1 . According to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research, both the size and consumption habits of our eating companions can influence our food intake. And contrary to existing research that says you should avoid eating with heavier people who order large portions(份), it's the beanpoles with big appetites you really need to avoid.

To test the effect of social influence on eating habits, the researchers conducted two experiments. In the first, 95 undergraduate women were individually invited into a lab to ostensibly(表面上)participate in a study about movie viewership. Before the film began, each woman was asked to help herself to a snack. An actor hired by the researchers grabbed her food first. In her natural state, the actor weighed 105 pounds. But in half the cases she wore a specially designed fat suit which increased her weight to 180 pounds.

Both the fat and thin versions of the actor took a large amount of food. The participants followed suit, taking more food than they normally would have. However, they took significantly more when the actor was thin.

For the second test, in one case the thin actor took two pieces of candy from the snack bowls. In the other case, she took 30 pieces. The results were similar to the first test: the participants followed suit but took significantly more candy when the thin actor took 30 pieces.

The tests show that the social environment is extremely influential when we're making decisions. If this fellow participant is going to eat more, so will I. Call it the “I’ll have what she's having” effect. However, we'll adjust the influence. If an overweight person is having a large portion, I'll hold back a bit because I see the results of his eating habits. But if a thin person eats a lot, I'll follow suit. If he can eat much and keep slim, why can't I?

1. What is the recent study mainly about?

A．Food safety.	B．Movie viewership.
C．Consumer demand.	D．Eating behavior.

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

A．Big eaters.	B．Overweight persons.
C．Picky eaters.	D．Tall thin persons.

3. Why did the researchers hire the actor?

A．To see how she would affect the participants.

B．To test if the participants could recognize her.

C．To find out what she would do in the two tests.

D．To study why she could keep her weight down.

4. On what basis do we “adjust the influence” according to the last paragraph?

A．How hungry we are.	B．How slim we want to be.
C．How we perceive others.	D．How we feel about the food.

2 . In the mid-1990s, Tom Bissell taught English as a volunteer in Uzbekistan. He left after seven months, physically broken and having lost his mind. A few years later, still attracted to the country, he returned to Uzbekistan to write an article about the disappearance of the Aral Sea.

His visit, however, ended up involving a lot more than that. Hence this book, Chasing the Sea: Lost Among the Ghosts of Empire in Central Asia, which talks about a road trip from Tashkent to Karakalpakstan, where millions of lives have been destroyed by the slow drying up of the sea. It is the story of an American travelling to a strange land, and of the people he meets on his way: Rustam, his translator, a lovely 24-year-old who picked up his colorful English in California, Oleg and Natasha, his hosts in Tashkent, and a string of foreign aid workers.

This is a quick look at life in Uzbekistan, made of friendliness and warmth, but also its darker side of society. In Samarkand, Mr Bissell admires the architectural wonders, while on his way to Bukhara he gets a taste of police methods when suspected of drug dealing. In Ferghana, he attends a mountain funeral(葬礼)followed by a strange drinking party. And in Karakalpakstan, he is saddened by the dust storms, diseases and fishing boats stuck miles from the sea.

Mr Bissell skillfully organizes historical insights and cultural references, making his tale a well-rounded picture of Uzbekistan, seen from Western eyes. His judgment and references are decidedly American, as well as his delicate stomach. As the author explains, this is neither a travel nor a history book, or even a piece of reportage. Whatever it is, the result is a fine and vivid description of the purest of Central Asian traditions.

1. What made Mr Bissell return to Uzbekistan?

A．His friends' invitation.	B．His interest in the country.
C．His love for teaching.	D．His desire to regain health.

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

A．Developing a serious mental disease.

B．Taking a guided tour in Central Asia.

C．Working as a volunteer in Uzbekistan.

D．Writing an article about the Aral Sea.

3. Which of the following best describes Mr Bissell's road trip in Uzbekistan?

A．Romantic.

B．Eventful.

C．Pleasant.

D．Dangerous.

4. What is the purpose of this text?

A．To introduce a book.	B．To explain a cultural phenomenon.
C．To remember a writer.	D．To recommend a travel destination.

3 . I am an active playgoer and play-reader, and perhaps my best reason for editing this book is a hope of sharing my enthusiasm for the theater with others. To do this I have searched through dozens of plays to find the ones that I think best show the power and purpose of the short play.

Each play has a theme or central idea which the playwright(剧作家) hopes to get across through dialogue and action. A few characters are used to create a single impression growing out of the theme. It is not my intention to point out the central theme of each of the plays in this collection, for that would, indeed, ruin the pleasure of reading, discussing, and thinking about the plays and the effectiveness of the playwright. However, a variety of types is represented here. These include comedy, satire, poignant drama, historical and regional drama. To show the versatility(多面性) of the short play, I have included a guidance play, a radio play and a television play.

Among the writers of the plays in this collection, Paul Green, Susan Glaspell, Maxwell Anderson, Thornton Wilder, William Saroyan, and Tennessee Williams have all received Pulitzer Prizes for their contributions to the theater. More information about the playwrights will be found at the end of this book.

To get the most out of reading these plays, try to picture the play on stage, with you, the reader, in the audience. The houselights dim(变暗). The curtains are about to open, and in a few minutes the action and dialogue will tell you the story.

1. What do we know about the author from the first paragraph?

A．He has written dozens of plays.	B．He has a deep love for the theater.
C．He is a professional stage actor.	D．He likes reading short plays to others.

2. What does the author avoid doing in his work?

A．Stating the plays’ central ideas.	B．Selecting works by famous playwrights.
C．Including various types of plays.	D．Offering information on the playwrights.

3. What does the author suggest readers do while reading the plays?

A．Control their feelings.	B．Apply their acting skills.
C．Use their imagination.	D．Keep their audience in mind.

4. What is this text?

A．A short story.	B．An introduction to a book.
C．A play review.	D．An advertisement for a theater.

5 . A robot created by Washington State University (WSU) scientists could help elderly people with dementia (痴呆) and other limitations live independently in their own homes.

The Robot Activity Support System, or RAS, uses sensors installed in a WSU smart home to determine where its residents are, what they are doing and when they need assistance with daily activities. It navigates (定位) through rooms and around obstacles to find people on its own, provides video instructions on how to do simple tasks and can even lead its owner to objects like their medication or a snack in the kitchen.

“RAS combines the convenience of a mobile robot with the activity detection technology of a WSU smart home to provide assistance in the moment, as the need for help is detected,” said Bryan Minor, a postdoctoral researcher in the WSU School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Currently, an estimated 50 percent of adults over the age of 85 need assistance with every day activities such as preparing meals and taking medication and the annual cost for this assistance in the US is nearly $2 trillion. With the number of adults over 85 expected to triple by 2050, researchers hope that technologies like RAS and the WSU smart home will relieve some of the financial strain on the healthcare system by making it easier for older adults to live alone.

RAS is the first robot researchers have tried to incorporate into their smart home environment. They recently published a study in the journal Cognitive Systems Research that demonstrates how RAS could make life easier for older adults struggling to live independently.

“While we are still in an early stage of development, our initial results with RAS have been promising,” Minor said. “The next step in the research will be to test RAS’ performance with a group of older adults to get a better idea of what prompts, video reminders and other preferences they have regarding the robot.”

1. How does RAS serve elderly people?

A．Through sensors.	B．Through objects.
C．Through a mobile robot.	D．Through their daily activities.

2. What can we know about RAS?

A．It is the first robot used in daily life.	B．Its function remains to be tested.
C．It can locate people and do any task.	D．It can cook for owners on its own.

3. What’s Minor’s attitude toward the future of RAS?

A．Doubtful.	B．Negative.
C．Optimistic.	D．Uncertain.

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

A．Elderly people leave the nursing home.

B．Smart Home Tests first elder-Care robot.

C．RAS, the first robot to make home smart.

D．Older adults have benefited from RAS.

6 . People have different ways of dealing with a common cold. Some take over the counter medicines such as aspirin while others try popular home remedies(治疗) like herbal tea or chicken soup. Yet here is the tough truth about the common cold: nothing really cures it.

So why do people sometimes believe that their remedies work? According to James Taylor, professor at the University of Washington, colds usually go away on their own in about a week, improving a little each day after symptoms peak, so it's easy to believe it's medicine rather than time that deserves the credit, USA Today reported.

It still seems hard to believe that we can deal with more serious diseases yet are powerless against something so common as a cold. Recently, scientists came closer to figure out why. To understand it, you first need to know how antiviral drugs work. They attack the virus by attaching to and changing the surface structures of the virus. To do that, the drug must fit and lock into the virus like the right piece of a jigsaw(拼图), which means scientists have to identify the virus and build a 3D model to study its surface before they can design an antiviral drug that is effective enough.

The two cold viruses that scientists had long known about were rhinovirus(鼻病毒) A and B. But they didn't find out about the existence of a third virus, rhinovirus C, until 2006. All three of them contribute to the common cold, but drugs that work well against rhinovirus A and B have little effect when used against rhinovirus C.

''This explains most of the previous failures of drug trials against rhinoviruses,'' study leader Professor Ann C. Palmenberg at the University of Wiscons in Madison, US, told Science Daily.

Now, more than 10 years after the discovery of rhinovirus C, scientists have finally built a highly detailed 3D model of the virus, showing that the surface of the virus is, as expected, different from that of other cold viruses.

With the model in hand, hopefully a real cure for a common cold is on its way. Soon, we may no longer have to waste our money on medicines that don't really work.

1. What does the author think of popular remedies for a common cold?

A．They are quite effective.	B．They are slightly helpful.
C．They actually have no effect.	D．They still need to be improved.

2. How do antiviral drugs work?

A．By breaking up cold viruses directly.

B．By changing the surface structures of the cold viruses.

C．By preventing colds from developing into serious diseases.

D．By absorbing different kinds of cold viruses at the same time.

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A．The surface of cold viruses looks quite similar.

B．Scientists have already found a cure for the common cold.

C．Scientists were not aware of the existence of rhinovirus C until recently.

D．Knowing the structure of cold viruses is the key to developing an effective cure.

4. What is the best title for this passage?

A．Drugs against cold viruses	B．Helpful home remedies
C．No current cure for common cold	D．Research on cold viruses

7 . When the young donkey Daisy May came to us，she was pregnant. With no donkey experience. I was unprepared for what might come next.

After some difficulty，Daisy’s baby was born. I thought the poor thing was dead. I planned to put the loss behind us and make sure she never got pregnant again. Just then，I heard a little noise. I couldn’t believe that baby was breathing and looking at me!We called him Samson，and of course I became his mother as much as Daisy was.

When Samson was nine months old，I had to separate Daisy and Samson for a few hours a day to wean(使断奶)him，but otherwise he went wherever she did. I think she would be lost without him. His donkey stepdad Bernard taught him to always be ready to have fun. They enjoy playing football together and going for a roll on a hot summer day.

I asked a worker to make a harness(马具)for my three little donkeys. When I brought it home I taught them one by one how to pull a cart. Samson watched and freely followed Daisy. When he was three，I put the harnness on him and he knew exactly what to do.

That was 15 years ago. Now，the most exciting thing about Samson is that he has become a little renowned. People come from all over to see him perform. The neighbors bring their grandchildren，and my sons bring their friends.

Samson shakes hands，unties my shoe，picks up a hat and more. And when I ask him if he has any bad habits，he tries to pick my pocket!He surprisingly learned these tricks himself. I just ask him to do them and he understands.

The relationship I have with my“baby”Samson has been an amazing experience. Every day is a fun day with this superstar donkey.

1. Why was the author at a loss for what might happen next at first?

A．She wasn’t ready to be a mother.

B．She never raised a donkey before.

C．The donkey was pregnant by accident.

D．The donkey gave birth to a dead baby.

2. What can we learn about Samson when he was little?

A．He was surrounded by love.

B．He was separated from his family.

C．He was unwelcome to the neighbors.

D．He was skilled in entertaining people.

3. Which of the following can best describe Samson?

A．Friendly and courageous.	B．Intelligent and lively.
C．Carefree and creative.	D．Patient and fortunate.

4. What does the underlined word“renowned”in Paragraph 5 probably refer to?

A．Strange.	B．Proud.
C．Humorous.	D．Famous.

8 . Decision-making under Stress
A new review based on a research shows that acute stress affects the way the brain considers the advantages and disadvantages, causing it to focus on pleasure and ignore the possible negative (负面的) consequences of a decision.
The research suggests that stress may change the way people make choices in predictable ways.
“Stress affects how people learn,” says Professor Mara Mather. “People learn better about positive than negative outcomes under stress.”
For example, two recent studies looked at how people learned to connect images(影像) with either rewards or punishments. In one experiment, some of the participants were first stressed by having to give a speech and do difficult math problems in front of an audience; in the other, some were stressed by having to keep their hands in ice water. In both cases, the stressed participants remembered the rewarded material more accurately and the punished material less accurately than those who hadn’t gone through the stress.
This phenomenon is likely not surprising to anyone who has tried to resist eating cookies or smoking a cigarette while under stress –at those moments, only the pleasure associated with such activities comes to mind. But the findings further suggest that stress may bring about a double effect. Not only are rewarding experiences remembered better, but negative consequences are also easily recalled.
The research also found that stress appears to affect decision-making differently in men and women. While both men and women tend to focus on rewards and less on consequences under stress, their responses to risk turn out to be different.
Men who had been stressed by the cold-water task tended to take more risks in the experiment while women responded in the opposite way. In stressful situations in which risk-taking can pay off big, men may tend to do better, when caution weighs more, however, women will win.
This tendency to slow down and become more cautious when decisions are risky might also help explain why women are less likely to become addicted than men: they may more often avoid making the risky choices that eventually harden into addiction.
1. We can learn from the passage that people under pressure tend to ______.

A．keep rewards better in their memory

B．recall consequences more effortlessly

C．make risky decisions more frequently

D．learn a subject more effectively

2. According to the research, stress affects people most probably in their ______.

A．ways of making choices	B．preference for pleasure
C．tolerance of punishments	D．responses to suggestions

3. The research has proved that in a stressful situation, ______.

A．women find it easier to fall into certain habits

B．men have a greater tendency to slow down

C．women focus more on outcomes

D．men are more likely to take risks

9 . When Simon Cane was in the second grade, he began learning about all the ways humans have an impact on the environment and really took those classroom lessons to heart in a way that set him apart from his schoolmates at his elementary school, P. S. 81, in the Bronx. “He told me we drove too much and made too much pollution,” his dad, Jonathan Cane, told Runner’s World. So Simon convinced his parents to start hanging their clothes to dry, taking the stairs instead of elevators, and other “green” measures.

“For much of kindergarten and first grade I rode my bike to Simon’s school with him on the back,” Jonathan said. “We had a lot of fun being outdoors. We’d stop to give our dog treats and generally enjoyed it.” As Simon got bigger, though, it wasn’t practical for him to ride on his father’s back, but it also didn’t make sense to ride together — both because of safety concerns and because there was no place to put away Simon’s bike. So, most of the time they drove the 1. 5 miles to school.

But in 2019, when Simon was going into third grade, the 8-year-old came up with a new way to help the planet: running the 1. 5 miles to P. S. 81. And Jonathan promised his son he’d join him for as long as he wanted.

“We did a test run one day in August, and decided to give it a go. To be honest, I thought he’d blink (眨眼)after it got really cold or rainy, but he never did,” Jonathan said. He recalled one day when the weather was particularly bad. “It’s really raining out there today,” he told Simon. “And Simon said, ‘Well then we’re going to get wet!’ He took pride in toughing it out, and it became a really fun family routine.”

Since the start, Simon has run with his dad and their black dog, Lola, and has even inspired his mom, Nicole Sin Quee, to join in. They soon became known as “the family that runs to school”.

1. What makes Simon different from his classmates?

A．Washing his clothes by himself.	B．Taking many classes after school.
C．Raising strange questions in class.	D．Taking green measures to protect the environment.

2. How did Simon usually go to school in second grade?

A．By car.

B．By cycling.

C．By running.

D．By school bus.

3. What can be inferred from paragraph 4?

A．Simon has trouble with his eyesight.	B．Simon is really stubborn and inflexible.
C．Simon is much tougher than expected.	D．Simon didn’t get support from his father.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．The Best Way to Go to School

B．Father and Son Run for the Environment

C．A Teenager Keeps Running to Inspire Father

D．Three Inspiring Running Athletes to Protect the Environment

10 . Since it first opened after four years of construction in 1937 at a cost of $27 million，the Golden Gate Bridge has made its appearance in films and poetry.

CNN Travel spent a day climbing into and ground the bridge，learning these secrets from the people who know and love it best.

Why is it called the Golden Gate Bridge?It’s not golden.

“The Golden Gate Bridge gets its name because it spans what is called the Golden Gate Strait，”said Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz，spokesman for the Golden Gate Bridge，Highway and Transportation District，which operates the bridge. It’s a three-mile-long and one-mile-wide body of water that connects the Pacific Ocean to the San Francisco Bay.

What color is the bridge?It looks red.

“It’s not red，although you’re not crazy to think so. Visitors all call it red，”said Russell. “Back in the day，the US Navy，then part of the War Department，oversaw the waterways and wanted to paint this bridge black and yellow for high visibility，”said fellow painter Jarrod Bauer. “They ended up mixing paint to create the color International Orange，which is similar to the color of red lead，”he said.

Does the bridge get entirely painted every year?

No，and it doesn’t need to be. It’s true that the top coat has been fully repainted over time with new and environmentally-improved International Orange top coats.

Who performs bridge rescues?

McVeigh and his fellow ironworkers，the so—called“Cowboys of the Sky”，have that responsibility. McVeigh has lost count of how many troubled souls he’s been called to rescue over the past 17 years.

In September in 2018，the bridge started constructing a suicide(自杀)prevention system，also known as the safety net，to keep people from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s expected to be completed in 2021.

1. What’s the true color of the Golden Gate Bridge?

A．Red.	B．Red lead.
C．Black and yellow.	D．International Orange.

2. Who can probably be called a hero on the Golden Gate Bridge?

A．McVeigh.	B．Jarrod Bauer.
C．Russell.	D．Paolo.

3. What can we know about the Golden Gate Bridge?

A．It is safer now because of the safety net.

B．It got its name because of its color.

C．It took much time and money to be built.

D．It needs to be repainted once a year.