1 . There are many therapies (疗法) for depression, including medical treatment, psychotherapy and talk therapy. Having a range of treatment choices is a good idea because no single treatment works equally well for each of millions of sufferers. Choosing the most suitable treatment is important to them. Now researchers say a new therapy proven to relieve depression should be added to the established treatments. It's called nature therapy. "Interacting with nature can have positive effects on those with depression," says Ethan Kross, PhD, an expert who has studied the nature depression link.
A little exposure to nature helps all of us get our energy back, and it may have special benefit for those who are depressed.“It seems that, from our work, the restorative effect of nature seems to be stronger for individuals with depression," says Marc Berman, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Chicago. That might be because they feel mentally exhausted, and being in nature re energizes them. However, Dr Berman has a strong warning. “We're not arguing that interacting with nature should replace clinically proven treatments for depression," he says, “Nor should those with clinical depression try to treat themselves.”
However, Berman and others say, interactions with nature could serve as a very effective supplementary treatment. Compared to adults with depression walking for 50 minutes in an urban setting, those who took a 50 minute walk in a natural setting were less depressed and had better memory skills.
Why does nature hold this special effect? Berman says, “In a natural environment, we can choose to think or not, and this choice is believed to help us rest our brains. You can then pay attention later, when you need to.”He adds, “It gives people more ability to concentrate, which is a big problem for those with depression. ”Nature provides an effective setting for resting our brains, unlike urban setting. Even in the most peaceful urban environment, you have to pay attention to such things as traffic and stoplights.
1. What can we learn about depression therapies from paragraph 1?| A．They focus on physical activity. |
| B．They pay no attention to interactions. |
| C．They mainly depend on natural environment. |
| D．They need to be tailored to different patients. |
| A．By making them feel energetic. | B．By reminding them to rest in time. |
| C．By taking the place of clinic treatment. | D．By covering up their mental problems. |
| A．Additional. | B．Traditional. | C．Controversial. | D．Essential. |
| A．An urban setting of restoring energy. |
| B．The positive role of nature in treating depression. |
| C．The popularity of using multiple ways to treat diseases. |
| D．An effective replacement of clinical therapy for depression. |
2 . I walked into my daughter's room as she was working on a science project. Normally,I would have been pleased about such a sight. But this time, her project involved much sand. While she'd put sheets of plastic under her work area, the sand was spreading all over our new floor.
My daughter felt my displeasure and began to defend herself. "I used sheets of plastic!" she responded irritably. I responded more angrily, "But the sand is gettlng all over ! "
"Where else am I supposed to do it?" she shouted.
"Why didn't she admit that she had done something wrong?” I thought to myself. I felt my fear, thinking of what her life would be like in the future if she couldn't realise her mistakes?
My fear was translated into more anger, this time about how important it was to admit mistakes. We had a quarrel. She said something disrespectful to me and raised her voice.
I wished this had never happened before. But my daughter and I were in embarrassment and felt terrible.
So I thought that I needed a good way to respond to my daughter. So I went to my wife and asked how I should have handled it.
"Sweetie, " she said, role-playing in the conversation with my daughter, "there's a lot of sand here and we need to clean it up before it destroys the floor. How can I help you?"
That's really a great way to deal with it: first identify the problem, next state what needs to be done and then offer to help. It's simple, right?
1. Why did the author feel displeased at the sight?| A．The daughter's project involved much sand. |
| B．The daughter worked too long on the science project. |
| C．The daughter put sheets of plastic under her work area. |
| D．The daughter spread the sand all over the new floor. |
| A．He was worried about his daughter' future life. |
| B．The new floor was covered with sand everywhere. |
| C．The daughter was angry with him. |
| D．The author didn't know how to handle the situation. |
| A．Indifferent and cold. | B．Understanding but worried. |
| C．Pleased and relaxed. | D．Annoyed but modest |
| A．Learn to deal with problems calmly and wisely. |
| B．Working on science projects does good to people. |
| C．Conduct Role-play in the conversation |
| D．Communicate with children patiently |
3 . As an astronomer(天文学家)，I am accustomed to observing the universe in quiet places. I observe galaxies in the deep universe-places so far away that their light takes billions of years to reach our eyes.
Sometimes I wonder what our own galaxy looked like billions of years ago, before solar system was born. I often stare at the Hubble Deep Field(哈勃深空区)searching for clues∶galaxies colliding(碰撞)，stars exploding，and stellar nurseries. Can looking to the stars bring us closer together?
A couple of months ago，Betelgeuse，a bright star in the Orion constellation(猎户座) started to get dimmer and dimmer. Astronomers all over the world thought this might be a signal that the star was about to explode. Though it might not happen for another 1000 years or more, still I went outside every night to check it out. I was hoping that it would explode. Imagine seeing a star shining as bright as the full moon even during the day.
I started dreaming about using such an event to remind everyone that stars produce nearly all of the chemical elements in the universe, which came directly out of the Big Bang. Everything we breathe, touch and see was made inside of stars. The iron in our blood, calcium bones, and almost the entire periodic table are products of stellar evolution.
Betelgeuse did not explode, and more recent observations note that it is actually returning to normal. But nothing is normal here on Earth now. I am beginning to realize that we did not need a star to explode to unite us. All we needed was a common problem.
I am hoping that everyone on the planet is saving some time to contemplate（凝视，沉思)the universe and to realize we are not alone. No matter where we are or who we are, we are on this planet together. Since we are all made of stars, looking up at the night sky gives us a glimpse of our past and our future, and we can contemplate both together.
1. Why does the author write this article?| A．To advise others to stare at a potentially exploding star recently. |
| B．To research into the scientific mystery in the universe with readers. |
| C．To discuss the proper relationship between human and the universe. |
| D．To suggest us thinking about the way human beings live in this world. |
| A．is a star the author tracked for years |
| B．will produce chemical elements if it explodes |
| C．is a normal star which is disappearing |
| D．will explode in ten thousand years |
| A．Betelgeuse's potential explosion |
| B．Betelgeuse's getting dimmer and dimmer |
| C．the author's checking out every night |
| D．a star's shining as bright as the sun |
| A．What should an astronomer do? |
| B．Should we know more about the universe? |
| C．Looking to the stars can bring us closer together. |
| D．Getting united is a problem impossible to solve. |
4 . Smith had to drive across the Sahara Desert. It was a journey across hundreds of miles of empty desert.
After he had been driving for a few hours, there was a sandstorm. His car left the road and then broke down.
Smith began walking north across the hot sand under the scorching sun. He hoped he would soon reach the road again. Soon, his tongue was thick with thirst. He needed water, but everywhere he looked there was nothing except sand.
Smith kept walking. Then, about an hour later, a man riding a camel came into sight. Smith waved to him. The man on the camel rode up to him and stopped. “Please,” Smith said, “I am dying of thirst. Let me have some of your water.” The man slowly shook his head. “You can’t have any water,” he said, “but I’ll sell you a necktie.” “I don’t want a necktie,” Smith shouted at him furiously. “I need water.” But the man turned away quickly and rode off.
Smith continued walking. Two hours later, he met another man riding a camel. This time he asked if he could buy some water, but the man refused, saying, “No, but I’II sell you a necktie.” Angrily, Smith turned away from him and continued walking.
Three hours later, by which time he was near death, Smith saw a large luxury hotel in the distance. It stood alone in the middle of the desert, surrounded by palm trees.
Smith managed to reach the main entrance. He was about to enter the hotel when the doorman stopped him. “Hey!” he said. “This is a first-class hotel. You can’t come in here without a necktie.”
1. What happened to Smith at the very beginning of the sandstorm?| A．He became thirsty. | B．He saw two men riding a camel. |
| C．He lost his necktie. | D．There was something wrong with his car. |
| A．slowly. | B．politely. |
| C．angrily. | D．painfully. |
| A．He was thirsty. | B．He was not properly dressed. |
| C．He had no money. | D．He was very sick and near death. |
| A．We’d better not go to the Sahara Desert. |
| B．Your car should be maintained before a journey. |
| C．It’s a good idea to buy neckties during the journey. |
| D．When looking backwards, you can connect many events. |
5 . At Zhangpan Primary School in the mountainous areas in Central China's Henan Province, there is a football team. The football has enriched the pupils' school lives and might help realize their dreams.
"I don't believe that rural children can' t play football well!" said Song Haibo, principal of the primary school. In 2016, Song decided to develop a campus football culture. A physical education teacher Liang Yaowu began to teach students and hold training sessions on a concrete floor.
In 2010, 400,000 yuan （US $60,499） was raised to build a new standard football field, 2,400 square meters in size, at the school. Then the school invited a local football club to offer professional training. Football has since become an indispensable （必不可少的）part of the children's lives. At present, each of all the 245 students has his or her own football. Classes in the third to sixth grades have class teams respectively（分别地）.
Speaking of changes that the ball game has brought to the pupils, Song said, "The children now love and enjoy the sport very much. As well as keeping fit, football has cultivated（培养）their sense of competition and teamwork, and also enhanced（提高）their sense of responsibility and collective honor.”
The schoolgirls' football team has also grown into a strong one among local campuses over the past four years, and these rural girls' football dream has been sparked. “When I run on the field, I feel indescribable happiness. I enjoy playing football.” said Wang Mengyan with a smile, adding that she will work harder in study and training so as to be admitted to a top university.
In the past few years, the school’s football team has won many championships, including the U12 Girls' Competition of the Belt and Road International Youth Tournament. Five players of the team joined the National Campus Football Summer Camp, and one of them was selected for the first squad （班、组）.
Liang, head coach of the football team, is full of hope for the future. In his view, this sport is an important medium for these rural schoolgirls to move towards a wonderful outside world. He expects that more attention and care will be paid and given to schoolgirls' football team, facilitating them realize their dreams.
1. What may be the most difficulty for rural schools to develop campus football culture?| A．Financial support. | B．Sense of teamwork. |
| C．No professional teachers. | D．No playground . |
| A．idol | B．example |
| C．exception | D．proof |
| A．The outside world is more wonderful. |
| B．Rural schoolgirls should be given more help. |
| C．All rural schools should have a football team. |
| D．All rural schoolgirls can succeed by playing football. |
| A．Principal Matters Most | B．Football Team Gets Much Glory |
| C．Football Lights up Dreams | D．Rural School Builds Football Team |
6 . Oindrila Basu from India, 25, is a key member of a global forestry organization.
Back in her youth, she had to be taught the importance of nature. She used to ruin nests of the bulbul bird just for fun. Once, her mother caught her and forced her to find the eggs and replace the nest. With a heavy heart, the girl realized she had done something terrible.
This is just one way that Basu's parents shaped her understanding and appreciation of nature. Living in the countryside, she spent her youth studying ants before a rain, watching sunbirds drink bottlebrush nectar （花蜜），counting fireflies and watching seedlings grow. Then her parents decided to move to a nearby city with better educational opportunities and she stopped having firsthand experiences with nature.
As she struggled to choose a college major, her mother suggested a career in forestry. That's when her journey began and she fell in love with forestry. Away from the crowded concrete cities, in the lap of the Himalayas, she got her bachelor's degree in forestry from Kumaun University, India. When she went on to study for a master's in forestry from the Forest Research Institute, India, she finally got introduced to a like-minded group of people, dedicated to the same cause — the International Forestry Students' Association （（IFSA）.
IFSA is a global organization connecting students to exchange knowledge and participate in forestry activities. The youth joining IFSA are encouraged to undertake its task — to enrich forest education and spread a love for nature through events and intercultural exchanges.
After six months of exciting international conferences and workshops, Basu found her home — a family that loved forests as much as she did. She felt rejuvenated （重生的）;her passion had a direction. Now she wanted to do more.
Now with the IFSA , Basu recalled her experience of joining , " Consciously （有意识地）or subconsciously we chose forestry, or rather, forestry chose us".
1. Basu's parents play a role in her love for nature.| A．unique | B．usual | C．vague | D．vital |
| A．Basu's tutors | B．people who love forests |
| C．Basu's classmates | D．people who work for forest research |
| A．Love — Take — Study — Spread. |
| B．Hate — Destroy — Flee — Enrich. |
| C．Explore — Understand — Take — Devote. |
| D．Destroy — Experience — Love — Devote. |
| A．Loving Nature. |
| B．Basu: Forest Guardian Angel. |
| C．Realising Dreams. |
| D．Forestry: Home to Human Beings. |
7 . Climbing along ropes, Hainan gibbons（长臂猿）can now cross a valley created by a landslide （山体滑坡）. These endangered animals live in the forest on China's Hainan Island. A 2014 landslide had damaged the preferred route that they took through the forest. They could cross by jumping across the gap, catching onto a palm frond（棕榈叶）. But when the frond started to bend, researchers rushed to provide a safer way.
The gibbons were slow to put the new route into use. But they increasingly traveled a bridge made of two ropes across the 15-meter gap.
“When people build roads or other structures in a forest, it can break animal habitats into pieces. This can break populations into smaller groups that may struggle to survive, “ says Bosco Chan, a biologist at the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden in Hong Kong.
Only about 30 Hainan gibbons remain. Chan and his team were worried about a group of nine that had been affected by the landslide. They wanted to prevent the animals from getting hurt while jumping. So the researchers built a rope bridge.
About 176 days after the bridge went up, cameras caught the gibbons taking to the ropes. "I was very excited when the gibbons first started using it," Chan says. Finally, the team observed the gibbons crossing the bridge about as often as the gibbons had traveled that area of forest before the landslide.
"The Hainan gibbons , use of the bridge suggests that other monkeys may also use rope bridges in such kind of forests," says Susan Cheyne. She works at the IUCN Primates Section on Small Apes. This community of experts works to save gibbons and related species.
The gibbon group's two females and two small youths liked crossing on the bridge. But an adult male never used it and three nearly grown juveniles（少年）rarely did. A baby always made the crossing carried by a female. The bridge provides a temporary solution while trees, including native transplants, grow in to fill the forest gap.
1. How did researchers help these Hainan gibbons?| A．By bridging a gap in a forest. |
| B．By keeping them away from landslides. |
| C．By finding them a safe palm tree for shelter. |
| D．By improving their survival skills in the wild. |
| A．Wild animals mostly live in groups. |
| B．Living in small groups benefits wild animals. |
| C．Human activity may put wild animals at risk. |
| D．It's hard to monitor the populations of wild animals. |
| A．A baby gibbon. | B．Two young gibbons. |
| C．Two female gibbons. | D．An adult male gibbon. |
| A．Gibbons Use Ropes to Cross a Bridge |
| B．Gibbons Learn to Make and Use Tools |
| C．Hainan Gibbons Are Highly Endangered |
| D．Ropes Form a Gibbon Highway Through a Forest |
8 . England and Wales launched a COVID-19 smartphone app on Thursday, allowing users to trace contacts, check the local level of risk and record visits to venues such as pubs, four months after the technology was promised to the public. People aged over 16 will be encouraged to download the app by advertisements with the slogan: “Protect your loved ones. Get the app.”
The NHS COVID-19 app comes as Britain preparation for a second wave of infections, with daily case numbers rising at rates not seen since the peak of the pandemic (流行病) and a testing system unable to cope with demand in many areas.
The government had said a COVID-19 app would arrive in May, but early tests were disturbed by problems. As the delay lengthened, the government downplayed the importance of smartphones in fighting COVID-19, saying that rather than an app being central to the test and trace system, it was “the cherry on the cake”.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock, however, said that with infection rates rising, every tool available must be used to prevent spreading, including the latest technology. “We have worked extensively with tech companies, international partners, and privacy and medical experts— and learned from the trials — to develop an app that is secure, simple to use and will help keep our country safe,” he said.
The app uses Bluetooth signals to log when a user is in close contact with another user, generally meaning within two meters for 15 minutes or more. If someone then tests positive for COVID-19, they can choose to share the result anonymously with their close contacts, who will each receive a warning and will have to isolate (隔离) for 14 days. The app generates a random ID for each user to protect privacy, and matches cases on the device rather than on a central server, as was the case in the first iteration. It will also enable users to book a COVID- 19 test subject to availability, check symptoms, and register at venues using a QR-type bar code displayed by businesses.
1. What can we know about the COVID-19 smartphone app?| A．It is only available in pubs. | B．It keeps track of users’ daily activities. |
| C．Children are advised to download it. | D．It helps people reduce the risks of being infected. |
| A．They consider it essential. | B．They think little of it. |
| C．They admit its security. | D．They feel disappointed at its function. |
| A．Use Bluetooth for free. | B．Receive a COVID-19 test. |
| C．Keep in close contact with other users. | D．Get a warning when risks of infection appear. |
| A．The UK Sees A Second Wave of COVID-19 |
| B．A New Smartphone App Will Be on the Market |
| C．A Smartphone App Fights COVID-19 |
| D．Effective Measures to Fight Against COVID-19 |
9 . A report revealed that about 85% of the working mothers surveyed felt that their parenthood had affected their career “in a significant way”. Over 30% of them said that they went through a “long period of mental distress” before announcing their pregnancy at work, and 35% said their bosses immediately started looking for their replacements after learning about their pregnancy.
While Chinese women may no longer sacrifice their careers for their husbands, they are still expected to do so for their children. The study found that nearly half of the mothers left the labor force for at least one year after giving birth, among whom roughly 20% ended up becoming stay-at-home moms. When asked about the impact of motherhood on their identities and life goals, nearly 35% said that the most profound change was how they started to balance between family and work.
The adjustment, however, is not always by choice. Responding to a question about the distribution of child¬care labor in their home, almost 40% of the working mothers said that their husbands basically spent no time on parenting.” Moreover, over half of the husbands didn't use up their paternity leave(陪产假), whereas about 21 percent never took it at all.
Another key finding from the survey was that although it's illegal for Chinese companies to ask a woman about family plans, many employers still do. The unlawful yet prevalent practice has been a main factor influencing women's decisions about timing of motherhood. The survey showed that about 40% of the childless respondents delayed parenthood because of “the time it would take,” which they thought would have a negative impact on their promotion opportunities.
In theory, there has never been a better time than now for working mothers in China to shine. Faced with an aging population and shrinking workforce, Chinese officials encourage Chinese women to have babies while working at the same time.
1. What can be concluded from the first paragraph?| A．Some women choose to hide their pregnancy. |
| B．Pregnant working women will be replaced immediately. |
| C．Half of working mothers go through long-term depression. |
| D．Most working mothers are significantly affected by parenthood. |
| A．To help their husbands' career. |
| B．To become stay-at-home moms. |
| C．To sacrifice their careers for their children. |
| D．To be successful both at home and in company. |
| A．common | B．obvious | C．embarrassing | D．potential |
| A．Women have greater pressure than men. |
| B．Pregnancy and motherhood affect working women. |
| C．Balance between work and family is unavailable. |
| D．Working moms have less promotion opportunities. |
10 . American billionaire Elon Musk has demonstrated a technology designed to use a computer chip inside the head to control the brain. During a video demonstration on Friday, Musk provided details about the system, called Neuralink.
Musk says he hopes the technology can be used to treat neural disorders and help spinal injury victims regain body movement. Musk also believes the system could be used in the future to improve intelligence to help humans keep up with supercomputers and artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
During the show, Musk showed off a model of the Neuralink device. It is about 23 millimeters wide. It is designed to be implanted into a person's skull. Small wires would connect the device directly to the brain.
The Neuralink system is currently being tested in pigs, with plans to seek government approval for human testing sometime in the future.
A pig named Gertrude was also shown during the show. Musk explained that Gertrude had a Neuralink chip inside its head. The device is meant to record nerve activity in the pig's nose and mouth.
Musk said the company had three pigs, each with two chips. He described the animals as "healthy, happy and indistinguishable from a normal pig." Musk said the company was able to predict with "high accuracy" a pig's leg movement on a running machine using data from the chip.
Musk noted that Neuralink first wants to use the device on people with severe spinal cord injuries to help them talk and move using their brain waves. He said he is hopeful that, in the long term, those people could regain "full-body motion."
Some neuroscientists not linked to the company said the presentation suggested Neuralink had made great progress with the technology. However, they warned that many more studies will be needed to test the long-term success of such devices.
1. What good can the Neuralink device do to the disabled?| A．Making them think clearly. |
| B．Treating their diseases successfully. |
| C．Having them keep up with supercomputers. |
| D．Helping them to move again. |
| A．Normal. | B．Active. | C．Nervous. | D．Intelligent. |
| A．it has been a great success. |
| B．it will succeed very soon. |
| C．it has a long way to go. |
| D．It needs support from new theories. |
| A．There Will Be Great Progress in Brain Science. |
| B．Musk Shows Technology Linking Computer to Brain. |
| C．Three Pigs Are being Tested Instead of Human Beings. |
| D．The Disabled Will Receive Better Treatment in the future. |
