1 . At a time when Americans consume more than half of their daily calories from ultra-processed (超加工的) foods, there is increasing evidence showing that eating too much of these foods can make us sick. A recent study published in the British Medical Journal finds people who consume high amounts of these foods have an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and certain cancers. The data come from more than 9 million people who participated in dozens of studies.
Ultra- processed foods are ubiquitous in our food supply. Among the most common are highly refined breads, fast food, sugary drinks, cookies, and other packaged snacks. They are often high in salt, sugar, fat and calories and low in fiber and micro- nutrients such as vitamins.
Although no evidence proves that consumption of ultra-processed foods can directly cause anxiety, cancer or other health conditions, a growing body of evidence shows that ultra-processed foods contribute to the development of these conditions.
A study published last year found people in the habit of consuming high levels of ultra-processed foods were about three times more likely to develop cancer, compared to those who consumed the least. When it comes to mood and mental health conditions, a French study showed that adults who maintained an unhealthy diet had more depressive symptoms. “We saw a roughly 20 to 50% increased risk of depressive symptoms in people who had diets that were high in ultra-processed foods,” says Wolfgang Marx, a researcher.
A panel of advisors is currently evaluating all the latest diet and nutrition studies as part of a process to update the country’s Dietary Guidelines. It is possible that they could recommend limits on ultra-processed foods. On the regulatory side, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is moving ahead to finalize a new definition of the term “healthy”. The FDA says a “healthy” claim on food labels could help consumers identify healthier choices with a quick look and may encourage food companies to improve their products.
1. What does the underlined word “ubiquitous” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Nutritious. | B．Widespread. | C．Cheap. | D．Profitable. |
| A．They are linked to some health problems. | B．They become more popular among adults. |
| C．They directly lead to depressive symptoms. | D．They should be consumed in a proper way. |
| A．Food companies’ future plans. | B．New guidelines for food sales. |
| C．Limits on ultra- processed foods. | D．Responses to ultra- processed foods. |
| A．In a health magazine. | B．In a biology textbook. |
| C．In a medical guideline. | D．In a food advertisement. |
2 . While many of us have only become familiar with AI over the past year or so, artist Refik Anadol has been using the technology for years to create immersive installations (沉浸式装置). Now, his studio is releasing its most ambitious project yet: the Large Nature Model, the world’s first open- source generative AI model focusing on nature.
Under development for DATALAND, Refik Anadol Studio’s future museum and Web3 platform devoted to data visualization and AI art, the Large Nature Model is trained on billions of open-source nature images. Interestingly, the model isn’t just for visuals; it can also produce sound and scent elements.
“Blending art, technology, and nature, our model aims to raise awareness about environmental issues and inspire innovative solutions by finding connections among isolated archives (隔离档案),” shared Anadol. “By engaging people on multiple sensory levels, the outputs of the model make the abstract concept of environmental conservation easily acceptable, encouraging a collective responsibility to act.”
Anadol presented the model at the NVIDIAGTC AI Conference, where he transformed a 65-foot by 131-foot wall into a live AI data sculpture. Fed with 2.5 million sourced nature images, the wall exploded with visuals that show the model’s endless creative possibilities, amazing people present at the conference.
The conference is not the only place where the Large Nature Model is on display. At London’s Serpentine Gallery, Anadol’s Echoes of the Earth: Living Archive shows his years-long experimentation with data on coral reefs and rainforests. On view until April 7, the display deepened visitors’ love of nature.
“Anadol’s artworks made me fully understand the unseen yet incredible role of data in our world,” shared art critic Hans Ulrich Obrist in an interview.“I felt enveloped by the data, the richness of information and the beauty found within nature.”
“This project is not about coping or replacing nature; it’s about appreciating, loving and respecting nature. We’re not replacing nature; we’re preserving it,” said Anadol.
1. What can the Large Nature Model do according to the text?| A．Train a number of famous artists. | B．Offer multi- sensory art experiences. |
| C．Track global immersive installations. | D．Identify outdated nature images quickly. |
| A．Making art products available to the public. | B．Inspiring more artists to get close to nature. |
| C．Contributing to environmental conservation. | D．Boosting the development of local museums. |
| A．To prove the studio’s model is incredible. | B．To tell the inspiration for Anadol’s dream. |
| C．To show environmental issues are serious. | D．To highlight the barrier to using the model. |
| A．The power of data. | B．The key role of a gallery. |
| C．The cooperation of humans. | D．The trend of replacing nature. |
3 . One night, a little before nine o’clock, Dr Johnson was answering a telephone call. He was asked to go and give an operation to a very sick boy at once. The boy was in a small hospital in Glens Falls, sixty miles away from Dr Johnson’s city-Albany. The boy had hurt himself in a traffic accident. His life was in danger, but his family was so poor that they could not pay the doctor anything. After he heard all this, Dr Johnson was driving carefully. He thought that he could get to the hospital before 12 o’clock. A few minutes later, the doctor’s car had to stop for a red light at a crossing. Suddenly a man in an old black coat opened the door of the car and got in.
“Drive on”, he said. “I’ve got a gun (枪)?”
“I’m a doctor,” said Johnson, “I’m on my way to a hospital to operate on a very sick…”
“Don’t talk,” said the man in the old black coat, “Just drive.”
A mile out of the town he ordered the doctor to stop the car and get out. Then the man drove on down the road. The doctor stood for a moment in the snow. After half an hour, Dr Johnson found a telephone and called a taxi. At the railway station he learned that the next train to Glens Falls would not leave until 12 o’clock.
It was after two o’ clock in the morning when the doctor arrived at the hospital in Glens Falls. Miss Clarke, a nurse, was waiting for him.
“I did my best,” said Dr Johnson. Miss Clarke said, “The boy died an hour ago.”
They walked into the waiting room. There sat the man in the old black coat, with his head in his hands.
“Mr. Shute,” said Miss Clarke to the man, “his is Dr Johnson. He had come all the way from Albany to try to save your boy.”
1. From the story we know it took Dr Johnson ______ to get lo the hospital.| A．12 hours | B．7 hours | C．only 1 hour | D．about 5 hours |
| A．there was something wrong with his car | B．a strange man made it hard to drive |
| C．a strange man drove his car away | D．the train to Glens Falls was late |
| A．was a good man, he didn’t care for the money |
| B．hurt himself on the way to Glens Falls |
| C．did the operation and boy was saved |
| D．wouldn’t do the operation until the boy’s family paid the money |
| A．hit the boy and ran away | B．took the boy to the hospital |
| C．was the boy’s father | D．was the real doctor |
| A．happy and pleased | B．regretful (悔恨) and sad |
| C．worried and angry | D．tired and hungry |
4 . It’s common to hear Germans being highly regarded around the world for their workplace and office efficiency (效率). It is true that German workers are more productive than the rest of their European neighbors, while still taking more sick days and holidays, especially in comparison to British workers.
One of the reasons is that Germans’ better understanding of a work-life balance. By truly finding that sweet spot between work and play, Germans can be far more productive within the office, while relaxing more efficiently. Lots of references to this balance can be found in German slang. “Brückentage”, or “bridge days”, is a common German saying which means to take time off around bank holidays, when most workers will take an extra day or two off work in order to refuel, preparing themselves mentally for the work ahead.
Another common German expression “Erst die Arbeit, dann das Vergnügen!”means “First work, then pleasure”. As such, there seems to be a culture within Germany of working first and then focusing on relaxing, all while understanding that taking time to recharge will help you be more productive in the future. There is a trend (趋势) within British office workers to come to work, even when they are ill, and to pay little attention to any sickness in front of management. While this does lead to more time in the office, it has serious negative effects on productivity and creates the risk of illnesses passing between colleagues. However, in Germany, there is a strong feeling that if you are sick you should stay at home—not only does it protect other office workers, but it also allows the individual to rest and recover properly, meaning they are fit for work and more productive in a shorter space of time.
1. What can be known about German workers from paragraph 1?| A．They are believed to be more productive than British ones. |
| B．They are proud of having good working conditions. |
| C．They work less time due to fear of making mistakes. |
| D．They tend to become sick more often than British workers. |
| A．Play bridge. | B．Work extra hours. |
| C．Rest and relax. | D．Plan medical examinations. |
| A．Work less and play more. | B．Keep on working though ill. |
| C．First work, then pleasure. | D．More work, better life. |
| A．Working hours. | B．Ways of management. |
| C．Work efficiency in offices. | D．Attitudes to work with illness. |
5 . One inconvenient truth for the clean energy industry is the undeniable fact that wind turbines (涡轮机) kill birds. Researchers say smarter turbines could dramatically cut the toll.
The American Bird Conservancy claims that at least one million bird deaths as a result of wind turbines a year in the US alone is likely to be an underestimate. That’s substantially less than the estimated 980 million birds a year that die crashing into buildings, or the 1.4 to 3.7 billion per year killed by domestic cats. But it’s still an unacceptable number, and a problem that needs to be addressed— because a fully green energy network will need more and more turbines over the coming decades.
Researchers at SINTEF and the Norwegian Centre believe they have an idea that could help in a lot of cases. The idea — known as SKARV— is fairly simple: each turbine will have cameras fitted, capable of spotting birds flying directly into the path of the rotors (螺旋桨). Software will automatically calculate their predicted path, and if it looks like they’re in danger of being hit, the system will send control signals to slow the rotors down.
In simulations (模拟), the system is able to avoid the vast majority of crashes. This, of course, doesn’t describe all situations. For example, if a young, inexperienced bird approaches a turbine displaying irregular flight behavior, it will not be possible to predict exactly where it will be a few seconds later. Prediction is also more difficult if several birds approach at the same time.
Some researchers argue that birds are learning to avoid turbines voluntarily. But if more than a million birds a year haven’t got the memo yet, it’s still a problem worth solving. We look forward to hearing how trials progress.
1. What does the underlined phrase “cut the toll” in paragraph I probably mean?| A．Maximize efficiency. | B．Reduce deaths. |
| C．Lower costs. | D．Prevent errors. |
| A．It tops the list of bird deaths. | B．It calls for immediate action. |
| C．It has been properly solved. | D．It shows progress in technology. |
| A．By keeping a constant speed. | B．By recording birds’ behavior. |
| C．By predicting potential danger. | D．By sending warnings to birds. |
| A．Challenges presented in simulations. | B．Features of birds’ flying patterns. |
| C．Examples of SKARV’s application | D．Approaches to crash avoidance. |
6 . Besides being a lovely and important part of marine ecosystems, baby seals might have an unusual ability. They can change the pitch (音高) of their voices to be better understood, like humans do, a new study found. A person or animal using this skill is being what’s called “vocally plastic”, or adjusting their vocal (声音的) signals in response to environmental changes that overlap or cover up their voices, according to the study published Monday in the journal Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society.
The researchers had a number of reasons for wanting to test the vocal changes of baby harbor seals. The rare ability to copy new sounds — vocal learning — had been seen previously among adult harbor seals and a few other mammal species (哺乳动物), according to the authors. And very few mammals have the ability to change their vocal pitch to sound higher or lower, which is important for human communication. “By looking at one of the few other mammals who may be capable of learning sounds, we can better understand how we, humans, acquire speech, and finally why we are such chatty animals,” said Andrea Ravignani.
As the seals heard a speaker play a 45-minute recording consisting of high noise, low noise or no playback over several days, they naturally called out. When the baby seals heard louder sea noises, they lowered their vocal pitch. During more intense noise levels, the pups used a steadier pitch — and one seal raised its voice. This behavior, called the Lombard Effect, is typical for human speech when people talk louder to be more understandable, the authors said.
“The findings showed that seal pups have a more advanced control over their vocalisations than assumed up until now,” Ravignani said in a statement. “This control seems to be already present at only a few weeks of age. This is astonishing, as few other mammals seem capable of that.”
1. What does paragraph 1 tell us about baby seals?| A．They are cute but rare. |
| B．They can change vocal pitch. |
| C．They can understand human words. |
| D．They can be harmed by environmental changes. |
| A．To better understand adult harbor seals. |
| B．To show their rare ability of vocal learning. |
| C．To know more about human communication. |
| D．To find out how to protect them from extinction. |
| A．Baby seals can control their vocalisations when born. |
| B．Baby seals’ vocal ability is out of scientists’ expectation. |
| C．Scientists have long understood the vocal ability of baby seals. |
| D．Many other baby mammals are better at vocalisations than baby seals. |
| A．A surprising fact about baby seals |
| B．Baby seals are cuter than assumed |
| C．Harbor seals are in danger of extinction |
| D．The amazing survival ability of baby seals |
7 . “Anxiety.” The very word causes discomfort. Its effects—shortness of breath, pounding heart, muscle tension—are upsetting. Research shows that in and of itself, anxiety is not deadly, and it certainly is not a disease.
It can build your emotional strength and toughness
Working out at the gym is supposed to be hard and uncomfortable, since it involves pushing our physical strength past what you can easily do.
Humans are social creatures. The number one predictor of happiness is not financial success, or fame. It’s the quality of our relationships. In the same way, sharing our anxieties with our loved ones is one of the most effective strategies to build connection.
It can help you readjust and rebalance
Often, all of us find ourselves at the end of our rope. Our responsibilities pile up, our resources break down, and we just don’t have enough time to get everything done. We feel uncomfortably anxious most of the time. In such cases, what we’re experiencing is called stress.
Therefore, anxiety can be a healthy, helpful emotion that is a constructive aspect of human life.
| A．Anxiety can have a more specific meaning |
| B．It’s about time we start to put it to good use |
| C．It’s no wonder that anxiety is causing us much concern |
| D．It can increase your emotional relationship and connection |
| E．Similarly, you need to face some degree of mental hardship |
| F．Quite the contrary: it is an indicator of brain and sensory health |
| G．Simply put, the demands placed upon us outweigh our available resources |
8 . Scientists have been experimenting with playing sounds to plants since at least the 1960s, during which time they have been exposed to everything from Beethoven to Michael Jackson. Over the years, evidence that this sort of thing can have an effect has been growing. One paper, published in 2018, claimed that an Asian shrub known as the telegraph plant grew substantially larger leaves when exposed to 56 days of Buddhist music — but not if it was exposed to Western pop music or silence. Another, published last year, found that marigolds and sage plants exposed to the noise of traffic from a busy motorway suffered growth difficulty.
Plants have been evolving (进化) alongside the insects that eat them for hundreds of millions of years. With that in mind, Heidi Appel, a botanist now at the University of Houston, and Reginald Cocroft, a biologist at the University of Missouri, wondered if plants might be sensitive to the sounds made by the animals with which they most often interact. They recorded the vibrations made by certain species of caterpillars (毛毛虫) as they chewed on leaves. These vibrations are not powerful enough to produce sound waves in the air. But they are able to travel across leaves and branches, and even to neighbouring plants if their leaves touch.
They then exposed tobacco plant — the plant biologist’s version of the laboratory mouse — to the recorded vibrations while no caterpillars were actually present. Later, they put real caterpillars on the plants to see if exposure had led them to prepare for an insect attack. The results were striking. Leaves that had been exposed had significantly higher levels of defensive chemicals, making them much harder for the caterpillars to eat. Leaves that had not been exposed to vibrations showed no such response. Other sorts of vibration — caused by the wind, for instance, or other insects that do not eat leaves — had no effect.
“Now speakers with the right audio files are more often being used to warn crops to act when insects are detected but not yet widespread,” says Dr. Cocroft. “Unlike chemical pesticides, sound waves leave no dangerous chemicals.”
1. What can we learn about plants from the first paragraph?| A．They may enjoy Western music. | B．They can’t stand Buddhist music. |
| C．They can react to different sounds. | D．They can make different sounds. |
| A．Plants can make a cry for help. | B．Plants evolve alongside insects. |
| C．Plants are sensitive to the sounds. | D．Plants have been studied for years. |
| A．They can recongnize harmful vibrations. | B．They look like laboratory mice. |
| C．They can threaten the caterpillars. | D．They can release poisonous chemicals. |
| A．Disadvantages of chemical pesticides. | B．Application of the experimental results. |
| C．Interaction between plants and insects. | D．Warning system of widespread insects. |
9 . My 15-year-old daughter landed her first job this summer as a dishwasher at the local cafe, making $16 an hour. And I was filling with pride and unrequested advice.
After her first shift, my daughter issued her grievances. She was on her feet for hours on end! The water was extremely hot! She was too busy to eat dinner! And every time she turned around, the sink was piled high with pots and pans covered in cheese and sauce!
I panicked. Over the next few days, I tried talking to my daughter about what she could do differently. I tried coaching her on how to ask her manager for a 15-minute snack break. And I offered her a pair of rubber gloves. My daughter would have none of it.
As the weeks wore on, she got to know the work well. Oh, she still complained. But she told me that she was gamifying (游戏化) the washing system, that the line cooks had an amusing middle school sense of humor, and that the head chef was developing a dessert that she got to taste-test before it hit the menu. Plus, there was the money.
The other day she said that during her first week at work, she didn’t understand how to clock in and out on the time clock (考勤钟).“So, I told my boss the clock wasn’t working for me and I texted him my hours,” she said. “But later on, I watched a few other people clock in and figured it out.”
“You know, sometimes it’s OK to ask for help,” I advised.
As soon as I saw her wounded look, I regretted my words. Why was I correcting her when she’d eventually found the solution on her own? That was her chance to grow, learn, and gain independence and responsibility.
Last night she told me excitedly the boss asked her to do some salad preparation. When I heard the news, I smiled happily. A promotion already! For a teenager, having a summer job is a beautiful growing experience, and for a parent, watching your child experience it is an exercise in learning to let go.
1. What does the underlined word “grievances” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Standards. | B．Securities. | C．Warnings. | D．Complaints. |
| A．She adapted herself to the job. | B．She tried to impress the chef. |
| C．She liked playing games at work. | D．She earned a higher salary. |
| A．She didn’t know how to ask for help. | B．She was wounded while washing dishes. |
| C．She didn’t get enough support from the boss. | D．She was dissatisfied with her mother’s words. |
| A．Experience is the best teacher. | B．Industry is the parent of success. |
| C．Parenting is hard in modern times. | D．The first step is as good as half over. |
10 . 2024 Seattle Marathon’s Summer Events
The Seattle Marathon Association (SMA) is a non-profit organization proud of providing a quality running event in the Pacific Northwest. Join us for our annual family-friendly run at Seward Park with views of Lake Washington and Mount Rainier. Dogs welcome! Choose your distance: 5k, 10k or Half Marathon! Kids are welcome to participate in the Kids Fun Run, a quick 1k run with specially provided snacks waiting at the end.
Event scheduleAt 3:00 PM, June 21 — Early Packet Pickup
At 7:00 AM, June 22 — Event Day Registration & Packet Pickup
Registration feesEvents | Early Bird Pricing (Now-Feb. 29) | Regular Pricing (Mar. 1-Jun, 20) | Race Day Pricing (Jun. 21-22) |
Half Marathon | $62.00 | $82.00 | $122.00 |
10K Run/Walk | $35.00 | $52.00 | $72.00 |
5K Run/Walk | $31.00 | $42.00 | $62.00 |
Kids Fun Run | $20.00 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
All finishers will receive an event me dal and a technical fabric shirt.
●Top 3 overall men & women participants in the 5k (must come in under 25min), 10k (must come in under 45min) and Half Marathon (must come in under 1hr 30min) races will receive cash prizes at the finish line.
●In addition, in the week following the race, non-cash awards will be emailed to the top three runners in each age division. Age divisions are as follows: 14 and under,15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80-89 and 90+.
Free entries for the best athletesWe offer free entries for athletes who can prove qualifying time(s) within the last 2 years. Please note that we only offer free registration and do not cover any transportation, accommodation, food or visa fees. Please contact us with proof of your qualifying time(s) within the last 2 years for a free entry to the race.
1. What will a child receive after finishing the kids Fun Run?| A．Cash prizes. | B．Special snacks. |
| C．Track shoes. | D．Free accommodation. |
| A．$70.00. | B．$84.00. | C．$104.00. | D．$144.00. |
| A．Having received event medals twice. |
| B．Offering evidence of their qualifying times. |
| C．Completing the Half Marathon in 90 minutes. |
| D．Ranking among top three in their age divisions. |
