1 . Do you have a favorite sport? Are you passionate about sewing or reading? Typically, you engage in these activities simply because you enjoy them. Would you be taken aback to know the overjustification effect that when you are rewarded for your beloved activities, your desire to participate in them diminishes?
Edward Deci, a psychology professor, conducted a series of experiments, in one of which Deci divided the participants into two groups: one was paid to complete a puzzle, and the other was not paid to. After money was removed, the group that was previously paid to play showed less motivation to complete the task than the group that was never paid and only did the puzzle for enjoyment. The outcome demonstrated the overjustification effect, which occurs when an external stimulation decreases a person’s internal motivation to perform a behavior or engage in an activity.
According to the self-determination theory, three conditions are essential for people to feel internally motivated and perform at their best: autonomy, freedom from external restrictions; competence, the need to feel capable, and relatedness, the need to feel connected with others. In Deci’s experiment, money acted as a tie, which reduced participants’ autonomy, a crucial component of internal motivation, discouraging them from experiencing the freedom of external restrictions. The pressure to perform for the money lessened the pleasure and freedom felt by those who were doing the puzzle merely for fun.
But if external stimulation is tied to performance, the overjustification effect is less influential. For example, being rewarded for studying is unlikely to decrease internal motivation because the grade depends upon actually doing well rather than just going through the motions.
While the overjustification effect can reduce motivation, some strategies can lower its impact. One is to focus on providing feedback and recognition rather than concrete rewards. For instance, praising an individual’s effort or acknowledging their accomplishments can maintain their internal motivation. Additionally, allowing individuals to have autonomy and control over their tasks also works. By giving them the freedom to choose how they complete tasks, individuals are more likely to be internally motivated and experience a greater sense of satisfaction and engagement.
1. What does the underlined word “diminishes” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Remains. | B．Weakens. | C．Ceases. | D．Solidifies. |
| A．By interpreting a concept. |
| B．By presenting an argument. |
| C．By making a comparison. |
| D．By describing a phenomenon. |
| A．The skills needed for a puzzle. |
| B．The core elements of inner drives. |
| C．The impact of autonomy on competence. |
| D．The theoretical basis for the overjustification effect. |
| A．Speaking highly of a pupil’s hard work. |
| B．Rewarding a kid with candy for playing the violin. |
| C．Offering a clerk financial bonuses for daily routines. |
| D．Promising an employee a decent position for doing his duty. |
2 . A report from the UN warns that countries’ current commitments would reduce carbon by only about 7.5% by 2030, far less than the 45% cut, which scientists say is needed to limit global temperature rises to 1.5℃, the aim of the COP26 summit (峰会).
Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, described the findings as a “thundering wake-up call” to world leaders, while experts called for action against fossil fuel companies.
Although more than 100 countries have promised to reach net zero emissions (净零排放) around mid-century, this would not be enough to avoid climate disasters, according to the UN emissions report, which examines the shortfall (差额) between countries’ intentions and actions needed on the climate. Many of the net zero commitments were found to be unclear, and unless accompanied by strict cuts in emissions this decade would allow global heating of a potentially disastrous extent.
Gutierrez said: “The heat is on, and as the contents of the report show, the leadership we need is off. Far off. Countries are wasting a massive opportunity to invest Covid-19 finance and recovery resources in sustainable, cost-saving, planet-saving ways. As world leaders prepare for COP26, that is another thundering wake-up call. How many do we need?”
Inger Andersen, the director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said: “Climate change is no longer a future problem. It is a now problem. To stand a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5℃, we have 8 years to almost halve greenhouse gas emissions: 8 years to make the plans, put in place the policies, carry them out and deliver the cuts. The clock is ticking loudly.”
Emissions fell by about 5.4% last year during Covid lockdowns, the report found, but only about one-fifth of the economic recovery spending goes towards reducing carbon emissions. This failure to “build back better”, despite promises by governments around the world, cast doubt on the world’s willingness to make the economic shift necessary to settle the climate crisis, the UN said.
In the run-up (前期) to COP26, countries were supposed to submit (递交) national plans to cut emissions—called nationally determined contributions (NDCs) —for the next decade, a requirement under the 2015 Paris climate agreement. But the UNEP report found only half of countries had submitted new NDCs, and some governments had presented weak plans.
1. Why were the findings described as a “thundering wake-up call” in Para. 2?| A．Because the world has failed to live up to its current commitments. |
| B．Because the opportunities presented by covid-19 have been wasted. |
| C．Because the world is falling behind in slowing down temperature rises. |
| D．Because the serious problems were brought about by global fossil fuels. |
| A．strict measures are taken to reduce emissions |
| B．current commitments of many countries remain unchanged |
| C．huge gaps are bridged between previous and present proposals |
| D．global sustainable environmental resources develops significantly |
| A．To show the number of alarm clocks required. |
| B．To explain the reason for the world’s wasting chances. |
| C．To ask for the number of the countries attending the meeting. |
| D．To stress the need to make the most of resources and reduce emissions. |
| A．Few countries have submitted plans to reduce the emissions. |
| B．Many countries’ plans to cut emissions are far from satisfactory. |
| C．Most of the countries work under the Paris Climate Agreement. |
| D．Much progress in reducing emissions his been made these years. |
3 . Have you ever thought about what determines the way we are when we grow up? Remember the TV program Seven Up? It started following the lives of a group of children in 1963. We first meet them as wide eyed seven year olds and then catch up with them at seven year intervals (间隔): nervous 14 year olds, serious 21 year olds and then grown ups.
Some of the stories are inspiring, others sad, but what is interesting in almost all the cases is the way in which the children’s early hopes and dreams are shown in their future lives. For example, at seven, Tony is a lively child who says he wants to become a sportsman or a taxi driver. When he grows up, he goes on to do both. How about Nicki? She says, “I’d like to find out about the moon.” And she goes on to become a space scientist. As a child, soft spoken Bruce says he wants to help “poor children” and ends up teaching in India.
But if the lives of all the children had followed this pattern, the program would be far less interesting than it actually was. It was the children whose childhood did not prepare them for what was to come that made the program so interesting. Where did their ideas come from about what they wanted to do when they grew up?Are the children influenced by what their parents do, by what they see on television, or by what their teachers say?How great is the effect of a single important event? Many film directors, including Stephen Spielberg, say that an early visit to the cinema was the turning point in their lives. Dr Margaret McAllister, who has done a lot of research in this area, thinks that the major factors are parents, friends, and the wider society.
1. What does the text mainly discuss?| A．New ways to make a TV program interesting. |
| B．The importance of television programs to children. |
| C．Different ways to make childhood dreams come true. |
| D．The influence of childhood experiences on future lives. |
| A．different groups of people at different periods of their lives |
| B．different groups of people at the same period of their lives |
| C．the same group of people at different periods of their lives |
| D．the same group of people at the same period of their lives |
| A．Many people’s childhood hopes are related to their future jobs. |
| B．There are many poor children in India who need help. |
| C．Children have different dreams about their future. |
| D．A lot of people are very sad in their childhood. |
| A．going to a movie at an early age helps a child learn about society |
| B．a single childhood event may decide what one does as a grown up |
| C．parents and friends can help a child grow up properly |
| D．films have more influence on a child than teachers do |
Ten-year-old Riley Christensen and her mother, Lynn, were sitting in front of the family computer, checking out models and prices of bikes. “Let’s pick one out for your birthday,” Lynn suggested to her daughter. The air in the room was filled with excitement as they scrolled through various options, envisioning the joy when Riley cycled around the neighborhood. They laughed together, exploring the features of each bike, and discussing colors.
As Riley scrolled down the home page of the Bike Rack, a shop in their town of St. Charles, Illinois, a video link for Project Mobility caught her eye. She clicked on it out of curiosity, unaware that this simple click would unfold a profound story of compassion and sympathy. The video clip began to narrate the inspiring journey of Bike Rack co-owner Hal Honeyman. Through it, Lynn and Riley were transported into the world of Project Mobility, witnessing how Hal Honeyman had transformed a passion for biking into an organization dedicated to providing specially engineered bicycles for those facing physical challenges. The video footage (镜头) painted a vivid picture of the positive impact these adapted bikes had on individuals — accident victims, injured veterans, and children with disabilities, including Hal’s own son, who had been born with cerebral palsy (脑瘫).
“I don’t want a bike for myself. I’m going to buy a bike for one of those kids,” Riley told her mother. Two days later, she showed Lynn a letter she had written asking for donations. “I think it’s amazing for a guy to make bikes for kids who can’t walk,” the letter said. “I saw how happy a boy was when he got one... I’m writing to ask for your help.”
Lynn was blown away by her daughter’s effort, but doubts quickly emerged. The cost of just one of those special bikes could be as high as $4,000. Riley could never raise the money.
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。
Nonetheless, her letter went out to 75 relatives and friends.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On her birthday, Riley delivered the bicycles to three lucky kids.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . Ever wondered why your partner is up with the lark (百灵鸟) while you are happily sleeping till noon? It could be thanks to Neanderthal genes, according to a new study.
Scientists comparing ancient DNA with the genetics of modern humans discovered a “striking trend”, said John Capra, an epidemiologist (流行病学家) at the University of California in San Francisco. The researchers found that the Neanderthal genes that remain affect the body clock —increasing tendency to be a morning person.
Neanderthals lived at higher latitudes (纬度) than our ancestors who migrated from Africa — further away from the equator, with the days longer in summer and shorter in winter. “The gene that makes people early risers likely enables more rapid alignment (协调一致) of the circadian clock (生物钟) with changing seasonal light patterns,” Dr Capra said, “when Neanderthals were able to make the most of daylight hours to hunt.”
Scientists have previously explored how the circadian rhythms of insects, plants, and fish have developed depending on latitude. But that hasn’t been well studied in humans. There searchers wanted to see whether there was a genetic reason for differences in circadian rhythms between Neanderthals and modern people, and found 16 variants (变异体) associated with greater “morningness”. They suspected that as Neanderthals and the ancestors of modern humans mated, people today could have followed Neanderthal “circadian variants”.
To test this, scientists analyse the genetics of several hundred thousand people from the UK Biobank and found many of the variants that affect sleep preference. “Most noticeably, they found that these variants increase morningness,” the researchers said. This is consistent with what has been found in other animals that have adapted to living at a high latitude, as Neanderthals did.
1. Why does the author mention “your partner is up with the lark” in paragraph 1?| A．To introduce the following context. |
| B．To compare two morning life styles. |
| C．To praise those who get up early. |
| D．To express gratitude to Neanderthals. |
| A．The capability of hunting animals. | B．The genes from African ancestors. |
| C．The environment at higher latitudes. | D．The daylight hours around their habitats. |
| A．Morningness in human is unlike that in plants. |
| B．Insects’ circadian rhythms are impacted by latitude. |
| C．Scientists have previously studied the genes of animals. |
| D．The genes of Neanderthals is the only reason for morningness. |
| A．By analyzing statistics of the subjects. |
| B．By observing people’s sleeping habits. |
| C．By interviewing participants in the experiment. |
| D．By comparing sleep preference among human and animals. |
6 . The Cheongsam, also known as Qipao, evolved from the Manchu female’s changpao of the Qing Dynasty. The Manchu ethnic people were also called the Qi people by the Han people in the Qing Dynasty, hence the name. The history of this clothing reflects the rise of the modern Chinese women in the twentieth century.
In 1920s, the cheongsam flourished in Shanghai. Through the 1930s and 1940s it constantly changed, highlighting the femininity（女子气质） of Chinese women in metropolitan cities. The dress got more fitted and body-hugging, with some daring designs featuring side slits （开衩） that reached up to the thigh. It’s customary to pair the dress with high heels. Women tried different fastenings, pipings, and collars, as well as short sleeves, long sleeves, and sleeveless cheongsams. Traditional silks were replaced with cheaper, contemporary textiles. In terms of design, the traditional flower patterns remained widespread, but geometric and art deco patterns also gained popularity.
The cheongsam has heavily influenced designers in high fashion. The Metropolitan Museum of Art did a whole exhibit in 2015 on how Chinese culture influenced world fashion called “Through the Looking Glass”. Elements of cheongsam were even seen in the 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Celebrities such as Anne Hathaway and Grace Kelly have been seen wearing a cheongsam.
Today Chinese people seldom wear a cheongsam in their daily life. It is used as a uniform at restaurants and hotels and on airplanes in Asia. Formal occasions such as weddings, parties or banquet dinners, and seasonal celebrations such as Lunar New Year are appropriate times to wear a cheongsam. And the dress is a frequent choice of wear during diplomatic visits.
In 2018, a white girl in a high school in Utah wore a cheongsam to her ball and posted photos online that caused an uproar in the US for cultural appropriation （文化挪用）, opening a huge debate on cultural appreciation versus appropriation. However, netizens in China had a different viewpoint. “I am very proud to have our culture recognized by people in other countries,” said a user on WeChat, “She looks beautiful in it!” they said.
1. What can we know about the cheongsam in the Qing Dynasty?| A．The traditional flower patterns were popular then. |
| B．There were different fastenings to go with it. |
| C．There were side slits reaching up to the thigh. |
| D．It was more body-hugging than today’s cheongsam. |
| A．It influences world fashion. | B．It is a symbol of Chinese culture. |
| C．It is popular with foreigners. | D．It is a regular outfit of urban women. |
| A．The case of the girl in Utah warned against wearing cheongsam in America. |
| B．The popularity of cheongsam shows the rise of modern Chinese women. |
| C．Cheongsam didn’t highlight femininity initially as much as it does now. |
| D．Grace Kelly was seen wearing cheongsam in the 2016 Victoria’s fashion show. |
| A．To display the cultural value of cheongsam. |
| B．To introduce the influence of cheongsam on fashion. |
| C．To review the history of cheongsam. |
| D．To present an overall introduction to cheongsam. |
7 . Lay eggs and make noises — that’s it? Anyone involved in chicken farming knows that the animals are capable of much more. Researchers have found evidence that roosters (公鸡) could recognize themselves in a mirror. Whether this is successful, however, depends on the experimental contexts.
Whether animals can recognize themselves and thus have self-awareness is one of the central questions in behavioral research. The mark test, a classic test for self-recognition came to the scientists. In the test, if an animal stands in front of a mirror and begins to explore the colored mark placed on its body, this is considered proof that it recognizes its reflection as itself.
“However, our goal was to conduct the mirror test in an environment that is better adapted to the ecologically relevant behavior of the roosters,” says Sonja, a researcher from the University of Bonn. She came up with the idea of using a natural behavior of roosters for the experiment.
Initially, the researchers set up a test area and placed a net to separate two compartments (隔间), through which the roosters could see each other. Then a picture of a fox was placed onto the ceiling of one compartment. Faced with the predator, the roosters let out 77 alarm calls in the presence of a partner, but only 17 when they were alone. The result shows that most roosters, faced with a fox, do alarm partners, which is the perfect illustration of the animals’ self-awareness. The next step was to place a mirror between the two compartments instead of the net. In all, only 25 alarm calls were let out. “The result indicates that the roosters don’t mistake their reflection for a partner, and possibly recognize themselves in their mirror image,” says Sonja.
For comparison, the team also performed the classic mark test. Here, the roosters didn’t recognize themselves in the mirror. The research team sees clear evidence that the classic mirror-mark test produces more reliable results when the behavior of the particular species is included in an ecologically relevant context. “In the classic situation, a rooster may not show self-recognition,” says Sonja. “But when a fox threatens him, it becomes clear that his reflection is not another rooster, but himself.” Further research on animals’ self-awareness is needed so as to better understand animal rights and animal welfare.
1. What is the purpose of the mark test?| A．To explain why animals show certain behavior. |
| B．To discover what behavioral research focuses on. |
| C．To tell whether animals can identify their mirror image. |
| D．To reveal how animals get used to the natural environment. |
| A．Enemy. | B．Partner. | C．Researcher. | D．Reflection. |
| A．To present the experiment result. | B．To change the experimental condition. |
| C．To replace the experiment subject. | D．To simplify the experimental process. |
| A．Animal behavior draws researchers’ attention. |
| B．Animal welfare deserves more human efforts. |
| C．Roosters’ self-recognition works in classic mark tests. |
| D．Roosters’ self-awareness improves in threatening contexts. |
A little boy selling magazines for school walked up to a house that people rarely visited. The house was very old and the owner hardly ever came out. When he did come out, he would not say hello to his neighbors but simply glare at them.
The boy knocked on the door and waited, sweating from fear of the old man. The boy’s parents told him to stay away from the house, and a lot of the other neighborhood children were told the same thing from their parents.
As he was ready to walk away, the door slowly opened. “What do you want?” the old man said impatiently. The little boy was very afraid but he had a quota (份额) to meet for school with selling the magazines. So he got up the courage and said, “Uh, sir, I am selling these magazines and uh, I was wondering if you would like to buy one from me.”
The old man just stared at the boy without a word. The boy could see inside the old man’s house and saw that he had some dog figurines (小雕像). “Do you collect dogs?” The little boy asked. “Yes, I have many collections in my house. They are my family here and they are all I have.” The boy then felt sorry for the man, as it seemed that he was a very lonely soul.
“Well, I do have a magazine here for collectors. It is perfect for you. I also have one about dogs since you like dogs so much.” The old man was ready to close the door on the boy and said, “No, boy. I don’t need any magazines of any kind, now goodbye.”
The little boy was sad that he was not going to make his quota with the sale. He was also sad for the old man being so alone in the house. The boy went home and then had an idea. He had a little dog figurine that he got some years ago from an aunt. The figurine did not mean nearly as much to him since he had a real live dog and a large family.
The boy headed back to the old man’s house.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Steve, a twelve-year-old boy with alcoholic parents, was about to be lost forever, by the U. S. education system. Remarkably, he could read; yet, in spite of his reading skills, Steve had been failing since first grade. Sadly, no one noticed him until Miss White, a smiling, young, beautiful redhead.
Steve was immediately attracted by Miss White at the first sight! Yet, still he failed. He never did his homework, and he was always in trouble with Miss White. In the middle of the first semester, the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things. His heart was not in school, but in the woods, where he often escaped alone, trying to shut out the sights, sounds and smells of his alcoholic home. No one checked on him to see if he was safe. No one knew he was gone, because no one cared about him. Oddly, Steve never missed a day of school.
One day, Miss White’s impatient voice broke into his daydreams. “Steve!” Alarmed, he turned to look at her. “Pay attention!”
“You all did pretty well,” she told the class, “except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but…” She hesitated, pinning Steve to his seat with a sharp stare, her eyes searching his face. “…. The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!”
She just stared at Steve, as the class spun around for a good look. Steve dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.
After that, Steve still wouldn’t do his homework. Even as the punishments became more severe, he remained stubborn.
“Just try it! ONE WEEK!” He was unmoved.
“Give yourself a chance! Don’t give up on your life!” Nothing swayed him. “Steve! Please! I care about you!”
Wow! Suddenly, Steve got if!!! Someone cared about him? Someone, CARED
ABOUT HIM!
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。
Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The following Monday, Miss White gave a quiz on the weekend homework as usual.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . The Catnapper Mystery
Cody, the catnapper, had a talent for taking cats from trees, yards, and porches. He’d keep them until their owners paid for their return. One day, Milly’s kitten Mousie was missing. Milly accused Cody. “No way!” said Detective Denny. “I saw Cody catch a train to Planters Plain this morning. Mousie can’t have been kidnapped by Cody!”
“There are no paw prints on my lawn,” noted Milly. “Mousie didn’t just run off!”
“And there are no sneaker prints,” said Detective Denny. “Cody only wears sneakers.” Then he noticed tiny holes in the grass that looked like they were made by high-heeled shoes. Denny pulled out a pencil. He was very careful as he measured the holes. “Half a pencil deep! Only Patty Perry’s Pet Shop wears heels that high and thin.”
Milly and Detective Denny ran to Patty’s, where a man was loading pets into a van. “Where are these animals going?” asked Milly.
“To Carter’s Cats in Planters Plain,” he replied.
“Where is Patty Perry?” asked Detective Denny.
“She had to catch a train,” said the man.
“Hmmm,” thought Denny. “Cody’s full name is Cody Carter. Sounds like Carter’s Cats! And he’s on a train to Planters Plain.”
Denny figured Patty would sell the cats and then Cody would steal them back. Only this time, Patty made the snatch(抢夺). “They resell the cats in Planters Plain,” he realized, “and split the money!”
“Sounds illegal!” said the man with the van.
The Planters Plain police met the train and took the catnappers straight to prison. Best of all, the cats in captivity, including Milly’s Mousie, were returned to their owners.
1. Milly accused Cody of taking her cat because ________.| A．Cody was a detective | B．Cody had a van |
| C．Cody was a catnapper | D．Cody owned a pet shop |
| A．holes from Patty’s high heels | B．pets in the van |
| C．footprints from Cody’s sneakers | D．prints from Mousie’s paws |
| A．Mousie was missing. | B．The catnappers went to prison. |
| C．Cody left for Planters Plain. | D．Denny looked at Milly’s lawn. |
| A．Milly’s kitten, Mousie, was kidnapped, leading to a pursuit and the involvement of Detective Denny. |
| B．Cody, known for catnapping, is wrongly accused by Milly, but Detective Denny discovers the true criminal, Patty Perry. |
| C．The man with the van is arrested for transporting animals illegally, leading to the return of the kidnapped cats, including Milly’s Mousie. |
| D．Detective Denny investigates the disappearance of Milly’s kitten, leading to the uncovering of a catnapping plan involving Cody and Patty Perry. |
