1 . Meng Wang is a professor of human genetics. She’s been doing experiments about one of the most exciting new areas of medicine — our microbiome (微生物群).
You can’t see it with the naked eye, but our microbiome is all over (and inside of) us. Recent studies show that it can influence how we behave and even how well we respond to different drugs. Wang says, “Sometimes our microbiomes make us sick, but on the other hand, they also play a very important role in keeping us healthy.”
Wang wanted to know whether our microbiome could influence aging. To test it, she decided to work with a kind of worm (虫子) that lives only two or three weeks. Her question was, what would happen if you changed a worm’s microbiome. Would it be able to live for longer?
Wang chose one of the types of bacteria (细菌) that lives inside a worm, changed its genes (基因) so as to make different varieties, and then fed this bacteria to the worms. Three weeks later — by the time they should have all died — she checked on them. To her excitement, she found that the worms had not died. Older worms usually act slowly. The ones with the new microbiomes, however, not only moved around more quickly in their old age, but were less likely affected by illness too.
Wang is now carrying out tests on mice to see whether changing their microbiomes can influence their lives in a similar way. There is a chance that one day we might take pills which do the same of us. How much longer could this possibly allow us to live for? “Personally, I think 100 is already a good number,” says Wang.
1. What influence does Microbiome have on us according to recent studies?| A．Impacting our behavior. | B．Lengthening lifespan. |
| C．Increasing drug resistance. | D．Leading to deadly illness. |
| A．The worms grew bigger in size. |
| B．The worms kept active at old age. |
| C．The worms were free from illness. |
| D．The worms developed into new varieties. |
| A．Man can live as long as 100. | B．Microbiome works on mice similarly. |
| C．More tests need to be made. | D．Wang will develop anti-aging pills soon. |
| A．Microbiome: the hope of longer life? | B．Tips for scientific research |
| C．Meng Wang: leading scientist of genetics | D．Into the world of Microbiome |
2 . Mindful eating is maintaining an in-the-moment awareness of the food and drink you put into your body. For many of us, our busy daily lives often make mealtimes rushed things. We find ourselves eating in the car going to work, at the desk in front of a computer screen, or parked on the couch watching TV. We eat mindlessly, taking food down regardless of whether we’re still hungry or not. In fact, we often eat for other reasons instead of hunger — to satisfy emotional needs, to free from stress, or deal with unpleasant emotions such as sadness, anxiety, loneliness, or boredom. Mindful eating is the opposite of this kind of unhealthy “mindless” eating.
Mindful eating isn’t about being perfect, always eating the right things, or never allowing yourself to eat on-the-go again. And it’s not about establishing strict rules for which foods you have to include or avoid in your diet. Rather, it’s about focusing all your senses and being present as you shop for, cook, serve, and eat your food.
While mindfulness isn’t for everyone, many people find it worth trying. By paying close attention to how you feel as you eat, you can learn to enjoy both your food and the experience of eating. It can keep you full with less food, and influence wiser choices about what you eat in the future. It can also help you free yourself from unhealthy habits.
To practice mindfulness, you need to participate in an activity with total awareness. In the case of mindful eating, it’s important to eat with all your attention rather than on multitasking (reading, watching TV, daydreaming, etc). When your attention moves away, gently bring it back to your food and the experience of cooking, serving, and eating.
1. Which belongs to mindful eating?| A．Eating while driving. | B．Eating as quickly as possible. |
| C．Eating to fill emotional needs. | D．Eating only to satisfy physical hunger. |
| A．Rudely. | B．Crazily. | C．Irregularly. | D．Hurriedly. |
| A．It’s a trend in weight loss. | B．It’s worthwhile to have a go. |
| C．It’s a universal rule of diet. | D．It’s helpful to keep energetic. |
| A．The benefits of mindful eating. | B．The practice of mindful eating. |
| C．The reasons for mindful eating. | D．The spread of mindful eating. |
3 . Raising awareness of a serious issue begins with its being visible to students. Amazon has some fantastic things for classroom walls that you can get at a reasonable price.
| Hitting, kicking, slapping, spitting, pushing, blocking Stealing or destroying someone’s possessions Making rude hand gestures (手势) Touching in unwanted & improper ways | Name calling Insults (辱骂) Teasing Improper sexual comments Threatening to cause harm | Lying & spreading rumors (谣言) Telling others not to be friends with someone Embarrassing someone in public Damaging someone’s social relationships | Posting/sending hurtful texts, emails or posts, images or videos Making online threats Imitating others online or using their log-in Spreading unkind rumors online |
 | |||
| A．The types of bullying. | B．The ways of anti-bullying. |
| C．The causes of bullying. | D．The effects of anti-bullying. |
| A．Physical bullying. | B．Verbal bullying. |
| C．Social bullying. | D．Cyber bullying. |
| A．To sell posters. | B．To report a bullying survey. |
| C．To fight against bullying. | D．To reveal a rise in bullying. |
4 . Two British teachers have broken the world record for the longest journey in a tuk-tuk after pulling their failing vehicle for 43 miles. Richard Sears and Nick Gough traveled 37,500 kilometers around the world and passed through 37 countries. They did this to support grassroots education project in Africa, Asia and South America.
The pair, who set off from London, thought their expedition was over when the vehicle started to fail. When the tuk-tuk broke, they were only 70 kilometers from their destination. They decided to pull it the rest of the way. The tuk-tuk, which weighs 800 kilograms, was pulled in turns by Richard and Nick over three days. On arrival in Chepen, Peru, they discovered a mechanic who specialized in tuk-tuks and managed to fix it.
The pair were back on the road and aiming for their next goal. Along their journey they had to tackle deserts and jungles. They also survived close encounters with elephants in Uganda and Botswana and an accident in Malaysia. The greatest hardship on the tuk-tuk was the mountain ranges lying in their path, including the Alps, the Himalayas and the Andes.
Nick and Richard uncovered some inspirational projects across Africa, Asia and South America. They witnessed firsthand the educational challenges facing these areas today. They joined street children in the slums of Cairo, Khartoum, Kampala, Mumbai and Phnom Penh. They visited Congolese refugees (难民) in camps in Eastern Burundi. They witnessed how education could free sex-workers in Delhi and victims of human trafficking in Nepal.
The pair established the Tuk-Tuk Educational Trust, a U.K. registered charity.
Talking about their motivation, Richard said, “The world’s leaders have made a commitment to achieving universal primary education but in spite of this pledge (承诺), over 57 million primary-aged children worldwide are still out of school; many more are in school, though still cannot access quality learning opportunities.”
1. Why did the two teachers travel the world?| A．To support an education project. |
| B．To create a new world record. |
| C．To entertain themselves. |
| D．To challenge themselves. |
| A．A little more than 23 kilometers. |
| B．About 14 miles. |
| C．43 miles. |
| D．70 kilometers. |
| A．How they realized their next goal. |
| B．Their exciting experience on the road. |
| C．The beautiful scenery of famous mountains. |
| D．The difficulties and dangers they faced in the journey. |
| A．Curious and brave. |
| B．Humorous and generous. |
| C．Courageous and responsible. |
| D．Efficient and honest. |
5 . What is the best sleep position for your health?
It’s difficult to control what sleeping position we naturally fall into, as our body will subconsciously all into the most comfortable position for us. However, some positions are better for you than others and come could hold back your health and wellbeing.
If you sleep on your side
More than 60 per cent of people sleep on their side. Often our body naturally moves to this position, which is linked to when we were in the womb in the foetal(胎儿的) position.
If you sleep on your back
Lying on your back is the second most popular sleeping position and offers just as many benefits as side sleeping. When you’re sleeping on your back, it’s easy to keep alignment and to also evenly distribute your weight.
If you sleep on your stomach
Sleeping on your stomach is the least common sleeping position.
| A．This also helps to prevent any neck and back pain. |
| B．Sleeping on your side is probably the best position |
| C．Side sleeping would be particularly beneficial for older people. |
| D．There are more negatives to this position compared to positives. |
| E．Determining the sleeping position for you is personal preference. |
| F．Here, this article reveals exactly how your sleep position is affecting your health. |
| G．This is mostly likely because it is one of the most comfortable sleeping positions. |
6 . The UK, Finland, Germany, and Sweden are consistently the top performers in European tech ecosystems. These countries also have the largest economies in Europe.
Finland is second in digital life overall, and first in cashless payment. This is because the internet plays a vital role in Finland’s digital life. High-speed internet access and freedom of speech make the Finnish ecosystem more sustainable, with good internet access and mobile coverage in remote areas.
Since the beginning, Germany’s industry has supported scientific research. German society and economy take pride in their research-development efforts.
Sweden is a leader in technological innovation, with remarkable achievements in web development and mobile apps. For years, Ericsson and other large tech companies dominated the market.
Above are some European countries with the most advanced technological and digital expertise. As we know, the race for technological progress between countries is never over.
| A．Here comes the truth. |
| B．The tide has turned today. |
| C．Most residents there can switch on easily. |
| D．We want to see how Europe’s tech countries compare. |
| E．Not all the countries experienced the smooth development. |
| F．This is supported by evidence from global automotive brands. |
| G．The British Empire was once the most developed country in the world. |
7 . Sharing China 2023 is calling for photos and videos from all over the world until Feb.12, 2023. Welcome to send us your memorable moments from Chinese New Year celebrations.
What We are Looking for
Suggested themes include: traditional customs, modern customs and new trends, folk activities, foreigners experiencing the Spring Festival and celebrations around the world.
Awards and Prizes
We will select 50 photos (single or group) and 10 short films. Each winner will be awarded 1,000RMB.
Timeline
Starting time and deadline: from Dec.20, 2022 to Feb.12, 2023.
Selection and ranking: from Feb.13 to May 15, 2023.
Result announcement: June, 2023.
The Rules
Photos:
1. All works must be real and not doctored or edited.
2. Works can be single photos or a series of photos.
3. Works should have titles and a short photo description.
Short films:
1. Size: 1GB maximum, less than 4 minutes.
2. Dubbing and subtitles (配音和字幕): If the video is dubbed, the language could be either Chinese or English, but subtitles should be bilingual (双语的).
3. Caption: English or Chinese words to give a brief introduction.
How to submit (提交)
You can submit your works to China Culture’s Facebook. For further information, click here.
1. Which time is proper if you want to hand in your works?| A．Dec.10, 2022. | B．Jan.12, 2023. |
| C．Feb.15, 2023. | D．Jun.16, 2023. |
| A．An edited photo. | B．A 3-minute video. |
| C．A photo without a title. | D．A video with only English subtitle. |
| A．A science report. | B．An encyclopedia. |
| C．A story book. | D．A website. |
8 . Getting less than five hours of sleep in mid-to-late life could be linked to an increased risk of developing at least two chronic (慢性的) diseases, according to a new study. The research analyzed the effect of sleep time on the health of more than 7,000 men and women over 50. Researchers examined the relationship between how long each participant slept for and whether they had two or more chronic diseases over the course of 25 years.
People who were reported getting five hours of sleep or less at age 50 were 20% more likely to have two or more chronic diseases, as opposed to people who slept for up to seven hours Additionally, sleeping for five hours or less was linked to a 30% to 40% increased risk of multimorbidity (多病症) when compared with those who slept for up to seven hours.
Lead author, Dr Sabia, said: “To ensure a better night’s sleep, it is important to promote good sleep, such as making sure the bedroom is quiet, dark and a comfortable temperature before sleeping. It’s also advised to remove electronic devices and avoid large meals before bedtime. Physical activity and being exposed to light during the day might also promote good sleep.”
Dr Sabia said, “Short sleep increases the risk of chronic diseases that in turn increase the risk of death. However, if a participant has already suffered from a chronic condition, then long sleep time is associated with around a 35% increased risk of developing another illness. Researchers believe this could be due to unnoticed health conditions impacting sleep.” Dr. Sabia added, “This research adds to a growing body of research that highlights how important it is to get a good night’s sleep.”
1. How did the experts carry out the study in Paragraph 2?| A．By making contrasts. |
| B．By having interviews. |
| C．By conducting online surveys. |
| D．By analyzing published papers. |
| A．Being exposed to light at night. |
| B．Avoiding phone use before bedtime. |
| C．Limiting physical exercise in the day. |
| D．Finding a bright and peaceful bedroom. |
| A．Short sleep may increase deaths by 35%. |
| B．Lack of sleep directly leads to more deaths. |
| C．The longer you sleep, the more diseases you will have. |
| D．The research further stresses the importance of good sleep. |
| A．Longer Sleep, Better Health |
| B．Shorter Sleep, Fewer Risks |
| C．Less Sleep, Poorer Health |
| D．More Exercise, Better Sleep |
9 . Scientists who study happiness know that being kind to others can improve happiness. Acts as simple as buying a cup of coffee for someone can better a person’s mood (心情), for example. Every day life affords many chances for such actions, yet people do not always make use of them.
In a set of studies published online in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Nick Epley, a behavioral scientist, and I examined a possible explanation. We found that people who perform random (随机的) acts of kindness do not always realize how much of an effect they are having on another person. People usually think little of how others value these acts.
Across our investigations, several results came out. For one, both givers and receivers of the acts of kindness were in more positive moods than usual after these exchanges. For another, it was clear that givers undervalued (低估) their effect; receivers felt much better than the kind givers expected. The receivers also really recognized these acts as “bigger” than the people performing them did.
At first, we studied acts of kindness done for familiar people, such as friends, classmates or family. But later we found that givers undervalued their positive effect on strangers as well. In one experiment, givers in a public park gave away hot chocolate to strangers on a cold winter’s day. Once again, the experience was more positive than the givers expected for the receivers. While the people giving the hot chocolate saw the act as unimportant, it really mattered to the receivers.
Our findings suggest that what might seem small to the givers could matter a great deal to the receivers. Since these warm acts can promote our own mood and brighten the day of another person, why not choose kindness when we can?
1. What do givers seldom think about?| A．Comments about their acts. |
| B．Effects of their acts on others. |
| C．Scientists’ explanation. |
| D．Taste of happiness. |
| A．Investigations. | B．Moods. | C．Acts. | D．Exchanges. |
| A．To explain a rule. | B．To prove a finding. |
| C．To present a fact. | D．To show a topic. |
| A．Warm Acts Are Usually Valued |
| B．Warm Acts Are Necessary For People |
| C．Kindness Can Have Unexpectedly Positive Results |
| D．Kindness Can Unexpectedly Brighten Our Own Day |
10 . People often call music a universal language, but do certain songs really cause the same mental images in our minds? Scientists at Princeton find that while music absolutely can stimulate(激发)similar mental experiences, the results also strongly suggest culture is a major factor.
A total of 622 people took part in the study. All of the volunteers came from one of three locations: two suburban college towns in the US (one in Arkansas and the other in Michigan), or the rural Chinese village of Dimen. It’s worth noting that the main language in Dimen is Dong, a tonal language unrelated to the official language of China. Locals there have little contact with Western media or culture at all. All participants listened to the exact same 32 “musical stimuli”— which were 60-second cuts of instrumental music. Half of these pieces came from Western music while the rest came from Chinese music.
After hearing, researchers asked the groups about the images they saw in their heads while listening. Incredibly, people from Arkansas and Michigan often described very similar stories, even using the exact same words frequently. Dimen listeners, on the other hand, envisioned stories that were similar to each other but quite different from the American listeners. More specifically, one track led t o Americans seeing a cowboy in the hot desert surveying an empty town. Meanwhile, Chinese participants imagined a man in ancient times reflecting on the loss of a loved one.
“There’s something about the results that’s really surprising, especially because people encounter music in 2022 often in a solitary way, over headphones. But it turns out, it’s still a shared experience, almost like a shred dream, although not universally shared, ”says Elizabeth Margulis, the study author.
The results paint a more complex picture of music’s power. Music can generate remarkably similar stories in listeners’ minds, but it depends on a common set of cultural experiences. So while we imagine music can bring people together, the opposite can also be true-it can distinguish between sets of people with a different background or culture.
1. What is the probable reason for Dimen being selected for the study?| A．Its unique cultural background. | B．Its close contact with US. |
| C．Its complex language system. | D．Its long tradition of music. |
| A．Exchange their comments on the scene. |
| B．Imagine musicians’ original inspiration. |
| C．Describe the picture forming in mind. |
| D．Recall personal music-related stories. |
| A．Strange. | B．Individual. | C．Outdated. | D．Polite. |
| A．Unbelievable? Music’s Effects Go beyond Cultures |
| B．Problem Solved! How Music Brings Us All Together |
| C．Amazing! Cultures Determine Our Preference for Music |
| D．Universal Language? Culture Matters When We Hear Music |
