1 . Is it true that our brain alone is responsible for human cognition(认知)? What about our body? Is it possible for thought and behaviour 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 associate being warm with being loved.
Further studies have backed up the mind-body interaction. In one experiment, test subjects 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)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, what is the significance of EC?| A．It brings us closer to the truth in human cognition. |
| B．It offers a clearer picture of the shape of human brain. |
| C．It reveals the major role of the mind in human cognition. |
| D．It facilitates our understanding of the origin of psychology. |
| A．Their personal looks. | B．Their mental needs. |
| C．Their inner emotions. | D．Their physical feelings. |
| 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. |
| A．To deepen the readers’ understanding of EC. |
| B．To encourage the reader to put EC into practice. |
| C．To guide the reader onto the path to career success. |
| D．To share with the reader ways to release their emotions. |
2 . Scream if you want to charge your phone.
Thanks to the wonders of science, riders on Thorpe Park’s new attraction, a roller coaster called The Walking Dead, can now power their smart phones by screaming loudly. That’s because there are devices on it that “harvest kinetic energy (动能)”. The park conducted research which shows that people’s biggest fear is their phones running out of battery, so the device should prove popular.
All of the Walking Dead’s carriages have been fitted with the harvesting devices, which not only harvest the energy of screams, but that from g-force and vibrations (振动) of the ride, too. It is stored in a power management unit. The unit is then removed from the carriages by staff and deposited into an on-site mobile charging point where ride goers will charge their devices. The 188mmx 188mm x 67mm energy harvester is jet black, blending into its dark and mysterious surroundings on the roller coaster themed around the global TV shows.
Thorpe Park said: “If thrill-seekers are brave enough to open their eyes, they will see a set of LED lights in blood red powering up as guests’ screams become louder... throughout the 90-second experience.”
Designed and installed by researchers at Queen Mary University London and the engineering team at Thorpe Park Resort, the technology took three months to be carried out, from design to installation. It will be available at the theme park for an initial trial period.
Thorpe Park Resort’s John Burton, who came up with the ride concept, said, “The Walking Dead’s ride is 15 out of 10 on the scare factor scale, so it makes sense to be able to combine and use the power of our visitors’ screams and the ride’s vibrations to help solve a problem each and every one of us faces — losing the charge on our mobiles when we’re on a day out.”
Dr Joe Briscoe, School of Engineering and Materials Science at Queen Mary University of London, said, “This is an exciting concept that will undoubtedly be used more frequently in the future. The system uses a mini energy harvester to capture the kinetic energy, transferring it to a separate electrical circuit and storage unit, which is enough to charge a mobile phone.”
1. Where could ride goers easily get their phones charged?| A．At the carriage. | B．At the charging point. |
| C．At the LED light. | D．At the energy harvester. |
| A．Because a mini energy harvester is applied. |
| B．Because The Walking Dead is most frightening. |
| C．Because the park has quite a number of scary rides. |
| D．Because almost everyone is faced with power failure. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Doubtful. | C．Neutral. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．A new battery for powering your phone is invented. |
| B．The traditional way of charging your phone is on the way out. |
| C．Visitors’ scream in Thorpe Park can be used to charge the phone. |
| D．The most effective way of charging your phone has been found in Thorpe Park. |
3 . Fortunately, the days of being spread on thick baby oil and lying in the sun to get your skin yellowish-brown—or more likely burnt—are long over. Many sunscreens work by filtering (滤) the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays to keep them from reaching skin cells and causing the DNA damage that can lead to wrinkles and skin cancer. But in recent years, the safety of some of those filtering chemical ingredients, particularly oxybenzone (氧苯酮), has been in question.
A 2019 study published in JAMA found evidence that oxybenzone is absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to concerns about whether it might affect functions of our body. Oxybenzone has also been detected in breast milk for newborn babies. Because of concerns about higher intake in children, doctors from the American Academy of Pediatrics advise against sunscreen, with oxybenzone for kids.
The Environmental Working Group, an activist organization that monitors chemical safety, has called for a ban, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers sunscreens with oxybenzone safe. “It’s uncertain,” says Deborah S. Sarnoff, president of the U.S. Skin Cancer Foundation. “Just because you’re absorbing the chemical doesn’t mean it’s dangerous.” Further study is required.
But oxybenzone is a risk to coral reefs. Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands have banned the sale of sunscreens with oxybenzone. In a 2022 study published in Science, researchers found that some certain sea plants, when exposed to sunlight, turn oxybenzone into energy or something needed in a way that damages and kills corals.
Some companies have been trying to stop using oxybenzone gradually in stages, and many big brands offer oxybenzone-free options. For anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding, or simply looking to avoid these chemical filters, Dr. Sarnoff recommends mineral sunscreens, which contain mostly physical barriers.
1. What is the advantage of sunscreen?| A．It gets your skin yellowish-brown. |
| B．It stops wrinkles and skin cancer. |
| C．It is easy to spread on our skin. |
| D．It keeps UV rays from harming you. |
| A．They know oxybenzone can affect their bloodstream. |
| B．They have detected oxybenzone in newborn babies. |
| C．They don’t want kids to absorb more oxybenzone. |
| D．They have confirmed oxybenzone hurts their body functions. |
| A．Some organizations have already banned the use of oxybenzone. |
| B．More research is needed to prove the danger of oxybenzone. |
| C．Coral reefs in Hawaii were damaged or killed by sunscreens. |
| D．The U.S. FDA suggests using mineral sunscreens. |
| A．Questions on safe use of oxybenzone raised by doctors. |
| B．Discussion on safety of oxybenzone between organizations. |
| C．Effects of sunscreens on humans and plants in recent studies. |
| D．The latest findings about sunscreens with oxybenzone. |
4 . What kind of people can become scientists? When a group of researchers posed that question to 9th- and 10th-graders, almost every student gave such responses as “People who work hard” or “Anyone who seems interested in the field of science.”
Many of these same students struggled to imagine themselves as scientists, citing concerns such as “I’m not good at science” and “Even if I work hard, I will not do well.” It’s easy for them to see a scientist’s work as arising from an inborn talent.
But for high school students, learning more about some struggles of scientists can help students feel more motivated to learn science. Researchers at Teachers College, Columbia University and the University of Washington designed an intervention (干预) to change students’ beliefs that scientific achievement depends on ability rather than effort by exposing students to stories of how accomplished scientists struggled and overcame challenges in their scientific efforts.
During the study, the students read one of three types of stories about Albert Einstein, Marie Curie and Michael Faraday. Intellectual (智力的) struggle stories: stories about how scientists “struggled intellectually,” such as making mistakes while addressing a scientific problem and learning from them. Life struggle stories: stories about how scientists struggled in their personal lives, such as not giving up in the face of poverty or lack of family support. Achievement stories: stories about how scientists made great discoveries, without any discussion of coexisting challenges.
Researchers found that students who heard either type of “struggle stories” improved their science performance after-intervention, compared to students in the control group. The effect was especially pronounced for lower performing students, for whom being exposed to struggling stories led to significantly better science-class performance than low-performing students who read achievement stories. In addition, students who read struggle stories reported feeling more personally connected to the scientists. By recognizing a scientist’s struggles and introducing the growth mindset he or she applied to accomplish great works, the students were able to empathize (共情) with the scientists during their own struggles.
1. Why do students fail to imagine themselves as scientists according to the text?| A．They lack interest in science. | B．They are short of confidence. |
| C．They don’t have inborn talent. | D．They don’t work hard. |
| A．Michael Faraday was interested in chemistry and physics from a young age. |
| B．Marie Curie got involved in aiding soldiers of World War Ⅰ. |
| C．Marie Curie conducted the research mostly in a small, poorly built house. |
| D．Einstein received the 1921 Nobel Prize for his work with Theoretical Physics. |
| A．Noticeable | B．slight | C．doubtful | D．long-lasting |
| A．Science ability has nothing to do with talents. |
| B．Inspirational stories ensure students to become scientists in the future. |
| C．The intervention has helped clear up misunderstandings of scientific work. |
| D．Low-performing students tend to feel more connected to scientists. |
5 . If you hate being cold but don’t want to raise your heating bill, then keep reading. Swedish engineer Mr. Oscar Karlsson has provided the perfect solution—a super heater called Hotix Pro.
What makes it so special?
This invention makes it more efficient for people worldwide to heat their homes at low cost. However, what’s really special about Hotix Pro is that it’s been made with the average consumers in mind. One of the amazing features it has is the programmable timer tailored to suit your needs. Also, the remote controller makes it super easy to stay cozy and adjust the temperature.
What do you love about Hotix Pro?
Quick Heating Speed: Little time is needed to warm up the room as long as you plug it in.
Portable (便携式的) & Lightweight: Easily carried from room to room.
Overheat Protection: Built with you and your family’s safety in mind.
Super Quiet: You won’t even hear it when it’s on, but you will definitely FEEL the difference.
How do you get a Hotix Pro?
You can order a Hotix Pro from the supplier’s website. It costs $126 originally but now is on special offer. Order now and you can get a 50% discount (only $52 each when you buy two).
5 Star Reviews★★★★★
This amazing little heater is perfect! It is small but works effectively to heat the room, saving on the precious fuel. This little heater has a timer and a fan with some safety features for customers’ peace of mind. Moreover, I’m a light sleeper extremely sensitive to noise, but with a Hotix Pro, I have perfect sleep at night.
—Sarah
1. What is the most special feature of Hotix Pro?| A．If uses much less energy. | B．It has a customer-centered design. |
| C．It operates in a lower noise level. | D．It heats a whole room quickly. |
| A．$252. | B．$115. | C．$126. | D．$104. |
| A．To show Hotix Pro’s high performance. | B．To prove Hotix Pro’s popularity. |
| C．To explain the design of Hotix Pro. | D．To convey Sarah’s amazement. |
6 . In late 2021, The Road of Tang Poetry, a book co-authored by Nobel Prize-winning French novelist Le Clézio and Professor Dong Qiang, was published by People’s Literature Publishing House in China. This book also represents a practice of cross-cultural dialogue.
Le Clézio regards the Tang Dynasty as the golden age of Chinese poetry. Due to their efforts, Le Clézio and Dong simplified complex issues and broke time and space limitations to examine five outstanding poets from the Tang era.
Nature, women, and wine are themes of common concern to Chinese and foreign poets alike. Influenced by European poetic traditions, Le Clézio was amazed the first time he read Li Bai’s Sitting Alone in Face of Peak Jingting. The peace and harmony when the man is alone with nature, as conveyed in the poem, deeply impressed Le Clézio, who loves nature deeply. The poem even inspired him to look for his own “Mountain Jingting”, where he could sit facing its peak like Li Bai and lose himself in nature. In addition to Li Bai, other Tang poets, such as Du Fu, Bai Juyi, and Zhang Ruoxu, also highly praised nature through poetry. Like them, foreign poets like British and German Romantic poets sang nature’s praises.
When trying to understand Chinese poetry, Westerners must have “windows” through which to read. For example, due to insufficient knowledge of Chinese language and culture, French poet Judith Gautier relied heavily on her Chinese teacher Ding Dunling to explain the Chinese texts when she was translating classical Chinese poetry.
The path of spreading Tang poetry through joint efforts made by Chinese and French scholars should be an energetic, inclusive stream of poetry that welcomes mutual learning, as a saying suggests, “Poetry is a stream that continually flows.”
1. What can we learn about The Road of Tang Poetry?| A．It was published in France. | B．It was written by Le Clézio. |
| C．It won a worldwide prize in 2021. | D．It studied five poets in the Tang Dynasty. |
| A．The outstanding skill of the poet. | B．The beautiful description of nature. |
| C．The man’s peace while staying in nature. | D．The action of the man sitting facing the peak. |
| A．Application of some modern tools. |
| B．Translation of Chinese original texts. |
| C．Knowledge about German Romantic poets. |
| D．A good command of Chinese language and culture. |
| A．A news report. | B．A book review. | C．A research paper. | D．A short story. |
7 . How to Write a Movie Review
Whether it’s for pleasure or a job requirement, writing a good movie review can be a useful exercise.
Follow your main text with a short plot summary. It’s good to give readers an idea of the movie you’re reviewing. Give a brief summary of the main characters, the setting and the central conflict of the movie. Never break the number one rule of movie reviews: don’t give too much away.
Move into your analysis of the movie. Write several paragraphs discussing the interesting elements in the movie that support your points. Discuss the acting, the direction, the cinematography and the setting, keeping your writing clear and easy to understand.
Use plenty of examples to back up your points. If you make a statement about the movie, back it up with a descriptive example. Describe the way scenes look, the way a certain person acted, camera angles, and so on.
| A．Give it some personality. |
| B．Don’t ruin the movie for your readers. |
| C．It is necessary to keep a humorous writing style. |
| D．You should first watch enough movies on your own. |
| E．You can use dialogues to help you express your views. |
| F．So don’t use too many technical terms about film making. |
| G．It allows you to explore your personal connection with a film. |
8 . Lake Mary Jane in central Florida, where people living along the lake like to go boating and swimming and watch the wildlife, is under pressure from development. Orange County, which surrounds the lake, is one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida. A development planned for a site just north of Mary Jane would transform nineteen hundred acres of wetlands and cypress forest into homes.
In an effort to protect herself, Mary Jane is suing (起诉). The lake has filed a case (立案) in Florida state court, stressing that the development would negatively impact the lake, causing concrete, distinct, and visible injuries. Mary Jane’s case is the first in American history. Never before has a lifeless slice of nature tried to defend its rights in the court. “It is long past time to recognize that we are dependent on nature and the continued destruction of nature needs to stop,” Mari Margil, director of the Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights, said in a statement.
The concept that natural objects like woods and streams should have rights was first put forward half a century ago, by Christopher Stone, a law professor who was assigned to teach University of Southern California’s introductory course on property law in 1971. He explained how ownership rights had developed over time and why our natural objects like trees or even rocks should also be given rights. This little thought experiment set off a heated debate nationwide.
Each time there is a movement to give rights to some new things, the proposal is bound to sound odd or frightening or laughable. However, this extension of rights, Stone argued, was needed to address an unavoidable problem. So long as natural objects were valued only in terms of their worth to humans — for the use of humans they could, quite legally, be destroyed.
Despite the fact that the developer is pushing to have Mary Jane’s case dismissed, arguing that the rights the lake wants do not — and cannot — exist, people are starting taking Stone’s words seriously. Even Stone’s critics had fun with his idea. There’s no way to get back to the past. The lake’s wish is pretty clear: It just wants to be left alone.
1. What challenge is Lake Mary Jane facing?| A．The negative effect of the locals’ leisure activities. | B．The loss of the wetlands due to the climate change. |
| C．The ever-increasing wildlife population in the area. | D．The housing development affecting its environment. |
| A．Intolerant. | B．Unclear. | C．Approving. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．To inspire his students’ curiosity. | B．To evaluate the value of natural things. |
| C．To avoid being laughed at by his critics. | D．To keep people from destroying nature. |
| A．Stone will face more criticisms. |
| B．The influence of the case is great. |
| C．Lake Mary Jane is bound to win the case. |
| D．The claim of Lake Mary Jane is ridiculous. |
9 . Although the piano keys come in black and white, the music it produces is full of color. Chinese pianist Tian Jiaxin explores creative performances and crossover cooperations with traditional Chinese music, with the hope of bringing the music of the East to the Western world.
Tian attended regular school instead of studying at a music school in her childhood. This enabled her to absorb China’s rich culture and understand the bigger picture later in her pursuit of a career as a professional pianist. “There’s so much to grasp when explaining a piece. What we`re conveying is not only the notes, but the culture behind the music,” Tian said.
As a Chinese pianist, Tian is looking to add more depth to her performances, stressing the contrast between Eastern and Western cultures. “No matter which country I am performing in, I always include Chinese music in my program. With Western pieces, I hope to show the world that a female musician from China can perform the music that they are familiar with and love.” Tian says that she believes her mission is to make China heard on a wider stage.
Tian believes that music is developing over time and that music from different ages has its own unique meaning. “I’ve found that people’s understanding of Chinese music is often limited to certain pieces like Jasmine Flower,” Tian said. “However, there are so many great pieces of Chinese music that are unacquainted outside of China. So, I always try to feature both the time-honored classics of Chinese music and the newly created pieces,” she added.
“Chinese music has the magic to cause resonance(共鸣) with the audience and convey the various and deep culture of Chinese civilization,” Tian said.
1. What can we learn about Tian Jiaxin from the first two paragraphs?| A．She went to music school at a young age. |
| B．She adapted some well-known Chinese pieces. |
| C．She is a professional pianist known for her unique style. |
| D．She believes the culture behind each piece should be conveyed. |
| A．Unknown. | B．Unpopular. | C．Unacceptable. | D．Unlimited. |
| A．It is setting the fashion. | B．It develops at a low speed. |
| C．It delivers rich culture of China. | D．It holds little appeal for foreigners. |
| A．Differences Between Eastern and Western Music |
| B．Chinese Cultural Fueling International Music Trends |
| C．A Pianist Combing Chinese Music with Western Keys |
| D．A New Generation of Artists Promoting Chinese Culture |
10 . Join our Sail Design Competition and Help Us
Clean Ocean Sailing is a voluntary organization whose aim is to clean our coasts and raise awareness about ocean plastic pollution. They have repaired their sailing boat, Annette, to carry out their important mission and she needs a new sail and your help. This new sail will propel (驱动) her over thousands of miles for the next 10 to 15 years. We’re calling on artists with a vision for happy, healthy oceans to submit sail designs for the Clean Ocean Sailing team.
Design Specifications
● Submit a sail design that reimagines a more sustainable future and an ocean free from plastic pollutants. The background color of the sail will be black. The bigger your design, the better it will be! As the sail will only be seen from far away, small details won’t be seen.
● Make sure that there aren’t any important details on the borders of your design.
● This competition is open for anyone to enter — any age and any design capabilities! We are more than happy for designs to be drawn on an A4 piece of paper — just scan and send!
● If the winning design is hand drawn on paper, we will work with you and a designer to create a digitized version of your artwork!
How to enter
Please tag @stroodles straws and @cleanoceansailing, and use #MakeASplash so we can see and share your work! Please submit your artwork by June 30th, 2023, 23:59.
The Prize
A nice box worth £100+ and your design on the sail for 10+ years!
1. What does the Sail Design Competition aim to do?| A．Call on artists to design a sail. | B．Seek volunteers to clean the coasts. |
| C．Hire artists for the Clean Ocean Sailing team. | D．Find someone to repair Annette and other boats. |
| A．Participants must be over 18 years old. | B．Black should be used for the background. |
| C．A digitized version of the artwork is unaccepted. | D．Details should be added on the borders of the design. |
| A．Share his design with others. | B．Pay £100 to enter the competition. |
| C．Submit his artwork after June 30th, 2023. | D．Use #MakeASplash to get his design seen. |
