1 .

When it comes to debates over the Mona Lisa, most people tend to fall into conversation over whether the subject is pretending a smile.       1     — whether the painting shows an image of a woman who has eyebrows (眉毛), as her forehead seems strangely free of follicles (毛囊).

The answer? Perhaps. But not anymore.     2    . It was most stylish for women in l6th - century Italy to pull out or shave their eyebrows. It's within reason that Lisa Gherardini, who is the suspected model for the painting, may have been lacking in eyebrows for that reason.

In 2007, a French photographer and engineer named Pascal Cotte cast doubt on that idea. Using an advanced camera capable of capturing images of high quality, Cotte claimed he was able to visualize a faint eyebrow hair on her face.     3    .

If Cotte's observation is correct, why only one hair? It's possible, Cotte said, that Da Vinci painted a glaze (釉) over most of the piece and then added further detail on top of it.     4    . The restoration work applied to the painting over time may have accidentally erased her follicular features. Based on his analysis, Cotte visualized other layers of the painting. Da Vinci moved the two left fingers of his subject and had originally made her smile wider, according to the photographer.

Cotte's photos allow observers to make their own judgment about whether Mona Lisa's eyebrows were pulled out.     5    

A．A more careful analysis might raise another argument

B．No one will deny it's Leonardo Da Vinci's symbolic artwork

C．Perhaps Da Vinci had indeed intended to paint his subject with eyebrows

D．In painting the work, Da Vinci was likely to be recognizing the fashion trends

E．That may have created a situation where the topmost layer was easily damaged

F．It's another element that may make the painting appealing for another 500 years

G．It can clearly be seen that cracks (裂缝) around the eye have slightly disappeared

2 . It had been 10 years since a family in the Ozarks lost their beloved dog named Razzle. Understandably, after so much time, they’d come to accept the fact that they would never get to see their furry little friend again.

But then they received a phone call that was nothing short of a miracle — Razzle had been found!

In the decade since he went missing, Razzle has been on a long journey. He somehow managed to make his way from Herb Springs, Arkansas, to French Camp, California. That adds up to 1, 600 miles!

While traveling around the city, Razzle managed to come across just the right people. According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, after they discovered the sweet dog, they had him checked for a microchip. Thankfully, he did have one, and they were able to locate his family! That’s when volunteer pilot Jeremy Wade took over.

“The amazing dog transport folks out in California knew I sometimes fly to Heber Springs, and now he’s getting a ride with me back to his family after all these years,” Jeremy said.

Razzle’s long journey away from home was finally coming to a close! He was loaded safely onto the plane, and then the two of them headed to Arkansas, where the pup’s family was waiting for them.

“He’s now a very old dog, but now he can have the sunset of his life back home with his family in the Ozarks,” Jeremy said.

We can only imagine how amazed Razzle’s family was to hear the news, but the joy on their faces when they were finally reunited said it all.

Wow, what an emotional ending! There truly is nothing like the love between a family and their dog.

1. What happened after Razzle’s missing?

A．He liked the journey.	B．His owners felt amazed.
C．He created a miracle.	D．His owners accepted the fact.

2. What’s the key factor for the dog’s return home?

A．The folks’ transporting him.	B．His loyalty to his owners.
C．The microchip tied to him.	D．The pilot’s taking over him.

3. Which word can describe Sheriff’s office?

A．Cautious.

B．Determined.

C．Generous.

D．Grateful.

4. What’s the best title of this text?

A．Friendly People Rescued a Dog.	B．A Dog Travels 1, 600 Miles.
C．A Family Lost Their Beloved Dog.	D．A Dog Finds His Way Home.

3 . We’ve all heard the saying“Life slows down the older you get,” but that's certainly not true for Joan MacDonald.

The 75-year-old fitness influencer has accumulated an incredible following on social media, in part because she's chosen to actively reject the idea that aging robs you of your energy, focus and drive. In fact, MacDonald looks at movement as a “gift, ” and whether you're hitting the gym five days a week, or just beginning your fitness journey 一 it's never too late to take advantage of what your body was meant to do. Get moving.

“Just start with what you can, ” MacDonald tells Guideposts, org when asked what her best piece of advice would be for seniors looking to get active again.“If you can only walk three blocks, start there. Over time aim to add another block.”

And just because you' re starting small, it doesn’t' t mean that a short bike ride or quick stretch session isn't having an impact. The recommended amount of cardio （有氧运动）each day for most adults is 30 minutes, although even short bursts of movement can have a huge impact on decreasing the risk of being overweight, heart problems and other conditions.

The key is consistency. MacDonald knows that the road to healthy isn't easy and sometimes, the struggle can seem impossible to overcome. She had to battle against years of bad habits and recondition her body to push against her imagined limits. She tries to keep her social media channels focused on the positive aspects of working out and eating better, always encouraging and uplifting her followers, and never judging their difficulties 一 or her own. It's that attitude that she says is key to staying active.

“Focus on what is going right and well,” MacDonald says. “For me, I started my whole transformation because I wanted to feel better. I wanted energy to live my life! Now having my health, strength, and endurance is what keeps me committed.”

1. What may contribute to MacDonald , shaving numerous followers on social media?

A．Her attitude.

B．Her impact.

C．Her strength.

D．Her journey.

2. What does MacDonald suggest to the seniors?

A．They take advantage of what they want.

B．They start working out with what they can.

C．They get moving by doing what they need.

D．They perform short movement as they like.

3. What difficulties does MacDonald overcome in her fitness journey?

A．Inspiring the followers and evaluating their troubles.

B．Holding positive attitudes and keeping a balanced diet.

C．Managing the social media channels and gaining views.

D．Breaking bad habits and challenging herself to the limit.

4. What lesson can we learn from Joan MacDonald?

A．Prevention is better than cure.

B．A light heart lives long.

C．The nature of life lies in sports.

D．Content is better than riches.

4 . It is lunchtime. At a long table inside a restaurant, some young people sit together over lunch. There is less conversation than you might expect from a typical group of friends: a boy seems to talk only to himself, and a girl looks anxious.

These young people met through a program organized by the nonprofit Actionplay, where young people with autism work together to write and stage a musical. Each Sunday, they work and have lunch together. “You meet other people just like you,” says Lexi Spindel. “That was the first time my daughter had a friend,” says Lexi’s father. “That never happened before Actionplay.”

For decades, scientists have supposed people with autism don’t have or need friends. A new research is forcing a rethink of those long-held beliefs. Autistic people report they want friends. One significant barrier to friendships is common people’s opinion that autistic people are not interested in connecting with them. Appearing uninterested, however, is not always the same as being uninterested. An autistic child looking uninterested in games may in fact be overcome by the noise. And behaviors like clapping hands repeatedly are a way to manage their anxiety and uncertainty, not a sign of their low social interest.

For some autistic people, friendships develop through experimental programs. In a program Lerner developed, participants play a game called Gibberish. where teenagers must interpret each other’s intentions without using real language. The point is not to get it right. but to attend to what the other person is doing in a way that creates opportunities to connect.

Lerner’s ideas were inspired by a moment 16 years ago after he established a small camp for children with autism called Spotlight. On the second day an l1-year-old boy ran up and pulled his clothes. “Lerner, Lerner, where did you find these kids?”

“All over the place,” Lerner answered. “Everyone wants to come to camp, just like you.”

“This is the first normal group of kids I have never met.” the boy said.

1. The scene in paragraph 1 is described to ________.

A．reveal the lack of an interpersonal conversation

B．prove the difficulty in reducing teenage anxiety

C．stress the great necessity of forming friendships

D．show the different behavior of a particular group

2. What is Actionplay aimed at?

A．Curing young people of autism.	B．Developing autistic people’s taste in art.
C．Offering autistic people a social platform.	D．Improving young people’s family relationship.

3. What can we infer from paragraph 3?

A．Autistic people have no intention to make friends.

B．Noise sets barriers to autistic people’s views on games.

C．Repetitive movements make autistic people feel secure.

D．Common beliefs cause autistic people’s low social interest.

4. What does the underlined sentence imply?

A．He feels at ease with his autistic fellows.

B．He no longer regards himself as an autistic kid.

C．Lerner’s guidance helps him get out of autism.

D．Autistic kids don’t long to socialize with normal ones.

5 . Coming upon a clear - cut in an old forest is a shocking experience. Tees large and small are collapsed one above the other in pile, and the ground is covered with the tracks of heavy machinery. Such was the scene when forest activist Zack Porter and I hiked a newly built logging (伐木) road in Green Mountain National Forest.

Clear - cutting in the American forests has long been widespread. But now, the Forest Habitat Creation Project represents new reasoning which is hotly debated - that clear - cutting benefits native creatures. The thinking is that clear - cutting done wisely can mimic natural disturbances, for example, from insect invasions or from storms overturning older trees that produce what ecologists call Early Successional Habitats - places where young trees and bushes get the upper hand and animals that depend on such habitat thrive.

The project also states that forests “can only be saved by being destroyed” - by keeping them young. Timber (木材) interests are enthusiastic about the approach because it lets them profit from cutting trees while claiming the significance of conservation. Hunting groups favor it because a younger, less thick forest makes it easier to find the game and birds they're tracking.

Nevertheless, Porter says, “Allowing some of the oldest standing trees in New England to be removed is equal to dereliction of duty on the part of the government, who sees the forests as commodities (商品).” “Forests can produce clean water, clean air, carbon storage, and biodiversity that we need,” he continues as we walk among lovely mixed hardwoods and evergreens that are cut down for logging. “We shouldn't be removing them for short - term gain.”

In this sense, Zack Porter's description of logging for wildlife for short - term gain - the short - term gain of favoring habitat for species people today want to see and hunt - is reasonable.

1. How does the author start the text?

A．By presenting some ideas.	B．By listing some evidence.
C．By comparing different views.	D．By stating his own experience.

2. Which argument does the Forest Habitat Creation Project hold?

A．Profits can be made from logging.

B．Clear - cutting is beneficial to the wildlife.

C．The conservation of forest is of significance.

D．Clear - cutting can cause natural disturbances.

3. What does the underlined word “dereliction” mean in paragraph 4?

A．Fulfillment.

B．Promise.

C．Misconduct.

D．Exposure.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．A New Approach to Forest Protection

B．A Hiking Experience in the Logging Road

C．How to Build Early Successional Habitats?

D．Is Clear - cutting Forests Good for Wildlife?

8 . We are often so attracted by the promises of modern digital life that we fail to notice its danger. It’s that feeling of losing control that we get a dozen times a day, from when we get distracted (分心) with our phones in a discussion to when we can’t appreciate a private moment without sharing it with virtual audience.

In my first attempt to get control over my technology use, I set my phone to vibrate rather than ring. Soon after, another problem appeared. The act of continually checking the phone became a habit. I knew then that using only tips to permanently reform digital life is difficult. We should go past the notification settings (通知模式) on our devices or apps and consider the more essential topic of why we use so many apps in the first place. What all of us who are struggling with these challenges need is a technology usage philosophy, something that explains from the ground up which digital tools we allow into our lives, why, and under what conditions.

Cal Newport, a professor of computer science, defines Digital Minimalism (极简主义) as a “philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected activities that strongly support the things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else.”

To do so, however, we cannot passively allow the tools and apps provided by the internet age to control how we spend our time or how we feel. Instead, we must take steps to draw the positive aspects of these technologies while sidestepping the negative aspects.

1. What does “its danger” in the first paragraph refer to?

A．Feeling depressed.

B．Getting distracted in a discussion.

C．Giving up private moments.

D．Losing control of your digital life.

2. Why does the author mention his own experiences?

A．To make a comparison.

B．To explain a phenomenon.

C．To bring in a better solution.

D．To clarify misunderstandings.

3. Which of the following will digital minimalists agree to?

A．Ignoring the side effect of digital tools.

B．Devoting your screen time to valuable things.

C．Spending more time selecting information.

D．Getting away from entertainment apps.

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．Reforms in life.

B．Technology challenges.

C．Apps and social media sites.

D．Technology usage philosophy.

9 . The United Kingdom is a land of natural beauty and history, with many of its finest attractions discovered through hiking. Now, dust off your boots, plan according to the following routes presented by a survey of senior hikers and an incredible experience will wait for you.

Wales Coastal Path

Wales is the only country in the world that has an official walking path covering its whole borders. The Wales Coastal Path is a footpath stretching 870 miles from Chester to Chepstow. Walking the whole thing might be demanding, but there are plenty of stretches that can be enjoyed over a day or two.

Southwest Coast Path

You need a fair amount of annual leave, a casual 52 days or so, to undertake this in one go. The route runs from Somerset all the way to Dorset, via rugged cliffs, cute fishing villages and surfing spots along the coastline. You can surely jump on to any point as you like, but you can't afford to miss all the pubs full of jokes and laughter on the way!

Coast to Coast Walk

This long-distance trail isn’t official, but popular in the country, taking hikers from the Irish Sea to the North Sea as it rolls into historic Robin Hood’s Bay in Yorkshire. Following local footpaths, the route takes you through three UK National Parks: the Lakes, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.

Cleveland Way

You’ll want nine days to folly complete this hike, which explores both the North York Moors and the county’s world-famous coastline. Just make sure you allow enough time to properly enjoy spots like Roseberry Topping hill and pick up a gentle afternoon walk at Whitby’s clifftop church.

1. Who will be more interested in the routes?

A．Explorers in the UK.	B．Hiking lovers.
C．Nature photographers.	D．Field researchers.

2. What is highly recommended about Southwest Coast Path?

A．Fishing villages.	B．Surfing spots.
C．Local pubs.	D．National parks.

3. What do the four routes have in common?

A．They include cliffs worth visiting.	B．They are official and demanding.
C．They run along the coast.	D．They can be completed in a month.

10 . Seminole was far too accustomed to the business. Everyone sympathized with him depending on long hours, minimum wage, and ill-mannered customers. Although struggling to pay his rent, he still went all out to make those lucky enough to sit at his tables laugh. The day was going quick.

He was exhausted when he arrived to work the next day, but he went about his daily duties, putting on a brave face as customers complained about the food or questioned the bill. Usually as he prepared to close for the night, a couple of customers would sit down and order drinks. Most of the crew had left by closing time, but Seminole stayed to serve. Eventually, the last round was ordered and he gave them the bill. The minimum tip was suggested on the receipt. “Tomorrow will be better,” murmured he.

But luck wasn’t on his side. Evening approaching, a group of teenagers stepped in. Thankfully, they were polite and respectful. Their cheerful behavior began to rub off on him. As always, he did his best to make their dining experience a pleasant one.

Once they finished their dishes, he placed the bill on the table, accompanied with some candies. They placed their notes on the receipt and left smiling. When he returned to clear the table, he was shocked. The teenagers only left a tip of $3, but their total bill was more than $100. He’d gone above and beyond serving the tasty dishes. How could they be so rude?

Later that week, he struggled to let go of the awkward memories. He arrived at work and expected it to be like any other, but there was something left behind the desk for him — a two-page handwritten letter from the teenagers with $18 attached, in which they explained they were unaware of the tipping practice due to it being their first time out alone. Everything suddenly made sense.

Seminole was so touched by their gesture that he uploaded a picture of the letter sharing their admirable efforts. Web visitors voiced their opinions, and the reaction was more than positive.

1. Why did Seminole wear a brave face?

A．To serve better.	B．To relax himself.
C．To sell more drinks.	D．To gain a reputation.

2. What made the teenagers only leave a tip of $3?

A．Ignorance of tipping culture.	B．Dissatisfaction with the meal.
C．Gratitude for Seminole's service.	D．Misunderstanding of tipping practice.

3. Which of the following best describes Seminole?

A．Patient and innovative.	B．Generous and tolerant.
C．Positive and committed.	D．Considerate and ambitious.

4. What can we learn from the teenagers in the text?

A．One good turn deserves another.	B．Actions speak louder than words.
C．Honesty can turn into an opportunity.	D．It is better to make things right than not.