1 . Americans spend billions on vitamins, multivitamins for their health, but a review of numerous studies concluded there is little to no evidence that some of those vitamins prevent heart disease, cancer or death.

The report, released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force last week, concluded that “recent evidence is not enough” to determine whether vitamins actually help or hurt your health, based on 84 studies, 52 of which were done since 2014. Vitamins examined included vitamins A, B, C, D and E, as well as other multivitamins.

“Our suggestion is neither for nor against taking vitamins, or combinations of those nutrients (营养物质). We just don’t have enough evidence,” said Dr. John Wong, a doctor in the Department of Medicine at Tufts Medical Center who was involved in the report.

While the finding is that vitamins don’t have any benefits to “healthy, non-pregnant (未怀孕) adults”, it doesn’t apply to “children, people who are pregnant or may become pregnant, or people who are hospitalized.”

The Task Force admitted it makes sense that people would take vitamins in hopes of health benefits, as some shortage may lead to illness. But experts agreed the best way to get good health and prevent cancer is a balanced diet and regular physical activity.

“The suggestion across all organizations about vitamins is to eat a balanced diet, and then the key tends to be on plenty of fruit and vegetables and less junk foods,” Wong said.

Wong added people should refer to their health doctors to determine if any vitamins are worth taking. He said this suggestion should also serve as a need to further research into proving the official benefits and risks for each vitamin.

1. Why can’t we say whether vitamins really benefit or harm health?

A．Because they really have no benefit.

B．Because many studies have proved it.

C．Because evidence is not enough at present.

D．Because Dr. John Wong wasn’t involved in the research.

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A．Vitamins are of no benefit to anyone.

B．Vitamins are beneficial to healthy adults.

C．Children can’t take vitamins though they are in hospital.

D．People could take vitamins if lack of vitamin may tend to illness.

3. Which is the best way to avoid cancer according to the Task Force?

A．Taking enough vitamins.

B．Eating more packaged foods.

C．Following their health doctor’s advice.

D．Having a balanced diet and doing exercise.

4. Which can be suitable title for the text?

A．Taking Vitamins: No Benefit to People

B．Doctor’s Advice on Buying Vitamins

C．Taking Vitamins: Likely to Waste Money

D．Americans Spending More Money on Vitamins

2 . Steph Clemence always intended to go to college. But life has a(an) _________ throughout her early childhood years to _________ barriers. Growing up, she led a nomadic (漫游的) life because her mother, who remarried several times, was always on the _________. By the time of high school, Steph had lived in 25 places.

When her stepfather died in a car accident, leaving her mother to support three daughters on a(an) _________ income, paying for college became a serious question. But she still tried to figure out what to do with a life so _________ her plan for schooling.

The _________ came one afternoon when she was cleaning her bedroom. She _________ a thick document where she found a handout titled “Mrs. Clark’s Book List” by her high school English teacher Dorothy Clark.

It wasn’t homework, but it could be a(an) _________ for those not able to receive higher education due to _________ problems like her. The teacher had spent months creating a list of 153 books whose contents would be as __________ as a two-year study at an arts college.

Steph studied the list. Each of those books __________ her to learn more. The reading list was also a(an) __________ in her everyday life, even __________ with her on vacations to find out the next book. She never did get to college, but has now only four books left before __________ the list. She wishes she could thank Mrs. Clark for how reading the __________ on the list has changed her life.

1.

A．efficiency

B．motivation

C．exception

D．tendency

2.

A．hold back

B．set up

C．give away

D．carry on

3.

A．display

B．move

C．threat

D．mission

4.

A．precise

B．independent

C．modest

D．initial

5.

A．breaking away from

B．taking hold of

C．giving in to

D．going in for

6.

A．situation

B．answer

C．procedure

D．emergency

7.

A．spotted

B．folded

C．loaded

D．assigned

8.

A．hard rock

B．far cry

C．field work

D．road map

9.

A．flexible

B．foundational

C．financial

D．temporary

10.

A．qualified

B．reliable

C．sufficient

D．delightful

11.

A．confirmed

B．sharpened

C．stimulated

D．bounced

12.

A．origin

B．treat

C．concept

D．constant

13.

A．discussing

B．traveling

C．whispering

D．flashing

14.

A．completing

B．forecasting

C．revealing

D．declaring

15.

A．remarks

B．works

C．proofs

D．zones

3 . In looking through your social media, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed pictures accompanied by texts. The pictures are likely made possible by a text-to-image program called DALL-E. For example, Twitter user posted a tweet with the text, “To be or not to be, rabbi holding avocado, marble sculpture.” Then a matching picture appears below.

The AI models come from Google’s Imagen software as well as OpenAI. a start-up backed by Microsoft. On its website, OpenAI calls DALL-E “a new Al system that can create realistic images and art from a description in natural language.” But most of what’s happening in this area is coming from a relatively small group of people sharing their pictures. That’s because Google and OpenAI have not made the technology broadly available to the public.

The text-to-picture services identify the most important parts of a user’s text and then guess the best way to picture those terms. There’s generally a text box, a button to start the generation process and an area below to display images. To indicate the source. Google and OpenAI add watermarks in the bottom right comer of images from DALL-E and Imagen.

Engineers trained the models on various collections of words and pictures from the web. OpenAI recognizes the potential for harm that could come from a model. To avoid the risk, employees removed violent content from training data, and there are filters（筛选）stopping DALL-E from producing images if users submit（提交）violent or illegal content.

Boris Dayma, a developer from Texas spelled out the problems in an explanation of their software. Despite the risks, Dhariwal, a research scientist at OpenAI, said it could open up creative opportunities for individuals and could help with commercial applications for dressing up websites. Results should continue to improve over time.

1. What is the function of the the AI system DALL-E?

A．Beautifying pictures at users’ request.

B．Producing pictures from human words.

C．Changing pictures into vivid descriptions.

D．Providing pictures for users to choose from.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about concerning DALL-E?

A．Its users’ rights.	B．Its operating conditions
C．Its working process.	D．Its company’s prospect.

3. How could DALL-E ensure the images it produces legal?

A．All images come from a unified model.

B．The training data is selected beforehand.

C．Improper requests can’t be submitted.

D．Filters remove the unhealthy description.

4. What is Dhariwal’s attitude to the future of DALL-E?

A．Positive.

B．Objective.

C．Uncertain.

D．Worried.

4 . Picture the scene: you’ve spent years working towards a very specific goal. You’ve put in countless hours of work and made many efforts along the way, but now that you’ve got there it doesn’t feel quite like you imagined. Instead of celebration, you feel emptiness, confusion and doubt.

Welcome to the anti-climax. The often-experienced but seldom-discussed downside of achieving life’s biggest milestones. Many of us work tirelessly towards our goals. We may spend our lives dreaming of the day we get married, publish our first hook or buy our first home. However, oftentimes, when we achieve these things it doesn’t feel quite as expected. In fact, the achievement of these goals feels a bit of a letdown.

So why do we often experience an anti-climax with big goals, even though we’re happy to achieve them? “An anti-climax can be an unexpected by-product of a milestone achievement. Usually, the more significant the milestone, the greater the anti-climax may be. The intensity（强度）of an anti-climax often relies on what we expect of this achievement.” says Rachel Vora. a psychotherapist（心理治疗师）.“The journey to achieving a milestone can he exciting and tiring in addition to giving us a sense of purpose and focus. Therefore, when this disappears overnight. we can often feel lost and confused, in spite of feeling proud of our achievement.

When this happens it can contribute to a mixture of emotions. We often falsely believe that we’ll feel completely different afterwards or that our feelings of low self-worth will disappear, but this is rarely the case. “Clients（客户）often present to me with an extremely great sense of ‘is this it?’ and ‘what now?’.” says Vora. “These feelings of confusion and disappointment, if let ignored, have the potential to cause clients to be in low spirits, or even worse.”

1. Why does the author mention the examples in paragraph 2?

A．To present a fact.	B．To prove a rule.
C．To explain a term.	D．To make a prediction.

2. What does Vora think is the leading cause of the anti-climax?

A．Low self-worth.	B．High expectations.
C．Sense of purpose.	D．Unexpected achievements.

3. Which of the following is a case of the anti-climax?

A．Amy felt empty before giving a speech.

B．Jack felt lost after his first novel came out.

C．Mary felt proud when she joined a ballet club.

D．Tom felt doubtful about taking further education.

4. What will the author probably talk about in the following text?

A．How to hold back feelings.

B．How to improve self-worth.

C．Hon to identify the anti-climax.

D．How to deal with the anti-climax.

5 . When I was a practice teacher in a middle school，the students in my class were always making ______，and had no interest in chemistry. So I decided to do ______to change their______ towards chemistry.

The evening before I would teach all by myself，I gave a piece of paper to everyone. I told them to write ______ they wanted on the paper and handed it in and then I could tell what each one had ______ .All the students said I _____ be longsighted(远视)．Then I stood ______ my back towards them. I didn't turn back ______ they had finished and ______ all the paper in a cardboard case.

I turned the cardboard case with the bottom(底部)towards the students，and told them calmly what each one had written on the paper. The students were surprised，______ that I had learned their ______ completely in such a short time.

I told them the truth and they were ______ at my brightness：there were five lines of students in the classroom，and every line had ten students. I had written serial number(from 1 to 50 )on every ______ of the paper in a chemical reagent(试剂)that cannot be seen ______eyes，and then gave ______out to the students according to the groups of their seats. After the paper was ______ in，I used______ chemical reagent onto the corner of the paper. Thus the serial number was ______！

______ ，the students became ______ interested in chemistry，and we became good friends.

1.

A．progress

B．troubles

C．faces

D．efforts

2.

A．something

B．nothing

C．all

D．them

3.

A．methods

B．attitudes

C．feelings

D．interest

4.

A．that

B．how

C．when

D．what

5.

A．thought

B．seen

C．written

D．heard

6.

A．would

B．needed

C．had to

D．might

7.

A．with

B．for

C．to

D．as

8.

A．after

B．when

C．until

D．now that

9.

A．put

B．left

C．had

D．gave

10.

A．knowing

B．believing

C．seeing

D．hearing

11.

A．names

B．faces

C．characters

D．handwritings

12.

A．frightened

B．angry

C．sad

D．amazed

13.

A．corner

B．bottom

C．top

D．side

14.

A．in

B．for

C．with

D．to

15.

A．it

B．that

C．them

D．those

16.

A．given

B．handed

C．passed

D．offered

17.

A．expensive

B．useful

C．another

D．smelly

18.

A．made

B．seen

C．found

D．looked

19.

A．From then on

B．However

C．Though

D．So far

20.

A．a lot of

B．a lot

C．partly

D．greatly

6 . Banff National Park is home to an amazing wildlife population. But the busy Trans Canada Highway that cuts through the park is a hazard to the lovely animals. To address the problem, Banff first put-up wildlife fencing on either side of the highway to discourage animals from entering the busy road. Then, since 1996, they’ve opened six wildlife overpasses and 38 underpasses to help the animals cross the highway in safety. I was fortunate to visit Banff’s Red Earth Overpass with Trevor Kinley, the project manager with Parks Canada. He told me that so far, they have documented 10, 000 safe animal crossings on this overpass alone. “ Some animals have learned how to use the crossings much more quickly than others. Black bears are the fastest learners, followed by deer. Wolves and lions take the longest to work out how to use them, ” Kinley said, laughing. “ But those animals that are slower to adapt are usually more capable and determined at figuring out the safest way to cross those overpasses and underpasses. ”

There is some criticism (批评) that channeling so much wildlife into a few bridges and tunnels is like making a trap for the animals, offering big animals an easy meal on either side. “ But research has shown that this is not the case, ” Kinley assured me. “ There are no more killings around the crossings than there are anywhere else in the park. ”

Walking over the Trans Canada and then walking underneath through one of the tunnels, I was amazed to see the fresh tracks of black bears, wolves, deer and many kinds of smaller animals. Somehow, all these animal footprints made me so happy, knowing that all this wildlife was passing safely under and over the longest road in Canada.

Hopefully, the success of the wildlife crossings in Banff will continue to inspire similar solutions around the world, where human pressure on wildlife continues to grow.

1. Which of the following best explains “ hazard ” underlined in paragraph 1?

A．Shelter.

B．Message.

C．Answer.

D．Danger.

2. What does Trevor Kinley say about those wolves and lions?

A．They are stupid animals.	B．They are cautious learners.
C．They are very dangerous.	D．They are good at adapting.

3. What are the critics worried about?

A．There are too many bridges and tunnels.	B．Many animals will not use the crossings.
C．More killings might happen at the crossings.	D．Illegal hunting might be encouraged in the park.

4. How does the author feel at the end of the visit?

A．Concerned.

B．Disappointed.

C．Shocked.

D．Delighted.

7 . Wu Ming, a young German born after 1995, is a big fan of Chinese culture. As he thought some diseases can’t be treated _______ with Western medicine, he decided to _______traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In 2015, Wu came to Henan province, where a strong TCM culture can be _______. After a year of learning, he _______ the language barrier and started to learn Chinese medicine. Wu always _______ some Chinese herbal medicine by himself to know their flavours and effects, just like Shen Nong, a character in Chinese legend. In Wu’s opinion, TCM is one of the best-preserved _______ of Chinese culture.

Studying TCM also _______ Wu’s mind and lifestyle. He used to be _______ to electronic devices, playing video games every night. Instead of being trapped in the fast-paced but unhealthy daily _______, he now lives a(n) ________ and peaceful life, practicing good habits like drinking tea and reading.

Wu ________ what he has learned to help his family. He always provides his family members with some advice about staying fit after ________ their skin or tongues online. Over time, his family gradually began to understand his ________ for TCM.

Wu thinks there’s no big difference between China and Western countries. “________ comes from being out of touch”, said Wu. He plans to run a traditional Chinese clinic in Germany, which could serve as a(n) ________ between the two countries and publicize TCM and its culture.

1.

A．immediately

B．gradually

C．thoroughly

D．consistently

2.

A．depend on

B．dig into

C．look up

D．work out

3.

A．created

B．enjoyed

C．advanced

D．acknowledged

4.

A．overcame

B．seized

C．divided

D．shifted

5.

A．raised

B．sorted

C．cooked

D．tasted

6.

A．aspects

B．standards

C．themes

D．means

7.

A．enriched

B．secured

C．expanded

D．changed

8.

A．exposed

B．reduced

C．restricted

D．addicted

9.

A．businesses

B．recreations

C．routines

D．tasks

10.

A．balanced

B．wealthy

C．humble

D．efficient

11.

A．employs

B．promotes

C．outlines

D．conveys

12.

A．scanning

B．checking

C．exploring

D．comparing

13.

A．concern

B．wish

C．demand

D．passion

14.

A．Misunderstanding

B．Destruction

C．Stress

D．Failure

15.

A．source

B．basis

C．bridge

D．tool

8 . The Best National Parks to Visit in Winter

While most parks tend to draw families in the summer and fall, there are also ideal spots for adventurous winter trips.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The country’s oldest and best-known national park takes on an almost otherworldly atmosphere in winter: the air filled with rolling steam, the strong colors of hot springs, the surrounding white landscapes, let alone the impressive wildlife during this time, like bison, wolves, and playful red foxes. Just book a guided hiking tour to get a ranger’s perspective on the park and local people.

Joshua Tree National Park, California

With its giant red rocks and unique trees, you’ll feel like stepping onto a foreign planet as you spend hours hiking the Panorama Loop or Maze Loop. The park is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, featuring virtually zero light pollution and the country’s best views of a starry sky.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

A significantly lower number of visitors in winter means you can take in unblocked views of the South Rim, and get to see the rare beauty of the Grand Canyon dusted with snow. For those adventurous and daring, it is recommended to hike the Bright Angel Trail and take the chance to see the canyon’s wintertime wildlife, including mule deer, elk, and bald eagles.

Virgin Islands National Park, St. John

Surprise! Not all wintertime national park trips need to involve snow. Virgin Islands National Park is most famous for its white-sand beaches. You can also hike inland to visit old sugar plantations, or venture out to the water to swim along with sea turtles and manta rays. You will definitely enjoy a different winter here.

1. Which park will one choose if he/she is interested in stars?

A．Yellowstone National Park.	B．Joshua Tree National Park.
C．Grand Canyon National Park.	D．Virgin Islands National Park.

2. What do we know about the Grand Canyon National Park?

A．We can have a poor view of the South Rim there.	B．It lies in an area with rolling steam and hot springs.
C．There is a slight decline in visitor numbers in winter.	D．The Bright Angel Trail is challenging in cold weather.

3. Which activity is mentioned in all of the parks?

A．Hiking.

B．Skiing.

C．Swimming.

D．Hunting.

9 . The SNAG stands for stereotyped nature-inspired aerial grasper and it’s a 3D-printed bird robot with claws. It can fly, stay on various surfaces catch and carry objects, just like the mighty falcon（隼）that was used as the source of inspiration in its development.

Each leg of the SNAG has two motors, one for helping it move back and forth, and the other one for grasping. Twenty printing attempts were necessary for the robot to finally reach its current structure, but it was worth it. Now, according to researchers, the flying machine has an impressively strong and high-speed clutch（离合器），being able to land and wrap its claws around a branch in about 20 milliseconds. SNAG has ankles lock, and there’s an accelerometer （加速计）on its right foot that reports that it’s landed while triggering（触发）a balancing process to stabilize it.

Scientists have already conducted several tests with the robot in rural areas and on different surfaces. In all the situations, the SNAG was able to catch objects thrown by hand, such as bean bags, a tennis ball, and more.

As for the applications of the bird-like robot, the SNAG can get attached to drones（无人机）and be used for search and rescue missions, wildfire monitoring, to offer just a few examples. Another great application is environmental research, with the SNAG also featuring a temperature and humidity（湿度）sensor. By using a robot that can act like a bird, you can unlock new ways of studying the environment, as explained by William Roderick, mechanical engineer and one of the researchers involved in the project. Now scientists are moving on to improving the robot’s situational awareness and flight control.

This isn’t the first time that nature has inspired groundbreaking technologies. We also wrote a piece recently about the F-SAM micro drone, which was inspired by the flight of samara（翼果）seeds, also known as “twisters” which have a special way of spinning down to the ground.

1. What gave the researchers inspiration for the SNAG’s development?

A．The plane.	B．The falcon.
C．The micro drone.	D．The samara seeds.

2. What’s the function of the accelerometer on the SNAG?

A．To balance the SNAG in flight.

B．To change the SNAG’s flying speed.

C．To keep the SNAG’s feet in balance.

D．To make the SNAG steady on a surface.

3. What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us about the SNAG?

A．The SNAG has huge potential for practical use.

B．The SNAG has a long way to go before being used.

C．The SNAG will be helpful in putting out forest fires.

D．The SNAG is sensitive to temperature and humidity.

4. What may be one disadvantage of the SNAG right now?

A．It doesn’t know its situation well.

B．It can’t fly fast enough in the air.

C．It is easily broken by the branches.

D．It can’t catch objects with smooth surfaces.

10 . Alvin, 66, was deep in the woods in Grand Cane last December when something like litter on the ground caught his eye. It was a _______ balloon with a note attached.

“Dear Santa,” the note _______. “My name is Luna. Four years old. This year I have been _______. I would like candy, Spider-Man ball, My Little Pony. With love, Luna.”

Alvin’s heart hammered in his chest. It reminded him of his childhood wish. He smiled and set out to _______ Luna’s wish. He posted a photo of the balloon and the Christmas wish list on his Facebook page, asking for help _______ the sender.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez, the mother of four-year old Luna, had no idea that such a(n) _______ was underway. It had been a hard year for her family as COVID-19 spread. On a _______ tough day last December, she _______ the idea of having Luna send a letter to Santa by releasing a balloon. They enjoyed a _______ Christmas together, and then the calendar turned to a new year.

One day, Gonzalez received a call saying that someone had found Luna’s balloon. Her jaw ________. She logged on to Facebook and saw Alvin’s ________. She called Alvin and finally agreed to let Alvin fulfill her daughter’s wish list.

“Santa dropped your balloon ________,” Gonzalez told Luna, “but one of his elves (精灵) found it.” Not long after that, Luna received three boxes’ worth of ________with a note signed “Alvin the Elf.”

Now, having received so much ________, Gonzalez and her girl intend to pay it forward this year. After all, when Alvin could have just ________ that balloon in the trash, he went more than the extra mile.

1.

A．beautiful

B．broken

C．precious

D．blown

2.

A．printed

B．wrote

C．typed

D．read

3.

A．nice

B．difficult

C．demanding

D．smart

4.

A．fulfill

B．spread

C．make

D．express

5.

A．entertaining

B．uniting

C．reporting

D．locating

6.

A．preparation

B．effort

C．research

D．game

7.

A．temporarily

B．relatively

C．particularly

D．naturally

8.

A．came up with

B．argued about

C．put up with

D．jumped at

9.

A．healthy

B．green

C．modest

D．grand

10.

A．burst

B．cracked

C．broke

D．dropped

11.

A．post

B．letter

C．name

D．photo

12.

A．in time

B．after all

C．by accident

D．on purpose

13.

A．candies

B．gifts

C．toys

D．books

14.

A．attention

B．admiration

C．popularity

D．generosity

15.

A．adopted

B．stored

C．thrown

D．dragged