbria is famous for its big castle. The beach is long and sandy, perfect for walks and playing in the sand. It’s also good for surfing if you like that. You can see rare birds and seals there. There are also rock pools and sand dunes to explore. It's a nice place to visit if you like nature and history.
1. What do Nanjizal Beach and Rhu Point have in common?| A．Both are dog-friendly. | B．Both are located in remote areas. |
| C．Both feature beautiful white water. | D．Both have numerous caves to explore. |
| A．Nanjizal Beach. | B．Rhu Point. |
| C．Bamburgh Beach. | D．Steephill Cove. |
| A．It is suitable for walks. | B．It is accessible only by ferry. |
| C．It has a large building to explore. | D．It offers rock pools to appreciate. |
6 . Eric knew he was in trouble. His
In 2010, a
Eric was
Peety needed to be
It wasn’t just the walks with Peety that
| A．height | B．weight | C．length | D．depth |
| A．spending | B．donating | C．contributing | D．cheating |
| A．master | B．volunteer | C．soldier | D．doctor |
| A．holding | B．gaining | C．losing | D．taking |
| A．concerned | B．amazed | C．frightened | D．annoyed |
| A．heading | B．parading | C．exploring | D．advancing |
| A．simply | B．illegally | C．officially | D．extremely |
| A．loved | B．discovered | C．met | D．taught |
| A．walked | B．fed | C．cared | D．trained |
| A．counting | B．working | C．standing | D．performing |
| A．variety | B．pack | C．source | D．diet |
| A．got off | B．gave off | C．worked out | D．made out |
| A．ruined | B．transformed | C．impressed | D．exchanged |
| A．unpleasant | B．unexpected | C．unusual | D．unhealthy |
| A．island | B．street | C．planet | D．campus |
7 . Researchers say they have found a new species of tropical fish during an expedition (探险) to remote islands off the Pacific coast of Mexico. Named the tailspot wrasse (尾斑隆头鱼), the colorful species was found living among volcanic rocks in the waters surrounding the Revillagigedo Archipelago — an island system known as the “Mexican Galapagos” for its vast marine biodiversity. The discovery was officially penned into the scientific record on Tuesday with the publication of a paper on the species in the journal PeerJ.
“I can’t believe that we can still find species that are new to science in a place where people are visiting pretty regularly — it just shows how big and complex the world is,” said UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Ben Frable, who was one of the scientists in the expedition.
Based on the samples examined by Frable and the rest of the team, the species ranges in size from about an inch long to nearly six inches, Scripps said. They are also believed to be hermaphroditic (雌雄同体的), beginning life as female with some later changing to male.
The smaller female fish are mostly white with red stripes on top and black patches on their back fin. The male fish are described by Frable as having an orange-red up top fading to a yellow belly with a dark band at the base of the tail.
According to Scripps, researchers believe they are related to other fish in the wrasse family. However, the species are believed to be endemic, meaning it cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.
Located just 250 miles south of the Baja California peninsula, the Revillagigedo islands are well-known for their abundance of marine life, in part due to protections that prevent fishing in the area.
1. What does Frable think of the discovery of the new fish species?| A．Interesting. | B．Amazing. | C．Boring. | D．Frightening. |
| A．Its living habits. | B．Its physical features. |
| C．Its size and color. | D．Its protection efforts. |
| A．It’s unique to the area. |
| B．It feeds on volcanic rocks. |
| C．It has no relation to other fish species. |
| D．It’s the smallest fish species in the area. |
| A．To record a meaningful expedition. |
| B．To call on people to protect marine life. |
| C．To share the discovery of a new fish species. |
| D．To show gratitude to the established scientists. |
8 . Tai chi, a traditional, slow-moving form of Chinese martial art, is known to increase flexibility and improve balance. Now, new research suggests it’s better than more energetic aerobic exercises (有氧运动) for lowering blood pressure in people with prehypertension (高血压前期). Prehypertension is considered a warning sign that heart disease may be ahead, and it raises the risk of having a heart attack.
The new findings, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, add to a large body of research pointing to health benefits from tai chi.
In the study, researchers in China randomly assigned 342 adults with prehypertension to one of two interventions. The average age of participants was 49. Roughly half the people participated in aerobic exercises, including jogging, climbing stairs, brisk walking and cycling. The other half was trained to practice tai chi. Both groups got hour-long sessions four times a week.
After 12 months, those in the tai chi group saw bigger drops in their blood pressure than those in the aerobic exercise group. What’s more, nearly 22% of the people who practiced tai chi saw their blood pressure fall to within normal range, compared with nearly 16% of people in the aerobic exercise group. And fewer patients in the tai chi group went on to develop hypertension than in the aerobic exercise group.
How does tai chi help lower blood pressure? The practice tends to cause more of a response from the parasympathetic nervous system (副交感神经系统), says Ruth Taylor-Piliae, a professor at the University of Arizona’s College of Nursing, who was not involved in the study. The parasympathetic nervous system is the network of nerves that relaxes your body after periods of stress or danger.
“I think the beauty of tai chi is that you don’t have to have a special gym membership or special clothing,” Taylor-Piliae says. “Once you learn tai chi, you can do it anytime, anyplace, anywhere. And it does kind of provide that calming, relaxing effect.”
1. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?| A．The result of the research. | B．The process of the research. |
| C．The purpose of the research. | D．The application of the research. |
| A．By giving a definition. | B．By providing examples. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By presenting different opinions. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Negative. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Tai chi Helps Relax Nervous People |
| B．Tai chi Helps People Prevent Prehypertension |
| C．Tai chi Plays a Crucial Role in Treating Patients |
| D．Tai chi Reduces Blood Pressure Better than Aerobic Exercise |
9 . Exhausted, Jia Ling ate five packs of chocolate cookies alone at night by her bed after wrapping up filming for her new film YOLO that day. “Recalling that moment, I felt so great, like a tired soldier claiming the spoils of war,” she said.
By then, she had lost an incredible 50 kilograms, and her entire image had changed. The chubby (胖乎乎的), round and cute comedian Jia Ling was gone, replaced by a cool, muscular warrior.
Audiences were shocked by her appearance on Chinese New Year’s Day, Feb.10, when the film was first released. Jia had kept everything so secretive, avoiding public appearances for a year, that her new look was only revealed when she appeared on the big screen. Conversations about her high-intensity weight loss training, along with her courage and determination, have become trending topics across China, propelling the film’s box office earnings.
YOLO, which stands for “you only live once,” is the theme Jia aims to tell in her new film. The story follows an overweight, depressed woman who becomes isolated from society. However, after meeting a boxing coach and taking up the sport, she begins to regain her passion and finds her way in life. The filming was divided into five stages. Jia had to gain 20 kilograms at first for the role, moving on to the final stage when she lost a significant amount of weight and became muscular. This method mirrors what some Hollywood stars, such as Christian Bale, have done, but Jia’s effort is jaw-dropping and takes it to an even more extreme level.
Yet, the film’s core goes beyond physical transformation. “This film is not about weight loss, nor is it much about boxing. It’s a film that tells the story of how a kind person finds her true self and learns to love herself,” Jia said.
1. What does the underlined word “propelling” in Paragraph 3 mean?| A．Disturbing. | B．Restoring. | C．Driving. | D．Slowing. |
| A．Generous and funny. | B．Determined and courageous. |
| C．Creative and sensitive. | D．Ambitious and enthusiastic. |
| A．A woman’s pursuit of boxing glory. |
| B．A woman’s journey through weight loss. |
| C．A woman’s struggle with social pressure. |
| D．A woman’s discovery of self-love and acceptance. |
| A．The early bird catches the worm. | B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．It’s never too late to change. | D．Don’t cry over spilled milk. |
10 . The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World
Library of Strahov Monastery (Prague, Czech Republic)
The oldest part of the Library of Strahov Monastery, the Baroque Theological Hall, was established between 1671 and 1674, making the establishment one of the oldest and best preserved historical libraries in the world. Over 200,000 volumes are collected here, with many, of the texts printed between 1501 and 1800.
Old Library of Trinity College (Dublin, Ireland)
Old Library of Trinity College was founded in 1592. Appropriately named the Long Room, this space is located within the Old Library at Trinity College. Previously, the room’s ceiling was flat and only shelved books on the lower level. However, the college was granted a free copy of every book published in Britain and Ireland, requiring the expansion of the cavernous space.
Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
In 1837, a group of 43 Portuguese immigrants and political refugees established the Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading to promote their culture in what was the Empire of Brazil. The library was designed by architect Rafael da Silva e Castro in a neo-Gothic style and was inspired by the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon.
Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine (Paris, France)
The library at the Cite de l’architecture et du patrimoine opened its doors in September 2007. It’s a must visit for any architecture lover. Not only because of the amazing location in a Romanesque (罗马式的) sistine, but also because its entire collection is dedicated to works about architecture, and landscaping. The library also houses the largest collection of preserved romanesque wall paintings in France.
1. Which library has the longest history?| A．Old Library of Trinity College. |
| B．Library of Strahov Monastery. |
| C．Cite de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine. |
| D．Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading. |
| A．To remember a famous designer. | B．To accommodate poor Portuguese. |
| C．To spread Portuguese culture. | D．To preserve historical documents. |
| A．Library of Strahov Monastery. |
| B．Old Library of Trinity College. |
| C．Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading. |
| D．Cite de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine. |
