1 . When I was in sixth grade, I joined the band program to learn to play the clarinet (单簧管). The beginning of the year had gone _________. But as most students progressed, I seemed to fall behind. One day, when my teacher told us to play in front of the other students, I was filled with fear. I knew I would _________. When I began to play, my rhythms (节奏) were good, but my tone was another _________. “Did you practice your lesson?” the teacher barked at me. I felt so _________ and my world came _________ down in an instant.

From then on, I hated playing the clarinet and I kept getting _________. With the day of the new performance approaching, I grew increasingly upset. In a moment of _________, I asked for sick leave. It was so relieving and such a(n) _________ way out.

The avoidance of my lessons continued until my mum asked me about it. “I want to quit.” My tears started _________. “If you really want to quit, why are you crying?” asked mum. She __________ and I realized I wanted to stay in band and, by not facing my fears, I had created a black hole that would be difficult to __________ out of. I made a __________ not to hide from my fears and to stand up to even the worst of them, so a __________ could be achieved.

The next day I met with my band teacher and told her I was having a problem and couldn’t __________ why. She asked me gently to play for her. I tried, but only an unpleasant sound came out. She didn’t __________ at me and handed me a new reed (簧片). I put it in place and tried again. To my great __________ I could play well. My problem was solved and my fear was __________ a lot that year.

__________ I’m glad that I overcame my fear. Fear can __________ everything in a person’s life. Hiding from those very fears only creates a hole, which makes a person stay __________ inside. After facing up to a fear, one may find life easier and much more enjoyable.

1.

A．badly

B．endlessly

C．randomly

D．smoothly

2.

A．mess up

B．move on

C．set out

D．take off

3.

A．impression

B．essay

C．story

D．factor

4.

A．ashamed

B．starved

C．excited

D．relaxed

5.

A．crashing

B．moving

C．selling

D．bending

6.

A．stricter

B．worse

C．happier

D．smarter

7.

A．joy

B．panic

C．doubt

D．sympathy

8.

A．funny

B．important

C．easy

D．traditional

9.

A．drying

B．disappearing

C．flowing

D．separating

10.

A．had a point

B．made a change

C．reached a level

D．took a break

11.

A．send

B．bring

C．pick

D．climb

12.

A．request

B．resolution

C．presentation

D．proposal

13.

A．balance

B．degree

C．position

D．solution

14.

A．figure out

B．give away

C．think over

D．make up

15.

A．aim

B．smile

C．wave

D．shout

16.

A．anger

B．sorrow

C．disappointment

D．surprise

17.

A．felt

B．shown

C．removed

D．voiced

18.

A．Carrying on

B．Looking back

C．Stepping aside

D．Turning around

19.

A．consume

B．examine

C．reflect

D．rescue

20.

A．unknown

B．unpunished

C．interested

D．trapped

2 . Is it true that our brain alone is responsible for human cognition(认知)? What about our body? Is it possible for thought and behavior to originate from somewhere other than our brain? Psychologists who study Embodied Cognition(EC) ask similar questions. The EC theory suggests our body is also responsible for thinking or problem-solving. More precisely, the mind shapes the body and the body shapes the mind in equal measure.

If you think about it for a moment, it makes total sense. When you smell something good or hear amusing sounds, certain emotions are awakened. Think about how newborns use their senses to understand the world around them. They don’t have emotions so much as needs—they don’t feel sad, they’re just hungry and need food. Even unborn babies can feel their mothers’ heartbeats and this has a calming effect. In the real world，they cry when they’re cold and then get hugged. That way, they start to as-sociate being warm with being loved.

Understandably, theorists have been arguing for years and still disagree on whether the brain is the nerve centre that operates the rest of the body. Older Western philosophers and mainstream language researchers believe this is fact, while EC theorises that the brain and body are working together as an organic supercomputer, processing everything and forming your reactions.

Further studies have backed up the mind-body interaction. In one experiment, test subjects(实验对象) were asked to judge people after being handed a hot or a cold drink. They all made warm evaluations when their fingertips perceived warmth rather than coolness. And it works the other way too; in another study, subjects’ fingertip temperatures were measured after being“included” in or “rejected” from a group task. Those who were included felt physically warmer.

For further proof, we can look at the metaphors(比喻说法) that we use without even thinking. A kind and sympathetic person is frequently referred to as one with a soft heart and someone who is very strong and calm in difficult situations is often described as solid as a rock. And this kind of metaphorical use is common across languages.

Now that you have the knowledge of mind-body interaction, why not use it? If you’re having a bad day,a warm cup of tea will give you a flash of pleasure. If you know you’re physically cold, warm up before making any interpersonal decisions.

1. According to the author, the significance of the EC theory lies in ________.

A．facilitating our understanding of the origin of psychology

B．revealing the major role of the mind in human cognition

C．offering a clearer picture of the shape of human brain

D．bringing us closer to the truth in human cognition

2. Where does the new borns’ understanding of their surroundings start from?

A．Their personal looks.

B．Their mental needs.

C．Their inner emotions.

D．Their physical feelings.

3. The experiments mentioned in Paragraph 4 further prove________.

A．environment impacts how we judge others

B．how body temperature is related to health

C．the mind and the body influence each other

D．how humans interact with their surroundings

4. What does the author intend to prove by citing the metaphors in Paragraph 5?

A．Human speech is alive with metaphors.

B．Human senses have effects on thinking.

C．Human language is shaped by visual images.

D．Human emotions are often compared to natural materials.

5. What is the author’s purpose in writing the last paragraph?

A．To share with the reader ways to release their emotions.

B．To guide the reader onto the path to career success.

C．To encourage the reader to put EC into practice.

D．To deepen the reader’s understanding of EC.

3 . 阅读表达

It was a dark and stormy night. The ferocious wind shook the windows wildly, as though someone outside were beating on the glass. It was also New Year’s Eve. We were having our annual party and had a house full of people just starting to celebrate.

Suddenly, we heard loud explosions. Looking outside and up into the hills, we saw sparks(火花) flying from electrical transformers(变压器). One area after another went dark up in those hills. Then there was the loudest explosion of them all and our house went dark too. I tried to find every candle we had and lit them. The candles made everything look lovely. But we had problems. We had fifteen people standing around and we still had to cook dinner. How would we do that without electricity?

The barbecue! Why not cook on the barbecue? We men went outside, some holding flashlights and others cooking. We did a wonderful job. The women stayed inside and got the salads ready. Everything was delicious. There were still a few hours to go before the beginning of the new year, so we all sat around the dining room table and sang up until a few minutes before midnight. We couldn’t watch the ball drop in Times Square on television but that wouldn’t stop us from celebrating. I stood on a chair and, with the help of someone’s watch to tell us the time, we all counted down and I dropped a tennis ball! We all screamed Happy New Year. We didn’t need electricity for that!

Nowadays, we still get together with the same group to celebrate the New Year and we still talk about that special night. I don’t think we have ever laughed so much as we did on that New Year’s Eve.

1. What does the underlined word mean in Paragraph 1? (1 word)
____________________________________________________________
2. What made dinner preparation difficult according to Paragraph 2? (no more than 6 words)
____________________________________________________________
3. How did the people celebrate on New Year’s Eve according to the passage? (no more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________
4. How does the author feel about that particular New Year’s Eve? (no more than 8 words)
____________________________________________________________
5. What do you think is the most necessary quality when dealing with an unexpected difficult situation? Please explain why. (no more than 25words)
____________________________________________________________

8 . Art is everywhere. Any public space has been carefully designed by an artistic mind to be both functional and beautiful. Why, then, is art still so widely considered to be "the easy subject" at school, insignificant to wider society, a waste of time and effort?

Art can connect culture with commercial products in a way that not many other things can; art generates money and holds significant emotional and cultural value within communities. When people attend a concert, they are paying for music, sure, maybe even hotel rooms, meals, and transport, but they also gain an incredible experience, a unique atmosphere and a memory that will go through the rest of their lives. People don't just want material things anymore, they want to experience life一the arts are a perfect crossover（交迭）between culture and commerce.

Furthermore, the arts can bring communities together, reducing loneliness and making people feel safer. Social bonds are created among individuals when they share their arts experiences through reflection and discussion, and their expression of common values through artworks in honour of events significant to a nation's experience.

The arts clearly have a pretty positive impact on physical and psychological health. It is found that people who frequent cultural places or participate in artistic events are more likely to gain good health compared to those who do not; more engagement with the arts is linked to a higher level of people's wellbeing. The Royal Society of Public Health discovered that music and art, when used in hospitals, help to improve the conditions of patients by reducing stress, anxiety and blood pressure.

Children who are involved with the arts make greater achievements in their education: those engaged with drama have greater literary ability while others taking part in musical practice exhibit greater skills in math and languages. Kids with preference for the arts have a greater chance of finding employment in the future. Participating in the arts is essential for child development; encouraging children to express themselves in constructive ways could help to form healthy emotional responses in later life.

Vital to human life, art is celebrated and used by nations across the world for various purposes. Life without art would be boring and dead still, for art is a part of what makes us human.

1. Art products differ from most other commercial products because .

A．most people purchase them for collection

B．they are more expensive and less accessible

C．they have both commercial and cultural values

D．their prices may climb up as time passes

2. By sharing their arts experiences, community members can .

A．keep the community safe from illnesses

B．develop a stronger tie between them

C．learn to appreciate their own works of art

D．offer honourable solutions to their problems

3. What can we learn about people who are involved in artistic activities?

A．They enjoy better living conditions.

B．They like to compare themselves with others.

C．They are particularly good at both music and art.

D．They tend to be healthier physically and mentally.

4. How does kids' engagement with the arts benefit them?

A．It promotes their academic performance and emotional growth.

B．It gives them more confidence in exhibiting their learning skills.

C．It inspires their creativity in designing their future career.

D．It helps to make responsible people out of them.

5. What is the best title for this passage?

A．How Art Cures Our Hearts

B．Art: A Blessing to Humankind

C．How Art Benefits Communities

D．Art: A Bridge Between Cultures

9 . In the fictional worlds of film and TV, artificial intelligence （AI） has been described as so advanced that it is indistinguishable from humans. But what if we're actually getting closer to a world where Al is capable of thinking and feeling?

Tech company UneeQ is heading for its "digital humans", which appear life like on the screen not only in terms of language, but also because of facial movements: raised eyebrows, a smile, even a nod. They look close to a human, but not quite.

What lies beneath UneeQ9 s digital humans? Their 3D faces are modeled on actual human features. Speech recognition enables them to understand what a person is saying, and natural language processing is used to work out a response. Meanwhile, another Al company, Soul Machines, is taking a more biological approach, with a "digital brain", that imitates aspects of the human brain to adjust the emotions "felt" and "expressed" by its "digital people".

Shiwali Mohan, an Al scientist at the Palo Research Center, is skeptical of these digital beings. "They're humanlike in their looks and the way they sound, but that in itself is not being human," she says. "Human qualities also involve how you think, how you approach problems, and how you break them down; and that takes a lot of algorithmic (算 法)design. Designing for human-level intelligence is a different attempt than designing images that behave like humans." She then continues, “If something looks like a human, we have high expectations of them, but they might behave differently in ways that humans just instinctively (直觉地)know how other humans react.

Yet the demand is there, with UneeQ seeing high adoption of its digital employees across the financial, health care, and commercial sectors （行业）. "Unless these sectors make their business models much more efficient digitally, they might be left behind," says Chetan Dube, UneeQ9s CEO.

Some other companies are taking their digital beings a step further, enabling organizations and individuals to create digital humans themselves using free-access platforms they provide. "The biggest motivation for such platforms is to popularize Al," Dube says.

Mohan is cautious about this approach, yet she supports the purpose behind these digital beings and is optimistic about where they are headed. "As we develop more advanced Al technology, we would then have to use new ways of communicating with that technology,she says. "'Hopefully, all of that is designed to support humans in their goals."

1. According to Para. 2, in what respect（s） do UneeQ9s "digital humans" resemble human beings?

A．In the way they move around.

B．In the way they act and react.

C．In observation and analysis.

D．In speech and facial expressions.

2. Soul Machines’digital brain is a technological breakthrough because it________.

A．leams to make proper emotional responses

B．tends to imitate human beings' tone vividly

C．recognizes the speech sounds it receives

D．processes the natural language it hears

3. In Mohan's opinion, what human quality is lacking in digital beings?

A．Calculating brain.

B．Language skills.

C．Instinctive judgements.

D．Problem-solving ability.

4. What makes many sectors employ digital humans?

A．The fear of falling behind in efficiency.

B．The urgency to promote e-commerce.

C．The wish to spread digital technology.

D．The need to upgrade the health care system.

5. What does Mohan think of the future of digital beings?

A．It's well planned.

B．It is promising.

C．It is uncertain.

D．It's quite hopeless.

10 . I love making art and looking at artworks. I’ve found myself wondering how we gain pleasure from art. And now neuroaesthetics, a combination of neuroscience (神经科学) and aesthetics (美学), may provide an answer.

Neuroaesthetics is a relatively young field of research on what happens in the brain when we make aesthetic assessments. Researchers use brain imaging technique to see which brain areas light up when we view paintings that we consider beautiful. Similar research has been done to understand the “neuronal fireworks” that occur when we look at inspiring sculptures, attractive faces, impressive dance, etc.

But why do we find some art beautiful and other art ugly? According to research, it all comes down to the “aesthetic triad (三元组合)”.

The first part of the triad is sensory-motor. This involves perceiving things like colours, shapes and movements. Movement in art has an interesting role. If you see a painting of a movement, like of a man pulling his arm away after being bitten by a dog, you feel like going through a similar experience. The part of your brain that controls your own movements lights up in response.

Second is emotion-valuation. This is how a piece of art makes you feel, and whether or not you appreciate or enjoy that feeling. The part of the brain related to pleasure is activated in response to something we find beautiful. This system can be affected in fascinating ways, as found by research using transcranial magnetic stimulation(TMS) (经颅磁刺激). If TMS is applied to a specific part of your brain behind your forehead that is particularly important for decision-making, you suddenly like different kinds of art. Such stimulation produces significant changes in aesthetic appreciation of faces, bodies and artworks.

The third part is meaning-knowledge. This is to do with how we can connect with a piece of art and what meaning we can create in it. Art is deeply personal, because when two people see the same artwork, our perception can create vastly different experiences of meaning. If we find meaning, then we often find pleasure. We also get enjoyment from the knowledge of how something was made. For the images that an artist creates, viewers will probably get far more enjoyment once they know the process used to create them.

Informed by neuroaesthetics, the next time I create my art I will value the process even more, enjoying the activation of the aesthetic triad in my brain as I admire the vivid images that I have created.

1. What does “neuronal fireworks” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．A beautiful painting or sculpture.

B．The lighting-up of specific brain areas.

C．An advanced brain imaging technology.

D．The aesthetic assessment of modern art.

2. What effect does movement in art produce on the viewers?

A．Certain part of their brain is activated.

B．Their experience of pain is reduced.

C．Their aesthetic sense is sharpened.

D．Their body reactions are delayed.

3. The application of TMS to the brain described in Paragraph 5 leads to__________.

A．raised memory capacity

B．enhanced painting skills

C．changed artistic taste

D．improved decision-making ability

4. According to the author, what increases our enjoyment of a piece of art?

A．Knowing how it is created.

B．Having a pleasant personality.

C．Learning how science develops.

D．Understanding the meaning of life.

5. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To propose an abstract theory of art making.

B．To reveal the beauty of science in an artistic way.

C．To share some personal understanding of artworks.

D．To introduce a new research field for art appreciation.