2 . “I had no intention to adopt a cat that day. I just liked being around animals.” Miranda says. But when she saw Nala in her metal cage, “We made eye contact and I couldn't resist（抗拒）her big blue eyes.” At that point, “Nala was so small. I asked the shelter if I could hold her. Once had Nala in my arms, Nala looked up at me and licked（舔）my face.” And that was when she knew she had to take this kitty home.

Still, Miranda never imagined Nala would become an Insta-star. “I started Nala’s Instagram account in 2012 as a way to share photos with my close friends and family in Thailand,” she explained. The possibility of Nala gaining attention beyond that small group of people hadn’t occurred to her until it happened.

Miranda says, “Each time Nala’s photo was featured on Instagram’s popular page, her account would gain 1,000 new followers.” From there, Nala’s popularity snowballed. Large nationwide brands messaged Miranda about hiring Nala to do ads. “This took us by surprise because we couldn’t believe that a big brand wanted to pay them to take photos with their products next to Nala.”

Nala started life out in a shelter, just waiting to be loved like many other animals that were abandoned. Today that dream has surely come true. Nala has over 4 million followers on Instagram, which earned her the title “Guinness World Records Most Popular Cat on Instagram.”

In addition to managing her Insta fame, Nala is being asked to test various cat food brands.   More importantly, “Nala is our chance to share the love to help create a better life for other animals, so they can grow well and bring joy to the world like Nala has.”

1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A．Visits to a shelter.	B．Love at first sight.
C．Power of blue eyes.	D．Duty to adopt cats.

2. Why did Miranda open Nala’s Instagram account?

A．To meet Nala’s needs.	B．To help Nala be a sta.
C．To share Nala’s pictures.	D．To attract public attention.

3. How did Miranda feel about Nala’s popularity?

A．Satisfied

B．Amazed.

C．Upset.

D．Disappointed

4. What does the underlined phrase “that dream” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Being well treated like many of her kind.	B．Starting life in the shelter.
C．Gaining chances to earn money.	D．Being raised by Instagram fans.

3 . An afternoon nap(午睡)is one of the joys of life, although too much napping could signal all is not well. In some cultures, people will have a daily nap — this is fine. The warning comes when people start sleeping during the daytime, when they did not before. There is certainly a good reason to believe that daytime sleepiness — as in the Alzheimer's study — can be a marker of an underlying condition.

For most people, napping during the day is mainly a sign that you are not getting enough sleep at night, says Dr. Neil Stanley, a sleep expert. "If you feel sleepy during the day, you should think about taking a nap. That is what the body needs — it doesn't need to be kept awake with caffeine, it needs sleep. "The feeling to notice is "sleepiness", he says, not "tiredness", which could be more psychological and linked to stress.

So how do you nap well? The key thing, says Stanley, is how long your nap lasts. Choose either a 20-or 90-minute nap. "When you fall asleep, you'll quickly go through the lighter stages of sleep into your first period of deep sleep. You don't want to wake up in deep sleep because that's when you wake and feel worse than you did before. "Napping for 20 minutes means you will wake up before you go into deep sleep; napping for 90 minutes means you'll complete a sleep cycle.

Once you factor in the time it takes to fall asleep — some people are better at napping than others but, says Stanley, "a healthy adult will fall asleep in between 5 and 12 minutes" — you can set an alarm, allowing a 30- to 40-minute period for a short nap, and up to two hours for a longer one.

A good time to nap is during the body's natural dip in the afternoon, between 2 pm and 4 pm. "You don't really want to be napping much past that because then you are going to be eating into your night-time sleep," Stanley says. The point, he stresses, is to get good night-time sleep, which would ensure you probably don't need to nap at all.

1. What does an afternoon nap indicate for most people?

A．Caffeine addiction.	B．Psychological stress.
C．Insufficient night sleep.	D．Potential physical illness.

2. What is the key to a good nap?

A．Duration.

B．Surroundings.

C．Health.

D．Stages.

3. What does the underlined word "that" in the last paragraph refer to?

A．A 30- to 40- minute period.	B．Between 2 pm and 4 pm.
C．Between 5 and 12 minutes.	D．A 20- to 90-minute period.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Why to phase a nap	B．When to take a good nap
C．What to learn from a nap	D．How to have a successful nap

4 . Washington is home to lots of trees and lots   of wood-burning stoves(火炉) too. But what if you live there and can't cut wood or can't afford to pay anyone to do it? Luckily, Shane McDaniel and his twin sons, Harrison and Henry McDaniel, 21, are happy to lend an ax(斧子).The three men cut truckloads of wood -then give the wood to those in need.

The idea was put forward by Shane as a father-son bonding project. He wanted to pass along the feeling his father Jackson and he shared while they cut wood, so he and the twins spent the summer doing their deeds. The result was a great wall of wood piled up around their house in Lake Stevens, about 35 miles outside of Seattle. To buy that much would cost about $ 10,000.

It was too much for the McDaniels to use themselves, and when the weather turned cold that November, Shane started thinking of others. He posted a request on a social networkling site:”IF

YOU ARE IN NEED OF FIREWOOD AND CANNOT AFFORD IT, PLEASE PM [ personal message ] ME…Please help me and my boys make sure NO ONE GOES COLD IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD."

The response was immediate. One man offered to donate a wood-burning stove. Others raced over with more wood for the pile. Single dad Peter Ticer, 29, and his four-year-old daughter depend on a wood-burning stove as their unique source of heat. so it was a relief to receive a truckload of firewood from the McDaniels before the holidays.”To get that much wood moved me to tears" he said.“So much stress and anxiety off my shoulders. I couldn't be more thankful."

Giving is the reward. It has nothing to do with how well its received; it's about how much it's needed.

1. Which of the following best describes the McDaniels?

A．Energetic.

B．Hard-working.

C．Considerate.

D．Mean.

2. What does”father-son" in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Shane and Harrison.	B．Jackson and Shane.
C．Harrison and Henry.	D．Shane and the twins.

3. Why did Shane post the message on the Internet?

A．To advertise the wood they cut.	B．To help those in need.
C．To get wood-burning stoves.	D．To ask for others' help.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．A family's firewood warms their neighborhood.

B．Cutting down trees teaches a family life lessons.

C．No one goes cold in the McDaniels' community.

D．Giving is a tradition of cheering up those in need.

5 . Whenever we see a button, we are eager to press it because we know something will happen. This is true in most cases, for example on a doorbell and on the “on/off” button on the TV. But some buttons are actually fake, like the “close” button on a lift.

Many people are in the habit of pressing the “close” button because they don’t have the patience to wait for the lift doors to shut. But lifts’ “close” buttons are a complete scam (骗局), at least in the US － the doors will not close any faster no matter how hard you press.

It started in the 1990s when the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in the US, making sure that all lifts stayed open long enough so that people with disabilities could enter. Only US firefighters and repairmen can use the buttons to speed up the door-closing process if they have a code or special keys.

But to normal lift riders, the buttons aren’t completely useless. According to psychologists, fake buttons can actually make you feel better by offering you a sense of control.

“Perceived (能够感知的) control is very important. It reduces stress and increases well-being,” Ellen J. Langer, a psychology professor, said, “having a lack of control is associated with depression（沮丧）.”

Experts have revealed that a lot of buttons that don’t do anything exist in our lives for this same purpose. For example, many offices in the US have fake thermostats (温度调节器) because people tend to feel better when they think they can control the temperature in their workplace.

Pedestrian(行人) crosswalk buttons don’t live up to their names either. Pressing them used to help make the traffic signals change faster, but that was before computer-controlled traffic signals were introduced.

But psychologists found it interesting that even when people are aware of these little “white lies”, they still continue to push fake buttons because as long as the doors eventually close, it is considered to be worth the effort.

“That habit is here to stay,” John Kounios, a psychology professor, said. “Even though I have real doubts about the traffic light buttons, I always press them. After all, I’ve got nothing else to do while waiting. So why not press the button in the hope that this one will work?”

1. What was the author’s main purpose in writing the article?

A．To analyze the functions of fake buttons.

B．To describe some different kinds of fake buttons.

C．To explore people’s different habits when it comes to pushing buttons.

D．To explain the advantages and disadvantages of fake buttons.

2. In America,the“close”buttons on lifts_______.

A．work only when people press them hard for a while

B．cannot speed up the process of closing the door in any case

C．are fake for the convenience of disabled people

D．were specially designed to give people a sense of control

3. The underlined part“for this same purpose”in Paragraph 6 refers to_______.

A．helping people to build up confidence

B．making people more patient

C．making people with depression feel better

D．giving people perceived control

4. According to John Kounios,people who press fake buttons______.

A．don’t know that what they press is fake

B．should give up this habit

C．consider what they do to be meaningless

D．probably do so to kill time

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

Each March, about 150 people from around the world sign up for the Baikal Ice Marathon. 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.

It’s believed that Lake Baikal’s beauty is incomparable. Known as the “blue eye of Siberia”, Lake Baikal has particularly clear waters. This means that its ice is almost perfectly transparent（透明的）. Seen from above, a runner on the ice looks as if he or she were jogging through space.

The scenery might be beautiful, but strong winds blast（侵袭）acorns the lake and forcible can occur within half an hour. Runners say the cold climate is what draws them and that running in such condition is a test of their limits.

“When you are in such an environment, you don’t have cars around and don’t have the noise around. I think these extreme races push you to be alone” Alicia Badalona, a 64-year-old runner from the US said.

The place offers some strange and unique characteristics for this marathon The finishing line is visible（可见的）from the start, but the endless while offers no progress markers. Tourists crowding the ice are mostly addicted to snapping sallies（自拍）and just ignore the runners.

For 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 has kept lake Baikal being a focus over the years？

A．A famous Chinese singer.	B．A popular song in Russian.
C．The Baikal ice marathon.	D．The coldness of Lake Baikal.

2. What does the underlined word “This” in paragraph 3 refer to？

A．The fact that the waters of Lake Baikal are clear.

B．The belief that Lake Baikal is known for its waters.

C．The reason why Lake Baikal is popular with runners.

D．The popularity that clear waters in Lake Baikal enjoy.

3. Why do runners sign up for the Baikal Ice Marathon？

A．They prefer to get close to nature.

B．They like competition with others.

C．They want to draw much attention.

D．They intend to test their own limits.

4. Why is Veronique Messina mentioned at last?

A．To prove the power of the runners for the Baikal Ice Marathon.

B．To show that runners must fight against themselves in the Marathon.

C．To explain that independence is important for marathon runners.

D．To indieato the necessity of paying attention co marathon runners.

7 . In our increasingly fast-paced, technology-driven world, most adults do not get the 8-10 hours of sleep every night. Things are even worse for those with young children. A recent study showed that 86% of parents in the UK complain of tiredness and about 26% get less than 5 hours of sleep every night. To give tired parents a little relaxation from their tight schedules (时间表), David Lloyd Clubs, a chain of gyms and fitness centers in Europe, has introduced a napping (小憩)class!

As the name suggests, the hour-long group class, described as a way to " refresh the mind, improve moods, and even bum the odd calorie (卡路里)", does not involve any hard exercise. Instead, the members are guided through 15 minutes of light stretching (伸展)to help them relax. Then, they are encouraged to lie under the blankets of a comfortable bed, cover their eyes with an eye mask, and take a nap for 45 minutes. With music playing in the background and the room set to the perfect temperature, they can be assured of the best possible sleep. The class is now being offered at just one place. If popular, they will be expanded (延伸)to other David Lloyd Clubs.

Do you know the good points of nap? A study conducted by Pennsylvania's Allegheny College found that midday naps not only help participants feel well-rested, but also enable them to deal with stress better. A follow-up study carried out at the University of California at Berkeley concluded that a 45-minute nap in the middle of the day helps to improve the learning abilities. The good news is that you do not have to make a trip to the U. K. to join this latest exercise fashion. You can get involved with the comfort of your own bed. So, go ahead and encourage your entire family to try a napping class.

1. Which idea does the study support?

A．Parents often suffer from stress.	B．Students shouldn't have tight schedules.
C．There should be more gym classes.	D．Naps contributes to your good health.

2. What does the underlined word "they" in the second paragraph refer to?

A．The class members.	B．The trainers.
C．The napping classes.	D．The organizers.

3. What is the passage?

A．An introduction.	B．An advertisement.
C．A medical report.	D．A school report.

8 . Whenever I heard strangers singing out loud, whether it was in the supermarket or on the street, I used to think how annoying it was. That was until a few months ago.

Recently, my daughter Zoe started her second year of middle school with a new sense of awareness, asking me to fix the "little girl" pattern on her wheelchair seat. Not wanting her to stand out at school, I spent hours filling in pale yellow stars with a black marker, eager to erase whatever childish signs I could. Shortly after, Zoe got really sick and had to miss 20 days of school. This meant our days were filled with rushing between hospital appointments and meetings with the school, as we tried to make sure she didn't fall behind on her schoolwork.

I felt pulled back to a time when she was little and her sickness was a huge part of her life. Back then, it seemed like Zoe lived in hospitals, as she spent so much time in them. No matter how sick she got, however, she always had a positive attitude. But this was different: Zoe was no longer singing like she normally did. Zoe usually sings all the time, whether she's playing, riding in the car, or just doing her homework. There was no need for a radio in our house； Zoe provided the music for us. Consumed (被折磨)with my motherly worries, it was more concerning to me than her sickness.

One day, however, I heard her beautiful voice as I was cooking dinner. I stopped what I was doing and just smiled. “Pure delight. ’’ I thought to myself. Her voice slowly grew stronger, and soon, both the car and the house were filled with her music once more. How had I not noticed her singing had completely stopped, weeks and weeks ago? Now, thankfully, she's back in school, smiling and singing, and I'm thankful for each and every song she sings.

These days, whenever I hear a stranger singing a song to themselves, I don’t get mad. Instead, I smile, as I know that by singing out loud, they're simply sharing their happiness with the world.

1. When did the author feel bothered?

A．When hearing strangers singing.	B．When her daughter started middle school.
C．When fixing stars on the seat.	D．When her daughter became sensitive.

2. Which of the following best describes Zoe?

A．Considerate and helpful.	B．Competitive and hardworking.
C．Optimistic and strong-willed.	D．Self-aware and modest.

3. What does "it" in Paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Zoe's love for music.	B．Zoe’s falling behind at school.
C．Zoe's silence during her sickness.	D．Zoe's slow recovery from her sickness.

4. What does singing mean to people, according to the author?

A．A way to get rid of stress.	B．A way to express love to others.
C．A way to communicate with others.	D．A way to share joy.

9 . Plastics remain one of the most - used materials for making many things. Things made of plastics can be very strong and last a long time. Plastics are also much lighter than metal and can easily be formed into different shapes. Plastics can take hundreds of years to break down on their own. And very few kinds are highly recyclable.

A team of researchers working at the US Department of Energy says it has created a kind of plastic that could lead to products that are 100 percent recyclable. It recently reported the discovery in a study in the journal Nature Chemistry.

The researchers say the new material is a plastic polymer (聚合体)called polydiketoenamine, or PDK. The team reports the material can be broken down in parts at the molecular (分子的)level. It can then be built up again to form plastics of different shapes, textures and colors. The researchers say this process can be repeated over and over again—without the plastic material losing any performance or quality.

"Most plastics were never made to be recycled, ” lead researcher Peter Christensen said in a statement. " But we have discovered a new way to assemble plastics that takes recycling into consideration from a molecular perspective. ”

Many plastics have different chemicals added to them to make them more useful and powerful. The problem is that these chemicals attach to the monomers (单体),which remain in plastics even after the material gets processed at a recycling plant. The research team reported that, with the newly discovered PDK material, the monomers could be recovered and separated from any chemical additives.

Next, the researchers plan to develop PDK plastics "with a wide range of thermal and mechanical properties. These plastics could be used for many kinds of cloth, as well as things such as 3D printed materials and foams. In addition, the team is trying to include plant - based materials in the process.

1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A．Plastics are never highly recyclable.

B．Plastics are widely used in our lives.

C．Plastics have both advantages and disadvantages.

D．Plastics take hundreds of years to be broken down.

2. What does the underlined word “It” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The new material.	B．The research team.
C．The molecular level.	D．The producing process.

3. Why do many plastics have different chemicals added to them?

A．To make them easy to break down.

B．To make them easy to get processed.

C．To make it possible for them to be recycled.

D．To make them stronger and more widely used.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．PDK plastics will be soon put to good use.

B．PDK plastics may have a promising prospect.

C．The researchers are busy developing PDK plastics.

D．Plant - based materials have been used in the new plastics.

10 . Robots come in many shapes and sizes, but scientists in Zurich, Switzerland, have developed one new robot called Pleurobot, which looks and acts just like a salamander (火蜥蜴).

To create the robot, scientists took hundreds of X-rays of real salamanders. They studied the images of these animals to see which joints (关节) and muscles the animals use as they move. Then the scientists built the Pleurobot’s skeleton to move just like the real thing. This makes the robot’s movements incredibly lifelike.

According to experts, salamanders were among the first animals to develop a skeleton and nervous system that allowed them to travel on land. “By studying the modern salamander, we have a time window to the ancestors of all vertebrates (脊椎动物), including humans,” Auke Ijspeert, the designer of the robot, told scholastic News Online.

Both people and salamanders have a spinal cord (脊髓). An injury to the spinal cord can result in the inability to move. Now, there is no cure for paralysis (瘫痪). Ijspeert hopes that the Pleurobot can help change that. Because these studies could help researchers develop new ways to help people who have been paralyzed by spinal cord injuries.

Scientists think that the Pleurobot could also be used for search-and-rescue tasks too dangerous for humans. Because the robot is low to the ground and has a wide range of motion, it could be used to get into dangerous places, like fallen buildings, to look for survivors. Thanks to its waterproof suit, the robotic salamander could even participate in underwater missions.

Experts are now working on a smaller, sturdier (harder to break) model of the Pleurobot. They expect this one to be even better suited for getting into small spaces to do dangerous work.

1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．How real salamanders move.

B．What the Pleurobot looks like.

C．Why scientists invented the Pleurobot.

D．How scientists designed the Pleurobot.

2. What does the underlined word “that” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A．The shape of the spinal cord.

B．The movement of robotic animals.

C．The problem of spinal cord injuries.

D．The way the brain controls the spinal cord.

3. Which of the following can best describe the Pleurobot?

A．Fashionable.	B．Entertaining.
C．Functional.	D．Power-saving.

4. The text is most probably ________.

A．a news report	B．a research paper
C．an advertisement	D．an official document