1 . It has always been thought that alcohol causes people to put on weight because it contains a lot of sugar, but new research suggests a glass a day cold form part of a diet. Looking at past studies they found that, while heavy drinkers do put on weight; those who drink in moderation can actually lose weight.
A spokesman for the research team at Navarro University in Spain says, “Light to moderate alcohol intake, especially of wine, may be more likely to protect against, rather than promote, weight gain.” The International Scientific Forum on Alcohol research reviewed the findings and agreed with most of the conclusions, particularly that data do not clearly indicate if moderate drinking increases weight.
Boston University’s Dr. Harvey Finkel found that the biologic mechanisms (生物学机制) relating alcohol to changes in body weight are not properly understood. His team pointed out the strong protective effects of moderate drinking on the risk of getting conditions like diabetes (糖尿病), which relate to increasing obesity. Some studies suggest that even very obese people may be at lower risk of diabetes if they are moderate drinkers.
The group says alcohol provides calories that are quickly absorbed into the body and are not stored in fat, and that this process could explain the differences in its effects from those of other foods. They agree that future research should be directed towards assessing the roles of different types of alcoholic drinks, taking into consideration drinking patterns and including the past tendency of participants to gain weight.
For now there is little evidence that consuming small to moderate amounts of alcohol on a regular basis increases one’s risk of becoming obese. What’s more, a study three years ago suggested that resveratrol (白藜芦醇), a compound present in grapes and red wine destroys fat cells.
1. The passage is mainly for those ________.| A．who produce wine | B．who go on a diet |
| C．who are eager to lose weight | D．who have a drinking habit |
| A．properly | B．carefully | C．frequently | D．excitedly |
| A．Moderate drinking increases weight. |
| B．Resveratrol is proved to increase the risk of becoming fat. |
| C．Moderate drinking has a strong protective effect. |
| D．The specific roles of different types of alcoholic drinks are very clear. |
| A．How to do some easy experiments. |
| B．How to reduce the calories contained in wine. |
| C．How to make wine in a healthy way. |
| D．How to prove the finding mentioned in the last paragraph. |
2 . In Washington DC, there is an entrepreneurial (创业的) teen, who owns and
Born with a(n)
“I knew that I wanted to start a(n)
Stephanie Gerstenblith, one of his
It is Michael’s faith that everyone should take the
Michael believes his cupcakes inspire smiles, tears, amazement, joy, satisfaction,
| A．displays | B．increases | C．runs | D．evaluates |
| A．occasional | B．shocking | C．abnormal | D．unbelievable |
| A．interested | B．convinced | C．disappointed | D．tired |
| A．guided | B．limited | C．delayed | D．improved |
| A．baking | B．study | C．work | D．research |
| A．difficult | B．strange | C．special | D．ordinary |
| A．returns | B．shows | C．gives | D．lends |
| A．innovation | B．business | C．school | D．conversation |
| A．history | B．friends | C．money | D．mistakes |
| A．help | B．detect | C．teach | D．save |
| A．apparently | B．barely | C．potentially | D．constantly |
| A．simple | B．popular | C．official | D．meaningful |
| A．classmates | B．customers | C．relatives | D．colleagues |
| A．inspired | B．warned | C．forced | D．asked |
| A．Rather than | B．Such as | C．Due to | D．Apart from |
| A．make a fortune | B．make a living | C．make a difference | D．make a donation |
| A．decision | B．responsibility | C．consequence | D．conclusion |
| A．something | B．everything | C．freedom | D．security |
| A．misunderstood | B．doubted | C．controlled | D．forgotten |
| A．enthusiasm | B．intelligence | C．happiness | D．argument |
3 . The Walt Disney Company turns 100 years old in 2023, and the whole world will celebrate its stories, characters and imagination — but only Philly’s Franklin Institute will house Disney 100: The Exhibition.
Making its world debut (首秀) right here in Philadelphia, the exhibition takes guests behind the scenes into the magical world of Disney at what’s sure to be one of the region’s must-see exhibitions of 2023.
When to Visit
From February 18 to August 27, 2023
What to Expect
Disney 100: The Exhibition features 10 large galleries, each with a distinct theme relating to the history of the House of Mouse, celebrating the classics from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Strange World.
The Walt Disney Archives (档案馆) is displaying its treasures, including more than 250 of its “Crown Jewels”, rarely seen artworks, costumes and other memorabilia (纪念品).
Admission & Tickets
Tickets to Disney 100: The Exhibition are on sale now, and guests have several options when it comes to experiencing the Disney magic.
Folks looking to visit in the daytime (9 am to 5 pm) can buy timed tickets for $45 (adults) and $41 (children aged 3-11). The best part: General museum admission to the rest of the Franklin Institute is included in the cost.
Looking to save on tickets? Consider visiting during the exhibition’s evening hours, which run from 5 pm to 8 pm from Thursdays to Saturdays. Tickets run $25 per person and do not include admission to the rest of the museum.
For maximum flexibility, consider picking up Flex Time Tickets, which allow exhibition access for any time. These run $61 per person and must be purchased in person at the Franklin Institute or over the phone.
Location & Contact
The Franklin Institute 271N. 21st Street Philadelphia, PA 19103(215)448-1200
1. What can guests do at the exhibition?| A．Watch a new Disney movie. | B．Try on different Disney costumes. |
| C．Create artworks about Disney characters. | D．Learn about the history of the House of Mouse. |
| A．They are available at a low price. | B．They can help avoid a long wait. |
| C．They can be bought over the phone. | D．They include general museum costs. |
| A．$50. | B．$131. | C．$90. | D．$86. |
4 . Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal, or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasise the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example,business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work,it is necessary to spend a lot of time in“small talk”, usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countries—like the UK or France—people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better, I realised that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment will offer a better chance to us to understand and learn from each other.
1. What’s the benefit of eating together at restaurants in some countries according to this passage?| A．People can develop closer relations. | B．People can share the same culture. |
| C．People can get to know each other. | D．People can keep each other company. |
| A．To show the English prefer to make long speeches. |
| B．To show too many words are of no use. |
| C．To show people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature. |
| D．To show even talk and silence can be culturally different. |
| A．By sharing different ways of life. | B．By accepting different habits. |
| C．By recognising different values. | D．By speaking each other’s languages. |
| A．Multicultural Environment | B．Cross-cultural Differences |
| C．How to Understand Each Other | D．How to Build up a Relationship |
5 . This past Earth Day, people who usually celebrated by heading outdoors relied on virtual tours instead. It was a fitting opportunity to experience virtual reality (VR) technology that some experts had advanced as an eco-friendly solution to the problem of over-tourism. But will interest in travelling virtually last beyond the pandemic?
For years, travel agencies have used VR technology to market destinations to potential customers. Now, the impact of COVID-19 may allow it to shake off its image of being a “gimmick”, says Ralph Hollister, a tourism analyst at Global Data. Virtual travel experiences are seeing a surge in popularity. Valerity Kondruk, CEO of VR travel company Ascape, has seen app downloads grow 60 percent from last December.
Still, there is a big gap between using VR to “try before you buy” and treating VR like the destination itself. To start with, the technology is not mature yet. 360-degree VR videos are usually experienced through a headset or an app. The headsets are expensive, heavy, and uncomfortable to wear for more than 30 minutes. The apps have none of these problems, but simply are not as impressive. Limited sensations (感觉) are another hurdle. The videos focus on the sights and sounds of a place but cannot do much with its smell, touch or taste. Additionally, tourists are neither locals nor business travelers. They tend to be less directed in their explorations and more focused on new discoveries. This simply cannot be recreated in VR.
VR may never replace traditional travel, but it still offers various possibilities. Most importantly, it could help bring people to places that are otherwise inaccessible. Kondruk’s travel company, for instance, has been working with a major Vietnamese travel agency on recreating areas of the country where the government has limited tourist travel.
Ultimately, the impact of VR on travel will be determined by the gradual development of new technologies. So far, advances have been significant but not great enough to affect the travel industry or support a drop in travel-related carbon emissions after the pandemic has ended.
1. What’s the function of Paragraph 1?| A．To describe a scene. | B．To introduce a topic. |
| C．To offer an argument. | D．To make a comment. |
| A．Difficulty. | B．Sight. | C．Difference. | D．Sound. |
| A．Places accessible. | B．Limited sensations. |
| C．Indirect participation. | D．Immature technology. |
| A．Disadvantages of virtual travel. |
| B．Virtual travel is not here to stay. |
| C．Virtual travel solves over-tourism. |
| D．Traditional travel will soon disappear. |
6 . I stood outside my front door catching my breath. After a lazy Christmas holiday, I had to recover from climbing stairs with carry-on bags and a suitcase. I looked up and blinked. Red tape crossed the door. I didn’t understand Hungarian, but the one English word said enough: “POLICE”.
Google Translate told me I would be arrested if I entered, so I didn’t. Finally, I called my rental agent. He went to the police station for more details.
My agent returned with authorization to enter. Not only were my files undisturbed, but so were the TV and printer. The burglars had taken a few items from the top drawer as well as a small amount of foreign currency in the bottom drawer. Somehow they hadn’t found the jewelry box in the third drawer.
I was in shock. My agent’s words were fuzzy, something about fixing the locks tomorrow and making a list for the police.
Then one day, I remembered that I’d left another jewelry box in the flat. My heart sank as I thought of another locket that had been in that box, a gold engraved one with a picture of my late honey Grandma inside. When I realized the box was missing, the whole experience seemed to crash down on me. I cried.
At the end of January, I received a registered letter from the police. The burglar hadn’t been found, and the case was closed. I slept with my purse by my bed. I hid my laptop when I showered. And then another challenge rose. I was unexpectedly laid off.
Then one July night, I reached into my third drawer, pulled out my jean shorts, and heard a small thud. I looked down and blinked: It was the tiny jewelry box I thought had been stolen six months earlier.
Inside was the locket with honey Grandma smiling at me, being there for me, telling me not to give up. I started to cry.
1. What did the red tape across the writer’s door mean?| A．There was a burglary here. |
| B．The rent had to be paid quickly. |
| C．The house couldn’t be entered freely. |
| D．The rental agent advertised for the house. |
| A．To fix the locks the next day. |
| B．To report the burglary to the police. |
| C．To have an iron security gate fixed. |
| D．To pay for missing things for the writer. |
| A．Puzzled→ Anxious→ Relaxed. |
| B．Shocked→ Sorrowful→ Nervous. |
| C．Shocked→ Desperate→ Hopeful. |
| D．Puzzled→ Relieved→ Confident. |
| A．Her suitcase had been stolen. |
| B．She felt insecure after the burglary. |
| C．She came to Hungary for Christmas. |
| D．She wasn’t taken seriously by the police. |
7 . Some of the Most Beautiful National Parks in the UK
Snowdonia
North Wales’s national park boasts mountain and sea views: Several of its peaks gaze across to Ireland and it has miles of sandy beaches. You can climb Wales’s highest mountain without working up a sweat by catching an old-fashioned train. Those who dislike excitement can choose zip lines, bounce down mountain bike trails or catch breaks at an inland surfing.
Cairngorms
The UK’s biggest national park is home to its mightiest mountains: Five out of six of Scotland’s highest peaks are found here. Lying in the heart of the Highlands, the Cairngorms mountain range still has vast areas of pure wilderness and is one of the chilliest places in the country. For much of the year, its peaks are blanketed in snow and you can ski there in winter.
Peak District
Sandwiched between Manchester and Sheffield, England’s oldest national park has two personalities: A tough and a gentle side. In the north are dramatic edges like Kinder Scout which rewards adventurous walkers with stark (荒凉的) views. Venture south for the lower, greener, grass-covered valleys of the White Peak. Walk along the Ecclesbourne Valley to experience both in one day.
New Forest
The New Forest is surprisingly old: William the Conqueror named it when he used to hunt deer and wild pigs here nearly 1, 000 years ago. Confusingly, this beautiful corner of southern England isn’t completely covered in woodland either—it also has acres of wild land and miles of pebbly (布满鹅卵石的), muddy coast. The terrain is gentle, and you’re guaranteed a sighting of its free-walking horses.
1. How can visitors climb Wales’s highest mountain without sweating?| A．By taking a cable car. | B．By riding a bike. |
| C．By taking a train. | D．By traveling in a plane. |
| A．It is a good habitat for horses. |
| B．It offers visitors two totally different views. |
| C．It is a newly-built national park in England. |
| D．Its name was given by William the Conqueror. |
| A．It has a long history. |
| B．It is completely covered by grass. |
| C．Visitors can hunt wild horses there. |
| D．It’s the biggest national park in the UK. |
8 . The Lake of Heaven
Changbaishan is in Jilin Province, Northeast China. Much of this beautiful, mountainous area is thick forest. Changbaishan is China’s largest nature reserve and it is kept in its natural state for the people of China and visitors from all over the world to enjoy. The land varies in height from 700 meters above sea level to over 2,000 meters and is home to a great diversity of rare plants and animals, Among the rare animals are cranes, black bears, leopards and tigers. Many people come to Changbaishan to study its unique plants and animals. Others come to walk in the mountains, to see the spectacular waterfalls or to bathe in the hot water pools. However, the attraction that arouses the greatest appreciation in the reserve is Tianchi or the Lake of Heaven.
Tianchi is a deep lake that has formed in the crater of a dead volcano on top of the mountain. The lake is 2,194 meters above sea level, and more than 200 meters deep. In winter the surface freezes over. It takes about an hour to climb from the end of the road to the top of the mountain. When you arrive you are rewarded not only with the sight of its clear waters, but also by the view of the other sixteen mountain peaks that surround Tianchi.
There are many stories told about Tianchi. The most well-known concerns three young women from heaven. They were bathing in Tianchi when a bird flew above them and dropped a small fruit onto the dress of the youngest girl. When she picked up the fruit to smell it, it flew into her mouth. Having swallowed the fruit, the girl became pregnant and later gave birth to a handsome boy. It is said that this boy, who had a great gift for languages and persuasion, is the father of the Manchu people.
If you are lucky enough to visit the Lake of Heaven with your loved one, don’t forget to drop a coin into the clear blue water to guarantee your love will be as deep and lasting as the lake itself.
1. Which of the following has not been mentioned as a feature of Changbaishan?| A．It is home to a great variety of rare plants and animals. |
| B．It is cold and has always been covered with snow. |
| C．It has beautiful waterfall and water pools. |
| D．It is very high above sea level. |
| A．The forest. | B．The waterfall. |
| C．The sea. | D．Tianchi. |
| A．It is not very deep. |
| B．It is covered with ice in winter. |
| C．It is surrounded by small lakes. |
| D．It is at the foot of Changbaishan. |
| A．boring | B．inspiring | C．interesting | D．confusing |
9 . Founded in 1942,the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) competition is America’s oldest and most famous science and mathematics competition. Unique among high school competitions,the Regeneron STS focuses on identifying and inspiring the most promising scientists among the nation’s high school seniors. For the first time in its 78-year history, the competition took place virtually this year in order to keep finalists and their families safe during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Forty finalists were honored during the virtual award ceremony. More than $1.8 million was awarded to the finalists.
This year, Lillian Kay Petersen of New Mexico won the top prize of a quarter million dollars. The 17-year-old invented a simple and remarkable tool for predicting (预测) harvests early in the growing season. She had tested it in Africa and successfully predicted harvests when compared with reported yields. This tool offers an important resource for organisations working on global food aid.
Second place and $175,000 went to Jagdeep Bhatia, 18, of Green Brook, New Jersey, for developing two fast and simple machine learning algorithms (算法) for computer programs. His algorithms do not only ask random (随机的) questions but ask just the right ones. His AI algorithms could help train robots and other devices faster and more easily.
Third place and $150,000 went to Brendan Crotty, 18, of Muskogee, Oklahoma for his project where he designed and built an efficient gas burner that could help reduce the ill impact of industries. His specialized burner system operates at higher temperatures than current industrial burners yet sends out 19 percent less polluting gas.
“Congratulations to the Regeneron Science Talent Search winners. They will be solving the world’s most difficult problems and have a significant impact on the development of the world,” said Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science & the Public, Publisher of Science News and 1985 Science Talent Search alumna. “With these finalists in the leading position of scientific and engineering discovery, I know we are in good hands.”
1. What is special about this year’s Regeneron STS competition?| A．It was held on the Internet. |
| B．It awarded three winners. |
| C．It gained popularity worldwide. |
| D．It was designed for college students. |
| A．Gas industry. |
| B．Food aid organizations. |
| C．Computer programing. |
| D．Environmental groups. |
| A．They will make contributions to the world. |
| B．They will work hand in hand. |
| C．They will be American leaders. |
| D．They will be in good condition. |
| A．The Future of Scientific Development |
| B．Main Achievements of All Competitors |
| C．Top Award Winners in the Regeneron STS |
| D．The History of the Regeneron STS Competition |
10 . A Timeless Legacy 2022：Artists of Glacier, Past and Present
Exhibition time：August 27~October 29，2022
Since the first A Timeless Legacy exhibition in 2015, our beloved annual and now biennial (两年一次的) exhibition celebrating the history, life and works of Glacier National Park artists has taken many forms. For the 2022 exhibition，we feature works from both contemporary (当代的) artists working in and around Glacier National Park, as well as historic artworks from the Hockaday Art Museum’s collections.
Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey
Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey lives in a world of color. And she likes to paint that way as well. After living for some years abroad in England and Europe，she eventually returned to the United States and settled down in Montana.
Carole Cooke
Artist Carole Cooke writes, “When I paint on location in remote areas, I feel a sense of excitement beyond description. It is my hope that sharing images of the land, trees and waters will give the viewers a strong sense of connection to nature. ”
Michelle Grant
Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Michelle Grant has been working professionally as an artist since 1994. She currently works in a contemporary realistic style. Her inspiration comes from owning horses and attending lots of horse-related events, which provide reference for her paintings.
Julie Jeppsen
Wildlife artist Julie Jeppsen is known for her paintings combining realism and atmosphere of wild animals in landscape. Julie is a self-taught artist, whose subject matter is a wide range of animals. She has been involved in art all her life and will continue doing it because it’s a major part of who she is.
1. When can people enjoy the exhibits in A Timeless Legacy 2022?| A．On August 25. | B．On October 28. |
| C．On November 29. | D．On December 30. |
| A．She can paint in urban areas. |
| B．She can return to the United States. |
| C．Her works can get people closer to nature. |
| D．Her inspiration can help with wildlife protection. |
| A．Their works focus on trees. |
| B．Their works are connected with animals. |
| C．They own horses. |
| D．They are self-taught artists. |
