1 . At the end of the day, most of us find ourselves on the couch, eyes glued to the television or to our smartphones, doing everything we can to conserve energy.     1     But are we hardwired (本能的) for it?

According to Michael Inzlicht, a social psychologist at the University of Toronto, we’re lazy and also, we’re not.

All humans, given equal options, will take the easy way out. Does it mean we’re lazy? Maybe.     2     We always minimize our effort and, at the same time, maximize the amount of reward we get for that effort. A study published in the journal Neuropsychologia found that our brains may be hardwired for laziness. Even though we know the benefits of exercise, we stay glued to the couch.

    3     We can’t know for sure whether there is an evolutionary (进化的) purpose to it. But that would make sense. After all, before we were able to go to the grocery store, calories were much more directly linked to effort. Every calorie we burned meant more hunting, fishing, or gathering.

But there are the times when humans are the opposite of lazy and do very difficult things for no apparent reason. Some rewards only come from extensive effort.     4     Running this far might even cause more harm than good in terms of running injuries like stress fractures, back pain and so on. But we do it anyway because putting in the effort makes us feel good, says Inzlicht.     5    

So, in that sense, effort is worth the effort. While humans are economically aware of effort most of the time, “in some cases, the effort itself is rewarding,” says Inzlicht.

A．Think about things like running a marathon.

B．It’s not completely clear why humans behave this way.

C．It seems that we humans are gifted in the way of laziness.

D．We similarly love to space out, our brain tired of focusing.

E．But it certainly means that we’re economic with our effort.

F．Some people who appear to be lazy are suffering from much more serious problems.

G．Likewise, we might get a sense of pleasure or mastery from doing a crossword puzzle.

2 . Around the world, coral reefs (珊瑚礁) are in danger. Now, let’s check out a few ways conservationists are protecting these habitats.

Seaweed Smackdown

Hot ocean temperatures can supercharge seaweed growth — and that’s not good for a reef. So, in Hawaii, scientists have used an underwater vacuum (真空吸器) to suck up lots of seaweed into the device’s long tube. In Australia, scientists are studying a low-tech solution: pulling seaweed by hand.

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Some polyps (珊瑚虫) are harmed by heat waves and pollution. Scientists cut parts of coral from a healthy reef. Then these polyps are taken to a nursery, which could be in shallow protected areas underwater. After about a year, the healthy coral parts are attached to damaged reefs. The nursery-grown corals can bring new life to a struggling habitat.

Sound Saver

Healthy reefs are noisy. Fish make different sounds, and thousands of shrimp create and pop bubbles with their claws to create a sound. The biologists play sounds of healthy reefs through underwater speakers. They found that six weeks of broadcasting healthy reef sounds doubled the amount of fish in the area.

Bleaching Killer

One of the biggest threats to coral reefs is bleaching. Here’s how it works.

Thriving coral Most coral species survive by partnering with tiny algae (藻类), which make food for the coral by changing sunlight into sugar.

Under stress But when the ocean water gets too hot, the algae produce too much oxygen, which can hurt the coral.

Bleaching So corals kick out the algae. As the algae leave, the color disappears and the coral appears to turn white. This process is called bleaching.

Biologists have discovered that many corals in the Red Sea have a species of algae in their tissue that’s found nowhere else, so they can survive heat waves. Biologists hope their work will inspire governments and environmental groups to protect these corals.

1. Which of the following might be the subtitle of Paragraph 3?

A．Underwater Nurseries.	B．Fishing Guides.
C．Seaweed Cleaners.	D．Colour Designers.

2. What can mainly help stop corals bleaching?

A．Breathing in more oxygen.	B．Changing the appearance.
C．Absorbing more sound.	D．Partnering with algae.

3. What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage?

A．To present the serious damages to corals.	B．To explain the reasons for coral habitat loss.
C．To introduce the methods of coral protection.	D．To compare the effects of different solutions.

3 . Up to the age of ten, I did not mind at all the fact that my elder sister was different. The child psychologist had termed it as “Asperger Syndrome”, a disease that affects how a person socializes with others.

It was only at the age of ten that I started to become aware of my social life and self-image that I had carefully shaped. My sister, on the other hand, was socially awkward. She would mumble (咕哝) to herself and repeat the words she had just said under her breath. She, however, was academically capable, and hence we attended the same primary school. Despite this, I never, ever acknowledged in public that she was my sister.

Being in primary six, about to graduate, my sister and her classmates had to put up a performance, whether in a group, or individually. Due to her inability to integrate, my sister was the only one left without a group. “I’ll sing,” my sister told my parents, somewhat confidently. Hearing that, I was taken aback. How could my sister sing in front of the school? She would embarrass me, one way or another. “No!” I remember protesting. My parents shot me a look.

No one knows she is your sister. It is fine, you do not need to tell anyone. I remember telling myself these exact lines as I sat in the hall, waiting for the performances to start. The curtains parted to reveal the only solo (独唱) — my sister. It took about a whole minute for her to state her name and class and by that time, whispers were heard in the audience.

“Why is she taking so long?” people around me asked. I shifted nervously in my seat. Finally, my sister started to sing. I was prepared for the worst. She opened her mouth, and I was transfixed — she sang effortlessly. Her voice rang through the hall, beautiful in its power. I listened ever so carefully to the words that she had composed all by herself.

Guilt and shame filled my heart. Although she knew that I was embarrassed by her and was unwilling to attend her concert, my sister had forgiven me; she had never taken anything that I had done to her to heart. It was then that I resolved to love her unconditionally.

1. How did the author feel about his sister’s difference before 10?

A．He hardly accepted it.	B．He didn’t care about it.
C．He was extremely awkward.	D．He was determined to help.

2. Why did the author protest against his sister’s decision?

A．To challenge his parents.	B．To follow other students.
C．To keep his sister’s image.	D．To protect his self-respect.

3. What do we know about the author’s sister?

A．She always got full marks in primary school.

B．She refused to form a group with other students.

C．She gave an excellent performance before graduation.

D．She delivered an inspiring speech in front of the school.

4. What lesson did the author learn from his sister?

A．Take nothing to heart.	B．Love without condition.
C．Stick to one’s own choice.	D．Learn from anyone around.

4 . Have you considered contributing your skills and expertise virtually towards achieving sustainable human development efforts? Through the Online Volunteering service of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, you can connect with UN agencies, governments, public institutions and civil society organizations — from any device, anywhere in the world. While extending your network, you can also get first-hand practical experience.

Requirements:
·To sign up on the Unified Volunteering Platform and apply for Online Volunteer assignments, you must be at least 18 years of age.
·There is no particular background required to become an Online Volunteer. Each Online Volunteer assignment is different and has its own requirements, set by the host organization.
· As an Online Volunteer, you can only support organizations remotely in assignments up to 20 hours per week for a maximum of 12 weeks for each assignment.
Criteria and service rules:
· Online Volunteers are not under contract with the UNV programme or the engaging organization.
· Online Volunteers do not receive any kind of financial benefits.
·For each Online Volunteering assignment, a maximum of 25 Online Volunteers can be engaged.
Procedures:
· Volunteers find assignments of their interest and apply.
· Organizations select the volunteers they want to engage.
· Volunteers and organizations work together online.
· Volunteers and organizations provide feedback on their cooperation.
· Organizations issue an electronic certificate of appreciation to their volunteers.
1. Through the UNV programme, one can ______.

A．travel around the world	B．improve their network skills
C．set up civil society organizations	D．work on sustainable development

2. Which is a requirement for the applicants?

A．Being no less than 18 years.

B．Finishing 25 online assignments.

C．Working at least 20 hours a week.

D．Having some practical experience.

3. When working in the UNV programme, volunteers will ______.

A．sign a contract with an organization

B．find tasks of their interest and apply

C．get a paper certificate of appreciation

D．receive some kind of financial benefits

5 . A shopkeeper’s son breaks a window, causing a crowd to gather. They tell the shopkeeper not to be angry: actually, the broken window is a reason to celebrate, since it will create work for the glazier (装玻璃的工人). In the story, written by a 19th-century economist, the crowd envisions the work involved in repairing the window, but not that   involved in everything else on which the shopkeeper could have spent his money — unseen possibilities that would have brought him greater happiness.

If that window were to be broken these days, people might have a different reaction, especially if they were NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) who oppose any local construction that affects their quality of life. Their concern might be with the “embodied carbon”. The production of a piece of glass would carry a sizeable carbon cost. Similarly, the bricks and concrete in a building are relics of past emissions. They are, the logic goes, embodied carbon.

Conserving what already exists, rather than adding to the building stock, will avoid increasing these embodied emissions — or so NIMBYs often suggest. At its worst, this idea is based on a warped logic. Greenhouse gases released by the construction of an existing building will heat the planet whether the building is repaired or knocked down. The emissions have been taken out of the world’s “carbon budget”, so treating them as anew debit means double counting. The right question to ask is whether it is worth using the remaining carbon budget to repair a building or it is better to knock it down.

Choosing between these possibilities requires thinking about the unseen. It used to be said that construction emitted two types of emissions. Besides the embodied sort, there were operational ones from cooling, heating and providing electricity to residents. Around the world, buildings account for 39% of annual emissions, according to the World Green Building Council, of which 28% come from operational carbon.

These two types of emissions might be enough for the architects designing an individual building. But when it comes to broader questions, economists ought also to consider how the placement of buildings affects the manner in which people work, shop and travel. Density (密度) lowers the per-person cost of public transport, and this reduces car use. Research by Green Alliance, a pressure group, suggests that in Britain a policy of “demolish (拆除) and densify” — replacing semi-detached housing near public transport with blocks of flats — would save substantial emissions. Without such demolition, potential residents would typically have to move to the suburbs instead, saving money on rent but consuming more energy.

Targeted subsidies (补贴), especially for research and development into construction materials, could speed up the pace at which the built environment decarbonises. What will never work, however, is allowing the loudest voices to decide how to use land and ignoring the carbon emissions of their would-be neighbours once they are out of sight.

1. The first two paragraphs are written to ________.

A．exemplify an outlook on energy conservation

B．present a new way of relieving energy crisis

C．explain people’s reaction to a broken window

D．introduce an argument on carbon emission

2. What does the underlined word “warped” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Unsound.

B．Complicated.

C．Distinctive.

D．Underlying.

3. What can be learnt from the passage?

A．Operational carbon accounts for a larger share of carbon emission.

B．Repairing old buildings outweighs demolition in energy conservation.

C．Higher residential density near public transport may help reduce emission.

D．Stopping residents from living in new buildings is sensible to energy saving.

4. As for decarbonization of the built environment, which would the author agree with?

A．Interests of NIMBYs are worthy of consideration.

B．A comprehensive insight into emission is essential.

C．Upgrading construction materials should be prioritized.

D．Every resident should do their bit in reducing carbon emission.

6 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。

Uncertainty is all around us, never more so than today. Whether it concerns your health or relationships, much of what lies ahead in life remains uncertain.

We’re all different in how much uncertainty we can tolerate in life. Some people seem to enjoy taking risks and living unpredictable lives, while others find the randomness of life deeply annoying. But all of us have a limit. If you feel controlled by uncertainty and worry, it’s important to know that you’re not alone; many of us are in the same boat.

To cope with all this uncertainty, many of us use worrying as a tool for trying to predict the future and avoid unpleasant surprises. Worrying can make it seem like you have some control over uncertain circumstances. You may also believe that it will help you find a solution to your problems or prepare you for the worst. Unfortunately, long-term worrying just robs you of enjoyment in the present and weakens your energy. But there are healthier ways to cope with uncertainty.

Identify your uncertainty trigger (诱发因素). A lot of uncertainty tends to be self-generated. However, some can be generated by external sources, such as reading media stories that focus on bad news, or simply communicating with anxious friends. By recognizing your triggers, you can take action to avoid or reduce your exposure to them.

Shift your attention. Focus on solvable worries, taking action on those aspects of a problem that you can control, or simply go back to what you were doing. When the feelings of uncertainty return, refocus your mind on the present moment and your own breathing.

1. How are people different in tolerating uncertainty in life?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why do many people use worrying as a tool to deal with uncertainty?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
▶ Knowing the triggers of your uncertainty, you can learn to expose yourself to them.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What are you most uncertain about right now? How will you deal with it? (In about 40 words)
___________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Soil     1     (find) nearly everywhere. And it seems unlikely that we would ever lose all the soil on Earth. However,     2     we may lose is the deep and rich agricultural soil because of over-farming, a lack of plant cover off-season and a collection of salt from watering and fertilization (施肥).     3     proper measures, some experts warn, there could be serious agricultural soil problems before the end of this century.

8 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Cats are second only to dogs as the most common pets in the world.     1     (compare) with dogs, cats might seem cold, but they can form strong emotional bonds with their owners. Studies have shown that cat-owning seniors often exhibit lower levels of     2     (lonely), anxiety, and depression.     3     (own) a cat invites several costs, for food, litter, medications, toys and care. However, cats do not need regular bathing     4     they have health problems that make it necessary.

9 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Davyon Johnson, an 11-year-old boy, was honored by his community after saving two lives in one day. On Dec. 9, a choking student tripped into the classroom     1     Davyon was. Davyon did the Heimlich immediately and saved him. Hours later, on his way home, Davyon spotted a house on fire. Everybody     2     (run) out except for an elderly lady. As the woman struggled     3     (move) using her walker, Davyon raced up the steps and helped her escape the burning building.

10 . In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), water is more valuable than oil. To support its citizens, the nation relies on expensive campaigns of cloud seeding from aircraft, which spray particles(喷洒微粒) into passing clouds to make rainfall.

But according to Oliver Branch, a climate scientist, there may be another method to stir up a rainmaker: with city-size solar farms that create their own weather. The heat from dark solar panels can cause updrafts that sometimes lead to rainstorms, providing water for local people. “Maybe it’s not science fiction that we can produce this effect,” says Branch, who led the work.

Few studies have examined how renewable energy might shift weather patterns. In 2020, Branch found that incredibly large solar farms, taking up more than 1 million square kilometers in the Sahara desert, could boost local rainfall. But the reward would come with a cost, the researchers found: By altering wind patterns, the solar farms would push tropical rain bands north. That’s not good news for the Amazon areas.

To find more, researchers turned to a weather model that can account for land surface changes. They modeled the solar farms as nearly black fields that absorbed 95%of the sunlight, surrounded by relatively reflective sand. When the solar farms reached 15 square kilometers, they found, the increased heat they absorbed appreciably increased the updrafts, or convection, that drive cloud formation.

Hacking convection wasn’t enough, however: damp air was also needed. When conditions were ripe, the model also found, a 20-square-kilometer solar field would increase a storm’s total rainfall by nearly 600,000 cubic meters. If such rainstorms occurred 10 times in one summer, they would provide enough water to support more than 30,000 people for a year.

Solar farms in China and elsewhere are nearly big enough, Branch says. If they were built in the right spots, it wouldn’t take much to darken the panels and to plant dark crops between panel rows. Still they’re trying to improve the realism of their solar panel simulations by cross-checking them with field measurements at existing solar farms.

The UAE “is committed to studying the potentially dynamic strategies, such as optimizing convection,” says Alya Al, director of the UAE’s Research Program. For now, she adds, the UAE is deeply committed to its cloud seeding program, carrying out some 300 missions each year.

1. In his study, Branch attempts to produce rainfall ________.

A．by way of updrafts formed on solar farms	B．by spraying particles into passing clouds
C．by means of relatively reflective sand	D．by planting dark crops

2. The model is designed to find out ________.

A．the ripe conditions for building a solar farm

B．the realistic size of a solar farm for rainfall increase

C．the annual amount of water consumption in the UAE

D．the heat absorption rate of the solar panels in the black fields

3. What can we learn about Branch’s method?

A．It is not supported by the director.	B．It needs great investment if applied.
C．It remains to be further tested in practice.	D．It has promoted cloud seeding in the UAE.