1 . We know it can be hard to put your phone to bed before you sleep. However, if you’re trying to improve your sleep, you really should ditch your phone at least an hour before bedtime. Luckily, our experts can help.
Scientific evidence suggests that the blue light emitted from your phone, tablet, computer, and TV suppresses (抑制) your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone (荷尔蒙) that plays an important role in your sleep cycle. Melatonin release in the evening helps you relax before bedtime. A 2013 study that analyzed technology use and sleep patterns with data from a National Sleep Foundation poll found that using devices like phones was tied to more sleep disruption than electronics that aren’t interactive.
Many of us use the excuse that our mobile devices serve as our wake-up calls, or keep them nearby to use meditation apps. If you want to use your phone as an alarm, consider setting it a couple of hours before you turn in for the night, and then setting the phone itself to bedtime mode for the rest of the evening.
Here’s another groundbreaking idea: You could get a real alarm clock. After reviewing them at Reviewed, we recommend the Sharp Dream Caster. Not only is it easy to set a wake-up time, the clock includes white noises and rain noises to help you sleep, plus a number of volume settings to pick what works best for you.
But an alarm clock won’t help you avoid doom-scrolling through social media. Take things a step further by avoiding using electronic devices. You can try reading a book (one made of paper), taking a bath or drinking a cup of chamomile tea.
Finally, if you want to keep up your meditation practice screen-free, consider the Morphée. It looks like a little music box and comes with a variety of breathing exercises and soundscapes to help you get to sleep.
1. What does the underlined word “ditch” in paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Set aside. | B．Pick up. | C．Show off. | D．Turn to. |
| A．Relaxing yourself before bedtime. |
| B．Sleeping less than you normally would. |
| C．Adapting to your sleep cycle more easily. |
| D．Reducing the pressure from screen use. |
| A．It is sold at a lower price. | B．It can predict a heavy rain. |
| C．It is controlled by cellphone. | D．It helps put your eyes together. |
| A．Making the best of the eco-friendly products. |
| B．Making a change according to circumstances. |
| C．Establishing a bedtime routine without electronics. |
| D．Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake-up time. |
2 . In America, we have a thing called stand-up comedy. This popular form of entertainment consists of a comedian standing up at the front of a club, holding a microphone, and telling jokes. Of course, comedy is popular in Chinese culture as well, but the performances are quite different from the style in the US. In China, it’s called cross-talk, which usually involves two guys engaging in an entertaining dialogue.
It’s believed that cross-talk came into being in the Qing Dynasty as a bit of a by-product of the imitation shows that were a popular form of entertainment in the Song Dynasty. After the PRC was established in 1949, this comedic art became more and more popular. Today, it’s still heavily featured in the CCTV New Year’s Gala programmes in China. The 1990s was the golden age of cross-talk; even foreigners studied the art of cross-talk. Mark Roswell, a Canadian named Da Shan in Chinese was relatively unknown in his native land but was a superstar in China. At the turn of the century, cross-talk began to decline, and many well-known actors left the stage.
There are four skills that are essential in cross-talk: speaking, imitating, teasing, and singing. Most of the time, it is performed with two actors—one serves as the lead actor while the other plays a support role. However, sometimes it is performed simply as a one-man show, and at other times there are several actors. In order to criticize something, the humor involved in cross-talk is satirical.
1. What’s the difference between American stand-up comedy and Chinese cross-talk?| A．Chinese cross-talk actors don’t use a microphone. |
| B．American stand-up comedy actors are all men. |
| C．Chinese cross-talk is more liked by Canadians. |
| D．American stand-up comedy is only a one-man show. |
| A．History. | B．Future. | C．Features. | D．Difference. |
| A．He was an American stand-up comedian. |
| B．He was very popular with Canadians. |
| C．He was a famous cross-talker in China. |
| D．He left the stage in the early 1990s. |
| A．Acid-tongued. | B．Good-tempered. |
| C．Warm-hearted. | D．Smooth-tongued. |
3 . A few years ago, I visited my daughter Sandra and my granddaughters, Jocelyn and Hailey.
One evening I noticed Hailey was a bit unhappy. I asked her what the
I asked her, “Do you know what Grandpa does when he is feeling sad? I go to my
“Where is your happy place, Grandpa?” Jocelyn
“My happy place is on the inside of your hugs (拥抱),” I replied. “It’s the best place in the world. Don’t ever
Extra big hugs were
The next morning, Sandra was under a bit of pressure to complete an assignment (任务). She lost her
Jocelyn said, “Mom, are you having a
Jocelyn said, “Would you like to go to Grandpa’s happy place?” With that
After some
I cherish (珍爱) my time with
| A．purpose | B．problem | C．plan | D．choice |
| A．slowly | B．late | C．early | D．suddenly |
| A．shy | B．tired | C．nervous | D．sad |
| A．happy | B．secret | C．new | D．proper |
| A．wondered | B．warned | C．answered | D．repeated |
| A．put up with | B．go back to | C．look down on | D．get out of |
| A．changed | B．expected | C．offered | D．refused |
| A．power | B．patience | C．balance | D．trust |
| A．bad | B．long | C．special | D．lonely |
| A．helped | B．found | C．thanked | D．held |
| A．safe | B．favorite | C．famous | D．personal |
| A．closed | B．wide | C．bright | D．watery |
| A．play | B．service | C．work | D．life |
| A．friends | B．family | C．strangers | D．audience |
| A．pride | B．humor | C．truth | D．love |
4 . From July 19 to 24, I travelled to the Shiyanghe Basin in Wuwei, located in the heart of a desert in Northwest China’s Gansu province. Looking down from the plane on the way to the destination, all I saw was endless ranges of desert mountains and sands, which made it a breathtaking transformation when I saw green gardens and fruit farms upon arrival.
A local farmer in this landscape shared his success story of enlarging his farm through greenhouse crop production with me. Thanks to the greenhouse technology, his farm has grown from 10 workers, to around 100 within 10 years. The key role of women in agriculture is also praised, as their contributions increase the energy of the landscape.
We also visited a greenhouse with vertical (垂直的) watermelon farming. It was a well-aired, strategically positioned structure with shade cloth, vertical supports, drip irrigation (滴灌), good lighting, and insect management. It was amazing how technology can transform limited space into a great agricultural powerhouse, which not only increases outputs but also reduces environmental impact. What’s even more impressive is that it’s a great approach: It doesn’t stop at farming but can be used in food processing industries. This ensures that the journey from seed to consumers is seamless (无缝的), maintaining product quality and reducing waste.
I learned that Wuwei, although located in a region famous for its dryness, has attempted to become a major supplier of fruits and vegetables, competing with other regions in southern China which have sufficient water resources and good weather conditions. Through advanced irrigation techniques like drip systems, controlled environments, and effective resource management, they show the power of sustainable agriculture and the untiring spirit of those who transform deserts into fruitful landscapes.
1. What can we learn about the local farmer from paragraph 2?| A．He has more than 100 workers on his farm. |
| B．He is a new-type farmer who likes to share stories. |
| C．He is successful in adopting greenhouse technology. |
| D．He doesn’t admit women’s contribution to agriculture. |
| A．A pleasant visiting experience. | B．Benefits of watermelon farming. |
| C．Traditional agricultural approaches. | D．A greenhouse with advanced techniques. |
| A．It has enough water resources. | B．It experiences drought most often. |
| C．It has the same conditions with southern regions. | D．It establishes fruitful landscapes in the desert area. |
| A．A newspaper. | B．A guidebook. | C．A research paper. | D．A book review. |
5 . More people than ever are interested in learning to speak Chinese. The challenge that many face is finding the best resources to learn this new language. Fortunately, there are 4 amazing tools that can make learning Chinese much easier.
HelloTalk
This is an app that connects anyone interested in learning a foreign language to a native speaker who is willing to engage in conversation with learners, and help them practice and master their new language. It includes a voice-to-text feature that is perfect if you cannot understand your conversation partner. The text- to-voice feature that is included helps you to learn the proper pronunciations.
iTalki
No tool is going to take the place of one-on-one interaction(互动) with a real person. This is why iTalki is one of the most popular online language learning systems. If you join the iTalki community, you will be connected with an instructor who is a native speaker. They will work with you one on one to improve your vocabulary and conversational language skills.
FluentU
FluentU has made a wide variety of videos for your viewing pleasure. Each one is in Chinese and is a real-world movie or video. With FluentU, you can interact with the videos, pause and get pronunciation and definition information. In addition to this, there are quizzes(小测验) added to the videos to help you evaluate your own progress.
Pleco
This mobile app was designed specifically to help users learn Chinese. It includes an OCR reader that can be used to scan(扫描) Chinese language characters for translation, the ability to translate Chinese words from other apps and web pages, a document reader and an audio translator. It also comes with several dictionaries and the ability to create flashcards.
1. What’s the advantage of iTalki over other tools?| A．Providing one-on-one instruction. | B．Providing various learning videos. |
| C．Providing the text-to-voice feature. | D．Providing interesting playing games. |
| A．They offer the most famous learning tools. | B．They record your learning process directly. |
| C．They help you improve your pronunciation. | D．They provide you with various funny videos. |
| A．HelloTalk. | B．iTalki. | C．FluentU. | D．Pleco. |
6 . The kitchen is not just where we prepare meals. In many places, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where we connect with our family and friends. We have open talks about our pleasures and problems we met during the day while we make dinner or have a bite to eat. So, it can be a very busy room in the house.
Sometimes you need order in the kitchen for things to run smoothly. And sometimes you need one person to be in charge. Imagine you are cooking dinner for your friends. As you are making the soup, your friend Sara tastes it and says, “This needs more salt.” So, she adds more salt. Harlan comes to taste your soup and throws some fresh black pepper into the pot and some dried herbs. Cecilia tastes the soup and pours in some vinegar. What will the soup be like?
You are happy to spend time with your friends. But, quite frankly, all their opinions about your soup are becoming annoying. Worst of all, you taste the soup and it’s awful! And that is where we get the expression “too many cooks spoil the soup”.
This expression describes an age-old problem: If too many people help to complete a task, it may not go very well. But, you may think, “If many people are trying to get something done, the task will get done faster.” After all, American English also has the expression “many hands make light work”.
To answer that point, I will draw your attention to the word “cook”. Now, the cook is the leader in the kitchen. They may have assistants to help them. But the cook has the final say. So, what if a kitchen has many cooks? Who is the leader? Everyone! And that’s where the trouble comes.
1. What does the author think of the kitchen according to the first paragraph?| A．It is crowded in many houses. | B．It is where we feed our body and soul. |
| C．It helps to brighten up people’s day. | D．It serves as the most useful place in a home. |
| A．To describe a common phenomenon (现象). |
| B．To vividly introduce a saying. |
| C．To explain a way to be a good cook. |
| D．To stress the importance of teamwork. |
| A．A group of students get a task done together. |
| B．Some volunteers discuss how to help others. |
| C．Five designers want their own idea to be accepted. |
| D．Many retired workers learn how to be a cook. |
| A．What Happens with Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen? |
| B．Should a Cook Be Open to Suggestions? |
| C．What Could a Cook Do to Everyone’s Satisfaction? |
| D．Why Will Too Many Cooks Work in the Kitchen? |
7 . Everyone tries their best in life, and sometimes a few kind words of encouragement can help people realize that their efforts are not in vain (徒劳).Ⅰ remember a time when I was in fifth grade, and I was a very shy girl.
There was a drawing competition at my school that day. As everyone started to use their creative ideas to draw, I was only trying to think of something creative that could express my thoughts and emotions. Lost in my own world, I was brought back to reality when my art teacher called my name from behind. She came to me and encouraged me, saying, “Don’t overthink it, just put whatever comes to your mind on the canvas (画布). Do your best, and you will do well.”
Taking her words of wisdom to heart, I started my painting. Time flew by, and soon the bell rang, signaling the end of the time limit. We all turned in our canvases for inspection (检查). The next day, the winners of the competition were announced in front of the whole school. To my surprise, I heard my name being called second prize. It was a bolt from the blue for me, as I had never dared to dream of winning any prize.
Later on, I expressed my gratitude to my art teacher for her words of encouragement and for believing in me. That day, I became aware of my talent and started painting more whenever I had free time. Sometimes, I think that if it weren’t for her words of encouragement, I may have never discovered the talent I have.
Overall, this experience taught me the importance of encouraging others and how a few kind words can make a significant impact on someone’s life.
1. What was the author doing when called by the art teacher?| A．Organizing a drawing competition. | B．Trying to get some creative ideas. |
| C．Painting her work on her canvas. | D．Trying to get help from others. |
| A．Easy. | B．Interesting. | C．Challenging. | D．Encouraging. |
| A．Addiction. | B．Puzzlement. | C．Disappointment. | D．Surprise. |
| A．The Power of Encouragement |
| B．The Importance of Art Competitions |
| C．Overcoming Shyness Through Painting |
| D．Discovering Your Great Natural Ability |
8 . Listed below are some nice family-friendly museums in Chicago, pick one that interests your kids most and take your little ones there to have fun.
Shedd Aquarium (水族馆)
It was open to the public on May 30th, 1930. Visitors with limited movement can use easy slopes (斜坡) to reach the exhibits, which are also explained to children through an app.Families can spend the night in the aquarium during the special event called Asleep with the Fishes.
Elmhurst History Museum
It’s a museum about history that has won awards and was created in 1957. It shows different exhibits about many history-related subjects, has a fun interactive exhibit about its own history, and offers various public programs, tours of exhibits, and special events for the community. The museum is a fantastic place for families to visit for a day or two, and it even has places for picnics and holiday train journeys.
Chicago Children’s Museum
Founded in 1982, the museum displays impressive exhibits for children, featuring dinosaur bones, a play area only for babies and a famous and fun climbing area for children.Moreover, the museum offers various exhibitions and daily art classes for children, which are free of charge. Visiting the museum on the weekend is a good choice for economical family amusement.
Field Museum of Natural History
With millions of things in its store, it was established in 1893. Disco ver more than 4billion years of life on Earth through interesting displays and interactive events, and discover protection campaigns worldwide. It is now considered as famous as the Smithsonian Institution, established in 1846 in Washington, and the American Museum of Natural History, which originated in 1869 in New York.
1. What is special about the Shedd Aquarium for family visitors?| A．They can go on a picnic there. |
| B．They can sleep overnight there. |
| C．They can surf the Internet. |
| D．They can learn the history of Chicago. |
| A．Have discounts on holidays. | B．Watch dolphins’ exhibitions. |
| C．Take a fun climb. | D．Take free art classes on an app. |
| A．Shedd Aquarium. | B．ElmhurstHistoryMuseum. |
| C．Chicago Children’s Museum. | D．Field Museum of Natural History. |
9 . In an inspiring series of events over six years, a remarkable woman has turned up as the guardian angel for one family. She
Six years ago, Kristi Hadfield was a nurse who saved John Cunningham’s life when he was
Hadfield stayed in
“And when I posted it, I got a(n)
| A．knew | B．caught | C．rescued | D．employed |
| A．having | B．avoiding | C．escaping | D．curing |
| A．enjoy | B．remember | C．regret | D．imagine |
| A．came across | B．worked on | C．turned to | D．got to |
| A．Fortunately | B．Gradually | C．Disappointedly | D．Basically |
| A．agreement | B．touch | C．comparison | D．competition |
| A．female | B．strange | C．serious | D．former |
| A．order | B．gift | C．request | D．suggestion |
| A．identified | B．recommended | C．shared | D．heard |
| A．quit | B．appreciate | C．allow | D．consider |
| A．invitation | B．message | C．argument | D．description |
| A．provider | B．waiter | C．user | D．protector |
| A．set out | B．took place | C．shut up | D．came back |
| A．remarkable | B．unique | C．successful | D．significant |
| A．life | B．luck | C．money | D．thanks |
10 . Simone Biles is a remarkable athlete, having won 7 Olympic medals across two Olympic Games. However, in 2020, she shocked the world when she quitted from the Tokyo Games due to some mental problems. Many praised it as a brave decision, as mental health is just as important as physical health. The athlete said she often suddenly lost the sense of direction during the Games, which meant she could no longer sense her body move in the air. It is dangerous for any athlete.
Since then, Biles has focused on her personal life, marrying the love of her life in the process. Recently, USA Gymnastics announced that Biles is ready to return to gymnastics. She is scheduled to compete at the coming US Classic in August, and fans are waiting eagerly to see her in action. Joining Biles in the upcoming competition are 12 Olympic and 16 World Championships roster members. Some notable names include Olympic gold medalist Sunisa Lee and 2020 Olympic floor champion Jade Carey, among others.
Before Simone Biles became a successful athlete, she and her siblings experienced a “hungry” childhood. Biles’ love for gymnastics began on a field trip. They visited a local gymnasium, where she was given a flyer (传单) to join the program. Biles was a natural, but she didn’t see her potential right away. Little did she know, but everybody else around her did. Her difficult beginnings set the stage for Biles to become one of the most successful sportswomen. Her parents gave their 100% support for her to grow up in the environment she was great at.
Biles has everything she could need to live a golden life— a supportive family, a loving boyfriend and a passion, which also happens to be her career. At 26 years old, she has her whole life ahead of her and is expected to continue dominating (统治) the gymnastics world in the coming years.
1. What did Simone Biles do during the 2020 Olympic Games?| A．She dropped out unexpectedly. |
| B．She won her seventh Olympic medal. |
| C．She hurt others due to dangerous moves. |
| D．She shocked the world with her great performance. |
| A．Worried. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Excited. | D．Shocked. |
| A．One’s birth decides his or her future. |
| B．Quitting doesn’t necessarily mean giving up. |
| C．One should never give up his or her own job. |
| D．A person’s success requires all kinds of preparations. |
| A．A guidebook. | B．A fashion magazine. |
| C．A book review. | D．A news report. |
