1 . Running is often tiring and a lot of hard work, but nothing beats the feeling you get after finishing a long workout around the track.
But while it’s long been believed that endorphins (内啡肽) —chemicals in the body that cause happiness—are behind the so-called “runner’s high”, a study suggested that there may be more to this phenomenon than we previously knew.
According to a recent study published by a group of scientists from several German universities, a group of chemicals called endocannabinoids (内源性大麻素) may actually be responsible for this familiar great feeling.
To test this theory, the scientists turned to mice. Both mice and humans release high levels of endorphins and endocannabinoids after exercise. After exercising on running wheels, the mice seemed happy and relaxed and displayed no signs of anxiety. But after being given a drug to block their endorphins, the mice’s behavior didn’t seem to change. However, when their endocannabinoids were blocked with a different drug, their runners’ high symptoms seemed to fade.
“The long-held notion of endorphins being responsible for the runner’s high is false. Endorphins are effective pain relievers, but only when it comes to the pain in your body and muscles you feel after working out,” Patrick Lucas Austin wrote on science blog Lifchacker.
Similar studies are yet to be carried out on humans, but it’s already known that exercise is a highly effective way to get rid of stress or anxiety. The UK’s National Health Service even prescribes (开药 方) exercise to patients who are suffering from depression. “Being depressed can leave you feeling low in energy, which might put you off being more active. Regular exercise can improve your mood if you have depression, and its especially useful for people with mild to moderate (中等的) depression,” it wrote on its website.
It seems like nothing can beat that feeling we get after a good workout, even if we don’t fully understand where it comes from. At least if we’re feeling down, we know that all we have to do is to put on our running shoes.
1. What did scientists from German universities recently discover?| A．Working out is a highly effective way to treat depression. |
| B．The runner’s high could be caused by endocannabinoids. |
| C．Endorphins may contribute to one’s high spirits after running. |
| D．The level of endorphins and endocannabinoids could affect one’s mood. |
| A．To find what reduces the runner’s high symptoms. |
| B．To see the specific symptoms of the runner’s high. |
| C．To identify what is responsible for the runner’s high. |
| D．To test what influences the level of endocannabinoids released. |
| A．Effect. | B．Goal. | C．Opinion. | D．Question |
| A．They can help ease depression symptoms. |
| B．They are the best way to treat depression. |
| C．They only work for those with serious depression. |
| D．They can help people completely recover from depression. |
Wearing Helmet
Some kids ride through city bicycle lanes like a professional, and others set out alone down quiet country lanes. However, every day, an average of more than 500 children with bike-related injuries are treated in U.S. emergency departments, according to an analysis of injury data from 2006 to 2015. Those wearing helmets were significantly less likely to have head and neck injuries, the study found. And although children tend to wear helmets more consistently than adults, many still ride without one.
Along with calling for safer, more bike-friendly streets, it’s important to choose a helmet that will help protect your child from injury in a fall or a crash. When you’re choosing a helmet, focus primarily on ensuring the correct fit. “A poor fit will impact the protection a helmet can provide,” says Angela Lumba-Brown, an emergency medicine physician at Stanford Health Care.
The best way to find the right size is to take your child into a bike shop and have them try on helmets with a sales associate who’s familiar with the options, says Brad Bowman, product manager at Gregg’s Cycle. If you choose to buy online, Bowman suggests measuring your child’s head with flexible measuring tape about an inch above the eyebrows before choosing a size.
Helmet sizes are measured by head circumference (圆周), and helmets usually come with adjustable dials to accommodate a range of circumferences. For example, a 3-to-5-year-old child might wear a helmet with a 50-to-52-centimeter circumference. Bowman suggests choosing one that fits comfortably but also allows for a bit of growth. Once a sales associate helps you identify the right-sized helmet, adjust the dial until the helmet feels tight but isn’t causing the child discomfort. “After you dial in the fit, if you pull up lightly on top of the helmet, it shouldn’t come off their head,” he says.
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3 .
 New big pack from Sierra Designs The latest pack from Sierra Designs is the Gigawatt 60L. The pack has an adjustable back system that fits back lengths from 40cm to 53cm. It’s made from durable 300D polyester. Features include a zipped top and side access, oversized side and front pockets. The Gigawatt 60L weighs 1.84kg and costs £130. sierradesigns.com |  Scarpa upgrades its Maestrale boots Maestrale Re-Made ski boots are made from Polymer taken from around three tons of leftover materials. Creating a Re-Made boot from Polymer emits 27% less carbon dioxide than creating a “classic” boot from plant-based Pebax Rnew, which emits 32% less carbon dioxide than Fossil-based Plastics. The design and manufacturing process behind the Re-Made boot were developed by Scarpa’s Green Lab, the production department dedicated to sustainable solutions. A pair costs £500. scarpa.co.uk / ellis-brigham.com |
 Vasque Breeze gets sustainable update The well-established Vasque Breeze hiking boot has been modernised with environmentally friendly materials. It’s now made with recycled polyester and is the first boot to have a VasqueDry Waterproof membrane, which is made from 25% recycled materials. The Breeze is also comfortable to wear with its soft footbed. The Breeze weighs 1120 grams and comes in two widths. It costs £140. vasque.com |  The North Face launches new ski touring clothing The Dawn Turn clothing provides a layering system for ski touring designed to keep you warm, dry and freely moving. It includes a shell jacket, midlayers, trousers and accessories. The Dawn Turn 2.0 jacket won the innovation award at ISPO for its breathable layer. The cost is £350. The Dawn Turn 1.0 Jacket is made from waterproof DryVent. It features a windproof hood and oversized front pockets, and costs £325. thenorthface.co.uk |
| A．The ski athletes | B．The outdoor lovers |
| C．The environmentalists | D．The sports retailers |
| A．Both kinds of boots mentioned in the passage have two different widths. |
| B．The latest big pack from Sierra Designs has a fixed back system. |
| C．The Vasque Breeze hiking boot is both eco-friendly and waterproof. |
| D．The Dawn Turn 1.0 Jacket won the innovation award at ISPO. |
| A．Polymer > Pebax Renew >Fossil-based Plastics |
| B．Fossil-based Plastics > Pebax Renew > Polymer |
| C．Fossil-based Plastics > Polymer >Pebax Renew |
| D．Polymer >Fossil-based Plastics >Pebax Renew |
4 . Public distrust of scientists stems in part from the blurring of boundaries between science and technology, between discovery and manufacture. Most governments, perhaps all governments, justify public expenditure on scientific research in terms of the economic benefits the scientific enterprise has brought in the past and will bring in the future. Politicians remind their voters of the splendid machines “our scientists” have invented, the new drugs to relieve old disorders, and the new surgical equipment and techniques by which previously unmanageable conditions may now be treated and lives saved. At the same time, the politicians demand of scientists that they tailor their research to “economics needs”, and that they award a higher priority to research proposals that are “near the market” and can be translated into the greatest return on investment in the shortest time. Dependent, as they are, on politicians for much of their funding, scientists have little choice but to comply. Like the rest of us, they are members of a society that rates the creation of wealth as the greatest possible good. Many have reservations, but keep them to themselves in what they perceive as a climate hostile to the pursuit of understanding for its own sake and the idea of an inquiring, creative spirit.
In such circumstances no one should be too hard on people who are suspicious of conflicts of interest. When we learn that the distinguished professor assuring us of the safety of a particular product holds a consultancy with the company making it, we cannot be blamed for wondering whether his fee might conceivably cloud his professional judgment. Even if the professor holds no consultancy with any firm, some people may still distrust him because of his association with those who do, or at least wonder about the source of some of his research funding.
This attitude can have damaging effects. It questions the integrity of individuals working in a profession that prizes intellectual honesty as the supreme virtue, and plays into the hands of those who would like to discredit scientists by representing them as corruptible. This makes it easier to dismiss all scientific pronouncements, but especially those made by the scientists who present themselves as “experts”. The scientist most likely to understand the safety of a nuclear reactor, for example, is a nuclear engineer, and a nuclear engineer is most likely to be employed by the nuclear industry. If a nuclear engineer declares that a reactor is unsafe, we believe him, because clearly it is not to his advantage to lie about it. If he tells us it is safe, on the other hand, we distrust him, because he may well be protecting the employer who pays his salary.
1. What is the chief concern of most governments when it comes to scientific research?| A．The decline of public expenditure. | B．Quick economic returns. |
| C．The budget for a research project. | D．Support from the voters. |
| A．They realize they work in an environment hostile to the free pursuit of knowledge. |
| B．They know it takes incredible patience to win support from the public. |
| C．They think compliance with government policy is in the interests of the public. |
| D．They are accustomed to keeping their opinions secrets to themselves. |
| A．some of them do not give priority to intellectual honesty |
| B．sometimes they hide the source of their research funding |
| C．they could be influenced by their association with the project concerned |
| D．their pronouncements often turn out to be short-sighted and absurd |
| A．Scientists themselves may doubt the value of their research findings. |
| B．It may wear out the enthusiasm of scientists for independent research. |
| C．It makes things more trivial for scientists to seek research funds. |
| D．People will not believe scientists even when they tell the truth. |
5 . Catherine Garland, a physics professor, started seeing “the problem” in 2019. She’d laid out the assignment clearly during an engineering course, but student after student was calling her over for help. They were all getting the same error message: The program couldn’t find their files.
Garland thought it would be an easy fix. She asked each student where they had saved their project. “Could they be on the desktop? Perhaps in the Documents folder?” But over and over, she was met with confusion. “What are you talking about?” multiple students inquired. Gradually, Garland came to the realization: the concept of file folders and directories, essential to previous generations, understanding of computers, is gibberish to many modern students.
Garland’s mental model is commonly known as “directory structure”, the hierarchical system (层级体系) of folders used to arrange files. What have caused the mental model to change? It is possible that many students spent their high school years storing documents in the cloud storage like OneDrive and Dropbox rather than in physical spaces. It could also have to do with the other apps they’re accustomed to. “When I want to scroll (滚屏) over to Snapchat, Twitter, they’re not in any particular order, but I know exactly where they are,” says Vogel, who is a devoted iPhone user. Some of it boils down to muscle memory.
It may also be that in an age where every user interface includes a search function, young people have never needed folders or directories. The first internet search engines were used around 1990, but features like Windows Search are products of the early 2000s. While many of today’s professors grew up without search functions, today’s students increasingly don’t remember a world without them.
Some may blame the generational incompetence. An international study claimed that only 2 percent of Generation Z (born from 1997 onwards) had achieved the “digital native” level of computer literacy. But the issue is likely not that modern students are learning fewer digital skills, but rather that they’re learning different ones. Garland, for all her knowledge of directory structure, doesn’t understand Instagram nearly as well as her students do. “They use computers one way, and we use computers another way,” Garland emphasizes. “That’s where the problem lies.”
1. The word “gibberish” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to________.| A．common | B．accessible | C．nonsense | D．fundamental |
| A．There is no search function in the directory structure. |
| B．College professors have weaker muscles than students do. |
| C．Modern students like to store documents in physical drives. |
| D．The change in mental models reflects the progress in technology. |
| A．highlights the different mindsets of two generations |
| B．criticizes modern students’ overuse of online apps |
| C．shows the difficulty of teaching today’s students |
| D．calls on a change in the education of physics |
| A．Teaching students directory structure. |
| B．Improving generational understanding. |
| C．Enhancing Generation Z’s digital skills. |
| D．Urging teachers to learn search functions. |
6 . Some personal characteristics play an important role in the development of one’s intelligence. But people fail to realize the importance of training these factors in young people.
The so-called ‘non-intelligence factors’ include one’s feelings, will, motivation, interests and habits. After a 30-year study, American psychologists
Some parents are greatly worried when their children fail to do well in their studies. They blame either genetic factors, or laziness, but they never take into
It is clear that the lack of cultivation of non-intelligence factors has been a main
If we don’t start now to
| A．came out | B．found out | C．made out | D．worked out |
| A．in itself | B．by itself | C．itself | D．on its own |
| A．Though | B．Nevertheless | C．However | D．Moreover |
| A．believing | B．studying | C．cultivating | D．developing |
| A．effect | B．comment | C．consideration | D．preparations |
| A．poorly | B．properly | C．successfully | D．dependently |
| A．ever | B．even | C．still | D．more |
| A．put | B．get | C．handle | D．give |
| A．afraid | B．ahead | C．aware | D．ashamed |
| A．difficulty | B．question | C．threat | D．obstacle |
| A．intelligent | B．characteristic | C．psychological | D．physical |
| A．practise | B．regulate | C．strengthen | D．urge |
| A．intelligence | B．diligence | C．cultivation | D．performance |
| A．projects | B．warnings | C．suggestions | D．decision |
| A．fully | B．greatly | C．very | D．highly |
“Li Na’s perseverance and pioneering courage will be recognized with the highest honor in her profession: induction (入门) into the International Tennis Hall of Fame (名人堂).”
“Ne Zha and Monkey King share a lot in common. They are brave fighters, refusing to resign themselves to destiny.”
成功的人物总有一些可贵的品质，读了以上材料，谈谈你的想法。内容包括：
1. 简述李娜（网球运动员）或者哪吒（神话人物）等身上的可贵品质；
2. 结合生活实际谈谈其中某一可贵品质的重要性。
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8 . Arthur C Clarke (1917-2008) is a science-fiction writer. His fictional HAL 9000 computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey, which he co-wrote,
Till now, the book is
Being wrong is just one problem I have with Clarke’s book. Like most future-gazing, it sees tomorrow
I love what technology is doing for the developing world, where electric lighting, washing machines and the Internet have
Mare Demarest, an Oregon-based digital thinker and author, believes technology tells us truths regardless of our nasty tendency to get distracted, to miss the moment, and to
We’re not progressing humanity or changing the world. That’s what ideas do, and machines don’t have ideas. Technology is only the
| A．experiences | B．causes | C．eliminates | D．foresees |
| A．coining | B．breaking | C．emphasizing | D．parroting |
| A．wrong | B．technical | C．readable | D．informative |
| A．use | B．sense | C．mention | D．doubt |
| A．launched | B．predicted | C．discovered | D．inspected |
| A．entirely | B．attentively | C．seriously | D．positively |
| A．constructive | B．supervisory | C．minor | D．leading |
| A．economy | B．industry | C．reason | D．reflection |
| A．achieved | B．assessed | C．traced | D．aided |
| A．active | B．essential | C．revolutionary | D．passive |
| A．bend | B．store | C．download | D．transfer |
| A．create | B．educate | C．understand | D．improve |
| A．besides | B．however | C．therefore | D．otherwise |
| A．multitask | B．identification | C．judgment | D．flexibility |
| A．agent | B．spokesperson | C．signboard | D．illustration |
| A.encouraged | B. excuse | C. featured | D. favor | E. approaches | F. defended |
| G. access | H. serve | I. regional | J. celebrated | K. lengths |
When Coca-Cola was first sold in 1886, nobody thought it could be improved. Nearly a century later, in 1985, New Coke was introduced to replace the original recipe of Coke in order to rebrand the product amidst falling sales——Coke was losing customers to Pepsi, whose sweeter taste was finding
Something similar is happening with A Bite of China, a
In the first episode of Season Two, a teenager in the countryside collects honey high up in a tree. The scene is stunningly filmed, telling a moving story about the dangerous
Innovation is generally
When scientists accidentally killed
The ocean quahog, a type of deep-sea clam, was dredged (捕捞) alive from the bottom of the North Atlantic near Iceland in 2006 by researchers. They then put it in a fridge-freezer,
The discovery made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. However, by this time, it was too late for Ming the Mollusc(软体动物),
The researchers opened the ancient clam up to judge its age by counting growth rings inside. But the rings were so close together
Dr Paul Butler, from the University’s School of Ocean Sciences, said: “We got it wrong the first time and maybe we were a bit hasty publishing our findings back then. But we are absolutely certain that we’ve got the right age now.” The mollusc was born in 1499 – just seven years after Columbus discovered America and before Henry VIII had even married his first wife, Catherine of Aragon in 1509.
