1 . The damage that aging does to a body extends all the way down to the cellular level. But the damage increased by cells in older muscles is especially severe, because the cells do not reproduce easily and they become weaker as their mitochondria (线粒体), which produce energy, reduce in energy and number. A study, however, suggests that certain sorts of exercise may remove some of what time can do to our mitochondria.
Exercise is good for people, as everyone knows. But scientists have surprisingly little understanding of its cellular impacts and how those might vary by activity and the age of the exerciser. So researchers recently conducted an experiment on the cells of 72 healthy but sedentary (久坐的) men and women who were 30 or younger or older than 64. After baseline measures were established for their aerobic (有氧的) fitness, their blood-sugar levels and the gene activity and mitochondrial health in their muscle cells, the volunteers were randomly assigned to a particular exercise program.
Some of them did weight training several times a week; some did interval training three times a week on exercise bicycles; some rode exercise bikes at a appropriate pace for 30 minutes a few times a week and lifted weights lightly on other days. A fourth group, the control, did not exercise. After 12 weeks, the lab tests were repeated. In general, everyone experienced improvements in fitness and an ability io regulate blood sugar.
But more unexpected results were found in the biopsies (活组织检查) muscle cells. Among the younger subjects who went through interval training, the activity levels had changed in 274 genes, compared with 170 genes for those who exercised more appropriately and 74 for the weight lifters. Among the older group, almost 400 genes were working differently now, compared with 33 for the weight lifters and only 19 for the appropriate exercisers.
It seems exercise could help contain the decline in the cellular health of muscles associated with aging, especially if it was intense, says Dr. Sreekumaran Nair, the study's senior author. In fact, older people's cells responded in some ways more strongly to intense exercise than the cells of the young did - suggesting, he says, that it is never too late to benefit from exercise.
1. Which of the following is the best title for the text?| A．Exercise Might Benefit Aging Muscles. |
| B．Exercise Might Increase Aging Muscles. |
| C．Exercise Might Do Harm to Mitochondria. |
| D．Aging Mainly Occurs in the Cellular Level. |
| A．Volunteers can not be good at exercising. |
| B．All volunteers must have the same baseline. |
| C．It was carried out among the youth of different sexes. |
| D．Volunteers received a random particular exercise program. |
| A．By analyzing every group's different data. |
| B．By comparing every group's training time. |
| C．By listing every group's different training. |
| D．By describing every group's training results. |
| A．The experiment did not get expected results. |
| B．Riding exercise bikes has no influence on the volunteers. |
| C．Weight lifting is the most useful training among these exercises. |
| D．Interval training brings stronger influence to the elder than to the youth. |
| A．Change. | B．Stop. | C．Record. | D．Cause. |
2 . It was late, about 10:15 p.m. Janice Esposito got off the train at Bellport, New York, went to her car and started driving home. She was so familiar with the route that she almost drove automatically: turned left to the Station Road, then another left onto Montauk Highway, and then — bam! When Esposito’s car had just crossed the railroad tracks, it hit another vehicle and was plashed back onto the tracks. Injured but mostly shocked by the crash and by the airbags that popped up, she was stuck in the vehicle.
As it happened, Pete Dipinto was just about to go to sleep when he heard a sharp noise and saw the accident not far outside his bedroom window. As a volunteer firefighter and retired teacher, Dipinto who was 65, fetched a flashlight and rushed out without hesitation. “Any firefighter would have done what I did. We're always on duty.” he said.
At first, he spoiled the other car in the accident. After making sure that the driver was all right, Dipinto looked around and discovered Esposito’s car straddling (跨立于) the railway tracks. And then he heard die bell ring, which signaled a train’s arrival.
Dipinto rushed to Esposito’s car and broke the window on the driver’s side. Esposito looked up at him, with her eyes glazing over, “I don't know where I am.” she said.
“You’re on the railroad tracks,” Dipinto yelled. “I have to get you off right now!” The train was running toward them at a speed of some 105, kilometers per hour. The driver’s door cannot be opened due to the collision, so Dipinto quickly ran to the other side and managed to open the door. He put the airbags aside, seized her arms, pulled her toward him across the passenger seat until finally got her out and walked her to safety as swiftly as possible. Several seconds later, the train crashed into the vehicle. It was like a Hollywood movie, Dipinto told reporters the next day.
“Last night?” said Gregory Miglino Jr. Chief of the Department in South Country Ambulance, the hero arrived in pajamas (睡衣), not in a fire truck.”
1. What can we know about the accident from Paragraph 1?| A．Esposito’s car hit another vehicle. |
| B．Esposito drove too fast. |
| C．Esposito didn’t know the route well. |
| D．A running train crashed into Esposito’s car. |
| A．She felt all right. |
| B．She was badly hurt. |
| C．She got stuck in the car. |
| D．She completely lost her consciousness. |
| A．Moving object crashes into something. |
| B．To be moving slowly in the same direction. |
| C．A strong disagreement between two groups. |
| D．An idea occurs when two different cultures conflict. |
| A．Through the window on the driver’s side. |
| B．Through the door on the driver’s side. |
| C．Through the window on the passenger’s side. |
| D．Through the door on the passenger’s side. |
| A．Dipinto was not a professional firefighter. |
| B．Dipinto rushed to save life without thinking about himself. |
| C．Dipinto was a special firefighter who liked wearing pajamas. |
| D．Dipinto was unable to find a fire truck when the accident happened. |
3 . Maybe no one forgets their first bicycle and there is no exception to a woman like me. Mine was a Schwinn coaster bike, second-hand, painted a distinctive red and yellow by its previous owner. I remember riding too fast down the big hill on Springfield Avenue. I knew at once that the world was mine to explore.
A couple of years later, when I was 11, my grandmother visited from England, bringing me a bike. It was a shiny dark green, with three gears (齿轮) and hand brakes. As the owner of the first English bicycle my neighbors had ever seen, I was, for a time, almost a star.
Unlike my coaster bike, it was light and responsive — riding it felt like flying. I rode it past big stone houses with their huge yards and trees. I rode past brick row houses. I rode alone and with groups of friends.
That beloved bike went with me to college, carrying me to the library and to classes. Beyond transport, it was often a prop (道具): pushing it along as I walked the college paths made me feel less self-conscious. Somehow, conversation flowed more easily on either side of a bike.
After college, I lived abroad for a time. Returning from London, I discovered to my horror that my parents had sold my bike. They didn’t even know who had bought it.
For years after that, I didn’t have a bicycle that was specifically mine. Teaching in a New England prep school, I simply rode whatever bikes its graduates had left behind. I rode around the little town on bikes which slipped in and out of gear, with brakes that often failed.
I did not take any of those bikes with me when I moved south to the coastal town where I now live. But after a while I missed riding. Finally, on a fall day, I bought a bicycle. Called a comfort bike, it has wider tires than my old bike and seven gears. But it is green — a brighter green bike.
Still, I was a bit apprehensive. I was out of practice and a lot older. I brought the bike home and put on my helmet — I’d never worn a helmet before. Then I got on the bike. After a tentative, slightly shaky start, I fell exactly as I was on that long-ago day on Springfield Avenue: free. Soon I was riding along. It seemed that everyone I passed smiled and waved or call out, great day for a bike ride! And I knew they all remembered their first bike and how it had set them free. I wanted to call back to them, “I still can!”
1. According to the article, the author’s beloved bike ________.| A．was a red and yellow coaster bike |
| B．made her the envy of all her friends |
| C．was her birthday gift from her grandmother |
| D．made her shy and awkward at times at college |
| A．felt bored | B．felt special |
| C．became talkative | D．became lost in thought |
| A．didn’t like her once-beloved bike |
| B．got out of the habit of riding bikes |
| C．loved exploring the little town by riding around |
| D．rode bikes that had been recommended to her by graduates |
| A．Dissatisfied. | B．Excited. | C．Shocked. | D．Fearful. |
| A．To describe the different bikes she has been riding alone. |
| B．To recall the joy and freedom she has enjoyed thanks to riding. |
| C．To inform us of the fun and benefits of riding bikes with others. |
| D．To tell us about how she grew up through her riding experiences. |
4 . The playing field is never even or equal. Your skills and attitude play a major role in the outcome. Knowing what you can do to have an advantage can make the difference between success and failure.
My kids tell me it's unfair to play with the big children. I tell them that's right. Unfairness is a good thing. There is more to be gained by the effort when things seem unfair. It is true that many things in the world are unfair. But unfair things usually can be a boon to you. For example, the early bird catches the worm. It is unfair that the bird that sleeps in misses out on breakfast but it is nice to know that if it gets up early it is sure to get the worm.
I always try to explain to my kids that complaining about how unfair something is will get them nowhere. Instead, make the most out of it and get on the other side of it. Once you do that you are in the advantage. Above all, you have to focus on gaining that unfair advantage and in order to do that, build your inner strength, When you empower （武装） yourself, you are gaining skills or abilities, confidence and self-esteem （自尊）.
You should look at your place in the world. Where do you want io be financially, spiritually, emotionally, and physically ? You are creating your own story when you empower yourself.
You can build all the advantages that you need to live the life that you want. If you haven't yet, you need to make a list of all the things you want to experience in your new life. This will help you focus on building advantages so that you never have to say that it's Not Fair. When you do this then you will be able to realize that unfairness is a good thing and you will want to teach those around you to see unfairness in this way too.
1. What does the underlined word "boon" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Something that is very terrible. | B．Something that is very helpful |
| C．Something that is very kind | D．Something that is very scared |
| A．The author wants to introduce his topic |
| B．The author wants to support his opinion |
| C．He wants tell us that having an advantage is needed |
| D．He wants to show skills and attitudes are important in playing games |
| A．Just accept it. | B．Thy to change it. |
| C．Simply ignore it. | D．Make good use of it. |
| A．make yourself better | B．be proud of yourself |
| C．have more confidence | D．know others' advantages |
| A．The way to live a happy life. | B．The right attitude to unfairness. |
| C．Being patient enough to succeed. | D．Staying calm when treated badly. |
5 . Thanks to its harsh environment, Antarctica remained largely untouched by humans for many millennia, allowing a thriving ecosystem to evolve. However, since the 1990s, the last true wilderness on the planet is becoming an increasingly popular destination for adventure-seeking tourists. Now, a new study declares that the visitors may be leaving behind harmful bacteria which could devastate the area's native bird population.
Humans can infect animals with illnesses such as the flu. Researchers, however, believed that the Antarctic animals were immune to the danger due to the continent's extreme weather. However, microbiologist Marta Cerda-Cuellar was not convinced.
She and some colleagues decided to examine waste samples from Antarctic birds for evidence of human bacteria. To ensure the waste was not polluted, the scientists had to collect it from the birds themselves.
The results of their study revealed the presence of several types of human bacteria in the bird waste. This included a common strain (品种) of bacteria that causes food poisoning in humans. The researchers say the bacteria strains were resistant to commonly-used human antibiotics, indicating they were brought in by the visitors, rather than migratory birds (候鸟).
“These strains, which are a common cause for infections in humans and livestock, do not usually cause death outbreaks in wild animals," says Gonzalez-Solis. "However, the emerging or invasive pathogens (病原体) that arrive to highly sensitive populations could have severe consequences and cause the local collapse and extinction of some populations." The researcher also fears the presence of these bugs could foreshadow the arrival of other, more deadly, pathogens as the number of tourists people increases.
Experts believe the only way to prevent the mass destruction of the birds is to impose stricter regulations or, at least, put the ones already in place into effect. For example, while the Antarctica Treaty requires visitors to carry their waste back home to safeguard the pristine environment, the regulation is rarely enforced. Nowadays, some officials are taking steps to save the vulnerable birds before it's too late.
1. What problem is Antarctica facing according to Paragraph 1&2?| A．The increasing number of tourists. | B．The worsening wilderness. |
| C．The replaced native bird population. | D．The spread of infectious illnesses. |
| A．Destroy. | B．Increase. | C．Protect. | D．Benefit. |
| A．To treat their illness. | B．To get their waste. |
| C．To raise them as pets. | D．To study their lifestyles. |
| A．Bacteria can be killed by human antibiotics. |
| B．Extreme weather keeps Antarctic animals healthy. |
| C．Humans bring bacteria to Antarctica. |
| D．Antarctic animals are immune to human bacteria. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Doubtful. | C．Ambiguous. | D．Optimistic. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Travel. | C．Nature. | D．Education. |
6 . During a visit to the United Arab Emirates, I was invited to speak to college students to learn more about how the country is preparing the next generation for the future. I met with students who were required to present their final projects in a three-minute presentation to members of the ruling family. Now, that is pressure. But learning the art of public speaking is no longer an option to succeed in the 21st century; it is fundamental.
Educators who I have met across the Middle East, Europe and Asia say that they are elevating the art of public speaking to a core requirement along with math and science. Chris Anderson, the curator (负责人) of TED, encourages schools in the United States to make “presentation literacy” a requirement in elementary schools. There is a wrinkle, however. According to an article in The Atlantic, some American middle-school and high-school students are advocating for the elimination (取消) of mandatory (强制的) in-class, presentations.
Their anxiety is real. Psychology professor Matthew Lieberman writes in book, “Our brains crave the positive evaluation of others almost to an embarrassing degree.” That’s why most of us get anxious about public speaking. Anxiety can turn into full-blown panic attacks or create lifelong fears.
As an author whose books are used in public speaking classes around the world, I will explain why public speaking skills are more important than ever. Persuasion — one person convincing another to change their mind — is now responsible for 25 percent of Americas total income, according to Deirdre McCloskey at the University of Illinois. The percentage will rise to 40 percent soon, she assured me. It is a terrible idea to reduce public speaking opportunities in class at a time when students need the skills it can give them to succeed. Today anyone who is better at presenting their ideas can see a sudden, massive increase in wealth that is unprecedented in human history.
In the age of ideas, public speaking is one of the greatest skills that students need in order to learn, grow, and inspire the rest of us to dream bigger. If students enjoy the process of building the necessary skill set, they will learn to love public speaking.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 1?| A．Public speaking is essential in preparing for the future. |
| B．Students don’t have to choose the course of public speaking. |
| C．The ruling family plays a key role in judging the presentation. |
| D．College students are under pressure in preparing the introduction. |
| A．Simple case. | B．New idea. |
| C．Small problem. | D．Strong belief. |
| A．we long for the positive judgment terribly |
| B．good public speaking skills can promote our confidence |
| C．we feel embarrassed when expecting positive evaluation |
| D．public speaking can make us feel scared rather than anxious |
| A．It can help persuade others to change their mind. |
| B．Good speakers can see huge rise in their income. |
| C．It will offer students skills to make a great success. |
| D．It encourages students to live a wealthy life in the future. |
| A．It scares students to make a speech publicly. |
| B．Presentations is a steppingstone for student’s future. |
| C．We can improve speaking skills in many effective ways. |
| D．Confidence in presentation increases if one is well prepared. |
7 . Israeli company Watergen has produced an appliance that can generate (生产)clean, drinkable water out of air. The device, called GENNY, is small enough to be used in a home or office but can generate up to 30 liters of water a day.
GENNY takes air in and passes it through a filter (过滤器)to remove dust and dirt. The filter is powerful enough to work even in areas with high air pollution. The air is directed through GENius, a heating and cooling process which causes water in the air to condense (凝结). This water is then passed through several more filters and minerals are added to improve the flavor of the water. Finally, the water is stored in a tank where it: is continually circulated to keep it fresh. Therefore, the water produced by GENNY is often of a higher quality than water running through filtration systems attached to the city’s water lines.
The technology of GENius is much better than other technologies that generate water from air. It produces four to five times more water per kilowatt-hour. Watergen has other products that use this same technology on a larger scale, the largest of which can produce up to 5,000 liters of water per day.
As an added bonus, during the water generation process; GENNY can emit clean air which is healthier for people to breathe.
At the 2020 Smart home mark of Excellence Awards at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, GENNY was named the Energy Efficient Product of the Year. The award series recognize the world’s top high-tech home products.
As a company, Watergen focuses on dealing with the global water shortage. Last year, Watergen’s large-scale products were donated to authorities in Brazil, Vietnam and India. They also assisted rescue and recovery efforts during the 2018 California wildfires and provided clean, safe water for the residents of Texas and Florida in the aftermath of the devastation caused by hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
Watergen also seeks to help protect the environment by reducing waste generated by plastic water bottles. People are called upon to put the water from GEENY into reusable bottles so that plastic ones don’t get used and thrown away.
1. What does the author tell us in Paragraph 2?| A．How high-quality water is produced. |
| B．Air will condense through cooling process. |
| C．Drinkable water can be got directly from air. |
| D．Polluted water becomes drinkable through filter. |
| A．It keeps the water fresh. | B．It helps kill harmful bacteria. |
| C．It makes the water taste better. | D．It satisfies local water regulations. |
| A．Time-saving. | B．Energy-efficient. |
| C．Ground-breaking. | D．Environment-friendly. |
| A．Blow away. | B．Cut down. |
| C．Use up. | D．Give off. |
| A．Consume plastic waste. | B．Test water quality globally. |
| C．Respond to natural disasters. | D．Relieve drought in some countries. |
8 . Traveling alone can be daunting. I have traveled by myself many times but, on every occasion, there was someone to meet me at the other end of the bus, train or plane journey. This time was different.
Last week I had a holiday, from work, but none of my friends had the same week off. I decided that I still wanted to do something, so I booked a train ride to Toronto and reserved a bed in a hostel for one week.
One week by myself. Would I be lonely? Would I be bored? Quite the opposite. In fact, there are many benefits that come from traveling alone. Firstly, I was able to do whatever I wanted. I spent hours in museums that would have seemed boring and dull to some of my friends. I walked all around the city, which' some people may have found too exhausting. Instead of relying on someone else to remember directions or to suggest activities to do, I discovered my' independence and developed map-reading skills that I didn’t know I had. I could get up and go to sleep when I wanted and I didn’t have to wait for anyone else to shower and get ready every morning. Being in the safe environment of a hostel with like-minded travelers also gives a great opportunity to meet new people from all over the world, which can help combat loneliness.
In spite of the benefits, I found that there were also some disadvantages of traveling alone. I missed having someone to talk to and to bounce ideas off. Experiences are often more enjoyable if they are shared, and part of the fun of traveling is the memories you have afterwards. Without a travel partner, I won’t be able to laugh about and remember my Toronto adventure with a friend or family member in years to come.
In addition, eating in a restaurant or cooking in the hostel was less fun on my own.
I am very proud of myself for traveling alone, and I had a fantastic time in Toronto. However, in the future, I think I will always prefer to travel with another person or in a small group. Though, maybe it depends on who you travel with I would rather be by myself than with someone who is lazy, difficult and argumentative.
1. What happened to the author last week?| A．She traveled alone to Toronto during a work vacation. |
| B．She felt lonely away from home and missed her family. |
| C．She found someone meeting her during a trip to Toronto. |
| D．She made a trip as her friend during the same week to Toronto. |
| A．finds it boring and dull to visit museums |
| B．has already acquired great map-reading skills |
| C．believes she could benefit by traveling alone more |
| D．enjoys sharing traveling stories with family and friends |
| A．Learn about. | B．Adapt to. | C．Fight against. | D．Live with. |
| A．She is proud of cooking in a hostel. | B．She will find it fun to travel with anyone. |
| C．She favors travelling with good company. | D．Argumentative travelers1 will be ideal choices. |
| A．Optimistic and talkative. | B．Humorous and generous. |
| C．Ambitious and imaginative. | D．Enthusiastic and independent. |
9 . At a large forest park in eastern Beijing, 11 birds on the state-level protection list were recently released.
These birds had recovered after the Beijing Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center rescued and took care of them. “We will speed up our efforts to push the establishment of district-level wildlife rescue centers to jointly guard the health of wildlife,” said Du Lianhai, director of the center.
The center was set up in 2001 and built a wildlife rescue base in the capital’s Shunyi District in 2005. Staff at the base have rescued and rehabilitated over 30,000 wild animals in total.
Wildlife protection has been strengthened in Beijing in recent years. On June 1, the city’s newly adopted regulation on wildlife protection took effect, introducing stricter and more concrete measures to protect the environment and wildlife.
For example, the regulation states clearly that Beijing bans hunting throughout the year, compared with the previous regulation which bans hunting during the periods of March to May and September to November each year. The new regulation also gives severer punishment for poachers.
After years of monitoring, data with the Beijing Gardening and Greening Bureau recently showed ecological reconstruction progress. The species and quantity of wild animals in Beijing are continuously increasing, with the number of terrestrial spinal wild animals (陆地脊椎野生动物) growing from 461 species in 1994 to more than 500. The habitat of the endangered bird has expanded from Fangshan District to the whole city, according to the bureau.
“The enforcement of the new regulation marked a new phase in Beijing’s wildlife protection work,” said Dai Mingchao, deputy director of the Beijing Gardening and Greening Bureau.
“We will step up the publicity of the regulation and raise citizens’ awareness of wildlife protection,” Dai said. “In our integrated protection of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands, we take into full consideration the requirements of food-chain construction, ecological corridor construction, and wildlife and their habitat protection.”
1. In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to ________.| A．introduce the topic. | B．present an argument. | C．reach a conclusion. | D．describe a place. |
| A．They have sped up their efforts to recover the birds. |
| B．They have guarded people’s health against danger. |
| C．They have saved wild animals from a dangerous situation. |
| D．They have pushed the establishment of district-level wildlife rescue centers. |
| A．Practical. | B．Temporary. | C．Effective. | D．Specific. |
| A．It is mainly targeted at poachers. |
| B．It is the first such regulation in Beijing. |
| C．It takes many years to come into being. |
| D．It prohibits people from hunting in Beijing all the year. |
| A．Beijing citizens are still not familiar with the new regulation. |
| B．After taking the new regulation, Beijing will enter a new phase. |
| C．They rarely give full consideration to the requirements of food-chain construction. |
| D．The protection of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands are not in the new regulation yet. |
| A．How to protect wild animals in Beijing. |
| B．Beijing steps up wildlife protection with new regulation. |
| C．More district-level wildlife rescue centers established in Beijing. |
| D．Wildlife protection has been strengthened in Beijing. |
10 . This week my client asked me whether I will be working between Christmas and the New Year. I did not know. I had been charging full speed ahead and had not thought about it. I am grateful to my client for motivating me to look up from my computer and take a moment to reflect on 2020 ending and 2021 approaching.
The end of December is a time when people share their reflections on how the last year has gone, and set resolutions in the hope that they will do better in the New Year. However, considering the uncertainty of carrying out resolutions, I invite you to consider the idea of setting intentions now.
Take a moment to reflect on how resolutions work for you.
The Cambridge dictionary defines resolutions as ‘a promise to yourself to do or to not do something’. The first thing that comes to mind when I read this is: what happens when we break the promise to ourselves?
This is typically how it goes for me: Throughout January I am going strong with those resolutions. Then comes mid-February, the novelty (新鲜劲) of the resolutions fades, with the increased demands of life. At last, those resolutions start to take a backseat. This brings a frustration or disappointment at “not succeeding” and a gradual abandonment of the resolutions as though they were never really important. By the next New Year, I would have forgotten what my resolutions were in the first place.
If setting New Year resolutions works for you, then go tor it.
Setting intentions
What if we try setting intentions instead?
Intentions are based on what our values are, i.e., what is important to us in different areas of our life such as our physical health, mental health, career, hobbies and relationships with family, friends, partners and education. They have a broader focus on the present moment and on how we act now. They give us a direction and determination that empower us to achieve goals and meanwhile live a meaningful life in the present.
1. Why did the author mention his conversation with the client?| A．To summarize the whole text. |
| B．To introduce the topic he'll discuss. |
| C．To show what a busy life he lived. |
| D．To inform the New Year is coming. |
| A．He didn't make it. |
| B．He forgets it on purpose. |
| C．He likes to make it big. |
| D．He often fails to realize it. |
| A．David determines to pass TOEFL next year. |
| B．Cathy hopes to be cheerful at the party today. |
| C．Tom aims to have his own car after graduation. |
| D．Elizabeth promises to lose weight in one year. |
| A．Enable. | B．Force. | C．Persuade | D．Order |
| A．Reflecting On the Past, a Good Habit? |
| B．Setting New Year Resolutions, Difficult? |
| C．Carrying Out Resolutions, a Piece of Cake? |
| D．Setting New Year Resolutions or Living with Intentions Now? |
