2 . A sleepover (过夜) program, which is designed to make kids believe that their favorite toys enjoy reading, can help encourage children to pick up more books, a new study suggests.

Toys sleepover programs are designed to get children interested in books. Children take their toys to a library for the night. At this point, workers and volunteers take photos of the toys which explore the library and read books. The next day, the children collect their toys and the photos of what the toys did during the night. They are given the books their toys chose to read.

It was found that before the sleepover the children did not spend time looking at the books in their play area at preschool. Immediately after the sleepover, the number of children who read to the toys was higher than the number who did not, but after three days the effect decreased gradually.

The researchers also tested a method for sustaining the effect. They reminded the children of the sleepover a month later, by hiding the toys and showing them the photos again the next day. This simple method brought an increase in the number of children reading to their toys.

The study proves for the first time that children who take part in sleepover programs read picture books to their toys more. “We wanted to know if there really was an effect, and if so, how long it lasts. Surprisingly, not only did the children show interest in the books, but they also began to read to their toys. This means that a new behavior pattern appeared that the children hadn’t had before. We did not expect anything like this,” said one of the researchers.

Reading is important for the development of children’s language skills and imagination. When parents read to their children, it is a passive way of reading for the child. However, when children read to their toys, it is a more active, self-directed way of reading, helping them develop into more active readers, researchers said.

1. What is the purpose of the sleepover program?

A．To develop children’s language skills.

B．To help children to sleep well.

C．To encourage children to read more.

D．To guide children to form a good sleeping habit.

2. What do children do in the sleepover program?

A．Go around the library with their toys.

B．Sleep with their toys.

C．Read together with their toys.

D．Take their toys to the library.

3. The underlined word “sustaining” in paragraph 4 can be replaced by______.

A．keeping

B．testing

C．surveying

D．showing

4. What made the researchers surprised after the study of the sleepover program?

A．Children showed no interest in the books.

B．The effect of the sleepover program could last long.

C．Children began to read to their toys on their own.

D．Whether the sleepover program had an effect remained unknown.

3 . World’s loneliest marathon

Many of us know about Russia’s Lake Baikal from our textbooks, or by listening to Chinese singer Li Jian’s hit song, Lake Baikal. But over the past decade, the world’s deepest freshwater lake has been in the spotlight for an extreme sport.

Each March since 2005, about 150 people from around the world sign up for the     Baikal Ice Marathon. They come to explore the lake’s breathtaking beauty and challenge themselves in unpredictable conditions.

The 26-mile (41.84-kilometers) journey starts on the lake’s eastern shore. In March, the ice is a meter thick and iron-hard. Runners cross this frozen surface, finishing on the western side of the lake.

Known as the “blue eye of Siberia”, Lake Baikal has exceptionally clear waters. This means its ice is almost perfectly transparent. “Seen from above, a runner on the ice looks as if he or she is jogging through space,” The New York Times noted.

The landscape might be beautiful, but it’s also harsh. Strong winds blast across the lake and frostbite can occur within half an hour. Runners say the cold climate is what draws them. They want to test their limits.

“When you are in such an environment, you don’t have cars around you, you don’t have the noise around. I think these extreme races allow you to be alone with nature,” Alicja Barahona, a 64-year-old runner from the US, told ABC News.

The location offers some strange and unique characteristics for this marathon. The finish line is visible from the start, but the endless white offers no progress markers. The race also ends with little fanfare (喧闹). Tourists crowding the ice are mostly addicted to snapping selfies (自拍) and just ignore the runners.

For some runners, the absence of spectators (观众) makes the race more challenging, because it’s lonely. They must fight with themselves. “You are alone on Baikal. It is your race. You are alone with yourself. All you need to do is to defeat yourself,” Veronique Messina, a French runner, told the Telegraph.

1. What can we know about the Baikal Ice Marathon from the article?

A．It takes runners from the northern end to the southern end of the lake.

B．It involves extreme weather and beautiful scenery.

C．It attracts more and more participants each year.

D．It is about 26 kilometers in length.

2. In Paragraph 5, the underlined word “harsh” probably means _______.

A．interesting	B．mysterious
C．severe	D．safe

3. How does the Baikal Ice Marathon differ from other marathons?

A．Only men are allowed to run in this race.

B．The runners can see the finish line from the start.

C．The runners are often distracted by tourists.

D．There are many progress markers on the ice.

4. What is the most challenging part of the race for Messina?

A．Loneliness.	B．The long distance.
C．The cold climate.	D．Noisy surroundings.

4 . Most people have been taught that losing weight is a matter of simple math. Cut calories—specifically 3,500 calories, and you’ll lose a pound. But as it turns out, experts are learning that this decades-old strategy is actually pretty misguided. “This idea of ‘a calorie in and a calorie out’ when it comes to weight loss is not only outdated, it’s just wrong,” says Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity specialist at Harvard Medical School. The truth is that even careful calorie calculations don’t always yield(产生) uniform results.

How your body burns calories depends on a number of factors. Three factors affect how your body processes calories.

Your gut microbiome (肠道微生物). Trillions of organisms live in your gut, and the important types may influence how many calories your body absorbs from food. This may occur because some types of organisms are able to break down and use more calories from certain foods than other types of organisms. Researchers have found that people who are naturally thin have different types of organisms living inside them than those who are overweight.

Your metabolism (新陈代谢). Each body has a “set point” that governs weight, says Dr. Stanford. This set point reflects several factors, including your genes, your environment, and your behaviors. A region at the base of your brain stands guard to keep your body weight from dipping below that set point—which is not really a bonus if you’re trying to lose weight.

The type of food you eat. Your food choices may also influence your calorie intake, and not just because of their specific calorie content. One 2019 study published in Cell Metabolism found that eating processed foods seems to spur people to eat more calories compared with eating unprocessed foods.

If counting calories isn’t a dependable way to manage your weight, what can you do to shed extra pounds? Dr.

Stanford recommends the following.

Focus on diet quality. When planning your meals, focus on choosing unprocessed foods, including lean meats, whole grains, and lots of fruits and vegetables in their natural form.

Exercise regularly. Aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. Moderate exercise is done at a level where you can talk, but not sing.

Consult a professional. “A lot of people believe it’s a moral failing if they are unable to lose weight,” says Dr. Stanford. But it’s not. As with other medical conditions, many people will need help from a doctor. Successful weight loss may require more than just diet and exercise. “Only 2% of people who meet the criteria for the use of anti-obesity medications actually get them. This means that 98% of people who could be treated aren’t,” she says, “Don’t be afraid to seek help if you need it.”

1. What can we infer from Paragraph 1?

A．Old theories actually mislead us.

B．Losing weight lies in losing calorie.

C．Calorie calculations lead to good results.

D．Losing weight by losing calorie is outdated.

2. The processing of calories is affected by how you ______.

A．choose the types of food you consume

B．focus on the quality of your diet

C．adjust your brain to the “set point”

D．reduce the organisms living in your gut

3. The underlined word “shed” in Paragraph 6 means “______”.

A．weigh	B．produce
C．lose	D．cost

4. It is implied in the passage that ______.

A．cutting calories is essential for weight loss

B．losing weight can be double-edged

C．healthy eating keeps you losing weight

D．a healthy lifestyle is key to weight loss

5 . This may be the 21st century but when it comes to information communication technology (ICT), the gender divide between boys and girls, shows no sign of closing.

This is bad news for the ICT industry where men outnumber women by over five to one. The industry needs at least an extra million recruits(新成员) over the next five years. Obviously, women as well as men are going to have to fill these recruitment gaps. The ICT companies are worried about the shortage of men and women to fill their vacancies(空缺) in the future.

It is believed that women are very well suited to working in ICT. They enjoy working in teams and like looking for creative connections. Many women have the kind of personal skills which are considered essential in developing “new technology”. Professionals who work in Information Technology are constantly creating the world around us, and this can’t be done if you don’t know how people work and how they play. To come up with ideas that will actually make a difference to modern life, you have to understand how people live and work.

In spite of the fact that ICT jobs are well paid and women tend to do well in them, research shows that girls’ opinions of the industry are uniformly negative. Only 5% would consider entering the ICT industry compared to 14% for law and 26% for medicine. Up to the age of 11 girls see ICT as entertaining and interesting but after that age negativity sets in. By the age of 13 this negative view of ICT is confirmed.

After school activities encourage some girls to use Information Technology, and getting ICT staff and other teachers together helps to develop imaginative use of ICT. Imaginative use of ICT especially in music, art, drama, geography and media studies, all helps to open girls’ eyes to the fact that careers in computing can cut across so many different areas.

There is a significant difference in the learning styles between boys and girls. The ICT class in schools is often an exercise where every student completes the same class assignment largely by rote(死记硬背). Although girls follow successfully, they will achieve enjoyment and excellence if allowed to diversify and be creative. For girls, just pressing buttons is not enough.

Another initiative is setting up computer clubs aimed at younger girls aged 8 to 14. This is known to inspire girls to develop their ICT skills and to show them that ICT can be both creative and interesting.

We can’t afford to have girls missing out.

1. Why are girls fit for the job in information communication technology?

A．Because they prefer independent and fresh working style.

B．Because they want to succeed and enjoy working with creative teammates.

C．Because they like cooperating with teammates and exploring new things.

D．Because they are interested in music, art, geography and media studies.

2. What is the attitude of girls to ICT by the time they become teenagers?

A．positive.	B．uninterested.
C．serious.	D．disappointed.

3. What does the underlined word “initiative” in Paragraph 7 probably mean?

A．method	B．skill
C．behavior	D．situation.

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．We find more men in ICT industry mainly because of their interest.

B．Now people can’t find difference between boys and girls in ICT industry.

C．Girls aren’t willing to choose ICT as a career for they can’t get high salary.

D．It is time for us to take measures to make more girls come into ICT fields.

6 . Photo Research

“If you want to be a better photographer, stand in front of better stuff.” Photographer Jim Richardson shared it with others. He spends a great deal of time doing photo research, looking for great locations to shoot.

Seeing a wonderful place is bread-and-butter photography—it’s just part of the job. Getting there is only half of any great photograph’s story. The other half is how the photographer prepares to capture the subject once in front of it. It is believed that groundwork is part of photography, as essential as knowing exposure and lighting or recognizing the decisive moment to take the shot. Research sounds like a boring task for many photographers, while for others digging into a subject in advance is part of the pleasure.

Philosophically, photographers seem to divide along that line. On one side are those who desire only to be in the moment. On the other side are the planners. They would never dream of going out the door without a full list of how they’re going to approach the shoot. Actually, there is a third group nowadays. They just take photos of the whole scene and do all the creative work in Photoshop after the event. Most photographers do both: research carefully to prepare their schedule and then act in the moment once on site.

Photographers should do a lot of research in order to get ready for a photographic trip. This includes creating a file for each location they are due to visit. They start a file for each place and begin to make a list of the pieces of information. Knowing what the place looks like in advance is invaluable, so it is good to hit several Internet photo sites. Besides clueing them into the photographic possibilities of the location, this can also show what angles have already become overused and which they should therefore avoid. But photographers will also find angles they didn’t expect from locations they hadn’t imagined. Armed with these they will be better prepared to push the boundaries of what they expect.

“Above all, I’ll look for places and events that are seasonal and timeless. I open my mind to what might make a great subject for a picture,” Jim said. “Most travelers tend to think only of places they’re visiting, without looking deeper into culture, history or meaning. I try to get in time with the rhythm of the place and in tune with its melody. But most of all I just want to be ready. If I’m ready, I can just about count on being lucky.”

1. What does the underlined word “capture” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Identify.

B．Record.

C．Arrange.

D．Explore.

2. What point does the author make about photographers in Paragraph 3?

A．They are unable to decide on the best plan of action.

B．It is possible for them to adopt flexible ways of working.

C．The third group is not as imaginative as some of the others.

D．Some of them refuse to try to understand the way others work.

3. What is the main idea of Paragraph 4?

A．Sound preparation is a must for a satisfactory photo.

B．One should create photo sites in a photographic trip.

C．Taking photos requires vivid imagination in advance.

D．It is essential to do photo research in central locations.

4. In the last paragraph, Jim states that ______.

A．he feels good to visit those historical places

B．he refuses to spend too much time in one place

C．he is careful about choosing the right place to visit

D．he likes to go to places that few people bother to visit

7 . Elizabeth Spelke, a cognitive (认知的) psychologist at Harvard, has spent her career testing the world's most complex learning system-the mind of a baby. Babies might seem like no match for artificial intelligence (AI). They are terrible at labeling images, hopeless at mining text, and awful at video games. Then again, babies can do things beyond the reach of any AI. By just a few months old, they’ve begun to grasp the foundations of language, such as grammar. They’ve started to understand how to adapt to unfamiliar situations.

Yet even experts like Spelke don’t understand precisely how babies — or adults, for that matter — learn. That gap points to a puzzle at the heart of modern artificial intelligence: We're not sure what to aim for.

Consider one of the most impressive examples of AI, Alpha Zero, a programme that plays board games with superhuman skill. After playing thousands of games against itself at a super speed, and learning from winning positions, Alpha Zero independently discovered several famous chess strategies and even invented new ones. It certainly seems like a machine eclipsing human cognitive abilities. But Alpha Zero needs to play millions more games than a person during practice to learn a game. Most importantly, it cannot take what it has learned from the game and apply it to another area.

To some AI experts, that calls for a new approach. In a November research paper, Francois Chollet, a well-known AI engineer, argued that it’s misguided to measure machine intelligence just according to its skills at specific tasks. “Humans don’t start out with skills; they start out with a broad ability to acquire new skills,” he says. “What a strong human chess player is demonstrating is not only the ability to play chess, but the potential to fulfill any task of a similar difficulty.” Chollet posed a set of problems, each of which requires an AI programme to arrange colored squares on a grid (格栅) based on just a few prior examples. It’s not hard for a person. But modern machine-learning programmes-trained on huge amounts of data — cannot learn from so few examples.

Josh Tenenbaum, a professor in MIT's Center for Brains, Minds & Machines, works closely with Spelke and uses insights from cognitive science as inspiration for his programmes. He says much of modern AI misses the bigger picture, comparing it to a cartoon about a two-dimensional world populated by simple geometrical (几何形的) people. AI programmes will need to learn in new ways — for example, by drawing causal inferences rather than simply finding patterns. “At some point — you know, if you’re intelligent — you realize maybe there's something else out there,” he says.

1. Compared to an advanced AI programme, a baby might be better at _______________.

A．labeling images	B．identifying locations
C．playing games	D．making adjustments

2. What does the underlined word “eclipsing” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Stimulating.

B．Measuring.

C．Beating.

D．Limiting.

3. Both Francois Chollet and Josh Tenenbaum may agree that _______________.

A．AI is good at finding similar patterns

B．AI should gain abilities with less training

C．AI lacks the ability of generalizing a skill

D．AI will match humans in cognitive ability

4. Which would be the best title for this passage?

A．What is exactly intelligence?

B．Why is modern AI advanced?

C．Where is human intelligence going?

D．How do humans tackle the challenge of AI?

8 . We all know the value of taking a walk in the fresh spring weather. It allows your mind to relax and forget about the problems in everyday life. Studies have commonly shown the benefits of being around green spaces, including gardens, urban parks and forests.

But did you know that being in contact with these natural surroundings during childhood could positively impact (影响) your mental health as an adult?

A study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) surveyed 3,600 people from all over Europe, including Spain, the Netherlands, Lithuania and the UK.

The all-adult study gave participants a questionnaire (问卷) on how frequently they used natural spaces during childhood — for example, playing in a garden, riding a bike at the park or hiking in a forest. They were also asked about the importance they put on using such places.

Volunteers were then given a psychological (心理的) test, which included a variety of questionnaires and problem-solving activities, to analyze their nervousness and feelings of depression (抑郁) within a four-week period.

The results consistently showed that the people who were more exposed (暴露的) to natural spaces had higher mental health scores compared to those with lower childhood exposure — as did those who attached higher importance to using green spaces.

The study’s coordinator (协调员), Wilma Zijlema, wrote that the results “show the importance of childhood exposure to natural spaces for the development of a nature-appreciating attitude and a healthy psychological state in adulthood”. She also stressed the importance of “recognizing the implications (含义) of growing up in environments with limited opportunities for exposure to nature”.

According to the study, 73 percent of Europe’s population only has limited access (接触机会) to natural spaces. Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, director of ISGlobal’s Urban Planning, said that “Many children in Europe lead an indoor lifestyle…so we call on policymakers to improve the availability (可得性) of natural spaces for children.”

While this study was based in Europe, a lack of green space can affect anyone, anywhere. So remember to make time to immerse yourself in nature, as your mental health is just as important as the physical one.

1. What was the purpose of the ISGlobal’s walking study?

A．To examine the advantages of taking a walk.

B．To understand the mental health problems of children.

C．To see how childhood experiences shape adult life.

D．To study the influence of childhood exposure to natural spaces.

2. What do we know about the study?

A．The participants included both children and adults.

B．The participants were from all over the world.

C．It consisted of a questionnaire and a psychological test.

D．It focused on the participants’ physical health state.

3. What do Paragraphs 7-8 mainly talk about?

A．The results of the study.

B．The value of the study.

C．The method of the study.

D．The process of the study.

4. What does the underlined word “immerse” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Lose oneself in something.

B．Understand something.

C．Protect against something.

D．Imagine doing something.

9 . Opera for Beginners

Many people think that opera is boring, difficult to understand and unpleasant to listen to. They only see strange people singing in a foreign language and wearing funny costumes. They're too quick to judge and a lot of people have believed stupid ideas about opera without ever actually seeing one. If one takes opera seriously, with an open heart, and goes to several good live performances, I don't see any reason why he or she would dislike or hate it. The following tips can help you learn to enjoy opera.

First of all, if you are new to opera, start with a short, well-known title, such as The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart. In the beginning, avoid difficult operas with complex storylines. If your first experience is not fun, then you will expect all operas to be boring. Moreover, before going to a performance, do a little bit of homework: learn the story of the opera. If you know about the main characters and the story before you start watching, it will be much easier to understand what is happening on the stage. Finally, the most important way to enjoy opera is to keep an open mind. If you believe that you will enjoy watching opera, then you will most likely enjoy it. Think of opera as a live TV show. Opera shows the same things—love and hate, good and evil and humans and nature—that are found in many of today's popular movies and best-selling novels. In fact, many of these movies and novels use stories copied from famous operas!

Opera is full of catchy, wonderful melodies （旋律）. It's full of drama and laughter. It's full of wonder and life. Opera can be fun to watch, and it allows the audience to experience different cultures. Many people have enjoyed it for hundreds of years, and by following the tips above, you can enjoy it, too. Indeed, opera will change the minds of the people who once hated it. And most importantly, as one of the most diverse art forms out there, opera helps you appreciate different performance styles from all over the world.

1. Many people think that opera is boring because ______.

A．it is like a TV show	B．they know little about it
C．they dislike its storylines	D．its music style is old-fashioned

2. Which is a good way for beginners to enjoy opera?

A．To start with a long opera.	B．To learn to sing an opera.
C．To master a foreign language.	D．To get familiar with an opera's story.

3. Many famous operas, popular movies, and best-selling novels ______.

A．have the same writer	B．share a similar story
C．teach people about lifestyles	D．help people keep an open mind

4. What does the underlined word “diverse” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Various.

B．Humorous.

C．Ancient.

D．Exciting.

10 . Many on the Mountain

We often see people waiting in lines at supermarkets, theatres and amusement parks. Surprisingly, some people even have to wait in line at the summit (顶峰)of Qomolangma in the Himalayas.

The best time to climb the Himalayas is during the months of April and May, as well as some days in September and October. "In these periods of recent years, the path contains rocks and deep crack from melting ice due to the warm weather, which make expeditions up the mountain more dangerous,said Apa, an experienced Nepalese guide. During this year's climbing season, crowds of climbers became stuck in a long line near the summit. The line is above the mountain's highest campsite — about 8,000 meters above sea level.

However, most people can only spend a few minutes at the summit without extra oxygen supplies. Twenty-one mountaineers have died in the Himalayan mountains so far this year, according to Gripped, a magazine dedicated to mountain climbing. Eleven of these climbers died on Qomolangma.

This death count marks a four-year high. Overcrowding, inexperience and poor weather have been the most common causes of death, USA Today reported.

After these tragedies, one question remains: Why do so many people risk their lives to climb the mountain? The answer differs from climber to climber. Studies suggest that people who take risks tend to perceive themselves differently than people who avoid risky activities. But for adventurers who are drawn to the Himalayas, reaching the summit of Qomolangma is a lifelong dream, according to Discovery News.

''Qomolangma is like a light to bugs that attracts people once they hear about it. It represents the ultimate for many people, '' US mountaineer Alan Arnette said. Technological advances have also encouraged more people to climb the mountain. People can get high-tech safety equipment more easily than before. And with the internet, climbers know better than ever about how to reach the summit safely, Yahoo Travel noted.

1. What happened during this year's climbing season on Qomolangma?

A．Many climbers got stuck due to a snowstorm.

B．Climbers had to wait in line near the summit.

C．The highest campsite was closed for safety reasons.

D．There were not enough oxygen supplies for climbers.

2. What do we know from the USA Today report?

A．21 climbers have lost their lives on Qomolangma this year.

B．This year's climber death count is four times more than last year's.

C．Climbers who have less experience may have a higher risk of death.

D．Climbers can only spend a few minutes at the summit of Qomolangma.

3. What does the underlined word "perceive” in paragraphs mean?

A．Think.

B．Change.

C．Pretend.

D．Promise.

4. What are the last two paragraphs mainly about?

A．The risks on Qomolangma.

B．Mountaineers lifelong dream.

C．Causes of mountaineers, deaths.

D．Reasons for climbing Qomolangma.