1 . A new Japanese research has suggested that regularly eating mushrooms could help lower the risk of cancer. The researchers found that the men who consumed mushrooms once or twice a week had an 8 percent lower risk of developing cancer, regardless of how much fruit and vegetables, or meat and dairy products they ate—compared to those who ate mushrooms less than once per week. Eating mushrooms more often appeared to bring even bigger benefits, with those who consumed mushrooms three or more times per week showing a 17 percent lower risk than those who ate mushrooms less than once a week.
Eating mushrooms also appeared to be particularly beneficial among those who ate a large amount of meat and dairy products, little fruit and few vegetables. The findings, published in the International Journal of Cancer, are the first to suggest that there may be an association between eating mushrooms and a lower risk of cancer.
“Test-tube studies and studies conducted on living organisms have shown that mushrooms have the potential to prevent cancer” said lead researcher Shu Zhang. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study indicating the cancer-preventive potential of mushrooms at a population level.” Zhang added that, “mushrooms are a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, especially L-ergothioneine,” which is believed to help fight against stress, and that is cell imbalance caused by lifestyle choices such as poor diets and exposure to environmental poisons. This imbalance can lead to chronic inflammation, resulting in chronic diseases such as cancer.
“Considering the average American consumes less than 5 grams of mushrooms per day, which is lower than that consumed by the participants in this study (7.6 g/day), one would expect that even a small increase in mushroom consumption can offer potential health benefits,” said Zhang. However, Zhang added that, “Although our study suggests regular consumption of mushrooms may reduce the risk of cancer, we also want to emphasize that eating a healthy and balanced diet is much more important than filling your shopping basket with mushrooms.”
1. What is the new Japanese research about?| A．Healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of cancer. |
| B．Often eating mushrooms reduces the risk of cancer. |
| C．Drinking dairy products is good for our health. |
| D．Eating fruit and vegetables makes us healthier. |
| A．People who are over fat and having a poor diet. |
| B．People who are feeling over stressed. |
| C．People who consume much meat but few vegetables and little fruit. |
| D．People who consume many dairy products and suffer cancer. |
| A．It avoids the stress from a disease. |
| B．It reduces environmental poisons. |
| C．It hell helps reduce weight. |
| D．It has a source of cancer-preventive. |
| A．A state of being physically healthy. |
| B．A state of keeping body balance. |
| C．A physical condition that someone needs to be on a diet. |
| D．A condition that a part of the body becomes red, sore and swollen. |
2 . Art, Culture & Performances in Arizona
Art on the Wild Side
Three of Arizona’s favorite painters will exhibit their latest works inspired by the natural world in their unique styles. Through this exhibit, guests can engage in the Zoo’s mission to care for the natural world.
Date: February 1-April 31, 2020
Location: 455 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008
Price: $90
Always... Patsy Cline
Always... Patsy Cline is a musical play, complete with country humor, true emotion, and even some audience participation, includes many of Patsy’s unforgettable hits such as “Crazy” “I Fall to Pieces”, “Sweet Dreams”, and “Walking After Midnight”... 27 songs in all!
Date: June 14-21, 2020
Location: Hale Theater, 50 West Page Avenue, Gilbert, AZ 85233
Price: $65
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Best friends Valentine and Proteus choose different paths in life only to run into each other again when they both fall in love with the same woman. The Two Gentlemen of Verona is one of Shakespeare's earliest plays, his first comedy and also one of the most rarely performed plays in the canon.
Date: July 18-25, 2020
Location: Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre, 7014 E Camelback Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Price: $28
Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore is giving a concert in our city! She is touring to support her upcoming album. Mandy's seventh studio work Silver Landings set to be released on September 6.
Date: September 27-October 3, 2020
Location: 111 N 3rd St Phoenix, AZ 85004
Price: $42
1. When can you go to an exhibition of paintings?| A．In March. | B．In June. | C．In July. | D．In September. |
| A．Art on the Wild Side. | B．Always... Patsy Cline. |
| C．The Two Gentlemen of Verona. | D．Mandy Moore. |
| A．$28. | B．$42. | C．$65. | D．$90. |
3 . My mother always told me, “You should explore your own country before stepping out into the world. ”However, it seems like a tough mission to travel all across its expansive surfaces. But luckily for me, Via Rail Canada offered youths between the ages of 18 and 25 the chance to ride the train across Canada for the month of July. The ticket was a bargain $150. My best friends Trevor, Joel and Jeremy and I immediately jumped at the opportunity and secured four tickets on the great Canadian railroad.
For a group of 20-year-olds, this was like the first flight of young birds from the nest. When we approached the train station in the morning, our 22-day adventure from Sudbury to Vancouver was to begin. Eyes baggy from lack of sleep, we jumped on board as if it was the train to Hogwarts in Harry Potter. Although the thought of three full days on those tracks covering close to 3, 000 kilometres crushed our spirits a little, what happened next caught us by surprise.
The three days on board turned into a summer camp on rails. At night, we would climb up the glass-domed train car, which gave us a scenic view of the starry night sky, untouched by the harmful light pollution. Before we knew it, the warm sun rays beating down on our faces woke us up for another day on the rails. To my surprise, a sea of golden grain fields dominated the landscape we were in the Canadian Prairies.
Another day slipped away and we set up for another night in the dome. And this time we were greeted by night sky painted by a fantastic thunderstorm. Lightning was striking at an incredible rate. The spectacular and memorable light show left everyone in the glass bubble in complete disbelief.
Arriving in the Rocky Mountains was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. Before the train adventure, if I could have skipped the travel and arrived at the destination, I would have. That is no longer true. I’ve learned that the journey can be more enjoyable than the destination.
1. What has made the author’s train adventure across Canada a reality?| A．The encouragement given by his mother. | B．The appeal of the scenic views in the country. |
| C．The discount ticket offered by Via Rail Canada. | D．His great courage to challenge a tough mission. |
| A．They were excited about the coming train journey. |
| B．They left their parents for the first time in their life. |
| C．They never thought of having a train adventure. |
| D．They were hooked by the magic story of Harry Potter. |
| A．A brain in lack of imagination. | B．The glass-domed train car. |
| C．A summer camp on the train. | D．The sightseeing bus. |
| A．Opportunities are hard to get. | B．Enjoying a journey counts a lot. |
| C．Splendid scenery attracts young people. | D．The traveling experience is not real to him. |
4 . Do you know a famous Chinese saying, "He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man?" We can help you realize your dream now.
◆12-Day Tour in China
Tour Type: Private Tour
Guide: English-speaking guide
Must-see sights in China: the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors. Giant pandas
Try biking on the Ming Dynasty City Wall of Xi'an, or tour by electric car. Have a once-in-a-life chance to get close to the incredibly cute treasure---Pandas.
Price: $1,669 per person
◆8-Day Tour in China
Tour Type: Private Tour
Guide: English- speaking guide
Must-see sights in China: the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors
Take rickshaw（人力车）through the Hutongs and get close touch with the original Beijing lifestyle. Experience the Bund, classical garden, modern and old in contrast in Shanghai.
Price: $1,159 per person
◆10-Day Tour in China
Tour Type: Private Tour
Guide: English-speaking guide
Must-see sights in China: the Great Wall Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors
Walk into a local family, learn to cook Chinese food and dine with the hosts in their home.
Price: $1, 629 per person
◆15-Day Tour in China
Tour Type: Private Tour
Guide: English-speaking guide
Must-see sights in China: the Great Wall, Forbidden City. Terracotta Warriors
Enjoy the breathtaking landscape along Li River and escape from the busy and noisy city life. Unwind with a Yangtze River sail tour and see the Three Gorges.
Price: $2.699 per person
1. Which tour provides visitors with a chance to see pandas?| A．8-Day Tour in China. | B．10-Day Tour in China. |
| C．12-Day Tour in China. | D．15-Day Tour in China. |
| A．Nature lovers. | B．Folk custom and culture lovers. |
| C．Swimming lovers. | D．Animal lovers. |
| A．It costs visitors the least to visit. | B．It lets visitors communicate with local people. |
| C．Visitors can visit ancient buildings. | D．Visitors can see water scenery. |
5 . If one more person talks about the benefits of mindfulness, I will throw cabbage at them. Just kidding. But I do have lots of cabbage happily rotting away in my, kitchen thanks to the wellness obsession(着迷) that failed to keep my attention. This is a symptom of a phenomenon known as “wellness tiredness”.
Wellness is seriously big business with a worth of $3.72 trillion and a healthy annual growth of 14 percent. To satisfy this consuming desire, brands of super foods and various exercise classes crowd in. “The problem with all this constantly changing information on what to eat or which exercise class to take is that people begin to form distorted(扭曲的) mindsets towards the idea of a healthy lifestyle,” explains Dr Bijal, a psychologist at Nightingale Hospital. “The least harmful result of a distorted mindset will be confusion. The most harmful would be serious physical and mental disorders like extreme dieting or over-exercising.”
It’s little wonder that many people are beginning to reject the idea of wellness and the lifestyle it advocates. “I can’t tell you the number of wellness accounts I’ve unfollowed on Instagram,” one fitness-enthusiast friend tells me. When I ask her why, she tells me that the public pursuit(追求) of wellness has reached “the eye-roll stage”. Meanwhile, sales of fitness trackers and wearable wellness things have dropped sharply.
Speaking of gym culture, which offers classes like Hula Hoop and Yoga, it’s also beginning to show signs that people are returning to more conventional forms of exercise-some that wouldn’t look out of place on a school timetable.
The whole point of wellness is that it should become such an everyday thing that you forget about seeking it. Living a healthy lifestyle becomes a given rather than something singled out as impressive and worth applauding. Now, more people are starting to cycle to and from work, swim on lunch breaks and even try to buy old school exercise bikes.
1. What is the main idea of paragraph 2?| A．The wellness business costs people a great deal of money. |
| B．People are faced with too many food and exercise choices. |
| C．Distorted mindsets to wellness cause harmful consequences. |
| D．The wellness industry has been developing at a steady speed. |
| A．To inform us wearable wellness things are not popular. |
| B．To advocate the idea of wellness and a healthy lifestyle. |
| C．To tell us that online wellness accounts are hard to follow. |
| D．To show the public’s unfavorable attitude to wellness obsession. |
| A．Sports such as cycling are more impressive. |
| B．People are treating wellness as an everyday thing. |
| C．Classes like Hula Hoop and Yoga are too expensive. |
| D．People have come to know wellness is not so necessary. |
| A．The Importance of Living a Healthy Lifestyle |
| B．Are You Suffering from Wellness Tiredness? |
| C．The Benefits of Mindfulness in Wellness Industry |
| D．What is the Real Meaning of Wellness Obsession? |
6 . Southern Texas is a wonderful spring time destination. The weather is warm and beautiful. During the month of May, visitors will be able to choose from a variety of wonderful festivals and events held throughout the region. Here are some great options for May festivals in southern Texas.
Dragonfly Days, Weslaco
Insect enthusiasts should stop in Weslaco during the month of May. This time of the year is great for sitting dragonflies and damselflies. There are over 100 species in the region. Visitors can learn all about the different species while getting to see them as well
Songwriter’s Showcase Art Festival, Port Aransas
One way to enjoy some of the unique art and culture of Texas is to attend this festival. Visitors can enjoy a grand variety of music. It will be held in the evening at the Tarpon Inn Courtyard and visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery and the music. Music genres range from Folk to Cajun to Rock.
Blues on the Hill, Harlingen
Blues fans should be sure to visit Harlingen on May 12, 2020. It will be the first event in the summer series held in McKelvey Park. This event offers a variety of Blues artists. Visitors can attend the event for free, and get to enjoy the music while sitting on a blanket of lawn chair in the grass.
Beach to Bay Relay Marathon, Corpus Christi
This event will be held on May 19, 2020. Running enthusiasts visiting Corpus Christi will have a wonderful time. It is a full marathon, 26 miles, but it is a relay event. Six people run the marathon as a group. The route starts on North Pare Island and travels through Corpus Christi.
1. Which festival will you probably choose as a sports lover?| A．Dragonfly Days, Weslaco |
| B．Songwriter’s Showcase Art Festival, Port Aransas |
| C．Blues on the Hill, Harlingen |
| D．Beach to Bay Relay Marathon, Corpus Christi |
| A．Types. | B．Characters. |
| C．Visitors. | D．Artists. |
| A．A diary. | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A novel. | D．A magazine. |
7 . When my old dog developed major health problems, I knew that watching him fail would be painful, but I wasn’t prepared for the powerful lessons he’d offer in the last year of his life.
Chance was 14 when the problems started. First, he developed a cancer that left him whistling for breath. Then came cataracts（白内障）in both eyes, arthritis（关节炎）in his legs, and a series of mini-strokes（小中风）that threw off his balance. Any one of these misfortunes would have left me begging for relief, but Chance became calmer as the disabilities piled up.
When leg pain left him frozen on the floor, unable to rise for a quick pat as I came home, he didn’t complain. He just lay there patiently, signaling me with his hammering tail, each movement spelling out the value of waiting for the things you want. When his cataracts made steering impossible after dark, he’d stand calmly until I could guide him inside, proving how easy it is to find happiness if you let go of your pride and insecurities and learn to lean on those who love you. When mini-strokes had him walk unsteadily like a drunk, he taught the value of persistence. For days after each attack, he’d fall as he moved about. Yet again and again he’d try to walk, each day moving a few more steps until finally he was able to get outside and back by himself.
There were lessons in so much of what he did, but the key one surely was the importance of obtaining all the joy possible from each experience whether it’s a day lazing under a warm sun or a few minutes appreciating a favorite meal.
For most of our life together, Chance was always rushing ahead, searching out new adventures, then circling back to let me know what lay around the next turn. As an old dog, he did the same thing, using his attitude, instead of his once - fast legs, to show the way.
1. Chance suffered very much from all the diseases he had except for _______.| A．having problem with breath | B．walking around awkwardly |
| C．having trouble drinking | D．losing his eyesight in darkness |
| A．Living in the present and enjoying what we have |
| B．Learning to depend on those who we love and trust |
| C．That we should expect good things to happen patiently |
| D．That we should persevere in what we believe is worth trying |
| A．people might suffer from different diseases when they grow old |
| B．people could face aging with courage and dignity |
| C．pets would become calmer for lack of energy in their last days |
| D．pets and masters should stick together helping each other in difficulty |
| A．Bitter. | B．Appreciative. |
| C．Proud. | D．Sympathetic. |
8 . One day I was walking around in a national park when I saw a beautiful tarantula (狼蛛) crossing a path. I just stopped and decided to observe its walking.
Behind me there was a family going up the same way and they also noticed the tarantula. Without doubting it, a kid shouted, ''Quick, Dad, kill it. '' His brother also encouraged their dad to do that.
Then I stopped their dad. ''Wait. This is the last place the tarantula has to live in. Do you really want to kill it? ''
''Well, it's dangerous and we have kids here…''
''Why not stand still and let it cross safely? Then you can go and admire the rest of the park. ''
After some discussions I persuaded them to stand still and watch. Soon, the tarantula crossed and hid into the bushes.
Their dad thanked me and said, ''You're right. I was about to make a mistake. '' The children even said good bye to the tarantula and they learned something too.
1. What did the family want to do on seeing the tarantula?| A．To watch it. | B．To kill it. |
| C．To stand by. | D．To hide away. |
| A．Dangerous. | B．Interesting. |
| C．Powerful. | D．Beautiful. |
| A．To stop it quickly. | B．To greet it politely. |
| C．To let it cross safely. | D．To drive it into the bushes. |
| A．Stay calm in time of danger. |
| B．Enjoy the beauty of nature. |
| C．Stay away from animals. |
| D．Treat the wildlife kindly. |
9 . Scientists, psychologists and English academics at Liverpool University have found that reading the works of the classical writers like Shakespeare and Wordsworth has a great effect on the mind, catches the reader’s attention and triggers moments of self-examination.
Using a special machine, they monitored the brain activity of 30 volunteers as they read works by William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, T.S. Eliot and others.
In the first part of the research, the brain activity of 30 volunteers was monitored as they read passages from Shakespeare’s plays, including King Lear, Othello, Coriolanus and Macbeth, and again as they read the text rewritten in a simpler form or modern language.
While reading the common texts, normal levels of electrical activity were shown in their brains. When they read the works of Shakespeare, however, the levels of activity jumped because of his use of words which were unfamiliar to them. The result of the test showed that the more challenging passages cause a greater degree of electrical activity in the brain than the common ones.
Scientists went on to study the brain activity as it responded to each word and recorded how it lit up as the readers came across unusual words, surprising phrases or difficult sentences in the classical works. As a result, this lightening up process of the mind lasted longer than that when volunteers read common texts, encouraging further reading.
The research also found that reading poetry especially increases activity in the right hemisphere(半球) of the brain, an area connected with “autobiographical memory”, driving the readers to think carefully about their own experiences based on what they have read. The academics said this meant the classical works of literature are more useful than self-help books.
Philip Davis, an English professor who has worked on the study in the university’s magnetic resonance center, announced this week: “Classical literature acts like a rocket-booster（火箭加速器） to the brain, which provides extra power for the brain. You may never imagine how powerful it is. The research shows such kind of literature can create new thoughts and connections in the young and the old.”
1. The underlined word “trigger” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “______”.| A．depends on | B．picks up |
| C．sets off | D．changes into |
| A．It makes readers’ brain more active than reading common texts. |
| B．It makes readers’ electrical activity of brain return to normal. |
| C．It’s helpful for readers to come up with new ideas. |
| D．It’s an activity that is suitable for people of all ages. |
| A．the readers prefer Shakespeare’s works to the other writers’ works |
| B．the words of classical works make it hard for volunteers to read further |
| C．reading classical works produces a good and long-lasting effect on the mind |
| D．poetry increases left-brain activity more than other literary forms |
| A．Shakespeare’s plays deserve to be read. |
| B．Common books are unpopular anymore. |
| C．Poetry is best for developing people’s brain. |
| D．Classical works help the brain develop better. |
10 . The following people are studying English．However，they have some trouble in it．
I am Lester．I work 60 hours a week as a vet，so I always talk to my customers all day．They understand me，but I know I often make a lot of mistakes．No one corrects me．My vocabulary is strong．Grammar is my problem．I'm trying to change little by little．For example，I don't use the passive voice．I always say，"your dog treated well"instead of"your dog has been treated well"．
I am a German．My name is Luisa．I'm teaching myself English，and I'm good at grammar．However，it's really difficult to find ways to practice English．I live in an area where everyone speaks my language．My neighbors and friends speak German．I can speak French in the supermarket and at the post office．
I am Pablo．I understand the grammar and the readings in my class and I think my writing is good，but I'm very nervous when I speak English．I don't want to make any mistakes because I'm afraid people will think that I'm stupid．Also，my pronunciation isn't good．When I speak，people often say，"What？Say that again"．
I am Frank．I have been in the United States for one year．I'm studying hard and I know grammar well，but the listening is very difficult．When I listen，I don't understand many of the words．When I try to talk with others，I don't catch what they said．I feel discouraged．
1. What can we learn about Frank？| A．He was born in the United States． |
| B．He has a very small vocabulary． |
| C．He has learned English for years． |
| D．His listening is poor． |
| A．Try to have a wide vocabulary． |
| B．Develop a good knowledge of grammar． |
| C．Read as many French books as possible． |
| D．Make friends with Englishspeaking people． |
| A．She can't pronounce words in English correctly． |
| B．She speaks at a very fast speed． |
| C．Her grammar is terrible． |
| D．Her voice is very low． |
| A．Luisa | B．Lester |
| C．Pablo | D．Frank |
