1 . The Impossible Burger is entirely free of meat. But it looks, smells, feels and-most importantly-tastes so much like real hamburger beef. In fact, plant-based burger alternatives have set off a strong resistance from the beef industry. The Center for Consumer Freedom, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of the fast food and meat industries has launched an "informational" campaign targeting plant-based meats. The campaign has included TV and online ads, as well as print ads in newspapers. The ads seem to imply that not only is an artificial burger too processed, but that it might be even less healthy than the average beef burger.
While it's true that a plant-based meat alternative is processed and it's true that eating one is not as healthy as a pile of raw vegetables, it's best to take the ads with a generous pinch of salt.
For instance, the additives and preservatives in plant-based meat highlighted in one ad sure sound scary. Who wants something called titanium dioxide(二氧化钛)in their meal? But the truth is that additives such as those listed in the ads are regularly used in all sorts of packaged foods. And if methylcellulose, a food thickener, sounds unpleasant, it's really nothing compared with salmonella(沙门菌)poisoning you can get from regular meat.
Also, the ad campaign misses the bigger point. Choosing an Impossible or Beyond burger isn't just about healthy eating Burgers, whether they are made from processed pea protein or processed meat, will never be as healthy as organic raw vegetables.
What's appealing is the prospect or enjoying a juicy burger without the bitter aftertaste of guilt.
Let's face it, there are huge environmental costs to eating cows. Cattle raising is contributing to climate. change, and not just because methane(甲烷)from cows and cattle is responsible for about 14.5% of greenhouse gas. More broadly, our global food production system releases more than a third of the world's greenhouse gases. Yet we can't seem to control our meat appetite even knowing that large areas of the Amazon forest have been ruined, and continue to be cut down to make room for more cattle to feed the growing demand for beef. Humans also know full well that many animals live short, cruel lives in awful conditions for the purpose of becoming foods for humans to enjoy at dinner.
A plant-based meat that satisfies meat desires and delivers protein but with a smaller climate footprint is a potential environmental game changer and the reason Impossible Foods was one of those receiving the UN, Global Climate Action Award in 2019. No wonder the meat industry is on guard.
1. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?| A．These ads deserve little consideration. |
| B．We should spread the message of these ads. |
| C．These ads tell people a lot about plant-based burgers. |
| D．We'd better be cautious when reading these ads |
| A．Their use is within the normal range. |
| B．They are likely to cause poisoning. |
| C．They are used to ensure burgers taste good |
| D．Some have not been used in hamburgers. |
| A．Doubtful | B．Supportive | C．Disapproving. | D．Neutral |
I: Introduction P: Point Sp: Sub-point(次要点) C: Conclusion
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
2 . Some teens are disapproving of compulsory BMI (body mass index) （身体质量指数） checks in PE classes. Do BMI checks at school do more harm than good? Two teens take sides.
Maya Meade, a high school freshman in Ohio, says yes. “I understand that schools want to weigh students because they are concerned about their physical health. That’s not a bad thing! But what about their mental health? For many students, appearance and self-image are huge sources of stress. Forcing teens to be weighed at school will only increase the pressure they feel to fit a certain mold (模子)”, says Maya.
In Maya’s opinion, weight is a personal matter that should stay between a doctor and a patient. She says, “Just imagine someone who struggles with body image being told that his or her BMI is too high as classmates look on! Even if other kids can’t hear, no student wants to feel judged by his or her teacher. That’s not why we go to school.”
Maya thinks if a school wants to have an impact on a student’s physical health, there are better ways to do it, such as providing healthy but filling meals, encouraging physical activity and teaching students about nutrition.
Ben Bagbek, a second-year student in a high school in New York, holds a different opinion. “There is no reason why a school should not be allowed to weigh its students and teach them how to calculate BMI! Obesity (肥胖症) is a huge public health concern in our country. And schools are in a position to help students understand what their weight means to their health -- before they’re at risk of life-threatening conditions.”
“A school’s job is to help students reach their full potential, and your health undoubtedly plays a role in your academic performance. BMI is not a perfect measurement, but it can help you identify the need for healthier eating habits or more physical activity.” says Ben.
The bottom line is: When you feel good, you learn better. As long as the actual number on the scale stays private, it should be viewed as an important part of your health education.
1. What are the two teens debating?| A．Whether students are enjoying PE classes. |
| B．Whether schools are body-shaming students. |
| C．Whether students should pay attention to weight. |
| D．Whether schools should help students lose weight. |
| A．Healthy diets. | B．Emotional stress. |
| C．Fierce competition. | D．Positive self-awareness. |
| A．It’s private. | B．It’s important. |
| C．It’s hard to lose. | D．It’s not a big deal. |
| A．Most school students are overweight. |
| B．BMI checks are of little help to students. |
| C．Schools have the right to weigh students. |
| D．It’s not schools’ duty to help students keep fit. |
3 . Around the World by Wheelchair
Rick Hansen was always an active kid and loved to fish. When returning in a truck one day from a fishing trip, he had an accident and suffered injuries to his spine (脊柱). This 15-year-old young man awoke to find that he had lost the use of his legs. However, he didn’t give up. Many months later he began to compete in wheelchair sports. At the age of 27, he decided to wheel around the world to raise awareness and money for spinal cord research. His tour took him through 34 countries around the world between 1985 and 1987. In this Man of Motion World Tour, he wheeled 24,901.55 miles, which is equal to the distance around the earth.
Bad weather and difficult, rocky roads often provided challenges for Rick, but he continued to push himself to complete the trip. He was determined to succeed. Even mountains did not stop Rick Hansen. He wheeled himself up the Rocky Mountains and several other major mountains in the world. He even wheeled himself along the Great Wall of China!
“Never Give Up On Your Dreams” was his motto and he hasn’t given up yet. He completed his world tour raising $24 million. He continues to work to increase knowledge of spinal cord injury. He is a true Canadian hero who shows what determination can achieve.
1. What happened to Rick after the accident?| A．He lost the ability of living. | B．He had to spend his life in hospital. |
| C．He couldn’t walk any more. | D．He couldn’t do sports any more. |
| A．To collect money for the spinal cord research. |
| B．To learn about the people of other countries. |
| C．To travel to different countries for fun. |
| D．To take photos of beautiful mountains. |
| A．unhappy | B．determined |
| C．careful | D．quiet |
4 . Last year, Americans spent over $30 billion at retail(零售) stores in the month of December alone. Aside from purchasing holiday gifts, most people regularly buy presents for other occasions throughout the year, including weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and baby showers. This frequent experience of gift-giving can generate ambivalent feelings in gift-givers. Many believe that gift-giving offers a powerful means to build stronger bonds with one’s closest peers. At the same time, many worry that their purchases will disappoint rather than delight the intended receivers.
Anthropologists describe gift-giving as a positive social process, serving various political, religious, and psychological functions. Economists, however, offer a less favorable view. They think that gift-giving represents an objective waste of resources. People buy gifts that receivers would not choose to buy on their own, or at least not spend as much money to purchase. Givers are likely to spend $100 to purchase a gift that receivers would spend only $80 to buy themselves.
What is surprising is that gift-givers have considerable experience acting as both gift-givers and gift-receivers, but nevertheless tend to overspend each time they set out to purchase a meaningful gift. In the present research, psychologists find a unique explanation for this overspending problem—gift-givers equate how much they spend with how much receivers will appreciate the gift. Although a link between gift price and feelings of appreciation might seem relevant to gift-givers, such an assumption may be unfounded. Indeed, we find that gift-receivers will be less willing to base their feelings of appreciation on the gift price than givers assume.
The thoughts of gift-givers and gift-receivers being unable to account for the other party’s perspective seems puzzling because people slip in and out of these roles every day. Yet, despite the extensive experience that people have as both givers and receivers, they often struggle to transfer information gained from one role and apply it in another.
1. What does the underlined word “ambivalent” in Para.1 probably mean?| A．Concerned | B．Conflicting. |
| C．Negative. | D．Positive |
| A．Gift-receivers link their appreciation closely to the gift cost. |
| B．Personal preferences are the least to be considered. |
| C．The assumption made by gift-givers is incorrect. |
| D．Gift-giving is a process of wasting resources. |
| A．a trend of overspending |
| B．an inability to shift perspective |
| C．a growing opposition to gift-giving |
| D．a misunderstanding of intention |
| Dear Principal Stanton, The date for our annual Desert Path Pride Spirit Week is rapidly coming and the Student Council has been discussing some new ideas about how to celebrate school pride this year. Since Spirit Week is the week before scheduled testing, we would like to suggest combining student festivities with preparation for testing. We want to assure you that all activities would focus on academics while providing fun for those involved. Our plan for the week is as follows: Monday—Math Day would include fun math games in the classrooms and school-wide activities such as guessing the number of bricks in a building, recording times at relay races, and competitions for multiplication facts. Tuesday—Reader’s Roundup would focus on books and authors. Students and teachers can come dressed as their favorite author or character from a book. This day would be great for the contest of “Best Reader”. Older students can share reading time with younger aged buddies. Wednesday—Writer’s Day would display student writing from previously held competitions for types of writing like poems, stories and essays. Of course there would be prizes given for outstanding writing in each category. Thursday—No Fear Day would be where we have our spirited assembly (集合) to get us ready for testing. The Student Council could even put on a skit(短剧) showing how all of us at Desert Path are ready for test week. These are just a few of the ideas we are asking you to consider. We would like to have the opportunity to meet with you and discuss our plan and to hear what ideas you may have for Spirit Week. Please let us know when you can schedule some time to meet. Respectfully yours, The Student Council |
1. Why does the Student Council write this letter to Principal Stanton?
| A．To discuss their plan. |
| B．To advertise Spirit Week. |
| C．To explain their test schedule. |
| D．To invite the principal to Spirit Week. |
| A．on Monday | B．on Tuesday |
| C．on Wednesday | D．on Thursday |
| A．be given prizes |
| B．dress as you like |
| C．get high marks in the test |
| D．have fun in school-wide activities |
| A．The principal will give prizes. |
| B．Spirit Week will be cancelled. |
| C．Spirit Week will be postponed. |
| D．The principal will meet the Student Council. |
6 . I think that I always knew I wanted to become an artist. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing or painting pictures. My oldest sister and my brother were artistic, and watching them draw fascinated me. They had many different art supplies around the house. Boxes of pastels, little ink bottles and pens were very appealing.
My parents and friends soon saw that I had more than a passing interest in art. It came to define much of my image. Relatives gave me art-related birthday gifts. At school I became “the kid who could draw,” a unique distinction, like “brainiest” or “best athlete”.
As I got a little older, I began copying pictures: cartoons, comic books, and magazine illustrations.
My third-grade class wrote essays on what we wanted to be when we grew up. To me it was obvious. We read them aloud, and I told about the types of paintings I would some day try. I’d have turtles with paintbrushes tied to their backs walking around on a big sheet of paper. Or I’d fill squirt guns with different colored paints and shoot at the canvas. I actually tried this with friends! Well, it sounded like a good idea.
One of the only discouraging childhood experiences about my artwork happened in the fourth grade. During study time I was drawing a picture. My teacher took it away and wrote an angry note home to my mother. “David would rather be drawing pictures than doing his work!!!” I couldn’t believe it, three exclamation points. School “art classes” were pretty uninspiring. Art never seemed to be taken as seriously as other subjects.
In the eighth grade, a big career day was held. Months before, we wrote suggestions for careers we wanted to hear about. On the big day, guest speakers from many fields came to talk, but there wasn’t one that came close to an art-related field.
In high school it actually sank in that I was going to be an artist. I already knew. I’d always known. My parents were excited about my choice, too. As I looked into art schools, I felt like doors were being thrown wide open. Until then my art was a private thing, but at art school I found a place where everyone as “the kid who could draw.”
1. The author became interested in art because of _________.| A．his parents’ wish |
| B．some schools’ appeal |
| C．his family members’ influence |
| D．some experts’ suggestion |
| A．began copying pictures |
| B．drew with squirt guns |
| C．was discouraged by the teacher |
| D．got suggestions from guest speakers |
| A．thanked his parents very much |
| B．went into a new world of art |
| C．was still the only kid who could draw |
| D．stopped learning art finally |
| A．stick to their dreams |
| B．treasure what they have |
| C．obey the natural rules |
| D．choose their career earlier |
7 . The world is full of distractions. If you work in an office, it might be emails, phone calls or colleagues with questions to ask, which take your attention away from what you are doing or thinking about. If you are at home, it might be the contents of the fridge or a sudden fixation on dust mites (尘螨) under the sofa. Sometimes it takes even less. If you are sitting and doing work and someone near you says something particularly interesting, that can pull your focus. If you are not careful, you will end up your day with nothing accomplished.
So, how can we stay focused in our wandering minds? Switching off email or messaging services helps. And put your smart phone and other irrelevant screens away—they attract your attention even if they are off. If you tend to pop on headphones and use music to shut out distractions, avoid listening to anything familiar. Knowing the words or tune well will distract you even more.
Not all distractions are bad, however. If you are doing something repetitive like stuffing envelopes or laying bricks, being distracted by listening to music or engaging in a conversation with a co-worker can ultimately increase productivity. Creativity can benefit from distraction too. Jihae Shin, now at the university of Wisconsin-Madison, has found that when people played Minesweeper for five minutes before coming up with new business ideas, they were more creative than those who didn’t play.
Switching between tasks can also help. In general, this is the enemy of productivity: it encourages mistakes, stops us from completing things, promotes forgetfulness and lowers the quality of writing. But when we are trying to come up with creative solutions, task-switching distractions can help prevent “cognitive fixation” on ineffective approaches. So if you are a creative type, try lining up two or more tasks and spend your day switching between them.
1. Why does the author mention many examples in Para.1?| A．To reveal the troubles of distractions. |
| B．To present the findings of recent studies. |
| C．To highlight the values of multitasks. |
| D．To emphasize the importance of being focused. |
| A．It will improve the productivity of the repetitive work. |
| B．It may be shut out by listening to the familiar music. |
| C．It may lower the efficiency of multitasks. |
| D．It will help to come up with new ideas. |
| A．Upsides and downsides of distraction. |
| B．Distraction and creativity. |
| C．How to stay focused. |
| D．Causes of distraction. |
8 . Success and Risk in Extreme Sports
What is it that drives some to take extreme risks, while the rest of us hurry for the safety of the sidelines?
Lester Keller, sports-psychology expert, says that not everyone has the mental makeup to do well in extreme sports. He notes that most of us hit a natural ceiling that limits our appetite for extreme risk in tricky conditions. But others have a much higher tolerance for risk. Keller points to a top ski racer. He told Keller that “the high element of risk makes you feel alive, tests what you are made of and how far you can take yourself”. He said he would get nervous on some of the courses, but that this would just make him fight more.
Psychologists note that some people seem to have a strong desire for adrenaline (肾上腺素) rushes as a behavior seeking excited feelings. Like many extreme athletes, Emily Cook’s appetite for risk appeared at a young age. “I was a gymnast,” she said. “I was one of those kids who enjoyed and did well at anything where you were upside down.” As she started doing harder tricks, she was drawn to the challenge. “There are moments when you’re up there doing a new trick and it seems like an impossible thing. But overcoming that is just the coolest feeling in the world.”
Shane Murphy, sports professor, has worked with groups climbing Everest. “To me, that just seems like the height of risk,” he said. “But to them it was the next step in an activity that they’ve prepared for years.” Murphy said the view of extreme athletes is different from our own. “We look at a risky situation and know that if we were in that situation we would be out of control. But from the athletes’ view, they have a lot of control, and there are many things that they do to minimize risk.”
Another aspect of risk perception (认知) may be something referred to as “the flow”, a state in which many athletes become absorbed in the acts that focus the mind completely on the present. “Something that makes you try doing a tougher climb than usual, perhaps, is that your adrenaline flows and you become very concentrated on what you’re doing,” Murphy says. “After it’s over, there’s great excitement.”
People of different skill levels experience the flow at different times. Some may always be driven to adventures that others consider extreme. “I can enjoy hitting a tennis ball around, because that’s my skill level,” Murphy says. “But others might need the challenge of Olympic competition.”
1. By using the term “natural ceiling” in Paragraph 2, Lester Keller points out that ______.| A．extreme athletes must learn special skills |
| B．extreme athletes have chances to take risks |
| C．many people don’t want to do extreme sports |
| D．many people can’t limit desire for extreme sports |
| A．They put in lots of preparation for challenges. |
| B．They are more fortunate than other sportspeople. |
| C．They carry little risk when facing big challenges. |
| D．They have special reasons that others can’t easily understand. |
| A．Extreme athletes use techniques other people don’t use. |
| B．Non-athletes are probably wise not to try extreme sports. |
| C．Most people lack the focus required to take bigger risks. |
| D．A certain state of mind makes attempting an activity more likely. |
| A．risk-taking is something you either naturally do or avoid |
| B．those who take risks are more likely to be successful in life |
| C．extreme athletes are driven by a need to be better than others |
| D．taking part in extreme sports is not as difficult as people think |
9 . Barditch High School decided to have an All-School Reunion. Over 450 people came to the event. There were tours of the old school building and a picnic at Confederate Park. Several former teachers were on hands to tell stories about the old days. Ms. Mabel Yates, the English teacher for fifty years, was wheeled to the park.
Some eyes rolled and there were a few low groans (嘟囔声) when Ms.Yates was about to speak. Many started looking at their watches and coming up with excuses to be anywhere instead of preparing to listen to a lecture from an old woman who had few kind words for her students and made them work harder than all the other teachers combined.
Then Ms. Yates started to speak: “I can’t tell you how pleased I am to be here. I haven’t seen many of you since your graduation, but I have followed your careers and enjoyed your victories as well as crying for your tragedies. I have a large collection of newspaper photographs of my students. Although I haven’t appeared in person, I have attended your college graduations, weddings and even the birth of your children, in my imagination.”
Ms. Yates paused and started crying a bit. Then she continued: “It was my belief that if I pushed you as hard as I could, some of you would succeed to please me and others would succeed to annoy me. Regardless of our motives, I can see that you have all been successful in your chosen path.”
“There is no greater comfort for an educator than to see the end result of his or her years of work. You have all been a great source of pleasure and pride for me and I want you to know I love you all from the bottom of my heart.”
There was a silence over the crowd for a few seconds and then someone started clapping. The clapping turned into cheering, then into a deafening roar (呼喊). Lawyers, truck drivers, bankers and models were rubbing their eyes or crying openly with no shame all because of the words from a long forgotten English teacher from their hometown.
1. What activity was organized for the school reunion?| A．Telling stories about past events. | B．A picnic on the school playground. |
| C．Sightseeing in the park. | D．Graduates’ reports in the old building. |
| A．Some graduates were too busy to listen to Ms. Yates’ speech. |
| B．Some people got tired from the reunion activities. |
| C．Many graduates disliked Ms. Yates’ ways of teaching. |
| D．Most people had little interest in the reunion. |
| A．went to her students’ wedding ceremonies | B．gave her students advice on their careers |
| C．attended her students’ college graduations | D．kept track of her students’ progress. |
| A．Reliable and devoted. | B．Strict but caring. |
| C．Proud but patient. | D．Tough and generous. |
10 . You're never too young to make an impact on your community.
Members of Gen Z are exceptionally creative,cause-oriented,and hyper-aware of the world around them,making them perfectly ready to help handle the world's problems through volunteering.
If you want to make a difference in your community, be a part of something bigger than yourself, or just need to earn some required volunteer hours, then this is the place to start. Here are a few organizations of Gen Z with volunteer opportunities for teens!
Habitat for Humanity
Everyone deserves to have a place they call home. By volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, you can play a role in building up your community. Their Habitat Youth Programs accept volunteers between the ages of 5 and 40 for everything from home construction to affordable housing advocacy.
Meals on Wheels
For those teens who just got their licenses and love any reason to get behind the wheel, here's a volunteer opportunity that 'll make driving worthwhile. Meals on Wheels is on a mission to meet the nutritional and social needs of seniors. 225 million meals have been delivered so far-connect with your local provider to find out how you can get involved.
Key Club
As the oldest service program for high schoolers, the Key Club has quite a history of helping teens get involved in volunteering. Because clubs are student-led, you get a direct say in the kinds of service projects you want to do.Chances are, there's already a chapter in your school, but if not, you can try taking the lead in one.
Best Buddies
Volunteer with Best Buddies to help end the social,physical,and economic isolation of 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities-and you'll make some new pals in the process! Join a school chapter (or start your own) to use friendship as a tool for inclusivity in your community.
And don't worry. Even if you can't volunteer physically, there are also tons of online volunteer Opportunities available! Find out more about joining a worthwhile volunteer organizations at www.Gen Z.org.
1. If you want to help people with disabilities, yon can join| A．Habitat for Humanity |
| B．Meals on Wheels |
| C．Key Club |
| D．Best Buddies |
| A．send meals to the elderly |
| B．make nutritional meals |
| C．drive the seniors around |
| D．teach the seniors to drive |
| A．'A part of a book. |
| B．A branch of a club. |
| C．A period of life. |
| D．An office on campus. |
| A．get more people to volunteer |
| B．teach teens to he more creative |
| C．promote awareness of world affairs |
| D．instruct teens to earn volunteer hours |
