1 . Recent studies suggest four out of 10 persons feel lonely at least one or two days per week, with younger persons (Millennials and Gen Z) exhibiting signs of extreme alienation (疏远) and disconnection more than other generations. Even older people, who are frequently regarded as lonely with few persons to speak to and objectively have lost many family members and friends, report less loneliness than Millennials. Why do Millennials report being the most lonely, and what can be done to address it?
Thirty percent of people between 23 and 38 said they often “feel lonely”. “But wait,” you may say. “Aren’t they connected through technology, social media platforms, and various apps?” Yes, but one of the challenges of extensive smartphone and app use today is that we are being trained to stare at screens rather than meet and have face-to-face conversations with people. Still, at the same time, people who spend more than 8 hours a day on screens per day tend to report other issues: depression, anxiety and other serious challenges to their well-being.
A meeting of minds used to happen via religious gatherings and school. So a possible solution is to create spaces and locations where one (and not just Millennials) can meet folks who share additional common interests. One possibility is through regular exercise outside the home. Going to a YMCA or a gym to a Zumba, yoga, or cycling class presents an opportunity to enjoy physical activity and have brief conversations with them before and after the session.
In addition to the obvious positive physical effects of the exercise, it can be surprising how beneficial a quick conversation can be with someone you may have just met. The boost in mood is palpable and can lead to better workouts due to increased available energy and motivation.
In conclusion, spending a little less time on the phone and a little more time walking in the neighborhood, in a park, or going early and staying late at the gym can work wonders for one’s mood and health.
1. Why do Millennials often feel lonelier than other generations?| A．They refuse to open up their inner world. |
| B．They don’t like to go to religious gatherings. |
| C．They are less connected with others in real life. |
| D．They have fewer opportunities to interact with people. |
| A．Limiting screen time. | B．Going to a nightclub with classmates. |
| C．Joining a group to exercise together. | D．Strengthening the parent-child bond. |
| A．Noticeable. | B．Comfortable. | C．Fortunate. | D．Temporary. |
| A．The ways for millennials to make new friends. |
| B．The importance of face-to-face communication. |
| C．How to make new friends for Millennials and Gen Z. |
| D．Why Millennials feel lonely and solutions to address the problem. |
2 . Love knows no bounds, especially when it comes to the person you’ve shared your life with. Peter Burkhardt, a 90-year-old man from Netherlands, is the embodiment (体现) of this idea. Every day, he travels 17 kilometers to accompany his wife of 63 years who now lives in a hospice (养老院) in Apeldoorn. While on days when the weather is very bad, he takes a cab or is driven then by his children, most times he gets on his bike and crosses the city on his own. It takes him an hour to get there and an hour to cycle back home.
In the colder months, Burkhardt keeps himself warm with a blue ski suit with a body warmer on top and a white cap to keep his head warm. “I’ve done skiing with pleasure. Cold doesn’t bother me and with rain, you can put on a rain jacket,” he told an interviewer. “So I’ll always get to my wife.” Burkhardt knows the route by heart, as he has been traveling to his wife’s hospice for the past seven years.
Even if he wanted to drive, Burkhardt’s license wasn’t approved and he hasn’t had a car. However, nothing stops this senior in love. “I walk a lot less now, but cycling is still going well.”
Burkhardt says that his wife doesn’t know what it takes him to reach her every day. “It is completely outside her field of experience. But when I’m back, I notice that she gives me a very nice hug every now and then.” His children have encouraged him to keep on visiting their mom every day.
Burkhardt’s devotion has certainly moved others. But above all, he has done everything in his power to spend as much time as possible with the love of his life-no matter what it takes.
1. Why does Peter Burkhardt visit his wife every day?| A．To help her recover. | B．To show off his love. |
| C．To keep her company. | D．To check on her condition. |
| A．By bus. | B．By car. | C．By taxi. | D．By bike. |
| A．Faithful and reliable. | B．Capable and brave. |
| C．Successful and helpful. | D．Adventurous and curious. |
| A．The Power of Ageless Love |
| B．Peter Burkhardt’s Daily Routine |
| C．Peter Burkhardt Doesn’t Give Up on His Wife |
| D．Man Cycles 17 Kilometers to Visit His Wife in Hospice Daily |
3 . Dogs understand what certain words stand for, according to researchers who monitored the brain activity of willing dogs while they were shown balls, slippers, and other items.
This finding means that dogs can understand more than just commands like “sit” and “fetch”, and the exciting “walkies”. They can also grasp the basic meaning of nouns, especially those related to things they like. “I think the capacity is there in all dogs,” said Marianna Boros, who helped arrange the experiments at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary. “This changes our understanding of language evolution and our sense of what is uniquely human.” A survey in 2022 found that dog owners believed their furry companions responded to between 15 and 215 words.
However, studies have said little about what is happening in the dog brain when it processes words. To explore the secret, Boros and her colleagues invited 18 dog owners to bring their pets to the laboratory along with five objects the animals knew well. These included balls, slippers, Frisbees (飞盘), rubber toys, leads and other items.
At the lab, the owners were instructed to say words for objects before showing their dogs either the correct item or a different one. For example, an owner might say “Look, here’s the ball”, but hold up a frisbee instead. The experiments were repeated multiple times with matching and non-matching objects.
During the tests, researchers monitored the dogs’brain activity through electroencephalography, or EEG. The traces (痕迹) revealed different patterns of activity when the objects matched or mismatched the words their owner said. The difference in the traces was more pronounced for words that owners believed their dogs knew best.
Writing in Current Biology, the scientists say the results “provide the first neural (神经的) evidence for object word knowledge in a non-human animal”. Boros emphasized she was not claiming dogs understood words as well as humans.
Dr Holly Root-Gutteridge, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Lincoln who was not involved in the study, said: “It’s particularly interesting because I think it’s unlikely this started during domestication (驯化), so it may be widespread throughout mammals. That’s highly exciting in itself, as it shines new light on language evolution.”
1. Why did the scientists do the experiments?| A．To study how dogs process words. | B．To find out if dogs understand nouns. |
| C．To prove dogs are as clever as humans. | D．To discover the secret of language evolution. |
| A．By observing different dogs’ behavior. | B．By comparing different dogs’ responses. |
| C．By monitoring different dogs’ brain activity. | D．By analyzing the data of previous surveys. |
| A．Dogs only respond to objects, not words. | B．Dogs understand words as well as humans. |
| C．Dogs can match some words with objects. | D．Dogs are interested in learning new words |
| A．Surprised. | B．Indifferent. | C．Doubtful. | D．Positive. |
4 . I was struggling earlier in the year, even though I’m a(n)
Then, one evening I went outside and
I really wanted to find out more about them. Suddenly, I remembered I’d
Plus, that twinkling night sky was just so beautiful — I felt happier and calmer just looking at it. It became our
| A．optimistic | B．patient | C．independent | D．considerate |
| A．combined | B．questioned | C．consumed | D．impressed |
| A．pulled over | B．looked up | C．headed off | D．calmed down |
| A．wonder | B．pride | C．anxiety | D．guilt |
| A．designed | B．downloaded | C．advertised | D．tested |
| A．reflects | B．connects | C．measures | D．identifies |
| A．view | B．memory | C．record | D．example |
| A．explain | B．imagine | C．discover | D．indicate |
| A．By the way | B．At first sight | C．At that moment | D．By all means |
| A．benefited | B．warned | C．challenged | D．struck |
| A．informal | B．flexible | C．conventional | D．dramatic |
| A．constantly | B．instantly | C．secretly | D．randomly |
| A．regret | B．routine | C．adventure | D．responsibility |
| A．describe | B．ignore | C．stress | D．face |
| A．train | B．gather | C．travel | D．recover |
5 . If you’re looking for some festive atmosphere, here’s part of the Florida festival calendar.
Kumquat Festival, Dade City, Jan. 27
The downtown in Dade City fills with as many as 35, 000 people for this free event celebrating the tangy little fruit grown locally. Along with dozens of booths and live entertainment, a highlight is enjoying kumquat treats, from kumquat pie, kumquat cookies to kumquat salad.
Sunnyland Boat Festival, Tavares, Mar. 22-24
This antique and classic boat festival is one of the largest classic wood boat shows in the country with as many as 250 to 300 restored ancient boats on display in the water and along one third of a mile of Lake Dora shoreline at Wooton Park in Tavares, which is really a feast to the eye for free.
Siesta Key Sunsculpting Festival, Sarasota, Nov. 10-13
Two dozen professional artists compete in creating sculptures on the gorgeous Siesta Key beach. Those who buy tickets can watch the sculptures take shape, view them under colored lights at night, see demonstrations and take lessons. The party atmosphere includes a tent with ful bar (no ticket required) and a vendor(小贩) village.
Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami Beach, Dec. 8-10
Art Basel, an international art fair, draws top galleries from around the world plus the rich and celebrities to South Florida. A far cry from the street art festivals all over Florida, this is an event that is not cheap-Tickets start at $65. Over the years, however, a variety of satellite events have developed, creating art-related events for regular folks, including Miami Art Week.
1. What can visitors do at the event held in Dade City?| A．Learn sculpturing skills. | B．Taste a special local fruit. |
| C．Set up a tent of your own. | D．Compete with professionals. |
| A．They charge for admission. | B．They take place on the same beach. |
| C．They are designed for artists. | D．They have generated smaller events. |
| A．Kumquat Festival. | B．Sunnyland Boat Festival. |
| C．Art Basel Miami Beach. | D．Siesta Key Sunsculpting Festival. |
6 . “Individuals of all ages who have empathy (共情) understand that sometimes telling little white lies can protect other people from getting hurt,” says Barbara Greenberg, a clinical psychologist in Connecticut. “Most people that I have come across tell these little white lies because they understand that 100 percent honesty all the time is not beneficial.” A white lie, she explains, spares people from unnecessary hurt.
At the same time, Dr. Julia Breur, a marriage and family therapist in Florida, emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the way we respond to someone. The fact is that not telling the truth can result in something unpleasant on you; it’s not just about the person the white lie is being told to. For example, she says someone who always tells others that “all is good” when it comes to a sick parent in an effort to avoid discussions about how serious their health issue really is, can eventually face stressful experiences. When that parent eventually passes away, the person who always gave an “all is good” response ends up emotionally broken.
Sometimes, telling white lies often depends on the situation, Dr. Breur says. For example, consider a woman who has not seen her mother for several months. The daughter has gained noticeable weight, yet the mother responds by excitedly declaring that she looks great. “I emphasize during psychotherapy sessions with my patients that context helps define meaning,” Dr. Breur says. “So when we look at the context of a mother saying you look great when she clearly sees that her daughter has gained weight, it can be acceptable. It reflects the intention of the white lie which is kindness, protection and unconditional love. Otherwise, white lies — especially when told to avoid personal accountability — can start a cycle of mistrust between people, ultimately compromising integrity,” she adds.
Therefore, it’s important to ask ourselves when it is and isn’t appropriate to deliver the honest truth, and when it’s best to step back and offer a more delicate response. More often than not, it’s about finding a balance between the two.
1. What can be learned about white lies according to Barbara Greenberg?| A．They are short-lived. | B．They are unidentifiable. |
| C．They are trouble-making. | D．They are common. |
| A．White lies can harm both the liars and the listeners. |
| B．We must respond to our family members truthfully. |
| C．It’s wrong to tell white lies to a seriously ill parent. |
| D．The “all is good” response is effective in dealing with patients. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Critical. | C．Supportive. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．East or West, White Lies Are the Best |
| B．Think Twice Before You Tell White Lies |
| C．White Lies Signify Unconditional Love |
| D．White Lies Are Empathetic People’s Favorable Choice |
7 . Why do children learn so quickly? Is it simply a necessity, or is a child’s brain more capable of taking in new information than an adult’s brain?
“It is a common way of thinking that ‘children are like sponges’ and have the magical ability to learn new skills faster than an adult, but there are some misconceptions here, “ said Debbie Raven, a researcher at the University of Chester. “A child’s cognitive (认知的) development is age-related and, naturally, children perform worse than their older peers in most areas. However, there are times when being young brings an advantage, and this is especially true around their earliest years.
This advantage is largely due to neuroplasticity, meaning the brain’s ability to form and change its connections, pathways and wiring based on experiences. Neuroplasticity is what gives children the capacity to learn-and, if necessary, unlearn-habits, routines, approaches and actions very quickly. This ability is most constant and rapid before a child’s fifth birthday, when much of what they encounter or experience is novel. “This ability to learn quickly is connected to several areas, including plasticity, their experiences with adults, their environment, and their biological drive to explore, “ Raven said. “Childhood is a place where children spend their time catching up with adults’ more sophisticated abilities. “
Language learning, in particular, is an area where children often have a huge advantage over adults. This is largely because “babies are able to tune in to the rhythm and sounds used in their native language, and can therefore become fluent speakers by the age of four. “This ability can help young children learn a second or third language with apparent ease, Raven said.
In a research paper, the authors suggest that “human babies are born seeing and hearing linguistic information that older children and adults miss, although they lose this ability with more experience in their environments. Moreover, babies can “discriminate speech sounds and tones used in al of the world’s languages, making them open to al input, regardless of the linguistic environment they are born into.
1. Why does Raven make the remarks in paragraph 2?| A．To prove a new theory. | B．To share personal experience. |
| C．To correct a wrong belief. | D．To solve long-held confusion. |
| A．It enables children to break a habit quickly. |
| B．It accompanies a person all through his life. |
| C．It is entirely based on a kid’s past experiences. |
| D．It disappears soon after a child’s fifth birthday. |
| A．Their brain structure. | B．Their habits and routines. |
| C．Their parents’ experiences. | D．Their inborn desire to explore. |
| A．Why children are talented language learners. |
| B．What are the proper ways of learning languages. |
| C．When is the best time to learn foreign languages. |
| D．How environments can influence language learning. |
8 . A few years ago, I asked a neighborhood handyman to build a tree-house in my backyard. In part, this was to solve a problem: my children were good friends with the children who lived beside us and they liked to climb over the fence that separated the two yards. We could have just put a gate into the fence, but I decided that building some kind of climbable structure around the large fir tree in the yard, which also included a staircase into the neighbor’s yard, was a more creative solution to the problem, and I liked the idea that the tree-house would also serve to join the two play spaces together.
The handyman took the task much more seriously than I had expected. He made drawings, built small wooden models, and even held a kind of “visioning” exercise with the children and their parents to make sure that he hadn’t missed any important details. At the end of our lengthy discussions, he asked, “Where would you like me to put the beer rail?”
The question took me aback as I hadn’t really considered the possibility that a nice play structure in my yard might also facilitate beer consumption among the neighborhood children, but I quickly tuned in to the fact that our designer had intuited what should have been obvious to me—the children wouldn’t be the only ones to take advantage of this platform up among the branches of the beautiful old tree. And, indeed, over the years that I lived in that house I discovered that the platform made a pretty good perch (栖息处), not only for the occasional cold beer, but also for sitting and dreaming, reading a book, enjoying a picnic or even getting some writing done. My children enjoyed climbing around in the tree-house, playing tag, setting up imaginary pirate ships and fortresses (城堡), and they also used it for some quiet thinking and even the occasional math homework. The tree seemed to be a particularly good algebra tutor.
1. Why did the author prefer to build a staircase?| A．It would make the tree-house look prettier. |
| B．It would give better protection to the fence. |
| C．It would be finished at low cost. |
| D．It would connect the neighbor’s kids more closely. |
| A．It was out of date. | B．It was unnecessary. |
| C．It was unaffordable. | D．It was too complicated. |
| A．Misunderstood. | B．Examined. | C．Recognized. | D．Proved. |
| A．Ambitious and persuasive. | B．Strict and kind-hearted. |
| C．Careful and far-sighted. | D．Humble and generous. |
9 . For those of us who grew up watching Star Trek, exploring space has been about discovering strange new worlds. And there are plenty of worlds to explore in time, but we still need major technological advancements to reach planets that are light years away.
What we are doing in space today is providing unbelievable benefits right now, right here on Earth. From space, we can monitor, manage and care for our planet. Satellite-based sensors show us the short- and long-term effects of human activity on our environment. Many companies are using their interest in space to help solve problems here, from using hyperspectral imaging(高光谱成像), which enable us to map vegetation(植被) and rain forests, to microsatellites that provide global connectivity for the network of things.
My company, OneWeb, is focusing on what I believe is one of the world’s most important issues: the need for equal access to the Internet. The Internet has become our economic lifeblood. And yet, nearly half of the world’s population doesn’t have Internet access. Space is playing a key role in bridging this digital divide. OneWeb is launching 1,980 satellites to help bring Internet access to people everywhere, and our first production satellites are already flying in space and have shown very high download speeds.
Fiber and cable Internet access technologies already cover most financially viable(可行的) major cities. Similarly, these regions will also be the first to be served with 5G. Poor communities are the last to get connected, and without connectivity, those communities have no chance to lift themselves from poverty. OneWeb’s satellites will reach every community in the world and enable equal access to the Internet for the world’s less developed places.
Fifty years from the day when man first walked on the moon, we are still only approaching the possible. There will be tens of thousands of new satellites, space stations and factories in the coming years to bring advancements in communications, scientific research, monitoring the earth, exploring space and more. This is exciting, but we must take action carefully.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．Benefits space exploration can bring to us. |
| B．Problems space exploration leads to. |
| C．Steps of space exploration requires. |
| D．Equipment space exploration needs. |
| A．Increase download speeds. |
| B．Narrow the gap in Internet learning. |
| C．Help people set up and maintain a website. |
| D．Enable people to make use of the Internet equally. |
| A．More than six decades ago, man first walked on the moon. |
| B．More than half of the world’s people have no access to the Internet. |
| C．OneWeb’s satellites will make it possible for most people to be served with 5G. |
| D．Without the Internet, poor communities can hardly help themselves out of poverty. |
| A．The risks of furthering space exploration. |
| B．The value of setting up space stations. |
| C．The way we could monitor our earth. |
| D．The features of microsatellites. |
10 . The art of living is to know when to hold fast and when to let go. Many people
Surely we ought to hold fast to life, for it is
We remember a beauty that
A recent experience re-taught me this truth. I was
One morning, I had to have some additional tests. The required machines were located in a building at the opposite end of the hospital, so I had to be
As we
I looked to see whether anyone else enjoyed the sun’s golden glow, but everyone was
Never too busy for the wonder and the awe of life. Embrace each hour,
| A．take | B．put | C．make | D．get |
| A．closed | B．tight | C．open | D．smooth |
| A．amazing | B．surprising | C．frightening | D．frustrating |
| A．gossip | B．fact | C．message | D．truth |
| A．faded | B．ran | C．escaped | D．jumped |
| A．tackled | B．reflected | C．failed | D．succeeded |
| A．hospitalized | B．transferred | C．exchanged | D．delivered |
| A．rolled | B．wheeled | C．pushed | D．pulled |
| A．jumped | B．turned | C．disappeared | D．emerged |
| A．horrible | B．terrible | C．awesome | D．shocking |
| A．smiling | B．hurrying | C．trembling | D．lying |
| A．indifferent | B．patient | C．innocent | D．excellent |
| A．useful | B．expensive | C．valueless | D．precious |
| A．strike | B．hit | C．seize | D．use |
| A．accept | B．give up | C．stick to | D．cope with |
