1 . According to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research, both the size and consumption habits of our eating companions can influence our food intake. And contrary to existing research that says you should avoid eating with heavier people who order large portions(份), it's the beanpoles with big appetites you really need to avoid.

To test the effect of social influence on eating habits, the researchers conducted two experiments. In the first, 95 undergraduate women were individually invited into a lab to ostensibly(表面上)participate in a study about movie viewership. Before the film began, each woman was asked to help herself to a snack. An actor hired by the researchers grabbed her food first. In her natural state, the actor weighed 105 pounds. But in half the cases she wore a specially designed fat suit which increased her weight to 180 pounds.

Both the fat and thin versions of the actor took a large amount of food. The participants followed suit, taking more food than they normally would have. However, they took significantly more when the actor was thin.

For the second test, in one case the thin actor took two pieces of candy from the snack bowls. In the other case, she took 30 pieces. The results were similar to the first test: the participants followed suit but took significantly more candy when the thin actor took 30 pieces.

The tests show that the social environment is extremely influential when we're making decisions. If this fellow participant is going to eat more, so will I. Call it the “I’ll have what she's having” effect. However, we'll adjust the influence. If an overweight person is having a large portion, I'll hold back a bit because I see the results of his eating habits. But if a thin person eats a lot, I'll follow suit. If he can eat much and keep slim, why can't I?

1. What is the recent study mainly about?

A．Food safety.	B．Movie viewership.
C．Consumer demand.	D．Eating behavior.

2. What does the underlined word “beanpoles” in paragraph 1 refer to?

A．Big eaters.	B．Overweight persons.
C．Picky eaters.	D．Tall thin persons.

3. Why did the researchers hire the actor?

A．To see how she would affect the participants.

B．To test if the participants could recognize her.

C．To find out what she would do in the two tests.

D．To study why she could keep her weight down.

4. On what basis do we “adjust the influence” according to the last paragraph?

A．How hungry we are.	B．How slim we want to be.
C．How we perceive others.	D．How we feel about the food.

2 . Most kids can walk into a library or bookstore and find hundreds of books to read. But it’s not that simple for kids who are blind. They read in a different way. Jenny Lee and other braille (盲文) transcribers take the printed words of a book and change them into a code of raised dots. Blind people can read these dots with their fingers. To know what braille feels like, take a ballpoint pen and press hard onto a piece of paper. Now turn the paper over and touch the raised dot made by the pen point.

When Lee first saw the dots of the braille alphabet, she wondered if she’d ever be able to read and write them easily. She took a class and practised hard for about six months before she passed the final exam: she had to convert 35 pages of a book into braille. Today, Lee works for a publisher. One of her jobs is to change children’s books into braille.

To do this, Lee first types the story into a computer and then uses a computer program to translate it into the braille code. Next, she looks over the translation several times to make sure it’s mistake-free. After that, a copy of the braille story is printed with a special printer. Then Lee and a proofreader work together to find and correct any mistakes. When a book is ready, many copies of it are printed. Afterwards, some are sold through websites and others are sent to libraries.

Sometimes, going over a story again and again gets tiring. That’s when Lee takes a break. Several of Jenny Lee’s co-workers, who are blind, use guide dogs. When the animals aren’t working, Lee likes spending a few minutes with them. To her, playing with dogs “is always a pick-me-up in the middle of the day”.

“I love this mission,” Lee says. “Through my brain power and my fingers, I am putting the dots into some kid’s hands.”

1. How does the writer explain what braille feels like?

A．By explaining what braille words look like.

B．By describing how blind people read books.

C．By asking readers to experience it themselves.

D．By giving examples of different braille words.

2. What was Lee’s first reaction to braille?

A．She was excited to get a new skill.

B．She was amazed at the clever idea.

C．She realized she could teach it herself.

D．She believed it would be difficult to learn.

3. What does the underlined word “pick-me-up” in paragraph 4 most probably mean?

A．A discussion to release work stress.

B．Something to improve one’s appetite.

C．Something to help restore one’s spirit.

D．A free ride accompanied with a guide dog.

4. What does Lee think of her job?

A．Profitable and hopeful.	B．Tiring but meaningful.
C．Relaxing and helpful.	D．Boring but challenging.

3 . It's good to share, right? Growing up as kids we are told to share our toys and not be selfish. We also live in an age where discussing our feelings is encouraged. But when does it all become too much? With new fashion trending all the time, such as dance challenges and wearing a pillow as a dress, the question is: when can sharing become oversharing on social media?

What is oversharing? The term has become associated with social media, but it doesn't only belong to this platform. Imagine you head to a party and you meet someone. Within five minutes they have given away details about their personal life. While some of us may try to escape these people, according to marriage therapist Carolyn Cole, this form of oversharing could come from a strong desire to connect with someone. But how does this translate to social media?

Dr. Christopher Hand, a lecturer in internet psychology, says the more details people disclose, the less sympathy we express when things go wrong. This could be due to a belief that we attract our own negative experiences the more we share them. It seems that the idea of searching for sympathy by oversharing, is generally viewed as negative rather than the cry for help it could actually be.

However, Dr Hand's research also seems to suggest that the more positive posts we share on a platform, the more socially attractive we become. Even back in 2015, Gwendolyn Seidman PhD, said that we should avoid complaining and being negative online. We are supposed not to show off, as it's now known—especially about our love lives. It makes sense—if your date is going 'that well', would you really have time to share a photo with text?

So, how can you know if you are oversharing? Well, why not ask your friends in real life. They would probably be more than happy to tell you if your posts about your breakfast or your complaint about your lack of money really are too much.

1. Why do some people try to overshare at parties?

A．Because they want to catch others' attention.

B．Because they just want to show off something.

C．Because they have a strong desire to pour out their emotions.

D．Because they may expect to make a connection with someone.

2. What does the underlined word in Para.3 mean?

A．explore

B．expose

C．display

D．discuss

3. What can we know from the passage?

A．We will become more socially attractive if we post more on a platform.

B．We tend to show sympathy when things go wrong.

C．We may be considered negative when seeking for sympathy by oversharing.

D．We can show off something positive especially about our love lives.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To inform.

B．To inspire.

C．To advertise.

D．To condemn.

4 . 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.

2. What can we know about the compound CBH in chocolate?

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.

3. How does chocolate fight tooth decay?

A．By breaking down acids.	B．By building up compounds.
C．By fixing up tooth enamel.	D．By fighting against bacteria.

4. What's the main idea of the text?

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.

5 . Fairy tales focus on creating a fantasy world to the reader encouraging imagination and teaching problem-solving skills. It is equally important that they provide influential moral lessons, highlighting the dangers of failing to follow the social codes that let human beings coexist in harmony. Such moral lessons may not mean much to a robot, but a team of researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology believes it has found a way to use the fairy tales as moral lessons that AI (artificial intelligence) can take to its cold and mechanical heart.

The collected stories of different cultures teach children how to behave in socially acceptable ways with examples of proper and improper behavior in fairy tales, novels and other literature. We believe story comprehension in robots can eliminate the immoral behavior of the the intelligent robots, which was predicted and feared by some of the biggest names in technology including Stephen Hawking and Bill Gates. This system is called “Quixote” (堂吉诃德). It collects story plots from the Internet and then uses those stories to teach robots how to behave.

The experiment done by the designers involves going to a drugstore to purchase some medicine for a human who needs to get it as soon as possible. The robot has three options. It can wait in line; it can interact with the store keeper politely and purchase the medicine with priority; or it can steal the medicine and escape. Without any further directives (指令), the robot will come to the conclusion that the most efficient means of obtaining the medicine is to steal it. But Quixote offers a reward for waiting in line and politely purchasing the medicine and a punishment for stealing it. In this way, the robot will learn the moral way to behave on that occasion.

Quixote would run best on a robot that has a very limited function. It’s a baby step in the direction of teaching more moral lessons into robots. We believe that AI has to be trained to adopt the values of a particular society, and in doing so, it will strive to avoid unacceptable behavior. Giving robots the ability to read and understand our stories may be the most efficient means.

1. What is the robot really expected to do in the experiment?

A．To purchase some medicine for a human.

B．To finish the task as efficiently as possible.

C．To perform in a socially acceptable way.

D．To perform under the designer’s instructions.

2. What does the underlined word mean?

A．Praise.

B．Promote.

C．Rid.

D．Strengthen.

3. Which of the following information can we get?

A．Quixote has already been widely used in robots.

B．Robots will be definitely designed with limited function.

C．The development of robots is still in a baby step.

D．Robots are necessarily to be trained to follow social codes.

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．Using stories to teach moral to robots.	B．Speeding up the development of robots.
C．Preventing robots from behaving badly.	D．Training robots to read fairy tales.

6 . What do you want to be when you grow up? My answer has always been a vet.

We didn’t have pets growing up because my mother was scared of animals. She transferred(转移) some of this fear to me. It’s not common you find someone who’s scared of animals but wants to be a vet. Still, I knew this is what I wanted.

Vet school was nothing like I had imagined. Within the first few weeks, any fears I had about being a vet vanished. In the fourth year, we were introduced to surgery. I loved it. Stitching(缝) wounds was like a satisfying game of Tetris(俄罗斯方块), where all the pieces fit beautifully together to make something broken whole again. It solidified(使坚固) my belief that this was the right fit for me.

These were the most challenging and rewarding two years of my life, and before I knew it, they were over. I was officially a veterinary surgeon(兽医). Surprisingly, I felt empty after I finished. Why wasn’t I excited to move on? I had completely forgotten to think about what comes next. I felt as if I had spent the last decade of my life writing exams and working crazy hours only to come out on the other side, completely clueless.

There were so many options to choose from. I could start a clinic, work at another practice or even pursue further studies. It was my father who suggested I travel to gain some perspective. I hesitantly decided to spend some time in New Zealand with my aunt who also happens to be a vet.

New Zealand was beautiful! I finally had a chance to think about what I wanted. One of the vets there allowed me to observe their practice. Working with vet nurses really stood out for me. We don’t have vet nurses in India! It is a blessing to have such experienced and dedicated individuals as a part of your support system. After a whole year of what felt like aimless wandering, this experience helped me decide I wanted to work overseas.

So, to all the other confused vets out there who haven't figured things out: It’s completely okay to feel confused! Most people feel the same way at some point in their careers. Don’t be afraid to try new things even if you feel difficult or impossible.

1. Why didn’t the author consider raising a pet of her own before?

A．Because she had been wounded by a pet.

B．Because she was not interested in animals.

C．Because her family couldn’t afford to buy her one.

D．Because her mother passed on her fear of animals to her.

2. What does the underlined word “vanished” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Erupted.

B．Disappeared

C．Increased.

D．Realized.

3. How did the author feel after she graduated as a real vet?

A．Lost.

B．Ashamed.

C．Confident.

D．Excited.

4. What does the text mainly tell us?

A．Different people have different dream jobs.

B．How the author became a vet with the help of her aunt.

C．By traveling abroad, people can broaden their knowledge circles.

D．People will find what they really want if they are brave enough to try.

7 . Listening to music is considered a good thing for adults. Indeed it is. Scientific studies have proved it. Music has so many good effects on our body, mind and mood that this world will certainly not be a good place without music. Then, is music good for children? Some parents think so and let their children learn or listen to music. But some parents don't know the importance of music to children. Here are some reasons why music is important to children.

First, music is good for children’s intelligence. Studies have proved that children who learn music are likely to have higher intelligence than those who have no interest in or dislike music. This is because the brain gets stimulated (刺激) by the rhythm and tone of music.

Music also has soothing (抚慰的) effect on children and helps remove their stress. Today’s children are under a lot of stress from schoolwork. Being under too much stress impairs children’s health. Luckily，listening to music can help them feel better.

Music can improve children’s moods. Some children are sad by nature. They seem to be lost in their own thoughts and don’t take interest in their surroundings. In such cases，a method known as “music therapy” comes to their rescue. It changes their moods and places a new kind of spirit in them.

Music is also a universal language that children ought to learn. Our world has become a global village. People are getting more and more interested in other cultures and countries. Music can help them in understanding foreign cultures.

Now we can say that music is very important not only to adults but also to children. So children should be encouraged to learn music or listen to music.

1. By mentioning scientific studies in Paragraph 1, the author wants to show       .

A．Children should listen to music

B．Why adults should listen to music

C．Listening to music is only good for adults

D．Why scientists are interested in music

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

A．shows.	B．changes.
C．improves.	D．harms.

3. The last but second paragraph shows that listening to music means       .

A．Understanding foreign cultures better

B．Learning languages better

C．Accepting the fast developing world easily

D．Showing greater interest in other cultures

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Why do Children Love Music?

B．How to Choose Music for Children

C．Why is Music Important to Children?

D．How to Teach Children Music Easily

8 . Whether you admit it or not, people’s love for Christmas Jumper (毛衣) around Christmas has increased over recent years. And while you may be less willing to get involved in the Christmas jumper trend, Christmas Jumper Day now enables you to do more with your jumper than build up sweat in an incredibly warm office.

The origin of the Christmas jumper can date back to the late 19^th century in the USA. Americans in the 1930s knitted(编织) for Christmas to create an item of clothing to keep them “warm” during the Great Depression when people led a poor and miserable life. They copied the jumpers they saw their favorite stars wearing on the big screen. From the 1950s, it was common to see American families wearing festive jumpers as they sat down to eat their Christmas dinner.

Now, alongside wearing a festive jumper for the fun of it, there are other positive outcomes. Christmas Jumper Day has been set up to stimulate people to make the world better and raise funds for Save the Children by wearing a Christmas jumper and making a minimum donation of￡1. Ladbrokes, a company in the UK, is running a competition in which all you have to do is to take a selfie (自拍) outside of one of their shops while wearing a jumper — the winner will win a good prize and for every submission. Ladbrokes will donate￡5 to St. Luke’s Hospice charity. For you, it’s a win-win situation.

If you’re still unconvinced that it’s about time you bought yourself a Christmas jumper, then maybe the fact that Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Snoop Dogg have all been spotted wearing Christmas jumpers will raise your enthusiasm. Retailer (零售商) such as Topshop, Burberry and H&M have also become devoted to Christmas Jumper Day and have their very own types of Christmas jumpers.

1. Which statement is true according to paragraph 1?

A．Wearing Christmas jumpers in the office has been a trend.

B．Wearing Christmas jumpers can make you incredibly warm.

C．Christmas jumpers have gained huge popularity.

D．Christmas jumpers serve many functions.

2. For what reason did Americans in the 1930s make Christmas jumpers?

A．To protect them from cold weather.	B．To lift their spirits.
C．To follow the stars.	D．To form a tradition.

3. The underlined word “stimulate” in paragraph 3 can be replaced by ________.

A．demand	B．advise
C．encourage	D．persuade

4. Why does the author mention Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and Snoop Dogg?

A．To ask people to donate Christmas jumpers.

B．To show the importance of Christmas Jumper Day.

C．To prove Christmas jumpers are popular among stars.

D．To persuade readers to buy a Christmas jumper.

10 . School is, waking up early in the morning, whether it is hot or cold, putting on school uniform and rushing to the bus stop to catch the school bus and getting used to the words “Hurry up! You will be late!” You reach school and again the same words “Hurry up!” do not let you rest in peace.

Throughout the day, it is a mad rush. One period gets over, the other starts and you are ready for the second subject. When you forget to do your homework, you try to sit at the back and pretend to be looking for something on the floor or in your bag. You are lucky if you are not seen and it is bad luck if you get caught. If you are not lucky, be ready for a good scolding during break or after school. If you are lucky and your teacher is in a good mood, you may be left with a warning.

However, school is not so dull all the time; the games, library period and breaks are a welcome time. When you can relax, joke and have fun with your friends. There are some teachers, too, who can make school very exciting. For example, Mr. Taneja, has a typical style of talking, making us always hooked on the playground.

School can be fun, real fun, when picnics and field trips are organized. We wait for them eagerly and keep on requesting our class teacher to organize one for us. Debates, quizzes, cultural programmes also add luster to an otherwise dull school life. Fun increase after real hard work and you tend to enjoy more than those who had been lazy and have wasted their time. I think this period of your life is the most wonderful period-full of dreams and hope.

1. How is the school life described by the author in the passage?

A．Dull and stressful.	B．Stressful but interesting.
C．Strict and fearful.	D．Annoying but funny.

2. What can we conclude according to the second paragraph?

A．Some students hope to get away with their fault.

B．Teachers should be more patient to their students.

C．Some students dislike finishing their homework.

D．Teachers should reduce the amount of homework.

3. Which subject does Mr. Taneja teach at school?

A．Physics.

B．Language.

C．Chemistry.

D．Physical Education.

4. What does the underlined word “luster” mean in the passage?

A．Difficulty.

B．Value.

C．Pleasure.

D．Trouble.