1 . Want to keep your mind healthy and sharp throughout your life?____an instrument. A new study found that musicians might have brains that____better than their peers well into old age.

Researchers____the mental abilities of senior citizens and discovered that musicians performed better at a number of skills. In____, they excelled at visual (视觉的) memory tasks. While musicians had____verbal (口头的) capabilities to non-musicians, their ability to memorize new words was better. Perhaps most importantly, the musicians IQ____were higher overall than those who spent their lives listening to music____performing it.

The experience of musicians also played a role in how____their minds were. The younger the musicians began to play their instruments, the better their minds performed at the mental tasks.____, the total number of years musicians played instruments throughout their life corresponded with (符合) how strong their brains____years later.

The study of 70 older participants, with different musical experience over their lifetimes, provides a____between musical activity and mental balance in old age. “The results of this study revealed that____with at least 10 years of musical experience had better performance in nonverbal memory, naming, and executive processes in advanced age____non-musicians.”

The study also found that musicians who took the time to____in their spare time had even higher-functioning brain capabilities. This finding supports another recent study that reported people who walk regularly maintain healthier brains. With that in mind, perhaps joining a marching band now will make you the smartest person at the____home in the future.

1.

A．Judge from

B．Bring about

C．Pick up

D．Agree on

2.

A．fight

B．function

C．grow

D．hold

3.

A．surveyed

B．detected

C．inspected

D．tested

4.

A．short

B．theory

C．person

D．particular

5.

A．similar

B．true

C．limited

D．common

6.

A．points

B．degrees

C．scores

D．grades

7.

A．other than

B．better than

C．less than

D．rather than

8.

A．sharp

B．smart

C．wide

D．deep

9.

A．So

B．Additionally

C．However

D．Inclusively

10.

A．felt

B．rose

C．remained

D．arrived

11.

A．connection

B．chance

C．stage

D．conclusion

12.

A．applicants

B．interviewers

C．researchers

D．participants

13.

A．devoted to

B．relative to

C．inferior to

D．opposed to

14.

A．perform

B．exercise

C．communicate

D．rest

15.

A．entertainment

B．advertisement

C．retirement

D．development

2 . By the mid-1920s, Pablo Picasso, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. had been one of the most celebrated men .In 1957, when Pablo Picasso was in his seventh decade, he joked that x-ray technology might one day reveal a lost work underneath one of his early paintings. Today, that prediction became reality although the technology involved goes far beyond x-rays.

Using hyper-modern tools to peer into one of his Blue Period paintings, researchers have not only shown a hidden piece of art history in astonishing new detail, they have revealed a striking amount of insight into Picasso's creative process and style.

The investigation focused on"La Miséreuse accroupie, "or" Crouching Woman, "painted in 1902 and currently owned by the Art Gallery. The painting, an oil on canvas (画布) piece drawing a crouching (蜷坐的) woman who wears a long coat, shows Picasso’s typical Blue Period colors: grey, green, blue and white. It shows that the innovative modernist was inspired by the lines of an underlying landscape painted by an unknown artist.

The analysis also exposes several changes to the woman described in the painting,many of which Picasso ultimately abandoned. Researchers released their findings on Saturday’s press conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Austin, Texas. “We think now it's a landscape painted by someone enrolled at the fine arts academy in Barcelona, someone in Picasso’s orbit but not in his close circle, ”says Kenneth Brummel, assistant curator of modern art for the Art Gallery of Ontario.

As to why Picasso would have “recycled” another artist’s canvas(油画布), reasons could range from economic necessity, as a young artist still establishing himself, to deep inspiration driven by the lines of the image already laid down there. Picasso often re-used canvases for this reason."

“He didn't shave off the canvas or put a preparatory layer over it,” Brummel says.“ Picasso saw this landscape, found inspiration, and decided he was going to paint it immediately."

1. According to the text ,the most likely process of Picasso's painting?
①Picasso reused another artist's canvas.
②Inspired by a landscape painting, Picasso decided to paint one too.
③Picasso painted a woman on the landscape painting.
④Not happy with the landscape, Picasso covered it totally.
⑤Picasso made changes to the woman

A．②③④	B．④②③
C．①③⑤	D．②①④

2. How did Picasso deal with the landscape painting?

A．He reused it because he hated wasting anything.

B．He hid his own paintings beneath the landscape.

C．He took the advantage of it and created a new one.

D．He kept it to himself with the permission of its owner.

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A．People often celebrated Picasso’s success.

B．Picasso was not well-off when he started his career.

C．Picasso became successful overnight.

D．Picasso was good at imitating other artists’ works.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．Picasso's predication turned out to be joke.

B．High technology uncovered art mysteries.

C．Seeing is not always believing.

D．Lost Artwork Found Under Famous Picasso Painting.

3 . International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 Beijing China

According to official statistics, over 110 nations and international organizations, over 120 unofficial exhibitors, as well as 31 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, together with Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan have established gardens in the Expo Park, each presenting their own distinctive gardening and horticulture(园艺学).

Main scenic spots include: Core Scenic Area --- International Pavilion(展馆), China Pavilion, Plant Pavilion, Horticultural Experience Pavilion and Guirui Theater, 12 typical sites, International Horticulture, Chinese Landscape Horticulture, Horticultural Industry Development Belt, Great Master’s Garden, and Special Gardens.

The Exhibition started on April 29 and will end on October 7, 2019, lasting for 162 days and spanning three seasons including spring, summer and fall.

International Horticultural Exhibition

According to the International Exhibitions Bureau, the world exposition can be divided into two major categories based on their nature, scale and duration(持续时间). One is international registered exhibitions, which are also the highest level of expos globally, such as the Shanghai World Expo 2010. The other is the international recognized exhibitions or specialized expos, such as the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019.

A glance at A1-level International Horticultural Exhibitions

The International Horticultural Exhibition (A1) is a horticultural exhibition of the highest level and greatest influence with AIPH’s approval and Bureau of International Exposition’s recognition. Beijing is the second Chinese city to hold the A1-level exhibition following Kunming in Yunnan Province. Cities in the following countries have also held the highest-level expo in the world: the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, France, Canada, the U.K., Japan, Thailand and Turkey. Among them, the Netherlands has held six A1 exhibitions since 1960, followed by Germany, five.

1. Different gardens and pavilions are established to show __________.

A．the highest level of world exposition	B．special skills and cultures in gardening
C．greatest influence on horticulture	D．recognition from international organizations

2. The underlined word “span” is closest in meaning to __________.

A．explore	B．spread
C．include	D．witness

3. Which of the following statements is NOT right?

A．The International Horticulture Exhibition 2019 lasts over 5 months.

B．Kunming is the first city to hold the A1-level exhibition in China.

C．Germany ranks second in the time of holding A1-level exhibition.

D．Only two kinds of world exhibition are held according to the IEB.

4 . Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides. Following the rules, planning your next move and acting as a team member are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.

Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating .

Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones, which sharpens the hand-eye coordination (协调) needed in hunting.

Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.

Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it — some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He created a foundation to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.

Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life.

1. What are children expected to learn Through playing hide-and-seek?

A．Be a team leader	B．Obey the basic rules
C．Act as a grown-up	D．Predict possible danger

2. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably mean ?

A．Games can describe life in an exciting way

B．Games can turn real-life experiences into a play

C．Games can make learning life skills more interesting

D．Games can change people’s views of sporting events

3. According to the passage, why is winning Olympic medals so encouraging?

A．It inspires people’s deep love for the country.

B．It proves the exceptional skills of the winners.

C．It helps the country out of natural disasters.

D．It earns the winners fame and fortune.

4. What’s Iribarne’s goal of forming the foundation ?

A．Bringing fun to poor kids.

B．Providing soccer balls for children.

C．Giving poor kids a chance for a better life.

D．Attracting soccer players to help poor kids.

5 . Jake and Max Klein are twin brothers who have a passion for volunteering. Their family have always done community _______ .At a young age, they chose to _______ family's gifts at their birthday parties, but asked them to donate money to a charity. When they were seven, Jake and Max were interested in _______ with a family friend at the local homeless shelter to help cook. _________， he turned them down because they were too _______ and they had to be fourteen to cook. This led them on an endless _______ to come up with a way to help other kids who were also facing a _______ challenging: wanting to help but _______ because of their age.

So, Kids That Do Good was _______ to show ways to kids or adults, at any age, they could join the community and make a ________ .The small ________ has grown into a large website that brings thousands of ________ visitors each year. Jake and Max say that their website brings 35,000 unique viewers, of those viewers, Kids That Do Good has ________ kids to 16,000 organizations.

Jake and Max are ________ with school and after-class activities and other community service promises. Kids That Do Good also has blog posts that advise kids on ________ their own charitable event.

1.

A．surveys

B．services

C．duties

D．businesses

2.

A．sort out

B．play with

C．give up

D．put away

3.

A．travelling

B．volunteering

C．cooking

D．recycling

4.

A．Unfortunately.

B．Happily

C．Honestly

D．Gratefully

5.

A．shy

B．awkward

C．weak

D．young

6.

A．task

B．ability

C．chance

D．determination

7.

A．public

B．similar

C．sharp

D．direct

8.

A．joked

B．blamed

C．denied

D．praised

9.

A．advised

B．allowed

C．named

D．created

10.

A．judgment

B．difference

C．comment

D．decision

11.

A．plan

B．effort

C．project

D．experiment

12.

A．pleased

B．satisfied

C．amazed

D．interested

13.

A．connected

B．exposed

C．contributed

D．attracted

14.

A．familiar

B．patient

C．busy

D．content

15.

A．remembering

B．describing

C．celebrating

D．building

6 . The networked computer is an amazing device. It is the first media machine that serves as   the mode of production (you can make stuff), means of distribution (you can upload stuff to the network), site of _____ (you can download stuff and interact with it), and place of praise        and criticism (you can comment on the stuff you have downloaded or uploaded). _____, the computer is the 21st century’s culture machine.

But for all the reasons there are to _____ the computer, we must also act with caution.   This is because the networked computer has started a secret war between downloading and uploading—between passive consumption and active   _____—whose outcome will shape     our collective future in ways we can only begin to imagine.

All animals download, but only a few upload anything besides faces and their own bodies. Humans are _____ in their capacity to not only make tools but then turn around and use them to create superfluous( 过 剩 的 ) material goods (paintings, sculpture and architecture) and superfluous experiences (music, literature, religion and philosophy). _____, it is precisely       these superfluous things that define human culture and ultimately what it is to be human. Downloading and consuming culture requires great   skills, but _____ to   move   beyond downloading is to rob oneself of a defining ingredient of humanity.

Despite the possibilities of our new culture   machines, most people are   still _____ download mode, brought about by television watching. Even after the _____ of widespread social media, a pyramid of production remains, with a small number of people uploading material, a slightly larger group commenting on or modifying that content, and a huge percentage   remaining satisfied to just _____.

The networked computer offers the first chance in 50 years to _____ the flow caused       by TV viewing, to encourage thoughtful downloading and, even more importantly, meaningful uploading. The computer offers the opportunity to bring about a complete _____ from the     culture of television and a shift from a consumption model to a production model. This is   a historic opportunity. Fifty years of television dominance has given birth to an unhealthy culture. The _____ is now in our collective grasp. It involves controlling our intake, or downloading, and _____ our levels of activity—uploading.

Of course people will still download. Nobody uploads more than a tiny percentage of the culture they consume. But using the networked computer as a download-only device, or even a download-mainly device, is a _____ opportunity that history affords us. Therefore, the goal must be to establish a balance between consumption and production.

1.

A．celebration

B．conversations

C．reception

D．ceremonies

2.

A．Without doubt

B．In return

C．In particular

D．By contrast

3.

A．liberate

B．celebrate

C．concern

D．reject

4.

A．request

B．support

C．defense

D．creation

5.

A．unique

B．familiar

C．efficient

D．loyal

6.

A．In addition

B．In fact

C．For instance

D．By the way

7.

A．striving

B．comparing

C．failing

D．attempting

8.

A．optimistic about

B．unfamiliar with

C．stuck in

D．ashamed of

9.

A．transformation

B．emergence

C．encounter

D．maintenance

10.

A．consume

B．neglect

C．combine

D．innovate

11.

A．enhance

B．quicken

C．reverse

D．extend

12.

A．outcome

B．exposure

C．break

D．evolution

13.

A．puzzle

B．cure

C．regret

D．favor

14.

A．analyzing

B．maintaining

C．featuring

D．increasing

15.

A．wasted

B．treasured

C．multiplied

D．revised

7 . Millions of Americans sit behind a computer screen, chained to their desk all day because the vast majority of stable, high-paying professions are “office jobs”. However, having a successful career does not require you to sit behind a desk and plug away at a computer all day.

In fact, there are a large number of non-desk jobs in a variety of industries that are growing and offering workers a direct path to the middle class, according to a new analysis of labor market information from CareerBuilder. While most of the highest-paying non-desk jobs are medical professions that require a doctoral or professional degree, there are 170 non-desk professions that pay $15 per hour or more, do not require a bachelors degree for a typical entry-level position, and have seen at least 6 percent job growth over the last four years.

The US workforce has gradually changed to office-based work because of the rise of the professional service economy and productivity gains associated with information technology,” Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources Officer at CareerBuilder, said in a statement.

But some of the healthiest areas of job growth year after year are in middle-skill professions that don’t require workers to sit in front of computer monitors and phones for 40 hours a week.”

Here are the top-paying jobs that don’t require you to work at a desk in various kinds — none of which require a four-year college degree — and their hourly salary and growth rate since 2010: professional assistants : $26.57, 14 percent; elevator repairers: $37.81, 6 percent; mechanical engineering technicians: $25.19, 10 percent; and electromechanical technicians: $24.68, 8 percent.

While they tend to pay less than traditional office jobs, non-desk professions provide a variety of benefits. Haefner points to a 2014 CareerBuilder survey that discovered workers who don’t work at a desk all day are less likely to complain about their work environment and less likely to report being overweight.

1. What does the underlined phrase “plug away” in the first paragraph probably mean?

A．Turn off a switch.	B．Look for a job.
C．Keep on working.	D．Give up working.

2. What conclusion can we draw from the second paragraph?

A．A non-desk job may provide you with a middle-class life.

B．The last four years has seen an increase in desk jobs.

C．The college degree is the ticket to a position.

D．A non-desk job cannot offer you a secure life.

3. What is the key reason for the US workforce to change to office-based work?

A．High salary.	B．Medicine.
C．Information technology.	D．Work environment.

4. The writer attempts to tell us that _________.

A．“office jobs” are appealing to the middle class

B．non-desk jobs are a good choice for us

C．office jobs” are secure and high-paying

D．non-desk professions are better than office jobs

8 . In 1982, I had responsibility for Stephen Hawking’s third academic book for the Press, Superspace and Supergravity. This was a messy collection of papers from a technical workshop on how to devise a new theory of gravity. While that book was in production, I suggested he try something easier: a popular book about the nature of the Universe, suitable for the general market.

Stephen hesitated over my suggestion. He already had an international reputation as a brilliant theoretical physicist working on rotating black holes and theories of gravity. And he had concerns about financial matters: importantly, it was impossible for him to obtain any form of life insurance to protect his family in the event of his death or becoming totally dependent on nursing care. So, he took precious time out from his research to prepare the rough draft of a book.

At the time, several bestselling physics authors had already published non-technical books on the early Universe and black holes. Stephen decided to write a more personal approach, by explaining his own research in cosmology and quantum theory.

One afternoon, in the 1980s, he invited me to take a look at the first draft, but first he wanted to discuss cash. He told me he had spent considerable time away from his research, and that he expected advances and royalties (定金和版税) to be large. When I pressed him on the market that he foresaw, he insisted that it be on sale, up front, at all airport bookshops in the UK and the US. I told that was a tough call for a university press. Then I thumbed the typescript. To my dismay, the text was far too technical for a general reader.

A few weeks later he showed me a revision, much improved. Eventually, he decided to place it with a mass market publisher rather than a university press. Bantam published A Brief History of Time in March 1988. Sales took off like a rocket, and it ranked as a bestseller for at least five years. The book’s impact on the popularization of science has been incalculable.

1. What suggestion did the writer give to Stephen Hawking?

A．Simplifying Superspace and Supergravity.

B．Formulating a new theory of gravity.

C．Writing a popular book on the nature of the universe.

D．Revising a book based on a new theory.

2. Which of the following was Stephen Hawking most concerned about?

A．Financial returns.

B．Other competitors.

C．Publishing houses.

D．His family’s life insurance.

3. The underlined word thumbed is closest in meaning to     .

A．praised

B．typed

C．confirmed

D．browsed

4. The greatest contribution of the book A Brief History of Time lies in     .

A．bringing him overnight fame in the scientific world

B．keeping up the living standard of his family

C．making popular science available to the general public

D．creating the rocketing sales of a technical book

9 . This is the biggest education provider you’ve never heard of. Until now.

The Alison project—Advanced Learning Interactive Systems Online—has already signed up more than two million students to more than 500 online courses. It’s adding another 200,000 each month and founder Mike Feerick is confident this expansion (扩张) could grow even more rapidly and reach a billion students towards the end of the decade.

So how has it stayed below the radar? While the new wave of online courses—so-called Moocs, such as Coursera and edX, have become darlings of the digital media, why has Alison not the same attention?

Mr. Feerick says the big difference is who they are trying to reach. It’s the academic versus vocational (职业的) divide being played out in the digital market.

“The people we’re helping do not have a huge voice,” says Mr. Feerick. While the Moocs are associated with high-status universities, Alison’s focus is on the great numbers of people around the world needing to improve their vocational skills and training.

There are courses in subjects such as computer skills, learning English, basic accountancy building a website, food safety, introductions to legal studies. Within the coming months, India is expected to become the biggest source of learners, overtaking the UK and US. Nigeria and the Philippines are rapidly growing market.

Mr. Feerick wants to use online technology to offer free lessons in the most important basic skills that people need. As he puts it, 99% of the people are learning the same 1% of information again and again.

His other challenge to the established order is to question the necessity of exam certificates (资格). If people are studying for a specific skill, such as learning to touchtype or a language, he argues the key question is whether they can put the lessons into practice.

1. What does the underlined phrase “below the radar” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Trying to catch up.	B．Failing to attract notice.
C．Failing to meet demands.	D．Trying to become successful.

2. The Alison project is different from Coursera and edX in that ________.

A．it has more subjects	B．it offers free courses
C．it doesn’t make money.	D．it focuses on basic skills

3. What do we learn about the Alison project?

A．It aims to improve the learners’ academic scores.

B．It is mainly supported by high-status universities.

C．It will attract many learners in developing countries

D．Most of its learners are from Asia at the present time

4. Which word can best describe Mike Feerick according to the last paragraph?

A．Practical.	B．Creative.
C．Diligent.	D．Generous.

10 . Artists have long claimed alcohol and other drugs as inspiration for their creativity. But is there really a(n) _______ between intoxication（醉酒）and inspiration? A recent study published in Consciousness and Cognition explored the effects of moderate drunkenness on people’s creativity. The authors suggest that alcohol’s well-known effect in _______ executive function may be helpful for these types of creation problems.” Sometimes a reduced ability to _______ one’s attention can have positive implications for select cognitive tasks.” they write.

The findings raise the question of whether drugs that _______ attention and focus, in particular, stimulants（兴奋剂）, would have the opposite effect on creative thinking. _______, very little research has been done on the issue, and what results exist so far have been mixed. The outcomes may well vary according to individual _______ to the drugs. _______, some research has found that while stimulants can _______ test performance for those who are less intelligent, for the smartest folks, the drugs can have the opposite effect.

If less executive function is linked to more creativity, this may also explain why artists, writers and musicians appear to be more _______ to have an addiction. Perhaps creative people are more likely than others to be ________ to drugs in the first place, as a possible source of inspiration. And then, if reduced executive function is ________ in part for their initial talent, this, too, could make them more easily influenced by ________ once they start using. Having less executive control before you even take drugs means you’ll have less ability to stop once you start.

Whatever the real relationship between drunkenness, addiction and art, the authors ________ that their study findings don’t give people ________ to get drunk to “inspire the muse（冥想）” Co-author Jennifer Wiley, associate professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, told the British Psychological Society’s Research Digest.” We tested what happens when people are slightly drunk-not when people drank to ________. There could be no argument from these findings that drinking excessively would have the same effects.”

A glass of wine or two, however, may occasionally help.

1.

A．attraction

B．reservation

C．connection

D．decoration

2.

A．strengthening

B．damaging

C．maintaining

D．assessing

3.

A．block

B．reduce

C．disturb

D．control

4.

A．remain

B．drop

C．shift

D．increase

5.

A．However

B．Moreover

C．Instead

D．Therefore

6.

A．additions

B．responses

C．oppositions

D．contrasts

7.

A．For example

B．On the contrary

C．As a result

D．On the other hand

8.

A．conceal

B．executive

C．improve

D．delete

9.

A．vital

B．likely

C．ideal

D．difficult

10.

A．attracted

B．contributed

C．responded

D．withdrawn

11.

A．responsible

B．illegal

C．natural

D．impossible

12.

A．confusion

B．ambition

C．addiction

D．exhaustion

13.

A．lower

B．monitor

C．function

D．caution

14.

A．sacrifice

B．privacy

C．appreciation

D．license

15.

A．priorities

B．extremes

C．bottom

D．Affection