1 . The benefits of regular exercise are well documented but there’s a new bonus to add to the ever-growing list. New researchers found that middle-aged women who were physically fit could be nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia in later life, and as they did, it came on a decade later than less sporty women.
Lead researcher Dr. Helena Horder, of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said : "These findings are exciting because it’s possible that improving people's cardiovascular (心血管的)fitness in middle age could delay or even prevent them from developing dementia. "
For the study, 191 women with an average age of 50 took a bicycle exercise test until they were exhausted to measure their peak (最大值的) cardiovascular capacity. The average peak workload was measured at 103 watts.
A total of 40 women met the criteria for a high fitness level, or 120 watts or higher. A total of 92 women were in the medium fitness category; and 59 women were in the low fitness category, defined as a peak workload of 80 watts or less, or having their exercise tests stopped because of high blood pressure, chest pain or other cardiovascular problems.
These women were then tested for dementia six times over the following four decades. During that time, 44 of the women developed dementia. Five percent of the highly fit women developed dementia, compared to 25 percent of the women with medium fitness and 32 percent of the women with low fitness.
"However, this study does not show cause and effect between cardiovascular fitness and dementia, it only shows an association. More research is needed to see if improved fitness could have a positive effect on the risk of dementia and also to look at when during a lifetime a high fitness level is most important. " She also admitted that a relatively small number of women were studied, all of whom were form Sweden, so the results might not be applicable to other groups.
1. What is on the ever-growing list mentioned in the first paragraph?A.Positive effects of doing exercises. |
B.Exercises suitable for the middle-aged. |
C.Experimental studies on diseases. |
D.Advantages of sporty woman over man |
A.To predict their maximum heart rate. |
B.To assess their cardiovascular capacity |
C.To change their habits of working out |
D.To detect their potential health problems |
A.It aimed to find a cure for dementia. |
B.Data collection was a lengthy process. |
C.Some participants withdrew from it. |
D.The results were far from satisfactory. |
A.More Women Are Exercising to Prevent Dementia |
B.Middle-Aged Women Need to Do More Exercise |
C.Fit Women Are Less Likely to Develop Dementia |
D.Biking Improves Women's Cardiovascular Fitness |
2 . For nearly a decade now, Merebeth has been a self-employed pet transport specialist. Her pet transport job was born of the financial crisis(危机)in the late 2000s. The downturn hit the real estate (房地产)firm where she had worked for ten years as an office manager. The firm went broke and left her looking for a new job. One day, while driving near her home, she saw a dog wandering on the road, clearly lost. She took it home, and her sister in Denver agreed to take it. This was a loving home for sure, but 1, 600 miles away. It didn’t take long for Merebeth to decide to drive the dog there herself. It was her first road trip to her new job.
Merebeth’s pet delivery service also satisfies her wanderlust. It has taken her to every state in the US except Montana, Washington and Oregon, she says proudly. If she wants to visit a new place, she will simply find a pet with transport needs there. She travels in all weathers. She has driven through 55 mph winds in Wyoming, heavy flooding and storms in Alabama and total whiteout conditions in Kansas.
This wanderlust is inherited from her father, she says. She moved their family from Canada to California when she was one year old, because he wanted them to explore a new place together. As soon as she graduated from high school she left home to live on Catalina Island off the Californian coast, away from her parents, where she enjoyed a life of sailing and off-road biking.
It turns out that pet transporting pays quite well at about $30, 000 per year before tax. She doesn’t work in summer, as it would be unpleasantly hot for the animals in the car, even with air conditioning. As autumn comes, she gets restless—the same old wanderlust returning. It’s a call she must heed alone, though. Merebeth says, “When I am on the road, I’m just in my own world. I’ve always been independent-spirited and I just feel strongly that I must help animals.”
1. Why did Merebeth changed her job?A.She wanted to work near her home. |
B.She was tired of working in the office. |
C.Her sister asked her to move to Denver. |
D.Her former employer was out of business. |
A.make money. | B.try various jobs. |
C.be close to nature. | D.travel to different places. |
A.She has chances to see rare animals. |
B.She works hard throughout the year. |
C.She relies on herself the whole time. |
D.She earns a basic and tax-free salary. |
3 . The United States rose to global power on the strength of its technology, and the lifeblood that technology has long been electricity. By providing long-distance communication and energy, electricity created the modern world. Yet properly understood, the age of electricity is merely the second stage in the age of steam, which began a century earlier.
"It is curious that no one has put together a history of both the steam and electric revolutions." writes Maury Klein in his book The Power Makers, Steam, Electricity, and the Men Invented Modern America. Klein, a noted historian of technology, spins a narrative so lively that at times it reads like a novel.
The story begins in the last years of the 18th century in Scotland, where Watt perfected "the machine that changed the world". Klein writes, "America did not invent the steam engine, but once they grasped its passwords they put it to more uses than anyone else. "
Meanwhile, over the course of 19th century, electricity went from mere curiosity to a basic necessity. Morse invented a code for sending messages over an electromagnetic circuit. Bell then gave the telegraph a voice. Edison perfected an incandescent bulls that brought electric light into the American home.
Most importantly, Edison realized that success depended on mass electrification, which he showed in New York City. With help from Tesla, Westinghouse's firm developed a system using alternating current, which soon became the major forms of power delivery.
To frame his story, Klein creates the character of Ned, a fictional witness to the progress brought about by the steams and electric revolutions in America during one man's lifetime. It's a technique that helps turn a long narrative into an interesting one.
1. What is Klein's understanding of the age of electricity?A.It is closely linked to the steam age. |
B.It began earlier than proper thought. |
C.It is a little-studied period of history. |
D.It will come to an end sooner or later. |
A.He was born in New York City. | B.He wrote many increasing stories, |
C.He created an electricity company. | D.He lived mainly in the 19th century. |
A.A biography. | B.A book review. | C.A short story. | D.A science report. |
4 . For Canaan Elementary’s second grade in Patchogue, N.Y., today is speech day, and right now it’s Chris Palaez’s turn. The 8-year-old is the joker of the class. With shining dark eyes, he seems like the kind of kid who would enjoy public speaking.
But he’s nervous. “I’m here to tell you today why you should … should…” Chris trips on the “-ld,” a pronunciation difficulty for many non-native English speakers. His teacher, Thomas Whaley, is next to him, whispering support. “…Vote for …me …” Except for some stumbles, Chris is doing amazingly well. When he brings his speech to a nice conclusion, Whaley invites the rest of the class to praise him.
A son of immigrants, Chris stared learning English a little over three years ago. Whaley recalls (回想起) how at the beginning of the year, when called upon to read, Chris would excuse himself to go to the bathroom.
Learning English as a second language can be a painful experience. What you need is a great teacher who lets you make mistakes. “It takes a lot for any student,” Whaley explains, “especially for a student who is learning English as their new language, to feel confident enough to say, ‘I don’t know, but I want to know.’”
Whaley got the idea of this second-grade presidential campaign project when he asked the children one day to raise their hands if they thought they could never be a president. The answer broke his heart. Whaley says the project is about more than just learning to read and speak in public. He wants these kids to learn to boast (夸耀) about themselves.
“Boasting about yourself, and your best qualities,” Whaley says, “is very difficult for a child who came into the classroom not feeling confident.”
1. What made Chris nervous?A.Telling a story. | B.Making a speech. |
C.Taking a test. | D.Answering a question. |
A.Improper pauses. | B.Bad manners. | C.Spelling mistakes. | D.Silly jokes. |
A.help students see their own strengths |
B.assess students’ public speaking skills |
C.prepare students for their future jobs |
D.inspire students’ love for politics |
A.Humorous. | B.Ambitious. | C.Caring. | D.Demanding. |
5 . Last year I decided to do some volunteer work. I began to
I was sent to the Coronado National Forest for my first 8-day
My job was to
Three days later, a beautiful stairway came into being. The
But on the last night we were
A.calculate | B.negotiate | C.advertise | D.research |
A.imagined | B.introduced | C.enjoyed | D.found |
A.annoyed | B.surprised | C.scared | D.excited |
A.arriving | B.sleeping | C.thinking | D.walking |
A.confident | B.friendly | C.energetic | D.curious |
A.funny | B.good | C.lucky | D.easy |
A.tour | B.project | C.campaign | D.course |
A.drop | B.make | C.carry | D.buy |
A.nice | B.safe | C.long | D.quick |
A.build | B.test | C.clean | D.guard |
A.helped | B.ended | C.allowed | D.meant |
A.hunted | B.trained | C.seen | D.fed |
A.satisfaction | B.ambition | C.expectation | D.intention |
A.work | B.memory | C.record | D.story |
A.left | B.caught | C.attacked | D.separated |
A.boiling | B.average | C.normal | D.freezing |
A.tidy | B.dry | C.new | D.soft |
A.By the way | B.Regardless of that | C.Needless to say | D.In either case |
A.survived | B.resisted | C.escaped | D.recovered |
A.smarter | B.stronger | C.happier | D.busier |
6 . For the past ten years, my dad and I have attended the same school--- he as an administrator and I as a student. Our relationship, in and out of school, has been totally unpredictable.
When I was younger, all that my dad said was doctrine (信条)and anything did I,
As I grew older, we were not as
However, the
This
I had needed someone else to show me what I
I feel
A.temporarily | B.naturally | C.originally | D.passively |
A.apply to | B.count on | C.see off | D.pick out |
A.gradually | B.previously | C.regularly | D.eventually |
A.close | B.reliable | C.generous | D.confident |
A.creative | B.familiar | C.horrible | D.live |
A.failures | B.coincidences | C.competitions | D.disasters |
A.dressed up | B.broken down | C.settled down | D.signed up |
A.debate | B.party | C.progress | D.struggle |
A.happen | B.change | C.grow | D.disappear |
A.issue | B.task | C.lesson | D.procedure |
A.participated | B.protested | C.hesitated | D.explored |
A.fled | B.investigated | C.pictured | D.made |
A.Instead | B.Otherwise | C.Therefore | D.However |
A.convinced | B.defeated | C.ignored | D.evaluated |
A.confusion | B.encouragement | C.embarrassment | D.fascination |
A.recommended | B.tolerated | C.doubted | D.appreciated |
A.recognize | B.demand | C.argue | D.estimate |
A.approach | B.limit | C.resist | D.believe |
A.puzzled | B.fortunate | C.concerned | D.awkward |
A.strategy | B.habit | C.relationship | D.potential |
7 . Years ago, my sixth grade teacher had us write letters to our heroes.
In that
I didn’t want to seem like a crazy fan. So I
It was from Jennifer. We
During the conversation, we realized we
Jennifer Cihi, my early hero,
A.Whether | B.While | C.Unless | D.Once |
A.write | B.receive | C.mail | D.open |
A.found out | B.missed out | C.piled up | D.put away |
A.fan | B.business | C.reminder | D.introduction |
A.letter | B.book | C.present | D.song |
A.secret | B.balance | C.word | D.appointment |
A.gradually | B.suddenly | C.generally | D.quickly |
A.comfort | B.appreciate | C.envy | D.encounter |
A.embarrassed | B.thrilled | C.astonished | D.amused |
A.eventually | B.gently | C.slowly | D.merely |
A.allowed | B.expected | C.inspired | D.advised |
A.teacher | B.singer | C.presenter | D.supporter |
A.instant | B.consistent | C.constant | D.insistent |
A.signaled | B.declared | C.explained | D.marked |
A.published | B.discussed | C.exchanged | D.expressed |
A.by | B.in | C.at | D.on |
A.shared | B.formed | C.needed | D.promoted |
A.controlling | B.providing | C.attracting | D.demanding |
A.described | B.selected | C.considered | D.designed |
A.however | B.besides | C.though | D.again |
8 . One person’s happiness causes a chain reaction that benefits not only their friends, but their friends’ friends, and their friends’ friends’ friends. The effect lasts for up to one year. The opposite, interestingly, is not the case: Sadness does not spread through social networks as strongly as happiness. Happiness appears to love company more so than misery.
Focusing on 4,739 individuals, Christakis and Fowler, who co-authored this study, observed more than 50,000 social and family ties and analyzed the spread of happiness throughout this group. The researchers found that when an individual becomes happy, a friend living within a mile experiences a 25 percent increased chance of becoming happy. A co-resident spouse (配偶) experiences an 8 percent increased chance, siblings (兄弟姐妹) living within one mile have a 14 percent increased chance, and for next-door neighbors, 34 percent. But the real surprise came with indirect relationships. Again, while an individual becoming happy increases his friend’s chances, a friend of that friend experiences a nearly 10 percent chance of increased happiness, and a friend of that friend has a 5.6 percent increased chance.
The researchers also found that, contrary to what your parents taught you, popularity does lead to happiness. People in the center of their network groups are the most likely people to become happy, and then there are chances that increase to the extent that the people surrounding them also have lots of friends. However, becoming happy does not help migrate a person from the network fringe (外围) to the center. Happiness spreads through the network without changing its structure.
“Imagine a bird’s eye view of a backyard party,” Fowler explains. “You’ll see people in groups at the center, and others on the fringe. The happiest people tend to be the ones in the center. But someone on the fringe who suddenly becomes happy, say through a particular exchange, doesn’t suddenly move into the center of the group. He simply stays where he is—only now he has a far more satisfying sense of well-being.”
Next time, if you’re happy and you know it, thank your friends—and their friends. And while you’re at it, their friends’ friends. But if you’re sad, hold the blame.
1. Who will be more likely to become happy as a man is happy according to the research?A.His wife. | B.His next-door neighbors. |
C.His brothers and sisters. | D.A friend of his friend. |
A.To explain a rule. | B.To clarify a concept. |
C.To describe a fact. | D.To make a prediction. |
A.Happiness changes social structures. |
B.A social network is a double-edged sword. |
C.Happiness goes hand in hand with sadness. |
D.Happiness spreads through social networks. |
A.Friends’ friends may bring you happiness. |
B.Your friends are to blame for your sadness. |
C.Your friends decide whether you are happy. |
D.The happiest friends at party are on the fringe. |
9 . The number of weather-related disasters has increased by five times over the past 50 years, the latest report by the World Meteorological (气象) Organization (WMO) said on September. However, thanks to improved early warning systems and disaster management, the number of death from these hazards (危险) has been almost three times less.
According to the WMO, from 1970 to 2019, weather, climate and water hazards accounted for 50 percent of all disasters. Among the top 10 hazards that led to the largest loss of human life during this period were droughts, storms, floods and extreme temperatures. However, deaths fell from over 50, 000 in the 1970s to less than 20, 000 in the 2010s.
“Weather, climate and water extremes are increasing and will become more frequent and severe in many parts of the world as a result of climate change,” says WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
“That means more heat waves, drought and forest fires such as those we have observed recently in Europe and North America. We have more water vapor in the atmosphere, which is worsening extreme rainfall and deadly flooding. The warming of the oceans has affected the frequency and area of existence of the most intense tropical storms.”
“Economic losses are increasing as exposure increases. But behind the statistics lies a message of hope. Improved multi-hazard early warning systems have led to a significant reduction in deaths. Quite simply, we are better than ever before at saving lives,” Taalas said.
1. What do we know from the first paragraph?A.Disasters connected with weather have gone up. |
B.The number of weather-related disasters has decreased. |
C.The number of deaths from hazards has been increasing. |
D.Early warning systems have made disasters decline much. |
A.There will be more extreme weather. |
B.Extreme rainfall will no longer exist. |
C.Water vapor in the atmosphere will go down. |
D.Humans will defeat extreme weather in the end. |
A.Improved warning systems will save economic losses. |
B.Economic losses are going down as exposure increases. |
C.More lives will be saved thanks to early warning systems. |
D.Improved early warning systems will control extreme weather |
A.A novel. | B.A brochure. | C.A magazine. | D.A guideline. |
10 . Eight months after my father died, I saw some letters on top of my mother’s coffee table. They were tied with a silk ribbon and addressed to her decades ago in my father’s neat handwriting. I couldn’t imagine my serious father ever writing anything like love letters.
“Would you like me to read them to you?” Mom asked with a hint of a smile.
The letters were written in 1974 over the course of a month when my father traveled to Italy to care for his beloved, sick mother, leaving his wife and me, their newborn daughter, behind in Toronto, the city my parents called home after immigrating to Canada from Italy in 1956.
Growing up, my father was my hero and protector, but he was also a man of few words, part of a generation of immigrant men who worked hard for a better life.
I sat back while my mother read his letters to me, and thought, “Who is this guy?” My father used endearing terms I had never heard him say. He referred to my mother as “my dearesr” and “my companion” who was always in his thoughts. In each letter, he enclosed a Canadian one-dollar bill for me and declared, “You and your mother are my life.”
As children, we assume we know everything about our parents. But, sometimes, we find out that they were and are people with various facets.
My father was proud and stubborn, and he married a woman who was his equal in that regard. During their 58-year marriage, their stubbornness often led to conflict. So it was bittersweet to hear my father’s youthful sentiments read aloud by my elderly mother with a wistful (留恋的) tone. I knew she was thinking about what could have been and what had been once upon a time. After she finished reading the letters, I held them in my hands and examined them like they were fossils. Although a man I knew as economical with his thoughts, he had filled the front and back of several pages.
These letters are only part of their correspondence. My mother wrote back to my father. One day she will read those letters to me, she’s assured me. And just as with my father, they might help me discover another dimension of a parent I never knew before.
1. What kind of person did the author think her father was?A.Optimistic. | B.Reserved. | C.Sensitive. | D.Romantic. |
A.Her mother was the family’s provider. |
B.She didn’t get on well with her father. |
C.Her parents were emigrants to Italy. |
D.Her parents shared similar personalities. |
A.Interests. | B.Ideas. | C.Sides. | D.Possibilities. |
A.Surprised. | B.Awkward. | C.Thrilled. | D.Heartbroken. |
A.He was good at hiding his feelings. |
B.He regretted not being with his family. |
C.He was a loving husband and father. |
D.He was stubborn from the inside out. |