1 . Plastic is everywhere, from the Arctic ice to vital organs in the human body. In fact, previous estimates suggest that the average person swallows a credit card-worth of microscopic plastic particles(颗粒) every week. But new research shows that this could actually be an understatement.

Microplastics are plastics smaller than 5 millimeters, found in industrial waste, beauty products, and formed during the degradation of larger plastic pieces. Over time, they break down into even smaller nanoplastics. These tiny particles can pass through our intestines and lungs into our bloodstreams, reaching vital organs like the heart and brain.

While the idea of eating plastic is unsettling in itself, the major concern here is that these plastic particles contain chemicals that can interrupt our body’s natural release of hormones, potentially increasing our risk of reproductive disorders and certain cancers. They can also carry toxins(毒素) on their surface like heavy metals.

In the past, researchers have shown bottled water can contain tens of thousands of identifiable plastic fragments in a single container. However, until recently, only the larger microplastics were detectable with available measuring tools, leaving the area of nanoplastics largely a mystery.

Using Raman microscopy (显微镜学), capable of detecting particles down to the size of a flu virus, the team measured an average of 240, 000 particles of plastic per liter of bottled water, 90 percent of which were nanoplastics, a revelation 10 to 100 times larger than previous estimates.

These plastics likely originate from the bottle material, filters used to “purify” the water, and the source water itself. “It is not totally unexpected to find so much of this stuff, ” the study’s lead author, Columbia graduate student Naixin Qian, said in a statement. His team hopes to expand their research into tap water and other water sources to better inform our exposure to these potentially dangerous particles. “The idea is that the smaller things get, the more of them I reveal, ” he added.

1. What is the primary focus of the new research?

A．The presence of plastic particles.	B．The use of plastic in everyday products.
C．The detection methods for microplastics.	D．The potential risks of nanoplastics to human.

2. What is the advantage of Raman microscopy?

A．Finding the source of plastic particles.	B．Helping to cure the deadly flu virus.
C．Detecting the smaller plastic particles.	D．Improving the quality of bottled water.

3. Why will the team expand their research into tap water?

A．To focus on areas with higher plastic pollution.

B．To be aware of the dangerous particles in daily life.

C．To further measure the types of particles in tap water.

D．To detect the smaller plastic particles in industrial areas.

4. What is Qian’s attitude towards his research?

A．Skeptical.

B．Objective.

C．Conservative.

D．Positive.

2 . People duck responsibility for reasons ranging from simple laziness or a fear of failure, through to a sense of feeling frightened by the scale of a problem or a situation. Whatever the reason, if people fail to take responsibility, they’ll fail in their jobs, they’ll fail their teams, and they’ll fail to grow as individuals. All of this makes it important to address the issue.

Signs of not being responsible

There are several signs to watch out for. These include:

Lacking interest in their work, and in the well-being of the team

Blaming others for mistakes and failures

Missing deadlines

Avoiding challenging tasks and projects, and not taking risks

Regularly complaining about unfair treatment by team leaders and members and engaging in self-pity

Avoiding being dependent on others for work, advice and instructions

Lacking trust in team members and leaders

Ways to encourage responsibility

Start by talking

Your first step is to talk to the individuals concerned. Are there circumstances that are contributing to the situation, or problems that you can deal with?

Communicate roles, responsibilities and objectives

Your people need to know clearly what their roles and responsibilities are. Ensure that you have an up-to-date job description for each team member, and be as detailed as possible about every responsibility that they have.

Re-engage people

Your people will be more engaged if their work is supported with their values. Talk to them to find out what they are. Then, illustrate how their daily tasks and responsibilities go with those values.

Give plenty of praise

Finally, be sure to give your people plenty of praise when they do take responsibility. And help them improve by providing them with regular, effective and fair feedback.

1. What will happen if John fails to take responsibility?

A．He can complete his jobs.

B．His teams may suffer.

C．His growth will continue.

D．He will lose his life.

2. Which is the sign of John’s irresponsibility?

A．“It’s not my fault.”

B．“I’ll have it completed tomorrow.”

C．“It’s tough, but I can manage it.”

D．“I need resources to solve the problem. ”

3. What will you do first ifyour team members lacks responsibility?

A．Let him know their specific tasks.

B．Get them to find out the values of work.

C．Praise them for their good jobs.

D．Have a chat with him to find out problems.

3 . Ana Lizana works for the East Anglia ONE project-the largest of shore wind farm in Europe, made up of 102 turbines (涡轮) and powering around 500, 000 homes. It’s expected to be the model for offshore wind farms around the UK. A journalist is interviewing her.

Journalist: You’ve bad great career development. How did that happen?

Ana: My excellent female engineer manager taught me to be disciplined (训练有素的) and organized at work. I’m proud of being one of the few female electrical engineers on the project but all the women are from Spain. Scottish Power found it difficult to acquire female electrical engineers from the UK. In Spain, the industry is more equal because the numbers of boys and girls who study engineering are the same.

Journalist: What do the pupils ask when you visit them?

Ana: The schoolchildren ask me about my salary, because most of them want to be lawyers or doctors or do economics for banking. Girls in the UK don’t regard engineering as an opportunity. I tell them that I enjoy what I’m doing and that we provide and generate electricity for everybody.

Journalist: What’s the worst thing that has gone wrong?

Ana: For a tight programme, the worst thing is when we lose time. That can be the most stressful. My responsibility is about making sure it’ll be on time and is ready.

Journalist: How do you feel at weekends?

Ana: Tired! This project is a full marathon. You cannot work every day at 100pc but you need to try to be at 80pc. The weekend is all about rest and filling myself with new energy.

Journalist: What is the most satisfying thing about your work?

Ana: To know that you are creating a project that can generate electricity just by using wind. You are working on something great and being useful, and sharing knowledge with colleagues.

1. What can we learn about the East Anglia ONE project?

A．It contains more than 102 turbines

B．It’s the largest wind farm in Europe.

C．It provides electricity for 500.000 people.

D．It’s likely to set an example to British of shore wind farms.

2. Ana Lizana feels the most stressed when             .

A．she is asked about her salary

B．she trains and organizes girls

C．she shares knowledge with colleagues

D．she fails to generate electricity as quickly as possible

3. We can make a safe conclusion from the text that            .

A．the UK needs more female electrical engineers

B．Spain has more boys than girls studying engineering

C．Scottish Power calls for male engineers from the UK

D．Europe generates most electricity just by using wind

4 . Personalized medicine changes conventional medicine which typically offers blanket recommendations and offers treatments designed to help more people than they bam but that might not work for you. The approach recognizes that we each possess unique characteristics, and they have an out size impact on our health.

Around the world, researchers are creating precision tools unimaginable just a decade ago: superfast DNA sequencing(排序); tissue engineering, cell reprogramming, gene editing, and more. The science and technology soon will make it possible to predict your risk of cancer, heart disease, and countless other illnesses years before you get sick. The work also offers prospects for changing genes in removing some diseases.

Last spring, researchers at the National Cancer Institute reported the dramatic recovery of a woman with breast cancer, Judy Perkins. The team, led by Steven Rosenberg, an immune(免疫的) treatment pioneer, had sequenced her cancer cells’ DNA to analyze the sudden change. The team also removed a sampling of immune cells and tested them to see which ones recognized her cancer cells' genetic faults. The scientists reproduced the winning immune cells by the billions and put them into Perkins to attack her cancer cells. More than two y cars later. Perkins, a retired engineer from Florida, shows no signs of cancer.

Thirty years ago, scientists thought that it would be impossible to understand our genetic rules and sequence the 3.2 billion pairs of different elements in our DNA. “It was like you were talking fairytales,” Kurzrock said. “The conventional wisdom was that it would never happen. Never And then in 2003, never was over.”

It took the Human Gene Project 13 years, roughly one billion dollars, and scientists from six countries to sequence one gene complex. Today sequencing costs about a thousand dollars. The latest machines can produce the results in a day. The technology, combined with advanced cell analysis, clarifies the astonishing biochemical variations that make every human body unique.

1. What can we know about personalized medicine?

A．It has emerged a decade before.

B．It offers blanket recommendations.

C．It uses genetic information to help patients.

D．It administers treatment intended for most people.

2. Which best describes those precision tools?

A．Promising.

B．Highly risky.

C．Fruitless.

D．Strictly confidential.

3. What happened in the process of treating Judy Perkins' breast cancer?

A．Sequencing her immune cells.

B．Reprogramming her cancer cells

C．Analysis of her life style changes.

D．Identification of cancer-fighting cells.

4. What's the last paragraph mainly talking about concerning sequencing?

A．Its wide applications.	B．Its recent advances.
C．Its major disadvantages.	D．Its attractive prospects.

5 . James Warren rides the public bus a lot in his hometown of Denver. Then in January, Warren spotted a woman waiting for a bus. There was no seating at the stop—and no sidewalk—so she sat in the dirt. So he decided to build a bench.

“I just took some scrap wood and went to town,” Warren said. He then realized that one bench was far from enough. There are more than 9,000 bus stops in the Denver metro area, many of them without seating or shelter. Warren carves “Be kind” on each one—each made from scrap wood he finds in construction waste containers.

“I met some ladies the other day who were talking about how they used the benches every day,” Warren added. “It fills me up. It’s air in my tires.”

Warren said many people have hopped on his bench—making bandwagon, which has motivated him to build more. “I’ve had a lot of people reach out to me on Twitter,” he said. “Some people have wanted to come and help me.” Others saw Warren’s work in the local news and decided to take out their tools, too. People also started donating supplies. “That puts me over the moon,” Warren said.

Nica Cave, 26, a Denver mobility advocate, said, “The lack of infrastructure, shelter and seating at transit stops marginalizes(边缘化) those who rely on public transit. People like Warren are really encouraging me to see how people are willing to use their own time and resources to provide these much-needed services.” Cave added that she hopes the local government will see Warren’s benches and get involved.

That is precisely Warren’s goal. Warren—who is planning to organize a bench-building workshop—said his hope is that his benches make a difference in his community and even beyond. “My goal is to make people’s lives just a little bit better.” Warren said.

1. What do we know about Warren’s benches?

A．They are carved with his name.	B．They can be found at any bus stop.
C．They are specially designed for women.	D．They are made of recycled materials.

2. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．It is the source of my effort.	B．My tires are almost flat.
C．I need to fill air into my tires.	D．Praise is the best reward for me.

3. What made Warren feel happy?

A．The good sales of the benches.	B．The assistance from other people.
C．The comments on Twitter.	D．The awards from the local government.

4. What is Warren’s true purpose of organizing the workshop?

A．To earn more money to live a better life.

B．To set up his own bench-building workshop.

C．To encourage people to use more public transit.

D．To make people live a little bit better.

6 . Young boys often dream of superpowers to solve their problems. It was 1933, while the country was still ________the Great Depression, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster put their ________ down on paper. In the process, they created the world’s most popular superhero, Superman.

Joe was the artist and sketched all the time, ________ out at newsstands absorbed in magazines, especially “Amazing Stories,” and then ________ to recreate them at home. Jerry was the storyteller. The idea of Superman ________upon him in the middle of a sleepless summer night. When the Superman’s origin story started ________ , he dashed over to Joe’s place and showed it to him. Then they just sat down, and worked straight out.

As is often the case, when we experience something ________ in life, we deal with the feeling through ________expression. Jerry’s father had died during a robbery. A young child might ________ that experience by wishing something could have ________   it. For Jerry, out came the Man of Steel, who was ________ to bullets and protecting innocent people was his ________.

The story of Superman has inspired kids for generations. It has ________   their fears and driven their dreams. Most   ________   , the Man of Steel has inspired us all to find our superpower and use them to help others. Therefore, the next time you are inspired to ________   a friend from being bullied, or help the widow next door with your superpower smile, thank Joe and Jerry, two awkward high school kids who dreamt up Superman—making the world a little more safe and fair.

1.

A．evaluating

B．undergoing

C．controlling

D．overcoming

2.

A．concepts

B．principles

C．ideas

D．disputes

3.

A．hanging

B．working

C．running

D．figuring

4.

A．get out

B．stand out

C．set out

D．put out

5.

A．struck

B．dawned

C．fell

D．occurred

6.

A．taking action

B．taking effect

C．taking shape

D．taking aim

7.

A．tiresome

B．tragic

C．memorable

D．grateful

8.

A．creative

B．personal

C．academic

D．skillful

9.

A．remember

B．commend

C．judge

D．process

10.

A．defeated

B．predicted

C．prevented

D．supported

11.

A．subject

B．resistant

C．sensitive

D．accustomed

12.

A．responsibility

B．belief

C．command

D．contribution

13.

A．shared

B．confirmed

C．boosted

D．calmed

14.

A．unexpectedly

B．importantly

C．fortunately

D．obviously

15.

A．ban

B．help

C．save

D．facilitate

7 . Walter Benjamin, the German philosopher, once noted that boredom was the “dream bird that hatches the egg of experience”. However, the creative flights of fancy which often arise from having little to do are being killed off by social media, researchers argued. Viewing mindlessly through attention-grabbing posts and videos prevents “profound (深层的) boredom” that can drive people on to new passions or skills. Instead, people find themselves in a state of “superficial boredom”, which does not motivate creative thought.

Dr Timothy Hill, leader of the research team at the University of Bath, said, “The problem we observed was that social media can ease superficial boredom. But that also consumes time and energy, and may prevent people progressing to a state of profound boredom, where they might discover new passions. Profound boredom may sound like a negative concept but, in fact, it can be intensely positive if people are given the chance for undisturbed thinking and development.

Researchers interviewed 15 people during the pandemic (流行病), when boredom was more likely because of restrictions. Many described being trapped in regularly daily walks and watching television, with many turning to social media to pass the time. But although the participants said that social media provided a temporary escape from superficial boredom, it also appeared to exacerbate it, leaving them feeling they had wasted their time.

The pandemic was a painful and consuming experience for thousands of less fortunate people. But there are stories of those in lockdown who found new hobbies, careers or directions in life. Switching off devices could help people reach the state of boredom which pushes them on to new hobbies or achievements.

This research has given us a window to understand how the “always-on”, 24/7 culture and devices that promise an abundance of information and entertainment may be fixing our superficial boredom but are actually preventing us from finding more meaningful things.

1. Why are Walter Benjamin’s words mentioned?

A．To call for attention to the research on boredom.

B．To comment on the strategies to face loneliness.

C．To offer advice on developing creative thinking.

D．To clarify the problem caused by social media.

2. Which of the following may Dr Timothy Hill agree?

A．Profound boredom is of value.

B．Social media can fuel passions.

C．The research has some limitations.

D．Creative thought is easily disturbed.

3. What does the underlined word “exacerbate” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Avoid.	B．Break.
C．Inspire.	D．Worsen.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．Why people enjoy boredom

B．How boredom helps kill time

C．Why being bored may be good for you

D．How social media blocks creative ideas

8 . I survey the pile of dirty dishes jamming the sink after the party. With no working _______ except my two hands, the task is huge.

Hot water _______ the sink, I plunge (猛扎) my hands into the _______. Then it occurs to me that every dish and spoon brings back memories. I bring up a tiny spoon, still covered with applesauce. I smile as I _______   the eleven-month-old eating it with wild abandon. I pick up a _______ and I remember my oldest daughter’s trying to cut meat for the four-year-old sister while correcting the eight-year-old’s rude table _______. A bowl with bits of lettuce (生菜) stuck like glue reminds me of countless discussions among daughters about diet food and losing _______. Eating delicious food and keeping a perfect figure is an endless _________ for girls.

My three daughters, now, are _______ and have their own families. They get along as well as they did when they were ________. My grandsons seem to be ________ like their mothers. The two oldest wanted their bikes brought out to ________ together. The youngest delighted us when he, feeling the soft carpet, erupted with bursts of laughter. All memories ________. My three daughters did the same thing years ago — riding bikes, feeling the soft carpet...

The dishes are done, and the sink is ________. But my life is full. It is full of happy children and grandsons. I thank the dishes for ________ me.

1.

A．dish-washer

B．hand-drier

C．rice-cooker

D．air-conditioner

2.

A．washing

B．filling

C．heating

D．leaking

3.

A．coldness

B．darkness

C．warmth

D．length

4.

A．leave

B．stop

C．witness

D．recall

5.

A．knife

B．dish

C．spoon

D．fork

6.

A．settings

B．manners

C．patterns

D．arrangements

7.

A．appetite

B．sense

C．weight

D．direction

8.

A．chance

B．power

C．honor

D．struggle

9.

A．born

B．gone

C．abandoned

D．married

10.

A．sisters

B．daughters

C．children

D．friends

11.

A．on good terms

B．on active duties

C．in great need

D．in big trouble

12.

A．ride

B．find

C．steal

D．buy

13.

A．fade away

B．flood back

C．go far

D．bury deep

14.

A．clean

B．empty

C．dirty

D．sticky

15.

A．saving

B．engaging

C．reminding

D．attracting

9 . Stories of immigrants attract me a lot, especially the life stories of Italians who have come to America since the 1700s. In each of these stories I see elements of my own story, that of leaving my birthplace and family and creating a new life in a different culture and in a different language.

The child of Italian immigrants and an award-winning scholar of Italian literature, in the book My Two Italies Joseph Luzzi struggled to create or find his own identity from an early age. Even more problematic for him was “which” Italy to “choose,” the one he inherited(继承) from his family, poor and linked to old traditions and customs he finds rude and somewhat cruel, or the one he finds in literature and art books that show him a country with a modern literary culture.

The choice becomes even sadder as in his professional life he becomes a scholar of Italian literature and culture. He describes episodes of his youth that show the clash between the first and the second generation immigrants that are both funny and tragicomic(悲喜剧式的). These episodes highlight the daily customs his parents brought from their hometown that are in conflict with Joseph’s desire to “fit in” the American culture. Joseph’s visits to Italy as a student and then as a scholar deepen the divide between his two Italies and highlight his quest for identity.

The author’s personal changes are full of quotes and comments on the cultural and political landscape of Italy. I find that his insights on contemporary Italian cultural and political phenomena are particularly interesting. In this book, Joseph touches or comments in depth about several issues concerning Italian life, such as the relationship between dialects(方言) and the official “Italian” language, and the Southern “question” or the uneasy interaction between Northern and Southern Italians.

I enjoyed reading this book. It is personal, moving, educational and entertaining. I hope you will enioy it too!

1. Why is the author interested in stories of immigrants?

A．He came to America in 1700.	B．He wants to live an Italian life.
C．He can see himself in these stories.	D．He likes to learn the Italian language.

2. Which of the following is more difficult for Joseph to deal with?

A．Choosing right Italian identity.	B．Inheriting his parents’ wealth.
C．Bridging the generation gap.	D．Becoming a literary scholar.

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

A．Cooperation.	B．Distance.
C．Similarity.	D．Conflict.

4. What is the text?

A．A news report.	B．A book review.
C．A children’s story.	D．A diary entry.

10 .

Give me some Space by Philip Blunting Una dreams of a life in Space. Life on Earth is just so so-so. But how will she get there? And will she complete her mission to discover life in Space? On May 19th 2021, Give Me Some Space! was read to over 1.98 million children across Australia and New Zealand by NASA astronaut Shannon Walker – from the International Space Station (ISS)! Purchase This Book  Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover by: Markus Motum On August 6, 2012, the rover Curiosity touched down on the rocky surface of Mars — and now she’s ready to guide you through her journey firsthand. From idea to creation and beyond, this fact-filled, fashionable book introduces readers to Curiosity and her mission: to discover more about the red planet and search for evidence of life. How did Curiosity get her name? What tools does she use to carry out her tasks? Purchase This Book  Max Goes to Mars by Jeffrey Bennett Now fully updated with results from the Curiosity rover and much more, the new second edition of Max Goes to Mars picks up where Max Goes to the Moon left off, taking Max and his friends on the first human mission to Mars. There, you’ll learn how Max helps make one of the most important discoveries of all time. After returning home, Max and Tori reflect on the beauty and fragility of our own planet Earth. Purchase This Book  Ada Lace, Take Me to Your Leader by Emily Calandrelli with Tamson Weston Ada Lace likes nothing more than to play with mechanics like her robot, George. Her latest project is to fix up a ham radio, something that she could use to contact people on this planet…and beyond. During a sleepover, Ada’s best friend Nina hears something strange coming from the radio in the middle of the night. A distant voice says, “Release the swarm (蜂群)!” convincing Nina that aliens are about to invade the Earth. Purchase This Book

1. Which book was ever read to kids from the ISS?

A．Give me some Space

B．Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover

C．Max Goes to Mars

D．Ada Lace, Take Me to Your Leader

2. Whose book introduces Curiosity and her mission?

A．Philip Blunting.	B．Markus Motum.
C．Jeffrey Bennett.	D．Emily Calandrelli.

3. Who thinks that our planet will soon be attacked by aliens?

A．Una.

B．Max.

C．Ada Lace.

D．Nina.