1 . Large Study Details Years of Brain Changes in Alzheimer’s Patients

A long-term study in China has shown that a series of changes take place in the brains of people who get Alzheimer’s disease long before they present signs of the sickness.

    1     The individuals were examined on a regular basis during that period. The researchers used brain imaging, spinal fluid (脊髓液) checks and other tools to collect data.

The researchers reported that the study subjects who later developed Alzheimer’s showed high levels of disease-linked protein in their spinal fluid.     2     Then every few years, the study detected another so-called biomarker of coming trouble.

Scientists still do not know exactly how Alzheimer’s forms. The disease slowly destroys the brain, affecting the ability to think. Alzheimer’s patients develop proteins called beta-amyloid and tau, which over time build up into plaques (斑块) that block brain processes. The new research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, offers a timeline for how these proteins develop.

Scientists already knew that in rare, genetic forms of Alzheimer’s that affect young people, a poisonous form of amyloid starts developing about 20 years ahead of symptoms. At some point after that, tau develops as well.     3    

“The more we know about Alzheimer’s treatment targets and when to address them, the better and faster we will be able to develop new therapies and preventions,” said Claire Sexton, director of scientific programs with the Alzheimer’s Association. She noted that blood tests are coming soon that promise to also help by making it easier to find amyloid and tau.

More than 6 million Americans, and millions more worldwide, have Alzheimer’s. There is no cure. But last year, Leqembi became the first approved drug that could slow the worsening of early Alzheimer’s for a few months.     4     Other drugs are being developed to target tau.

A．The drug works by clearing away some of the amyloid protein.

B．The large study followed middle-aged and older adults for 20 years.

C．Knowledge of the timing of these events is critical for preventing Alzheimer’s.

D．The new findings show the order of such biomarker changes common to age-related Alzheimer’s.

E．The higher levels were recorded as much as 18 years before the patients were identified as having Alzheimer’s.

F．The researchers compared 648 people who were later found with Alzheimer’s to an equal number who remained healthy.

2 . For a long time, psychologists agreed with the findings of Roy Baumeister, whose research showed that willpower was a limited resource that could easily be exhausted through use. His book, Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength, has long been seen as the typical handbook on this subject. Plus, hundreds of experiments showed that when people had to complete two back-to-back tasks which both required willpower, they would demonstrate less willpower on the second task.

From this research, willpower came to be understood as a “brain muscle” that would grow more tired the longer you used it. With adequate rest and recovery, the muscle’s energy would be restored, and willpower levels would return to normal. This made sense and even opened the door for an optimistic long-term approach to willpower: You could improve your willpower by using it regularly, just as you can strengthen a muscle through exercise.

However, just because an idea sounds good doesn’t mean it’s true. Later research failed to find Baumeister’s willpower exhaustion effect. And other research even showed that willpower exhaustion can be reversed if you have a positive belief about what hard work does for you. If you believe using willpower is draining, you’ll experience it as draining, but if you believe it energizes you, you’ll be energized. In other words, what you believe about willpower might be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The trouble is that studying a psychological quality like willpower in the lab is very difficult. Willpower experiments greatly oversimplify the human experience and don’t reflect how willpower is used in the real world. Sample sizes are usually small because of limited funding, and it’s difficult to find diverse subjects. It almost certainly matters how meaningful the willpower-requiring task is to the person doing it, and laboratory experiments generally don’t ask participants to perform meaningful tasks.

Furthermore, there are a great many factors that can affect how much willpower an individual has. Willpower levels change from moment to moment and day to day. Someone who has excellent willpower in one situation might have terrible willpower in another. You might have high self-control one day and low self-control another.

So we just don’t know how willpower really works, and we might never know. People may or may not have a limited amount of willpower. Believing you have unlimited willpower might help you work harder than you otherwise would, or it might lead to overconfidence.

1. Roy Baumeister’s book, Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength, is mentioned at the beginning of the passage in order to show that _____.

A．willpower as a limited resource has been widely accepted

B．his book is very popular among people in various fields

C．willpower is essential in completing back-to-back tasks

D．a great many experiments has been done on willpower

2. By “a self-fulfilling prophecy” in paragraph 3, the author means that _____.

A．with enough rest, willpower can recover itself

B．with the right attitude, we can own our willpower

C．we can fulfil our dream as long as we have willpower

D．there is a fixed amount of willpower if we think positively

3. The author implies in the passage that we should _____.

A．view willpower as unlimited to fully cultivate our potential

B．try doing different tasks when our willpower levels change

C．stop doing research on willpower since it is too changeable

D．treat willpower critically as it’s hard to get a full picture of it

4. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．The Definition of Willpower	B．The Great Willpower Debate
C．The Importance of Willpower	D．Strategies to Increase Willpower

3 .

The best white noise machines for a good night’s sleep Sleep is crucial to health. But disruptive (扰乱的) noises can prevent you from falling asleep. White noise machines could help, according to one study.
LectroFan Classic	MASKS NOISE: LectroFan Classic helps block out disruptive environmental noises. It can help improve sleep, focus, privacy, and relaxation. 20 NON-REPEATING SOUNDS: A total of 20 unique non-repeating, digitally created sounds. 10 fan sounds & 10 white noise variations, including pink & brown noise. SAFE: Safe, solid-state design is powered by AC (交流电) or USB and dynamically creates unique, non-repeating sounds. VOLUME CONTROL: Precise volume control allows you to set the perfect level for your unique environment.
Yogasleep Rohm+	EFFECTIVELY MASKS NOISE: The Rohm effectively cancels out noises that may disturb or distract you for improved sleep and concentration. GENTLE SOUNDS: 20 different sounds including music, nature, white, pink, and brown noise, as well as Bluetooth speaker features to allow you to play your own music or sounds and to make a conference call on the road when you need. CRUSH (压坏) RESISTANT: Stylish, crush-resistant travel case fits perfectly with Yogasleep Rohm white noise machines. BATTERY OPERATED: Rechargeable through USB.
Hatch Rest+	BEST FOR BABIES: Sound machine — keep your little one dreaming with sounds like white noise, wind, and rain. Night light — make midnight feedings comforting and the dark less scary with a calming light. Time-to-Rise — set up this light and sound combination to let your early riser know when it’s time to rise. Built-in two-way sound monitor. POWERED BY: AC and rechargeable.
Loftie Clock	FAVORITE CLOCK: Loftie Clock uses sound and lights to help ease you into and out of sleep. GENTLY UNWIND: Enjoy over 100 free tracks, from breathwork and sound baths to all kinds of white noise and nature sounds. AI-GENERATED PERSONAL STORIES: Loftie’s Magic Story Maker AI has an upgraded feature that lets you create sleep stories with Typeform. It then uses ChatGPT and ElevenLabs AI to craft your story. Unlocking the Magic Story Maker AI requires an upgrade to a Loftie+ account in the app ($5 per month). POWERED BY: AC power

1. _____ is the most suitable for Joana, whose baby sleeps in her room.

A．LectroFan Classic	B．Yogasleep Rohm+
C．Hatch Rest+	D．Loftie Clock

2. If you want to buy a white noise machine for your friend Tim, who often travels on business, you need to pay _____.

A．$34.95.

B．$40.03.

C．$159.99.

D．$149.00.

3. What can be learned about the four white noise machines?

A．The four of them can all produce white noise and nature sounds.

B．One of them can help you create your own sleep stories for free.

C．Two of them can be powered by both AC and rechargeable batteries.

D．Two of them can not only help you fall asleep but also wake you up.

4 . On a rainy afternoon in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania, a group of amateur musicians gathered to lay down a few tracks. This wasn’t the first time the band had performed together, but it was their first time in a recording studio.

The band, which calls itself Infinity, first performed its work at the 2022 Pittsburgh Schizophrenia Conference in November. All four band members are diagnosed with schizophrenia, a mental disorder that can cause people to interpret reality in abnormal ways, which can cause many kinds of disordered thinking.

Infinity formed five years ago when Flavio Chamis, a Brazilian composer and conductor, began working with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) on how to use music to treat mental illness.

“Having a mental health diagnosis is not a reason to not have a creative life,” Chamis said. Schizophrenia can be disabling, but therapy, medication and even playing music can help, according to a growing body of research.

Chamis and K.N. Roy Chengappa, a professor of psychiatry (精神病学) at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital and the director of Pittsburgh’s schizophrenia conference, are continuing their efforts with the four musicians and to further investigate musical interventions in mental health outcomes.

As imaging techniques advance, scientists are working to answer precisely why music affects the brain in the ways that it does. Playing music seems to have an impact on timing systems in the brain, which are affected by major depression, schizophrenia and other illnesses. There is research indicating that training patients to play in rhythm can in fact help retrain the brain in other, less obvious ways. Interventions tend to have positive effects, but the research is still in early stages.

The band doesn’t have much formal music training, but they played and sang with touching sincerity. “It’s not supposed to be professional or perfect,” Chengappa said. “One of them has been my patient for 20 years. ... They’ve really blossomed.”

Chamis led the Infinity recording from the piano, with each musician in a separate sound-proof room listening to one another on headphones. The conductor and composer encouraged the musicians and gave advice after each take.

“It’s been great working on this with Flavio,” said guitarist David Baird. “I loved feeling like a professional. ... I want more.”

1. What is special about the band Infinity?

A．All the members were professional.	B．It performed for people with schizophrenia.
C．All the members have mental disorders.	D．It formed and gave its first performance in 2022.

2. Flavio Chamis helped form the band Infinity in order to ____.

A．investigate the causes of schizophrenia	B．study the effect of music on mental illness
C．stimulate the members’ creativity in music	D．obtain the opportunity to cooperate with UPMC

3. Music affects the brain by _____.

A．intervening its timing systems	B．employing imaging approaches
C．changing its reaction time	D．making its rhythm less obvious

4. According to Chengappa, the band members are becoming more _____.

A．sincere

B．professional

C．depressed

D．confident

5 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in each blank with a proper word given in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. activate       B. amounted       C. compared       D. energetic       E. guidelines       F. identify G. image       H. influenced       I. respects       J. review       K. substantial

Exercise Can Help Prevent Depression, Study Finds

How often do you exercise? A new     1     from researchers at the University of Cambridge shows that those who exercise are less likely to develop depression, even if they exercise less than the recommended amount.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults engage in 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate activity per week or one hour and 15 minutes to 2.5 hours of     2     aerobic (有氧的) exercise per week or some combination of the two.

Adults who took a walk for what     3     to 2.5 hours per week were less likely to develop depression than those who didn’t exercise at all, the study found. But even those who exercised less felt better than those who didn’t exercise at all, according to researchers. “In this study, a relatively small amount of physical activity were associated with a(n)     4     decrease in risks of depression,” the study says. The researchers analyzed 15 studies with nearly 200,000 participants. Those who did about half the recommended amount of physical activity per week had an 18% lower risk of depression     5     with adults who did not exercise, the study says. Participants who exercised the recommended amount had a 25% lower risk of depression than those who did not. Exercising more than the recommended amount hardly     6     depression risk, according to researchers.

Many     7     of exercise can lead to improved mental health. For example, working out can increase circulation (血液循环) to the brain and     8     the central nervous system, leading to what many refer to as a “runners high,” the study says. More exercise can also lead to improved physical health and a better body     9    , which can cause a person to be more social, researchers say.

Nearly 5% of adults in the U.S. report regular feelings of depression, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among the study participants, researchers estimate that 1 in every 9 cases of depression might have been prevented had everyone met recommended exercise     10    , the study says.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。1.

A．The consequences of losing a job.	B．The significance of having an interest.
C．The right attitude to unemployment.	D．The possible reasons for getting fired.

2.

A．A result of being less competent.	B．A valuable time to develop an interest.
C．A shock that might depress a person.	D．An opportunity to reconsider one’s career.

3.

A．To reflect on her life and show the benefits of starting a company.

B．To comfort the man and help him respond actively to the situation.

C．To teach the man tips on how to make opportunities come one’s way.

D．To illustrate that gardening is a promising field for the man to get into.

4.

A．Hopeful.

B．Excited.

C．Depressed.

D．Concerned.

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。1.

A．To provide a place for students to relax while studying.

B．To provide a place for students to enjoy the city landscape.

C．To provide a place for students to inspire more confidence.

D．To provide a place for students to rest and enhance creativity.

2.

A．To make it both traditional and modern.	B．To enlarge it to accommodate more students.
C．To upgrade it with more trendy facilities.	D．To make it attract both students and teachers.

3.

A．It contributes to peace in society.	B．It helps people handle stress.
C．It’s common in workplaces as well.	D．It is good for the environment.

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。1.

A．To distract the employer’s attention.	B．To explain the features of the job applied for.
C．To help you become the best candidate.	D．To enable you to be noticed among applicants.

2.

A．It should be at least one page long.	B．It should be handed in during the interview.
C．It should be customized to suit the job.	D．It should emphasize the value of the company.

3.

A．Your interest and hobbies.	B．The details of your relevant skills.
C．All your working experiences.	D．A polite request for a proper salary.

9 .

A．She plans to read more than the required books.

B．The books are all required for the history course.

C．Some of the books are for courses other than history.

D．She’s worried she may not finish the required reading.

10 .

A．What the man is reading is too difficult.	B．The man misjudges Mary’s expression.
C．Mary’s habit caused her trouble in work.	D．Mary dislikes reading books after work.