1 . A new study involving nearly 50,000 people from four continents offers new insights into identifying the quantity of daily walking steps that will best improve adults’ health and longevity(长寿), and whether the ideal number of steps differs across people of different ages. The study represents an effort to develop an evidence-based public health message about the benefits of physical activity. The often-repeated 10,000-step-a-day saying grew out of a decades-old marketing activity for a Japanese pedometer(计步器), with no science to back it up.
Led by physical activity professor Amanda Paluch, an international group of scientists conducted an experiment among adults aged 18 and older. They grouped the nearly 50,000 participants into four comparative groups according to average steps per day. The lowest step group averaged 3,500 steps; the second, 5,800; the third, 7,800; and the fourth, 10,900 steps per day. Among the three higher active groups, there was a 40—53% lower risk of death, compared to the lowest step group.
More specifically, for adults 60 and older, the risk of early death leveled off at about 6,000—8,000 steps per day, meaning that more steps than that provided no additional benefit for longevity, while for adults younger than 60, about 8, 000—10,000 steps per day.
“So, what we saw was this continuing reduction in risk as the number of steps increases, until it levels off. Interestingly, the study found no definitive association with walking speed.” Paluch says.
The new study supports and expands findings from another study led by Paluch before, which found that walking at least 7,000 steps a day reduced middle-aged people’s risk of early death. “There’s a lot of evidence suggesting that moving even a little more is beneficial, particularly for those who are doing very little activity.” Paluch says. “More steps per day are better for your health.”
1. Why did the scientists carry out the new study?| A．To know about people’s health condition. |
| B．To explain the pedometer’s working principles. |
| C．To determine the best physical activity for people. |
| D．To provide a scientific guideline on daily walking. |
| A．Turned higher. | B．Became stable. | C．Fell sharply. | D．Changed rapidly. |
| A．The old should walk as much as possible. |
| B．Young people usually walk more than the old. |
| C．The most beneficial steps differ by age groups. |
| D．Walking pace is the key to avoiding early death. |
| A．To walk more steps. | B．To control walking speed. |
| C．To limit walking distance. | D．To track the number of steps. |
2 . In times of intense stress, people sometimes let it out with a scream and a new study suggests that plants might do the same. Researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel has found that plants let out ultrasonic (超声的) screams when damaged or stressed by drought.
The noises, falling within a range of 20 to 100 kilohertz, are too high-frequency for humans to hear, but other plants and some animals perceive them. Insects might be listening for sounds from stressed plants to assess their condition before laying eggs on their leaves. A moth (蛾) may decide against laying eggs on a plant that sounds water-stressed.
Researchers attached recording devices directly to plants to listen for secret sounds inside their stems (茎). In drought, air bubbles formed, burst and caused vibrations (振动) within the tissue that normally carries water up the plants’ stems. The process was picked up by the attached recording devices, but researchers wanted to know if any plant sounds could travel through the air.
So the team placed microphones 10 centimetres from stressed-out tomato and tobacco plants. They subjected one set of crops to drought and another to physical damage. A third group was untouched.
The microphones did pick up distinct sounds. On average, drought-stressed tomato plants let out about 35 ultrasonic screams per hour, while those with cut stems made about 25. Drought-stressed tobacco plants let out about 11 screams per hour, and cut crops made about 15 sounds in the same time. The average number of sounds from untouched plants fell below one per hour.
The researchers also attempted to identify each plant group just based on its screams. Using a type of artificial intelligence calculations, the team picked out distinct features in each set of sounds and successfully sorted their plants into three kinds: “dry, cut or untouched.”
If it is not too costly to set up the recording in a field situation, farmers might be able to hear these stress signals too. In future, enabling farmers to listen for water-stressed plants could “open a new direction”, which will be increasingly important as climate change exposes more areas to drought.
1. The moth is mentioned in paragraph 2 to show __________.| A．moths need enough water when laying eggs |
| B．some animals are able to hear plants scream |
| C．some insects are picky about their surroundings |
| D．wildlife species depend on each other when stressed |
| A．Plants’ sounds couldn’t be detected by humans. |
| B．Plants can be grouped according to their features. |
| C．Plants’ screams are related to stress types in a way. |
| D．Air bubbles contribute to the lack of water in plants. |
| A．Supporting evidence for the research result. |
| B．Potential application of the research findings. |
| C．A further explanation of the research methods. |
| D．A reasonable doubt about the research process. |
| A．Plants’ Vibrations: Way to React to Stress |
| B．Stress Signals: Secret Newly Found in Plants |
| C．Green Screams: Plants Make Noises When Stressed |
| D．Ultrasonic Screams: Discovery Opens a New Chapter |
3 . “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” opens Leo Tolstoy’s novel Anna Karenina. While Tolstoy’s quote is famous, it is also inaccurate. It ignores the fact that happiness is a subjective (主观的) experience. Therefore, happy families and individuals come in all shapes and sizes. Even nations, we now know, can be happy in different ways.
Since 2012, the World Happiness Report has been ranking countries according to their levels of happiness. The latest report ranks Finland as the happiest country in the world, followed by Denmark and Iceland. Happiness matters.
Happier people more often engage in their communities and help others, making them important building blocks for advancing societies. So nations worldwide have increasingly focused on promoting people’s happiness.
Scientists employ “subjective well-being”, commonly termed “happiness”, to include both happiness and life satisfaction. They have identified characteristics typical of countries with high levels of happiness. Studies suggest richer countries are happier. Institutional quality, such as strong courts and good laws, also plays a vital role in shaping happier nations.
A country’s culture also influences subjective well-being. It is frequently analyzed from four main aspects: individualism, masculinity (男子气概), power distance and uncertainty avoidance. In individualistic countries, people tend to put their own interests first, leading to higher levels of happiness. Happier nations usually have lower levels of masculinity, which show a preference for cooperation, care and equal opportunities for both men and women. Happier nations also tend to more evenly distribute (分配) power, called “low power distance”. Finally, happier nations appear to be more tolerant of uncertainty, less anxious about risk-taking, and therefore more likely to seize life’s opportunities.
Although the image of a happy country sounds similar as described in these terms, all happy nations are not alike. That’s because each nation has different cultural, economic, and social factors that shape their unique identities and experiences.
The takeaway from this research is that governments worldwide should adopt a flexible approach to policy making, recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to promoting well-being.
1. Why does the author quote Leo Tolstoy?| A．To give the definition of happiness. | B．To introduce the topic of happiness. |
| C．To show the inaccuracy of his statement. | D．To recommend his novel Anna Karenina. |
| A．It is related to people’s satisfaction with the government. |
| B．Happiness of a nation helps improve its international image. |
| C．Individual happiness contributes positively to social progress. |
| D．Nations worldwide are competing for high happiness rankings. |
| A．The importance of happiness. | B．The differences among happy nations. |
| C．The ways to promote happiness. | D．The impact of culture on happiness. |
| A．Message. | B．Method. | C．Reason. | D．Result. |
4 . Working at a commercial bank in New York City in the mid-2010s, Anna Sacks sensed a lack of meaning in her life. She wanted to do something more fulfilling.
Some people seeking meaning might read a self-help book, or perhaps volunteer a few hours a week. Sacks packed up her life and moved to Connecticut for three months to participate in Adamah, a farming program that focuses on sustainable living and growing sustainable food. Returning to New York, Sacks carried with her a newfound purpose and a set of skills to turn her dreams into reality.
“One of the things that really stuck with me from Adamah was how little waste they produced and how they handled the waste they did have, mostly through composting,” she says. “And I just thought, ‘Why aren’t we doing that here? What is actually in all those bags and recycling bins at the roadsides?’”
The Adamah program opened Sacks’s eyes to the damage consumer culture is doing and the need to find solutions. So in 2016, she started working with a food rescue program, and in 2017, she found her true calling—what she calls “trash walking”.
During walks around her neighborhood, Sacks, 31, picked through trash to look for reusable items. Soon her trash walks expanded to include recycling bins in big companies. Surprisingly, she discovered really great stuff—like clothing and food—all of which she documents on Instagram and TikTok.
Under the name The Trash Walker, Sacks quickly gained popularity for her educational, funny, and surprising videos that highlight the problems with consumerism and share information about how to live a more sustainable lifestyle. “The root issue is overproduction, which leads to over-consumption, which leads to a large amount of waste,” she says.
Sacks is one of the most influential climate change activists on social media today. The lesson from her trash walking isn’t just that we need to produce less stuff. It’s that we need to stop throwing perfectly good items in the trash too.
1. What motivated Anna Sacks to get involved in Adamah?| A．A self-help book she read. | B．Her job at a commercial bank. |
| C．Her desire for a meaningful life. | D．The volunteer experience she had. |
| A．Fast-growing food output. | B．Sustainable living practices. |
| C．Advanced farming techniques. | D．Various waste management methods. |
| A．To improve her living conditions. | B．To gain popularity on social media. |
| C．To advertise her food rescue program. | D．To handle the damage by consumer culture. |
| A．Raising prices on products. | B．Collecting second-hand items. |
| C．Producing high-quality goods. | D．Making full use of products. |
5 . Taking toddlers to the hairdressers isn’t always a walk in the park. But worry no more. There are lots of great kids’ hair salons in Singapore that make the whole process a breeze.
LA Kids Cowboy
Wouldn’t it be good if you or your partner could head somewhere for a quick cut and have the kids’ hair cut at the same time? Sure would, which is why we’re loving LA Kids Cowboy. It’s Singapore’s first parent-child haircut and styling concept. Cut s are a great value of $20, making it a cheap and cheerful barber for kids.
Bonbon Blowout Bar
Bonbon Blowout Bar comes with individual tablets and sweets, so haircuts won’t seem like such a terrible affair for kids. The full-service salon provides haircuts, styling, and hair perm services for children from $28; and if it’s their first haircut, your kid will even bring home a First Haircut Certificate!
BabySpa
If you’re looking for a baby haircut, look no further. At BabySpa, your kids’ hair is in good hands. The wonderful stylists will ensure the gentles t of haircuts while your baby watches Barney, sitting in a toy car. BabySpa also offers a bathing service for kids up to age two.
Kids ‘N’ Me
This kids’ hairdressers over at United Square are a firm fan favorite. It’s down to the experienced hairstylists, who are known and loved for their awesome kids’ haircuts for football matches, from simple “short back and sides” to a full-on Mohawk. We hear children can even have their hair sprayed with temporary hair d ye for special occasions!
1. Where will a boy probably have a haircut for a football match?| A．At LA Kids Cowboy. | B．At Bonbon Blowout Bar. |
| C．At BabySpa. | D．At Kids ‘N’ Me. |
| A．An adult haircut. | B．A toy football. | C．A bathing service. | D．A Haircut Certificate. |
| A．Parents. | B．Hairstylists. | C．Children. | D．Athletes. |
6 . Long ago, Anne and I had a big argument over a piano!
“The family should learn to play,” she said, having seen one in a shop. I told her there was
Later, I found a grand piano at an auction (拍卖). It was a fine piece, if a bit
She was
One day, Anne came back from tea with a friend, full of praise for her friend’s
When I returned home one day, the piano was in the doorway, ready for the removers to take it to a sale. We came as near to a
In fairness to Anne, she loves the house and I am proud of it. I couldn’t handle the
| A．no way | B．no problem | C．no doubt | D．no risk |
| A．sport | B．game | C．song | D．instrument |
| A．ugly | B．light | C．old | D．big |
| A．Eventually | B．Gradually | C．Surprisingly | D．Fortunately |
| A．repaired | B．examined | C．painted | D．polished |
| A．critical | B．ashamed | C．proud | D．careful |
| A．thinking | B．acting | C．music | D．entertainment |
| A．spacious | B．comfortable | C．bright | D．elegant |
| A．furniture | B．piano | C．vase | D．flower |
| A．removed | B．replaced | C．valued | D．played |
| A．tackled | B．dropped | C．discussed | D．clarified |
| A．comeback | B．comedown | C．breakup | D．breakthrough |
| A．repeated | B．asked | C．announced | D．suggested |
| A．pain | B．loss | C．pressure | D．failure |
| A．in the end | B．in general | C．above all | D．after all |
7 . Top Piano Players in the World
Martha ArgerichMartha Argerich could be considered the next Beethoven, as she is one of the most outstanding pianists ever to play. Argerich preferred being on stage with others instead of performing solo; therefore, she has been performing in a concerto format since the 1980s. Argerich was not one for the spotlight, as she often avoided public appearances such as interviews; however, her great talent was all the publicity she needed, standing out during concertos and sonatas.
Leif Ove AndsnesKnown for his appealing performances of Edvard Grieg’s works, Andsnes has won praise for his performances at some of the world’s most famous concert halls. Andsnes has certainly made his mark in Norway, as he is the founding director of Norway’s Rosendal Chamber Music Festival. Because of his unique voice and interesting approach, he was praised by The New York Times as a “pianist of authoritative elegance, power, and insight.”
Alfred BrendelKnown for his beautiful interpretations of Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert and Mozart, Alfred Brendel was considered one of the greats. He played in various concertos throughout his career and became known for his interpretive coldness in recreating these works. Brendel was considered one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, as he made his mark in the classical music industry. Brendel was self-taught and learned his love of piano at an early age.
Arthur RubinsteinArthur Rubinstein was certainly one of the greats. His career began in the early 20th century when he began to come into contact with some of the world’s most important composers, such as Maurice Ravel, Paul Dukas, and Jacques Thibaud. He made various trips worldwide and visited nearly every continent, where crowds met him with great praise and encouragement.
1. What does the female pianist focus on in her career?| A．Skills in hosting concertos and sonatas. | B．Cooperation with other musicians. |
| C．Close relationships with the media. | D．Unique ways to interpret music. |
| A．Martha Argerich. | B．Leif Ove Andsnes. |
| C．Alfred Brendel. | D．Arthur Rubinstein. |
| A．He was the director of a Norwegian festival. |
| B．He made a difference in classical music. |
| C．He was the best musician of the 20th century. |
| D．He got in touch with some famous composers. |
8 . It was October 2005, and the catastrophic earthquake killing some 79,000 people in Pakistan had reduced the valley to mud and ruins.
Yasmeen Lari, a 65-year-old architect, was there to help lead the reconstruction of settlements, but she had never done disaster work before. Lari was known for designing smooth towers of glass and concrete. But here, she’d be drawing plans for earthquake-resistant homes using stone and timber debris(木材碎片). With each passing day, she felt deeply right to do disaster-relief work. So she made it her new mission, spending the next four months working with volunteer architects and engineers from Pakistan and abroad.
Inspired by local buildings made with sustainable materials such as timber debris, bamboo and mud, Lari’s shelters can better withstand disasters. Lari says this local, cost-effective and zero-carbon approach is creating an ecosystem. Anyone can learn by watching DIY videos on Lari’s Zero Carbon Channel on YouTube.
The design won a UN World Habitat Prize in 2018.“We need to believe in people’s capacity to bring about change. I treat displaced people as partners, not victims. They know what to do,” says Lari.
Over the decades, Yasmeen Lari has won many awards as architect and environmentalist. While it may seem like an unlikely path for a girl who was born into a well-to-do family in1941, she had an unconventional upbringing. At home, her father would talk about the desperate need for housing. Listening to her father talk about the housing crisis and need for architects made an impression on Lari. On a family visit to London when she was 15, she applied to architecture school at Oxford Brookes University. She laughs as she recalls her bravery.
At age 83, Yasmeen Lari is still full of ideas about zero-carbon designs, skills building and self-sustaining villages. “Architects can no longer work for just the one percent,” she says. “That doesn’t allow them to serve humanity as much as they could.”
1. What can we learn about Lari from the first two paragraphs?| A．She felt considerably proud to do disaster-relief work. |
| B．She started a brand-new volunteer working experience. |
| C．She was good at designing earthquake-resistant houses. |
| D．She reconstructed the settlements with glass and concrete. |
| A．By creating an ecosystem. |
| B．By strengthening local buildings. |
| C．By using local sustainable materials. |
| D．By watching DIY videos on YouTube. |
| A．Her interest in architecture drove her. |
| B．Her father encouraged her to path unusual. |
| C．Her father talked about the demand for architects. |
| D．Her rich family allowed her to pursue the most of dream. |
| A．Sensitive and brave. |
| B．Determined and cooperative. |
| C．Honest and generous. |
| D．Sympathetic and eco-responsible. |
9 . A winter morning I went to a local drive-in restaurant to pick up breakfast for my son.
As I
I got out of my car and
I am not an angel, just a person who has been through something
| A．approached | B．passed | C．left | D．spotted |
| A．singing | B．wandering | C．sitting | D．exercising |
| A．white | B．ugly | C．smelly | D．bare |
| A．money | B．socks | C．tents | D．food |
| A．looked | B．drove | C．came | D．turned |
| A．purchased | B．packed | C．folded | D．examined |
| A．put aside | B．refer to | C．give away | D．pick up |
| A．actually | B．previously | C．desperately | D．cautiously |
| A．lent | B．awarded | C．showed | D．handed |
| A．laughter | B．tears | C．surprise | D．spirits |
| A．evaluated | B．introduced | C．amused | D．treated |
| A．hug | B．present | C．poster | D．smile |
| A．disapproved | B．debated | C．agreed | D．added |
| A．attractive | B．unfortunate | C．unique | D．complex |
| A．intention | B．pressure | C．responsibility | D．sympathy |
10 . Next time you consider striking up a conversation with a stranger in line at the grocery store or while waiting at the laundry, keep in mind that it might be beneficial for your well-being. A recent study by a group of researchers found that there is a link between happiness and a term that the researchers coined called “relational diversity.”
Using public data from sources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the World Health Organization, the researchers analyzed data sets and survey responses from people who had shared their daily habits, schedules and interactions. They noticed a clear relationship between relational diversity and overall levels of satisfaction.
Hanne Collins, a Harvard Business School doctoral student who co-authored the study, says that relational diversity is composed of two elements: richness and evenness. Richness measures relationship categories, or how many kinds of people you interact with in a day. That could be your romantic partner, a family member, a neighbor or a stranger. “The more relationship categories they talk to in a day and the more even their conversations are across those categories, the happier they are. And we find this in a large sample across many countries,” Collins said. Evenness relates to the distribution of conversations among those different relationship categories. Some people may find themselves interacting with colleagues at work more than, say, their family members. “If you have a few conversations with colleagues, a few with friends, a few with a romantic partner or a couple of chats with strangers, that’s going to be more even across these categories,” Collins explained.
Ultimately, Collins says, the study gives insight to the idea that humans are social creatures at heart. Having a support system is important, but it goes beyond your inner circle. “It’s about this mix. It’s about connecting with people who are close to you, who are maybe less close to you, who connect you with other people, who provide different kinds of support, ”she said. “Essentially, the idea is that the more diverse your social connections, the happier you are and the higher your well-being.”
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The procedure of the research. | B．The analysis of the research data. |
| C．The significance of the research. | D．The application of the research findings. |
| A．By citing experts’ words. | B．By presenting questions. |
| C．By illustrating concepts. | D．By making comparison. |
| A．Live a more positive life. | B．Offer support to people nearby. |
| C．Expand one’s inner circle. | D．Connect with all kinds of people. |
| A．Talking to Strangers Might Make You Happier |
| B．Relational Diversity Decides Your Happiness |
| C．Human Beings Are Social Creatures in Nature |
| D．Finding Support Benefits Your Well-being |
