1 . Tai chi is a wellness practice that combines slow, gentle movements and postures with mindfulness.     1    . As a traditional, slow-moving form of Chinese martial art, tai chi is known to increase flexibility and improve balance. Now, new research suggests it’s better than more vigorous aerobic exercises for lowering blood pressure in people with prehypertension (高血压前期) .

In the study, researchers in China randomly assigned 342 adults with prehypertension to one of two interventions. Roughly half the people participated in aerobic exercise, including jogging, climbing stairs and cycling.     2     Both groups got hourlong sessions four times a week.

After 12 months, those in the tai chi group saw bigger drops in their blood pressure than those in the aerobic exercise group. What’s more, nearly 22% of the people who practiced tai chi saw their blood pressure fall to within normal range.     3     And fewer patients in the tai chi group went on to develop high blood pressure.

    4     The practice tends to elicit (引起) more of a response from the parasympathetic nervous system (副交感神经系统) that relaxes your body after periods of stress or danger, says Rut h Taylor-Piliae, a professor at the University of Arizona’s College of Nursing.

Tai chi is appealing as a form of exercise because it is low impact and requires little space or equipment. “I think the beauty of tai chi is that you don’t have to have a special gym membership or special clohing, “ Taylor-Piliae says. “Once you learn tai chi, you can do it anytime, anyplace, anywhere.     5    ”

A．It can help reduce anxiety.

B．The other half was trained to practice tai chi.

C．It’s often called meditation (冥想) in motion.

D．So why does tai chi gain in popularity among people?

E．So what is it about tai chi that helps lower blood pressure?

F．By contrast, that number was 16% in the aerobic exercise group.

G．But you have to practice it consistently to gain the most benefit.

5 . Life can change in the blink of an eye. For Bridgette Ponson, one of those moments took place in the parking lot at her workplace, Layton Christian Academy. While she was in the parking lot, her 2-year-old boy and 3-year-old girl in tow, a car hit them. This left the mother and her kids trapped beneath the car. Thankfully, the woman driver wasn’t driving very fast. At that moment, she was blinded by the sun. However, she got out of the car to help as soon as possible. Plus, she wasn’t the only one who stopped what they were doing to save Bridgette and her kids.

Soon, Chris Crowder, CEO of the school, became aware of the accident. Without delay, he united a group of students to help. “It was split second,” Chris recalled. “I immediately just ran into the building because I knew I had to get a lot of people to lift this car. The students just heard me shout. All students from different countries just ran out and lifted it up.”

Still, this wasn’t an easy task. The car was heavy. But the whole group of students worked together to lift the car enough for Bridgette and her kids to get free. Finally, one kid was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital while Bridgette and the other kid were taken by ambulance to the hospital. Although Bridgette took the brunt of the injuries, all three of them were expected to make complete recoveries within a few days. The heroic students who helped out certainly got their well-deserved praise.

“I’m very proud of our kids. They ran out without hesitation, and they just knew what to do without even being told what to do. I’m even surprised by the driver who was behind the wheel. She immediately ran to help,” said Chris.

1. Which of the following caused the accident in the parking lot?

A．The car was speeding.	B．The driver was trapped in the car.
C．Bridgette ignored the surroundings.	D．The sunlight blocked the driver’s sight.

2. Why were the students gathered quickly by Chris?

A．To meet foreign students.	B．To avoid the car accident.
C．To provide emergency aid.	D．To lift the kids out of the car.

3. What can we conclude from paragraph 3?

A．Many hands make light work.	B．The hospital is no place to be sick.
C．Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten.	D．Praise makes good men better and bad men worse.

4. What did Chris think of the action to help?

A．Passive.

B．Hesitant.

C．Timely.

D．Expected.

6 . When you think of a map, is north on the top or the bottom? Usually, maps are designed with north on top, though when we think about it, there is no logical reason for this bias (偏见). After all, there is no up or down in space. So what is wrong with south, east or west being on the top of the map? The answer is: nothing at all. In fact, north-up maps only became the norm in the last few hundred years.

Ancient Egyptian maps had south at the top because the Nile River flows downhill from mountains in the south to the Mediterranean Sea in the north. Mecca was to the south of most early Muslim civilizations, and south-up maps were designed so that viewers would look up to see Mecca. Medieval Christian maps had east at the top, as they believed the Garden of Eden was in the east. The only early maps that had north at the top were those of early China because the emperor lived in the north.

North seems to have settled at the top of maps during the 16th century, largely thanks to a Flemish mapmaker, Mercator. Mercator was a great admirer of an early Greek mapmaker, who, for reasons now unknown, put north at the top of maps, so Mercator did, too. When Mercator’s world map became the standard map to navigate the oceans, north up became standard as well.

What is the implication of this north-view of the world? Psychologically, people tend to think of up as good and down as bad. Just think of words and phrases like “upmarket”, “upbeat” and “moving up in the world”, and how they contrast with their opposites. Because north is so consistently put at the top of maps, people now think of north as good, too.

Several attempts have been made in recent years by introducing south-up maps to the market. These maps not only give us a chance to see the world differently, but also give everyone the chance to see themselves on top.

1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?

A．North-up maps were rare in ancient times.

B．Deciding up or down in space is ridiculous.

C．Mecca maps were based on a legend.

D．The south-up map first appeared in ancient Egypt.

2. Why is north associated with good?

A．An illogical reason.	B．The spread of Mercator’s maps.
C．People’s preference for up.	D．An age-old tradition in Greece.

3. What is the author’s attitude to south-up maps?

A．Cautious.

B．Supportive.

C．Uncaring.

D．Disapproving.

4. What’s the main purpose of the text?

A．To criticize a phenomenon.	B．To compare various facts.
C．To correct a cultural bias.	D．To argue for a viewpoint.

7 . Argentina lies in the South America. There are many festivals in Argentina during the year. Therefore, you can enjoy the different interesting festivals when traveling there.

First of all, we should talk about the Tango (探戈) Festival inArgentina, which is held in the capital of this country — Buenos Aires, from February to March. You ought to know that Argentina is the home of tango, so Argentinians admire this dance very much. Even if you cannot dance perfectly, you should join the people and try to perform this dance.

The next festival in Argentina is Open Polo (马球) Tournament. You should go to Palermo to see this festival in Argentina. This festival is held every year and is the most important polo tournament in Argentina.This kind of sport is considered the most important in Argentina.

Attending this festival in Argentina, you will be able to communicate with different people and admire the fascinating competition between the teams of different countries, such as Argentina, England, Australia, as well as the US. This festival in Argentina is usually held between November and December every year. So don’t miss the opportunity if you travel to Argentina at this time.

The other festival in Argentina is the Semana Musical Liao Liao. This is a festival of classical music. The festival was created in 1993 and is held at the Liao Liao Hotel, near Bariloche. The festival is held yearly in October. So if you admire this kind of music, you should travel toArgentina in October.

There are also many carnivals in Argentina in summer. Of course, it’s impossible to put everything about festivals in Argentina into just one article. We hope that you have found this article interesting and eye-catching.

1. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Entertainments in Argentina	B．Festivals in Argentina
C．Travel to Argentina	D．A brief introduction to Argentina

2. From the passage, we know that the Tango Festival        .

A．is organized by the government

B．welcomes everyone to take part in it

C．is held in summer

D．holds parties for different dances

3. Which of the following is a sports festival?

A．Open Polo Tournament.	B．Every carnival in Argentina.
C．The Tango Festival.	D．The Semana Musical Liao Liao.

4. If Tom wants to enjoy a classical music event in Argentina, he should visit        .

A．Buenos Aires in spring	B．Palermo in April
C．Palermo in winter	D．Bariloche in October

8 . Tony Hawk, who I thought was bigger than life, came in the room and then the interview began.

As the world’ s greatest skateboarder (滑板手) , he talked about how his life was not always so miraculous (奇迹般的). He mentioned one day he was skating on top of the world, and the next day the sport of skateboarding fell right on its face. Life for Tony has had its ups and downs, and what brought him back up was the way he believed in himself. One of the most tragic events in Tony’ s life was that his father passed away. Although he suffered such pain, he never lost sight of his dream. He put his energy into his dream, which helped him overcome his sadness.

One part of Tony that completely impressed me is the way he accepts himself. His goal is never to do better than others, but to do his best. If he does the best he can, it doesn’t matter how anyone else takes him.That’s true and wise. As for me, I play baseball and things aren’t going so well, but I’m trying my hardest because that’s life. It’s how you approach those bad days that will keep you on top.

Confidence brought Tony to the next level. During our meeting he continually talked about the importance of following one’ s dream. He also said, along with that, one needs to have a strong faith in one’s own ability to achieve that dream, no matter what challenges are presented.

By the end, I didn’t see the same guy who had walked through the door an hour earlier. Now I view him as more than a world-class skateboarder. He is also a normal person who has dealt with many of the same problems we all face, but the difference is that he is always able to rise above his problems by having faith in his dream.

1. What does the underlined part “fell right on its face” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．finished.

B．continued.

C．happened.

D．failed.

2. The example of the author’s playing baseball is used to show he

A．has the same view of life as Tony Hawk

B．doesn’ t want to play baseball anymore

C．wants to be as successful as Tony Hawk

D．accepts Tony Hawk’ s suggestion

3. In the eyes of the author, what makes Tony Hawk special?

A．His achievement.

B．His unusual experience.

C．His determination to realize his dream.

D．His confidence in winning the game.

4. What does the author think of Tony Hawk at the end of the interview?

A．Simple.

B．Real.

C．Lucky.

D．Dangerous.

9 . Students who are better able to understand and manage their emotions effectively, a skill known as emotional intelligence (EI), do better at school than their less-skilled classmates, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

“It’s not enough to be smart and hardworking. Students must also be able to understand and manage their emotions to succeed at school,” said Carolyn MacCann, lead author of the study. MacCann and her colleagues analyzed data from more than 160 studies, representing more than 42,000 students from 27 countries, published between 1998 and 2019. The students ranged in age from primary school to college. The researchers found that students with higher EI tended to get higher grades and better achievement test scores than those with lower EI scores. This finding held true even when controlling for intelligence and personality factors. What was most surprising to the researchers was the association held despite different ages.

As for why EI can affect academic performance, MacCann believes a number of factors may come into play. “Students with higher EI may be better able to manage negative emotions, such as anxiety, boredom and disappointment, which can negatively affect academic performance,” she said. “Also, these students may be better able to manage the social world around them, forming better relationships with teachers, classmates and family, all of which are important to academic success.” Finally, the skills required for EI, such as understanding human motivation and emotion, may overlap with (与……重叠) the skills required to master certain subjects, such as history and language, giving students an advantage in those subject areas, according to MacCann.

However, MacCann cautions against widespread testing of students to identify and target those with low EI as it may stigmatize (给……打上烙印) those students. Instead, she recommends interventions that involve the whole school, including additional teacher training and a focus on teacher well-being and emotional skills. “Programs that integrate emotional skill development into the existing curriculum would be beneficial, as research suggests that training works better when run by teachers rather than external professionals,” she said. “Increasing skills for everyone not just those with low EI would benefit everyone.”

1. What can we learn from MacCann’s study?

A．Only students in middle school and high school participated in it.

B．EI had an effect on learning for students of all ages.

C．Students with lower EI tended to get higher grades.

D．EI is also influenced by intelligence and personality factors.

2. What is not a reason for the conclusion of MacCann’s study?

A．High-EI students are capable of controlling negative emotions.

B．High-EI students are more likely to develop social relationships.

C．High-EI students can easily focus on their study.

D．High-EI students have helpful skills for certain subjects.

3. What does MacCann suggest in the last paragraph?

A．Equipping teachers with emotional skills.

B．Introducing a new curriculum.

C．Developing special programs for students with low EI.

D．Employing emotional specialists to give training to students.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Should EI be taught in school?

B．How can students develop high EI?

C．Students with high EI do better in school

D．Good students do better in managing emotions

10 . It took a thunderstorm for Gordon Hempton to truly appreciate quiet. After a visit home to Seattle, Washington in 1980, the graduate student found himself tired from the 3,000km way back to his university in Wisconsin.

Deciding it was time to sleep for the night and that the August heat made it unnecessary to live in a motel, Hempton pulled over and laid down in a field. He stretched out after hours on the road. Suddenly, a thunderstorm sounded overhead. Too tired to move, he decided to stay right there. What he did next led to an awakening: he listened.

“I heard all: the movement of the air, the insect activity, the drops of the rain, the echo of the thunder,” he says. “My eyes were closed, but it was as if I could see all the creatures I’d been sharing life with but never known. I was impressed by my awareness.” So vivid was Hempton’s awakening that he immediately dropped out of university, giving up a degree in Economics, and changed the course of his life.

After that, Hempton travelled within Olympic National Park with microphone and recorder, where he captured the wonderful sounds from the wildlife in quiet. Quiet, in this sense, does not mean complete silence. He says, “We might say that quiet offers an opportunity to be aware of our surroundings.”

Yet, despite these ear-arresting experiences, Hempton realized that quiet places were disappearing at an alarming rate, with noise pollution making it more difficult to listen to the quiet sounds of nature.

In 1998, the Smithsonian hired Hempton to go on a trip to Hawaii, collecting sounds of endangered animals and plants to be played at a photography exhibition.

Now 67, he is a famous acoustic ecologist (someone who studies sound in living environments) and co-founder of Quiet Parks International (QPI), an organization that identifies and preserves natural soundscapes by testing sound levels and encouraging visitors to recognize the importance of quiet.

1. What made Gordon Hempton quit the university?

A．His concerns about future.

B．His tiredness of school work.

C．An experience on his way to university.

D．The long distance from the university to his home.

2. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 4 suggest?

A．Quiet doesn’t mean no sound.

B．Quiet can awake one’s sense.

C．Quiet helps one capture sounds of nature.

D．Quiet places are damaged by human beings.

3. Which words can best describe Gordon Hempton?

A．enthusiastic and devoted.	B．creative and expressive.
C．hardworking and outgoing.	D．modest and generous.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．An appeal for environment protection.

B．An explanation of a science related to sound.

C．An introduction of a man with great achievements.

D．A story about fighting for quiet in a world full of noise.