2 . Last spring, my family went camping in the Peak District. For two whole weeks, life felt _________ — living, working, playing together, _________ by the sights, sounds and smells of the natural world.

On the final night of our trip, an _________ gradually took shape: could we do this longer-term? When it came to _________, my husband and I had both kit and expertise. It might also be an _________ to turn the writing and photography we loved into our livelihood.

After half a year of preparation, we finally _________ in September. Our first destination was New Forest National Parks and we stayed at each _________ for between one and four weeks, exploring each day from the tent door.

There was no mobile signal or Wi-Fi at the campsite, _________ us from the outside world. We just _________ the best of what nature had to offer. I loved the __________ rhythm (节奏) of daily life in the tent, always starting with coffee as the steam from the camping stove rose into the morning air. We worked hard, drawing __________ for our writing and photography from our surroundings. Afternoons were for __________ — climbing mountains, paddling in streams, or simply enjoying being in and around the tent. The mountains __________ us as if in protection with a reassuring (令人安心的) skyline.

It was wonderful to fully __________ the places we stayed. Sleeping with an ear to the earth, tuning into the natural rhythms of light and __________, there’s nothing quite like being in a tent for total immersion in a place.

1.

A．quiet

B．convenient

C．unusual

D．perfect

2.

A．guarded

B．surrounded

C．enveloped

D．disturbed

3.

A．idea

B．image

C．outline

D．answer

4.

A．biking

B．running

C．camping

D．climbing

5.

A．excuse

B．ambition

C．invitation

D．opportunity

6.

A．checked out

B．started out

C．took action

D．hurried off

7.

A．site

B．park

C．tent

D．forest

8.

A．banning

B．separating

C．distinguishing

D．protecting

9.

A．enjoyed

B．introduced

C．discovered

D．remembered

10.

A．gentle

B．powerful

C．musical

D．fast-paced

11.

A．strength

B．lessons

C．conclusions

D．inspiration

12.

A．chatting

B．exploring

C．daydreaming

D．writing

13.

A．changed

B．reminded

C．attracted

D．encircled

14.

A．describe

B．accept

C．experience

D．understand

15.

A．shadow

B．silence

C．dark

D．wind

4 . Sharing China 2023 is calling for photos and videos from all over the world until Feb.12, 2023. Welcome to send us your memorable moments from Chinese New Year celebrations.

What We are Looking for

Suggested themes include: traditional customs, modern customs and new trends, folk activities, foreigners experiencing the Spring Festival and celebrations around the world.

Awards and Prizes

We will select 50 photos (single or group) and 10 short films. Each winner will be awarded 1,000RMB.

Timeline

Starting time and deadline: from Dec.20, 2022 to Feb.12, 2023.

Selection and ranking: from Feb.13 to May 15, 2023.

Result announcement: June, 2023.

The Rules

Photos:

1. All works must be real and not doctored or edited.

2. Works can be single photos or a series of photos.

3. Works should have titles and a short photo description.

Short films:

1. Size: 1GB maximum, less than 4 minutes.

2. Dubbing and subtitles (配音和字幕): If the video is dubbed, the language could be either Chinese or English, but subtitles should be bilingual (双语的).

3. Caption: English or Chinese words to give a brief introduction.

How to submit (提交)

You can submit your works to China Culture’s Facebook. For further information, click here.

1. Which time is proper if you want to hand in your works?

A．Dec.10, 2022.	B．Jan.12, 2023.
C．Feb.15, 2023.	D．Jun.16, 2023.

2. Which of the following meets the rules?

A．An edited photo.	B．A 3-minute video.
C．A photo without a title.	D．A video with only English subtitle.

3. Where is this text probably taken from?

A．A science report.	B．An encyclopedia.
C．A story book.	D．A website.

5 . Getting less than five hours of sleep in mid-to-late life could be linked to an increased risk of developing at least two chronic (慢性的) diseases, according to a new study. The research analyzed the effect of sleep time on the health of more than 7,000 men and women over 50. Researchers examined the relationship between how long each participant slept for and whether they had two or more chronic diseases over the course of 25 years.

People who were reported getting five hours of sleep or less at age 50 were 20% more likely to have two or more chronic diseases, as opposed to people who slept for up to seven hours Additionally, sleeping for five hours or less was linked to a 30% to 40% increased risk of multimorbidity (多病症) when compared with those who slept for up to seven hours.

Lead author, Dr Sabia, said: “To ensure a better night’s sleep, it is important to promote good sleep, such as making sure the bedroom is quiet, dark and a comfortable temperature before sleeping. It’s also advised to remove electronic devices and avoid large meals before bedtime. Physical activity and being exposed to light during the day might also promote good sleep.”

Dr Sabia said, “Short sleep increases the risk of chronic diseases that in turn increase the risk of death. However, if a participant has already suffered from a chronic condition, then long sleep time is associated with around a 35% increased risk of developing another illness. Researchers believe this could be due to unnoticed health conditions impacting sleep.” Dr. Sabia added, “This research adds to a growing body of research that highlights how important it is to get a good night’s sleep.”

1. How did the experts carry out the study in Paragraph 2?

A．By making contrasts.

B．By having interviews.

C．By conducting online surveys.

D．By analyzing published papers.

2. Which of the following will increase the quality of night’s sleep?

A．Being exposed to light at night.

B．Avoiding phone use before bedtime.

C．Limiting physical exercise in the day.

D．Finding a bright and peaceful bedroom.

3. What can we infer from what Dr Sabia said in Paragraph 4?

A．Short sleep may increase deaths by 35%.

B．Lack of sleep directly leads to more deaths.

C．The longer you sleep, the more diseases you will have.

D．The research further stresses the importance of good sleep.

4. What is the best title of the teat?

A．Longer Sleep, Better Health

B．Shorter Sleep, Fewer Risks

C．Less Sleep, Poorer Health

D．More Exercise, Better Sleep

6 . Scientists who study happiness know that being kind to others can improve happiness. Acts as simple as buying a cup of coffee for someone can better a person’s mood (心情), for example. Every day life affords many chances for such actions, yet people do not always make use of them.

In a set of studies published online in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Nick Epley, a behavioral scientist, and I examined a possible explanation. We found that people who perform random (随机的) acts of kindness do not always realize how much of an effect they are having on another person. People usually think little of how others value these acts.

Across our investigations, several results came out. For one, both givers and receivers of the acts of kindness were in more positive moods than usual after these exchanges. For another, it was clear that givers undervalued (低估) their effect; receivers felt much better than the kind givers expected. The receivers also really recognized these acts as “bigger” than the people performing them did.

At first, we studied acts of kindness done for familiar people, such as friends, classmates or family. But later we found that givers undervalued their positive effect on strangers as well. In one experiment, givers in a public park gave away hot chocolate to strangers on a cold winter’s day. Once again, the experience was more positive than the givers expected for the receivers. While the people giving the hot chocolate saw the act as unimportant, it really mattered to the receivers.

Our findings suggest that what might seem small to the givers could matter a great deal to the receivers. Since these warm acts can promote our own mood and brighten the day of another person, why not choose kindness when we can?

1. What do givers seldom think about?

A．Comments about their acts.

B．Effects of their acts on others.

C．Scientists’ explanation.

D．Taste of happiness.

2. What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Investigations.

B．Moods.

C．Acts.

D．Exchanges.

3. Why does the author mention “gave away hot chocolate to strangers” in paragraph 4?

A．To explain a rule.	B．To prove a finding.
C．To present a fact.	D．To show a topic.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Warm Acts Are Usually Valued

B．Warm Acts Are Necessary For People

C．Kindness Can Have Unexpectedly Positive Results

D．Kindness Can Unexpectedly Brighten Our Own Day

7 . People often call music a universal language, but do certain songs really cause the same mental images in our minds? Scientists at Princeton find that while music absolutely can stimulate(激发)similar mental experiences, the results also strongly suggest culture is a major factor.

A total of 622 people took part in the study. All of the volunteers came from one of three locations: two suburban college towns in the US (one in Arkansas and the other in Michigan), or the rural Chinese village of Dimen. It’s worth noting that the main language in Dimen is Dong, a tonal language unrelated to the official language of China. Locals there have little contact with Western media or culture at all. All participants listened to the exact same 32 “musical stimuli”— which were 60-second cuts of instrumental music. Half of these pieces came from Western music while the rest came from Chinese music.

After hearing, researchers asked the groups about the images they saw in their heads while listening. Incredibly, people from Arkansas and Michigan often described very similar stories, even using the exact same words frequently. Dimen listeners, on the other hand, envisioned stories that were similar to each other but quite different from the American listeners. More specifically, one track led t o Americans seeing a cowboy in the hot desert surveying an empty town. Meanwhile, Chinese participants imagined a man in ancient times reflecting on the loss of a loved one.

“There’s something about the results that’s really surprising, especially because people encounter music in 2022 often in a solitary way, over headphones. But it turns out, it’s still a shared experience, almost like a shred dream, although not universally shared, ”says Elizabeth Margulis, the study author.

The results paint a more complex picture of music’s power. Music can generate remarkably similar stories in listeners’ minds, but it depends on a common set of cultural experiences. So while we imagine music can bring people together, the opposite can also be true-it can distinguish between sets of people with a different background or culture.

1. What is the probable reason for Dimen being selected for the study?

A．Its unique cultural background.	B．Its close contact with US.
C．Its complex language system.	D．Its long tradition of music.

2. What were the participants required to do after listening to music?

A．Exchange their comments on the scene.

B．Imagine musicians’ original inspiration.

C．Describe the picture forming in mind.

D．Recall personal music-related stories.

3. Which is closest in meaning to the underlined word “solitary” in paragraph 4?

A．Strange.

B．Individual.

C．Outdated.

D．Polite.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Unbelievable? Music’s Effects Go beyond Cultures

B．Problem Solved! How Music Brings Us All Together

C．Amazing! Cultures Determine Our Preference for Music

D．Universal Language? Culture Matters When We Hear Music

8 . People do physical exercise as part of their healthy lifestyle to get stronger and healthier.

There are three basic modes of physical exercise: flexibility exercise helps the human body in general or its part in particular to be able to reach farther and bend better; aerobic exercise helps the body work hard for a long time; anaerobic exercise makes the arms and legs stronger.

It has long been known that exercise is not only good for your body, but also for your mind. According to researchers, gymnasts are more likely to be emotionally stable, football players the most outgoing and swimmers the happiest.

The psychological study, which was carried out by experts, also revealed that sports can also offer clues to a person’s attitude to charity, reading habits and even their voting intentions. Boxers, for example, are most likely to focus on material possessions in life. Meanwhile, runners tend to be outgoing people who love being the centre of attention. Walkers, a group that includes those who enjoy wandering and cross-country races, are least concerned about other people and like doing things by themselves without interruption from others. Those who play chess are confident when they face challenges and trouble. Those who swim tend to be tidy and charitable. However, according to Mind Lab, 61 percent of adults are fond of helping others regardless of their choice of sports.

The results from this study also show that no matter what kind of person you are, there is the right kind of exercise for you.

1. Which of the following sports belongs to flexibility exercise?

A．Running.

B．Swimming.

C．Football.

D．Gymnastics.

2. What can we learn from the text?

A．Walkers enjoy loneliness in their lives.

B．Boxers tend to ignore wealth in life.

C．Runners have great power of concentration.

D．Chess players like challenging other people.

3. Why does the author mention Mind Lab in Paragraph 4?

A．To make a contrast.	B．To draw a comparison.
C．To place an emphasis.	D．To give an example.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．How can you choose suitable sports?

B．What kind of sports can benefit you most?

C．How can sports keep you mentally healthy?

D．What does your choice of sports tell about you?