1 . It’s well-known that humor can benefit us both physically and mentally. The idea that laughter is the best medicine has been around since ancient times. In his 1905 book, Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious, Sigmund Freud argued that humor is the highest of the psyche’s defense mechanism (机制), capable of turning anxiety into pleasure.
There are four humor styles. Affiliative humor refers to jokes about things that might be commonly considered funny, which is usually employed to improve relationships or make others laugh. If you’ve ever shared a funny picture with a coworker, you’ve used affiliative humor. Self-enhancing humor involves being able to laugh at yourself, often used as a way for you to deal with stress or difficulties and feel better as a result. Aggressive humor is laughing at the expense of others, which often involves sarcasm (讽刺), teasing, and criticism. Self-defeating humor is the art of putting yourself down to gain favor from your peers, which is possibly used by someone who’s targeted by bullies.
Each style of humor actually carries a different influence, when it comes to mental health. Julie Aitken Schermer, a psychological researcher at The University of Western Ontario, says people using self-enhancing humor are less likely to show signs of loneliness and poor relationships with others. By contrast, both aggressive and self-defeating humor styles can hint at trouble. “We find that self-defeating humor is the most concerning style as it is also linked with loneliness and feelings of not mattering. Those with an aggressive humor style may not experience loneliness as much, however, since they rely on group dynamics (群体动力) in order to make fun of their peers,” says Schermer.
Even if you tend to favor more negative humor styles, there’s no reason to lose heart. Schermer says people can develop a positive, self-enhancing humor style by concentrating on the lighter and more humorous aspects of life. As author Kurt Vonnegut once wrote, “Laughter and tears are both responses to worries and anxieties. I prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.”
1. Why is Sigmund Freud’s book mentioned in Paragraph 1?| A．To show the importance of mental health. | B．To stress the role of humor. |
| C．To persuade people to stay positive. | D．To introduce ancient jokes to us. |
| A．Affiliative humor. | B．Self-enhancing humor. |
| C．Aggressive humor. | D．Self-defeating humor. |
| A．Signal. | B．Explain. | C．Prevent. | D．Solve. |
| A．Humor is difficult to control. | B．Crying is a good way of relief. |
| C．Humor is a double-edged sword. | D．Laughter is the best cure for stress. |
2 . Seagrass meadows(海草床) are wonder plants growing beneath the sea. They feed and shelter sea life and are masterful at storing carbon. Thanks to the assistance of tiger sharks, a huge seagrass meadow in the Bahamas Banks was recently discovered, offering the world a tool to fight climate change.
Seagrass has usually been detected by Earth-orbiting satellites that identify darker patches in the blue water. In this study, tiger sharks were selected as research tools due to their highly consistent associations with seagrass ecosystems. They spend 70% of their time in seagrass meadows. The team equipped eight tiger sharks with satellite tags (电子跟踪器), seven sharks with camera tags, and used a 360-degree camera on a shark for the first time ever.
The data researchers collected was astonishing. The world’s largest seagrass ecosystem, measuring at least 66,900 square kilometers, has been discovered. This reflects a 41% increase from previous estimates of global seagrass. Seagrass can capture (捕获) huge quantities of carbon by photosynthesis (光合作用) and stores it on the seafloor. In terms of climate change, this is excellent news; seagrass is 35 times faster a removing carbon than tropical rainforests. When referred to global seagrass carbon stock estimates, the study indicates that seagrass in the Bahamas may contain 19.2% to 26.3% of all the carbon stored in seagrass meadows on Earth.
Yet seagrass meadows are rapidly disappearing, with over 92% of meadows in the UK gone, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Scientists are collecting seeds and trying to grow new seagrass meadows through restoration projects. This new discovery offers optimism and proves the importance of the ocean for healing.
The sharks led us to the seagrass ecosystem in the Bahamas, which we now know is likely the most significant blue carbon sink(蓝色碳汇) on the planet. What this discovery shows us is that ocean exploration and research are essential for a healthy future. The untapped potential of the ocean is limitless. These meadows can be protected and can be replicated (复制,仿制), offering hope for climate change around the globe.
1. Why were tiger sharks chosen as research tools?| A．They are more flexible than other sea animals. |
| B．They can quickly adjust themselves to the deep sea. |
| C．They have a strong connection with seagrass ecosystems. |
| D．They can be easily equipped with experimental devices. |
| A．The decline of global seagrass meadows. |
| B．The impact of climate change on sea life. |
| C．The rapid increase in the amount of carbon on Earth. |
| D．The potential value of the world’s largest seagrass ecosystem. |
| A．Planting more seagrass meadows. |
| B．Developing new technology to collect seeds. |
| C．Mapping the distribution of seagrass meadows. |
| D．Encouraging people to join in restoration projects. |
| A．The New Way of Removing Carbon |
| B．The Significance of Ocean Exploration |
| C．A New Discovery: World’s Largest Seagrass Meadow |
| D．Tiger Sharks: Scientists’ Essential Helper to Study Climate |
3 . Alia Baker is a librarian in Iraq. Her library used to be a
She had asked the government for
One day, the bombing stopped and the
| A．meeting | B．working | C．personal | D．religious |
| A．raised | B．handled | C．reported | D．discussed |
| A．worried | B．angry | C．doubtful | D．curious |
| A．practical | B．precious | C．reliable | D．expensive |
| A．then | B．still | C．even | D．rather |
| A．permission | B．confirmation | C．explanation | D．information |
| A．large | B．public | C．distant | D．safe |
| A．Fortunately | B．Surprisingly | C．Seriously | D．Secretly |
| A．starting | B．parking | C．filling | D．testing |
| A．stop | B．help | C．warn | D．rescue |
| A．intended | B．pretended | C．happened | D．agreed |
| A．war | B．night | C．building | D．way |
| A．put | B．opened | C．passed | D．threw |
| A．hid | B．exchanged | C．burnt | D．distributed |
| A．approached | B．erupted | C．continued | D．ended |
| A．restaurant | B．library | C．city | D．wall |
| A．neighbours | B．soldiers | C．friends | D．customers |
| A．sold | B．read | C．saved | D．moved |
| A．occupied | B．bombed | C．quiet | D．busy |
| A．dreamed of | B．believed in | C．cared about | D．looked for |
4 . Let’s face it: Life is hard. But it doesn’t have to be, especially if you have the following products. From a workout mirror to a water purifier, your day today routine is about to get a lot easier.
Tempo Move
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Tempo makes exercise truly convenient from your own home. You may recognize it as one of the many workout mirrors on the market, but the new tempo move system allows you to easily connect your phone and their apps to a TV, and follow along with all their wonderful classes.
VIVE Flow
$499 AT VIVE. COM
Vive goggles will bring an extremely accessible and refreshing approach to the VR world. The Vive goggles are, well, a pair of goggles not unlike something you’d wear to snowboard. They’re extremely lightweight with a lightning fast set-up that’s suitable for things like watching Netflix, or meditation (冥想). It’s the calmest headset I’ve ever worn and uses cameras to let you control everything with just your hands.
Hisense 75”U 80X0GR 8K ULED Roku TV
$1, 800 AT BEST BUY
8K sounded like a luxury, but now that brands like Hisense, which focus on a more affordable version, have got some time with the tech. You can finally bring the deep color output and astonishing detail into your living room. Calling it “afordable“ may be a little overstate, but compared to most 8K TVs which all run over $5, 000, it’s the most cost-efficient version of the tech we’ve got.
LARQ Water Purifier
$139 AT LIVELARQ. COM
Larq just made your water cleaner with light technology. The best part is that it somehow manages to taste clean and fresh too. And while I thought it may be a trick, I’ve forced friends, family, and strangers to compare, and they all agree. Even if you don’t care about clean water, you’ll care about that, right?
1. What can be inferred about Vive Goggles?| A．They are user-friendly. | B．They help keep track of weight. |
| C．They are intended for snowboarders. | D．They can control everything. |
| A．Its look is luxurious. | B．Its tech is advanced. | C．It is economical. | D．It features deep color. |
| A．A consumer review. | B．A science report. |
| C．An online advertisement. | D．A product introduction. |
5 . Tariq Qaiser, an architect, is trying to protect mangroves (红树林). The trees could save Pakistan’s largest city Karachi, sitting on the Arabian Sea, from natural disaster. He comes to Bundal Island several times a week to document the illegal cutting of mangrove trees. Very often, “You can’t hear a single bird because the chain saws are so loud. The trees are cut down illegally for firewood,” he says, shaking his head. Besides, developers clear the mangroves to make room for construction.
Karachi has a hot climate, and its concrete buildings and paved roads make it even hotter. Offshore, there are islands where mangroves grow. They could be the key to slowing climate change. Mangrove forests pull carbon dioxide out of the air, holding four times as much of the planet-warming gas as other forests can. They support diverse ecosystems. As sea levels rise with global warming, the trees could play a big role in protecting coastal cities like Karachi from flooding. Karachi’s mangroves are disappearing. But its numbers are rising in other parts of Pakistan. With replanting efforts, the country has tripled (三倍于) its mangrove coverage over the past 30 years．
Qaiser’s work may have worked. Recently, a court in Karachi declared Bundal Island’s mangroves to be protected forests. But unforested parts of the island remain unprotected, and developers want to build there. City officials say this could provide much-needed housing and bring in billions of dollars. They claim that some of that money could be used to plant mangroves in other parts of Pakistan.
Ecologist Rafiul Haq appreciates Qaiser’s “extraordinary work” educating the public about mangroves. But he wishes Qaiser would look at the bigger picture. “Only 7% of Pakistan’s mangroves are in Karachi,” Haq says. He thinks it’s wrong to focus on the losses in 7% of the country while ignoring the success in 93% of it. But Qaiser believes it’s important to protect every bit.
1. What do we know about Karachi’s mangroves?| A．They occupy the building land. | B．They’re home to various birds. |
| C．They’re primarily being used as firewood. | D．They protect the city from climate catastrophe. |
| A．Their birthplaces meet crisis. | B．They boast huge diversity. |
| C．Their bonds with nature are close. | D．They grow at a rapid speed. |
| A．Grow mangroves in other areas. | B．Destroy buildings to grow mangroves. |
| C．Build more mangrove reserves. | D．Use mangroves to make profit. |
| A．Challenging. | B．Effective. | C．Insignificant. | D．Partial. |
6 . I remember to this day the feeling of the cold wind causing my ears to hurt. However, that didn’t
It is thought that the tradition came from the Vikings who were settlers in the Western Isles. Honestly, that wasn’t
There were about 25 houses to visit in my town of North Boisdale. The start time was 19:00 and all the boys would
Outside each house one person would ask the man of the house for permission (许可) to
After being to each house the pillowcases would be
The last house would also provide a small party that would,
| A．trouble | B．interest | C．fit | D．harm |
| A．test | B．service | C．tradition | D．program |
| A．new | B．possible | C．wise | D．important |
| A．success | B．experience | C．fun | D．help |
| A．show off | B．look around | C．run away | D．meet up |
| A．visit | B．clean | C．find | D．fill |
| A．bought | B．received | C．stolen | D．sent |
| A．enter | B．shout | C．hide | D．stop |
| A．still | B．again | C．even | D．then |
| A．bags | B．gifts | C．pictures | D．candles |
| A．searching | B．leaving | C．painting | D．protecting |
| A．give | B．remind | C．lend | D．wish |
| A．safe | B．full | C．warm | D．open |
| A．discovered | B．remembered | C．emptied | D．accepted |
| A．begin | B．finish | C．continue | D．change |
7 . At the school Art Festival, I was asked to design the costumes for three school plays. Everyone was
After much thought, I decided to
After graduation, I will
| A．determined | B．amazed | C．awkward | D．expected |
| A．drawing | B．acting | C．sculpture | D．communication |
| A．challenge | B．admire | C．pursue | D．aid |
| A．provide | B．compare | C．create | D．combine |
| A．get into | B．get through | C．get over | D．get from |
| A．training | B．research | C．quiz | D．schedule |
| A．checked | B．persuaded | C．recognized | D．forecasted |
| A．head | B．eye | C．back | D．foot |
| A．flexibility | B．standards | C．drawbacks | D．qualities |
| A．apply | B．demonstrate | C．improve | D．acquire |
| A．learn | B．result | C．benefit | D．obtain |
| A．motion | B．action | C．position | D．operation |
| A．attend | B．equip | C．design | D．organize |
| A．conduct | B．submit | C．land | D．perform |
| A．accounting | B．consulting | C．cleaning | D．clothing |
8 . Have you seen the incredible guitar-playing of man born with no arms? The musician who was born without arms is being
Mark Goffeney, 46, of San Diego, who is
Mark devoted every waking hour to searching his town and trying to join a
Things were
“When I
Today, Mark
| A．named | B．chosen | C．congratulated | D．recognized |
| A．fingers | B．feet | C．hands | D．arms |
| A．served | B．known | C．ignored | D．treated |
| A．disability | B．courage | C．belief | D．pain |
| A．picked out | B．set aside | C．took up | D．dealt with |
| A．drum | B．violin | C．piano | D．guitar |
| A．serious | B．curious | C．confident | D．particular |
| A．family | B．party | C．band | D．society |
| A．chances | B．difficulties | C．activities | D．comments |
| A．tough | B．easy | C．interesting | D．encouraging |
| A．formed | B．happened | C．changed | D．paused |
| A．finished | B．enjoyed | C．began | D．stopped |
| A．going | B．looking | C．working | D．spotting |
| A．acts | B．performs | C．travels | D．moves |
| A．raised | B．charged | C．thrown | D．donated |
9 . When a group of college students put their sorrows into action, they never imagined the project would fuel a nationwide movement to help deal with hunger and control on food waste.
But that’s exactly what the Farmlink Project has done since 2020, bringing together hundreds of young volunteers to rescue nearly 77 million pounds of excess food and deliver it to those in need. The organization’s efforts help farmers, the environment, and people struggling to feed their families all at once.
“In the United States, 40 million Americans don’t have enough food to eat. They don’t know where their next meal is going to come from,” said Aidan Reilly, who co-founded Farmlink. “Meanwhile, in the United States, we’re throwing out over 100 billion pounds of food every year.”
Back in 2020, Reilly and his childhood friend James Kanoff were reading and watching news about food shortages, and they learned that area farms were forced to destroy excess produce that they couldn’t sell, especially with restaurants, schools and hotels closed. Reilly, Kanoff and a core group of friends worked together over Zoom, texted and e-mailed to contact farms coast to coast. “We didn’t really set out to start a nonprofit,” Reilly said. “We just thought, ‘There’re so many people suffering, if we can figure out one way to help, then that’ll be great.”
In California, they found a farmer who had 13, 000 eggs that could be donated, and Reilly offered to do the pickup and delivery himself. That was the first of many more deliveries. With “we’ll come to you” as their catchphrase (标语), the group rented U-Haul trucks and attempted to do all the food pickup and deliveries themselves.
“We had a lot of small problems in the beginning,” Reilly said. “We broke axles (车轴), loaded in 40, 000 pounds of potatoes in a wrong way and had to try to drag them out by using another truck and a rope. But we made it work.”
“Farmlink has worked with more than 100 farms and 300 communities in the US, rescuing and moving enough food to distribute more than 64 million meals,” Reilly said.
1. What can we learn about Farmlink Project from the text?| A．It was launched by some college students. | B．It helps relieve American poverty. |
| C．It cooperated with the farms worldwide. | D．It is supported by the government. |
| A．The produce was of poor quality. |
| B．Nobody came to purchase the produce. |
| C．The farmers refused to sell it at a low price. |
| D．Food shortages were no longer a problem globally. |
| A．They were lacking in experience. | B．They overloaded the supply. |
| C．Their navigation aids didn’t work. | D．The vehicles were inadequate. |
| A．Americans faced a food shortage crisis. |
| B．Farmers in poor areas worried about food waste. |
| C．Volunteers delivered farm produce to those in need. |
| D．Students took action to tackle hunger and food waste. |
10 . Over the past three decades, an 81-year-old Chinese man has been operating a small zoo. The zoo in Enshi, Hubei Province, is called the “world’s loneliest zoo” because few people visit it. Most of the animals there are unhealthy.
Luo Yingjiu began keeping animals at home in the 1980s. After seeing wild animals kept in cages for sale at a market, Luo bought them and took them home to give them medical treatment. He released (释放) those able to live on their own into the wild and continued to raise those that could not live independently. There were so many animals in his house that the local government suggested he open a zoo. With the government’s financial aid, the zoo was opened in 1989, the only one in the city at that time. During its peak time, the zoo had some big animals, including a tiger and a lion. The business later became worse because visitors were not interested in the zoo’s “old, weak, sick and disabled” animals.
Using his pension (退休金) to operate the zoo, Mr. Luo refused to listen to other people’s advice to close it. “It is not just a zoo; it provides the habitat for the animals,” he explained. “If the zoo is closed, where can these animals go? They cannot even survive in the wild.”
As he operates the zoo, he keeps on rescuing animals. A black bear with one paw injured was saved 17 years ago. A dog named Dianzi was saved when its former owner planned to abandon (遗弃) it. A monkey that has been at the zoo for nearly 30 years is almost blind because of camera flashes from visitors who took photos. For those animals that died, Luo buried them on the nearby mountain.
Luo said he remembers every animal’s name. “Animals and humans are born equal,”he said. “We should respect their right to survive.”
1. Why is the zoo called the “world’s loneliest zoo”?| A．There are few animals in the zoo. |
| B．Few people know the old man. |
| C．There aren’t many people visiting the zoo. |
| D．The gatekeeper lost family members. |
| A．By buying some animals locked in cages. |
| B．By stealing or hunting some big animals. |
| C．By finding animals released from other zoos. |
| D．By picking up dying animals in the wild. |
| A．Visitors took no interest in the unhealthy animals. |
| B．Local government refused to offer financial support. |
| C．He used up all of his pension so that the zoo was closed. |
| D．Children were frightened by the wild tiger and lion. |
| A．Adventurous and humorous. | B．Warm-hearted and determined. |
| C．Creative and outgoing. | D．Generous and funny. |
