1 . When Mexican scientist of the evolution of animal behavior, Laura Cuaya, moved to Hungary for her postdoctoral studies in Budapest, she brought her pet dog, Kun-kun, along for the ride. Cuaya couldn’t help noticing how locals warmed to dogs. This prompted her naturally curious scientific mind to start asking questions. “Here people are talking all the time to Kun-kun, but I always wonder if Kun-kun can recognize that people in Budapest speak Hungarian, not Spanish?” So she set out to find an answer through a scientific study.
Cuaya and her colleagues decided to use brain images from MRI scanning to shed light on her hunch. They worked with dogs of various ages that had, until the experiment, only heard their owners speak just one of the two languages, Spanish or Hungarian. Not surprisingly, getting the dogs to happily take part in the experiment took some creative coaxing (劝诱) and animal training! The researchers first needed to teach Kun-kun and her 17 fellow participating dogs including a labradoodle, a golden retriever and Australian shepherds, to lie still in a brain scanner. Their pet parents were always present, and they could leave the scanner at any point.
The research team played children’s classic book The Little Prince in both Spanish and Hungarian while scanning the dogs’ brains with an MRI machine. They were looking for evidence that their brains reacted differently to a familiar and unfamiliar language. The researchers also played scrambled versions of the story to find out if dogs could distinguish between speech and non-speech.
The images reveal that dogs’ brains show different patterns of activity for an unfamiliar language than for a familiar one — the first time anyone has proved, researchers say, that a non-human brain can distinguish between two languages. This means that the sounds and rhythms of a familiar language are accessible to non-humans.
The team also found that the brains of older dogs were more skilled at detecting speech “suggesting a role for the amount of language exposure”. They suggest that dogs have refined their ability to distinguish between human languages over the long process of domestication.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．The concern of the researcher. | B．The significance of the study. |
| C．The background of the study. | D．The introduction to the researcher. |
| A．Age limits. | B．Language exposure. |
| C．Brain patterns. | D．Owners’ commands. |
| A．Unreasonable. | B．Contradictory. |
| C．Compromising. | D．Groundbreaking. |
| A．Dogs Can Tell Foreign Languages |
| B．Dog Brains Have Different Patterns |
| C．Old Dogs Know More About Human Speech |
| D．Dogs Can Differ Speech From Non-Speech |
2 . I remember when Kamala Harris became Joe Biden’s running mate, it seemed funny how many people pronounced her name incorrectly. On one occasion, a news host became upset when being corrected, and purposely called her Kumbaya.
I am no stranger to this issue as many of my students are from Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and sometimes their names are difficult for me to pronounce, even after asking them how to say it. Many students seem unwilling to correct me when I attempt to learn their names correctly. The other thing I’ve seen in growing numbers is students “adopting” an English name. It’s much more common than many think, for people to change their names in order to fit in.
This is especially the case when it comes to seeking jobs. Racial and cultural minorities often attempt to avoid discrimination hiring by hiding racial cues on the resume including changing their name. This is referred to as “resume whitening”. Research shows almost 50 percent of black and Asian job applicants did so.
Xian Zhao from the University of Toronto researches ethnic name pronunciation, saying that many people don’t understand that habitually pronouncing an unfamiliar name inaccurately is a form of indirect discrimination. It sends a message that “you are the minorities” says Zhao. “You are not important in this environment, so why should I take time and my effort to learn it?” On the other end, those with ethnic names frequently don’t correct people, even when their names are pronounced wrong repeatedly, feeling it is better just to keep the peace and not stand out for their names are difficult.
It is important to try to pronounce everyone’s name as they pronounce it. This communicates respect of them as a person and their culture. There is nothing wrong with asking someone to repeat their name so that you can learn to pronounce it properly. This is usually appreciated.
1. How do the author’s Asian students respond when their names are incorrectly pronounced?| A．They attempt to laugh at it. | B．They tend to accept it. |
| C．They offer to correct the author. | D．They agree to change their names. |
| A．A change in work environment. |
| B．A ban on racial discrimination in workplace. |
| C．A practice of using Western names in job seeking. |
| D．A boast about one’s educational background in the resume. |
| A．Ethnics accept their names being mispronounced to save trouble. |
| B．Ethnics fight effectively with the discrimination against their names. |
| C．Many westerners pronounce ethnic names incorrectly on purpose. |
| D．Many westerners make efforts to pronounce ethnic names correctly. |
| A．Critical. | B．Uncaring. | C．Supportive. | D．Ambiguous. |
3 . I have frequently taught Research Methods and Design to college students at several institutions. I love teaching this course. One reason, of course, is that I enjoy thinking about research methodology (方法学) and sharing it with others. The other reason, however, is the obvious impact that it has on students. Every term, one (if not more) student tells me how taking this course has affected him/her: “I used to just read articles and believe what they said, but now I find myself asking ‘Is this true? How do they know? Is this a well designed study?’ ” That is what I want the students to achieve in this course.
This brings to mind something written by Dorothy L. Sayers in 1948. One of her books, The Lost Tools of Learning speaks to Sayers’ thoughts on education. “By teaching our young men and women to read, we have left them at the mercy of the printed words. By the invention of the film and the radio, we have made certain that no dislike for reading shall protect them from the constant battery of words, words, words. They do not know what the words mean: they are victims to words in their emotions instead of being the masters of them in their intelligence.”
We are well past the 1940s, but her observation is still relevant. Sayers’ point is well taken. In the world of 24-hour news and social media that often resembles the Wild West, the ability to carry out evaluations has never been more important. In order to resist the distortions with which we are constantly bombed in the media, as well as be able to present a persuasive argument, we must be able to reason well, and think and give a judgement carefully.
When my students begin the Research Methods and Design course, they are generally not content to read all those research article I give. However, by the end of the course, they are excited about their newly obtained abilities.
1. What is the author’s course goal for her students?| A．Reading more books. | B．Thinking critically. |
| C．Designing studies well. | D．Questioning themselves. |
| A．It was beneficial to learners’ development. |
| B．It was conventional by teaching learners to read. |
| C．It was satisfying with the invention of film and video. |
| D．It was worrying because learners were subject to words. |
| A．Popular news. | B．Various evaluations. |
| C．Misleading information. | D．Persuasive arguments. |
| A．To review a book. | B．To introduce a writer. |
| C．To criticize social media. | D．To suggest a practical skill. |
4 . Lawn Games for Adults That’ll Make You Feel Like a Kid Again
Experts say that engaging in playful activities through adulthood can help lower stress, improve cognitive functions, and build social bonds with others, which is so much more than what your phone can do for you. So what are you waiting for? Round up the family, grab one of these lawn games for adults, and let the good time scroll.
Spikeball Game Set $59.99
The flexible, hula-hoop-sized net stands on its foldable legs and can be taken to the beach or the park to give four players plenty of space to run around. Start the two-on-two game by bouncing a ball off the net, sending it flying toward your opponents—they have three passes between them to send the ball back over to your team. When they miss, you score, and the first one to get to 21 wins.
The Pocket Shot $25.00
Who doesn’t love lining up cans and shooting them down with a slingshot? It’s demanding yet thrilling. The Pocket Shot is a super powerful slingshot that shoots at two or three times the rate of a regular slingshot. It’s super tiny, so it fits in your pocket.
Giant 4-Connect-In-A-Row $79.99
Two players at a time try to insert their red or blue coins into the wooden frame to form a vertical or horizontal line of all the same color. It’s way more challenging than you’d think.
1. According to the first paragraph, in what way can lawn games benefit adults?| A．Stopping their phone use. | B．Boosting their confidence. |
| C．Easing their pressure. | D．Building up their strength. |
| A．Two. | B．Four. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
| A．They need two players. | B．They are cheap to buy. |
| C．They are of pocket size. | D．They take skills to play. |
5 . Lady Gaga, Shawn Mendes, and Karen EIson—these are just a few people who have spoken about their experiences of being victims of bullying (欺凌) at school, and the pain that it has caused them in childhood and later life. Recent research suggests that the effects of childhood bullying can continue for decades, with long-lasting changes that can put us at a greater risk of mental and physical illness.
Undoubtedly, bullying is a serious risk to children’s mental health in the short term, with the most notable consequences: anxiety, depression and suspicious thinking. While some of these symptoms may naturally disappear after the bullying stops, many victims continue to suffer from a higher risk of mental illness.
According to a recent paper in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry, a woman who has been bullied as a child is 27 times more likely to have a panic disorder. Among men, childhood bullying resulted in a 18-fold increase in suicide (自杀). Bullying will also have extended consequences for people’s social lives: many victims find it harder to make friends or live with a long-term partner in later life. “Kids who’ve been bullied, might interpret social relationships in a more threatening way,” says Arseneault. Finally, there are the academic and economic costs. Bullying harms people’s grades, which in turn reduces their job prospects.
Arseneault’s research suggests that the resulting stress can influence the body for decades. Analyzing data from a 50-year-long study, she found that frequent bullying between the ages of 7 and 11 was linked to markedly higher levels of inflammation (炎症) at age 45. Importantly, the link remained even after she had controlled many other factors, including their diet, physical activity, and whether they smoked. That’s important, since such inflammation can break down the immune (免疫) system and contributes to the wear and tear on our organs that leads to conditions like cardiovascular (心血管的) disease.
Growing up is rarely going to be easy: children and adolescents are learning to adjust to social relationships, which is always going to come with hurt and upset. But as adults, we should take our responsibility to teach children that certain behaviors are never acceptable: there is no one to blame but the bullies themselves. Such lessons could have a widespread impact on the health and happiness of generations to come.
1. What can be inferred bullies from the passage?| A．Celebrities suffer more when at school. |
| B．All the afterward impacts are not temporary. |
| C．Women are more likely to be bullied than men. |
| D．Sufferings will be with the victims forever. |
| A．Increasing tendency to commit suicide. |
| B．Deep anxiety, depression and suspicion. |
| C．Increasing tendency to attack partners. |
| D．Financial instability and unemployment. |
| A．the high levels of inflammation | B．frequent childhood bullying |
| C．the continuous existence of link | D．the control over life habits |
| A．celebrities | B．experts | C．bullies | D．parents |
6 . For those looking for a relief from the excitement of Myrtle Beach’s representative boardwalk and beachfront, this uniquely American city has plenty more to offer. Here are four fantastic places you won’t want to skip when you visit Myrtle Beach.
Atalaya Castle
Hidden away in Huntington Beach State Park is the beautiful Atalaya Castle. Built in the 1930s, this castle is an amazing example of Great Depression-era architecture. With a rich and varied history — it’s been a military camp, a studio, a state park and now a national landmark — there’s plenty to explore at this incredible estate, where you are sure to feel relaxed.
Brookgreen Gardens
Just across the road from Atalaya Castle lies Brookgreen Gardens, a sculpture garden and wildlife preserve covering 9,100 acres. For a relaxing afternoon, take a walk among the towering oaks (橡树) and breathtaking fountains and view the sculptures from great artists like Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
Murrells Inlet MarshWalk
Located away in an historic fishing village, the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk is a half-mile stretch of boardwalk that winds through scenic wetlands. It also features year-round live music and delicious options for waterfront dining, so it’s the perfect spot to enjoy a relaxing evening out.
Myrtle Beach State Park
Myrtle Beach State Park follows one mile of wooded coastline and features a nature path, top-class surf fishing, a fishing wharf (码头) with an ice cream shop and an unspoiled beach. And for those seeking to escape from the stress of urban life, this is the ideal camping place to sleep under the stars.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Myrtle Beach’s hidden treasures, or for a calendar of events.
1. Which place is best for music-loving tourists?| A．Atalaya Castle. | B．Brookgreen Gardens. |
| C．Murrells Inlet MarshWalk. | D．Myrtle Beach State Park. |
| A．Scenic spots for natural beauty. |
| B．Typical attractions for history exploration. |
| C．Wonderful places for wildlife observation. |
| D．Hidden attractions for personal relaxation. |
| A．On a website | B．In a magazine |
| C．In a newspaper | D．In a documentary |
7 . Suppose there are some coins on the table in front of you. If the number is small, you can tell right away exactly how many there are. You don’t even have to count them — a single glance is enough. Cichlids and stingrays, two kinds of fish, are astonishingly similar to us in this respect: they can detect small quantities precisely — and presumably without counting. For example, they can be trained to reliably distinguish quantities of three from quantities of four.
But how do you ask a cichlid for the result of “2+1” or “5-1”? The researchers showed the fish a collection of geometric shapes — for example, four squares. If these objects were colored blue, this meant “add one” for the following discrimination. Yellow, on the other hand, meant “subtract one.”
After showing the original stimulus (刺激物) (e.g. four squares), the animals were shown two new pictures — one with five and one with three squares. If they swam to the correct picture (i.e. to the five squares in the “blue” arithmetic task), they were rewarded with food. If they gave the wrong answer, they went away empty-handed. Over time, they learned to associate the blue color with an increase of one in the amount shown at the beginning, and the yellow number with a decrease.
“We deliberately left out some calculations during training,” Schluessel explains. “Namely, 3+1 and 3-1.” After the learning phase, the animals got to see these two tasks for the first time. But even in those tests, they significantly often chose the correct answer.” This was true even when they had to decide between choosing four or five objects after being shown a blue 3 — that is, two outcomes that were both greater than the initial value. In this case, the fish chose four over five, indicating they had not learned the rule “chose the largest (or smallest) amount presented” but the rule “always add or subtract one”.
1. How did the researchers tell the fish what to do?| A．They used different colors to represent different calculations. |
| B．They showed different numbers by various shapes. |
| C．They asked the fish for the result after showing geometric shapes. |
| D．They associated geometric shapes with colors. |
| A．They can get food when swimming to the correct picture. |
| B．Blue means “add one,” and yellow means “subtract one”. |
| C．Math plays an important role in one’s life. |
| D．Five squares in the blue means food. |
| A．To prove that the fish finish the task by memorizing numbers. |
| B．To indicate the fish can do complicated tasks. |
| C．To show an important rule the fish had not learned. |
| D．To check whether the fish can apply this knowledge to new tasks. |
| A．Some fish can perform math tasks by memory. |
| B．Cichlids and stingrays have simple math abilities. |
| C．All fish are smarter than we used to think. |
| D．Scientific training is the key to math. |
8 . If you are a perfectionist, you are probably familiar with the feeling of wanting to get everything just right. You may struggle with handing in papers, agonize over projects at work, and even worry about small errors from the past. High standards are one thing, but perfectionism is quite another. And as some researchers have discovered, pursuing perfection can have serious consequences to both mental and physical well-being.
According to researchers, perfectionists hold themselves to unrealistically high standards and become self-critical if they believe they haven’t met these standards. Perfectionists are also likely to feel guilt and shame if they experience failures, which often leads them to avoid situations where they are worried they might fail.
In one study, researchers looked at a total of 284 studies (with over 57,000 participants) and found that perfectionism was associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and eating disorders. They also found that people higher in perfectionism (i.e. participants who more strongly identified with perfectionist traits) also reported higher levels of overall psychological distress.
In an article published in 2016, researchers looked at how perfectionism and depression were related over time. They found that people higher in perfectionism tended to have increases in depression symptoms, which suggests that perfectionism may be a risk factor for developing depression. In other words, although people may think of their perfectionism as something that helps them succeed, it appears that their perfectionism may actually be harmful for their mental health.
Since perfectionism is associated with negative outcomes, what can someone with perfectionist tendencies do to change their behavior? Although people are sometimes hesitant to give up their perfectionist tendencies, psychologists point out that giving up on perfection doesn’t mean being less successful. In fact, because mistakes are an important part of learning and growing, embracing imperfection can actually help us in the long run.
1. Why does the author describe the scene in the first paragraph?| A．To introduce the topic. |
| B．To provide examples. |
| C．To support the author’s argument. |
| D．To define a concept. |
| A．A person who is determined to achieve high goals. |
| B．A person who tends to feel sorry for what he has done. |
| C．A person who blames himself for not being that successful. |
| D．A person who holds high standards for themselves. |
| A．It may lower one’s mental health. |
| B．It reflects one’s psychological level. |
| C．It results in depression immediately. |
| D．It stops one from recovering from depression. |
| A．A call for not being a perfectionist. |
| B．Another side-effect of perfectionism. |
| C．Why perfectionism is harmful. |
| D．How to avoid perfectionism. |
9 . If a president, a philosopher, and one of the best-selling writers told the same secret of their success, would you try to follow it too? What if the secret was something you already knew how to do? In fact, you probably do it every day. Here’s what Friedrich Nietzsche wrote: “It is only ideas gained from walking that have any worth.” Thomas Jefferson: “Walking is the best possible exercise.” Charles Dickens: “If I could not walk far and fast, I think I should just explode and die.”
Researchers have found quite a lot of connections between walking and producing ideas. A Stanford University study found that participants were 81 percent more creative when walking as opposed to sitting. According to the study, walking outside—compared with on a treadmill (跑步机)—produces the highest-quality ideas.
The movement aspect of walking is obviously key. Our creative thinking is triggered (触发) by physical movement, which is exactly why walking with your dog, a friend, or alone—feeds creative thinking.
The scenery is almost as important as the sweat. Breaking your routine with a walk can be a catalyst for fresh understanding of problems or projects. Just by going outside, you are stepping out of your familiar surroundings and your comfort zone, which is necessary if you want to open your mind to new possibilities. You can walk through a tree-filled neighborhood. You can walk through a park and observe people joking or birds singing. Being inside, you’re more likely to be lifeless, which means you don’t have enough energy to wonder or create.
So instead of setting a fitness goal, why not set a creativity goal that starts with walking? Involve yourself more closely in your surroundings. Turn off your phone and give yourself the chance to be present in the world, to hear conversations and natural sounds, and to notice the way people move and the way the sun reflects in a river.
1. How does the author introduce the topic?| A．By giving a definition. | B．By using quotations. |
| C．By providing the background. | D．By presenting examples. |
| A．causing a change | B．stopping progress |
| C．catching eyes | D．discouraging creativity |
| A．Nature exploration improves fitness. |
| B．Walking on a treadmill brings more energy. |
| C．Working indoors makes people less creative. |
| D．Familiar surroundings encourage creative ideas. |
| A．Exercise in Nature | B．Train Your Brain |
| C．Walk for Wonder | D．Develop Your Creativity |
10 . Wonder Plates
A unique, personalized gift!
Wonder Plates offers you a unique gift opportunity-a personalized ceramic(陶瓷的)plate! Each plate contains a special message from you to your best friend or loved one. All you have to do is follow these three steps:
Step 1
On an A4 sheet of paper write a personal message. Write it exactly as you want it to appear on the plate. We recommend a typewritten printout. The message should not be more than 50 words.
Step 2
Select one of our 10 plate color options and a design from one of our 12 design patterns.
Step 3
Sign the attached form, enclose your personal message, and send these to us together with your payment. Please send only money orders or cheques. Do not send cash.
Charges
The charge for a standard-sized plate is $ 20 regardless of the color you choose. A fixed charge of $100 per plate for the design and printing of the message is also payable. For orders of two to four plates, customers may get a 15% discount. For orders of five to ten plates, the cost of per plate is reduced to $12 and the design and printing of the message is just $75 per plate.
Delivery
Once we receive your order and payment, your plate(s)will be sent via regular mail. Delivery can be expected within 14 business days. If you require a faster delivery time, please fill in the Urgent Form and send an additional $30(guaranteed 3-day delivery). We guarantee your satisfaction, but if for some reason you are not satisfied with our product or service, please fill in the Consumer Feedback Form and send it to our Customer Service department. Alternatively, you may call one of our friendly Customer Service Officers at 122523.
1. What are you supposed to do to get a made-to-order plate?| A．Pay in the form of cheques on delivery. |
| B．Type your message and send it by e-mail. |
| C．Write a maximum of 50 words on an A4 sheet of paper. |
| D．Choose your favorite design and color from 12 options. |
| A．$696. | B．$800. | C．$816. | D．$960. |
| A．You can receive your order in two weeks. |
| B．If not satisfied with the plates you’ve received, you need to call 122523. |
| C．Your order will be sent by express once it is received. |
| D．Your order is available within 3 days on condition that you pay another $30. |
