2 . Glass marble playing, dating psychology, Harry Potter and genetics, life and death ... Chinese universities have started setting up innovative new courses. In these classes, students are able to learn knowledge through vivid examples and group work, making learning fun.

For example, at Tianjin University, the most popular elective course is dating psychology, which is in high demand all the time. Jin Yangbo, 18, enrolled in the course this school year. “This course is very scientific,” said Jin. “It doesn’t straight away start with techniques on how to date, but instead guide s us to learn more about ourselves, our family and our attachment styles.”

What made Jin impressive was the group discussion on the differences between how men and women think. “I hadn’t realized that there were that many differences between men and women in emotional expression,” Jin said.

Wang Xiaoling, the professor of the course, applied to make dating psychology an elective course in 2019. “I do psychological counseling on campus and have noticed a rising need among students to have professional relationship guidance,” said Wang. “I think theoretical knowledge and practice are both essential in relationships,” Wang said. “Many university students haven’t developed a healthy view toward relationships. When they encounter problems, many of them don’t have a good system for handling consequences.”

In the course, Wang has covered topics like “why some people tend to please others in relationships”, “how to handle conflicts” and “how to get over a person after breaking up”. “I also asked them to do group presentations and papers on these topics, so that they can explore themselves in an active way.”

In the future, Wang and the university want to start a video channel on social media so they can help more young people all over China. “We will design the course based on current situations so that the knowledge is more up-to-date,” Wang said.

1. Which of the following best describes the elective courses?

A．Easy and fun.	B．Creative and hands-on.
C．Serious and complicated.	D．Scientific and interesting.

2. What impressed Jin most about the course?

A．Techniques on how to date.	B．Its emphasis on self-awareness.
C．The lesson on attachment.	D．A discussion on gender differences.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．Wang’s views on relationships.

B．The origin of the dating psychology course.

C．The purpose of the dating psychology course.

D．Problems with how students deal with relationships.

4. What does Wang plan to do?

A．Make the course more accessible.	B．Do counseling on social media.
C．Include difficult topics in the course.	D．Adapt content for different age groups.

3 . I had always looked forward to the day when I would finally apply as a delegate at a Model United Nations (MUN) conference. Therefore, you can imagine my excitement when I finally traveled to Belgium to participate in the 2023 MUN conference this March.

The conference was held on March 7-11. Despite the horrible weather throughout our stay, I still found the city extremely attractive due to its cobblestone streets, Gothic monuments and amazing lighting in the evenings. Meanwhile, the delegate’s fee covered lunches for four days, welcoming and closing receptions, a traditional Belgian dinner, a theme party and a gala night.

I was designated to represent Poland in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which turned out to be an unexpectedly unified and efficient committee. We managed to pass the communique to combat hybrid warfare and improve cooperation between NATO allies (盟友).

In the beginning, I felt intimidated by how passionate my fellow delegates were. As a first-timer, I was really confused and felt hesitant to speak up. I only started to enjoy acting my part as a diplomat on the second day. From there, things just got better and better. I got a bit ill at the end of the conference, however, so I couldn’t enjoy the conference to its fullest potential.

Even so, it is without a doubt that those days in Belgium definitely opened a new chapter in my MUN journey! It made me realize how fruitful MUN simulations are. Through the MUN conference, you will surely improve your public speaking skills massively and gain so many good friends, many of whom you will likely stay in touch with for the rest of your life. It is for these reasons that I have fallen in love with Leuven, that magical city.

1. What did the author like about Leuven?

A．The streetscape.	B．Delicious food.
C．Its rich history.	D．The friendly locals.

2. What was the author’s experience in the committee at the MUN conference?

A．She helped pass several resolutions.	B．She spent most of her time socializing.
C．She found the committee productive.	D．She struggled to get her ideas across.

3. What does the underlined word “intimidated” in the second-to-last paragraph most probably mean?

A．Inspired.

B．Frightened.

C．Touched.

D．Excited.

4. What is the author’s overall opinion of the MUN conference?

A．It is too challenging for first-timers.

B．It is a good way to improve negotiation skills.

C．It is a valuable experience for personal growth.

D．It offers a great chance to learn about other cultures.

5 . Atmospheric (大气层的) rivers are long and narrow bands of water vapor (水蒸气) in Earth’s atmosphere, which are called “large rivers in the sky”. These rivers form over warm ocean waters. They are huge. They can be 930 miles long and one-third that wide.

Like real rivers, they carry huge amounts of water. These large streams of small water drops are blown by wind over land. When that happens, the water vapor cools down and condenses (凝结). Atmospheric rivers can be good. They bring water to dry areas. However, they can cause huge, fast-moving storms. Some cause snowfalls that bury towns. They are also the main cause of floods on the U.S. West Coast.

Atmospheric rivers are hard to predict. But scientists are working to change that. Marty Ralph, a scientist who works at the University of California, directs the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E). They created the first computer model to predict atmospheric rivers on the U.S. West Coast. This model uses a program that runs on a computer to create a model of a real-world event. CW3E also studies atmospheric rivers using planes. Pilots drop instruments into atmospheric rivers to collect information like temperature and wind speed, which helps with forecasting.

Will climate change affect atmospheric rivers? Climate change happens naturally over a long period of time. But today, it is largely caused by human activities and is causing the Earth to warm, which affects atmospheric rivers.

Atmospheric rivers are pushed by the wind. Those winds are driven by the temperature differences between the poles and the equator (赤道). But the poles are also warming faster than areas near the equator. That makes the temperature difference between the areas smaller. This can make winds weaker.

Climate change might not cause more atmospheric rivers. But there may be very, very wet seasons and very, very dry seasons. Such a seesaw in rainfall could make it harder to manage what water there is.

1. What can we learn about atmospheric rivers?

A．They can be 930 miles long and 465 miles wide.

B．They are easy to predict as scientists are working on it.

C．They are bands of water vapor forming over warm ocean waters.

D．They are the main cause of floods in the U.S.

2. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．Why it is hard to predict atmospheric rivers.

B．Whether scientists can predict atmospheric rivers.

C．How technology helps the prediction of atmospheric rivers.

D．How scientists are working on the forecasts of atmospheric rivers.

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

A．Growth.

B．Drop.

C．Prediction.

D．Change.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A textbook.

B．A science magazine.

C．An academic article.

D．A news report.

7 . Students who are better able to understand and manage their emotions effectively, a skill known as emotional intelligence (EI), do better at school than their less-skilled classmates, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

“It’s not enough to be smart and hardworking. Students must also be able to understand and manage their emotions to succeed at school,” said Carolyn MacCann, lead author of the study. MacCann and her colleagues analyzed data from more than 160 studies, representing more than 42,000 students from 27 countries, published between 1998 and 2019. The students ranged in age from primary school to college. The researchers found that students with higher EI tended to get higher grades and better achievement test scores than those with lower EI scores. This finding held true even when controlling for intelligence and personality factors. What was most surprising to the researchers was the association held despite different ages.

As for why EI can affect academic performance, MacCann believes a number of factors may come into play. “Students with higher EI may be better able to manage negative emotions, such as anxiety, boredom and disappointment, which can negatively affect academic performance,” she said. “Also, these students may be better able to manage the social world around them, forming better relationships with teachers, classmates and family, all of which are important to academic success.” Finally, the skills required for EI, such as understanding human motivation and emotion, may overlap with (与……重叠) the skills required to master certain subjects, such as history and language, giving students an advantage in those subject areas, according to MacCann.

However, MacCann cautions against widespread testing of students to identify and target those with low EI as it may stigmatize (给……打上烙印) those students. Instead, she recommends interventions that involve the whole school, including additional teacher training and a focus on teacher well-being and emotional skills. “Programs that integrate emotional skill development into the existing curriculum would be beneficial, as research suggests that training works better when run by teachers rather than external specialists,” she said. “Increasing skills for everyone — not just those with low EI—would benefit everyone.”

1. What surprised the researchers most during MacCann’s study?

A．Intelligence mattered more than EI for academic success.

B．EI had an effect on learning for students of all ages.

C．College students benefited more from EI than pupils.

D．Personality affected academic performance greatly.

2. What can be a reason for the conclusion of MacCann’s study?

A．High-EI students hardly experience negative emotions.

B．High-EI students seldom develop social relationships.

C．High-EI students tend to easily focus on their study.

D．High-EI students have helpful skills for certain subjects.

3. What does MacCann suggest in the last paragraph?

A．Equipping teachers with emotional skills.

B．Designing tests to identify students with low EI.

C．Developing special programs for students with low EI.

D．Employing emotional specialists to give training to students.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Should EI be taught in school?

B．How can students develop high EI?

C．Students with high EI do better in school

D．Good students do better in managing emotions

8 . Everywhere you go, it seems like people are using something to reduce the noise in their lives. They wear over-ear headphones on public transportation, during long flights, or in open-plan offices, or use colored earplugs (耳塞) at concerts. Silence is now big business, with the global market for noise-cancelling headphones bringing $13.1 billion in 2021. Experts predict that this figure will triple by 2031. While these market-based solutions are becoming popular, they raise a question: Are there physical and social effects to shutting out the world around us?

Noise-cancelling technology was first developed in the 1950s to reduce cockpit noise for pilots. The headphones today use technology known as active noise control. However, too much of a good thing also has its downsides. Many studies have shown that constant earplug wearing, day and night, over just one week can lead to a condition known as tinnitus (耳鸣). “When you stop listening to outside sounds, your brain starts to turn up its ‘internal volume’ so that it can still pick up on things.” McAlpine says. “If you stop the sound going into your ears, it’s like messing with how your brain is supposed to work naturally.”

When it comes to distraction (干扰), the type of noise may matter as much as volume. Moderate (适中的) background noise, around 70dB, has been found to advance performance on creative tasks, for example. “Some people can work really effectively in buzzy cafes and even airports, and yet they can’t focus in the same way in an office. Even if it isn’t as noisy,” McAlpine says. “Your brain in the office is automatically paying attention to all those other conversations — because they might be about something you need to know.”

How, then, can we deal with all the loud distractions in our modern lives? An over-dependence on noise-cancelling technology is not necessarily the solution, says McAlpine. “We have given more control to outside sources over our sound environment compared to our visual environment,” he says. If people started wearing AR/VR goggles and living in their own virtual worlds instead of focusing on improving the physical environment, “And that’s problematic.”

1. What is the purpose of noise-cancelling headphones?

A．To pick up the sounds.

B．To reduce the rate of tinnitus.

C．To improve performance on creative tasks.

D．To create a sense of silence in noisy environments.

2. Which statement is TRUE according to the article?

A．Wearing noise-cancelling headphones has no physical or social costs.

B．Creative task performance can be improved by the moderate background noise.

C．Noise-cancelling technology was first developed in the 1950s for concertgoers.

D．The global market for noise-cancelling headphones is believed to drop by 2031.

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

A．Lively.

B．Advanced.

C．Interesting.

D．Quiet.

4. What attitude does McAlpine hold towards the over-dependence on the technology?

A．Negative.

B．Objective.

C．Optimistic.

D．Indifferent.

9 . A group of researchers has come up with a way to make it easier to drive in the snow: by designing tyres(轮胎)based on polar bear paws.

“We had an ongoing project for many years focused on ice,” said Ali Dhinojwala, who took part in the research. “We were looking at the friction(摩擦力)of materials because our national partners need to develop tyres with a strong grip on the road in ice and snow conditions.” The team turned to nature for inspiration, thinking that evolution might have already solved the problem in a way that could be copied with technology. The obvious place to look was polar bears—specifically the tiny bumps(凸块)on the surface of their paw pads—to find out what effect they have on the animals’ ability to move quickly across icy and snowy area.

To do this, the team gathered samples(样本)of polar bear paw pads, as well as samples from brown bears and American black bears(two species closely related to polar bears)and sun bears(a distantly related species, typically found in Asia).

The team imaged the samples using a scanning electron microscope, produced 3D-printed copies and then tested them in snow in the lab. They found that the tiny structures on the polar bear paw pads were taller, which gave them better friction on the snow, even though polar bears have smaller pads compared to other bears.

The team now wants to look into other factors that may have an effect, such as the patterns and shapes of the tiny structures. “If you look at snow tyres you’ll see that they do have some deeper treads(外胎花纹), but this research could also show various ways to design them that could have a larger impact,” said Dhinojwala.

1. What does the underlined word “they” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Polar bears.	B．Tiny bumps.
C．Paw pads.	D．Snowy roads.

2. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The background of the research.	B．The finding of the research.
C．The differences of samples in the lab.	D．The comparison of different bear pads.

3. What can we infer from Dhinojwala’s words in the last paragraph?

A．Different treads might be designed on the snow tyres.

B．Snow tyres that have deeper treads can be safe enough.

C．The design of snow tyres requires no further improvement.

D．The researchers should have turned to other bears for inspiration.

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

A．An easier way to drive in the snow	B．An ongoing project focused on ice
C．Snow tyres based on polar bear paws	D．A new research on polar bear paw pads

10 . Eleven-year-old Ruby has a unique hobby—making wishes come true for nursing home residents in Harrison, Arkansas. Inspired by her mother’s work as a nurse, Ruby accompanied her mother to the nursing homes during the summer and has developed a close bond with the elderly residents.

One day, Ruby noticed a resident named Pearl looking sad while staring out of a window. When she asked what was wrong, Pearl explained that she had seen her dog being taken away, and she didn’t know when she would see her beloved pet again. It broke Ruby’s heart, and she decided to take action. She began asking the residents what three things they wanted most in the world. To her surprise, their requests were simple—chocolate bars, McDonald’s fries, and pants that fit properly.

Ruby and her mother used their own money to achieve the wishes of around 100 residents within three months. Soon, they started receiving donations from the kind-hearted people of Harrison. Encouraged by the overwhelming response, they set up a GoFundMe page called “Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents” to collect $5,000. They reached their goal within a month.

When GoFundMe recognized Ruby as a Kid Hero and shared her story worldwide, donations poured in. In just 24 hours, they raised $20,000, and within five months, the total surpassed $250,000. With these funds, they were able to grant(准予)more creative wishes, such as creating a man cave for one resident with a Walkman and snacks, and providing financial assistance for another resident to attend an out-of-state wedding.

Motivated by their success, Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents became a nonprofit organization and expanded nationwide. Their new goal is to set up a shared laptop in at least one nursing home in each state. Ruby’s passion for kindness drives her to continue her efforts, and her acts of kindness serve as a reminder that even small gestures can make a big difference in someone’s life.

1. What inspired Ruby to achieve nursing home residents’ wishes?

A．Her affection for dogs.	B．Her enthusiasm for fundraising.
C．Pearl’s request for three wishes.	D．Pearl’s story about her pet dog.

2. How did Ruby and her mother firstly get the money to satisfy the residents’ desires?

A．They got the fund.

B．They sold their belongings.

C．They used their personal money.

D．They got donations from the nursing home.

3. What was one of the creative wishes granted by the project?

A．Building a new nursing home.

B．Providing financial assistance for weddings

C．Setting up shared laptops in nursing homes across the country.

D．Establishing a comfortable room for a resident with a music player and snacks.

4. Which word can best describe Ruby’s behavior?

A．Creative.

B．Caring.

C．Confusing.

D．Courageous.