2 . When you have to cancel your Thanksgiving plans due to the spread of the COVID-19, you may find yourself craving companionship as much as that pumpkin pie. That’s because parts of the brain respond to loneliness much like they react to hunger, according to a study in Nature Neuroscience.

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology scanned the brains of 40 healthy, social young adults after 10 hours of either fasting (禁食) or social isolation (隔离). They found that after being alone, participants’ neurological responses to social signals were similar to hungry people reacting to food — that is, certain areas of the brain linked to desire were turned on to start working.

For an isolated person, a picture of people laughing together caused the same areas of the brain to light up as when a hungry person looked at a big plate of pasta.

“Just like hunger is an unpleasant sensation that motivates us to seek out food and thirst motivates us to seek out water, loneliness is a biological need that motivates us to reconnect to others,” Holt-Lunstad told Insider.

Researchers were surprised to find that people who were prevented from socializing became much more focused on that need, and less reactive to hunger. As their loneliness increased, they became less responsive to images of food.

These latest findings suggest that the relationship between food and loneliness might be more complicated than we thought, despite the popular opinion of stress-eating to cope with social isolation. More research is needed to understand the complex ways people deal with loneliness.

Studies like this can help scientists understand how the brain processes loneliness, and possibly reduce the negative consequences. However, although loneliness may be similar to hunger, fixing it isn’t as easy as serving someone a hearty dinner because people are unique and they need varying levels of social interactions to meet their needs.

1. The underlined word “craving” in the first paragraph can be replaced by          .

A．avoiding

B．desiring

C．preferring

D．ignoring

2. Researchers scanned the brains of the young adults                        .

A．to find their brain responses to both loneliness and hunger

B．to provide explanations for their feeling lonely and hungry

C．to find how loneliness can have a negative impact on health

D．after they have been hungry and socially isolated for 10 hours

3. What conclusion can be drawn from what Holt-Lunstad said in Paragraph 4?

A．Hunger is an unpleasant sensation.

B．Hunger and thirst motivate us to feed ourselves.

C．Socializing is supposed to be basic human need as it is.

D．The effects of loneliness on health are comparable to other factors.

4. What does the last paragraph imply?

A．Loneliness may be fixed just as hunger is satisfied.

B．Situations of loneliness are complicated and hard to cope with.

C．Scientists have understood how the brain processes loneliness.

D．Loneliness is such a common and serious problem that we all have to suffer.

3 . Four best scenic paths near London

Goring Gap and the Thames Path
Length: 5 miles
Start: Goring & Streatley station
End: Pangbourne

This path is far from boring for a rural walk. The footpath follows the curve of the river as it flows south, winding past wildflower grassland, and the Hartslock Nature Reserve, which is home to red kites and rare orchids.

Post-walk pub: The Swan serves these days. Order a table or keep warm by one of its open fires.

Box Hill
Length: 6.8 miles
Start and end: Westhumble station

Admire the glorious views and escape the crowds. But first you’ve got to climb 272 steps to the top of Box Hill. The endorphins are definitely pumping—maybe that’s how it got the nickname “Happy Valley”.

Post-walk pub: The spacious Tree on Box Hill has an enticing menu and huge beer garden.

The Kentish Coast
Length: 9.8 miles
Start: Ramsgate
End: Margate

Following the path, you’ll pass plenty of former smugglers’ (走私者) caves and there are beachside cafes dotted along the route at regular intervals.

Post-walk pub: Order a pint of beer at Xylo, a pub with wonderful views over Margate Sands.

Chess Valley in the Chilterns
Length: 9.9 miles
Start: Chorleywood station
End: Chesham station

It isn’t home to any chess masters, but it did used to produce n lot of watercress, fed by its sparkling chalk stream. This walk follows the river, whose bank is covered with the rolling grass and woods.

Post-walk pub: The George & Dragon is an old coaching inn with a log fire and real beer.

1. Which path is a circular route?

A．Goring Gap and the Thames Path.	B．Box Hill.
C．The Kentish Coast.	D．Chess Valley in the Chilterns.

2. What do Goring Gap and the Thames Path and Chess Valley in the Chilterns have in common?

A．They serve beer all the time.	B．They include different animals.
C．They provide river scenery.	D．They are of the same length.

3. What can you experience in The Kentish Coast?

A．Drink coffee at the seaside.	B．Relax yourself in The Swan.
C．Learn from famous chess masters.	D．Meet smugglers along the way.

4 . Imagine a school where students are taught by the best teachers in every subject, regardless of location. Imagine a school where students could go on safe field trips to the Amazon rainforest or Everest base camp. Well, such schools are already being built: in virtual(虚拟的)reality.

Last year, Optima Academy Online, an all-virtual school, delivered courses that aim to improve the hearts and train the minds of young people. These courses are of different levels, attracting 170 full-time students from all over Florida. In the progress of home-schooling, students use headsets for about three hours a day for formal lessons and then do course work independently with digital check-ins.

Future versions(版本)of VR will doubtless be widely used in education, but the only questions are: for what purpose and at what speed? There are enough reasons to doubt whether VR schools represent the future of education. Sticking a child in their bedroom with a heavy VR headset fastened to their face and no physical social interaction with other kids will fill many of them and their parents with horror.

A recent report concluded that digital education could significantly improve the quality and equality of schooling systems. But if managed poorly, it could have the opposite effect, turning a digital divide into an educational one. There is growing evidence to suggest that is happening. In Mexico, only 24 percent of 15-year-old students in poor schools have access(使用)to a home computer for schoolwork compared with 87 percent in rich ones.

Used properly, technology can be great for enabling self-motivated students to access learning resources and connect with fellow students and teachers all over the world, says Beeban Kidron, a member of the UK’s Digital Futures Commission. The trouble is that Edtech is too often seen as a shiny new toy that will solve all problems and save money rather than being viewed as a different way to learn, she adds.

1. What can we learn about Optima Academy Online?

A．It has been widely accepted.

B．It holds faraway outdoor field trips.

C．It provides various online courses.

D．It requires parents to help with check-ins.

2. What does paragraph 3 focus on about VR in education?

A．The development.	B．The concerns.
C．The advantages.	D．The popularity.

3. Students in Mexico are mentioned to show________．

A．Mexican schooling quality has been improved

B．local schooling systems are not fully developed

C．technology access gaps may cause education inequality

D．family backgrounds shape people’s views on education

4. What does Beeban Kidron think of digital education?

A．It enriches learning.	B．It’s irreplaceable.
C．It needs improving.	D．It’s undervalued.

5 . There are many examples of everyday kindnesses we often take for granted.

Last night, during my eldest son’s basketball game, we ________ to be sitting next to a lady with a young son. The little boy turned to my youngest son, smiling at him, and ________ said, “Wanna be my ________?” During the next 20 minutes, the two boys played together happily. It was a ________ scene, and reminded me how ________ it can (and should) be to make new friends.

A few hours earlier, we went to a downtown cafe for an afternoon treat. There were no open tables for four, so we ________ a table for two, and crowded into the small space. Just at that time, one young lady came over and ________ to trade her larger table with us. It was a simple act but showed us a ________ heart.

Just a couple of days ago, I sold my first book to a friend of mine. She paid the amount I charged and asked, “Is that enough? It doesn’t seem like it will ________ shipping.” Truthfully, I had not ________ correctly for the shipping charge. After that, I received a(an) ________ sum of money. I was so deeply humbled by her act of ________ and desire to encourage me.

Though often ________, these small acts of service, friendliness, and human care are what it takes to make the world go round. With everyday difficulties ________ us, these small gestures of goodwill can easily ________ a spark of positivity.

1.

A．happened

B．intended

C．refused

D．decided

2.

A．urgently

B．adorably

C．thoughtfully

D．maturely

3.

A．brother

B．teammate

C．assistant

D．friend

4.

A．breath-taking

B．normal

C．heart-warming

D．strange

5.

A．risky

B．amusing

C．awkward

D．easy

6.

A．grabbed

B．left

C．prepared

D．laid

7.

A．hesitated

B．offered

C．agreed

D．begged

8.

A．heavy

B．nervous

C．selfless

D．lonely

9.

A．cover

B．afford

C．change

D．produce

10.

A．planned

B．accounted

C．paid

D．applied

11.

A．enormous

B．expected

C．total

D．additional

12.

A．carelessness

B．bravery

C．kindness

D．duty

13.

A．praised

B．overlooked

C．discussed

D．criticized

14.

A．surrounding

B．pleasing

C．stimulating

D．reminding

15.

A．control

B．pursue

C．hide

D．light

6 . A therapy (治疗) client and I are working on an eating disorder and find it originated from a relationship break-up or perhaps being bullied in middle school. Such hurtful experiences led to not eating for a couple of weeks. Then comes a high praise from a friend that totally backfires. Maybe it’s an enthusiastic, “Wow, you look great!’’ In a flash, this praise excites an inner and often unconscious thought: “Oh, people care more about me if I lose weight. So many things feel out of control but I can control people’s affection by not eating.”

Often, very well-intentioned individuals offer praise out of a desire to uplift and connect. Such praise is often tied, directly or indirectly, to a person’s relationship with the standards of a specific group or institution. Sadly, such praise can easily reduce an individual’s dignity to their level in line with the group’s expectations rather than supporting their inherent (固有的) dignity and worth. So, what’s a better way?

One answer is to exit the game of “right and wrong” and enter a more life-giving focus on what needs are present. Returning to our example above, when you see that someone has lost weight and you want to give them a praise, just pause and take a deep breath. Simply ask, “How are you doing?” See them and hear them. Appreciate them as a person of limitless value. Know there may be much more to their inner world than meets the eye. Similarly, when you see someone’s success in school, appreciate the hard work they put into it. Ask with gentle curiosity, “How’s it been for you?” Listen with your full attention that in itself can be a rare gift in today’s hustle and bustle world.

By maintaining your concern and listening to the ways they want to be accompanied and supported — even when it might not be your first instinct — you can see them as a whole person, with complex feelings, very human needs, and inherent dignity.

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

A．Improves the situation.	B．Shows sincere concern.
C．Removes hurtful feelings.	D．Produces an unexpected result.

2. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．Analyzing the phenomenon.	B．Listing another example.
C．Presenting the solution.	D．Making a proposal.

3. Why does the author suggest simply asking “How are you doing”?

A．To start a light conversation.

B．To focus on one’s inner needs.

C．To explore the secret of keeping slim.

D．To show appreciation for one’s efforts.

4. What might be the title for the text?

A．Say No to the “Right or Wrong” Game

B．Why We Need to Make Praises to Others.

C．Follow Me and Be a Qualified Therapist

D．How Innocent Words can Be Harmful

7 . Whether due to genuine concern for the environment or the widespread criticism of plastic among consumers, many companies have invested heavily in reducing their use of plastic packaging, which may indeed have a positive environmental impact. But another trend that’s grown out of the anti-plastic movement is a lot less positive: overpackaging. More and more brands have begun adding unnecessary paper packaging on top of plastic packaging in order to make their products look more environmentally friendly, without actually reducing plastic waste.

Unfortunately, there’s a very good reason companies are adopting this clearly problematic approach. Through a series of eight studies with more than 4,000 participants, we found that consumers will accept a product’s packaging as more environmentally friendly if it’s plastic with an additional layer of paper than if the product is visibly packaged in identical plastic packaging but without the paper. These perceptions (认知) in turn make consumers both more likely to buy a product, and willing to pay more for it.

Part of what makes this overpackaging trend particularly harmful is that it is much valued by consumers who reported engaging in more eco-friendly behaviors. They were more likely to view overpackaged products as environmentally friendly. As a result, the very consumers who are most interested in pushing companies to make sustainable choices are likely unintentionally encouraging the environmentally harmful practice of overpackaging.

The good news is, overpackaging isn’t the only way to signal sustainability and attract such consumers. In our studies, we found that instead of additional paper packaging, simply adding a minimal packaging sticker to plastic packaging could clarify the misperception that overpackaged products are more sustainable, Especially for products for which plastic is necessary to ensure safe transportation and lengthen shelf life, this kind of clear messaging can help reduce consumers, discrimination against the responsible use of plastic packaging.

Of course, minimal packaging stickers certainly should only be used if a brand has actually ensured that it is using the minimal possible packaging, ideally under the supervision of a trade organization or regulatory body that maintains clear, consistent standards.

1. What can we learn about overpackaging according to paragraph 1?

A．It calls for less investment.

B．It involves the proper use of paper.

C．It has a positive environmental impact.

D．It causes over-consumption of materials.

2. What do the eight studies find about consumers according to the text?

A．They care about the environment.

B．They are always following the trend.

C．They like comparing products’ qualities.

D．They prefer beautifully-decorated products.

3. What function is expected of minimal packaging stickers?

A．To help products stay fresh longer.

B．To improve the brand’s popularity.

C．To correct consumers’ misunderstanding.

D．To present more information about products.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Minimal packaging stickers have been widely used.

B．Advantages of minimal packaging stickers are overestimated.

C．The use of minimal packaging stickers should be strictly regulated.

D．The use of minimal packaging stickers is a solution to over-packaging.

9 . The Best Computer Science Competitions for High Schoolers

Imagine Cup

Microsoft runs the competition, and each year, students around the world compete in it. Students work in teams of up to three members to design a tech solution to a social or health problem.

Qualification: Student must be 16 or older.

Prizes: Each winning team is awarded $100,000.

First Robotics Competition

Students work in teams of at least 10 along with 2 adult mentors to design and build an industrial-sized robot. They then must program the robot to compete in a sophisticated field game at competitions. Annual team registration fees are usually about $5,000.

Qualification: High school students in the U.S.,

Prizes: Various scholarships and cash prizes for top scorers.

Technovation Challenge

It is designed to get more girls worldwide interested in coding and computer science. Girls work in teams of 1-5 and with volunteer mentors to use technology to design an app that helps solve real world problems such as climate change and hunger.

Qualification: Must identify as female and be between 10 and 18 years old.

Prizes: Prizes and scholarships up to $2,000.

American Computer Science League

To compete, your school has to have registered and paid the registration fee. Before the competition, the coach teaches coding with a focus on ACSL exam categories. Then, students work in teams of 3 or 5 students to complete four tests. Students can code in Python 3, Java 8, or C++ as defined on the programming platform. Top-scoring teams advance to regional, statewide, and eventually global competitions.

Qualification: Students whose schools have registered for the competition.

Prizes: Winners of the ACSL All-Star Contest receive prizes.

1. Which competition has the largest number of students in a team?

A．Imagine Cup.	B．First Robotics Competition.
C．Technovation Challenge.	D．American Computer Science League.

2. How is Technovation Challenge different from other competitions?

A．It is run by Microsoft.	B．It is only for U.S. students.
C．It has a gender limitation.	D．It allows mentors to assist.

3. What can students do in American Computer Science League?

A．Register for the competition independently.

B．Have chances to take higher-level competitions.

C．Design an app using programming knowledge.

D．Receive various scholarship and cash prizes.

10 . Friendship is a beautiful relationship. While some friendships tend to come to an end as we grow in life, there are some rare and special ones that are meant to last forever. No matter how many years pass by, the connection stays alive.

Two childhood best friends who were “joined at the hip” as kids were reunited over a half century later—when they least expected it.

Irene Gresty and Janet Henderson were neighbors in the 1940s, growing up in England, but like many friends, they lost touch over the years. After getting married, Gresty moved with her husband who was in the navy and was shipped to many foreign places. However, Gresty, despite living in many countries, loved her own country. Gresty said, “I loved the area where I grew up, so I wanted to settle down to enjoy retirement (退休).” Thanks to an event hosted by Bield Housing and Care, a non-profit organization devoted to supporting residents over 55 years old, finally they met each other. Gresty said, “We sat down beside each other and she turned to me and said ‘Is that you Irene?’ and I just laughed and said ‘Yes. Are you Janet?’ ” They couldn’t believe that they were meeting each other after so long. They spent the rest of the afternoon talking to each other.

Henderson said that it is usual in life for people to often move away from the area and lose contact. As their family names changed, Henderson couldn’t recognize her friend’s name despite being told about her. The two have promised to never stay long without seeing each other. They exchanged numbers so they could meet in the future. They have many years to catch up on everything they have missed.

1. What does the underlined part “joined at the hip” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Grow fast.	B．Work hard.
C．Hang around.	D．Stay together.

2. What made Gresty return to England?

A．Her friends’ invitation.	B．Her husband’s new job.
C．Her interest in traveling.	D．Her love for her hometown.

3. Which of the following best describes Gresty and Henderson’s reunion?

A．Unexpected.	B．Resultless.
C．Long-planned.	D．Well-organized

4. What did Gresty and Henderson promise to do next?

A．Keep in touch.	B．Travel abroad.
C．Post their stories.	D．Make more friends.