1 . Fortunately, the days of being spread on thick baby oil and lying in the sun to get you skin yellowish-brown—or more likely burnt—are long over. Many sunscreens work by filtering (过滤) the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays to keep them from reaching skin cells and causing the DNA damage that can lead to wrinkles and skin cancer. But in recent years, the safety of some of those filtering chemical ingredients, particularly oxybenzone (氧苯铜), has been in question.

A 2019 study published in JAMA found evidence that oxybenzone is absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to concerns about whether it might affect functions of our body. Oxybenzone has also been detected in breast milk for newborn babies. Because of concerns about higher intake in children, doctors from the American Academy of Pediatrics advise against sunscreen with oxybenzone for kids.

The Environmental Working Group, an activist organization that monitors chemical safety, has called for a ban, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers sunscreens with oxybenzone safe. “It’s uncertain,” says Deborah S. Sarnoff, president of the U.S. Skin Cancer Foundation. “Just because you’re absorbing the chemical doesn’t mean it’s dangerous.” Further study is required.

But oxybenzone is a risk to coral reefs. Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands have banned the sale of sunscreens with oxybenzone. In a 2022 study published in Science, researchers found that some certain sea plants, when exposed to sunlight, turn oxybenzone into energy or something needed in a way that damages and kills corals.

Some companies have been trying to stop using oxybenzone gradually in stages, and many big brands offer oxybenzone-free options. For anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding, or simply looking to avoid these chemical filters, Dr. Sarnoff recommends mineral sunscreens, which contain mainly physical barriers.

1. What is the advantage of sunscreen?

A．It gets your skin yellowish-brown.	B．It stops wrinkles and skin cancer.
C．It keeps UV rays from harming you.	D．It prevents skin cells from DNA damage.

2. Why do doctors advise against sunscreen with oxybenzone for kids?

A．They don’t want children to absorb more oxybenzone.

B．They don’t want oxybenzone to hurt babies’ functions.

C．They know oxybenzone can affect children’s bloodstream.

D．They know oxybenzone has been found in newborn babies.

3. What can we learn from the last three paragraphs?

A．Coral reefs in Hawaii were damaged or killed by sunscreens.

B．More research is needed to prove the danger of oxybenzone.

C．Some organizations have already banned the use of sunscreens.

D．Mineral sunscreens are much safer than those with oxybenzone.

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．The findings about sunscreens with oxybenzone.

B．Questions on safe use of oxybenzone raised by doctors.

C．Discussion on safety of oxybenzone between organizations.

D．Effects of sunscreens on humans and plants in recent studies.

2 . In our information-driven society, shaping our worldview through the media is similar to forming an opinion about someone solely based on a picture of their foot. While the media might not deliberately deceive us, it often fails to provide a comprehensive view of reality.

Consequently, the question arises: Where, then, shall we get our information from if not from the media? Who can we trust? How about experts- people who devote their working lives to understanding their chosen slice of the world? However, even experts can fall prey to the allure of oversimplification, leading to the “single perspective instinct” that hampers (阻碍) our ability to grasp the intricacies (错综复杂) of the world.

Simple ideas can be appealing because they offer a sense of understanding and certainty. And it is easy to take off down a slippery slope, from one attention-grabbing simple idea to a feeling that this idea beautifully explains, or is the beautiful solution for, lots of other things. The world becomes simple that way.

Yet, when we embrace a singular cause or solution for all problems, we risk oversimplifying complex issues. For instance, championing the concept of equality may lead us to view all problems through the lens of inequality and see resource distribution as the sole panacea. However, such rigidity prevents us from seeing the multidimensional nature of challenges and hinders true comprehension of reality. This “single perspective instinct” ultimately clouds our judgment and restricts our capacity to tackle complex issues effectively. Being always in favor of or always against any particular idea makes you blind to information that doesn’t fit your perspective. This is usually a bad approach if you would like to understand reality.

Instead, constantly test your favorite ideas for weaknesses. Be humble about the extent of your expertise. Be curious about new information that doesn’t fit, and information from other fields. And rather than talking only to people who agree with you, or collecting examples that fit your ideas, consult people who contradict you, disagree with you, and put forward different ideas as a great resource for understanding the world. If this means you don’t have time to form so may opinions, so what?

Wouldn’t you rather have few opinions that are right than many that are wrong?

1. What does the underlined word “allure” in Para.2 probably mean?

A．Temptation.

B．Tradition.

C．Convenience.

D．Consequence.

2. Why are simple ideas appealing according to the passage?

A．They meet people’s demand for high efficiency.

B．They generate a sense of complete understanding.

C．They are raised and supported by multiple experts.

D．They reflect the opinions of like-minded individuals.

3. What will the author probably agree with?

A．Simplifying matters releases energy for human brains.

B．Constant tests on our ideas help make up for our weakness.

C．A well-founded opinion counts more than many shallow ones.

D．People who disagree with us often have comprehensive views.

4. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A．Embracing Disagreement: Refusing Overcomplexity

B．Simplifying Information: Enhancing Comprehension

C．Understanding Differences: Establishing Relationships

D．Navigating Complexity: Challenging Oversimplification

3 . According to Oxford Dictionaries, morality means: “Principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior.” Though morality is a rather subjective subject, there are some principles that are universal across all cultures found by an Oxford University study: "help your family, help your group, return favors, be brave, obey superiors, divide resources fairly, and respect others, property”. The fact that these morals are found across 60 cultures from around the world demonstrates that morality, though subjective, is the cornerstone of keeping our societies together. Here are some reasons to be moral: without morality, a social life is almost impossible to maintain; having a good reputation and having a clear conscience is psychologically healthy; and most philosophies regard unselfish and principled behavior as important.

There is no doubt that without morals, a society cannot function effectively. A confused situation would appear. According to the Society of Morality, “We are social animals, and the actions we take - the things we do and the things we don’t do - have consequences on our environments and on the others around us. As a result, we need to be able to govern our behavior in the near term so as not to injure ourselves or our community in the long term. This system of controlling our actions and our thoughts in order to operate in a community is what we often refer to as morality”. Therefore, we need a set of morals in order to operate within a social circle and a social environment. Acting immoral usually results in being excluded from social activities or being avoided by a society based on laws and cultural standards.

Besides acting moral having a sociological need, it also has a psychological basis. Most people are concerned to some extent about their reputation. According to PsyPost, “A lot of economic models of human behavior assume that people are only rational (理性的)when they narrowly pursue their own self-interest, but history shows us that people are also tremendously concerned with being and appearing moral”. So, the fear of one’s reputation being damaged is often a strong motivator to be moral. And if someone has been immoral, most people go out of their way to make sure no one finds out, or to correct the behavior in order to not be caught. This goes in line with conscience as well. People generally feel in a better psychological state if they feel that their conscience is clean. A dirty conscience can result in a lack of sleep, anxiety, internal stress, and even illness.

On the side of philosophy, the study of ethics (伦理)comes into play. Most philosophers agree that one should rationally choose a set of standards of behavior in order to function. Though there is moral relativism, there are universal anthropological (人类学的)morals, as mentioned in the introduction. By the nature of our societies and cultures, we choose what we believe is right and wrong. But surprising, this rational behavior comes to a general agreement on morals. So, there is a fine line between moral relativism and moral absolutism. But the main thing to take away from this discussion is that philosophers generally believe that each individual has the right to rationally come up with a set of ethics to live by, and that it is healthy to do so.

1. The author discusses morality in the first paragraph in order to_________.

A．explain the relationship between morality and culture

B．describe the moral rules found all around the world

C．contrast the distinction between right and wrong

D．introduce the definition, principles and reasons of morality

2. It can be inferred from the passage that________.

A．acting moral allows us to fit into groups better

B．morality brings the system of controlling behaviors

C．acting immoral weakens laws and cultural standards

D．Our controlled behaviors establish sets of morals

3. Which of the following is the psychological basis for acting moral?

A．Pursuit of self-interest.	B．A clean conscience.
C．The concern about reputation.	D．A dirty conscience.

4. What does the author advise us to do according to the last paragraph?

A．To reach a general agreement on morals based on ethics.

B．To carve one’s own sense of ethics to operate in this world.

C．To choose between moral relativism and moral absolutism.

D．To exclude philosophers’ beliefs and solutions as well.

4 . Hardware in general, and smartphones in particular, have become a huge environmental and health problem in the Global South’s landfill sites(垃圾填埋场).

Electronic waste (e-waste) currently takes up 5 percent of all global waste, and it is set to increase rapidly as more of us own more than one smartphone, laptop and power bank. They end up in places like Agbogbloshie on the outskirts of Ghana’s capital, Accra. It is the biggest e-waste dump in the world, where 10,000 informal workers walk through tons of abandoned goods as part of an informal recycling process. They risk their health searching for the precious metals that are found in abandoned smartphones.

But Agbogbloshie legally should not exist. The Basel Convention, a 1989 treaty, aims to prevent developed nations from unauthorized dumping of e-waste in less developed countries. The e-waste industry, however, circumvents regulation by exporting e-waste labelled as “secondhand goods” to poor countries like Ghana, knowing full well that it is heading for a landfill site.

A recent report found Agbogbloshie contained some of the most dangerous chemicals. This is not surprising: smart phones contain chemicals like mercury(水银), lead and even arsenic(砷). Reportedly, one egg from a free-range chicken in Agbogbloshie contained a certain chemical which can cause cancer and damage the immune system at a level that’s about 220 times greater than a limit set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Most worryingly, these poisonous chemicals are free to pollute the broader soil and water system. This should concern us all, since some of Ghana’s top exports are cocoa and nuts.

Some governments have started to take responsibility for their consumers’ waste. For example, Germany has started a project that includes a sustainable recycling system at Agbogbloshie, along with a health clinic for workers. However, governments cannot solve the problem alone, as there is an almost limitless consumer demand for hardware, especially when governments’ green policies are focused on issues like climate change.

Only the manufacturers can fix this. A more economically sustainable and politically possible solution is through encouraging hardware manufacturers to make the repair, reuse and recycling of hardware profitable, or at least cost-neutral.

1. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?

A．Electronic waste requires more landfill sites.

B．Electronic waste is too complex to get fully recycled.

C．Electronic products need to be improved immediately.

D．Electronic pollution is a burning question in Agbogbloshie.

2. What does the underlined word “circumvents” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Relaxes.

B．Abolishes.

C．Avoids.

D．Tightens.

3. What should be the biggest concern according to the text?

A．The violation of EFSA’s standards.	B．The threat of polluted food worldwide.
C．The lack of diversity in Ghana’s exports.	D．The damage to chicken’s immune system.

4. What does the author think is the best solution to the e-waste problem?

A．Letting governments take on the main responsibility.

B．Reducing customers’ demands for electronic products.

C．Governments adjusting their green policies about e-waste.

D．Manufacturers’ developing a sustainable hardware economy.

5 . What makes a human being? Is it our thoughts? Our emotions? Our behavior?

All of these things make us who we are, but at the center of the matter is the genome(基因组) the genes inside our bodies that may determine everything from our hair color to our intelligence. But if we could change our genome, what would it mean to us?

In an online video posted on Nov. 26, He Jiankui, a biological researcher from Southern University of Science and Technology in China, said that he had helped to make the world’s first genetically edited babies.

These are twin girls, born in November, with genes edited in an attempt to help them resist possible future infection with the AIDS virus.

He said that he chose to do this because HIV infections are a big problem in China. “I feel such a strong responsibility that it’s not just to make a first, but also to set an example,” He told the Associated Press(AP).

The announcement has caused an international storm.

Some believe that success will benefit the families of HIV patients. Given that HIV is “a major and growing public health threat,” attempted gene editing for HIV is “justifiable(无可非议的),” Harvard Medical School genetics professor George Church told AP.

However, others think that since gene editing technology is still premature, it is unsafe to attempt it.

“Gene editing itself is experimental and is still associated with unexpected mutations(突变), capable of causing genetic problems early and later in life, including the development of cancer.” Julian Savulescu, a specialist in ethics(伦理学) at the University of Oxford, told BBC News.

Others fear that this could open the door to using gene editing technology to make designer babies. It might give the parents the options to choose everything from their baby’s eye color to intelligence.

“You could find wealthy parents buying the latest ‘upgrades’(升级) for their children, leading to even greater inequality than we already live with,” Marcy Darnovsky, director of the San Francisco Center for Genetics, told BBC News.

However, Merlin Crossley, a biologist at the University of New South Wales, Australia, believes that’s a long way off . According to him, many genes produce qualities like height and intelligence—not to mention environmental influences.

And he believes the technology will be better controlled in the future.

“It’s hard to get genies(妖怪) back into bottles... but I’m optimistic that this technology, which I think of as ‘genetic surgery’, could be regulated quite effectively in the future,” Crossley told BBC News.

1. According to the passage, which of the four statements is correct?

A．The twin girls with genes edited will not be infected with AIDS.

B．He Jiankui found a way to cure people of AIDS.

C．The genetically edited babies have aroused a heated debate.

D．It makes no sense to edit genes.

2. Who shares the same idea with Julian Savulescu?

A．He Jiankui.	B．George Church.
C．Merlin Crossley.	D．Marcy Darnovsky.

3. What can we infer from the underlined sentence “that’s a long way off”?

A．People will finally accept gene editing, but it takes time.

B．In the future gene editing will surely benefit people.

C．It will take a long time before gene editing succeeds.

D．There is much research to do on gene editing.

4. Which is the most suitable title for the passage？

A．Gene Editing: A Trend for the Future

B．Is Gene Editing the Way we should Go？

C．Can Gene Editing Free People of Future Diseases？

D．Gene Editing: Genies out of Bottles

6 . It was a Friday night and I was _______a restaurant, washing dishes. A plate _______through my wet fingers and fell onto the floor in _______. My face flushed(发红) and inside I was screaming, “Why me!?” as if my _______would make the plate whole again.

The broken plate was only one of the many _______fighting inside me. There were a dozen _______ smaller but urgent concerns.

For me, it was impossible to get some much _______rest or some study time before a coming exam. I had to _______with the family expenses(开销). So I got back to work.

It was 12 p.m. when I finally finished my work. I got on the _______home and took out my notes to study. I got the ________looks from people out of bars because I was studying on a bus in the middle of the night.

Their ________ didn’t bother me at all. I knew something had to change in my family and it ________to me to begin it. Fortunately, I also knew I had desire and ________in my blood. My grandfather was among the first Mexican immigrants who ________in L.A.. Both of my parents left Mexico in their early teenage years and began working long ________as a cook and a maid. The spirit was ________generations, which helped me both in school and at work.

As I walked through the front door at home, I saw my mother had fallen asleep ________me despite her own long day. In my bedroom watching my brothers breathe slowly made me feel my body’s tiredness. However, it would be a while before I could ________them in sleep. I had an essay ________early the next morning, and Ms. DePaolo doesn’t ________late work.

1.

A．in the middle of

B．in the front of

C．in the corner of

D．in the back of

2.

A．slipped

B．flew

C．jumped

D．slowed

3.

A．slices

B．pieces

C．blocks

D．sheets

4.

A．scream

B．cry

C．voice

D．shout

5.

A．tasks

B．difficulties

C．worries

D．matters

6.

A．another

B．others

C．other

D．some

7.

A．excited

B．attracted

C．delayed

D．needed

8.

A．increase

B．work out

C．cut down

D．help out

9.

A．taxi

B．bus

C．subway

D．train

10.

A．strange

B．casual

C．friendly

D．formal

11.

A．observation

B．stares

C．laughter

D．ignorance

12.

A．felt

B．jumped

C．threw

D．fell

13.

A．promise

B．wish

C．courage

D．ability

14.

A．settled

B．moved

C．lived

D．worked

15.

A．years

B．days

C．hours

D．minutes

16.

A．handed in

B．passed down

C．passed away

D．turned to

17.

A．waiting for

B．watching on

C．calling up

D．searching for

18.

A．take

B．join

C．hold

D．keep

19.

A．ready

B．written

C．due

D．finished

20.

A．receive

B．check

C．accept

D．assess

7 . Winter begins in the north on December 22^nd. People and animals have been doing what they always do to prepare for the colder months. Squirrels(松鼠), for example, have been busy gathering nuts from trees. Well, scientists have been busy gathering information about what the squirrels do with the food they collect.

They examined differences between red squirrels and gray squirrels in the American state of Indiana. The scientists wanted to show how these differences could affect the growth of black walnut(黑胡桃) trees. The black walnuts is the nut of choice for both kinds of squirrels. The black walnut tree is also a central part of some hardwood forests.

Rob Swihart of Purdue University did the study with Jake Goheen, a former Purdue student now at the University of New Mexico. The two researches estimate(估计) that several times as many walnuts grow when gathered by gray squirrels as compared to red squirrels. Gray squirrels and red squirrels do not store nuts and seeds in the same way. Gray squirrels bury nuts one at a time in a number of places. But they seldom remember where they buried every nut. So some nuts remain in the ground. Conditions are right for them to develop and grow the following spring. Red squirrels, however, store large groups of nuts above ground. Professor Swihart calls “death traps for seeds”.

Gray squirrels are native to Indiana. But Professor Swihart says their numbers began to decrease as more forests were cut for agriculture. Red squirrels began to spread through the state during the past century.

The researchers say red squirrels are native to forests that stay green all year, unlike walnut trees. They say the cleaning of forest land for agriculture has helped red squirrels invade Indiana. Jake Goheen calls them a sign of an environmental problem more than a cause.

1. The study done by Rob Swihart and Jake Goheen is to ________.

A．find out how squirrels collect walnuts

B．learn squirrels’ influence on black walnut trees

C．do something to get rid of squirrels

D．save the forests in the American state of Indiana

2. The difference between gray squirrels and red squirrels lies in ________.

A．the way they gather the walnut	B．the time they have winter sleep
C．the place they have winter sleep	D．the place they store the walnuts

3. What could be inferred from this text?

A．Agricultural in Indiana has been well developed.

B．Gray squirrels will be replaced by red squirrels in Indiana.

C．The spread of red squirrels will do harm to walnuts trees in Indiana.

D．The government will take some measures to protect black walnut trees.