1 . Crying in H Mart, by Michelle Zauner
This is the memoir (回忆录) and first book of Michelle Zauner, lead singer of the band Japanese Breakfast. Zauner writes about growing up as a Korean American and how losing her mother to cancer when she was 25 forced her to reconnect with her identity. It’s a story of Zauner’s grief and an exploration of all the gifts (language, food, history) her mother left behind.
Overwhelmed, by Brigid Schulte
You’ve probably heard by now that you won’t be sleeping much after you welcome your bundle of joy and noise into the world. Parenthood can be challenging and tiring, but you don’t have to feel like you’ve lost yourself while you’re creating a life for someone else. Journalist Brigid Schulte lays out how our always-on culture can get the best of us and what you can do to take back some time for yourself.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong is a Vietnamese-American poet and his first novel is written in the form of a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read. Exploring race, class, and manhood, the novel handles difficult topics with beauty and the kind of lines that will hang in the air long after you’ve set the book down.
24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week, by Tiffany Shlain
In 24/6, filmmaker and popular speaker Shlain introduces readers to what she calls a “Technology Shabbat” -the one day, every week, where she and her family turn off all electronic devices. Beyond detailing the many ways she and her family have benefited, Shlain gives helpful, reassuring advice for setting your own tech shabbat and controlling device use.
1. Who are the main target readers of Overwhelmed?| A．Children. | B．Parents. | C．Writers. | D．Journalists. |
| A．Crying in H Mart. |
| B．Overwhelmed. |
| C．On Earth We’re Brie fly Gorgeous. |
| D．24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week. |
| A．They are related to family life. |
| B．They are on the theme of growing up. |
| C．They are written by mixed-race authors. |
| D．They are concerned with electronic devices. |
2 . If you’ve ever seen a sparrow steal your dog food or a crow open a garbage bag, you get a sense of that some birds have learned to take advantage of new feeding opportunities—a clear sign of their intelligence. Scientists have long wondered why certain species of birds are more innovative than others, and whether these capacities stem from larger brains or from a greater number of neurons (神经元) in specific areas of the brain.
It turns out that it’s a bit of both, according to a recent study by an international team that included members from McGill University published in Nature Ecology and Evolution.
The researchers used a new technique to estimate the number of neurons in a specific part of the brain called the pallium in 111 bird species. The pallium in birds is equal to the human cerebral cortex (大脑皮层), which is involved in memory, learning, reasoning, and problem-solving, among other things. When these estimates about neuron numbers in the pallium were combined with information about over 4,000 feeding innovations, the team found that the species with the higher numbers of neurons in the pallium were also likely to be the most innovative.
“The amount of time chicks spend in the nest as their brains develop might also play a crucial role in the evolution of intelligence,” says McGill University Emeritus Professor Louis Lefebvre who spent more than 20 years gathering examples of feeding innovations. “Larger species of crows and parrots, which are known for their intelligence, spend longer in the nest, which allows more time for the brain to grow and accumulate pallial neurons.”
The results of the study help to deal with previously opposed views of the evolution and significance of brain size and show how a life-history perspective helps to understand the evolution of cognition.
1. What may a sparrow be thought of when it steals dog food?| A．It is lovely. | B．It is immoral. | C．It is heartbroken. | D．It is intelligent. |
| A．Assessed the neurons in their pallium. |
| B．Tested a new technology on their brain. |
| C．Trained them to learn to feed individually. |
| D．Compared their pallium with the human cerebral cortex. |
| A．Their large shape. |
| B．More time in their nest. |
| C．Their learning ability. |
| D．More feeding innovations. |
| A．Health. | B．Society. | C．Science. | D．Culture. |
3 . I am asked repeatedly why anyone would want to keep an “ugly” building or a building that is dirty and clearly in need of work. I guess you could say we preservationists (文物保护者) look at buildings through a different angle — an angle that can see the swan in the ugly duck, the story in the simple lines, and the book behind the cover.
The Queen Emma Building is remembered by many as one of the ugliest buildings in town. Yet the angle from which a preservationist views the building is that it is uniquely constructed with an artistical sun shield to block the sunlight, a decorative wall designers used concrete bricks to form. Unfortunately, it was removed in 2011, making the building one of many contemporary buildings in town.
Other times, when a beautiful site is replaced by a “horrible” building, people hate it and can’t get over their anger, even when that “horrible” building becomes an important part of our story. This is particularly true in San Francisco with many Victorian buildings, which are many. preservationists’ favorite. Yes, it was a tragedy that many Victorian buildings. got torn down several decades ago, but those losses also tell another important story. It tells the story of the 1950s and 1960s when there was hope for a more equal society with inexpensive housing for the working class. Should that history be wiped from our memories?
Preservation is not just about keeping pretty, well-kept buildings, but about holding on to parts of our history — not just the history of huge events, but the story of how everyone used to go to a certain corner market. Our history cannot be told only in buildings that meet someone’s criteria of beauty; sometimes our history is painful, but no less important.
1. Which section might the passage come from?| A．Opinion and Views. | B．Health and Well-being. |
| C．Space and Exploration. | D．Business and Finance. |
| A．It’s incredible. | B．It’s regrettable. | C．It’s inspiring. | D．It’s entertaining. |
| A．To wipe the history of the Victorian era. |
| B．To make land available for cheap housing. |
| C．To ease the deep anger of the working class. |
| D．To revive the architecture of the Victorian era |
| A．To analyze the role of preservationists. |
| B．To introduce buildings with historical value. |
| C．To explain why architects make ugly buildings. |
| D．To stress the significance of preserving “ugly” buildings. |
4 . Despite extreme cold, cruel ice and being brushed off as mad, Slovenian Davo Kamicar became the first person to ski non-stop down Mount Everest. After a dramatic fall over almost sheer cliffs of snow, stones and ice, 38-yeur-old Kamicar returned to his base camp after five hours of skiing. “I feel only absolute happiness and absolute tiredness,” he said.
Due to the severe weather conditions, Kamicar flung himself back down the mountain as soon as he reached the top rather thin have a rest as planned. At one point, he had to speed over stretches of ice that collapsed and broke underneath him and could have sent him falling into the deep crevasses (裂缝) that dot the mountain.
The descent (下落) had been widely regarded as extremely dangerous. The Darwin Awards website, known for documenting foolhardy deaths, urged people to log on to their website and “keep your eyes peeled for a live Darwin Award”. However, the only body to make the news was the corpse (尸体) of an unknown mountaineer which Kamicar zipped past as he descended, one of an estimated 120 corpses, thought to litter the slopes. “This mountain is always full of surprises. Seeing a dead man out there was still a shocking experience,” he said.
Thanks to strategically placed cameras on the mountain and one attached, to his safety helmet, hundreds of thousands of people witnessed the process online, which was one of the record highs ever of more than 650,000 hits: The website was once jammed as people tried to access the site.
A previous failed attempt had already cost Kamicar two fingers when he got frostbite as a fierce storm hit the peak, Coming from a skiing family and had his first Himalayan skiing expedition in 1989, he has been ever since tireless in raising funds and sponsorship for more expeditions, with Everest as the permanent goal.
1. How did Davo Kamicar make history?| A．By skiing down Mount Everest without rest. |
| B．By attracting the largest number of online audience. |
| C．By descending Mount Everest within the shortest time ever. |
| D．By becoming the first to film his descent down Mount Everest. |
| A．Daring but thoughtless. | B．Natural but tragic. |
| C．Peaceful and lonely. | D．Slow and heartbreaking. |
| A．His heavy falling off a sheer cliff. |
| B．The sudden appearance of other climbers. |
| C．The unexpected collapse of an icy hillside. |
| D．The sight of 120 corpses littering the slopes. |
| A．Darwin Award for Survivors |
| B．Body of Mountaineer Found on Everest |
| C．Mad Man Skis down Everest |
| D．Extreme Sports Hero Slides to a Record |
5 . More than 400 athletes across a variety of sports, ages and levels of experience were questioned for the study by sports psychology experts from Staffordshire University and Manchester Metropolitan University. The findings reveal that athletes’ belief systems — specifically irrational (非理性) beliefs — are related to poorer self-confidence, and in turn, greater competitive anxiety and depressive symptoms.
“Phrases that reflect self-depreciating (贬低) beliefs such as ‘If I lose, I’m a failure’ or ‘If I face setbacks, it shows how stupid I am’ are warning signs,” said the authors. Paul Mansell, Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Staffordshire University, said, “Despite the psychological benefits of physical activity, studies frequently report poor mental health in athletes, which may be exacerbated by adversities, such as injury, de-selection, and performance pressure. We investigated athletes’ beliefs, how they view stress, their levels of self-confidence and put all this data together to work out what might predict psychological well-being. We found irrational beliefs to be a core reason for symptoms of poor mental health in athletes.”
This is the first known study that has examined irrational beliefs, self-confidence, and the psychological well-being of athletes all together. Irrational beliefs are extreme, rigid, and illogical ideas that people hold. For example, a person might believe that they “must” get what they want, or that just because they have failed, they are a “complete failure”.
“We can all work to help athletes develop mindsets that help them deal with the challenges of sport and life. By encouraging rational and logical beliefs about performance, we can help athletes to stay healthy amidst the high demands of competitive sport,” said Paul Mansell.
The author s propose Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) as an effective tool for protecting self-confidence. REBT helps athletes to challenge these self-depreciating beliefs and develop beliefs that are more helpful and healthy. For example, rather than believe “I am a failure if I fail”, this might be countered with “Failing is not ideal, but it does not mean that I am a failure”.
1. What did the study centre on?| A．Physical health of athletes. |
| B．The competition state of athletes. |
| C．Psychological health of athletes. |
| D．Competition habits of athletes. |
| A．Worsened. | B．Examined. | C．Promoted. | D．Recognized. |
| A．Setbacks won’t stop me. |
| B．If I fail, I will lose everything. |
| C．It is a world full of competition. |
| D．What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. |
| A．Psychological benefits of physical activity |
| B．Effective tools for protecting self-confidence |
| C．Rational and logical beliefs about performance |
| D．Warning signs of poor mental health in athletes |
6 . The world’s population cast aside 49 million tons of electronic waste, known as e-waste. It has been calculated that this number will grow to more than 60 million tons by 2023.
What is causing the upsurge (激增) in e-waste? Technology is becoming more and more widespread, covering almost every aspect of our lives. Meanwhile, the lifespan of devices is getting shorter—many products will be thrown away once their batteries die, to be replaced by new devices. Companies intentionally plan the obsolescence (过时) of their goods by updating the design or software and discontinuing support for older models, so that now it is usually cheaper and easier to buy a new product than to repair an old one. Since prices are falling, electronic devices are in demand around the world.
As more people buy electronic equipment, manufacturers (制造商) are beginning to face shortages of the raw materials needed to make their products, so recycling and reusing materials from discarded (扔掉的) products and waste makes economic and environmental sense.
Recycling e-waste is practiced both formally and informally. Proper or formal e-waste recycling usually involves taking apart the electronics, sorting through the materials and cleaning them. Companies must obey health and safety rules to reduce the health and environmental hazards of handling e-waste by using pollution-control technologies. All this makes formal recycling expensive. Informal recycling is typically unlicensed and uncontrolled. At informal recycling workshops, men and women recover valuable materials by burning devices to melt away non-valuable materials. Usually they do not wear protective equipment and lack any awareness that they are handling dangerous materials.
With the amount of e-waste growing around the world, recycling alone will not be enough to solve the problem. In order to reduce e-waste, manufacturers need to design electronics that are safer, and more durable (耐用的), repairable and recyclable. The best thing you can do is resist buying a new device until you really need it. Try to get your old product repaired if possible and, if it can’t be fixed, resell or recycle it responsibly. Before you recycle your device, put any broken parts in separate containers and close these tightly to prevent chemicals from leaking. Wear latex (乳胶) gloves and a mask if you’re handling something that’s broken.
1. Which of the following is a reason for e-waste’s sharp increasing?| A．The results of updating devices. | B．The falling of devices’ quality. |
| C．The methods of recycling e-waste. | D．The shortage of protective equipment. |
| A．Increasing the variety of electronic products. |
| B．Lowering the costs of technology innovation. |
| C．Relieving the lack of the raw materials. |
| D．Improving the poor quality of e-devices. |
| A．Influence. | B．Limits. | C．Harm. | D．Costs. |
| A．E-waste could be broken down by burying it underground for a long time. |
| B．Companies should be mainly responsible for reducing e-waste. |
| C．Fixing a device could cause more pollution than buying a new one. |
| D．Everyone should take action to reduce e-waste. |
7 . Heman Bekele, a 14-year-old student from Virginia, has created a cheap soap that could potentially help fight skin cancer, which earned him the title of America’s Top Young Scientist and a $25,000 cash prize after his innovation won first place in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge on October 10, 2023.
At age 4, Heman moved to America from Ethiopia, where he always saw people constantly working under the hot sun. While he considered ideas for the competition, it struck him that so many people in his hometown were unaware of the risk of sun exposure. The recollections fueled his decision to focus his research on skin cancer.
In June 2023, he was selected as a top-ten finalist and paired with 3M product engineering specialist Deborah Isabelle to develop and test a physical prototype (原型) of his idea. It took the pair four months of trial and error to create “Skin Cancer Treating Soap” (SCTS). The bar contains chemicals that restore the body’s dendritic cells (树突细胞) killed by cancer cells. Once reconstructed, dendritic cells, the body’s first line of defense against cancer and infections, are capable of fighting against cancer cells. SCTS, which costs just 50 cents a bar, still has to undergo clinical trials. The process could take over five years.
While similar methods are available for skin cancer treatments, his solution is a more affordable alternative, especially for those in developing countries. Though the product is very promising on paper, studies would have to be carried out to test its efficiency in the real world.
“I applied for the 3M Young Scientist Challenge because I believe that young minds can make a positive impact on the world,” Bekele said. “I have always been interested in biology and technology, and this challenge gave me the perfect platform to showcase my ideas. The opportunity to work with 3M experts and show my project to judges was an exciting prospect (前景). I am passionate about finding sustainable solutions to global problems, and I hope to inspire others to do the same.”
1. What inspired Heman’s idea for the invention?| A．Folk tales. | B．Childhood memories. |
| C．Working experiences. | D．Medical observations. |
| A．It minimizes solar radiation. | B．It reactivates destroyed cells. |
| C．It kills cancer cells directly. | D．It removes viruses from the skin. |
| A．Its making process. | B．Its working method. |
| C．Its advantage. | D．Its development. |
| A．Innovative and ambitious. | B．Inspiring and tolerant. |
| C．Sensitive and accessible. | D．Energetic and thoughtful. |
8 . “Red tide” is a natural phenomenon that frequently occurs in many places around the world. The phenomenon is the result of extreme growth of tiny algae (海藻) called K. Brevis, which has a red color, giving the water surface a very noticeable red color. K. Brevis will give off chemicals that can attack the nervous systems of animals, which often leads to deadly results.
Florida citizens are no stranger to “red tide”, which occurs along the state’s Gulf Coast annually. However, the most recent outbreak of red tide has so far lasted much longer and spread across nearly 145 miles of the coastline in southwestern Florida.
The long season has caused the death of tons of fish and other animals which were washed up on the beaches all the way from Tampa to Naples. The smell of the dead animals has kept away thousands of locals and tourists that frequent the area’s long beaches. In view of that, in August, Florida declared a state of emergency for the seven places where K. Brevis has been growing quickly, providing $ 3 million to help with research, cleanup, and wildlife rescue.
Recently, the situation of red tide in Florida may be exacerbated due to an outbreak of algae Trichodesmium in the waters offshore of Manatee County. Trichodesmium floats on the water’s surface sucking nitrogen (氮) from the air while K. Brevis lives below the surface obtaining nitrogen from the water. If these two masses of algae mix, the dying Trichodesmium may end up providing nitrogen for K. Brevis, lengthening its stay in the area.
Researchers recently are exploring the idea of introducing other algal species to Florida. Among the possibilities is the Diatom. It’s a kind of algae that can grow quickly in the water. Its growth will consume a large amount of nitrogen from the water. So it competes with K. Brevis for nitrogen. Another possibility is algae known to give off chemicals that stop the growth of red tide.
The 10-month-long red tide outbreak in Florida may be the result of a combination of heavy rainfall, warmer ocean temperatures, and pollution. Now it’s time for us to do something.
1. What can we learn about K. Brevis?| A．It’s caused by red tide. | B．It can harm ocean life. |
| C．It’s facing dying out. | D．It exists mainly on land. |
| A．The researchers’ study of algae. | B．The tourism potential in Florida. |
| C．The possible ways to deal with red tide. | D．The consequences of red tide in Florida. |
| A．Worsened. | B．Studied. | C．Handled. | D．Ignored. |
| A．To change the color of K. Brevis. |
| B．To help reduce K. Brevis’ food supply. |
| C．To damage K. Brevis using some chemicals. |
| D．To increase fishes’ resistance to K. Brevis’ attack. |
9 . “Quick, quick, slow, slow,” my husband said as I was trying to focus. We frequently stepped on each other’s feet. Both of us were being rhythmically challenged, and we figured a series of lessons might help us look somewhat elegant on the floor. However, it didn’t.
It didn’t matter that the lessons didn’t pay off. Our learning something new together gave us a string of good memories, such as taking a Thai cooking class on a cold Chicago night and learning how to make classic cocktails (鸡尾酒) in a common bar. These experiences are my best memories from the past 10 years. We always have such a great time when we’re trying something new together. It seems to have strengthened our relationship, and makes me feel like we have a closer connection.
It turns out that my theory is backed by research. One study shows that learning new things with your spouse (配偶), friends, or partners, can strengthen your connection or friendship. But how exactly does this work? The key is vulnerability (弱点). “Learning new things together strengthens bonds because it is at those moments that we can show our vulnerability to one another,” says Dr. Hisla Bates. When we are learning a new task, misfortunes and failures are bound to happen. In those moments when we fail, the other party can be there in favor of us. We can work together to find a solution, and working together helps deepen the connection.
The benefits gained from learning new things with your partner can come from activities as small as hiking, trying a new recipe, going boating in the local lake or taking a fitness class together. You don’t have to go bungee jumping or skydiving to grow closer. Try selecting activities that both partners are unfamiliar with, as this will ensure you’re on the same page.
Trying to learn something new together once a month will benefit you and your spouse or friends. Overall, some of my best memories with my husband are the moments when we are learning something new together.
1. What were the author and her husband doing in Paragraph 1?| A．Playing sports. | B．Practising dancing. |
| C．Teaching lessons. | D．Taking a walk. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. |
| B．Good memories last a long time. |
| C．Processes matter more than results. |
| D．Well begun is half done. |
| A．It can encourage them to teach and praise each other. |
| B．It helps improve the understanding of each other. |
| C．It can reduce each other’s loneliness and boredom. |
| D．It helps find each other’s weaknesses and offer support. |
| A．The power of learning new things together |
| B．The advantages of taking different lessons |
| C．The challenge of acquiring new knowledge |
| D．The importance of improving people’s bonds |
10 . Deep below the ground, radioactive elements break up water molecules (分子), producing substances that can fuel subsurface life. This process, known as radiolysis (辐射分解), has supported bacteria in tiny cracks filled with water on Earth for millions to billions of years. Now a study published in Astrobiology shows that radiolysis may have supported life in the Martian subsurface.
Dust storms, rays in the universe and solar winds ruin the Red Planet’s surface. But below, some life might find shelter. “The best survival habitat on Mars is the subsurface,” said Jesse Tarnas, a planetary scientist at NASA. Examining the Martian underground could help scientists learn whether life existed there. And the best subsurface samples available today are Martian meteorites (陨石) that have crash-landed on Earth.
Tarnas and his colleague looked at the minerals on the Martian surface and how many radioactive elements there were, using satellite and rover data. They used computers to simulate (模拟) radiolysis to see how efficiently the process would have generated life-supporting hydrogen gas and other chemical substances. They reported that if water was present, radiolysis could have supported life for billions of years and perhaps still could today.
Scientists had previously studied Mars radiolysis, but this marked the first estimate using Martian rocks to see how habitable Mars underground might be. Tarnas and his colleagues also evaluated the potential richness of life in Martian underground. They found that up to a million bacteria could exist. in just one kilogram of rock. The most habitable seemed to be the southern highlands of Mars, which is the most ancient area on Mars, according to Tarnas.
“Underground life would require water and it remains unknown if groundwater exists on the planet,” says Lujendra Ojha, a planetary scientist at Rutgers University. Determining whether the Martian’ subsurface contains water will be an important next step, but this investigation helps to motivate that search. Ojha says, “Where there is groundwater, there could be life.”
1. What does radiolysis refer to according to the passage?| A．The formation of water deep underground. |
| B．The breakdown of rocks in the Earth’s core. |
| C．The production of energy from radioactive elements. |
| D．The process of radioactive elements splitting water molecule. |
| A．By simulating with collected data. | B．By comparing original data. |
| C．By engaging in a Martian field research. | D．By conducting a survey. |
| A．Tarnas is the first to study Mars radiolysis. |
| B．The presence of groundwater is key to the findings. |
| C．Ojha questions that underground life exists on Mars. |
| D．The southern highlands of Mars was home to millions of bacteria. |
| A．The reason for no life on the Martian surface. |
| B．The data source for the study of Martian habitability. |
| C．The possibility of Mars sustaining life through radiolysis. |
| D．The richness of radioactive elements below the Martian surface. |
