1 . Few humans have had the opportunity to see Earth from space. And for astronauts living in the International Space Station like Loral O’Hara, that view never gets old. “You know, you see it in photographs, but that doesn’t compare at all to seeing it in person for the first time in 3D,”O’Hara said in a recent interview. “I just saw the ocean and the clouds — this blue and white marble against the blackness of space — and it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.”

O’Hara is a flight engineer for NASA’s Expedition 70 crew, who launched into space in September 2023. She and her team spent the last six months researching a range of topics: How the human brain and body adapt to microgravity, 3D-printed human heart tissue and how space changes the immune (免疫) systems of plants. One of these investigations is the Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research program, or CIPHER, which is intended to help researchers understand how living in space changes human health and psychology.

On Earth, gravity keeps blood and other fluids relatively low in the body. But when astronauts live in microgravity, these fluids are pushed up towards the heart, which can cause swelling, congestion (淤血) and even vision and hearing changes. Onboard the ISS, O’Hara says astronauts keep tabs on these potential health risks, performing regular eye exams and ultrasounds to collect data. The hope is to use this data not only for microgravity research, but also for research on Earth. For example, researchers know astronauts lose about 1% to 2% of their bone density per month during spaceflight. So, O’Hara and her team are analyzing bone marrow stem cells in order to better understand both this bone loss and normal aging on Earth.

O’Hara says the changes aren’t just physical either. She’s even had new types of dreams since she boarded the ISS last September. She says she often finds herself in small, tight spaces, looking for things on the space station.

1. What does the word “that” underlined in the first paragraph refer to?

A．The blue and white marble.

B．The sight of space in pictures.

C．The chance to see Earth from space.

D．The life in the International Space Station.

2. What does CIPHER aim to do?

A．Test the astronauts’ health conditions.

B．Understand the immune systems of plants.

C．Investigate the human psychological issues.

D．Study the impact of life in space on humans.

3. What can we learn from paragraph 3?

A．Astronauts can suffer hearing changes on Earth.

B．Researchers check their eyes to reduce health risks.

C．Microgravity leads to some physical changes.

D．Bone loss research is welcome among astronauts.

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

A．What’s It Like to Live in Space?

B．The Research of Microgravity in Space

C．Do You Dream of Living in Space?

D．An Extraordinary Woman Flight Engineer

2 . The Best Mini Freezers in 2024

There are hundreds of mini freezers on the market right now, so we’ve made the decision easier with a list of the best mini freezers, including various sizes and options in every price range.

Hotpoint Manual Defrost Freezer

For anyone who truly doesn’t know where to start, you can’t go wrong with the Hotpoint’s chest freezer. It offers 4.9 cubic feet of space. A removable organization basket is ideal for storing items you use the most to ensure they’re always on top and easily accessible. Plus, you can adjust the temperature as needed to ensure everything is completely frozen through.

Arctic King Upright Freezer

If you’re looking for a unit that’s relatively affordable, then this 1.1-cubic-foot upright mini freezer might be for you. It’s a quality mini freezer for dorms, bedrooms or anyone wanting extra storage for snacks and beverages. You might not be able to fit a lot inside, but it takes up minimal space and is ideal for a single person.

Mide a Mini Freezer

With 3. 5 cubic feet of space, this model from Midea is the best mini freezer on Amazon with thousands of five-star ratings. Unlike many chest freezers, it has a door that opens at various angles, making it easy to grab items quickly. It comes with a storage basket and temperature knob that gives you full control over how cold you keep your food.

Summit Mini Freezer

This mini freezer from Summit is available in stainless steel or wood-panel finishes. The freezer has 4. 7 cubic feet of space and an ice maker. Plus, it has a temperature memory function and a frost-free system that automatically adjusts the temperature to prevent excess frost from building up.

1. Which freezer offers the largest space?

A．Hotpoint Manual Defrost Freezer.	B．Arctic King Upright Freezer.
C．Mide a Mini Freezer.	D．Summit Mini Freezer.

2. What is special about Midea Mini Freezer?

A．It enables you to adjust temperature.

B．It is the best mini freezer in the world.

C．Its door remains open at different angles.

D．Its price is accepted by most customers.

3. What can you do with Summit Mini Freezer?

A．Remove the basket.	B．Make ice.
C．Fit a lot inside.	D．Save money.

4 . Empathy (共情) is one of the most important skills a teacher can have, but it is not always easy to respond to student behaviour with empathy. However, when you demonstrate to students that you understand and respect their feelings, you build mutual trust and friendly relationship.

According to new research, teaching children in a way that encourages them to empathize with others improves their creativity and may lead to a variety of other beneficial learning outcomes. The findings are the result of a year-long University of Cambridge study with year 9 Design and Technology (D &T) students (ages 13 to 14) from two inner London schools. Pupils at one school spent the year following curriculum-required lessons, while students at the other school used a set of engineering design thinking tools to improve students’ ability to think creatively and empathically while solving real-world problems.

Both sets of pupils were assessed for creativity at both the start and end of the school year using the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking: a well-established psychometric test (心理测试). The results showed a statistically significant increase in creativity among pupils at the intervention school, where the thinking tools were used. At the start of the year, the Creativity scores of pupils in the control school, which followed the standard curriculum, were 11% higher than those at the intervention school. By the end, however, the situation had completely changed: Creativity scores among the intervention group were 78% higher than the control group.

Nicholl, Senior Lecturer in Design and Technology Education, who trains teachers studying on the University’s D & T PGCE course, said, “Teaching for empathy has been difficult despite being part of the D &. T National Curriculum for over two decades. This evidence suggests that it is a missing link in the creative process, and vital if we want education to encourage the designers and engineers of tomorrow.” Nicholl added, “When I taught Design and Technology, I didn’t see children as potential engineers who would one day contribute to the economy; they were people who needed to be ready to go into the world at 18. Teaching children to empathize is about building a society where we appreciate each other’s thoughts. Surely that is something we want education to do.”

1. What will a teacher with empathy do?

A．Share knowledge with students.

B．Understand students’ emotions.

C．Improve important teaching skills.

D．Respond to students’ behaviour.

2. Why were thinking tools used by the pupils of the other school?

A．To spread the ideas related to empathy.

B．To learn the curriculum-required lessons.

C．To promote problem-solving abilities.

D．To inspire creativity with mutual trust.

3. What did the results of the test suggest?

A．The standard curriculum didn’t encourage creativity.

B．The intervention school was more popular among students.

C．The control group lacked the ability to empathize with others.

D．The empathetic class contributed significantly to creativity.

4. What did Nichol l think of the study?

A．Unarguable.

B．Influential.

C．Distinctive.

D．Inaccurate.

5 . I’m in a coffee shop in Manhattan and I’m about to become the most disliked person in the room. First, I’m going to interrupt the man reading quietly near the window and ask for a drink of his latte. Next, I’m going to ask the line of people waiting to pay if I can cut to the front of the queue. This is how I chose to spend my last vacation. Here’s why.

Growing up, all I ever heard about was “EQ.” It was the mid-1990s, and psychologist Daniel Goleman had just popularized the concept of emotional intelligence. Unlike IQ, which tracked conventional measures of intelligence like reasoning and recall, EQ measured the ability to understand other people — to listen, to empathize (共情), and to appreciate.

My mother, an elementary school principal, prized brains and hard work, but she placed a special emphasis on Goleman’s new idea. To her, EQ was the elixir (万能药) that separated the good students from the great after they left school. She was determined to send me into the adult world with as much of this elixir as possible.

But when I finally began my first job, I noticed a second elixir in the pockets of some of my colleagues. It gave their opinions extra weight and their decisions added impact. Strangest of all, it seemed like the anti-EQ: Instead of knowing how to make others feel good, this elixir gave people the courage to do the opposite — to say things others didn’t want to hear.

This was assertiveness (魄力). It boiled down to the command of a single skill: the ability to have uncomfortable conversations. Assertive people — those with high “AQ”— ask for things they want, decline things they don’t, provide constructive feedback, and engage in direct confrontation (对峙) and debate.

A lifetime improving my EQ helped me empathize with others, but it also left me overly sensitive to situations where I had to say or do things that might make others unhappy. While I didn’t avoid conflict, I was always frustrated by my powerlessness when I had to say or do something that could upset someone. This is my problem and I’m working on it.

1. Why did the author act that way in the coffee shop?

A．To improve a skill.	B．To test a concept.
C．To advocate a new idea.	D．To have a unique vacation.

2. What do we know about the author’s mother?

A．She thought little of IQ.

B．She popularized Goleman’s idea.

C．She was a strict mother and principal.

D．She valued EQ as the key to greatness.

3. What does the word “it” underlined in the fourth paragraph refer to?

A．EQ.

B．AQ.

C．Empathy.

D．Courage.

4. According to the passage, those with high EQ but low AQ are likely to be ______.

A．successful leaders	B．people pleasers
C．terrible complainers	D．pleasure seekers

6 . Europe’s series record-breaking hot and dry summers have broken an easy link to climate change. Climate models show Europe warms faster than the rest of the planet and the Arctic melting eventually causes massive ocean currents (洋流) and regional hot air circulation patterns.

Arctic melting is adding roughly 6000 cubic kilometers of water or more to the ocean per decade. As that fresh-water pours into the North Atlantic Ocean, it sits on top of heavier ocean salt-water and stops mixing. With less heat being stirred in from below, the surface water gets colder than usual during the fall and winter months, says Marilena Oltmanns, a climate scientist at the U.K. National Oceanography Centre. This phenomenon may explain the so-called “cold blob”, an area of sea in the North Atlantic that NASA nodeling suggests is one of the few spots on Earth getting colder.

To explore how the fresh water from Arctic ice might be affecting weather, Oltmanns and her colleagues developed a way to combine data from satellites, and weather stations. They found when the freshwater-caused cold blobs were more intense, the boundary was sharper, bringing more powerful westerly (向西的) winds. As a result, the stronger westerlies move a warm ocean flow from roughly 45°N to 60°N. That shift can continue into the next summer. And like a barrier, this warm current, curls up and around the British Isles, allowing a mass of hot, dry air to camp out over Europe.

“The study convincingly puts meat on the bones of an expectation I and others have had for a while — that the cold blob south of Greenland would influence North Atlantic weather patterns, as well as those downstream over Europe,” says Jennifer Francis, a climate scientist at Woodwell Climate Research Center.

1. What does the underlined word “cold blob” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Climate models.	B．Ocean current.
C．Cold water zone.	D．Air circulation patterns.

2. What does paragraph 3 focus on?

A．Introduce the form of cold blob.

B．Present a phenomenon of climate changes in Europe.

C．Survey some data for the study.

D．Analyze the reason of hot and dry summer in Europe.

3. What is Jennifer’s attitude toward the study?

A．Approving.

B．Indifferent.

C．Doubtful.

D．Unclear.

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．Human activities change climate models.

B．Arctic melting contributes to European heat waves.

C．Climate changes have little impact on ocean currents.

D．Global warming results in the rise of the temperature.

7 . It is well established that eating vegetables is good for us. Why, then, do some people like them but others don’t? A new study has found that other people’s likes and dislikes could play a part. According to the research, people who eat vegetables and show an obvious distaste for them can influence others.

A team of scientists in the UK set out to investigate how the facial expressions people make as they eat affect a person watching them. They asked more than 200 young women to watch videos of other adults eating raw broccoli. The people in the videos had different expressions while eating. They would smile, seem neutral (neither happy nor sad), or look disgusted by what they were tasting.

The study found that participants who watched someone else react with disgust while eating broccoli began to like broccoli less. The opposite was not true, however. When someone had a positive facial expression while eating broccoli, people watching them did not end up liking broccoli more.

Humans learn which behaviors, including eating, will benefit them by watching the reactions of others. Known as social modeling, this tendency can have a strong influence on people’s eating habits. Scientists believe that people might avoid food that appears disgusting because it could help protect them from eating something that tastes bad or could even be dangerous.

Although the research focused only on adults, experts think the results could also apply to children. This means that if children see their parents or siblings not enjoying certain foods, including vegetables, they might not want to eat them either. A previous study found that children between the ages of 4 and 6 were more likely to eat broccoli if they had seen video clips of adults enjoying it.

The team said further research is needed to understand more about how the behavior of adults influences children’s enjoyment of food. This could help experts find ways to encourage young people to eat more of the foods that are healthy for them.

1. What was the purpose of the UK scientists’ study?

A．Assess young women’s eating habits.

B．Examine the effect of raw broccoli on people.

C．Investigate facial expressions during eating.

D．Study the impact of diners’ expressions on viewers.

2. What does social modeling in paragraph 4 refer to in the text?

A．Correcting others’ behaviors.

B．Socializing one’s behaviors by learning from others.

C．Developing others’ eating habits.

D．Learning beneficial behaviors from observing others.

3. According to the text, what is the likely reason that children refuse to eat vegetables?

A．Impact of friends.	B．Influence of family members.
C．Personal taste preferences.	D．Unpleasant taste of vegetables.

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

A．Developing Good Habits: The Importance of Modeling.

B．Impacting Food Preferences: The Power of Eating Habits.

C．Influencing Food Choices: The Power of Facial Reactions.

D．Encouraging Vegetable Consumption: The Importance of Healthy Eating.

8 . The Arab Republic of Egypt covers a land area of approximately 1 million km², with an estimated 106 million people, Egypt accounts for one-fourth of the Arab world’s population. Egypt has long been considered the cradle of civilization and may be the oldest tourist destination on earth.

Cairo

A typical visit to Egypt includes arrival in the capital city of Cairo, one of the largest cities in Africa and the Middle East, with a population of approximately 22 million. Cairo today is a modern, international mix of Arab, African, and European influences. Travelers generally spend at least a few days in Cairo seeing the Egyptian Antiquities Museum, National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and Pyramids at Giza.

Upper Nile River

Most travelers include an Upper Nile River cruise as part of their schedule. Egypt is a beach destination, with thousands of miles of Mediterranean and Red Sea coastlines. Alexandria, Egypt’s second largest city is located on the Mediterranean Sea and has a string of beaches and seafood restaurants. For a truly relaxing beach vacation, travelers can visit one of the many resorts along the North Coast referred to as “Sahel”.

Red Sea coast

Egypt’s Red Sea coast has reefs offshore, with diving and snorkeling traditionally centered in Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. Visits to Mount Sinai and Saint Catherine’s Monastery in the mountainous interior are popular destinations, especially with religious pilgrims. Adventure travelers favor desert jeep safaris and camel treks to remote oases and spectacular wadis.

1. What do we know about Egypt?

A．Egypt makes up 25% of the world’s population.

B．Cairo today is a mix of modern and traditional elements.

C．Visitors can enjoy their beach vacations in Cairo.

D．Egypt has been considered as the oldest tourist destination.

2. Which place is most attractive to people with religious faith?

A．Mediterranean.	B．Alexandria.
C．Sharm El Sheikh.	D．Saint Catherine’s Monastery.

3. This text is most likely taken from ______.

A．A travel guide.	B．A geography book.
C．An Egyptian newspaper.	D．A historical magazine.

9 . If you find yourself embracing the thrilling chaos of completing tasks at the last minute, congratulations — You are not alone! According to a survey, 20% of U.S. adults procrastinate (拖延) at home, at work, in relationships, and more. Another survey found that 88% of people procrastinate at least one hour a day.

Sounds alarming? As it turns out, if you’re feeling stressed, you may be more likely to procrastinate. Essentially, our brains are structured to approach tasks we find enjoyable and avoid those we are afraid of. Our limbic brain (边缘大脑), the emotional part of our brain, is screaming, “Let’s do anything but that stressful thing!” while our prefrontal cortex (前额叶皮层) is the CEO of our brain, setting the goals, making a plan, and ensuring we stay on track. CEO vs. Drama Queen Brain — who will win? Actually, there do exist chances when our limbic brain overrides that prefrontal cortex message.

Then there’s the burst of energy we often get when we’re up against a deadline, which leads to a reward pathway within our brains and sets the foundation for procrastination as a habit. When you race to the end and get to the goal finally, your previous stress is gone and you almost get in that pattern of “See, I work better under pressure!”

So, how to beat procrastination? Well, you need to retrain your brain to cope with the stress. One trick is to take periodic breaks (reward) to refocus your attention on the task. Ever heard of the Promodoro Technique? It’s about working for 25 minutes and resting for 5. During those breaks, forget about brain-burning activities — try relaxing techniques such as meditation or yoga instead. Another trick is to “eat the frog” first thing in the morning, or tackle the most difficult and stressful task of the day, as was once said by Mark Twain.

1. Why are the two surveys mentioned in the first paragraph?

A．To warn the readers.	B．To introduce a concept.
C．To present a phenomenon.	D．To make a comparison.

2. Which of the following statements will the author most probably agree with?

A．We are born to prefer what we like and avoid what we fear.

B．The limbic brain is under the control of the prefrontal cortex.

C．We are more likely to burst when getting close to the deadline.

D．Failing to complete a task can lead to habitual procrastination.

3. What does the author suggest readers do to stop procrastination?

A．Force the brain to focus.	B．Take a break regularly.
C．Solve a tricky math problem.	D．Eat something refreshing first.

4. What is the tone of this text?

A．Humorous.

B．Ironic.

C．Serious.

D．Unclear.

10 . You’ve probably followed a few cute dogs and cats on social media. However, are you aware that Ai-generated pets are also gaining popularity nowadays? They are just as adorable as real dogs and cats but also exhibit human-like characteristics.

Chai Dada, 21, runs an AI-generated dog account called “Shizhuangzhuangya” on Xiaohongshu and has already got more than 10,000 followers. Her AI-generated pet Zhuangzhuang is a fluffy Shiba Inu with a big belly who likes to eat and work out. “Zhuangzhuang is actually a reflection of me,” Chai said. “Its life and mood basically reflect my own.”

To personify the character more, the young content maker places Zhuangzhuang in various daily life scenarios. For instance, responding to the recent increase of “hui nan tian”— the super humid (潮湿的) weather in southern China in spring — Chai posted images of Zhuangzhuangmopping a wet floor, with the caption. “It’s wet everywhere at home”; vividly capturing the mood. In the comments section, many have expressed sympathy (同情), for the poor dog.

“Many scenes may seem ordinary, but when a very lifelike and adorable human-like pet appears in these familiar scenes, it looks interesting,” Chai said. Since Zhuangzhuang closely resembles a human in a dog’s body, many followers have come to believe in its real existence. This has provided Chai with opportunities to monetize by partnering with brands for product advertisements. Aiming to expand her reach, Chai expressed a desire to dive deeper into AI to bring her AI pet to life not just in pictures but also in videos.

She also observed that more and more people like her are becoming AI pet bloggers, which has intensified competition in this industry. To attract more fans, bloggers are constantly learning more AI skills and brainstorming to create more interesting storylines. “I want to develop Zhuangzhuang into an intellectual property and create related cultural and creative products such as dolls and stickers,” said Chai.

1. What do we know about the AI pet Zhuangzhuang?

A．It is a digital recreation of Chai’s childhood pet.

B．It has gained over one million followers online.

C．It is a virtual representation of a real Shiba Inu.

D．It mirrors the life and personality of its creator.

2. Why is the “hui nan tian” example mentioned in the text?

A．To show the fun Zhuangzhuang brings Chai.

B．To illustrate how Chai humanizes Zhuangzhuang.

C．To describe Zhuangzhuang’s daily struggles.

D．To suggest Zhuangzhuang’s growing fan base.

3. What does the underlined word “monetize” mean in paragraph 4?

A．Commercialize.

B．Promote.

C．Maximize.

D．Monitor.

4. What does Chai plan to do?

A．Perfect Zhuangzhuang’s features.	B．Cooperate with other AI pet creators.
C．Create lifelike videos of Zhuangzhuang.	D．Write a book featuring Zhuangzhuang.