1 . Songs that make our hearts happy can make them stronger too, US researchers reported on Tuesday.
They found that when people listened to their favorite music, their blood vessels (血管) dilated in much the same way as when they are laughing, or taking blood medications (药物治疗).
“We have a pretty impressive effect,” said Dr Michael Miller, director of preventive cardiology (心脏病学) at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.
“Blood vessel diameter (直径) improved,” he said. “The vessel opened up pretty significantly. You can see the vessels opening up with other activities such as exercise.” A similar effect is seen with drugs such as statins (抑制素).
When blood vessels open up more, blood flows more smoothly and is less likely to form the clots (凝块) that cause heart attacks and strokes. “We are not saying to stop your statins or not to exercise but rather to add this to an overall program of heart health,” said Miller.
Miller’s team tested 10 healthy, non-smoking men and women, who were told to bring their favorite music. They spent half an hour listening to the recordings and half an hour listening to music they said made them feel anxious while the researchers did ultrasound (超声波) tests designed to show blood vessel function.
Compared to their normal baseline measurements, blood vessel diameter increased 26% on average when the volunteers heard their joyful music. Listening to music they disliked — in most cases in this group heavy metal-blood vessels narrowed by 6%, Miller said.
Miller said he came up with the idea after discovering that laughter caused blood to flow more smoothly. “I asked myself what other things make us feel good, besides calories from dark chocolate of course. Music came to mind. It makes me feel really good.” he said.
Most of the volunteers chose country music but Miller said the style is not so important as what pleases each individual.
1. The underlined word “dilate” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to “________”.| A．widen | B．move | C．change | D．increase |
| A．Taking exercise. | B．Listening to unpleasant music. |
| C．Bursting into laughter. | D．Taking drugs like statins. |
| A．blood clots are caused by heart attacks and strokes |
| B．music is better than chocolate for your health |
| C．different music has different effects on different people |
| D．a person’s overall health is more influenced by how much exercise he gets |
| A．A travel journal. | B．A school textbook. |
| C．A medical brochure. | D．A local newspaper. |
2 . Some Christmas traditions are pretty standard in mainstream（主流）American culture: put up the tree, string up the lights, visit grandma, and so on.
Then there’s the one my Colombian family does every year: the Novena de Aguinaldos. We pray（祈祷）for nine days without a stop, and this Novena counts down the nine days before Christmas. Most Americans have never heard of it, but in Colombia, it’s a big deal.
Like all good traditions, especially around the holidays, this tradition is about community and getting together with friends and family. My family immigrated（移民）from Colombia when I was just two months old. Every year, we gather with a group of Colombian friends for as many of the nine nights as we can.
There are three parts to the Novena de Aguinaldos. The first is the reading: each kid takes turns to read a book. Next comes the gozos, which means “The Joys”. That’s where the music comes in, and everyone gets an instrument, a maraca, a drum, a tin can—whatever you can use to make a sound. And then, the villancicos——Spanish Christmas carols（颂歌）come.
I’ve lived my whole life in the US. There’s not a lot of Colombian culture that we still hang onto. Why do we still carry on with the tradition of celebrating the Novenas, then?
When I asked my parents the other day, the answer was that immigrants didn’t belong anywhere—not where you were, nor where you were from. So my parents helped create a space where we did. Even if the Novenas were nothing like what we might have celebrated if we’d stayed in Colombia, the Novenas became the heart of our community.
But our Novenas are starting to feel a little more breakable. It’s getting harder and harder for everyone to get together each year. Last year, I was studying abroad in Italy and couldn’t make it to any gathering; my brother went off to college and had exams late into December; my sister just moved to a new city, and my parents have taken up jobs in different countries.
1. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?| A．The process of celebrating the Novena. |
| B．The development of a Colombian tradition. |
| C．The background of the Colombian family. |
| D．The differences between the Novena and Christmas. |
| A．To remember their dead friends. | B．To find a sense of belonging. |
| C．To show their respect for Americans. | D．To understand the local culture. |
| A．Lack of money. | B．Their separate busy life. |
| C．American laws. | D．Friends’ complaints. |
| A．Growing Up | B．Colorful Culture |
| C．Exploring American Christmas Traditions | D．Colombian Family’s Novena in the US |
3 . In October, I said to my students, “Why not do some
Then early in that week, they came with their hard-earned money at their homes,
An organization had given us the information of a
“Do you like living here?” Michael asked. Hearing this, the woman
We returned to the
| A．shopping | B．reading | C．exercise | D．housework |
| A．nervous | B．excited | C．unwilling | D．afraid |
| A．taught | B．forced | C．encouraged | D．allowed |
| A．brave | B．poor | C．reliable | D．sick |
| A．finally | B．already | C．suddenly | D．hardly |
| A．thank | B．guide | C．help | D．welcome |
| A．carried in | B．left behind | C．sent back | D．handed out |
| A．satisfied | B．worried | C．surprised | D．angry |
| A．cried | B．replied | C．asked | D．complained |
| A．hid away | B．put out | C．picked up | D．brought in |
| A．cook | B．find | C．share | D．buy |
| A．house | B．woods | C．car | D．stores |
| A．power | B．time | C．money | D．desire |
| A．healthier | B．deeper | C．longer | D．better |
| A．food | B．birds | C．flowers | D．kids |
4 . Two years ago, when I turned sixty, I began to think of my life at the age of ninety. If I were at that age, I would still want to stay in shape to enjoy life, getting a lot of
I called a nearby center, “Do you have aerobics (有氧运动) classes
When I came into the room, a woman
Although I
| A．success | B．pressure | C．struggle | D．pleasure |
| A．build | B．rent | C．lend | D．find |
| A．important | B．familiar | C．suitable | D．necessary |
| A．invited | B．comforted | C．promised | D．remembered |
| A．sure | B．easy | C．disappointed | D．hopeful |
| A．make up for | B．look down on | C．keep up with | D．sign up for |
| A．greeted | B．recognized | C．helped | D．introduced |
| A．relax | B．reduce | C．strengthen | D．use |
| A．guide | B．coach | C．member | D．teacher |
| A．Easily | B．Obviously | C．Frequently | D．Surprisingly |
| A．focus | B．problem | C．achievement | D．contribution |
| A．worked | B．debated | C．argued | D．chatted |
| A．absent | B．tired | C．unhappy | D．lonely |
| A．manage | B．fail | C．remind | D．continue |
| A．backgrounds | B．skills | C．connections | D．duties |
5 . Born in 1990, a wheelchair has been part of Zhao Hongcheng’s life since she was one year old due to poliomyelitis (小儿麻痹症) . And now, as a video content creator who has over 84, 000 followers on the video-sharing platform Bilibili, Zhao wants to be a bridge between the disabled and the rest of society.
“I made my first video in 2019,” Zhao says. “My original purpose was to find a way to reduce my emotional stress. I always met inconvenience caused by my wheelchair when going out, which made me feel sad. I barely had any disabled friends, so I had no one to talk to. I felt quite lonely,” Zhao explains.
Her first vlog was about a trip to Guangzhou with friends. The video was viewed more than 2, 000 times on the first day. “This made me feel that there were many things worth sharing in my life,” she explains. Since then, that first video has been viewed over 48, 000 times. Her fourth video, displaying how she got to work in a wheelchair, made her even more popular. The video has received more than 300, 000 views on Bilibili.
“One of the great things about being a content creator is that I feel like I have the opportunity of talking about the real difficulties and pains that a disabled person faces,” Zhao says.
1. What’s the purpose of Zhao’s first video?| A．To make a living. | B．To reduce her emotional stress. |
| C．To be popular. | D．To practice film skills. |
| A．The problems the disabled face. | B．The difficulties of making a video. |
| C．The popularity of Zhao’s videos. | D．The four videos Zhao made. |
| A．Receiving more views. | B．Being successful on Bilibili. |
| C．Sharing stories from the disabled. | D．Encouraging the disabled to be content creators. |
| A．A Positive Disabled Influencer | B．A lonely Day of the Disabled |
| C．A Popular Content Creator | D．A Caring Community for the Disabled |
6 . A large flood caused by heavy rains and melting mountain snow recently hit America’s Yellowstone National Park. It caused widespread damage and resulted in many changes.
It changed the path of a river popular for fishing and also devastated hundreds of homes, bridges and roadways in nearby communities. It drove more than 10, 000 visitors out of the park. Luckily, no one was reported hurt. However, the park could remain closed for up to one week. The water also washed away camp structures, flooded small towns and cut power to parts of southern Montana and northern Wyoming.
The Yellowstone River was running at a historically high level of 4. 9 meters as it flowed past Billings, Montana’s largest city. The city got its water from the river and was forced to close its treatment plant (工厂) because it couldn’t operate effectively with water levels that high. Billings officials said the city only had a 24-hour supply of water. They were asking people to save water until the river could drop and the plant could restart operations.
Yellowstone officials said, “The northern half of the park is likely to remain closed over the summer. This will greatly affect local economies that depend on summer tourists. But we have faith in the park repairs and economic recovery.”
1. What does the underlined word “devastated” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Ruined. | B．Promoted. | C．Challenged. | D．Demanded. |
| A．The flood lasted quite long. | B．The flood left bad effects. |
| C．The flood was caused for some reasons. | D．The flood killed 10, 000 visitors. |
| A．It needed new equipment to supply water. | B．It cut down the city’s water supply for 24 hours. |
| C．It was forced to operate in 24 hours. | D．It stopped working. |
| A．Positive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Uncertain. | D．Curious. |
7 . Before my first hike to the Rocky Mountains, I was a homebody. I had friends to hang out with, several hobbies, and I felt comfortable spending weeks or even months in my hometown without going anywhere. I thought there was no difference between seeing something on TV and seeing something with one’s own eyes.
The situation changed one day when Adam, my best friend, came to my room. He succeeded in persuading me to join him on his trip to the Rocky Mountains.
This was my first time in the mountains, so I was turning my head in all directions. Unluckily, the weather was foggy most of the time, and the higher we climbed the mountains, the less we could see. But I still enjoyed the hike. I walked fast, and because of that I ran out of energy long before we got to the top. Adam knew how to save energy.
When we finally got to the top, nothing had really changed. The same fog was covering everything. I felt disappointed, as I expected to see the view from above and take some photos. We spent a couple of hours on the top, and decided to turn back. Then the wind suddenly cleared the clouds and the sun came out. It wasn’t until then that I knew how beautiful the mountains looked. And for some moments I couldn’t believe my eyes.
This experience inspired me to break through my limitations and accept new challenges. I realized that I wouldn’t be able to live a life without visiting the mountains at least twice a year.
1. What a person did the author use to be before his first hike to the Rocky Mountains?| A．One enjoyed hiking in the mountains. | B．One felt comfortable in his hometown. |
| C．One liked persuading others. | D．One was good at talking with others. |
| A．Feeling tired during the hike. | B．Not taking a camera with him. |
| C．Having to climb for a long time. | D．The heavy fog covering everything. |
| A．Disappointed. | B．Comfortable. | C．Encouraged. | D．Confused. |
| A．The scenery of the Rocky Mountains. |
| B．The author’s best friend Adam. |
| C．The change of the author’s attitude towards traveling. |
| D．The author’s habit of hiking in the mountains. |
8 . As the largest part of the United Kingdom, England is home to many great places to visit. The following destinations are some of the best.
London
Of course, most visitors to England will arrive in London. It’s home to a long list of famous sights as well as beautiful green spaces. It also houses some of the best museums on the planet, many of which are free. See the city from above by riding the London Eye or run into famous people at Madame Tussauds (杜莎夫人蜡像馆) .
Liverpool
Liverpool is well known as the place that started the Beatles, though you’ll find a lot more to do there than visit the Beatles Museum. Spend time in the pubs chatting with the locals, go shopping at Liverpool One and enjoy the beaches.
Bath
Some people say Bath is England’s most beautiful small city, named for its natural hot springs that served as ancient Roman baths (浴缸) 2, 000 years ago. And, today, it’s the only place in the United Kingdom where you can bathe in naturally hot, mineral-rich waters just as the Romans did long ago.
Dover
Dover, located in White Cliffs Country, offers a rich history as well as peaceful countryside and a breathtaking coastline. This area has some unique places in history. You could easily spend weeks experiencing this area’s castles, like Dover Castle as well as the Secret War Time Tunnels, which once was an underground hospital.
1. What can visitors do in London?| A．Experience ancient castles. | B．Enjoy the Beatles’ concerts. |
| C．Visit Madame Tussauds. | D．Take a walk on the beaches. |
| A．London. | B．Bath. | C．Liverpool. | D．Dover. |
| A．It is in Liverpool. | B．It has a history of 2, 000 years. |
| C．It used to be an underground hospital. | D．It looks like Dover Castle. |
9 . I was brought up in the British, stiff upper lip style. Strong feelings aren’t something you display in public. So, you can imagine that I was unprepared for the outpouring of public grief at a Chinese funeral.
My editorial team leader died recently after a short illness. He was 31. The news was so unexpected that it left us all shocked and upset. A female colleague burst into tears and cried sadly at her desk. Somehow, we got through the day’s work. The next day was the funeral.
Our big boss stepped forward to deliver a eulogy (悼词) and was soon in tears. She carried on, in Chinese of course, but at the end said in English: “There will be no more deadlines for you in heaven.” Next came a long-term colleague who also dissolved in tears but carried on with her speech despite being almost overcome by emotion. Then a close friend of the dead man paid tribute, weeping openly as he spoke. Sorrow is spreading. Men and women were now sobbing uncontrollably. Finally, the man’s mother, supported between two women, addressed her son in his coffin. She almost collapsed and had to be held up. We were invited to step forward to each lay a white rose on the casket. Our dead colleague looked as if he was taking a nap. At the end of the service I walked away from the funeral stunned at the outpouring of emotion.
In the UK, families grieve privately and then try to hold it together and not break down at a funeral. Here in China it would seem that grieving is a public affair. It strikes me that it is more releasing to cry your eyes out than try to keep it bottled up for fear of embarrassment, which is what many of us do in the West.
Afterwards, a Chinese colleague told me that the lamenting (哀悼) at the funeral had been restrained (克制) by Chinese standards. In some rural areas, she said, people used to be paid to mourn noisily. This struck me like something out of novel by Charles Dickens. But we have all seen on TV scenes of grief-stricken people in Gaza and the West Bank, in Afghanistan, Iraq and the relatives of victims of terrorist bombings around the world. Chinese grief is no different. I realized that it’s the reserved British way of mourning that is out of step with the rest of the world.
1. What does the underlined words “stiff upper lip style” mean?| A．cold-blooded | B．light-hearted | C．self-controlled | D．warm-hearted |
| A．Five individuals made speeches | B．The writer was astonished by the scene |
| C．Everyone was crying out loudly | D．The boss’s speech was best thought of |
| A．The English might cry noisily for the dead in Dickens’ time. |
| B．Victims of terrorist bombings should be greatly honored. |
| C．Chinese express their sadness quite unlike other peoples. |
| D．English funeral culture is more civilized than the others. |
| A．An editor’s death. | B．Funeral customs. |
| C．Cultural differences. | D．Western ways of grief. |
10 . Parenting styles have shifted over the years with the rapid changes in the world. Nowadays parents generally spend more time in finding out how best to raise their child whether it’s through technology or tried-and-tested parenting practices.
With easy access to countless websites and social media groups interested in parenting, modern parents are capable of finding answers to their questions, from managing a baby’s cries to communicating with a moody teenager. This increased availability (可利用性) of resources has made parents more involved in their children’s academic, emotional, and social development. They are also more eager to find out effective parenting methods to help them raise well-behaved and confident children.
A modern parenting style that has appeared is helicopter parenting, where parents are too much focused on their children. They help children with tasks that children can do on their own, like selecting activities and friends for them, or calling their teachers about homework matters. Such a parenting style can stifle the development of the children’s ability to handle responsibilities independently. Children might be ill-equipped with life skills such as making the bed, clearing their plates or doing their schoolwork. Always protecting children from failures may also stop them from developing adaptability and gaining skills like problem-solving.
On the other hand, parents in the past tended to monitor less. Children were given more freedom to manage their schoolwork and choose the friends they want to play with. In some families, children of the past were often expected to shoulder the responsibilities of caring for younger brothers and sisters and managing housework. Living in the pre-Internet era, parents were less informed about different parenting methods, and their parenting styles were guided more by their personalities, common sense and friendly advice from their parents and neighbours, rather than by social media influences or parenting websites. There is no one right way to raise a child. Each child is unique and should be raised differently by parents who are present, but not wandering; who are supportive but not controlling; and who protect but not care too much.
1. How does the increased availability of resources influence parenting style?| A．It saves parents’ much time spent on children. |
| B．It makes parents more relaxed in raising children. |
| C．It encourages parents to be less strict with their children. |
| D．It enables parents to be more active in their children’s development. |
| A．Bring about. | B．Hold back. | C．Take down. | D．Set up. |
| A．They educated kids in a strict way. |
| B．They over-judged their kids’ independence. |
| C．They afforded kids more space for self-growth. |
| D．They tended to stay away from social activities. |
| A．How parents raise all-round children. |
| B．How people improve parent-child relationship. |
| C．How parenting modes have changed over the years. |
| D．How information technology affects people’s lifestyles. |
