1 . On a freezing day, one motivated and ambitious 8-year-old boy, named Tristan Regini, stayed outside to make sure his neighbour stayed warm. Tristan Regini braved the cold Saturday by selling hot cocoa in his front yard to raise money for Children’s Hospital.

“It’s really cold,” he said while shivering. He owed all he did to doctors there for helping his best friend, Cade, who was fighting against cancer, so he wanted to pay them back. “I was thinking of doing a lemonade stand, but I figured that I could not do it in winter,” Tristan said. “Children’s Hospital saved his life, so now I’m trying to sponsor it even more.” The price of the hot cocoa is $1 a cup,$2 with marshmallows(棉花糖).You can watch the video above to learn how much money Tristan raised.

Tristan’s dad, Steve, said he was proud of his son, who came up with the idea all on his own. “You know what? He’s a warm-hearted little boy and it’s just awesome to see him want to do it,” he said. “It’s ambition and it’s also caring because of his friend, so it’s nice to see him do both, you know?” At one point, Steve said he wasn’t sure whether Tristan would actually go through with the sale, considering the temperature. “I wasn’t surprised, you know? That’s pretty much Tristan. That’s the way he is,” he said.

But Tristan proved him wrong, and planned to donate the money on Sunday. “If he had done this with me, he would have been very excited,” he said.

1. Why did Tristan Regini choose to sell hot cocoa on a freezing day?

A．To have fun.

B．To raise money.

C．To excite his father.

D．To help poor people.

2. Tristan Regini didn’t make a lemonade because ________.

A．it was too cold to sell out	B．it was not popular to people
C．it was not enjoyed by everyone	D．it was too cheap to raise enough money

3. What’s the attitude of Steve to Tristan’s behaviour?

A．Neutral.

B．Disappointed.

C．Approval.

D．Aggressive.

2 . Whether we are sitting down or standing up, still or moving, body posture influences our mood. Several studies have shown this link between physical posture and mood. Others have shown a relationship between our mood and our cognitive (认知的) performance, including memory, reasoning, learning, and the speed of reaction and processing of information.

So a logical question arises. Can body posture influence our cognitive performance?

Previously, a New Zealand team (University of Auckland) carried out an experiment on posture when we walk, especially in the street. The team had found a very clear influence of our posture on our mood and confidence. It appears that walking with a hunched back, bowed head and motionless arms have a negative influence on our mental state.

Indeed, the researchers found that the simple act of straightening up, standing up straight, with your head held high, and gazing forward gives us a serious boost of confidence. Not only does our spontaneous posture have a psychological effect, but by correcting it, it is possible to bring about improvement in the long term.

In this other study, this time carried out by an Austrian team (Friedrich Alexander University in Erlangen-Nuremberg), researchers observed the same phenomenon, this time in a sitting position. Young adults were invited to participate in tests presented as intended to assess their ability to concentrate. In fact, the researchers had them sit in different postures — from upright to very slumped (消沉) — in order to note their influences on mood and cognition.

A first observation indicates that “sitting upright” is associated with a better overall mood. It is also found to have a positive influence on the speed of processing information and completing tasks, although the test pass rate does not vary significantly with posture.

Finally, and surprisingly enough, blood pressure is a little more favorable in an upright position. To further complete the list of benefits of sitting upright, we will add that it is widely recommended for protecting the back in case of work that requires sitting for a long time.

1. Why does the writer mention the studies at the beginning?

A．To introduce what cognitive performance is.

B．To emphasize the importance of body posture.

C．To prove the results of those studies are wrong.

D．To raise a new question to be studied and solved.

2. What does the underlined word “hunched” mean in Paragraph 3?

A．Straightened.

B．Bent.

C．Loose.

D．Solid.

3. What does the first study indicate?

A．Posture influences our mental state.	B．Straightening up has a negative effect.
C．Gazing upward builds up confidence.	D．Walking posture is especially important.

4. What can we learn about sitting upright?

A．It has mental and physical benefits.	B．It helps improve the test pass rate.
C．It requires sitting for a long time.	D．It increases the blood pressure.

3 . A growing body of research suggests that the gut microbiome (消化道菌群) could play a major role in a rising chronic disease that makes us physically weaker. The illness, which is commonly called chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), is characterized by intense fatigue, gastrointestinal (胃肠道的) issues, muscle pain, and cognitive challenges such as headaches and difficulty concentrating, among other symptoms. It often follows a viral infection which can lead to a “disruption” in a balanced gut ecosystem. Actually, an increasing number of Americans have been the sufferers since the outbreak of COVID-19.

Two recent studies published in Cell Host &Microbe point to changes in the microbiome as a possible cause of CFS. Research groups at Columbia University and the Jackson Laboratory performed detailed analyses of the microbes in stool (粪便) samples from patients with CFS and compared them to healthy controls.

The two groups found similar bacteria species were less present in CFS patients compared to control patients. They focused on bacteria that produce butyrate, a fatty acid involved in regulating metabolism and the immune system. “Butyrate plays several roles in directing the body’s response to infections, while also protecting the barrier between the intestine (肠) and the circulatory system, regulating genetic changes in cells, and more,” says Brent Williams, lead author on the Columbia study. Williams and his colleagues extensively analyzed the role of butyrate in CFS patients’ guts, even identifying a correlation between low levels of bacteria that produce this acid and more severe symptoms.

Parallel findings from the Jackson Laboratory team suggest the bacteria that produce butyrate could be used to diagnose CFS. Previous research has identified microbiome issues in CFS patients, but the new findings help clarify which microbes could be related to the illness.

More research on butyrate-producing bacteria and other species identified in the studies is necessary to investigate these potential biomarkers of CFS, the authors say. If the findings are replicated, specific gut bacteria could be used to diagnose the illness, which is currently identified based on symptoms alone.

The findings additionally point toward possible treatments, such as probiotics or microbiome-focused diet adjustments—though patients who have been sick for long periods may require drugs that alleviate the damage done to their metabolism or immune system.

1. What do we know about CFS?

A．It is caused by COVID-19 only.	B．It is an illness with systemic symptoms.
C．It breaks the balance of the gut ecosystem.	D．The number of the infected is on the decrease.

2. How did the researcher carry out the recent studies?

A．By controlling data.	B．By identifying genes.
C．By analyzing samples.	D．By comparing symptoms.

3. Which of the following is NOT the significance of the recent researches?

A．Butyrate’s multiple functions are promoted.

B．Targeted gut microbes may be used to diagnose CFS.

C．Certain microbes responsible for CFS are narrowed down.

D．Probiotics supplement with drugs can be a treatment for CFS.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．Gut microbiome may be the key to CFS.	B．Microbes help digest food and aid absorption.
C．Man’s gut is a rich, diverse tropical rainforest.	D．New method for diagnosing CFS are provided.

4 . Getting to know your money personality can help you rein in your spending habits and take back control of your personal finances. Here, finance saving money expert Pete Ridley at CarFinanceSaver reveals the UKs core money personalities, along with actions to adopt that reduce the negative consequences of each personality type.

The Spontaneous Spender

A spontaneous spender refers to a person that exhibits a “spend now, think later” attitude. They can find it tricky to differentiate between “need to haves” and “nice to haves”, and often feel “spender’s guilt”.

“Before you make a purchase, take time to decide whether the item is a ‘need to have’ or a ‘nice to have’. This will aid in avoiding splurges (挥霍) that provide short term satisfaction and post-spenders’ guilt.” says Ridley.

The Determined Saver

An underlying sense of worry and fear can be at the root of a persistent saver, and their determination to save disguises an overwhelming fear of money.

“Saving is great,” says Ridley, “but it’s important to regard money as a friend and not an enemy. Always be sure to make non-essential purchases. These items don’t have to be a major expense, but just enough that you acknowledge that money can be there to be enjoyed and not just put away.”

The Money=Status

This personality type can live beyond their means by making purchases that they don’t need, striving to keep up with others and saying yes to friendship plans that they cannot afford, to keep up the appearance of financial wellbeing.

“It’s here that you can adopt the 50/20/30 rule: 50 percent essential living expenses, 30 percent disposable income and 20 percent saving and paying debts,” suggests Ridley.

This will maintain financial wellbeing while helping to acknowledge that money doesn’t necessarily equal status or even impress those around you.

1. Which type of money personality is not mentioned in the text?

A．Cathy struggles to check her bank balance.

B．Eden tends to spend on impulse with little pre-planning.

C．Gill demonstrates a determined saver approach to her finances.

D．Joyce buys an unaffordable luxury to boast about her financial wellbeing.

2. What does Ridley suggest people do if they are always making purchases to impress others?

A．Manage your money wisely.	B．Spend some money on non-essentials for joy.
C．Check your finances regularly.	D．Take time to assess how much you love the items.

3. In which section of a magazine can the text be found?

A．Health.

B．Business.

C．Finance.

D．Culture.

5 . The teenage years are probably the most unsettled and stressful years in a person’s life. Teens experience significant physical, emotional, social and cognitive changes. And teens of today face more challenges as they go through more uncertain times of the 21st century.     1    

As teens experience massive physical, social and emotional changes, the challenges are managing social expectations of ideal body images, developing their identity and finding their place in the world. In the past, a teen who was criticized for his or her larger figure or pimpled (有粉刺的) face, might feel embarrassed and dejected in school.     2     Constant comparison and endless posts of picture — perfect images and lives give teens greater pressure to follow current fashion trends. The Wall Street Journal reported that Instagram made body images worse for one in three teenage girls.

    3     Statistics show that most cases of cyber bullying take place on popular social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchats and Twitter, where cyber bullies make emotionally scarring comments. These can be made publicly on a teen’s social media account.     4     As a result, cyber bullying can be more threatening than traditional bullying because it can be shared and viewed repeatedly on social media. In this age of social media, it is also important for teens to learn to cultivate positive, and healthy relationships with people.

There have been many discussions about new technologies and ways of working, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, which will impact future jobs.     5    . Unlike in the past, the situation is different today as AI and automation are causing some jobs to disappear. Teens will have to meet this challenge by adopting an attitude of lifelong learning, and keeping paces with technology.

A．They can also be spread quickly by sharing with others.

B．Furthermore, social media has taken bullying to a new level.

C．The future has always been a dreamland for teens to anticipate.

D．Today, these same sufferings can be expanded by social media.

E．Social media, and technological advances are posing new challenges.

F．Additionally, social media is a strong tool for a teen to defend himself.

G．The challenge for a teen today is preparing for a largely unknown future.

6 . Do you like cilantro(香菜)? Cilantro is a common food that people tend to either adore or abuse.     1     But the reasons behind what you like and don’t like are not always so straightforward.

    2     Your sense of smell allows you to distinguish between something like strawberry and cherry. Scientists looked at olfactory (receptors and discovered that individuals with a certain gene. OR6A2, are more sensitive to smelling cilantro. That, in turn, affects how people sense its flavor.     3     When you’re open to these foods, you learn to like what you eat. Even people who hate cilantro may be able to learn to at least tolerate it, if not like it.

Culture plays a big role in what you like, too. Food preferences vary across cultures. When it comes down to food preferences in different parts of the world, it has a lot to do with what’s available and considered a food staple (主食).    4    But there will always be exceptions-a Greek person who can’t stand olives or a Dutch person who hates cheese.

While preferences can be formed after a few attempts, negative experiences with foods, especially when you’re young, can have a lasting effect.     5     Jasmine Robinson, 29, from Athens, shared her story about olives. When she was young, another child, who wouldn’t let her have a turn on a swing, made fun of her while eating olives from a jar and being mean. She later tried olives as an adult but failed.

A．We like sweet and hate bitter.

B．Love it or hate it is pretty clear.

C．But your biology is not everything.

D．It is related to familiarity and not biology.

E．Your preference can come down to genetics.

F．Associations can make you like or not like something.

G．Just one bad experience can turn you off from something for life.

7 . Scientists at Purdue University created the world’s whitest paint — a discovery that not only adds yet another choice to the “which white should we paint this wall” dilemma, but also might help the climate crisis.

The paint was developed by Purdue mechanical engineering professor Xiulin Ruan and his team. It works through a passive cooling technology that offers great promises to reduce space cooling cost and global warming. “When we started this project seven years ago, we had saving energy and fighting climate change in mind,” Ruan said in a podcast (播客) episode of This Is Purdue. They wanted to create a paint that would reflect sunlight away from a building, dramatically decreasing the need for air conditioning.

Heating, cooling, and lighting account for 28 percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. And overusing air conditioning can overwhelm a city’s power grid and cause blackouts (停电). In a Queens blackout in 2006, 175,000 people were left without power, which lead to 40 deaths. This paint could effectively be an alternative to air conditioners in some places.

The paint reflects 98.1%of solar radiation while also giving out infrared (红外线的) heat. Because the paint takes in less heat from the sun than it gives out, a surface coated with this paint is cooled below the surrounding temperature without using power. Covering a roof area of 1,000 square feet with the paint could create 10 kilowatts ofcooling power, the researchers found.“That’s more powerful than the air conditioners used by most houses,”Ruan told This Is Purdue.

You can’t buy the paint just yet, but researchers are partnering with a company to put the paint on the market. While individual action to fight elimate change can help save our planet, it’s important to note that the vast majority of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions can be traced back to 100companies. Maybe we can douse(浇) those companies with this white paint, too — it could be worth a shot.

1. What is known about the paint?

A．It has different colors.	B．It doesn’t cost much.
C．It uses heating technology.	D．It is climate-friendly.

2. What is the Queens blackout mentioned to show?

A．The poor management of power.	B．The significance of the paint.
C．The importance of air conditioning.	D．The result of global warming.

3. Which aspect of the paint is talked about in Paragraph 4?

A．Its application.	B．Its function.
C．Its composition.	D．Its disadvantage.

4. What can be learned from the last paragraph?

A．The quality of the paint needs improving.

B．The paint will bring profits to the 100 companies.

C．Researchers want to see the paint in commercial use.

D．Individual efforts matter in creating the whitest paint.