1 . Obese people experience discrimination (歧视) in many parts of their lives, and the workplace is no exception. Studies have long shown that obese workers, defined as those with a body-mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, earn significantly less than their slimmer co-workers.

Yet the costs of weight discrimination may be even greater than previously thought. “The overwhelming evidence,” wrote the Institute for employment Studies, “is that it is only women living with obesity who experience the obesity wage penalty (薪资损失).” They were expressing a view that is widely aired in academic papers. To test it, The Economist has analyzed data concerning 23,000 workers from the American Time Use Survey, conducted by the Bureau of Labour Statistics. Our number-processing suggests that, in fact, being obese hurts the earnings of both women and men.

The data we analyzed cover men and women aged between 25 and 54 and in full-time employment. At a general level, it is true that men’s BMIs are unrelated to their wages. But that changes for men with university degrees. For them, obesity is associated with a wage penalty of nearly 8%, even after accounting for the separate effects of age, race, graduate education and marital status.

The conclusion — that well-educated workers in particular are penalized for their weight — holds for both sexes. Moreover, the higher your level of education, the greater the penalty. We found that obese men with a Bachelor’s degree (学士学位) earn 5% less than their thinner colleagues, while those with a Master’s degree earn 14% less. Obese women, it is true, still have it worse: for them, the equivalent figures are 12% and 19%, respectively (分别地).

Your line of work makes a difference, too. When we dealt with the numbers for individual occupations and industries, we found the greatest differences in high-skilled jobs. Obese workers in health care, for example, make 11% less than their slimmer colleagues; those in management roles make roughly 9% less, on average. In sectors such as construction and agriculture, meanwhile, obesity is actually associated with higher wages.

These results suggest that the total costs of wage discrimination borne by overweight workers in America are greater than expected. Now, it’s time for our governments to take it seriously.

1. What does the underlined word “it” refer to in paragraph 2?

A．Obese men earn less salary.

B．Only obese women earn less salary.

C．Both obese men and women earn less salary.

D．Weight discrimination may be greater than previously thought.

2. Who may experience more discrimination compared to their colleagues according to the data?

A．A fat woman office director.

B．An obese construction worker.

C．An obese man with a bachelor’s degree.

D．A heavier female doctor with a Doctor’s degree.

3. What is the writer’s attitude of overweight discrimination?

A．Supportive

B．Objective

C．Subjective

D．indifferent

4. What might the author continue talking about?

A．Overweight discrimination in other countries.

B．The reason of discriminating obese people in their lives.

C．American people’s attitude towards overweight discrimination.

D．Actions taken against overweight discrimination in workplaces.

2 . A study by University of Michigan researchers found that about mine out of ten people in New York City were exposed to noises that were high enough to harm their hearing. Some of the risk comes from traffic and other environmental sounds, but we suffer a lot of punishment on our ears by simply attending sports events and concerts. Listening to music through earphones and turning up the volume also do damage.

Hearing aids may have seemed not comfortable to wear for some people. But today, you might not even realize that the person next to you is wearing a pair of earphones so small and thin that they’re mostly hidden inside the ears. You might be even more surprised to discover that the person can adjust those hearing aids on a phone app — to make it easier to hear what you’re saying in a crowded, noisy environment.

“There’s a cool factor for hearing aids,” explains Dr. Hope Lanter. “They’re significantly (显著地) better and smaller.” Lanter is the lead audiologist (听力学家) for hear. com, an online source for hearing aids from various producers, which also offers access to a nationwide network of audiologists who can provide in-person testing and help.

Hear. com has started its own product, which is named the Horizon, together with engineers from hearing aid maker Signia, according to a news report. In addition to producing clear speech, the Horizon is also designed to interact with phones and other tools, make phone calls, stream podcasts, read e-books and so on.

Throughout the United States, the number of hearing aids and earphones is on the rapid increase. Though they have brought much benefit for those who have difficulty in hearing, they really do great harm to people with normal hearing when they listen to music or talk with others.

1. Why did the author mention the study in paragraph 1?

A．To introduce the topic of the text.	B．To show the number of deaf people.
C．To explain the importance of protecting hearing.	D．To tell us the wide use of earphones.

2. What can we infer about hearing aids from Lanter’s words?

A．Many people feel it awkward to wear hearing aids.

B．More and more people are wearing hearing aids now.

C．Hearing aids are getting more and more advanced.

D．It’s easier to stay away from loud noises with hearing aids.

3. What’s the author’s attitude towards hearing aids and earphones?

A．Unfavorable.

B．Supportive.

C．Confident.

D．Not mentioned.

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．Loud noises in the United States.	B．Different earphones producers.
C．The advantages of hearing aids.	D．The wide use of hearing aids and earphones.

3 . Capybaras (水豚) are group animals, so they do not like being alone. In fact, leaving a capybara alone is not only uncomfortable for the animal, but it can be harmful to their physical health, as well as their mental well-being. Capybaras love to talk to each other throughout the day. Groups of capybaras spend their days sunbathing along the edge of rivers, where they enjoy swimming together in the water. They spend half of their lives in the water.

Since they spend so much time around water, it makes sense that capybaras would come into contact with a wide variety of other animals who stop in for a drink. Capybaras are gentle and peaceful river animals who enjoy napping (小睡) along the water’s edge — and often do so with other animal species as well. You can find pictures all over the Internet of these lovely animals lying beside turtles, birds, ducks, rats, and even monkeys as they enjoy a nap by the water.

Capybaras are also known to be excellent and friendly taxis in the animal world. Birds and monkeys commonly stand on the back of a capybara for a ride as capybaras search for grass to eat. Sometimes capybaras even serve as boats for other animals, letting them sit on their heads as they swim through the water!

However, if you see a capybara lying on its side with a yellow-headed caracara (长腿兀鹰) stopped on its body, don’t panic just yet. Most likely the capybara is enjoying a nice spa day. Birds often make friends with capybaras and act as a natural cleaning service, picking off bugs (虫子) that live in the capybara’s fur. It’s a symbiotic (共生的) relationship, since the yellow-headed caracara also gets to enjoy eating a bunch of tasty bugs.

1. What does the first paragraph mainly tell us about capybaras?

A．Their life habits.	B．Their survival skills.
C．Their appearance.	D．Their risks in health.

2. Why does the author call capybaras “friendly taxis”?

A．They search for food for birds and monkeys.

B．They carry their food by riding on another animal.

C．They allow other animals to stay on their backs or heads.

D．They guide other animals to swim through the water.

3. What does the author mean by saying “don’t panic just yet” in the last paragraph?

A．The caracara won’t attack you.

B．The capybara won’t suffer any injury.

C．The caracara may just take a break.

D．The capybara may be providing its cleaning service.

4. What is true about capybaras according to the passage?

A．They hate lying beside lovely animals.

B．They enjoy swimming alone.

C．They are aggressive animals.

D．They can live in harmony with other animal species.

4 . Facing change and disorder, most people either respond or react. Responding, a spin-off (派生物) of the word responsibility, is considerate and thoughtful. Reacting, on the other hand, literally means to meet one action with another. It is immediate and rash. Responding creates more space between an event and what you do, or don’t do, about it. In that space, you gain a better understanding of what is happening. So you rarely regret responding. But you often regret reacting.

Plenty has been written about what you can do internally to cultivate responsiveness. For instance, one study showed how your internal emotions helps create space between you and a difficult situation. Mindfulness meditation (冥想) is also beneficial. But the external matters, too. If you regularly inhabit reactive environments, it’s hard not to become a more reactive person.

I’ve experienced this firsthand. When I spend too much time on social media, I’m more likely to snap on my children, feel restless and frustrated, and my work — my ability to think deeply — suffers significantly. Yet I’m becoming increasingly concerned that it’s not just me and it’s not just social media, but our entire culture that is making us more reactive, essentially turning us into disturbed and worried at a time when we need our humanity more than ever.

Our modern economy increasingly relies on drawing people’s attention. It rewards speed, fashion, and anger. Reactivity is a feature not a bug. It aims to be first, to be extreme, and to capture as much gaze as possible. It’s why start-up companies pride themselves on “moving fast and breaking things.” It’s why the space for reasonable disagreement and discussion on college campuses seems to be shrinking by the day, giving way to hatred and attack instead.

There are no silver bullet solutions, but clearly naming and describing the problem is an important first step: Our culture and economy encourage reactivity; as a result, we’re becoming a more reactive people, precisely at a time when our most pressing challenges — war, pandemic, climate change — require our great capacity to respond.

1. How is responding different from reacting?

A．Responding results in more immediate emotions.

B．Responding brings us deeper understanding of things.

C．Responding harms the development of economy.

D．Responding needs mindfulness meditation.

2. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．Social media limits our ability to think deeply.

B．Being more reactive is a matter of personal preference.

C．Modern culture and economy aids responsive behavior.

D．War, pandemic and climate change require us to respond.

3. What might the writer continue talking about?

A．How our culture encourages reactivity.	B．How reactivity affects us.
C．How responsive behavior boosts economy.	D．How we can develop responsive behavior.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Name Emotions or Embrace Hatred	B．Avoid Social Media or You Suffer
C．Practice Responding or Regret Reacting	D．Inhabit Spacious Rooms or Harmony Shrinks

5 . Last year I attended the annual autumn saffron (藏红花) harvest festival on a trip in Italy, known as the sagra. Giovannina Sarra and her family ________ me at their home. Early the next morning, we ________ among the fields and participated in the harvest.

Saffron , taken from the stigmas (柱头) of the saffron flower, is a(n) ________ crop. Also called red gold, it is a(n) ________ from Spain, first introduced into the region around the 13th century. Saffron is ________ in the hours just before ________, while the petals (花瓣) are closed. This helps protect their precious stigmas and makes the flowers easier to ________, especially preferred by the acquirers (收购商). Later, on the same day, the stigmas — three ________ strings per flower — are separated from the petals. It’s a delicate ________ that takes hours with a skilled and ________ hand. In the evening, over an open wood fire, the stringlike stigmas are ________ to make saffron powder to add to the richness of the color and the flavor, which brings considerable income.

Now sitting at a mouth-watering plate of Risotto alla Milanese, a dish cooked with saffron, I ________ the freezing morning with Sarra and her family. There’s no ________ that it is the families like the Sarras that stick to the many ________ that have survived from generation to generation. ________ more people will join them.

1.

A．interviewed

B．accompanied

C．hosted

D．recognized

2.

A．fell behind

B．fanned out

C．sat around

D．hung around

3.

A．profitable

B．tropical

C．unavailable

D．unaffordable

4.

A．technology

B．patent

C．investment

D．import

5.

A．harvested

B．stored

C．watered

D．monitored

6.

A．noon

B．sunrise

C．dusk

D．midnight

7.

A．bloom

B．tend

C．grow

D．sell

8.

A．frozen

B．sticky

C．tiny

D．wet

9.

A．object

B．issue

C．adventure

D．process

10.

A．rough

B．careless

C．patient

D．sweaty

11.

A．boiled

B．dried

C．fried

D．warmed

12.

A．recall

B．remind

C．cherish

D．record

13.

A．doubt

B．evidence

C．reason

D．chance

14.

A．wonders

B．platforms

C．traditions

D．relations

15.

A．Fortunately

B．Immediately

C．Gradually

D．Hopefully

6 . My father was a restaurant owner. My name is Vincent Lim. I’m a chef and restaurant owner. Running a Chinese restaurant is one of the hardest and most_________things in my life.

When we first arrived in Australia, my dad_________a Chinese restaurant. I would go there on a_________basis to help him out. And slowly I developed my_________for cooking. The hard work that my dad put into Chinese food makes me feel so proud that I am lucky enough to learn from a_________

The first dish that I ever learned to cook was the fried rice, which is the easiest but also the _________one to get right. From years of experience, I can_________you the difference between a good fried rice just from the feel and from the smell, without even taking a bite.

To lots of Chinese immigrants like us, the restaurant isn’t just a business. It’s a sense of _________. The wok hei (锅气)_________every ingredient in the wok, producing an appealing smell. The fragrances of the food__________the air and lingered around so much longer. Those memories, they become nostalgic (乡愁). The sense of home is what makes a__________good dish taste.

In 2017, my dad passed away. I realized that my love of cooking dishes was from my childhood. I __________the restaurant that I own today. Cooking was a__________way to my dad. I wanted to __________everything that he taught me. Cooking__________all the hard work and memories that we had.

1.

A．worthless

B．valuable

C．necessary

D．unexpected

2.

A．supported

B．found

C．operated

D．occupied

3.

A．regular

B．solid

C．seldom

D．vital

4.

A．strength

B．passion

C．talent

D．awareness

5.

A．chef

B．owner

C．coach

D．master

6.

A．toughest

B．worst

C．busiest

D．greatest

7.

A．taste

B．achieve

C．tell

D．learn

8.

A．career

B．urgency

C．purpose

D．affection

9.

A．generates

B．delivers

C．accompanies

D．dismissed

10.

A．came from

B．went over

C．wiped away

D．spread across

11.

A．impossibly

B．straightly

C．deliberately

D．considerably

12.

A．shut down

B．took over

C．opened up

D．dealt with

13.

A．amusing

B．striking

C．connecting

D．inspiring

14.

A．recall

B．complete

C．expect

D．alter

15.

A．impresses

B．perceives

C．represents

D．devotes

8 . The Cheongsam, also known as Qipao, evolved from the Manchu female’s changpao of the Qing Dynasty. The Manchu ethnic people were also called the Qi people by the Han people in the Qing Dynasty, hence the name. The history of this clothing reflects the rise of the modern Chinese women in the twentieth century.

In 1920s, the cheongsam flourished in Shanghai. Through the 1930s and 1940s it constantly changed, highlighting the femininity（女子气质） of Chinese women in metropolitan cities. The dress got more fitted and body-hugging, with some daring designs featuring side slits （开衩） that reached up to the thigh. It’s customary to pair the dress with high heels. Women tried different fastenings, pipings, and collars, as well as short sleeves, long sleeves, and sleeveless cheongsams. Traditional silks were replaced with cheaper, contemporary textiles. In terms of design, the traditional flower patterns remained widespread, but geometric and art deco patterns also gained popularity.

The cheongsam has heavily influenced designers in high fashion. The Metropolitan Museum of Art did a whole exhibit in 2015 on how Chinese culture influenced world fashion called “Through the Looking Glass”. Elements of cheongsam were even seen in the 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Celebrities such as Anne Hathaway and Grace Kelly have been seen wearing a cheongsam.

Today Chinese people seldom wear a cheongsam in their daily life. It is used as a uniform at restaurants and hotels and on airplanes in Asia. Formal occasions such as weddings, parties or banquet dinners, and seasonal celebrations such as Lunar New Year are appropriate times to wear a cheongsam. And the dress is a frequent choice of wear during diplomatic visits.

In 2018, a white girl in a high school in Utah wore a cheongsam to her ball and posted photos online that caused an uproar in the US for cultural appropriation （文化挪用）, opening a huge debate on cultural appreciation versus appropriation. However, netizens in China had a different viewpoint. “I am very proud to have our culture recognized by people in other countries,” said a user on WeChat, “She looks beautiful in it!” they said.

1. What can we know about the cheongsam in the Qing Dynasty?

A．The traditional flower patterns were popular then.

B．There were different fastenings to go with it.

C．There were side slits reaching up to the thigh.

D．It was more body-hugging than today’s cheongsam.

2. Why is cheongsam a frequent choice of wear during diplomatic visits?

A．It influences world fashion.	B．It is a symbol of Chinese culture.
C．It is popular with foreigners.	D．It is a regular outfit of urban women.

3. What can be inferred from the passage?

A．The case of the girl in Utah warned against wearing cheongsam in America.

B．The popularity of cheongsam shows the rise of modern Chinese women.

C．Cheongsam didn’t highlight femininity initially as much as it does now.

D．Grace Kelly was seen wearing cheongsam in the 2016 Victoria’s fashion show.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing this article?

A．To display the cultural value of cheongsam.

B．To introduce the influence of cheongsam on fashion.

C．To review the history of cheongsam.

D．To present an overall introduction to cheongsam.

9 . In the summer of 2021, an unseasonal event took place. More than 100 miles of Florida’s coast around Tampa Bay became an oxygen-depleted (缺氧的) zone containing dead fish along the nearby shoreline.

Much of the conversation around our climate crisis highlights the emission of greenhouse gases and their effect on warming, sea-level rise and ocean acidification (海洋酸化). We hear little about the effect of climate change on oxygen levels, particularly in oceans and lakes. But water without adequate oxygen cannot support life. For the three billion people who depend on coastal fisheries for income, declining ocean oxygen levels are devastating.

As ocean and atmospheric scientists focus on climate, we believe that oceanic oxygen levels are the next big victim of global warming. To stop the situation from worsening, we need to expand our attention to include the dangerous state of oceanic oxygen levels — the life-support system of our planet. We need to accelerate ocean-based climate solutions that boost oxygen. Examples include nature-based solutions such as those discussed at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) held in Glasgow.

Enhanced monitoring of oxygen and the establishment of an oxygen-accounting system are a must. Putting oxygen into the climate story motivates us to do the work to understand the deep systemic changes happening in our complex atmospheric and oceanic systems. We celebrated the return of humpback whales in recent years to an increasingly clean New York Harbor and Hudson River. However, dead fish blocked the Hudson in the summer as warmer waters carried less oxygen.

Ecosystem changes connected to physical and chemical system-level data may point the way to new approaches to climate solutions. It includes an enhanced understanding of the life-support system of our planet. Roughly 40 percent of the world’s people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods. If we do not save marine life from oxygen starvation, we starve ourselves.

1. What is the result of less ocean oxygen according to the text?

A．A rise in the coastal fisheries.	B．The warming of the atmosphere.
C．The emission of greenhouse gases.	D．An increase in deaths of sea animals.

2. What can we infer from Paragraph 3?

A．Attention to oceans is necessary.	B．Global warming effects are serious.
C．Oceanic oxygen levels are dangerous.	D．Ways to boost oceanic oxygen are urgent.

3. Why does the author mention humpback whales in Paragraph 4?

A．To bring in an oxygen-accounting system in climate.

B．To explain the urgency of oxygen levels in atmosphere.

C．To call for more attention to oxygen starvation in waters.

D．To show the achievements in reducing air pollution.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Save Marine Life.	B．Make Oceans Safe.
C．Let Oceans Breathe.	D．Keep Marine System.

10 . Brady has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. It has been _________ for his family and his students. He was _________ not only because he was a rising star, but also because he had recently _________ the highest honors for young researchers at the White House.

We truly _________ him — as someone put it, “He always has a smile and a kind word for everyone.” It is very _________ to find someone who is extremely intelligent should be so nice.

Last week, I bought a simple card, reading, “Healing thoughts and wishes are coming your way. We are all _________ for your recovery”. I met and made all his students, who have worked pretty closely with him, sign and add a _________ on it.

He is still undergoing intense treatment, trying his best to stay _________ and hopeful. He didn’t show any trace of self-pity or sadness when I met him. _________, he paid attention to every word of my presentation and asked me several questions __________ to my work, though being in great __________. I saw an expression of joy and hope on his face as he opened the card. He said he was __________ to see the messages from the students. Then he __________, “I am trying to focus on staying positive, hoping to be back this summer.”

Despite being too sick to teach classes, my professor has managed to continue being a great teacher, introducing his last __________ messages to us. It is so important to tell people how much they __________ to us before it is too late.

1.

A．disappointing

B．challenging

C．heartbreaking

D．confusing

2.

A．normal

B．responsible

C．ordinary

D．outstanding

3.

A．collected

B．awarded

C．delivered

D．chosen

4.

A．admit

B．admire

C．inspire

D．cure

5.

A．hard

B．natural

C．practical

D．simple

6.

A．seeking

B．searching

C．praying

D．competing

7.

A．text

B．message

C．comment

D．wish

8.

A．anxious

B．thoughtful

C．curious

D．optimistic

9.

A．Therefore

B．Instead

C．Particularly

D．Besides

10.

A．related

B．devoted

C．committed

D．applied

11.

A．relief

B．power

C．pain

D．vain

12.

A．motivated

B．frightened

C．interested

D．touched

13.

A．added

B．considered

C．wandered

D．hesitated

14.

A．personal

B．precious

C．professional

D．inaccurate

15.

A．offer

B．convey

C．sacrifice

D．mean