1 . Scientists from the National University of Singapore studied how much time twins spent in natural spaces compared with each other and found that they shared a similar level of desire to be in nature.

“The reason we decided to study this in twins is that we could estimate heritability(遗传性)based on the genetic similarities in identical twins(100%)versus genetic similarities in non-identical twins(50%),” said Chia-chen Chang, who led the study. “If a trait(特性), such as the desire to be in nature, is clearly more similar between identical twins than non-identical twins, this will then suggest a trait is heritable.”

Using the TwinsUK registry, researchers surveyed 1,153 pairs of twins—identical and non-identical—about how they experienced nature. They were required to answer questions involving how frequently they visit natural spaces such as public parks and private gardens and rate their familiarity with nature. After comparing and analyzing the collected data, researchers found that identical twins were more similar to each other in their attitudes towards nature.

While previous studies have found that spending time in natural spaces improves mental well-being, this varies from person to person. For the first time, the researchers say, this study has indicated why that is by suggesting there is likely to be a genetic component in our preference for nature and our likelihood to visit natural spaces.

However, heritability declined with age, perhaps showing that environmental factors such as access to nature and green spaces bring about a love of the outdoors as one grows older. That is to say, a person's desire to be in nature and how often they experience it are influenced by both genes and personal experiences. Those who live in urban environments without access to nature could end up having a lesser appreciation of it. Hence, it's necessary that diverse urban planning is needed to provide access to natural spaces-and the benefits they offer—for all.

1. Why were twins chosen as subjects of the study?

A．To acquire more accurate results.	B．To confirm the previous studies.
C．To measure their gene similarity.	D．To identify their specific hobbies.

2. How did the researchers carry out the study?

A．By analyzing previous data.	B．By referring to online resources.
C．By asking and answering questions.	D．By doing an experiment in the lab

3. What is special about this study?

A．It takes genes into consideration.	B．It takes advantage of the Internet.
C．It provides a new insight into the role of nature.	D．It reveals the link between nature and mental health.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．One's love for nature is invariable.	B．City planning leaves much to be desired.
C．It may be a better choice to live in rural areas.	D．Genes are the only factor in shaping one's traits.

2 . Ms. Salomon had only been working at Sainsbury’s for a year when she was diagnosed(诊断) with Alzheimer’s disease. Before that, she had been ________ to leave her job as a bookkeeper because she was becoming increasingly ________.

Upon being informed of her diagnosis, ________, the Sainsbury’s staffers started doing all they could to make sure that Ms. Salomon felt comfortable and ________. For the next four years, Sainsbury’s did everything to keep Ms. Salomon on the team. They changed her ________; they stayed in ________ with her family so they could provide ________ on her condition at work; they ________ retrained her. When the disease progressed, Sainsbury’s even created an entirely ________ job for her as a “tote box cleaner”.

In 2017, Ms. Salomon’s received a medical ________ that said her Alzheimer’s had progressed to the advanced stage, and she was ________ unemployable. Again, Sainsbury’s kept her on the team.

Ms. Salomon’s ________ finally came to an end 6 months later, and though it was an emotional ________, she was also relieved.

“There have been so many times Sainsbury’s could have let her ________,” Ms. Salomon’s son Doron said. “Instead, they have always ________ her, going above and beyond to make sure she’s happy and feeling valued. On a human level, they have shown sensitivity, kindness and care.”

1.

A．warned

B．allowed

C．inspired

D．forced

2.

A．disorganized

B．worried

C．bad-tempered

D．ill-mannered

3.

A．meanwhile

B．therefore

C．however

D．moreover

4.

A．appreciated

B．interested

C．amazed

D．connected

5.

A．lifestyle

B．hours

C．diet

D．attitude

6.

A．harmony

B．contact

C．agreement

D．cooperation

7.

A．opinions

B．suggestions

C．instructions

D．updates

8.

A．rarely

B．occasionally

C．regularly

D．temporarily

9.

A．traditional

B．new

C．strange

D．easy

10.

A．assessment

B．program

C．paper

D．certificate

11.

A．made

B．proved

C．declared

D．found

12.

A．fortune

B．adventure

C．employment

D．treatment

13.

A．problem

B．experience

C．consequence

D．departure

14.

A．go

B．survive

C．work

D．suffer

15.

A．counted on

B．stood by

C．focused on

D．dropped by

3 . Plants don’t have ears or a central nervous system, but new research out of the University of Missouri has demonstrated that they might still have the ability to “hear”. More specifically, plants have been shown to exhibit an immune (免疫) response to the mere sound of a hungry insect.

For the study, researchers played the sound of a caterpillar chewing to a group of plants, which caused slight vibrations (振动) on the plants’ leaves. The plants were able to recognize these vibration patterns as danger, and responded by mounting the appropriate immune response. In other words, it appears that plants can “hear” themselves being chewed on.

Researchers assume that plants achieve this remarkable ability thanks to proteins that respond to pressure found within their cell membranes. Vibrations cause pressure changes within the cell, which can change the behavior of the proteins; however, additional study will be required to confirm or deny this theory.

Once researchers identify the exact mechanisms at play in this process, it could lead to advances in crop protection. Farmers could potentially learn to use sound to cause a plant’s natural chemical defenses against insect threats, rather than turning to poisonous chemicals.

“We can imagine applications of this where plants could be treated with sound or genetically engineered to respond to certain sounds that would be useful for agriculture,” said study author Heidi Appel.

The study adds to the growing list of ways that plants have been shown to sense their environments. They are not the boring organisms that many people assume they are. For instance, some plants are able to communicate with each other and signal upcoming danger to their neighbors by releasing chemicals into the air. Plants can respond to light (think about sunflowers) and temperature. Some can even respond to touch, such as the Venus flytrap (捕蝇草), which snaps shut when an insect stimulates its hairs.

1. Why did researchers carry out the study?

A．To find out if plants can react to sounds.

B．To learn how plants recognize dangers.

C．To discover if plants can shake their leaves.

D．To see how plants improve immune systems.

2. What’s the potential use of researchers’ discovery?

A．To remove insects.	B．To protect crops.
C．To treat plant diseases.	D．To produce chemicals.

3. What does the author intend to tell us in the last paragraph?

A．There are more plants than we know.

B．Plants are more active than we think.

C．Plants fit in well with their environments.

D．Lots of secrets about plants remain unclear.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Can plants “talk” with each other?

B．How do plants make use of sounds?

C．Can plants “hear” themselves being eaten?

D．How do plants defend themselves against attacks?

4 . I once coached volleyball for a group of kids for the Special Olympics. One particular Tuesday night, after warming up, the kids began their _______. Brian was sitting in the _______ by himself, as usual, _______ between watching the other kids and resting his head on his knees.

His family _______ greatly with what they referred to as his “condition.” _______, this caused him a lot of anger and sadness. With a _______ ability to fully understand and deal with the negativity in his life, Brian often _______ and wouldn't communicate with others. Working with Brian each week, I knew I had to be _______.

On this particular Tuesday night, as I had done so many times before, I simply told him that we'd love to have him _______us, and made my way over to the other kids.

As the volleyball lesson __________, I saw Brian come out of his corner and was moving closer, __________ in the fun the other kids were having. Hesitantly, he __________ me and asked if he could play. On this night, Brian had finally decided to move past his __________ and take part in the fun.

At the end of that Tuesday night, as I watched Brian and the other kids leave the volleyball court __________, I knew that I was making at least a small __________ in these kids’ lives.

1.

A．discussions

B．studies

C．moves

D．preparations

2.

A．chair

B．corner

C．darkness

D．crowds

3.

A．exploring

B．comparing

C．emerging

D．alternating

4.

A．struggled

B．competed

C．agreed

D．integrated

5.

A．Naturally

B．Obviously

C．Literally

D．Unfortunately

6.

A．limited

B．unique

C．remarkable

D．permanent

7.

A．looked down

B．shut down

C．slowed down

D．calmed down

8.

A．strict

B．accurate

C．patient

D．efficient

9.

A．join

B．help

C．choose

D．support

10.

A．ceased

B．started

C．suspended

D．progressed

11.

A．hidden

B．engaged

C．interested

D．involved

12.

A．excited

B．hugged

C．approached

D．encountered

13.

A．anger

B．fear

C．pride

D．doubt

14.

A．behind

B．together

C．fast

D．late

15.

A．contribution

B．promise

C．chance

D．difference

6 . A letter written to a 12-year-old girl in Lithuania was delivered in December, almost 51 years after it was sent by a pen pal in Poland. “I thought that someone was pranking me,” said Genovefa Klonovska after being handed the letter, which included a handmade colored rose and two paper dolls.

The letter, together with 17 others, fell out of a ventilation hole (通风口) this summer, dirty and wrinkled, as a wall was taken down in a former post office on the suburb of Vilnius. Jurgis Vilnius, owner of the building immediately called the post office. “I’m so happy they got interested,” said he.

Street names and their numbering have changed in Vilnius, and post office workers spent months looking for the right houses and talking to current renters and neighbors, tracking down where the recipients moved to. Only five were found. In several cases children of late recipients were handed a lost letter.

“We felt a moral duty to do this,” said Deimante Zebrauskaite, head of the customer experience department at Lithuania Post.

One lady compared the experience to receiving a message from a bottle thrown into sea. People were emotional. “Some felt they saw a part of daily life of their deceased parents,” Zebrauskaite said.

In the letter to Klonovska, sent from Koezary in Poland and stamped in 1970, a girl named Ewa complains buses no longer reach her village, so she has to walk in minus 23 degree Celsius cold, and asks for pictures of actors.

Now in her 60s, Klonovska has no memory of Ewa. She probably wrote Ewa after finding her address advertising for pen pals in a newspaper, and the relationship ceased after the letter got undelivered.

“So good that the letter didn't matter much. The loss was not life-changing,” said Klonovska “What if they delivered a lost letter from a suitor (求婚者) to his love, and their wedding never happened?”

1. What does the underlined word “pranking” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Brightening.

B．Embarrassing.

C．Tricking.

D．Pleasing.

2. What happened to the letters in Paragraph 2?

A．They were accidentally found.

B．They remained well-preserved.

C．They were delivered by the former post office.

D．They were hidden by the owner of the building.

3. Which of the following best describes the present post office in Vilnius?

A．Generous.

B．Dutiful.

C．Honest.

D．Cautious.

4. What can we learn from what Klonovska said?

A．Klonovska refused a suitor.

B．Klonovska stopped the wedding.

C．The undelivered letter ruined the relationship.

D．The undelivered letter made little difference to her.

7 .

Name: Claude Anseri                Country: France Native language: French                Time in U.S.: 8 months Family: I live with my wife and two-year-old daughter. Work: I was an art school student in France. But now I’m working as a cook. Interests: I love to cook (and eat). I also like to go mountain climbing.

Name: Suchen Wang             Country: China Native language: Chinese              Time in U.S.: 10 months Family: I have 3 boys and 2 girls. They’re all attending school here. My husband is a businessman and lives in Taiwan. Work: I was a math teacher but now I’m a housewife. Interests: I like reading, listening to music and drawing.

Name: Norma Ruiz             Country: Russia Native language: Russian             Time in U.S.: 2 years Family: My mother and 4 brothers live in Russian. I’m here by myself. Work: I worked as a nurse in my country. Here I’m a driver. Interests: I like to see films and buy videos. I love to study.

1. Suchen Wang has ______ children.

A．Two

B．three

C．four

D．five

2. Who has lived in America for the shortest time?

A．Claude Anseri

B．Norma’s mother

C．Norma Ruiz

D．Suchen Wang

3. ______ worked in a hospital a few years ago.

A．Claude Anseri

B．Suchen Wang

C．Norma Ruiz

D．Suchen Wang’s husband

4. Suchen Wang’s children are attending school in ______.

A．France

B．the U.S.

C．Taiwan

D．Russian

5. Norma Ruiz lives in the U.S.   ______.

A．with her two-year-old daughter

B．with her husband

C．with her mother

D．alone