1 . There you are, looking through your WeChat moments or your Weibo feed, and you come across a post saying something like this: “I just got accepted to Harvard and 0xford! Are they sure they didn’t mix my applications up with somebody else’s?”
This person is clearly humblebragging. The term “humblebrag” was first coined back in 2010 by the late US comedian Harris Wittels, and it describes when someone makes a seemingly modest statement, but the actual purpose is to bring attention to something they are proud of.
The example above is a modesty-based humblebrag. The person wants to tell others: “I got accepted to Harvard and Oxford!” However, they don't want to seem too proud of their accomplishments. So, instead, they word it in a way to be more modest and bring down the importance of their achievements.
Although people who humblebrag think it will make them more likeable because they aren’t talking proudly about their victories, a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology showed that humblebragging actually has the opposite effect.
“Humblebragging doesn’t have the intended result because it seems insincere. That ‘poor me’ attitude combined with self-promotion does not lead to a favorable impression,” said Ovul Sezer, the lead author of the study and an assistant professor of organizational behavior at the University of North Carolina, US. “ Even simply bragging or complaining (抱怨) is better, because at least those messages are seen as more sincere.”
Sezer’s study also found that nearly 60% of humblebrags were complaint-based humblebragging, with most people humblebragging about their looks, followed by their money or wealth, and finally about their performance at work. “It’s such a common phenomenon. All of us know some people in our lives, whether in the social media or in the workplace, who do this annoying thing,” commented Sezer, adding that we all do it to some extent.
So, if you want to share your achievements with others, what’s the best way to do it then? Sezer suggests that people admit their self-promotion and harvest the rewards of being sincere. She also suggests finding a go-between, adding, “If someone brags for you, that’s the best thing that can happen to you, because then you don’t seem like you’re bragging.”
1. The underlined word “coined” in Paragraph 2 probably means “________”.| A．recognized | B．invented |
| C．bought | D．copied |
| A．Hesitating to talk about your achievements. |
| B．Bringing people’s attention to your achievements. |
| C．Talking proudly about your achievements in the social media. |
| D．Pretending to be modest when talking about your achievements. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Ambiguous. |
| C．Supportive. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Share their achievements with their best friends. |
| B．Bring down the importance of their achievements. |
| C．Find someone else to talk about their achievements. |
| D．Talk about their achievements after someone else does. |
2 . The joy of giving is real, according to a study. Research presented in the Journal of the Association for Psychological Science shows that those who give gifts are happier — and happier for longer — than those who receive gifts.
Researchers conducted two studies last year. In one，participants were given $5 every day for five days and were required to spend the money on the same thing each day. Some participants were required to spend the money on themselves, while others were required to give to make a donation to charity. In a second experiment that was done online, participants played 10 rounds of a word puzzle game and each won 5 cents per round, which they could keep or donate.
In both experiments, participants reported their overall happiness. Those who donated their money showed that their happiness declined at a much slower rate than those who kept the money or spent it on themselves.
The researchers note that when people focus on an outcome, they can easily compare outcomes, which may diminish their sensitivity to each experience. When people focus on an action, they may focus less on comparison and instead experience each act of giving as a unique happiness-inducing event. Further analyses ruled out some potential alternative explanations, such as the possibility that participants who gave to others had to think longer and harder about what to give, which could promote higher happiness.
The results are especially interesting because according to one of the researchers, Ed O’Brien of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, they conflict with past research. “If you want to sustain happiness over time, past research tells us that we need to take a break from what were currently consuming and experience something new. Our research reveals that the kind of thing may matter more than assumed: Repeated giving, even in identical ways to identical other，may continue to feel relatively fresh and relatively pleasurable the more we do it,” O’Brien said.
So for all the holiday gifts you give this season, expect to feel happy and know that feeling is going to stick around for a while.
1. What’s the function of the first paragraph?| A．To lead to the topic. |
| B．To highlight the importance of the study. |
| C．To recommend a journal. |
| D．To persuade people to give gifts regularly. |
| A．To challenge the past research. |
| B．To rule out different experimental data. |
| C．To show the benefits of donation. |
| D．To make the conclusion more convincing. |
| A．Develop. | B．Show. | C．Reduce. | D．Lack. |
| A．Gift giving will result in longer happiness than receiving. |
| B．Thinking longer and harder on giving will promote higher happiness. |
| C．The feeling of happiness will disappear soon if people just give holiday gifts. |
| D．Taking a break from what were currently consuming will sustain happiness. |
3 . Some of the wonder buildings are known for their beautiful construction, while others track their history from ancient times. There are some buildings in the world which are attractive and look really amazing.
Shenzhen International Airport Terminal（航站楼）
Shenzhen International Airport Terminal is in China. This building is a wonder of Italian architects（建筑师）Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas. Thanks to these two architects who created the design of Terminal 3 of Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport in a highly creative and wonderful way, the building reflects the sunlight from its inside during the daytime.
The La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science
The La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science is an eye-catching building. The design of this building was given by Architects of Lyons in France. The building was constructed in a hexagonal（六角形的）shape, having six floors. It is one of the best medical colleges of Melbourne, Australia.
De Rotterdam
De Rotterdam is one of the best constructed buildings of Netherland. The architect, Rem Koolhaas gave it an ideal and beautiful look. This is one of the largest buildings of Europe. It has three mix-style towers, beautiful accommodation（住宿）areas, the commercial center, the conference hall, restaurants and cafes for the visitors. It also has an indoor swimming pool where lots of people enjoy different water games in summer.
The Roof Gardens Kensington
You can give any name to this restaurant, but what it is known for is its special style of construction. The locals name “The Roof Gardens Kensington” a dreamy and romantic place for the visitors. It is much more expensive but the food served at this restaurant is indetective in terms of its taste and quality.
1. What can we learn about Terminal 3 of Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport?| A．Sunlight can be reflected from its inside. |
| B．The design of the terminal once won a prize. |
| C．It offers many kinds of global special foods. |
| D．It was designed by a world famous architect. |
| A．One who enjoys playing all kinds of water games. |
| B．One who prefers food with wonderful taste and quality. |
| C．One who studies different styles of doors and windows. |
| D．One who dreams enjoying a lovely and romantic dinner. |
| A．Unaffordable. | B．Perfect. |
| C．Unnecessary. | D．Reasonable. |
4 . You might have heard about how honey bees are doing poorly these days. It’s different, though, from the situation many of the world’s vulnerable (脆弱的) animals find themselves in. We want them to live their lives and grow stronger, but are we willing to change our lifestyles to make it happen? The decrease in honey bees is a bit different, because if honey bees can’t live well, neither can people and, eventually people won’t eat as a result.
As happened in 2017, U.S. beekeepers lost 40 percent of their bees because of a disease. It’s really about the earnings of beekeepers and the reduced amount of bees. But it doesn’t stop there. Honey bees go around doing pollination (授粉). And do you know what need to be pollinated? That’s our crops. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates bees pollinate about $15 billion worth of apples and peaches each year in the United States alone.
So, we 21st-century humans not only take notice, but also start trying to fix the problem. It’s infeasible that we give every bee the treatment. We can’t imagine how huge the task is and how hard we carry on it! The most promising immediate solution seems to prevent the disease. That’s where the bee vaccine (疫苗) comes.
Scientists have long thought immunizing (使免疫) bees will be unworkable, but a 2015 study discovered that bees transfer immunity to their babies through protein. Vaccinating a bee won’t help that bee, but if you vaccinate the queen of bees, she can pass her immunity on to her later generations through her eggs.
The new vaccine will treat for American foulbrood (AFB), a serious disease that quickly destroys bees. It’s in the testing phases and most likely headed for bee boxes near you. And don’t worry, it doesn’t require a tiny doctor’s chair and needle to deliver the vaccine—the queen bee can drink the medicine in a little sugar water and pass it along to her later generations.
1. What does exactly the author intend to tell us through the 2017 beekeepers’ incident?| A．The beekeepers lead a terrible life. |
| B．The number of bees continues to decrease. |
| C．The decline of bees affects the production of grain. |
| D．The pollination work of bees is huge and complicated. |
| A．Practical | B．Impossible | C．harmful | D．Convenient |
| A．The bee vaccine is hard to develop. |
| B．Bees will learn skills from the queen. |
| C．Bees can transfer immunity to each other. |
| D．The bee vaccine can take effect in the long run. |
| A．It’s applied to all sick bees. |
| B．It will be delivered to bees by skilled doctors. |
| C．It works by allowing the queen of bees to take it. |
| D．It has been put into use and makes many bees survive. |
5 . I woke up with drool (口水) on my pillow this morning. The alarm clock rang, and I reached over to turn it off. As I laid my face back down on the pillow, I felt the wet drool on my pillow case. I opened my eyes and saw a smiling, panting (喘气的), furry face gazing down at me. I tried to get up, but she was too fast. My face was suddenly covered in kisses with one going straight up my nose and another right in my ear. I laughed, reached out and picked up the eight-pound love machine and held her away from my wet face. It was just another morning in a life with dogs.
Why do we welcome them into our homes and our hearts? We know that most likely we are going to outlive them and have our hearts broken when they age quickly and pass away after ten to fifteen years. We know that there will be vet bills, flea baths and enough fur to make a vacuum cleaner cry. We know that our ears will ring from the barking, that we will be picking up the animal waste every single day and that we will never get to finish a full sandwich again.
Yet, when we are feeling down or blue, there will always be a soft head on our lap needing to be pet. When we get home after a long day’s work, there will be a happy face at the door waiting for us. Our lives will be full of balls to throw, bellies to scratch, and love and loyalty that will warm our hearts and uplift our souls.
For thousands of years, dogs have been our best friends. They remain one of the greatest gifts life has ever given us. Even if they can’t love us for the rest of our lives, they will always love us for all of theirs.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “outlive” in Paragraph 2?| A．Hate. | B．Survive. | C．Donate. | D．Kill. |
| A．The dog slept in the writer’s bed last night. |
| B．The dog wakes up the writer every morning. |
| C．The writer will keep the dog company for about 50 years. |
| D．The writer enjoys the dog’s company despite the trouble. |
| A．Neutral. | B．Negative. | C．Favourable. | D．Indifferent. |
6 . Facebook is a habit forming activity， but users who spend a lot of time on the site say they feel less happy with their lives.
Researchers from University of Gothenburg say that many users log in as soon as they turn their PCs on and that the behavior can develop into an“addiction”. People in low income groups and the poorly educated are particularly at risk. Up to 85% of users say that they use Facebook daily and half say they start up Facebook as soon as they open their web users. Half fear that they are not“on top of things”if they are not logged into the site, and 25% say they feel”ill at ease”if they can't log in regularly.
The Swedish survey showed the network had its dark side.“Face-booking may become an unconscious habit. A majority of the respondents(受访者) log in every time they start their web browser(浏览器). This may even develop into an addiction,” says Leif Denti, doctoral student of Psychology at the University of Gothenburg.
People with low income and low-educated individuals spend more time on Facebook. Women are generally more active than men on Facebook. Users with low income and low education use Facebook more than other groups. Within these groups，users who spend more time on Facebook also report feeling less happy and less content with their lives.
The other surprise about the network is that although a huge amount of personal “ news”is traded through the site,it tends to focus on the positive.“ Most of the content they share has something to do with major events, positive events and when feeling good,”says Leif Denti.
1. What is the main idea of the text?| A．Using Facebook may become an addiction. |
| B．Positive events are more welcome on Facebook. |
| C．Women spend more time on Facebook than men. |
| D．Spending more time on Facebook leads to less happiness. |
| A．Pleased. | B．Tired. | C．Annoyed. | D．Interested. |
| A．Half of the users use Facebook daily. |
| B．People tend to share good things on Facebook. |
| C．Men are more active than women on Facebook. |
| D．Well-educated people spend more time on Facebook. |
| A．A diary. | B．A novel. | C．A magazine. | D．A travel guide. |
7 . Experts are warning about the risks of extremely picky(挑剔的)eating after a teenager living on a diet of chips and crisps developed lasting sight loss. Eye doctors in Bristol cared for the 17-year-old after his sight had gone to the point of blindness. Tests showed he had serious vitamin deficiency(缺乏). Dr. Denize Atan, who treated him at the hospital, said, “His diet was basically a portion of chips from the local fish and chip shop every day. He also used to snack on crisps and sometimes white bread and ham, and not really any fruit and vegetables.”
The teenager saw his doctor at the age of 14 because he had been feeling tired and unwell. At that time he suffered from vitamin B12 deficiency, but he did not stick with the treatment or improve his poor diet. Three years later, he was taken to the Bristol Eye Hospital because of progressive sight loss.
He was not overweight or underweight, but he had lost minerals from his bones, which was really quite shocking for a boy of his age. In terms of his sight loss, he met the standards of being blind. “He had blind spots right in the middle of his sight,” said Dr Denize Atan, “That means he can’t drive and would find it really arduous to read, watch TV or recognize faces.”
Dr Denize Atan said that parents should learn about the harm that can be caused by picky eating, and turn to experts for help. For those who are concerned , she advised, “It’s best not to be anxious about picky eating , and instead calmly introduce one or two new foods with every meal.” She said multivitamin tablets can supplement(补充) a diet, but cannot take the place of eating healthily. “It’s much better to take in vitamins through a varied and balanced diet,” she said, adding that too many certain vitamins , including vitamin A, can be harmful ,“so you don’t want to overdo it.”
1. What does Dr Denize Atan imply in paragraph 1?| A．The diet of the boy is not balanced. |
| B．Fruit and vegetables are rich in vitamins. |
| C．Picky eating is common among teenagers. |
| D．The cause of the boy’s disease is unknown. |
| A．To improve his poor diet. |
| B．To get some help to lose weight. |
| C．To be treated for his discomfort. |
| D．To slow down his progressive sight loss. |
| A．Important. | B．Easy. | C．Necessary. | D．Difficult. |
| A．Reasons why the boy is seriously ill. |
| B．Suggestions for the boy’s family to care for him. |
| C．Advice for parents worried about picky eating. |
| D．Ways of taking in enough vitamins and minerals. |
8 . Avi Loeb, a scientist, believes that we are not alone in the universe. The belief fits with Loeb’s alien (外星的) spaceship theory that at least one alien spaceship might be flying over the orbit (轨道) of Jupiter, which won the international attention last year.
Astronomers in Hawaii found the first known interstellar (星际的) object in late 2017. It was a bit of light moving so fast past the sun that it could only have come from another star. Almost every astronomer on the planet was trying to figure out how the object, called “Oumuamua” got to our far-away, part of the Milky way galaxy. “One possibility is that ‘Oumuamua’ is debris (碎片) from an advanced technological equipment,” Loeb said. “Technology comes from another solar system just showed up at our door.”
“‘Oumuamua’ is not an alien spaceship,” Paul Sutter, another scientist wrote. He suggested Loeb was seeking publicity. Most scientists think “Oumuamua” is some sort of rock. They think it could be an icy wandering comet.
Loeb says that “Oumuamua’s” behavior, means it can’t be a block of rock shaped like a long photo. He thinks it's more likely an object that’s very long and thin, perhaps like a long pancake or a ship’s sail. Loeb says that if someone shows him evidence that contradicts his beliefs, he will immediately give in.
Loeb believes himself a truth-teller and risk- taker in an age of very safe, too-quiet scientists. “The worst thing that can happen to me is that I would be relieved of my management duties, and that would give me even more time to focus on science,” Loeb says. He said he wouldn’t mind giving up all the titles he had and returning to the Israeli farming village where he grew up.
1. What does Loeb say about “Oumuamua”?| A．It is an icy comet. |
| B．It looks like a long photo. |
| C．It is actually some sort of rock. |
| D．It may come from another alien civilization. |
| A．Searches for. | B．Depends on. |
| C．Turns to. | D．Goes against. |
| A．He is foolish. |
| B．He is unsatisfied with his titles. |
| C．He is a firm believer in scientific truth. |
| D．He is uncertain about his career future. |
| A．Have Aliens Paid a Visit in Spaceships? |
| B．Do We Really Know about Space Theory? |
| C．Scientists Are Working on High Technology |
| D．Astronomers Are Encouraging Space Travel |
9 . Being trapped in an elevator(电梯) can be one of the worst experiences of one’s life. Some people who have such experiences may be afraid to use elevator again. In fact, there are some useful tips to follow when people are in trouble with the elevator.
First, take deep breaths and keep calm. Too much fear will add to your panic(恐慌) and make you too nervous to think clearly. Tell yourself to be patient and believe that nothing is impossible.
Secondly, use the emergency(急救) call inside the elevator or your mobile phone to let people outside know your are stuck in the elevator. There is an emergency call on the wall of each elevator. You may use your mobile phone to give light and find it. The phone number can be found around it.
Thirdly, putting on messages on Wechat(微信) is also a good idea to allow more people to find you are in need of help. If help hasn’t come, knock the door hard to get attention from other people in the building.
Fourthly, move less and try to relax. Even if the workers have known your situation, it may take them a long time to repair the elevator and bring you back to safety. Instead of keeping moving all the time, you are advised to keep still and relax yourself as much as possible, or you will make yourself tired out. Make sure that you are fine when the door is open.
1. According to the passage, when in trouble with an elevator, you should________ first.| A．Keep calm and think clearly | B．do nothing but wait |
| C．shout out for help | D．try to break the door open |
| A．tired | B．kept |
| C．troubled | D．trapped |
| A．they can spend their time easily |
| B．their situations can be known by more people |
| C．they can become less nervous |
| D．they can make more friends |
| A．To introduce how to use an elevator. |
| B．To teach us how to save ourselves when trapped in an elevator. |
| C．To warn us not to take an elevator. |
| D．To tell us an elevator often goes wrong. |
10 . Think of Japan in the spring and the image that comes to mind is likely the country’s famous cherry blossoms, also known as “Sakura” — white and pink flowers, blooming across cities and mountains.
The flowers, which experience a “peak bloom” that only lasts a few days, have been loved in Japan for more than a thousand years. Crowds celebrate with viewing parties, flocking to the most popular locations to take photos and have picnics underneath the branches.
But this year, cherry blossom season has come and gone in the blink of an eye, in one of the earliest blooms on record. Scientists warn it’s a symptom of the larger climate crisis threatening ecosystems everywhere.
Yasuyuki Aono, a researcher at Osaka Prefecture University, has gathered records from Kyoto back to 812 AD from historical documents and diaries. In the central city of Kyoto, cherry blossoms peaked on March 26, the earliest in more than 1,200 years, Aono said. And in the capital Tokyo, cherry blossoms reached full bloom on March 22, the second-earliest date on record.
The peak bloom dates shift every year, depending on numerous factors including weather and rainfall, but have shown a general trend of moving earlier and earlier. In Kyoto, the peak date stayed around mid-April for centuries, but began moving into early April during the 1800s. The date has only dipped into late March a handful of times in recorded history.
“Sakura blooms are very temperature sensitive,” said Aono. “Flowering and full bloom could be earlier or later depending on the temperature alone,” he said. “The temperature was low in the 1820s, but it has risen by about 3.5 degrees Celsius to this day.”
This year’s seasons in particular influenced the blossom dates, he added. The winter was very cold, but the spring came fast and unusually warm.
1. What is the best title of the passage?| A．Cherry blossom celebrations. |
| B．Warning of a climate crisis. |
| C．A strong love for cherry blossom. |
| D．Cherry blossom season coming earlier. |
| A．Blocking. | B．Flooding. | C．Running. | D．Following. |
| A．The peak blossom dates fall on a fixed date. |
| B．The cherry blossom rarely peaks in March. |
| C．The peak bloom dates mainly depend on weather and rainfall. |
| D．Cherry blossom peaks around mid-April in Tokyo. |
| A．To inform people the date of cherry blossom. |
| B．To show a study on cherry blossom dates. |
| C．To present a Japanese tradition of cherry blossom celebration. |
| D．To make people aware of the influence of climate change on cherry blossom. |
