1 . It’s easy to blame an achy neck and stiff shoulder on bad posture. But on many desks, experts agree, the quiet culprit is your mouse.

“There are a lot of delicate body parts involved in mousing,” explains Cameron Stiehl, a San Francisco-based ergonomic assessment specialist. “When you’re at the computer for hours at a time, having a mouse that doesn’t fit properly or is positioned incorrectly can cause soft-tissue injuries in the fingers, wrists, hands, elbows and even in the shoulder.” Countless ergonomic mouse models promise improvement. If you’re ready for a level up, here are four mice that will give you a hand.

1 | Semi-vertical mice like the Logitech MX Master 3S have a 30 to 45-degree slant, which can help reduce stress on the forearm muscles. It can help relieve discomfort from epicondylitis (or ‘tennis elbow’) or help a sore wrist. At 141 grams, the MX Master 3S is a bit heavy but is designed to be especially responsive so that you needn’t move it too much. You can also custom-program the functions of the mouse’s seven buttons and two scroll wheels, letting you avoid certain repetitive motions that can cause injuries. $100, Logitech. com

2 | Look past their uncanny resemblance to Kubrick’s HAL 9000. Trackball mice can be particularly helpful for treating shoulder discomfort by limiting most of your mousing movement to the fingers and wrist. For the most natural motion, Stiehl suggests the Kensington Orbit Trackball. It has both the namespace feature for moving your cursor with little effort and a ring-style scroll wheel encircling it. Unlike traditional scrollers, you use it like a dial. This, Stiehl says, makes the mouse “especially good for people who have issues like trigger finger” (when bending your digits causes them to painfully click and pop). The Orbit also takes the ergonomics a step further, with an included, detachable wrist rest. $50, Kensington. com

3 | A vertical mouse lets you position your hand not flat but tilted sideways as if you’re shaking hands with the device. This position, reduces wrist and forearm movement and can be soothing. The Logitech Lift version’s small footprint and light weight (125 grams) make it a good fit for small hands. “It’s not a long vertical, so I think it can be very comfortable if it fits the hand,” said Stiehl. Six buttons allow for control customization, and it comes in three colors (including a very cute rose), and is made of mostly recycled material. $70, Logitech. com

4 | Working away from your desk doesn’t mean you can’t cast an eye toward ergonomics. The Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical Mouse is a compact vertical mouse, powered by a single replaceable AA battery, which the manufacture r promises will last a year. It also features a handsome cork thumb divot. But the selling point is its smaller footprint, which makes it easy to pack with your laptop. $50, Lenovo. com

1. According to the description, which product chart is Logitech Lift?

A．

B．

C．

D．3

2. Sam is an office lady with loads of paperwork to complete, which results in severe neck-shoulder problems. Which of the following mice is highly recommended?

A．Logitech MX Master 3S.	B．Kensington Orbit Trackball.
C．Logitech Lift.	D．Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical Mouse.

3. Which of the following slogans is the most suitable for Lenovo Go Wireless Vertical Mouse?

A．Suited for smaller hands.	B．A universal upgrade.
C．Trigger finger treater.	D．Ergonomics can go everywhere.

3 . How to Thrive in a video age

The pandemic embedded video into the workplace. Workers who had never previously been on camera suddenly spent every hour of the day getting used to the sight of themselves and their colleagues on screen.     1    

There is no going back. Blogs have become vlogs. Meetings are now recorded as a matter so that people can fail to watch them back later. Some firms routinely ask applicants to record answers to certain questions on video, so that people can’t see how well prospective recruits communicate.

Since video has become more central to work, it pays to be good at it.     2    . Workers can improve under their own steam, but companies can help, too.

To see what the right set-up looks like, just observe the range of images on your next, video-conferencing call. It will probably be a complete mishmash (大杂烩). Some people will be bathed in the warm glow of a ring light; others will be emerging from the shadows like the Emperor Palpatine. Obviously, there is a limit to how level the playing-field-between home offices can be, when living environments between employees differ so greatly.     3    : people who regularly make presentations or see clients have greater claim on fancier equipment.

Advice on how to present well on video is not that different to advice on presenting in general. But there are some specific pitfalls with video. One is where to look. Staring into the camera is unnatural. Some advice pinning a photo of someone you respect right by the lens. But looking at the camera is harder if you are referring to notes no the screen at the same time. Teleprompter (提词器) software maybe the right answer.

Perhaps the least recognised skill in the video age is listening well.     4     — being able to turn your camera off when your time is being royally wasted may be the pandemic’s greatest gift to productivity. Yet one of the downsides is how distracting it can be: as well as checking yourself out and following the online chat, you can comment on someone’s new wallpaper while watching their neighbour shovel noodles into their mouth. It takes real effort to stay focused in such circumstances.

A．Being a star in the video age means having the right set-up, speaking well and listening well

B．whether providing decent home-working equipment or giving feedback on how people appear on screen, employers can help everyone improve their video game

C．Whether you are on camera or in the room, it is always easier to listen when there is something worth hearing

D．Executives realized that they could send video messages to their workforces rather thanhaving to assemble in town halls

E．However, not everyone needs to look like an A-lister

F．After all, one great benefit of the virtual meeting is that you can get actual work done in it

5 . Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Communicating science

One of the major problems for scientists lies in communicating the value of research to non-specialists that matter:policymakers and the general public. In recent years, scientific organisations have come a long way in developing ways to make science more accessible to non-specialist groups.

The development of blogs has helped substantially in bringing science closer to the public. According to Wikipedia, the ScienceBlogs network is now ranked 37th among the most authoritative blogs worldwide, with two of its sections having won weblog awards. Released from editorial restrictions, science bloggers generally focus on areas of science that they are both passionate and knowledgeable about. They often write about science in an accessible, lively manner, and it is this that perhaps most attracts members of the public. Ed Yong’s Not Exactly Rocket Science, for instance, is filled with the writer’s enthusiasm and down-to-earth attitude towards the subject. His chatty, youthful style appeals to a wide range of readers.

Television has also boosted the image of science. Early pioneers such as Jacques Cousteau, whose beautifully filmed documentaries opened up the oceans to millions, quickly realised the potential of TV to make science come alive for viewers. Other science disciplines have eagerly followed suit. Entertaining presenters carry out daring experiments or explore amazing scientific phenomena in order to attract attention. Celebrities such as Brian Cox, once famous for playing music in D:Ream, have also been instrumental in bringing science into popular culture. Now working in the field of physics, Brian is presenter of the BBC TV series Wonders of the Solar System. His background means that his face is not only well known to younger viewers but is also considered cool. Other organisations have been using the power of visual media through the internet. For example, SciVee offers scientists video services to create online presentations of their research.

Nevertheless, despite this progress, communication remains one of science’s biggest obstacle. Perhaps it is time that universities addressed this problem, and thought about adding communications training to the curriculum.

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6 . We asked four people who graduated from the Williams Business and Accountancy School what corporate responsibility means to them.

Jason

I know that some corporations claim to be bringing huge benefits to local people, and maybe some are. However, in other cases, they’re paying low wages or undercutting small, family-run firms who can’t compete. It may not be a pretty image, but that’s the nature of capitalism. I’d like to hope I won’t end up as part of this process, but I suspect it’s inevitable. Essentially, your biggest responsibility is ultimately to return value to your stakeholders. Positive employee relations are desirable, but not actually a legal requirement in many countries.

Anya

Thanks to my sister, I’ve recently had a shift in thinking. As far as corporate responsibility is concerned, I no longer doubt it. Christina recently transferred to an overseas branch. She was surprised and delighted to discover the branch was running local programmes to improve basic literacy skills amongst employees as well as to conserve the environment. She’s now currently retraining as a teacher and moving over to that side of things. Now that I’ve seen this side of corporate responsibility, I’ve been persuaded to give it a go myself in later life, although I’ll stick to Plan A and pursue a solid career in finance for a few years first.

Andre

For me, what it comes down to is sustainability. Whatever your product, it shouldn’t have a harmful effect on the planet. Many companies make a big noise about how much cash they give away to charity, but they should make changes in the way they make their profits in the first place. Quite aside from the ethical arguments, there’s also a sound commercial reason here. These days the consumer has access to far more information than ever before thanks to the internet, so if something bad goes viral, it’ll destroy a reputation forever. Companies are well aware of that. For that reason, more are starting to face up to their responsibility—or so they claim.

Lisa

In the USA, corporations often support community development projects by donating books or equipment to schools. However, this apparent altruism (利他主义) is not all it claims to be. There’s a large grey area between corporate giving and company branding. Nowadays every corporate website includes a summary of so-called ‘core values’; vague descriptions of how they’re ‘giving back’ to society. I can’t help thinking they’re unclear for a reason and that it’s all just for good PR. I’m particularly annoyed by the claims of fast-food companies. They pretend to be concerned with obesity (肥胖) levels while promoting special offers on larger portions. The hidden agenda is clearly to boost profit. It’s an insult to consumer intelligence.

1. According to Jason, what responsibility is ignored by corporations?

A．Bringing benefits to local people

B．Keeping positive employee relations.

C．Returning values to their stakeholders.

D．Understanding the nature of capitalism.

2. What can be learned about Anya?

A．She supports and values corporate responsibility efforts.

B．She has been persuaded to work for an overseas corporation.

C．She will be devoted to corporate responsibility initiatives soon.

D．She believes some corporate responsibility efforts make no sense.

3. What do Andre and Lisa have in common?

A．Both argue against the necessity of company branding.

B．Both think corporations should express their ‘core values’ more clearly.

C．Both hold a firm belief that sustainability matters in corporations’ development.

D．Both doubt the real purpose of some corporate responsibility efforts.

7 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. categorise B. creation C. good D. innovative E. maximum F. packed G. pedestrianise H. processing I. shape J. short-lived K. transformation

All Change in Curitiba!

Like many other major world cities, Curitiba in southern Brazil has had to deal with issues such as pollution, poverty, and limited public funding. However, the architect and three-times mayor of the city, Jaime Lerner, has introduced some     1     solutions.

As part of his ‘Master Plan’, Lerner hoped to make the city more environmentally friendly. He initiated a recycling scheme. In return for delivering recyclable rubbish to specified     2     points, residents receive a bag of vegetables or bus tickets. As a result, Curitiba now has one of the highest recycling rates in the world. Lerner also ordered the     3     of 26 urban parks. As well as preventing pollution, these control flooding.

Lerner did not win over all the city’s residents immediately, however. When his plans to     4     part of the centre were passed, local businesses were up in arms, fearing a reduction in profits. Realising he needed to act quickly, Lerner had the     5     of six blocks completed within three days. When a group of motorists attempted to drive through the new pedestrian area, Lerner arranged for local primary schools to hold a painting workshop on the streets. The drivers were forced to turn back. Luckily for Lerner, this rebellion was     6    . The increase in profit rapidly persuaded shop owners to change their minds.

Lerner’s determination helped     7     the Curitiba of today. The average income per capita has risen from a level that was below the Brazilian average in the 1970s to 66% above the average, and surveys indicate high levels of resident satisfaction.

So, is it all just one big success story? In some respects, Curitiba may have been too successful for its own    8    . People and businesses have come to the city, which now has more than 1.8 million residents. This has put the city under enormous stress. Forty years ago, buses transported 54,000 passengers a day. Now the number is 2.3 million. According to some experts, the transport system has reached its     9     efficiency capacity. Following a rise in complaints about the noisy and     10     buses, the service is in decline.

8 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Deep asleep? You can still follow simple commands

Scientists once considered sleep to be like a shade getting drawn over a window between the brain and the outside world: when the shade is closed, the brain stops     1     (react) to outside stimuli.

A study published on 12 October in Nature Neuroscience suggested that there might be periods during sleep when that shade is partially open. Depending on what researchers said to them, participants in the study would     2     smile or frown on cue in certain phases of sleep.

“You’re not supposed to be able to do stuff     3     you sleep,” says Delphine Oudiette, a cognitive scientist at the Paris Brain Institute in France and a co-author of the study. Historically, the definition of sleep is that consciousness of your environment stops, she adds. “It means you don’t react to the external world.”

A few years ago, however, Oudiette began questioning this definition after she and her team conducted an experiment     4     they were able to communicate with people who are aware that they are dreaming while they sleep — otherwise known as lucid dreamers. During these people’s dreams, experimenters were able to ask questions and get responses through eye and facial-muscle movements.

Karen Konkoly, who was a co-author on that study and a cognitive scientist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, says that after that paper came out, “it was a big open question in our minds     5     communication would be possible with non-lucid dreamers”.

Hence, Oudiette continued with the work. In her latest study, she and her colleagues observed 27 people with narcolepsy — characterized by daytime sleepiness and a high frequency of lucid dreams — and 22 people without the condition. While they were sleeping, participants     6     (ask) to frown or smile. All of them responded accurately to at least 70% of these prompts.

Overall response rates were higher for all participants during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, when the deepest sleep occurs but the brain remains more active than during other sleep stages. The researchers tracked participants’ brain activity during the experiments using electroencephalography   (EEG), which captures signals from electrodes (电极) placed along a person’s scalp (头皮). What this shows was that “you have some physiological states that are     7     (favourable) to drawing the window shade than opening it to the external world”, Oudiette says.

    8     (use) similar experiments, researchers might gain a better understanding of various sleep disorders, including insomnia and sleep walking, she says. Later on, they might begin to identify the parts of the brain that are active during sleep, and how     9     relate to consciousness.

This study being conducted is part of a larger evolution in the field of sleep research, says Melanie Strauss, a neurologist and cognitive scientist at Erasmus Hospital in Brussels, Belgium. Researchers     10     (move) away from monitoring sleep mainly with EEG and towards “fine grained” approaches that combine EEG with various tasks and stimuli — a strategy that could help to shed light on specific diseases or conditions, she says.

10 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. dated B. unlikely C. set D. fossils E. estimate F. delicate G. takes H. finds I. exactly J. advocated K. tracked

Haul of Fossil Fish Pushes Back the Origin of Teeth and Jaws

Our teeth and jaws are incredibly ancient. They’re older than dinosaurs, older than arms and legs, older than trees adaptations that paleontologists (古生物学家) have     1     to our distant, fishy relatives that thrived in the seas around 425 million years ago. But a collection of carefully-preserved vertebrates (脊椎动物) found in China has     2     a new date for the earliest record of jaws and teeth. The early vertebrates include some of the earliest fish, one of the earliest relatives of sharks, and, at about 436 million years old, the most ancient     3     yet found of fish with teeth and jaws.

Researchers have disagreed about     4     when the earliest bites evolved. Molecular (分子的) studies based upon estimations of genetic changes have     5     that the first jaws and teeth evolved about 450 million years ago. Until now, the oldest fossil of jawed vertebrates — or gnathostomes —     6     to about 425 million years ago, a significant gap. As Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology researcher Min Zhu and his colleagues describe in a series of Nature papers published today, the new     7    from South China sit in the middle of this gap and offer a startling look at a critical moment in evolutionary history.

Zhu and coauthors note in their research, the fish they uncovered were small and had     8     bones. That means these fish were generally     9     to become fossils except in truly outstanding circumstances where they could be buried quickly and shielded from scavengers (食腐动物) that would otherwise eat them. That an exceptional stroke of luck was required to preserve such fish likely explains the difference between the molecular     10     and fossil record.