1 . The benefits of regular exercise are well documented but there’s a new bonus to add to the ever-growing list. New researchers found that middle-aged women who were physically fit could be nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia in later life, and as they did, it came on a decade later than less sporty women.

Lead researcher Dr. Helena Horder, of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said : "These findings are exciting because it’s possible that improving people's cardiovascular （心血管的）fitness in middle age could delay or even prevent them from developing dementia. "

For the study, 191 women with an average age of 50 took a bicycle exercise test until they were exhausted to measure their peak （最大值的） cardiovascular capacity. The average peak workload was measured at 103 watts.

A total of 40 women met the criteria for a high fitness level, or 120 watts or higher. A total of 92 women were in the medium fitness category; and 59 women were in the low fitness category, defined as a peak workload of 80 watts or less, or having their exercise tests stopped because of high blood pressure, chest pain or other cardiovascular problems.

These women were then tested for dementia six times over the following four decades. During that time, 44 of the women developed dementia. Five percent of the highly fit women developed dementia, compared to 25 percent of the women with medium fitness and 32 percent of the women with low fitness.

"However, this study does not show cause and effect between cardiovascular fitness and dementia, it only shows an association. More research is needed to see if improved fitness could have a positive effect on the risk of dementia and also to look at when during a lifetime a high fitness level is most important. " She also admitted that a relatively small number of women were studied, all of whom were form Sweden, so the results might not be applicable to other groups.

1. What is on the ever-growing list mentioned in the first paragraph?

A．Positive effects of doing exercises.

B．Exercises suitable for the middle-aged.

C．Experimental studies on diseases.

D．Advantages of sporty woman over man

2. Why did the researchers ask the women to do bicycle exercise?

A．To predict their maximum heart rate.

B．To assess their cardiovascular capacity

C．To change their habits of working out

D．To detect their potential health problems

3. What do we know about Dr Horder's study?

A．It aimed to find a cure for dementia.

B．Data collection was a lengthy process.

C．Some participants withdrew from it.

D．The results were far from satisfactory.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．More Women Are Exercising to Prevent Dementia

B．Middle-Aged Women Need to Do More Exercise

C．Fit Women Are Less Likely to Develop Dementia

D．Biking Improves Women's Cardiovascular Fitness

2 . The United States rose to global power on the strength of its technology, and the lifeblood that technology has long been electricity. By providing long-distance communication and energy, electricity created the modern world. Yet properly understood, the age of electricity is merely the second stage in the age of steam, which began a century earlier.

"It is curious that no one has put together a history of both the steam and electric revolutions." writes Maury Klein in his book The Power Makers, Steam, Electricity, and the Men Invented Modern America. Klein, a noted historian of technology, spins a narrative so lively that at times it reads like a novel.

The story begins in the last years of the 18th century in Scotland, where Watt perfected "the machine that changed the world". Klein writes, "America did not invent the steam engine, but once they grasped its passwords they put it to more uses than anyone else. "

Meanwhile, over the course of 19th century, electricity went from mere curiosity to a basic necessity. Morse invented a code for sending messages over an electromagnetic circuit. Bell then gave the telegraph a voice. Edison perfected an incandescent bulls that brought electric light into the American home.

Most importantly, Edison realized that success depended on mass electrification, which he showed in New York City. With help from Tesla, Westinghouse's firm developed a system using alternating current, which soon became the major forms of power delivery.

To frame his story, Klein creates the character of Ned, a fictional witness to the progress brought about by the steams and electric revolutions in America during one man's lifetime. It's a technique that helps turn a long narrative into an interesting one.

1. What is Klein's understanding of the age of electricity?

A．It is closely linked to the steam age.

B．It began earlier than proper thought.

C．It is a little-studied period of history.

D．It will come to an end sooner or later.

2. What can be inferred about Ned?

A．He was born in New York City.	B．He wrote many increasing stories,
C．He created an electricity company.	D．He lived mainly in the 19th century.

3. What is the text?

A．A biography.

B．A book review.

C．A short story.

D．A science report.

3 . Years ago, my sixth grade teacher had us write letters to our heroes. ______ others wrote to Nelson Mandela or Hillary Clinton, I wrote to Jennifer Cihi, a popular singer. We didn’t actually ______ the letters, so mine was ______ in my drawer.

In that ______ letter, I promised to devote my first ______ to Jennifer. Years later, I did become a writer, and did keep my ______. Jennifer was the prototype (原型) of the character of my first novel. But she was just a passing thought that faded ______ about five years later. Then, at age thirty-one, a social media meeting allowed me to ______ her. Later I sent my first Facebook message, ______ to tell her about the “story” between us.

I didn’t want to seem like a crazy fan. So I ______ said, “I want you to know that you ______ me to live the amazing life that I’ve led. I have written several books, been an actress, and now I am a ______. Thank you.” Without receiving an ______ reply, I soon forgot the matter. But two days later, my phone made a “ding” which ______ I got a new Facebook message.

It was from Jennifer. We ______ a few pleasantries(客套话)on Facebook. When I told her I was teaching at a unique school for kids with mental illness, Jennifer suddenly asked if we could talk ______ the phone.

During the conversation, we realized we ______ a passion for helping children with mental disorder. Later, we founded Mariposa, ______ support and education for kids with mental illness. And we were both ______ as presenters at the Mental Health America Annual Conference.

Jennifer Cihi, my early hero, ______ , acted as the person who encouraged me in my life.

1.

A．Whether

B．While

C．Unless

D．Once

2.

A．write

B．receive

C．mail

D．open

3.

A．found out

B．missed out

C．piled up

D．put away

4.

A．fan

B．business

C．reminder

D．introduction

5.

A．letter

B．book

C．present

D．song

6.

A．secret

B．balance

C．word

D．appointment

7.

A．gradually

B．suddenly

C．generally

D．quickly

8.

A．comfort

B．appreciate

C．envy

D．encounter

9.

A．embarrassed

B．thrilled

C．astonished

D．amused

10.

A．eventually

B．gently

C．slowly

D．merely

11.

A．allowed

B．expected

C．inspired

D．advised

12.

A．teacher

B．singer

C．presenter

D．supporter

13.

A．instant

B．consistent

C．constant

D．insistent

14.

A．signaled

B．declared

C．explained

D．marked

15.

A．published

B．discussed

C．exchanged

D．expressed

16.

A．by

B．in

C．at

D．on

17.

A．shared

B．formed

C．needed

D．promoted

18.

A．controlling

B．providing

C．attracting

D．demanding

19.

A．described

B．selected

C．considered

D．designed

20.

A．however

B．besides

C．though

D．again

4 . One person’s happiness causes a chain reaction that benefits not only their friends, but their friends’ friends, and their friends’ friends’ friends. The effect lasts for up to one year. The opposite, interestingly, is not the case: Sadness does not spread through social networks as strongly as happiness. Happiness appears to love company more so than misery.

Focusing on 4,739 individuals, Christakis and Fowler, who co-authored this study, observed more than 50,000 social and family ties and analyzed the spread of happiness throughout this group. The researchers found that when an individual becomes happy, a friend living within a mile experiences a 25 percent increased chance of becoming happy. A co-resident spouse (配偶) experiences an 8 percent increased chance, siblings (兄弟姐妹) living within one mile have a 14 percent increased chance, and for next-door neighbors, 34 percent. But the real surprise came with indirect relationships. Again, while an individual becoming happy increases his friend’s chances, a friend of that friend experiences a nearly 10 percent chance of increased happiness, and a friend of that friend has a 5.6 percent increased chance.

The researchers also found that, contrary to what your parents taught you, popularity does lead to happiness. People in the center of their network groups are the most likely people to become happy, and then there are chances that increase to the extent that the people surrounding them also have lots of friends. However, becoming happy does not help migrate a person from the network fringe (外围) to the center. Happiness spreads through the network without changing its structure.

“Imagine a bird’s eye view of a backyard party,” Fowler explains. “You’ll see people in groups at the center, and others on the fringe. The happiest people tend to be the ones in the center. But someone on the fringe who suddenly becomes happy, say through a particular exchange, doesn’t suddenly move into the center of the group. He simply stays where he is—only now he has a far more satisfying sense of well-being.”

Next time, if you’re happy and you know it, thank your friends—and their friends. And while you’re at it, their friends’ friends. But if you’re sad, hold the blame.

1. Who will be more likely to become happy as a man is happy according to the research?

A．His wife.	B．His next-door neighbors.
C．His brothers and sisters.	D．A friend of his friend.

2. Why does Fowler mention a backyard party in Paragraph 4?

A．To explain a rule.	B．To clarify a concept.
C．To describe a fact.	D．To make a prediction.

3. What does the research aim to tell us?

A．Happiness changes social structures.

B．A social network is a double-edged sword.

C．Happiness goes hand in hand with sadness.

D．Happiness spreads through social networks.

4. What do we know from the last two paragraphs?

A．Friends’ friends may bring you happiness.

B．Your friends are to blame for your sadness.

C．Your friends decide whether you are happy.

D．The happiest friends at party are on the fringe.

5 . Eight months after my father died, I saw some letters on top of my mother’s coffee table. They were tied with a silk ribbon and addressed to her decades ago in my father’s neat handwriting. I couldn’t imagine my serious father ever writing anything like love letters.

“Would you like me to read them to you?” Mom asked with a hint of a smile.

The letters were written in 1974 over the course of a month when my father traveled to Italy to care for his beloved, sick mother, leaving his wife and me, their newborn daughter, behind in Toronto, the city my parents called home after immigrating to Canada from Italy in 1956.

Growing up, my father was my hero and protector, but he was also a man of few words, part of a generation of immigrant men who worked hard for a better life.

I sat back while my mother read his letters to me, and thought, “Who is this guy?” My father used endearing terms I had never heard him say. He referred to my mother as “my dearesr” and “my companion” who was always in his thoughts. In each letter, he enclosed a Canadian one-dollar bill for me and declared, “You and your mother are my life.”

As children, we assume we know everything about our parents. But, sometimes, we find out that they were and are people with various facets.

My father was proud and stubborn, and he married a woman who was his equal in that regard. During their 58-year marriage, their stubbornness often led to conflict. So it was bittersweet to hear my father’s youthful sentiments read aloud by my elderly mother with a wistful (留恋的) tone. I knew she was thinking about what could have been and what had been once upon a time. After she finished reading the letters, I held them in my hands and examined them like they were fossils. Although a man I knew as economical with his thoughts, he had filled the front and back of several pages.

These letters are only part of their correspondence. My mother wrote back to my father. One day she will read those letters to me, she’s assured me. And just as with my father, they might help me discover another dimension of a parent I never knew before.

1. What kind of person did the author think her father was?

A．Optimistic.

B．Reserved.

C．Sensitive.

D．Romantic.

2. What can we know about the author’s family?

A．Her mother was the family’s provider.

B．She didn’t get on well with her father.

C．Her parents were emigrants to Italy.

D．Her parents shared similar personalities.

3. What does the underlined word “facets” in paragraph 6 most probably mean?

A．Interests.

B．Ideas.

C．Sides.

D．Possibilities.

4. How did the author feel when she heard the words in the letters?

A．Surprised.

B．Awkward.

C．Thrilled.

D．Heartbroken.

5. What did the author find out about her father through the letters?

A．He was good at hiding his feelings.

B．He regretted not being with his family.

C．He was a loving husband and father.

D．He was stubborn from the inside out.

6 . Gone are the days when a mother’s place was in the home: in Britain women with children are now as likely to be in paid work as their unburdened sisters. Many put their little darlings in day care long before they start school. Mindful that a poor start can spoil a person’s chances of success later in life, the state has intervened ever more closely in how babies and toddlers are looked after. Inspectors call not only at nurseries but also at homes where youngsters are minded; three-year-olds follow the national curriculum. Child care has increasingly become a profession.

For years after the government first began in 2001 to twist the arms of anyone who looked after an unrelated child to register with the schools, the numbers so doing fell. Kind but clueless neighbours stopped looking after little ones, who were instead herded into formal nurseries or handed over to one of the ever-fewer registered child-minders. The decline in the number of people taking in children now appears to have halted. According to data released by the Office for Standards in Education on October 27th, the number of registered child-minders reached its lowest point in September 2010 and has since recovered slightly.

The new lot are certainly better qualified. In 2010 fully 82% of nursery workers held diplomas notionally equivalent to A-levels, the university-entrance exams taken mostly by 18-year-olds, up from 56% seven years earlier, says Anand Shukla of the Daycare Trust, a charity. Nurseries staffed by university graduates tend to be rated highest by inspectors, increasing their appeal to the pickiest parents. As a result, more graduates are being recruited.

But professionalization has also pushed up the price of child care, defying even the economic depression. A survey by the Daycare Trust finds that a full-time nursery place in England for a child aged under two, who must be intensively supervised, costs £194 ($310) per week, on average. Prices in London and the south-east are far higher. Parents in Britain spend more on child care than anywhere else in the world, according to the OECD, a think-tank. Some 68% of a typical second earner's net income is spent on freeing her to work, compared with an OECD average of 52%.

The price of child care is not only eye-watering, but has also become a barrier to work. Soon after it took power the coalition government pledged to ensure that people are better off in work than on benefits, but a recent survey by Save the Children, a charity, found that the high cost of day care prevented a quarter of low-paid workers from returning to their jobs once they had started a family. The government pays for free part-time nursery places for three-and four-year-olds, and contributes towards day-care costs for younger children from poor areas. Alas, extending such an aid during stressful economic times would appear to be anything but child’s play.

1. Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph?

A．Nursery education plays a leading role in one’s personal growth.

B．Pregnant women have to work to lighten families’ economic burden.

C．Children in nursery have to take uniform nation courses.

D．The supervision of the state makes child care professional.

2. It can be learned from Paragraph 2 and 3 that ___________.

A．the registered child-minders are required to take the university-entrance exams

B．the number of registered child-minders has been declining since 2001

C．anyone who looks after children at home must register with the schools

D．the growing recognition encourages more graduates to work as child-minders

3. The high price of child care __________.

A．prevents mothers from getting employed

B．may further depress the national economy

C．makes many families live on benefits

D．is far more than parents can afford

4. What is the author’s attitude towards the professionalization of child care?

A．Objective.

B．Skeptical.

C．Supportive.

D．Biased.

5. Which of the following would be the subject of the text?

A．The professionalization of child care has pushed up its price.

B．The high cost of child nursing makes many mothers give up their jobs.

C．The employment of more graduates makes nurseries more popular.

D．Parents in Britain pay most for child nursing throughout the world.

7 . American author Gary Hopkins tells us, “A suitable apology can be a wonderful thing, so long as it is from the heart.” However, an apology is ______ to make.

A few years ago, I was a guest ______ at a conference for professional trainers. I was well ______, knowledgeable about the topic, and I felt confident as I ______ my speech. But afterwards, an experienced female delegate ______ me. We exchanged a few greetings, and then she dropped something unexpected on me. She said, “Do you know how many times you ______, from the moment you ______ to the microphone until the moment you left the stage?” “Sorry, I don’t know,” I replied. “Nine times,” she said. “And all of them were unnecessary.” I was ______. It was the first time someone had ever made me ______ my “sorry habit.” So what was the first word out of my mouth ______? “Sorry!” We both burst out laughing.

Of course, apologies shouldn’t be ______ that way. This incident raised my awareness of how we routinely use apologies. I know ______ to apologize is a big mistake as we’ve made a mistake or wronged someone else. How to do it? First and foremost, we need to understand real apologies or wholeheartedly saying “sorry” is ______. It’s like a big ______ into a relationship account and there’s no alternative for it. Actually, there are ______ apologies, which are tools of dodges (搪塞). They are awful and we should stop them. ______, habitual apologies are an unnecessary automatic response, as I ever made at the conference.

Generally, over apologizing ______ to happen when there’s a lack of ______ in your position, which will make others ______ you or even get unhappy. So we need to use apologies ______ and our attitude must be sincere. Refusing to apologize is a big mistake, and so is over apologizing.

1.

A．essential

B．impossible

C．reasonable

D．difficult

2.

A．editor

B．speaker

C．worker

D．member

3.

A．dressed

B．prepared

C．known

D．equipped

4.

A．formed

B．recalled

C．delivered

D．appreciated

5.

A．blamed

B．praised

C．discovered

D．approached

6.

A．interrupted

B．apologized

C．stopped

D．coughed

7.

A．caught on

B．brought out

C．stepped on

D．broke down

8.

A．speechless

B．hopeless

C．confused

D．frightened

9.

A．ready for

B．nervous about

C．careful about

D．aware of

10.

A．in reply

B．in vain

C．in return

D．in place

11.

A．ignored

B．mentioned

C．used

D．accepted

12.

A．regretting

B．failing

C．pretending

D．promising

13.

A．ridiculous

B．impressive

C．accessible

D．crucial

14.

A．sale

B．income

C．deposit

D．loss

15.

A．private

B．false

C．inadequate

D．illegal

16.

A．Besides

B．Therefore

C．Nevertheless

D．Instead

17.

A．expects

B．continues

C．deserves

D．tends

18.

A．motivation

B．confidence

C．energy

D．experience

19.

A．embarrass

B．challenge

C．misunderstand

D．tolerate

20.

A．suitably

B．normally

C．directly

D．frequently

8 . Some people say that the planet is getting smaller, that there are few places left to explore, and that the age of exploration will be over soon.

I would argue instead that there has never been a greater need to explore. That’s because the stage for all exploration is the natural world, and nature is experiencing a rapid decline. It is by exploring that we understand and when we understand we develop an appreciation for what is found. Ultimately, only the things we appreciate are worth protecting.

As the golden age of exploration weakens, so does the richness of life on Earth. It isn’t just that there are fewer blank areas on the map; it is that wild places and spaces have been progressively carved up (瓜分). Visiting the Okavango Delta or Kalahari Desert, for example, no longer implies a self-supported expedition ( 考 察 ). Field stations pop up in important national parks and remote sensing by satellite becomes commonplace.

In the next century, I believe we will need larger and wilder areas. We will need the wilderness, not just for the protection of it, but because it is an important part of the ecosystems from which we gain our necessities like clean water, food and materials. If we succeed, then expeditions — brief travels into the wild that seek to answer questions, monitor populations, and inspire action — will have a renewed sense of purpose. More importantly, they greatly help the public experience, understand and appreciate nature.

Based on my own research expedition which aims to understand “edge effects”— how the changes in temperature at forest edges impact animals, I find it important that today’s scientists continue to spend time in the field. It is here that they begin to understand how seemingly unrelated environmental interactions influence their study system. Sometimes, it’s difficult to know which is important to measure until you stand out there on the forest edge.

It is the young generation that is the main force to lead the next wave of expeditions. The measure of their success will be whether there are still well-preserved wild places for expeditions in the future. Their leadership is needed now, more than ever.

1. What’s the purpose of this text?

A．To suggest understanding nature by keeping exploring.

B．To advise people not to travel to unknown places.

C．To inform us about the reduced biodiversity.

D．To call on the public to support the study.

2. What can we know about the expedition in wild spaces from Paragraph 3?

A．It is difficult for explorers to make progress.

B．It is more accessible with the help of technology.

C．It promotes the development of satellite technology.

D．It requires explorers to take sufficient heavy equipment.

3. What does the underlined part “pop up” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Appear unexpectedly.

B．Close temporarily.

C．Develop quickly.

D．Differ greatly.

4. What does the author realize after his research expedition?

A．The significance of scientists’ field trip.

B．The difficulty of carrying out fieldwork.

C．The need to expand the edges of forests.

D．The influence of his study on the environment.

5. The success of future expeditions will be determined by________.

A．our knowledge of nature

B．the time spent in the field

C．the preservation of wild places

D．the study system of young generations

9 . Like many people, in terms of socializing, I prioritize making time for my closest friends and family. When it comes to reaching out to people I don’t know as well I often find myself reluctant to engage. This could be a big mistake, though, according to a new study. Having different types of social interactions seems to be central to our happiness — something many of us may think little of.

In a series of surveys, researchers looked at how having a socially diverse network related to people’s well-being. In one survey, 578 Americans reported on what activities they had been engaged in, with whom and for how long over the past 24 hours, while also saying how happy with life they were. The researchers found that people with more diverse social networks were happier and more satisfied with life than those with less diverse networks — regardless of how much time they had spent socializing overall.

“The more you can broaden your social circle and reach out to people you talk to less frequently — like an acquaintance, a friend, a coworker, or even a stranger — the more it could have positive benefits for your well-being,” said the lead researcher Hanne Collins of Harvard Business School.

To further test this idea, she and her colleagues looked at large data sets from the American Time Use Survey and the World Health Organization’s Study on Global Aging and Adult Health. In both cases, they found that when people had a broader range of social interactions, they experienced greater happiness and well-being.

Then Collins and her colleagues did another analysis, using data from a mobile app that 21,644 French-speaking people used to report on their daily social activities and happiness. There, they found that when someone experienced greater-than-average social diversity one week, they were happier that week and the week after.

Why is that? It could be that being with different people contributes to different kinds of emotions, which may be a driving force in our happiness, says Collins. Alternatively, it could be that having a more diverse network allows you to get various social supports when you need it. Whatever the case, Collins hopes her research will inspire people to expand their social networks when they can.

1. What does the author use as an introduction to the passage?

A．A personal communication skill.

B．A social trend against one’s will.

C．A common social phenomenon.

D．A culture many people neglect.

2. What do we know about the study?

A．Its results were different from culture to culture.

B．Different results were obtained from the researchers’ three surveys.

C．The researchers collected large amounts of data from different platforms.

D．It focused on the impact of a more diverse social network on life satisfaction.

3. What can we learn from the 3rd and 4th paragraph?

A．Any stranger or co-worker can bring you happiness.

B．Broad social circle contributes to more happiness.

C．Happiness depends only on social interactions.

D．Close relationship influences happiness badly.

4. How may social diversity improve one’s well-being according to Collins?

A．By providing motivation for life.

B．By leading to one’s balanced life.

C．By arousing one’s positive emotions.

D．By making him / her sensitive to happiness.

5. What will be most probably talked about after the last paragraph?

A．Collins’s social life.

B．Collins’s conclusions.

C．Collins’s new research.

D．Collins’s specific suggestions.

10 . A new project aims to create a computer replica (复制品) of an entire city. It will allow experts to perform real-time resilience (适应力) testing to see how is infrastructure (基础设施) will perform in the face of challenges such as climate change and population growth.

Known as the “digital twin”, the technology has already been adopted by Formula One teams and engine makers like Rolls Royce, but its use to this degree didn’t exist.

A partnership between Newcastle University and Northumbrian Water will recreate Newcastle based on data from across the city and test its resilience in possible emergencies. Professor Chris Kilsby said, “You can try lots of things with the twin in the case of a city. I think of it as a replica that you can play with and do unimaginable things to see what would happen. The changes can be seen immediately — from observing what would happen if the river Tyne rises by a few meters to what the city would look like if the population has aged over a certain period of time. It could also be used to model human behavior, for example, determining the most likely roads people would use in the event of a food.”

Newcastle University is working on a data platform with lots of dynamic parts like traffic, water, population, etc. Much of the data is coming from the university’s Urban Observatory project, which has monitors all over the city checking pollution, water quality and biodiversity.

In 2012 an event known locally as the “Toon monsoon” took place, with a month’s worth of rain falling in two hours during the evening rush hour, causing £ 8 m worth of damage. The Toon monsoon caused a breakdown to the city because we just didn’t design anything for that sort of event. There was no one to blame. The city just couldn’t resist the heavy rain.

The digital twin will allow the city not only to react in real time to such strange weather events, but also to test its resilience in endless potential future emergencies.

Chris Jones, research and development manager at Northumbrian Water, imagined the project’s “amazing possibilities”, saying that in time it could be applied to any city with accessible data.

1. What do we know about the “digital twin” from the first two paragraphs?

A．It is not new to us.	B．It is a computer system.
C．It predicts extreme weather.	D．It has met with many challenges.

2. What are Professor Chris Kilsby’s words mainly about?

A．The development of the digital twin.	B．People’s test of possible emergencies.
C．The many functions of the digital twin.	D．The numerous changes in the environment.

3. What will Newcastle University do in the project according to the passage?

A．Offering big data about the city.	B．Advocating the new technology.
C．Making up the loss caused by flood.	D．Working out plans for future emergencies.

4. Why is the “Toon monsoon” mentioned here?

A．To draw people’s attention to the terrible loss of the city.

B．To warn people of the potential harm of heavy rain.

C．To indicate the new project’s significance.

D．To show the digital twin’s weakness.

5. What is Chris Jones’ attitude towards the “digital twin”?

A．Cautious.

B．Opposed.

C．Neutral.

D．Supportive.