1 . Last month, a study was published that examined climate change’s direct effects on the Earth’s seasons. Scientists found a connection between climate change and the temperature and duration of the summer season. Summers in the Northern hemisphere (北半球) could last nearly six months by the year 2100 if global warming continues, according to the study. With the seasons off-balance, there will be harmful effects on human health and agriculture.
Yuping Guan, a physical oceanographer at the State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and his colleagues combined daily climate data from 1952 to 2011 to get a sense of the start and end of each season in the Northern hemisphere. Over the nearly 60-year period, they discovered that, on average, summers grew from 78 to 95 days, while winters shortened from 76 to 73 days. The spring and autumn seasons also shortened. Guan and his team used the findings from the data to create a model to hypothesize (假设) about how the seasons would possibly change in the future. They found that if left untouched, summers in the Northern hemisphere could last nearly six months, while winters could contract to less than two months.
If the Earth’s seasons continue to shift, it will bring negative effects to human health and agriculture. Longer and hotter summers, for example, can cause mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects to potentially expand their scope and land in places where they’re usually not found. “Because seasons influence the life cycles of plants and animals, climate change could disturb species’ ability to adapt,” said Scott Sheridan, a climate scientist “If seasons continue to change, everything isn’t going to change perfectly as they should. If we take the example of flowers coming out of the ground, those flowers could come out, but bees aren’t there to pollinate (授粉) them yet or they’re already past their peak.” With negative effects like these, human health and agriculture will face hardship while moving forward.
This study further proves how cruel climate change is to humans, plants and animals, reminding us how much we are all connected with the environment we share.
1. What did scientists find according to the study?| A．Some seasons will disappear in their tracks. |
| B．Global warming will be at its worst in 2100. |
| C．Human heath remains unharmed by climate change. |
| D．Climate change affects the days of summers. |
| A．Add. | B．Shorten. | C．Keep. | D．Extend. |
| A．Some species are more able to adapt to the change. |
| B．The environment will change as we wish. |
| C．Human health and agriculture are hardly affected. |
| D．Mosquitoes can survive in more places. |
| A．Is summer taking the place of all other seasons? | B．Is climate change bringing hardship? |
| C．Is mankind to blame for longer summers? | D．Is the Earth getting warmer? |
2 . Smartphones and other digital devices control and consume our attention. This is true for young people. On public transport, they are checking social media or playing an addictive game rather than sleeping. Very few people are reading a book or having a conversation with fellow travelers.
Children today are digital natives. This means they have never known life without internet access. They have been raised on clicks. They jump from content to content without a second thought. In the words of the philosopher Han in his 2021 book Non-things, this kind of nonstop excitement means that we quickly come to need a new exciter. We get used to seeing reality as a source of exciters and surprises. We struggle to focus our attention on any one thing. This will disturb our cognitive (认知) system.
Books can train the brain to deeply focus its attention on one task while mobile devices encourage us to hang over the surface of things, but we do not fully grasp them. When we receive information in large amounts, it stops being meaningful. When faced with a large amount of it, our brains react by blocking the information. But the discarded content does not simply disappear from our minds. Instead, it remains. This prevents us from figuring out what we are interested in. It limits our attention length.
Mobile phone addiction and the way young people learn are both directly connected to the concept of mind wandering. Too much information input makes us switch off and lose attention. And this can be damaging in the long term.
In order to recover attention, the brain needs to take a break. It needs to find time and space where it can be free from constant noise. Adults can make the effort to find these much-needed spaces to focus attention. Children, on the other hand, have not yet gained this. They run the risk of never recovering their attention spans. If we give children and teenagers access to digital devices before they have developed these skills, their attention will be free to wander. It will then become harder and harder for them to focus on a task for the necessary amount of time.
1. What is a common scene among the young on public transport?| A．They are talking with each other. | B．They are usually sleeping. |
| C．Most of them are absorbed in reading. | D．They are lost in their phones. |
| A．It reduces our ability to focus. |
| B．It weakens our need for fun immediately. |
| C．It increases our interest in traditional media. |
| D．It enables us to see reality as a source of surprises. |
| A．Mobile devices help us to fully understand books. |
| B．Smartphone addiction stops us forming a lasting attention. |
| C．Being exposed to smartphone information blocks our brain. |
| D．The information we get will disappear soon from our minds. |
| A．A science magazine. | B．A book review. |
| C．A biology textbook. | D．A smartphone ad. |
3 . For any advanced record collector, we have a great collection for you to know about your favorite music!
The Beatles — Vol 1 Evolution (1940-64)
This is the first in die set of three-Its 116 pages cover every single, album from 1962 to 1964, all newly reviewed by top experts, forming a UK Beatles discography (录音作品名录) with comments: a must-have for fans and collectors.
The Beatles — Vol 2: Revolution (1965-67)
It is the second in the set. Covering their creative glory years in the mid-60s, up to the recording of their masterpiece, Sgt Pepper’s, it presents interviews with their great producer George Martin, Pattie Boyd and Beatles insider Tony Bramwell. 116 pages of quality reading.
The Beatles — Vol 3: Ascension (1968-2019)
It is the third in the series, covering their final years together, from the story of the White Album to the success of Abbey Road. There is analysis of what finally broke up the band.
The Rolling Stones: Making The Legend
This special magazine focusing on the archives tells the best story of the rise of The rolling Stones. It’s a must — have for fans of the world’s greatest rock roll band — and for anyone who wants to became what it is today, this is right for you.
Pink Floyd — Shooting For The Moon
It records the development of this globally loved band, from their beginnings back in 1967 to their lasting position half a century later, by the way of archive (档案，史料).
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1. What makes The Beatles — Vol 3 special in the set?| A．It includes interviews. | B．It accesses the archives. |
| C．It has a total of 116 pages. | D．It tells why the band came apart. |
| A．Pink Floyd — Shooting For The Moon |
| B．The Rolling Stones: Making The Legend |
| C．The Beatles — Vol 2: Revolution (965-7) |
| D．The Beatles — Vol 3: Ascension (1968-2019) |
| A．£ 37.47. | B．£ 28.50. | C．£ 34.50. | D．£ 12.49. |
4 . For more than one hundred years, a great number of scientists have believed that tiredness in athletes originates in the muscles(肌肉). Precise explanations have varied, but all have been based on the “Limitations Theory”. In other words, muscles tire because they hit a physical limit—they either run out of fuel or oxygen or they drown in harmful by-products(副产品).
In the past few years, however, Timothy Noakes from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, has examined this standard theory. Tiredness, he argues, is caused not by signals springing from overtaxed muscles, but is an emotional response which begins in the brain. The fundamental nature of his new theory is that the brain paces the muscles to keep them well back from the edge of tiredness. When the brain decides it’s time to quit, it creates unbearable muscle tiredness. This “Central Governor” theory remains controversial, but it does explain many puzzling aspects of athletic performance.
A recent discovery that Noakes calls the “lactic acid paradox” made him start researching this area seriously. Lactic acid is a by-product of exercise, and the increase of it is often mentioned as a cause of tiredness. But when research subjects exercise in certain conditions created artificially, they become tired even though lactic acid levels remain low. Nor has the oxygen content of their blood fallen too low for them to keep going. Obviously, something else was making them tire before they hit either of these physiological limits.
Noakes conducted an experiment with seven cyclists. It has long been known that during exercise, the body never uses 100% of the available muscle fibres(纤维). The amount used varies, but in some tasks such as this cycling test the body calls on about 30%. His team found that as tiredness set in, the electrical activity in cyclist’s legs declined—even when they were making a great effort to cycle as fast as they could.
To Noakes, this was strong evidence that the old theory was wrong. “The cyclists may have felt completely exhausted,” he says, “but their bodies actually had considerable reserves that they could theoretically tap by using a greater amount of the resting fibres.” This, he believes, is the proof that the brain is regulating the pace of the workout to hold the cyclists well back from the point of extreme tiredness.
1. Why do athletes feel tired according to “Limitations Theory”?| A．Because the muscles run out all energy. |
| B．Because the brain protects the muscles. |
| C．Because the scientists performed researches. |
| D．Because Noakes examined standard theory. |
| A．Muscle fibres control athletes’ movements. |
| B．Lactic acid levels remain high in cycling tests. |
| C．Mental processes control the symptoms of tiredness |
| D．Different exercises use different amount of muscle fibres |
| A．The energy in human bodies can be balanced |
| B．Tiredness is a harmful by-product of exercise. |
| C．Lactic acid will not caused tiredness necessarily. |
| D．The oxygen content will rise after taking exercise. |
| A．Muscles or Brains?——Which brings athletes tiredness? |
| B．Lactic acid or Oxygen content——Which is vital for athletes? |
| C．Working out or Being relaxed——Which will better our health? |
| D．Common belief or New discovery——Which should we believe? |
5 . I had never been away from home, at least not for more than three days, much less two whole weeks. When I got the chance to go to Journalism Camp, I was
Well, after the first night, nearly all of my
However, in the process I didn’t realize how
This was my
| A．tired | B．scared | C．excited | D．surprised |
| A．match | B．behave | C．follow | D．adjust |
| A．work out | B．part with | C．get along | D．make up |
| A．questions | B．solutions | C．decisions | D．feelings |
| A．perfect | B．skillful | C．mean | D．modest |
| A．improvement | B．sympathy | C．responsibility | D．consideration |
| A．get | B．buy | C．spread | D．taste |
| A．patient | B．tied | C．lonely | D．direct |
| A．turn | B．put | C．take | D．hold |
| A．wrong | B．simple | C．hard | D．sure |
| A．take | B．push | C．save | D．set |
| A．sadness | B．anger | C．tension | D．curiosity |
| A．award | B．practice | C．mistake | D．challenge |
| A．receive | B．withdraw | C．appreciate | D．accept |
| A．enjoy | B．last | C．hold | D．miss |
6 . It’s rare that you see the words “shyness” and “leader” in the same sentence. After all, the common opinion is that those outgoing and sociable guys make great public speakers and excellent net-workers and that those shy people are not.
A survey conducted by USA Today referred to 65 percent of managers who believed shyness to be a barrier to leadership. Interestingly, the same article stresses that roughly 40 percent of leaders actually are quite shy — they’re just better at adapting themselves to situational demands. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Charles Schwab are just a few “innies”.
Shy people take a cautious approach to chance. They listen attentively to what others say and absorb it before they speak. They’re listening so they can learn what to say. Along the same lines, shy people share a common love of learning. They are intrinsically (内在地) motivated and therefore seek content regardless of achieving an outside standard.
Being shy can also bring other benefits. Remember being in school and hearing the same kids contribute, until shy little Johnny, who almost never said a word, cut in? Then what happened? Everyone turned around to look with great respect at little Johnny actually talking. This is how shy people made good use of their power of presence: they “own” the moment by speaking calmly and purposefully, which translate to a positive image.
Shyness is often related to modesty. Not to say that limelight-seekers (引人注目的人) aren’t modest, but shy people tend to have an accurate sense of their abilities and achievements. As a result, they are able to recognize mistakes, imperfections, knowledge gaps and limitations.
Since shy people have a lower desire for outside rewards than outgoing ones, they’re more comfortable working with little information and sticking to their inner desires. Shy people are also more likely to insist on finding solutions that aren’t primarily apparent. Albert Einstein once said, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s that I stay with problems longer.” Obviously, finding certainty where uncertainty is typically popular is a huge plus for any successful person.
1. What is the traditional belief to the shy people?| A．They are good at making friends. |
| B．They are not popular with people. |
| C．They like making speeches in public. |
| D．They are unlikely to become leaders. |
| A．Shy people. | B．Public speakers. |
| C．Net-workers. | D．Survey conductor. |
| A．They focus on achieving themselves outside rewards. |
| B．They make the best of the power of presence actively. |
| C．They realize their abilities and imperfections clearly. |
| D．They perform more confidently than outgoing people. |
| A．By making contrasts and giving examples. |
| B．By quoting authorities and making evaluations. |
| C．By explaining problems and providing solutions. |
| D．By giving definitions and presenting research results. |
7 . Mushrooms (蘑菇) usually grow on dark, damp forest floors or fallen tree branches. Now a company in Abu Dhabi has found a way to grow them in the middle of the desert.
Below Farm is producing special mushrooms. Co-founder Bronte Weir says the indoor farm, about 45 minutes’ drive from downtown Abu Dhabi, is the first in the region to grow and sell high-end mushrooms. Below Farm’s offerings are better than imported mushrooms, she says, because mushrooms lose their freshness quickly.
Weir co-founded the company in 2021, in cooperation with Liliana Slowinska and Wojciech Slowinski. They mainly sell the mushrooms to restaurants and stores. Also, they sell mushrooms directly to customers.
Weir says that existing indoor mushroom-growing technology, developed mainly in Europe and the United States, isn’t designed for Abu Dhabi’s high daytime temperatures, which can top 40 degrees Celsius in summer.
Wojciech Slowinski took the lead in developing a solution. The farm consists of four special chambers (室) covered in a foot-deep layer of insulation (隔热材料) to help keep the space cool. “We can create the right conditions for each type of mushroom,” says Weir. Maintaining higher air pressure inside the rooms helps to protect the crops from Abu Dhabi’s winds and dust.
Raj Dagstanı, who runs a restaurant, is a fan of Below Farm. “The best-tasting pizza on the menu is the mushroom,” says Dagstani, adding that he created the dish after he tried out Below Farm’s mushrooms. He now orders 20 kilograms of mushrooms a week from the company. According to market intelligence experts, the global mushroom market grew by over 9% last year and continues to expand, partly due to the popularity of plant-based diets.
1. Where does Below Farm probably lie?| A．In uptown Abu Dhabi. | B．In the center of Abu Dhabi. |
| C．In a dark deep forest. | D．In the grassland of the desert. |
| A．A partner in Below Farm. | B．A founder of Abu Dhabi. |
| C．A manager of a restaurant. | D．A scientist in farming. |
| A．It provides fresh air inside the rooms. |
| B．It helps to keep the heat out of the chambers. |
| C．It offers a new way to keep mushrooms fresh. |
| D．It promotes the development of mushroom varieties. |
| A．Plant-based diets becomes more popular. |
| B．His restaurant sells the best-tasting pizza. |
| C．The global mushroom market is promising. |
| D．The Below Farm’s mushrooms are of high quality. |
8 . Earlier this year I was asked to design a sculpture for London’s first step-free trail (无障碍通道) with Whizz-Kidz, the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users. It was an offer I couldn’t possibly refuse, considering the trail is a way to increase public awareness about the need for wheelchair users to be mobile and included in society, through the power of art. It was also something that seemed extra important to me, as art isn’t always something accessible to me as a disabled person.
I was born in a working-class family in 1969. We never had much money, so getting hobbies was difficult. But Mum and Dad always made sure that I had something to draw on. As a child, I often lost myself in drawing in our small house. However, a bad illness caused me to be paralyzed at 11, ending up in a wheelchair. Still, during these dark moments I learned to escape through art. Fortunately, I recovered enough to go to art college.
It was when a friend recommended an iPad to me in my thirties that my life as an artist totally changed. It changed the way I made art, as I could effectively create art digitally. The art poured out of me. Things moved so quickly that after just four months, my work on my personal experiences as a disabled person was shown in a group show in America.
And this led me to work with groups of disabled people, so I could use iPad to make art about the stories I was being told. I was not giving them a voice, but it was they who gave me a voice, so that I could make public art about disability. Eventually, I hoped art would change public policy. I hope thousands of disabled people will be able to take part and enjoy the wonderful art on show, and I know it is a celebration of them and their lives.
1. Why did the writer accept the offer?| A．To display his sculpture. | B．To make art more accessible. |
| C．To donate more wheelchairs. | D．To show his fighting spirit. |
| A．He had various hobbies. | B．He lived a rich life. |
| C．Illness ended his dream. | D．Art helped him out. |
| A．He got a lesson of art creation. | B．It led to his popularity in America. |
| C．He was better equipped to create art. | D．It let him work with artists worldwide. |
| A．More step-free trails should be replaced. | B．Digital art could promote the traditional art. |
| C．The disabled can make a happy life as an artist. | D．Policymakers should have the disabled in mind. |
9 . What will we be doing in ten years’ time? Can we become the person we aim to be? Will we get into the school of our
The young Arthur Conan Doyle, born in Scotland in 1859, had
After Sherlock Holmes made him a(n)
Extremely successful and known, Doyle’s career failed to turn out as
| A．community | B．mind | C．choice | D．childhood |
| A．empty | B．real | C．useful | D．meaningful |
| A．accidentally | B．happily | C．originally | D．devotedly |
| A．relief | B．comfort | C．idea | D．ambition |
| A．accepted | B．required | C．invited | D．recommended |
| A．hopefully | B．interestingly | C．obviously | D．thankfully |
| A．hit | B．signal | C．sign | D．display |
| A．common | B．household | C．unexpected | D．amazing |
| A．belief | B．approach | C．access | D．intention |
| A．time | B．application | C．manners | D．option |
| A．focus on | B．transform | C．leave behind | D．taste |
| A．funny | B．graceful | C．crazy | D．humorous |
| A．forgotten | B．lost | C．refused | D．collected |
| A．pictured | B．advised | C．thought | D．planned |
| A．exhibition | B．lesson | C．offer | D．requirement |
10 . How would you like it if you are able to go to your local park and pick some tomatoes, potatoes or even bananas for dinner. Sounds too good to be true, right? For residents of Andernach, a German city, it’s not just a Utopian dream — it’s the reality. In 2010, Andernach began its “edible city” project, planting 101 varieties of tomatoes in public green spaces around the city centre. Its 30,000 residents are free to help themselves to whatever grows, as are any other visitors. Every year a new type of plant is introduced. In 2021, 100 types of beans were planted, while 2022 saw the introduction of 20 onion varieties. The town’s motto (座右铭) is, “Picking is encouraged — help yourself!”
It’s a community effort, as local citizens are encouraged to help plant and maintain the gardens. This offers an opportunity to socialize as well as to learn about planting, cultivating and harvesting food. “I often drop by to pick some herbs that I’m missing at home. Everything is easily accessible. There aren’t any fences. You just take what you need. The only thing is you have to be quick once the fruits are ripe or they’ll all be gone!” said a local historian.
Andernach may be the first, but it isn’t the only edible city. It’s part of the Edible Cities Network, an EU-funded project connecting green urban food initiatives around the world. Other edible cities include Carthage in Tunisia, Havana in Cuba and Šempeter-Vrtojba in Slovenia. In February 2022, the first Edible Cities Network Conference took place. Dr. Ina Säumel, director of the Edible Cities Network, called it “a unique opportunity to invite researchers and people involved of Edible City Solutions to the same table and unite theory with practice”.
Ultimately, the Edible Cities Network aims to create “greener, more edible and, above all, more livable cities”. It is a response to the pressures of climate change, and a cause for hope.
1. What is paragraph I mainly about?| A．The development of a German city. |
| B．The popularity of Andernach’s city design. |
| C．Approaches of planting vegetables. |
| D．The green food project in Andernach. |
| A．Satisfied. | B．Ignorant. | C．Doubtful. | D．Discouraged. |
| A．Edible cities hold meetings on a regular basis. |
| B．German rural areas will also follow the steps. |
| C．Asia will join the Edible Cities Network soon. |
| D．Green urban food is in the upward trend. |
| A．Start a green food campaign now | B．Gain easy access to German food |
| C．Make your cities edible as well | D．Respond quickly to climate change |
