1 . Most people have been taught that losing weight is a matter of simple math. Cut calories—specifically 3,500 calories, and you’ll lose a pound. But as it turns out, experts are learning that this decades-old strategy is actually pretty misguided. “This idea of ‘a calorie in and a calorie out’ when it comes to weight loss is not only outdated, it’s just wrong,” says Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity specialist at Harvard Medical School. The truth is that even careful calorie calculations don’t always yield(产生) uniform results.
How your body burns calories depends on a number of factors. Three factors affect how your body processes calories.
Your gut microbiome (肠道微生物). Trillions of organisms live in your gut, and the important types may influence how many calories your body absorbs from food. This may occur because some types of organisms are able to break down and use more calories from certain foods than other types of organisms. Researchers have found that people who are naturally thin have different types of organisms living inside them than those who are overweight.
Your metabolism (新陈代谢). Each body has a “set point” that governs weight, says Dr. Stanford. This set point reflects several factors, including your genes, your environment, and your behaviors. A region at the base of your brain stands guard to keep your body weight from dipping below that set point—which is not really a bonus if you’re trying to lose weight.
The type of food you eat. Your food choices may also influence your calorie intake, and not just because of their specific calorie content. One 2019 study published in Cell Metabolism found that eating processed foods seems to spur people to eat more calories compared with eating unprocessed foods.
If counting calories isn’t a dependable way to manage your weight, what can you do to shed extra pounds? Dr.
Stanford recommends the following.
Focus on diet quality. When planning your meals, focus on choosing unprocessed foods, including lean meats, whole grains, and lots of fruits and vegetables in their natural form.
Exercise regularly. Aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. Moderate exercise is done at a level where you can talk, but not sing.
Consult a professional. “A lot of people believe it’s a moral failing if they are unable to lose weight,” says Dr. Stanford. But it’s not. As with other medical conditions, many people will need help from a doctor. Successful weight loss may require more than just diet and exercise. “Only 2% of people who meet the criteria for the use of anti-obesity medications actually get them. This means that 98% of people who could be treated aren’t,” she says, “Don’t be afraid to seek help if you need it.”
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 1?| A．Old theories actually mislead us. |
| B．Losing weight lies in losing calorie. |
| C．Calorie calculations lead to good results. |
| D．Losing weight by losing calorie is outdated. |
| A．choose the types of food you consume |
| B．focus on the quality of your diet |
| C．adjust your brain to the “set point” |
| D．reduce the organisms living in your gut |
| A．weigh | B．produce |
| C．lose | D．cost |
| A．cutting calories is essential for weight loss |
| B．losing weight can be double-edged |
| C．healthy eating keeps you losing weight |
| D．a healthy lifestyle is key to weight loss |
2 . Up-skilling is the future - but it must work for everyone
Automation and job replacement will be one of the most significant challenges for the global economy of the coming decades. A 2017 Mckinsey report established that 375 million workers will need to switch occupational categories by 2030. The World Economic Forum suggests that by 2022, automation will replace 75 million jobs globally - but create 133 million new ones.
Research into the likelihood that a job will be impacted by digitization has largely focused on the "auto-matability" of the role and the following economic regional and political effects of this. What this research doesn't take into account is something more important for the millions of taxi drivers and retail workers across the globe: their likelihood of being able to change to another job that isn't automatable. Recent research suggests that the answer to this may be that the skills that enable workers to move up the ladder to more complex roles within their current areas might be less important than broader skills that will enable workers to change across divisions.
In July, Amazon announced that it would spend $700 million retraining around 30% of its 300,000 US workforce. While praiseworthy, it will be interesting to see the outcome. In the UK, the National Retraining Scheme has largely been led by employers, meaning that those on zero-hours contracts and part-time workers - often low-skilled --- will miss out. Governance will be a crucial element of ensuring that such schemes focus on individuals and life-long learning, rather than upskilling workers into roles that will soon also face automation.
According to the Mckinsey report, "growing awareness of the scale of the task ahead has yet to translate into action. Public spending on labour-force training and support has fallen for years in most member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development," which impacts more than just the low-skilled.
The global impact of automation is also put into relief by research demonstrating that, between 1988 and 2015, income inequality increased throughout the world. Billions of people do not have the essentials of life as defined by the UN Sustainable Development goals.
Alongside climate change, automation is arguably tech's biggest challenge. As with globalization, governments and employers -- and us workers -- ignore its potential consequences at risk to ourselves.
1. It can be known from Paragraph 2 that ________.| A．recent research has found ways to face automation |
| B．broad skills are of great significance in changing jobs |
| C．regional economy can affect the automatability of a job |
| D．it is even harder for workers to move up the social ladder |
| A．Supportive. | B．Critical | C．Doubtful | D．Sympathetic |
| A．Less spending on training | B．A slowdown of globalization |
| C．Social unrest and instability. | D．An increase in income inequality |
| A．argue the urgency of creating new jobs |
| B．compare globalization with automation |
| C．analyze the automatability of certain jobs |
| D．stress the important of upskilling workers |
3 . Culture can affect not just language and customs, but also how people experience the world on surprisingly basic levels.
Researchers, with the help of brain scans, have uncovered shocking differences in perception(感知) between Westerners and Asians, what they see when they look at a city street, for example, or even how they perceive a simple line in a square, according to findings published in a leading science journal
In western countries, culture makes people think of themselves as highly independent entities(实体) .When looking at scenes, Westerners tend to focus more on central objects than on their surroundings. East Asian cultures, however emphasize inter-dependence. When Easterners look at a scene, they tend to focus on surroundings as well as the object.
Using an experiment involving two tasks, Dr Hedden asked subjects to look at a line simply to estimate its length, a task that is played to American strengths. In another, they estimated the line's length relative to the size of a square, an easier task for the Asians.
The level of brain activity, by tracking blood flow, was then measured by Brain Scanners. The experiment found that although there was no difference in performance, and the tasks were very easy, the levels of activity in the subjects’ brains were different. For the Americans, areas linked to attention lit up more, when they worked on the task they tended to find more difficult--estimating the line's size relative to the square. For the Asians, the attention areas lit up more during the harder task also--estimating the line's length without comparing it to the square. The findings are a reflection of more than ten years of previous experimental research into east-west differences
In one study, for instance, researchers offered people a choice among five pens, four red and one green. Easterners were more likely to choose a red pen while Westerners were more likely to choose the green one.
Culture is not affecting how you see the world, but how you choose to understand and internalize(使内化) it. But such habits can be changed. Some psychological studies suggest that when an Easterner goes to the West or vice versa, habits of thought and perception also begin to change. Such research gives us clues on how our brain works and is hopeful for us to develop programs to improve our memory, memory techniques and enhance and accelerate our learning skills.
1. According to the passage, Chinese people are most likely to_________.| A．emphasize independent thinking more |
| B．always focus more on their surroundings |
| C．focus on the context as well as object |
| D．think of Westerners as highly independent entities |
_________.| A．the task is much easier |
| B．the blood flow is tracked |
| C．people begin to choose colors |
| D．the task is more difficult |
| A．They indicate that culture has a great impact on the way people talk and behave. |
| B．They show that Easterners and Westerners have great differences in perceiving the world |
| C．They suggest that people's habits of thought and perception can be changed in different cultures. |
| D．They make it clear that Easterners and Westerners lay emphasis on different things |
| A．Easterners prefer collectivism to individualism |
| B．East Asian cultures lay more emphasis on independence |
| C．It took over ten years to find out how to improve our brainpower |
| D．Americans will change their habits of perception when they're in Britain |
Now rewind this picture 1,839 years. You are in the same seat, only you are watching classical Greek entertainment.
The city of Athens is a fun mix of the old and the new, the classic and the modern. Often a little shop is located next to the ruins of a temple, which is only a block from a large, air-conditioned hotel. The great city of 2,500 years ago is still visible today.
Ruins are the most obvious sign of ancient Athens, and the most famous of these is the Acropolis(卫城). The Acropolis is a large hill that was the center of life in Athens. On its slopes were temples, monuments, and theaters. From the top, you can see how the urban area of Athens stretches out in every direction.
On the top of the Acropolis is the Parthenon. This was once a huge temple to Athena, the city’s patron. It was first completed in 432 B.C., but has been damaged and destroyed several times. However, visitors can still see the “tricks” used in building the Parthenon. The columns along the outside lean inward, and are slightly fatter in the middle. The temple is also higher in the middle than on the sides. All these effects make the Parthenon look perfectly straight from a distance.
Only a block away from the Acropolis is the neighborhood of Plaka. The area, with its little shops and restaurants, is very popular with both tourists and locals, and is an important part of modern Athenian culture. Many great thinkers, writers, and political leaders lived in ancient Athens. The ruins of their homes and favorite spots are scattered throughout the busy port city. The hill where St. Paul addressed early Christian Athenians is located near the Acropolis. Great thinkers such as Perikles and Demosthenes spoke to the civil assemblies held at the Pnyx Hill. Today the Pnyx is an open-air theater for light and sound shows.
Tourism is very important to people who live in modern-day Athens. Thousands of people come every year to see these ruins and to tour the many museums that house artifacts from ancient times. This provides many jobs and brings money into Athens, which helps the city pay for improvements. Athenians take pride in the accomplishments of their ancestors, and people from all around the world come to admire them. By looking around the city today, we can imagine what life was like in ancient Athens.
1. Which of the following statements is INCORRECT about the city of Athens?| A．The culture of the city is a mixture of the old and modern. |
| B．Traces of the ancient city can still be found |
| C．Ruins and modern hotels co-exist in the city. |
| D．All the temples are not far away from air-conditioned hotels. |
| A．naughty acts | B．confusing constructing skills |
| C．skillful constructing methods | D．constructing materials |
| A．offering job opportunities to Athenians |
| B．enriching Athenians by providing accommodation for tourists |
| C．enabling Athenians to improve the infrastructures |
| D．making Athenians proud of their ancestors |
| A．Tourism in Athens | B．Athens: Then and Now |
| C．Historic Interests in Athens | D．The Magic of Ancient Athens |
5 . China is determined to land its astronauts on the moon and set up a scientific station there,according to a project leader.
Zhou Yanfei,deputy chief designer of China's manned space program,said on Friday that China wishes to use the manned lunar missions to carry out scientific surveys and technology demonstrations,explore ways to develop lunar resources and strengthen the nation's space capabilities.
＂A new wave of lunar explorations has been emerging in the world,with participants aiming to make sustainable missions to deepen knowledge of the moon and exploit resources there,"he said in a report delivered at the 2020 China Space Conference in Fuzhou,Fujian province."Unlike other nations,China must depend on its own science and technology to realize our goals."
The country is independently able to land its astronauts on the moon because it has the technologies,a group of well-trained,innovative professionals and high-efficiency research and management systems,Zhou said."However,our existing carrier rockets can't perform landing missions to the moon because they are not powerful enough.The Shenzhou- series manned spaceships are not suitable for lunar expeditions.We don't have a lunar landing capsule,"he said."Our ground support system was designed for operations in low-Earth orbit rather than on the lunar surface.
To solve the problem, we set out to produce a powerful launch vehicle. Zhou said researchers thought about two approaches-making a new heavy-lift rocket,or adjusting the next-generation rocket designed to carry astronauts,which is under development.Researchers prefer the latter approach because it would be easier to design and make and would become operational earlier.
The new rocket is being designed at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology.Its main body will be 87 meters tall,with a diameter of 5 meters,which would make it almost twice as tall as the Long March 5,currently the biggest of China's rockets.
1. Which is NOT the goal of the manned lunar mission?| A．To explore lunar resources. |
| B．To perform scientific experiments. |
| C．To set up a scientific station. |
| D．To strengthen the national space power. |
| A．China is not capable of pursuing the manned lunar program. |
| B．There are still difficulties in pursuing the manned lunar program. |
| C．There are a series of steps in the Manned Lunar program. |
| D．It is manageable to carry out the Manned Lunar program. |
| A．Nations must depend on themselves to explore the moon. |
| B．The Long March 5 is the biggest of China's rocket. |
| C．The newly-designed rocket will not carry astronauts. |
| D．Producing a powerful launch vehicle is the most difficult part in the program. |
| A．The new rocket is big enough to perform landing missions. |
| B．The new rocket is being made to launch lunar spaceship. |
| C．China's scientific power has improved. |
| D．The new rocket will be put into use soon. |
6 . My husband came across the program from my father-in-law’s high school graduation, 90 years ago. It was the class of 1928 and their class motto (格言) was “Build for character, not for fame.”
I’m pretty sure society has done a full reverse on that one.
These days, we have people who are famous for simply being famous. They haven’t done anything particularly impressive, but they do take great selfies.
We are all obsessed with fame these days, mainly thanks to social media. All we want is for people to follow us, friend us, like us, or share our posts. We are nearly desperate for fame.
“Build for character, not for fame,” is based on the assumption that one is looking up and ahead. That’s an encouraging idea, especially today, when most of us have our heads down, looking at the screens of our smartphones. Looking ahead and building for character takes thought and intentionality (意向性).
One can be intentional in building for fame as well, but fame often relies heavily on the right timing and connections, as well as the creation of a base of fans and supporters.
Character isn’t subject to the ideas of others. Character is built with self-discipline (自律), and a willingness to learn from difficulties. Character grows internally (内在地) and needs no applause.
Fame depends on people looking at you, while character is who you are when no one is looking.
Fame often comes with jealousy (嫉妒); a feeling that time is running out or that someone better than you is coming to steal your fans.
Character is marked by feeling content and being generous. There is satisfaction that comes with the reward of achievements, but at the same time, good character willingly holds the door open for others who are also hoping to achieve.
This commencement (毕业典礼) season, speakers will tell new graduates to get out there and build a better world.
The best way to build a better world is to build character, the kind that runs deep and can carry you through life’s storms.
Build character with courage, justice (公正) and strength. Build character by respecting yourself and respecting others. Build character with kindness, hope and love. Build for character and you will build a better world.
1. The underlined phrase “has done a full reverse on” in Paragraph 2 probably means ______.| A．has taken full advantage of |
| B．has done the complete opposite to |
| C．has made a good practice of |
| D．has paid a lot of attention to |
| A．the rise of social media |
| B．the impact of well-known stars |
| C．their intention to make a difference |
| D．their satisfaction with their achievements |
| A．mind their behavior when being looked at |
| B．connect with others at the right time |
| C．look ahead and gladly accept other people’s advice |
| D．behave themselves and readily learn from hardships |
| A．It inspires people to achieve more. |
| B．It honors her family’s memory. |
| C．It enables us to build a better world. |
| D．It helps us gain respect from other people. |
7 . Last night, I found my mother sit with her legs crossed on the sofa, looking through her iPhone with her glasses. This is not the first time I have caught her like this. My father once tapped (敲) away on his phone with a serious look on his face, saying the “I’ll be with you shortly” line. I have learned by now that this is to tell me to leave him alone for the next 10 minutes. Although they don’t like admitting it, both of my parents couldn’t go without their phones as I do.
Growing up, we are repeatedly reminded that we are those who prefer to text our friends in the same room rather than make eye contact with them. We are ruining the English language because we like using heart-eyes emojis (表情符号) instead of spelling it out. And even though I can recognize myself as a social media (媒体) addict, I think parents should at least consider that not only the young generation (代), but also they like phones.
I get upset when I receive the “I’ll be with you shortly” line from a parent. But, at the same time, leaving the room to wait until my father is finished with his “serious business” has now become the norm.
Whether you want to escape your noisy children for a while, or want to stay up late tapping through Twitter, all of these are common. But you should fully understand it. We—your children—know how addictive it can be and how difficult it is to turn it off. So before calling us out and telling us to “put our phones away at the table” or even worse, saying how damaging social media can be to us, maybe you should lead by example and consider how much time you spend on the phone as well as how this is influencing your children and your relationship with them. Maybe in this way we can work on our addiction together.
1. What can we learn about the author’s parents?| A．They become addicted to phones like him. |
| B．They’ve been forced to use phones by him. |
| C．They like buying their phones online at home. |
| D．They often communicate with him by phone. |
| A．Having fewer chances to learn social skills. |
| B．Failing to express themselves in a right way. |
| C．Getting angry easily when facing their parents. |
| D．Giving up the ways of communicating directly. |
| A．Fixed tradition. | B．Accepted behavior. |
| C．Expected decision. | D．Unforgettable experience. |
| A．Behaving well in front of children. | B．Putting the phones away at the table. |
| C．Taking more time to stay with children. | D．Having good communication with children. |
8 . When you open your closet (壁橱), chances are that you will see some unwanted clothes lying in the corner. But instead of throwing them away, wouldn’t you rather give them a second chance to shine? Well, people around the world are doing just that.
This spring, upcycled denim (牛仔布) and sustainable (可持续的) lace are gaining popularity. They are part of the “ethical” (合乎道德的) and “sustainable” trends that have become the biggest buzzwords in fashion in recent years, the Guardian reported.
Upcycling, according to sustainability website TriplePundit, is a way to process an old item to make it just as good, or even better, than it was originally. For example, you could turn some old pajamas (睡衣) into a new summer dress.
Among upcyclable fabrics (面料), denim is one of the most comfortable and fashionable. That’s why many people like to create their own unique upcycled denim items, such as cutting a headband (头带) from a denim shirt.
Many fashion companies have also joined the trend. For example, there are upcycled denim companies that combine the spirit of vintage (复古的) denim with the principles of sustainability. “For as long as denim has been around, we have found ways to reuse it and upcycle it,” US stylist Kelly Nagel told fashion website sulky.com. “Denim is such a great fabric for so many things, and I especially love it when it has been ‘worn-in’ (磨平的). That is when denim has the most character.”
Lace is another timeless fabric that can be repurposed. According to the Guardian, it can be created from recycled fishing nets and other nylon (尼龙) waste products and used for making elegant dresses or beautiful decorations.
Indeed, fashion holds up a mirror to society. Now, the fashion industry cares not only about creating new looks, but also about its impact on the environment. “Choosing better fabrics is essential to us transforming this industry for the better,” Clara Vuletich, a Sydney-based sustainability expert, told the Guardian. “If you consciously decide to purchase clothes made using a recycled material or an exciting new fiber (纤维), such as cruelty-free leather (皮革) made in a lab, you are supporting companies creating new markets, and avoiding the negative impacts associated with conventional textiles (纺织品).”
1. What is likely to be the most suitable title for the passage?| A．Unwanted clothes to shine | B．Denim or lace ,which is getting more popularity? |
| C．Fashion, a mirror to society. | D．Trend for recycled fashion |
| A．Making use of advanced production techniques. |
| B．Making money for charity with unwanted clothes. |
| C．Being more friendly to the environment. |
| D．Changing fashion trends as quickly as possible. |
| A．It is a material that lasts a long time. | B．It shows character after being worn in. |
| C．It matches well with many other fabrics. | D．It is the cheapest fabric to upcycle. |
| A．How fashion reflects social changes. | B．How fashion benefits from social development. |
| C．The bright future of the fashion industry. | D．Potential problems of upcycling. |
9 . By the end of the century, if not sooner, the world’s oceans will be bluer and greener thanks to a warming climate, according to a new study.
At the heart of the phenomenon lie tiny marine microorganisms (海洋微生物) called phytoplankton. Because of the way light reflects off the organisms, these phytoplankton create colourful patterns at the ocean surface. Ocean colour varies from green to blue, depending on the type and concentration of phytoplankton. Climate change will fuel the growth of phytoplankton in some areas, while reducing it in other spots, leading to changes in the ocean’s appearance.
Phytoplankton live at the ocean surface, where they pull carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) into the ocean while giving off oxygen. When these organisms die, they bury carbon in the deep ocean, an important process that helps to regulate the global climate. But phytoplankton are vulnerable to the ocean’s warming trend. Warming changes key characteristics of the ocean and can affect phytoplankton growth, since they need not only sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow, but also nutrients.
Stephanie Dutkiewicz, a scientist in MIT’s Center for Global Change Science, built a climate model thatprojectschanges to the oceans throughout the century. In a world that warms up by 39C, it found that multiple changes to the colour of the oceans would occur. The model projects that currently blue areas with little phytoplankton could become even bluer. But in some waters, such as those of the Arctic, a warming will make conditions riper for phytoplankton, and these areas will turn greener.” Not only are the quantities of phytoplankton in the ocean changing,” she said, “but the type of phytoplankton is changing.”
And why does that matter? Phytoplankton are the base of the food web. If certain kinds begin to disappear from the ocean, Dutkiewicz said, “it will change the type of fish that will be able to survive.” Those kinds of changes could affect the food chain.
Whatever colour changes the ocean experiences in the coming decades will probably be too gradual and unnoticeable, but they could mean significant changes. “It’ll be a while before we can statistically show that the changes are happening because of climate change,” Dutkiewicz said, “ but the change in the colour of the ocean will be one of the early warning signals that we really have changed our planet.”
1. What directly makes the change of the ocean’s appearance?| A．The increase of phytoplankton. |
| B．The way light reflects off the organisms. |
| C．The type and concentration of phytoplankton. |
| D．The decline of phytoplankton. |
| A．Control. | B．Use. |
| C．Predict. | D．Discover. |
| A．Phytoplankton are sensitive to the ocean’s warming trend. |
| B．Phytoplankton absorb carbon dioxide at the bottom of the ocean. |
| C．Oceans with more phytoplankton may appear bluer |
| D．Data have been found to show the change in the colour of the ocean |
| A．To introduce a new method to study phytoplankton. |
| B．To explain the effect of climate change on oceans. |
| C．To analyze the consequences of ocean colour changes. |
| D．To analyze the composition of the ocean food chain. |
10 . People eat more when they are glued to the television, and the more entertaining the program, the more they eat, according to a new research.
It seems that distracted(分心的)brains do not notice what the mouth is doing, said Dr Alan Hirsch, neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. Hirsch explored the effect of smell, taste and eating behaviors while watching TV by measuring the number of potato chip eaten.
Forty-five volunteers ate as many chips as they wanted while they watched programs by late- night talk show hosts David Letterman and Jay Leno. They were also given chips to eat when the television was off. Hirsh found people ate an average of 44 percent more chips while watching Letterman and 42 percent more while viewing Leno, than when they did not watch TV.
“If you can concentrate on how the food tastes you’ll eat less because you’ll feel full faster,” Hirsch said in an interview all the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Toronto. “So if that’s the case, let’s look at the opposite. What if you’re distracted? If you’re distracted, in theory then , eat more.”
Through his research at the foundation, Hirsch has helped people overcome the loss of sense and taste sensation, which typically results in weight gain became the brain does not know when it should stop eating.
The ventromedial nucleus(腹内侧核)in the hypothalamus(丘脑下部)where the so-called satiety (饱足)center is located, tells the body whether it is hungry or full. If it is stopped tricked the result can be changed in eating patterns, he said,“People who cook spaghetti all day don’t feel like eating spaghetti at the end of the day,” said Hirsch. “By being exposed to a smell all day long it’s tricking the hypothalamus.”
Volunteers were asked to concentrate on the sensory characteristics of the food such as taste and smell. Researchers say these sensory taste and smell, in addition to internal body changes, signal satiety. But when distracted, a person does not pay attention to either the body’s sensations of feeling full, or to the sensory characteristics of the food.
Many studies have linked obesity to watching television and that link is likely due to inactivity. But perhaps entertaining shows are also contributing. “If you want to lose weight, turn off the television or watch something boring,” Hirsch said.
1. What does the underlined word “glued to” in Para. l mean?| A．away from | B．performing in | C．close to | D．lost in |
| A．By watching people eat. | B．By interviewing people. |
| C．By counting how many chips people eat. | D．By observing how people watch television. |
| A．They think spaghetti unhealthy. | B．They have smelt spaghetti enough. |
| C．They don’t like eating spaghetti. | D．Spaghetti has affected the hypothalamus. |
| A．Inactivity is likely to make people fat. |
| B．Entertaining shows are the main causes of obesity. |
| C．The more concentration on food taste, the less you’ll eat. |
| D．The ventromedial nucleus can tell whether one is hungry or full. |
| A．People eat more when watching TV. | B．It is not good for our health to eat chips. |
| C．People enjoy eating while watching TV. | D．How people can enjoy the TV programs. |
