1 . Both Roberto and Keith have a 45-minute commute (通勤) time from their homes to their workplace. When Roberto drives, he has realistic expectations of how others drive and how long the trip should take. Overall, he is able to adapt to any unexpected challenges he may face on the road. He rarely becomes angry. By contrast, Keith drives with a tendency for becoming angry easily, partly due to unrealistic expectations of other drivers, his quickness to personalize and feel threatened by the actions of others, and his inability to calm his anger.

The difference between how Roberto and Keith experience their drive to work, especially with regard to getting angry, is influenced very much by their emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is crucial for helping individuals choose constructive over destructive anger. A key aspect of healthy anger is being able to pause and reflect on, rather than react to, our thoughts, feelings, and senses associated with getting angry.

Self-regulation and empathy (同理心) are two important components of emotional intelligence, which can be a buffer (缓冲) against destructive anger. Self-regulation helps us to control our moods. Empathy helps us to recognize the humanity in others and ourselves.

Studies suggest that training in emotional intelligence can powerfully impact how anger is managed. This was supported by a three-year study of 476 young adults who showed reduced tendency of becoming angry after training. Children and adults can learn skills to boost their emotional intelligence and, by doing so, develop adaptability for dealing with various negative affect, including anger. Many workbooks offer skills in emotional intelligence to promote empathy and self-awareness regarding emotions and how they impact our beliefs and behavior.

Clearly, through training, Keith would experience greater emotional flexibility that could support a more peaceful commute to work. I firmly believe that learning skills in emotional intelligence should be the focus in helping individuals more constructively manage this highly challenging and complex emotion.

1. What is the function of the first paragraph?

A．To tell a true story.	B．To make a comparison.
C．To introduce the main topic.	D．To present an important finding.

2. Which of the following is the main point of healthy anger?

A．Thinking over the annoying situation.

B．Taking action to deal with the awful situation.

C．Turning a blind eye to the unwelcome situation.

D．Expressing feelings about the disturbing situation.

3. What is the author’s attitude towards training in emotional intelligence?

A．Indifferent.

B．Doubtful.

C．Negative.

D．Supportive.

4. What is the suitable title of the text?

A．Friends Should Enjoy Peaceful Commute

B．Drivers Need to Boost Their Emotional Intelligence

C．Emotional Intelligence Is a Buffer Against Destructive Anger

D．Emotional Intelligence Has a Powerful Impact on People’s Life

2 . Public Health England (PHE) is targeting pizzas, ready meals, ready meat and takeaways. The government has also required the food industry to start using healthier foods and encourage the public to choose lower-calorie foods.

It is all part of an effort to decrease calorie intake by 20% by 2024. The aim will point to 13 different food groups. If action is not taken, PHE said, it would be prepared to ask the government to pass laws.

PHE would be strictly monitoring progress by looking at which products people were buying and would be prepared to punish companies which do not take their duties. The government is also organizing a program encouraging adults to consume (消耗) 400 calories at breakfast and 600 calories each at lunch and dinner. At present, adults consume between 200 and 300 calories more than they should each day. PHE chief nutritionist Dr. Alison Tedstone said the 400－600－600 tip would make it easier for people to make healthier choices.

How many calories should we eat? It is suggested that women eat no more than 2,000 calories a day, while men should limit their intake to 2,500 calories. For children, it depends on age. A four-year-old should consume no more than 1,300 calories, while for teens aged 17 and 18, it is about 3,000 calories, but overweight children are eating up to 500 calories more than that.

Prof Russell Viner, President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said it was a necessary move. He said, “Over the past 40 years, there has been a slow growth in food sizes, with pizzas and hamburgers simply much bigger than they were in our parents’ time.” The convenience of fast food at pocket money prices and the advertisement of unhealthy foods and drinks to children add to the problem.

1. What does the underlined word “decrease” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Encourage

B．Cut

C．Contain

D．Balance

2. What will happen to a company producing high-calorie foods?

A．It will be punished by PHE.

B．It will have to pay extra money.

C．It will be forced to stop producing foods.

D．It will be asked to throw away all the foods.

3. Who should take in the most calories according to Paragraph 4?

A．Adult men

B．Adult women

C．Children aged 4

D．Teens aged 18

4. What can be learned from Prof Russell Viner’s words?

A．The calorie intake needs to be controlled.

B．The growth of food sizes meets people’s need.

C．The fast food should be chosen for its convenience.

D．The problem about higher-calorie foods will be solved.

3 . When Tal Golesworthy was told he needed _________ heart surgery in 1993, he said no. Golesworthy has Marfan syndrome (马凡氏综合症), a genetic condition _________ the strength and elasticity of connective body tissues, including blood vessels. Back in 1993, when he was living in Cheltenham, in the west of England, his doctor told him that the aorta (主动脉) in his heart was so enlarged that it would unavoidably _________ unless he underwent major surgery.

“They _________ the surgical options,” says Golesworthy, “and I was not interested. The operation really didn’t look attractive.” _________ he particularly didn’t like was having to be on blood thinners after the operation, something that would prevent blood clots(血栓) but _________ its own risks: “I was riding motorbikes then; and skiing, so my whole lifestyle _________.” By 2000, however, his condition _________. Realizing something had to be done, Golesworthy put his years of _________ as research-and-development engineer with the United Kingdom’s National Coal Board to good use. He decided he would __________ himself. “Learning new stuff and developing new ideas, that was my job,” Golesworthy says.

A bulging aorta, he thought, was much like bulging hydraulic hose (凸起的液压软管)—it needed __________ support. And wrapping something around the outside of the aorta would require a less invasive __________. So Golesworthy subjected himself to 30 hours of an MRI scanner; used 3D printing to create a physical copy of the faulty part of his heart (the aortic root); and then used soft, porous textile mesh (网眼织物) to make a sleeve to fit around it. “Luckily, I’d done a lot of work with technical textiles, looking at filters (过滤器) for flue gases (烟气) in coal-fire processes,” he says.

Sheer determination combined with a(n) __________ yet practical solution won him the support of two leading cardiothoratic (心胸的) surgeons and helped him raise the money to __________ his idea. In May 2004, at the age of 47, he became the guinea pig for his own invention, the Exo Vasc Personalised External Aortic Root Support. The operation was __________.

1.

A．game-changing

B．life-saving

C．ground-breakıng

D．problem-solving

2.

A．affecting

B．contracting

C．influencing

D．causing

3.

A．burn

B．bend

C．burst

D．block

4.

A．talked about

B．discussed about

C．debated on

D．mentioned about

5.

A．How

B．Why

C．It

D．What

6.

A．display

B．avoid

C．present

D．face

7.

A．would have been affected

B．would be affected

C．could have been affected

D．could be affected

8.

A．had changed

B．had recovered

C．had improved

D．had worsened

9.

A．hard work

B．experiments

C．experience

D．fruits

10.

A．manage

B．handle

C．solve

D．repair

11.

A．internal

B．surgical

C．external

D．spiritual

12.

A．check-up

B．inspection

C．test

D．operation

13.

A．imaginative

B．original

C．specialized

D．flexible

14.

A．change

B．develop

C．create

D．reshape

15.

A．a hit

B．a mess

C．a pain

D．a success

4 . Teenagers who travel around the world alone have been making headlines quite often. A young person alone in a dangerous situation attracts attention and supporters. Young sailors also attract various views. For example, Jessica Watson was asked by the government to call off her solo trip across the ocean, yet the Prime Minister (总理) called her “a hero for young Australians” when she returned.   It seems views are poles apart on the ability and independence of young people.

Some experts tell us that teenage brains are likely to make wrong judgments. But such ideas often do not apply to specific individuals (个体) . Between the ages of 14 and 18, teenagers differ greatly in their abilities. The amount of independence that each is allowed should be determined not simply by their ages but by discussion with the related, responsible adults. Some teens are certainly inexperienced and make childish mistakes, but the ones who attempt dangerous journeys normally do so by winning the confidence of hard-headed and experienced adult supporters.

But it’s also wrong to think that any 16-year-old can make a hit as Jessica Watson. Watson calls herself “a common girl who had a dream”. Her purpose is to encourage teenagers but this idea can have the opposite effect of making them feel not good enough because great achievements are beyond them. Should all teens have such wild dreams? Actually, individuals face different conditions that limit their dreams.

Teenagers who travel around the world alone should not be judged by preconceived (先入为主的) views about young people. Nor should young “common” teenagers feel pressure to long for extraordinary personal goals. In fact, I believe the example of solo sailing overstresses what an individual can do. The teenage years are when most of us “common” people learn that we can achieve great things in cooperation with others.

1. Why is Jessica Watson mentioned in the first paragraph?

A．To set a heroic example for teenagers.

B．To point out the public’s interest in young people.

C．To introduce different opinions on teenagers’ adventures.

D．To show the Prime Minister disagreed with the government.

2. What can determine the amount of teenagers’ independence?

A．Different journeys.	B．Brain development.
C．Communication with adults.	D．Confidence in themselves.

3. What does Watson mean by calling herself “a common girl who had a dream”?

A．She likes dangerous journeys.	B．Teenagers can make success.
C．She can accept she is common.	D．Teenagers should go travelling.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards teenagers’ act of travelling alone?

A．Doubtful.

B．Supportive.

C．Uncaring.

D．Uncertain.

5 . Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) recently announced that they have figured out how to engineer a biofilm (生物膜) that harvests the energy in evaporation (蒸发) and changes it to electricity. This biofilm, which was announced in Nature Communications, has the potential to revolutionize the world of wearable electronics, powering everything from personal medical sensors to personal electronics.

“This is a very exciting technology, says Liu Xiaomeng, a graduate student in electrical and computer engineering in UMass Amherst’s College of Engineering and the paper’s lead author. “It generates real green energy, and unlike other so-called ‘green-energy’ sources, its production is totally green.”

That is because this biofilm — which is a sheet of bacterial cells and as thin as a sheet of paper — is produced naturally by an engineered version of the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens. G sulfurreducens is known to produce electricity and has been used previously in “microbial batteries” to power electrical equipment. But such batteries require that G sulfurreducens be properly cared for and fed a constant diet. By contrast, this new biofilm, which can supply as much energy as a comparably sized battery, works continuously, because it is dead. And because it is dead, it doesn’t need to be fed.

The secret behind this new biofilm is that it makes energy from the moisture (水分) on your skin. While we daily read stories about solar power, at least 50% of the solar energy reaching the earth goes toward evaporating water. “This is a huge, undiscovered source of energy,” says Yao Jun, professor of electrical and computer engineering at UMass Amherst, and the paper’s one senior author. Since the surface of our skin is constantly moist with sweat, the biofilm can “plug into” it and change the energy locked in evaporation into sufficient energy to power small equipment. “Our next step is to increase the size of our film to power more intelligent wearable electronics,” says Yao, and Liu points out that one of the goals is to power entire electronic systems, rather than single equipment.

1. Which of the following can biofilm do according to the first paragraph?

A．Update wearable electronics.

B．Get power from evaporation.

C．Supply energy to microbial batteries.

D．Transform the way of generating electricity.

2. What is the advantage of the biofilm compared with “microbial batteries”?

A．It is comparatively thinner.

B．It is environmentally friendly.

C．It adopts a rare energy source.

D．It decreases the cost in usage.

3. How does the biofilm power small devices?

A．By interacting with solar power.

B．By making electricity out of sweat.

C．By gaining energy from electronic system.

D．By employing water to generate electricity.

4. Which of the following best describes the biofilm?

A．Intelligent.

B．Flexible.

C．Impractical.

D．Promising.

6 . At a family picnic for employees of the company where my father worked, they held a contest for children. I was 13, full of enthusiasm, so I _______ myself into it.

The host gave each child a cloth handkerchief and told us the winner would be the one who cast it the _______. The first throwers took mighty wind-ups, but when the cloth left their hands, it _______ and landed on the ground a few inches in front of them. The crowd roared with _______. Not until then did I realize it was not meant to _______ any real skill, but simply for laughs. However, it stimulated (激发) my _______ for thinking outside the box.

It _______ me to see the kids throwing harder when the handkerchief always caught the air and died. It was obvious that using the same _______ would not work. Suppose I tied a(an) _______ inside the handkerchief? When they inspected it, I’d be ________. So I began tying the handkerchief around itself to make it small and ________ packed together to keep it from unfolding. When I approached the line, people were already laughing, ________ a big strong-looking boy like me casting it just a few inches.

I took a long wind-up, and the balled handkerchief ________ off maybe 60 feet away. The laughing ________ in collective shock. I had not broken the rules. What I learned from this contest was that, in order to live creatively, you have to ________   the less-used parts of your brain, and not accept stereotypes (刻板印象), slogans and unquestioned ideas.

1.

A．admitted

B．threw

C．trapped

D．talked

2.

A．farthest

B．strongest

C．highest

D．biggest

3.

A．escaped

B．wrinkled

C．opened

D．appeared

4.

A．pain

B．applause

C．laughter

D．anger

5.

A．demonstrate

B．engage

C．improve

D．involve

6.

A．responsibility

B．imagination

C．demand

D．passion

7.

A．delighted

B．frightened

C．amused

D．annoyed

8.

A．cloth

B．technique

C．rule

D．line

9.

A．ant

B．rock

C．leaf

D．shoe

10.

A．fined

B．disqualified

C．distracted

D．banned

11.

A．loosely

B．randomly

C．firmly

D．vividly

12.

A．anticipating

B．enjoying

C．stopping

D．confirming

13.

A．dashed

B．jumped

C．threw

D．rocketed

14.

A．died

B．roared

C．continued

D．weakened

15.

A．run into

B．tap into

C．break into

D．dive into

8 . Drew Bason thought he would be a medical technician. His mom was in medicine, and he always thought he would ______ in her footsteps. But life had a ______ plan for him.

“I always wanted to cook,” he admitted. “I had eleven uncles and they were always ______ with my father. I was around it a lot.” So, he decided not to pursue healthcare. ______, Drew signed in a community college culinary (烹饪的) program and got a ______ as a chef.

But not long after, the pandemic (疫情) began, and Drew ______ his job. Without a steady income, taking care of his 10-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son was a(n) ______. But one day, walking through the Brightmoor neighborhood in Detroit, he ______ the City Covenant Church, and soon found out about their meal program. “I knew I could come here to get a(n) ______,” he said “It took some of the ______ off.”

But Drew did not want to just ______ food home. He knew he could use his skills to help out. So, he started ______ at the church to cook meals. “It takes a lot of ______ to eat the food of someone that you don’t know,” he said. “So it’s an honor to give some of it back and help our community. I really ______ the opportunity.”

Now, Drew is working at a nearby restaurant, but he still volunteers at the church. “Food is ______ and I love cooking,” he said.

1.

A．follow

B．join

C．major

D．check

2.

A．secure

B．different

C．normal

D．scientific

3.

A．reading

B．listening

C．singing

D．cooking

4.

A．Besides

B．Otherwise

C．Instead

D．Still

5.

A．symbol

B．prize

C．preference

D．job

6.

A．lost

B．limited

C．found

D．improved

7.

A．business

B．challenge

C．opportunity

D．attempt

8.

A．kept in touch with

B．broke in

C．came across

D．worried about

9.

A．warning

B．friend

C．meal

D．entertainment

10.

A．stress

B．humour

C．intention

D．strength

11.

A．buy

B．sell

C．borrow

D．take

12.

A．advertising

B．volunteering

C．competing

D．learning

13.

A．work

B．practice

C．acknowledgement

D．courage

14.

A．appreciate

B．offer

C．waste

D．protect

15.

A．efficient

B．enough

C．amazing

D．fashionable

9 . Shawn Cheshire rode across the country on her bicycle, depending on Jesse Crandall, a chemistry professor, to guide her every step of the way. Cheshire lost her ______ after an accident nine years ago and turned to ______ because she believed sports and physical challenges gave her “another opportunity at ______”. Through a friendship with Crandall, she has _______ bicycling to her activities, traveling across the country, meeting and inspiring people all along the way.

To Crandall, teaching and guiding are about helping others through ______. “For many students, chemistry is something they have no experience with,” Crandall said. “So, when I’m teaching, it helps to think about my experiences ______ my blind friend Cheshire. Then I try talking about the lesson in a language that, ______, everybody can understand.”

Crandall and Cheshire have been skiing, climbing and bicycling together for the past decade. In 2018, the ______ faced the steep terrain(地形)of the Grand Canyon, completing a ______ hiking in just over twenty-four hours. As they walked forty-two miles through the night, Cheshire ______ warnings of dangers from Crandall, as well as the noise of the bell he wore, which ______as they advanced. In 2021, Cheshire ______ another world record by being the first disabled to ride her own bicycle from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.

While their next adventure remains uncertain, Crandall knows that there are no ______ with Cheshire. They have discussed skiing across Antarctica as a potential future endeavor. Their ______ and shared determination will continue to motivate others to overcome setbacks and ______ boundaries.

1.

A．hearing

B．sight

C．balance

D．mind

2.

A．religion

B．nature

C．athletics

D．art

3.

A．living

B．struggling

C．learning

D．testing

4.

A．introduced

B．adapted

C．added

D．applied

5.

A．disasters

B．difficulties

C．accidents

D．injuries

6.

A．interviewing

B．evaluating

C．following

D．coaching

7.

A．theoretically

B．unexpectedly

C．occasionally

D．hopefully

8.

A．pair

B．family

C．community

D．army

9.

A．refreshing

B．relaxing

C．challenging

D．frustrating

10.

A．cared about

B．listened for

C．picked up

D．replied to

11.

A．broke

B．fell

C．shone

D．sounded

12.

A．set

B．monitored

C．kept

D．issued

13.

A．secrets

B．promises

C．limits

D．choices

14.

A．bond

B．encouragement

C．techniques

D．preferences

15.

A．establish

B．push

C．respect

D．maintain

10 . A new trend called “praise groups” or “in-need-of-praise” chat groups has become popular on Chinese social media. In Chinese culture, where modesty (谦逊) is valued, openly seeking and giving praise is uncommon. These chat groups provide a platform for people to receive compliments (赞扬) and encouragement, which are often lacking in their daily lives.

To join a praise group, users can pay a fee on e-commerce sites, starting at 50 yuan for five minutes of compliments. The group members will then show the person with praises and kind words. The compliments can be designed for a friend or loved one as well. Participants have found that being praised by strangers can help lift their spirits and improve their self-confidence.

For example, Meng Zha, a student at Shanghai’s Tongji University, tried the service and found it amusing and uplifting. She received compliments on her appearance and even quotes (引用) from popular songs. Ms Meng couldn’t help but laugh at the compliments and expressed her desire to post such high-quality praises in the future.

Praise groups have appeared as a way for people in China to seek and receive compliments and encouragement that may be lacking in their daily lives. It provides a positive and uplifting experience for participants, improving a sense of happiness and self-worth.

Those who support the groups, see them as an antidote to extremely bad moods (情绪) which are often associated with things happening on the Internet. “At first, the purpose of this group is to make us learn to praise others and accept others’ praises confidently. Here we can drop everything, and use our heart to praise and support others,” one member said. But the life journey is long and there are some unexpected situations that we can only count on ourselves to face when there is no one out there to offer help.

1. What is the purpose of praise groups?

A．To make praise popular.	B．To have everyone supported.
C．To share common interests.	D．To give people hope and happiness.

2. What can we learn about Meng Zha in paragraph 3?

A．She was not strong enough.	B．She was under working stress.
C．She was satisfied with the service.	D．She was a gifted singer in her area.

3. What does the underlined word “antidote” mean in the last paragraph?

A．A way of making new friends.	B．A kind of medicine.
C．A method of being confident.	D．The wisdom of solving problems.

4. What is the author's attitude to praise groups?

A．Objective.

B．Critical.

C．Supportive.

D．Unclear.