1 . By now, most of us have picked up at least one pandemic hobby. And there's a seemingly common pandemic hobby trend: People who haven't been able to go anywhere are making imaginary travel plans. Maybe you're among those who have spent hours researching locations-even though you're not actually planning to travel.
It turns out that you aren't alone. People who seem to be sticking to public safety recommendations are still planning trips they don't intend to book. And, when I suddenly found myself addicted to an imaginary girls' trip to Joshua Tree, I wondered whether this was a healthy distraction.
"It's an escapist imagination," said Regine Galanti, a psychologist, adding that there's nothing wrong with escapism during a global pandemic.
On the one hand, distractions are often beneficial right now. We are a full year into living with COVID-19 as a pandemic, and that means you've probably had to navigate a range of emotions like discomfort, sadness, or even boredom. So any hobby that doesn't harm anyone or endanger your well-being is probably a worthy attempt.
Even if vacation planning is your happy place, Dr. Galanti suggests you "actually think about what you're trying to achieve." Why? "Maybe what you're saying is, I need a vacation from work," Dr. Galanti explains. "Then take three days off even if you are not going anywhere. "When you figure out what you're looking for, you might be able to find a small socially distanced adventure in your backyard or a quiet place. Vacation planning is a good way to spend some time, but there might be an even better way to get what you're desiring.
Anyway, when uncertainty is all around us, creating things to look forward to isn't a terrible idea. And when things are safer, you'll have all your plans in place.
1. Why do people make imaginary travel plans during the pandemic?| A．To develop a new hobby. | B．To stay safe and sound. |
| C．To be distracted from reality. | D．To get ready for future travel. |
| A．Express. | B．Balance. | C．Adapt to. | D．Deal with. |
| A．Objective. | B．Negative. | C．Supportive. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Figures. | B．Lifestyle. |
| C．Food and recipe. | D．Science and technology. |
2 . In a large survey of people's first memories, nearly 40% of participants reported a first memory that is likely to be fictional, according to findings published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
Current research indicates that people's earliest memories date from around 3 to 3. 5 years of age. However, the study from researchers at City, University of London, the University of Bradford, and Nottingham Trent University found that 38.6% of 6, 641 participants claimed to have memories from age 2 or younger, with 893 people claiming memories from age 1 or younger. This was particularly prevalent among middle-aged and older adults.
As many of these memories dated before the age of 2 and younger, the authors suggest that these fictional memories are based on remembered fragments(碎片) of early experience—such as a pram(婴儿车)，family relationships and feeling sad—and some facts or knowledge about their own infancy or childhood which may have been derived from photographs or family conversations.
“Further details may be unconsciously inferred or added, e. g. that one was wearing nappy when standing in the cot(幼儿床)," added Shazia Akhatr, first author on the study and Senior Research Associate at the University of Bradford.
“When we looked through the responses from participants we found that a lot of these first 'memories' were frequently related to infancy, and a typical example would be a memory based around a pram," explained Martin Conway, Director at the Centre for Memory and Law at City, University of London and coauthor of the paper.
“For this person, this type of memory could have resulted from someone saying something like 'mother and a large green pram'. The person then imagines what it would have looked like. Over time these fragments then become a memory and often the person will start to add things in such as a string of toys along the top," he added.
"Crucially, the person remembering them doesn't know this is fictional," Conway noted. "In fact when people are told that their memories are false they often don't believe it. This partly due to the fact that the systems that allow us to remember things are very complex, and it's not until we're 5 or 6 that we form adult-like memories due to the way that the brain develops and due to our maturing understanding of the world.
1. What does the underlined word "prevalent" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Unique. | B．Crazy. | C．Common. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．Some people have clear knowledge about their own infancy. |
| B．Added details are an important clue to recall the childhood. |
| C．Most people claimed to have memories from age 2 or younger. |
| D．Talks between family members influence the earliest memories. |
| A．By making comparison. | B．By setting examples. |
| C．By analyzing data. | D．By referring to documents. |
| A．Many people's earliest memories may be fictional. |
| B．People's earliest memories can date back to 2 or younger. |
| C．The middle-aged and adults specialize in detailing their first memory. |
| D．Memories develop due to our maturing understanding of the world. |
3 . If it really is what’s on the inside that counts, then a lot of thin people might be in trouble.
Some doctors now think that the internal fat surrounding important organs like the heart or liver could be as dangerous as the external fat which can be noticed more easily.
“Being thin doesn’t surely mean you are not fat”, said Dr. Jimmy Bell at Imperial College.
Since 1994, Bell and his team have scanned nearly 800 people with MRI machines to create “fat maps” showing where people store fat.
According to the result, people who keep their weight through diet rather than exercise are likely to have major deposits of internal fat, even if they are slim.
Even people with normal Body Mass Index scores can have surprising levels of fat deposits inside. Of the women, as many as 45 percent of those with normal BMI scores (20 to 25) actually had too high levels of internal fat. Among men, the percentage was nearly 60 percent.
According to Bell, people who are fat on the inside are actually on the edge of being fat. They eat too many fatty and sugary foods, but they are not eating enough to be fat. Scientists believe we naturally store fat around the belly first, but at some point, the body may start storing it elsewhere.
Doctors are unsure about the exact dangers of internal fat, but some think it has something to do with heart disease and diabetes (糖尿病). They want to prove that internal fat damages the body’s communication systems.
The good news is that internal fat can be easily burned off through exercise or even by improving your diet. “If you want to be healthy, there is no shortcut. Exercise has to be an important part of your lifestyle, ” Bell said.
1. What is this passage mainly about?| A．Thin people may be fat inside. |
| B．Internal fat is of no importance. |
| C．Internal fat leads to many diseases. |
| D．Thin people don’t have diabetes. |
| A．the exact dangers of internal fat |
| B．being slim is not dangerous at all |
| C．internal fat is the cause of heart disease |
| D．being slim doesn’t mean you are not fat inside |
| A．Internal fat leading to disease has been proved. |
| B．Thin people usually have internal fat even if they are slim. |
| C．It is easier to burn off internal fat than external fat. |
| D．Exercise plays an important role in people’s life for keeping healthy. |
| A．A long road. |
| B．A good diet. |
| C．A clear difference. |
| D．A short distance. |
4 . When John was growing up, other kids felt sorry for him. His parents always had him weeding the garden, carrying out the garbage and delivering newspapers. But when John reached adulthood, he was better off than his childhood playmates. He had more job satisfaction, a better marriage and was healthier. Most of all, he was happier.
These are the findings of a 40-year study that followed the lives of 456 teenage boys from Boston. The study showed that those who had worked as boys enjoyed happier and more productive lives than those who had not. "Boys who worked in the home or community gained competence (能力) and came to feel they were worthwhile members of society," said George Vaillant, the psychologist (心理学家) who made the discovery. "And because they felt good about themselves, others felt good about them."
Vaillant’s study followed these males in great detail. Interviews were repeated at ages 25,31 and 47. Under Vaillant, the researchers compared the men’s mental-health scores with their boyhood-activity scores. Points were awarded for part-time jobs, housework, effort in school, and ability to deal with problems.
The relationship between what the men had done as boys and how they turned out as adults was surprisingly sharp. Those who had done the most boyhood activities were twice as likely to have warm relations with a wide variety of people, five times as likely to be well paid and 16 times less likely to have been unemployed. The researchers also found that IQ and family social and economic class made no real difference in how the boys turned out. Working — at any age — is important. Childhood activities help a child develop responsibility, independence, confidence and competence — the underpinnings (基础) of emotional health. They also help him understand that people must cooperate and work toward common goals. The most competent (能干的) adults are those who know how to do this. Yet work isn't everything. As Tolstoy once said, “One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love to work for the person one loves and to love one's work.”
1. Vaillant’s words in Paragraph 2 serve as ___________.| A．a description of personal values and social values |
| B．an analysis of how work was connected with competence |
| C．an example for parents’ expectations of their children |
| D．an explanation why some boys grew into happy men |
| A．recording the boys’ effort in school |
| B．evaluating the men’s mental health |
| C．comparing different sets of scores |
| D．measuring the men’s problem solving ability |
| A．Quick to react. |
| B．Having a thin edge. |
| C．Clear and definite. |
| D．Sudden and rapid. |
| A．Competent adults know more about love than work. |
| B．Emotional health is essential to a wonderful adult life. |
| C．Love brings more joy to people than work does. |
| D．Independence is the key to one’s success. |
5 . Very often, when we see young people sitting there, looking at the screen of a mobile phone and smiling, we may think nothing is wrong. But when we come to the question “how much time do they actually spend on media（传播媒介）daily?”, the answer is surprising: young people spend about nine hours every day using media, and this only includes media used for enjoyment.
Today's young people seem to have become crazy multitaskers. They often use media when doing other activities. Some watch TV when doing homework, some text（发短信）, and some others listen to music. But what do young people think of this? A research showed that two thirds of them believed watching TV or texting had no influence on their schoolwork. Half of them thought using social media made no difference. However, researches have given a different answer: “media multitaskers” did worse in tests.
Scientists did a research among more than 400 students. It shows that those who text a lot have more trouble sleeping and do worse in their study. In another research, students who didn't text during a lesson took down a lot more notes than those who were texting. A similar research also found that students who texted when doing schoolwork had lower overall（总体的）grades.
According to a research, if a kid uses social media a lot, especially at night, he or she will sleep worse and feel more nervous and depressed（消沉的）. On the one hand, young people stay up late to check messages and information. They may also be woken up by messages they receive. On the other hand, even the light from a screen could influence their sleep. Some other researches also show that children who use media at night go to bed later, get fewer hours of sleep each week, and become sleepy more easily during the daytime.
1. The underlined word “multitaskers” in Paragraph 2 refers to people who _________.| A．ask a lot of questions |
| B．use different media for learning |
| C．have several mobile phones |
| D．do several tasks at the same time |
| A．become more worried |
| B．get more excited |
| C．take fewer notes in class |
| D．sleep much better |
| A．Social media is very popular among young people. |
| B．Using media too much has a bad influence on young people. |
| C．The use of social media has both advantages and disadvantages. |
| D．Mobile phones are the main tools students use for school learning. |
6 . Every year more people recognize that it is wrong to kill wildlife for “sport”. Progress in this direction is slow because shooting is not a sport for watching, and only those few who take par realize the cruelty and destruction.
The number of gunners, however, grows rapidly. Children too young to develop proper judgments through independent thought are led a long way away by their gunning parents. They are subjected to advertisements of gun producers who describe shooting as good for their health and gun-carrying as a way of putting redder blood in the veins（血管）. They are persuaded by gunner magazines with stories honoring the chase and the kill. In school they view motion pictures which are supposedly meant to teach them how to deal with arms safely but which are actually designed to stimulate（刺激）a desire to own a gun.
Wildlife is disappearing because of shooting and because of the loss of wildland habitat Habitatloss will continue with our increasing population, but can we slow the loss of wildlife caused by shooting? There doesn't seem to be any chance if the serious condition of our birds is not improved. Wildlife belongs to everyone and not to the gunners alone. Although most people do not shoot, they seem to forgive shooting for sport because they know little or nothing about it. The only answer, then, is to bring the truth about sport shooting to the great majority of people.
Now, it is time to realize that animals have the same right to life as we do and that there is nothing fair or right about a person with a gun shooting the harmless and beautiful creatures. The gunners like to describe what they do as character-building, but we know that to wound an animal and watch it go through the agony of mortality can make nobody happy. If, as they would have you believe, gun-carrying and killing improve human character, then perhaps we should encourage war.
1. According to the text, most people do not seem to be against hunting because .| A．they have little knowledge of it. |
| B．it helps to build human character. |
| C．it is too costly to stop killing wildlife. |
| D．they want to keep wildlife under control. |
| A．difficulty. | B．tress. | C．pain. | D．sadness. |
| A．teach them how to deal with guns safely. |
| B．praise hunting as character building. |
| C．describe hunting as a physical exercise. |
| D．encourage them to have guns of their own. |
| A．Hunting to build human character makes no sense. |
| B．War in the best way to improve human character. |
| C．We are on the edge of war against gunners. |
| D．Protecting wildlife from gunners is extremely difficult. |
7 . Remember when your mom told you not to eat too many candy bars or sweets because they can cause tooth decay (蛀牙)? However, it turns out that chocolate can be more salutary to your teeth than you might expect. Recent studies show that chocolate can effectively fight against tooth decay, as if we need another excuse to eat chocolate.
Chocolate offers protection like fluoride, a main ingredient in most household toothpastes. Not only does chocolate protect our teeth, but it can do so very effectively. Studies show that chocolate has compounds that provide strong protection for teeth. One of the compounds in chocolate, CBH, is shown to protect even more effectively than fluoride.
Tooth decay happens when bacteria work to turn sugar into acids in our mouth. This is why eating foods with high sugar content can lead to more tooth decay. The compounds in chocolate, however, are anti-bacteria and can fight against bacteria in your mouth. The CBH compound in particular also works to strengthen tooth enamel (牙釉质), and protects against tooth decay.
Does this mean you can cat as much chocolate as you want without worrying about your teeth? It depends on the types of chocolate that you like. The protective effect of chocolate is most effective when you chew on cocoa beans. Of course, this option is not very appealing to; most people. A more tasty option is to choose dark chocolate with little sugar content, ideally no more than 6 to 8 grams per serving. For other types of chocolate with higher sugar content, the effect will be lessened. However, because of the protective compounds, it is still better for your teeth than other sweets and desserts containing the same amount of sugar.
1. The word “salutary” in paragraph 1 means?| A．Beneficial. | B．Harmful. | C．Familiar. | D．Useless. |
| A．It can help chocolate cure tooth decay. |
| B．It can effectively stop teeth from decaying. |
| C．It may protect teeth better than toothpastes do. |
| D．It may soon replace most household toothpastes. |
| A．By breaking down acids. | B．By building up compounds. |
| C．By fixing up tooth enamel. | D．By fighting against bacteria. |
| A．Chocolate plays the role of toothpaste. |
| B．Chocolate protects against tooth decay. |
| C．Chocolate is the best choice for teeth protection. |
| D．Chocolate is healthier to teeth than other sweets. |
8 . The COVID-19 pandemic is having a negative influence on people with eating disorders, according to a new study from the UK.
While it is well known that COVID-19 is having a great effect on the global population, a research carried out by researchers from Northumbria University shows that the pandemic raises additional, unique challenges for individuals with eating disorders.
During the early stages of the UK pandemic lockdown, Dr. Dawn Branley-Bell and Dr. Catherine Talbot surveyed individuals across the country who are now experiencing, or in recovery from, an eating disorder.
The results suggest the disruption (扰乱) to daily life as a result of being locked at home and social distancing may have a detrimental influence on an individual’s well-being, with almost nine out of ten participants reporting that their symptoms had worsened as a result of the pandemic.
Detrimental impacts on psychological well-being include decreased feelings of control, increased feelings of social isolation (孤立), and low feelings of social support, the survey discovered.
Through an analysis of participants’ responses, researchers found the negative effects maybe due to changes in a number of factors, including regular routines, living situations, time spent with friends and family, access to treatment, engagement in physical activity, relationship with food, and the use of technology.
The research team warns that the effects of not being able to access professional eating disorder treatment during the pandemic could be severe, causing some people’s conditions to become much worse and—in some cases—could prove deadly.
“Our findings stress that we must not underestimate the impact of the pandemic,” Branley-Bell said, “Individuals with eating disorders will likely experience a long-tern effect on their symptoms and recovery. It is important that this is recognized by health care services, and beyond, in order to offer the necessary resources to support this population.”
1. The underlined word “detrimental” in the fourth paragraph probably means ________.| A．embarrassing | B．damaging |
| C．beneficial | D．professional |
| A．health care services are important for helping those with eating disorders |
| B．the lack of regular routines is the main factor for the negative effects of the pandemic |
| C．having access to medical treatment can improve people’s conditions immediately |
| D．individuals with eating disorders have an increased sense of control due to the pandemic |
| A．The deep influence of the pandemic on the worldwide population. |
| B．The serious effects of the changed time spent with friends and family. |
| C．The harmful effects of the pandemic on citizens with eating disorders. |
| D．The importance of the necessary resources provided by health care services. |
9 . The Land Under the Sea
Ten thousand years ago, as the last ice age ended, sea levels around the world were far lower than they are today. Much of the land under both the North Sea to the east of Britain and the English Channel which now separates France and Britain was part of a huge region of forests and grassy plains. Then the climate gradually became warmer and the water trapped in large masses of ice was released.
Now the development of advanced sonar (声呐) technology, known as bathymetry, is making it possible to study this flooded landscape in extraordinary detail. A special echo (回声) sounder is fixed to the bottom of a survey ship and it makes wide sweeps across the seabed. While previous technology has only been able to produce two-dimensional images, bathymetry can now use computers, satellite-positioning equipment and special software to create accurate and remarkably detailed maps. For the first time, an ancient riverbed jumps out of the three-dimensional image. The site of pre-historic settlements can now be pinpointed.
According to expert Linda Andrews, this technological development is of huge significance. “We now have the ability to map the seabed as accurately as we can map dry land,” she says.
Once bathymetric techniques have identified sites where people might have built their homes and villages, divers can be sent down to investigate further. Robot submarines (潜艇) can also be used, and researchers hope they will find stone tools and wood from houses as proof of human activity. The idea shared by many people in Britain of their country as a natural island kingdom will be challenged by the findings: Britain has been inhabited for about 500,000 years and much of this time it has been linked on and off to continental Europe. It remains to be seen how far this new awareness is taken on board, however.
In fact, the use of bathymetry will not be limited to the study of lost landscapes and ancient settlements. It will also be vital in finding ships that have been destroyed in accidents. In addition, commercial applications are a real possibility. Aggregates (骨材) for the construction industry are becoming increasingly expensive, and bathymetry can be used to identify suitable sites for digging for this material. Mapping the seabed will also identify places where rare plants and shellfish are living. Digging at such sites should be prevented, either to work for a profit or to make deeper waterways for massive container ships.
1. How does bathymetry work?| A．It has an echo sounder placed on the seabed. |
| B．It makes use of a number of different devices. |
| C．It produces two-dimensional images of the sea floor. |
| D．It bases its calculations on the location of construction sites. |
| A．Occupied. | B．Adjusted. |
| C．Rebuilt. | D．Discovered. |
| A．attract investment in the research under the sea |
| B．inspire people to take an interest in modern technology |
| C．adapt the attitudes of the British to their country’s history |
| D．receive confirmation of rebuilding ancient man-made objects |
| A．identify new species of plants and animals |
| B．provide the precise location of sunken ships |
| C．evaluate the cost of seeking certain resources |
| D．promote the development of deeper waterways |
Recently, your mother and I were searching for an answer on Google. Halfway through entering the question, Google returned a list of the most popular searches in the world. At the top of the list was “How to keep him interested.”
It surprised me a lot. I scanned several of the countless articles about how to be sexy and sexual, when to bring him a beer versus a sandwich, and the ways to make him feel smart and superior.
And I got angry.
Little One, it is not, has never been, and never will be your job to “keep him interested.”
Little One, your only task is to know deeply in your soul — in that unshakeable place that isn’t upset by rejection and loss - that you are worthy of interest.
If you can trust your worth in this way, you will be attractive in the most important sense of the world: you will attract a boy who is both capable of interest and who wants to spend his one life investing all of his interest in you.
Little One, I want to tell you about the boy who doesn’t need to be kept interested, because he knows you are interesting.
I don’t care if he can’t play a bit of golf with me — as long as he can play with the children you give him and revel in all the glorious and frustrating ways they are just like you. I don’t care if he doesn’t follow his wallet — as long as he follows his heart and it always leads him back to you. I don’t care if he is strong — as long as he gives you the space to exercise the strength that is in your heart. I couldn’t care less how he votes — as long as he wakes up every morning and daily elects you to a place of honor in your home and a place of respect in his heart. I don't care about the color of his skin. I don’t care if he was raised in this religion or that religion or no religion
Little One, if you come across a man like that and he and I have nothing else in common, we will have the most important thing in common: You.
Because in the end, Little One, the only thing you should have to do to “keep him interested” is to be you.
Your eternally interested guy,
Daddy
1. What shocked Daddy when he was surfing on the Internet?| A．Girls’ knowing nothing about trusting themselves. |
| B．Girls’ giving priority to finding ways to please boys. |
| C．Girls’ bringing foods and drinks to boys from time to time. |
| D．Girls’ being upset by being rejected constantly. |
| A．keep the boy interested. | B．know she deserves a boy’ interest. |
| C．attract a boy willing to invest all in her. | D．find a boy who can please her. |
| A．feel depressed. | B．become puzzled. | C．look around. | D．enjoy himself. |
| A．To advise his daughter to trust her worth. |
| B．To inform his daughter how to keep others interested. |
| C．To show his daughter how to find her true love. |
| D．To help his daughter find someone with common interests. |
