1 . How can one person enjoy good health, while another person looks old before her time? Humans have been asking this question for thousands of years, and recently, it’s becoming clearer and clearer to scientists that the differences between people’s rates of aging lie in the complex interactions among genes, social relationships, environments and lifestyles. Even though you were born with a particular set of genes, the way you live can influence how they express themselves. Some lifestyle factors may even turn genes on or shut them off.
Deep within the genetic heart of all our cells are telomeres, or repeating segments of non-coding DNA that live at the ends of the chromosomes (染色体). They form caps at the ends of the chromosomes and keep the genetic material together. Shortening with each cell division, they help determine how fast a cell ages. When they become too short, the cell stops dividing altogether. This isn’t the only reason a cell can age — there are other stresses on cells we don’t yet understand very well — but short telomeres are one of the major reasons human cells grow old. We’ve devoted most of our careers to studying telomeres, and one extraordinary discover y from our labs is that telomeres can actually lengthen.
Scientists have learned that several thought patterns appear to be unhealthy for telomeres, and one of them is cynical hostility. Cynical hostility is defined by high anger and frequent thoughts that other people cannot be trusted. Someone with hostility doesn’t just think, “I hate to stand in long lines”; they think, “Others deliberately sped up and beat me to my rightful position in the line!” — and then get violently agitated. People who score high on measures of cynical hostility tend to get more heart disease, metabolic disease and often die at younger ages. They also have shorter telomeres. In a study of British civil servants, men who scored high on measures of cynical hostility had shorter telomeres than men whose hostility scores were low. The most hostile men were 30% more likely to have short telomeres.
What this means: aging is a dynamic process that could possibly be accelerated or slowed — and, in some aspects, even reversed. To an extent, it has surprised us and the rest of the scientific community that telomeres do not simply carry out the commands issued by your genetic code. Your telomeres are listening to you. The foods you eat, your response to challenges, the amount of exercise you get, and many other factors appear to influence your telomeres and can prevent premature aging at the cellular level. One of the keys to enjoying good health is simply doing your part to foster healthy cell renewal.
1. Why are some lifestyle factors considered extremely important?| A．They may determine how genes function. |
| B．They may shorten the process of cell division. |
| C．They may affect the lifespan of telomeres. |
| D．They may account for the stresses on cells. |
| A．Their number affects the growth of cells. |
| B．Their length determines the quality of life. |
| C．Their shortening process can be reversed. |
| D．Their health impacts the division of cells. |
| A．It may lead to confrontational thought patterns. |
| B．It may cause people to lose their temper frequently. |
| C．It may produce an adverse effect on telomeres. |
| D．It may stir up agitation among those in long lines. |
| A．It may vary from individual to individual. |
| B．It challenges scientists to explore further. |
| C．It depends on one’s genetic code. |
| D．It may be controlled to a degree. |
2 . Bring It On:The Musical
Bitingly relevant and inspired by the hit film of the same name, Bring It On takes audiences on a high-flying journey that is filled with the complexities of friendship, forgiveness and self-definition.
Uniting some of the freshest and funniest creative minds on Broadway, Bring It On features an original story by Tony Award winner Jeff Whitty, music and lyrics by Tony Award-winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, and music supervision by Tony and Grammy Award winner Alex Lacamoire. The production is directed and staged by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler. It was proposed as a candidate for the Tony Award for Best Musical.
Campbell, the main character, is a cheer-leading star at Truman High School and her senior year should prove the most joyful — she’s been named captain of the team! However,an unexpected redistricting has forced her to spend her final year of high school at the neighboring Jackson High School. Despite challenges, Campbell befriends the school’s dance crew. Together with their headstrong and hardworking leader, Danielle, they form a powerful team for the ultimate competition — the National Championships.
The show’s name alone will fill the seats, and audience’s word of mouth will pack the house. With a colorful variety of characters and an exciting fresh sound, Bring It On is sure to be everything that you hoped for.
1. Who wrote the story that Bring It On is based on?| A．Lin-Manuel Miranda. | B．Jeff Whitty |
| C．Andy Blankenbuehler. | D．Alex Lacamoire. |
| A．Campbell met great difficulties at first in her new school. |
| B．It won the Tony Award for Best Musical for its creativity. |
| C．Campbell changed her school to be the captain of the team. |
| D．It was adapted from a movie focusing on a complex journey. |
| A．A short story. | B．An introduction to a theater. |
| C．A film review. | D．An advertisement of a play. |
3 . Is forgiveness against our human nature? To answer our question, we need to ask a further question: What is the essence of our humanity? For the sake of simplicity, people consider two distinctly different views of humanity.
The first view involves dominance and power. In an early paper on the psychology of forgiveness, Droll (1984) made the interesting claim that humans’ essential nature is more aggressive than forgiving allows. Those who forgive are against their basic nature, much to their harm. In his opinion, forgivers are compromising their well-being as they offer mercy to others, who might then take advantage of them.
The second view involves the theme of cooperation, mutual respect, and even love as the basis of who we are as humans. Researchers find that to fully grow as human beings, we need both to receive love from and offer love to others. Without love, our connections with a wide range of individuals in our lives can fall apart. Even common sense strongly suggests that the will to power over others does not make for harmonious interactions. For example, how well has slavery worked as a mode of social harmony?
From this second viewpoint of who we are as humans, forgiveness plays a key role in the biological and psychological integrity of both individuals and communities because one of the outcomes of forgiveness, shown through scientific studies, is the decreasing of hate and the restoration of harmony. Forgiveness can break the cycle of anger. At least to the extent the people from whom you are estranged (不和的) accept your love and forgiveness and are prepared to make the required adjustments. Forgiveness can heal relationships and reconnect people.
As an important note, when we take a classical philosophical perspective, we see the distinction between potentiality and actuality. We are not necessarily born with the capacity to forgive, but instead with the potential to learn about it and to grow in our ability to forgive. The actuality of forgiving, in real situations, develops with practice.
1. What is Droll’s idea about forgiveness?| A．People should offer mercy to others. |
| B．Aggressive people should learn to forgive. |
| C．Forgiveness depends on the nature of humanity. |
| D．People who forgive can have their own welfare affected. |
| A．To fight is to grow. | B．To give is to receive. |
| C．To forgive is to abuse. | D．To dominate is to harm. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Reserved. | C．Objective. | D．Skeptical. |
| A．Forgiveness is in our nature. | B．Forgiveness grows with time. |
| C．It takes practice to forgive. | D．Actuality is based on potentiality. |
Most people think that procrastination (拖延症) is a negative habit. But people like me who routinely put off doing assignments, are likely to defend our “slower” approach to getting tasks done.
I'm the only procrastination in my family. My parents and sister were all born with the “do it right now” gift. They are always in a rush, as if closely rushed by an invisible deadline. Personally, I prefer a more relaxed pace. When my parents voiced their concern about my tendencies, saying “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today,” “No way!” I responded, confidently presenting my research as a defense. It said people procrastinated when they need to solve a problem or commit to a topic or project. In these cases, delaying a decision can be beneficial. This was because our minds continue to reflect on problems even when we were not actively thinking about them, which could lead to more creative solutions. My findings filled me with satisfaction and pride. My method of getting things done was just as good as my sister’s…or so I thought.
At school we’d been talking about architecture and design. As part of the final assessment my teacher Mr. Smith announced an exciting project that each student would have a month to complete. We were expected to choose our materials, construct a small building and make use of things we had learned in class. Not only would the winners receive extra credit, but the winning constructions would be proudly displayed in the cafeteria. “I have no clue how I could get it done,” my friend Nate sighed in despair. I didn’t say anything. Not because I shared his anxiety-but because I was not nervous at all. I loved hands-on projects! Picturing my brilliant work exhibited in the cafeteria, I was fully convinced that I would definitely produce something that could impress everyone. So relaxed was I that I didn’t give it a second thought for weeks.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Before I knew it, I had only one day left for the project.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________That taught me a great lesson.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . If you’ve scrolled through your Facebook feed recently, you may have noticed something surprising: lots and lots of short videos.
What makes this “Reels” feature strange is that it is hugely addictive, which I know quite well from my own personal experience. Last Friday, I took a break and hit on one short clip of someone making dinner and, well, the next time I looked up it was 20 minutes later and the blank document on my computer monitor was confirming to me that my work was still not done.
However, as silly as it seems, Reels-is actually super important, and is at the centre of a major battle between the world’s largest tech firms. The format (格式) was first pioneered by TikTok-the Chinese-owned video app that has taken the world by storm since it launched in 2016. Today, TikTok has around 23 million UK users every month-including basically every person you know under the age of 25. And that fact has made Facebook and its parent company, Meta, very nervous indeed. As TikTok has continued to boom, Facebook has actually fallen in popularity among “Gen Z”. The reason Tik Tok has proven such a powerful challenger to Facebook’s social media dominance is almost entirely down to these sorts of short-form videos.
The format is almost perfectly optimised to be as addictive as possible: Tik Tok’s app shows you a short-form video, and if you don’t like it, you can simply swipe it away and another one will start playing instantly. And because it is portrait, not landscape, videos look “right” when viewed on your phone. What’s also smart is that TikTok’s algorithm (算法) picks videos for you based on what you actually watch, and not what you say you want.
Facebook isn’t the only app trying to do what TikTok does so well. Instagram, which is owned by Facebook’s parent company Meta, has integrated Reels even more aggressively into its app. And even Google is nervous, launching its own TikTok-style video section of YouTube(which it owns)a couple of years ago. As things stand, though TikTok currently maintains a healthy lead in the category, both YouTube and Facebook have deep pockets-so expect to see even more Reels and Shorts popping up in your feed as this intense battle continues to rage. You won’t be able to take your eyes off them.
1. Why did the author mention his own experience in paragraph 2?| A．To illustrate the feature of short videos. |
| B．To stress the importance of short videos. |
| C．To prove his preference to short videos. |
| D．To introduce the functions of short videos. |
| A．It has shown the trend of the fall in popularity among “Gen Z”. |
| B．It is perceived as a potential threat to Facebook’s social media dominance. |
| C．Its number of registered UK users has reached 23 million since it launched in 2016. |
| D．It underestimates the essential role of short videos in competition with large tech firms. |
| A．The beautiful visual effects. |
| B．The high video quality. |
| C．The random recommendation. |
| D．The quick switch between videos. |
| A．The short videos have a profound impact on our daily life. |
| B．TikTok seems to be losing its advantage over short videos in the short run. |
| C．YouTube and Facebook may encounter financial difficulties in developing Shorts. |
| D．A growing number of tech firms have engaged in fierce competition for the short video market. |
The Year of the Dragon comes with inspiration for creativity and the power to bring big ideas
Designer Wang Zijian’s Dragon Out of Water, a creative tea infuser (泡茶器),shines on the wall at the exhibition of the winning works of the 2024 Global Zodiac Design Competition at the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center.
The item belongs to China Chic, or guochao, also
As a young designer, Wang hopes
7 . One day, hundreds of people were stuck in traffic on the highway in below-freezing temperatures due to a snowstorm. With the conditions making it
But one stuck driver found a
The simple loaves of bread were surely a ray of
| A．stressful | B．effortless | C．practical | D．difficult |
| A．water | B．necessities | C．bread | D．blankets |
| A．new | B．familiar | C．bright | D．strange |
| A．least | B．best | C．most | D．worst |
| A．spotted | B．realized | C．stared | D．knew |
| A．number | B．message | C．note | D．clue |
| A．lend | B．sell | C． distribute | D．send |
| A．upset | B．optimistic | C．excited | D．anxious |
| A．relief | B．regret | C．surprise | D．credit |
| A．consulting | B．guiding | C．begging | D．instructing |
| A．kept up with | B．teamed up with | C．met up with | D．put up with |
| A．hope | B．truth | C．inspiration | D．faith |
| A．happiest | B．bravest | C．kindest | D．friendliest |
| A．profit | B．difference | C．living | D．contribution |
| A．welfare | B．fame | C．award | D．humanity |
8 . Things To Remember On Your First Solo Travel Adventure
If you’ve ever thought about just taking a trip yourself instead of waiting for someone to join you, you’re not alone.
Don’t be afraid to talk to random people. Though there is someone who poses a threat, it’s important to remember that not everyone is out to get you.
It’s okay to have bad days.
It’s okay to start small.
| A．You are the boss of your own adventure. |
| B．You need to make an unusual travel choice. |
| C．It’s no secret that solo travel is on the rise. |
| D．Sometimes things can go incredibly wrong. |
| E．People like you simply don’t know how to start. |
| F．Most of the time people are just curious and try to be friendly. |
| G．Remember, your first solo trip doesn’t have to be to a whole other continent. |
9 . 18 years ago, a 14-year-old boy from Kasungu district in Malawi was forced to drop out of school for lack of fees. At the same time, a severe famine was destroying his village, claiming people’s lives and leaving desperation in its wake.
This was a situation to break the strongest of minds but William Kamkwamba did not give up. Young as he was, he knew that education was where his future lay. He found hope in the library and feasted on the knowledge that he harvested from its books. It was there that he came across a science textbook entitled Using Energy. He learned that he could generate electricity using wind. The youngster realized that, if mastered, this power could help his village in exceptional ways.
Armed with determination and an iron will, the teenager set out to build a windmill out of random materials from a scrapyard (垃圾场). Though his outside world was collapsing to dust, the youngster did not hesitate about his purpose. He defended himself from all doubt and criticism. He worked tirelessly until his dream of bringing electricity to his village became reality. Soon, he was caught in the center of media attention that took him to new places that he would never have stepped on without his invention.
In his village, the dust has not settled yet and the winds of change continue to blow across the land. Windmills pump water to irrigate crops, sweeping away another period of hunger. William’s former primary school boasts new and stronger buildings, thanks to the help of well-wishers and the villagers’ united efforts.
What seemed like a hopeless situation has been turned into an inspirational story that motivates each and every one of us, persuading us that no misfortune is set in stone. William refused to be a school drop-out forever. He sought solutions for his problems and continued fighting even when the going got tough. He was able to rise above poverty to become a graduate from one of America’s best universities, Dartmouth College.
1. What inspired William to bring electricity to his village?| A．His realization of the impact of electricity. | B．His awareness of the role of education. |
| C．The science textbook entitled Using Energy. | D．The severe famine destroying his village. |
| A．All people didn’t support William’s dream at first. |
| B．The public had little interest in William’s invention. |
| C．The invention enabled William to make a big fortune. |
| D．The windmill is energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. |
| A．Visible. | B．Avoidable. | C．Unchangeable. | D．Unpredictable. |
| A．Knowledge feasts mind and education promises wealth. |
| B．Necessity inspires invention and hardship makes heroes. |
| C．Criticism promotes success and doubt facilitates creation. |
| D．Adversity motivates inspiration and support pushes solutions. |
10 . They thought it was going to be easy. A piece of cake. The band, Suenalo, were excited that they would present their skills to a group of troubled youth at a detention center (少管所).
They arrived at the invitation of a friend, who was an adviser at the center. He had mentioned a career day where members of the community came to speak to the teens about their jobs. Usually the speakers were bankers or lawyers, so he thought it would be interesting for the kids to meet some musicians and maybe even hear some music. “They need something cool to get their attention” was the pitch from the friend.
The kids, about 40, were brought in, looking distant, some even angry. Chad Bernstein, the trombone player, started telling the career of a musician from touring to copyright to the business aspects, trying to draw their interest. However, it didn’t. Sensing that they couldn’t win, the band, a little thrown, decided to play one song. With music going, the kids seemed to respond, their heads nodding to the beat. One of them sang a lyric (歌词). The band sang it back. Then, one by one, the musicians began picking up the beat. Chad started free styling a rap, going back and forth with the kid, and in no time, other kids jumped in. Suddenly the band and the kids were creating a song from scratch and all of them were in musical heaven.
For Chad, that moment inspired him to found Guitars Over Guns, an organization that pairs at-risk middle-schoolers with professional musicians. As both music teachers and life coaches, the musicians give the kids a way to find their creative voices and get through dark times. Over time, the kids have dropped their tough fronts and shared personal stories, from family tragedies to ordinary struggles at school with friends.
“So far we’ve helped over 2,700 students. Our work is highly satisfying because it shows us that a music career is more than a job, it can have more impact,” says Chad Bernstein.
1. Why did the band come to the detention center?| A．To get attention. | B．To display skills. | C．To plan their careers. | D．To chat about music. |
| A．Its lyrics were from the kids. | B．Chad owned its copyright. |
| C．It was composed cooperatively. | D．The kids picked up its beat. |
| A．Offer guidance on life. | B．Give full school instruction. |
| C．Relate personal stories. | D．Promote awareness of risks. |
| A．Disciplined. | B．Purposeful. | C．Humorous. | D．Traditional. |
