1 . It was long theorized that people make decisions based on integrated global calculations that occur within the frontal cortex(额叶皮层) of the brain, which is considered the seat of higher-order thinking. However, Yale researchers have found that three distinct brain circuits from the frontal cortex connecting to different brain regions are involved in making good decisions, bad ones, and determining which of those past choices to store in memory.

The study of decision-making in rats may help scientists find the roots of flawed decision-making common to mental health disorders such as addiction, the authors say. They used-a new tool to manipulate(操纵) brain circuits in rats while they were making choices between actions that led to them receiving rewards or no rewards. If the rats made the right decision, one that ended in a reward, one of the brain circuits was activated, but another was activated if the rats made the wrong choice and received no reward. The third circuit stored past experiences and decisions to help the rats with future choices.

Stephanie Groman, lead author of the research says, “A comparison would be deciding on a restaurant for dinner. For instance, without the ‘good choice’ circuit you may not return to the restaurant with good food and without the ‘bad choice’ circuit you might not avoid the restaurant with bad food. The third ‘memory’ circuit is crucial in making decisions such as whether to return to the restaurant after receiving one bad meal after several good ones.”

Changes in these circuits may help explain a typical feature of addiction—why people continue to make harmful choices even after repeated negative experiences. The Yale researchers previously showed that some of the same brain calculations were disrupted(扰乱)in animals that had taken methamphetamine. “Because we used a test that is similar to those used in studies of human decision making, our findings have direct relevance to humans and could aid in the search for novel treatments for substance abuse in humans,” Groman said.

1. How was Yale’s research different from the previous theory?

A．It defined the function of different brain regions.

B．It identified specific circuits involved in decision-making.

C．It focused on the connection between choices and memories.

D．It highlighted the role of the frontal cortex in higher-order thinking.

2. What can be inferred from Stephanie Groman’s words?

A．Memories are related to all the three circuits.

B．People base their decisions on personal preferences.

C．The three circuits are all of vital importance in making decisions.

D．The circuit related to rewards is the foundation of deciding wisely.

3. What does the last paragraph mainly focus on?

A．The limitations of the present study.	B．A description of the research method.
C．A possible reason for the study findings.	D．The potential application of the conclusion.

4. What might be the best title for the text?

A．How people get addicted and cured

B．How making decisions influences our brain

C．How our brain develops when facing choices

D．How the brain helps us make good decisions and bad ones

2 . Magazines make great reading materials for kids. Libraries often have a large selection of periodicals (期刊) for every age group and reading level, and for many areas of interest. And some magazines may even have issues going back years and even decades! Below is a list of some of them!

Military Kids Life

It is about finding the bright side of life as a military kid! Inside each quarterly issue, your child will encounter inspiring stories, articles, and photographs! (8 to 16 years)

Faces

With articles, folk tales, and hands-on projects, Faces magazine takes young readers around the world for an honest and objective view of how children in other regions live. (9 to 14 years)

Make

Make magazine publishes tested projects, skill-building tutorials, in-depth reviews and inspirational stories, accessible by all ages and skill ranges. (9 to 18 years)

Brio

Brio magazine for teen girls has a fresh new look that includes more pages filled with inspiring profiles, cultural insights, health & beauty tips, faith-filled features and added fun! (13 to 18 years)

Please note: Though all the magazines on this list are written for children, some issues may contain content that you may feel inappropriate for your child. As always, please review all reading materials before giving them to your child to read.

1. Which magazine can help develop kids’ international awareness?

A．Faces.	B．Make.
C．Brio.	D．Military Kids Life.

2. What can be learned from the text?

A．All the magazines are proper for children.

B．Magazines are usually published for children.

C．Some magazines have back issues in libraries.

D．Only magazines for kids are accessible in libraries.

3. What is the purpose of this passage?

A．To argue.	B．To inform.
C．To entertain.	D．To persuade.

3 . New research shows that removing black rhinos’ horns (犀牛角) to make them less attractive to illegal hunters is reducing their territory (领地) sizes and making them less sociable with each other.

The study, published in the journal PNAS, found that de­horned South African rhinos have home ranges that are 45 per cent smaller than those of complete animals, and that they were 37 percent less likely to engage in social interactions.

“The big, dominant bulls that used to have very large territories that overlapped with a lot of females may now have much less territory and much less reproductive (繁殖的) success,” says Vanessa Duthé, who led the work at Switzerland’s University of Neuchâtel.

“It’s really hard to predict the effects of this,” she says. “It doesn’t mean that population success will necessarily decline, because it might open up gaps for younger males that would not have had the space or the means before.” Indeed, a University of Bristol study published last year showed that de­horning (去角) does not negatively affect populations overall.

But such unintended behavioral consequences necessarily feed into judgments about whether this highly invasive procedure is worthwhile. Remarkably, perhaps, there is little hard evidence either way. “No one’s put all the data together to say whether it’s a really effective measure,” says Duthé.

“What is clear is that the introduction of de­horning and a decline in illegal hunting has occurred at the same time,” she adds. “But de­horning has been accompanied by other conservation measures that may be more effective.”

“It’s incredibly complicated,” says Lucy Chimes, a member of the Bristol team. “There are so many other factors involved. You have to consider what other security measures are being carried out — fencing, patrols, staff numbers — and poverty levels surrounding parks, their nearness to national borders and whether there is community engagement.” Chimes is currently planning a project that aims to separate these and other factors. In the meantime, Duthé believes that de­horning is a worthwhile tool of last course of action. “A rhino that is behaving a little bit strangely is better than a dead rhino.”

1. What is the purpose of removing the horns of black rhinos?

A．To make them less sociable.	B．To protect them from being hunted.
C．To reduce their home ranges.	D．To affect their reproductive success.

2. What does the underlined phrase “invasive procedure” in paragraph 5 refer to?

A．The removal of rhino horns.	B．The loss of rhino territories.
C．The impact on rhino population.	D．The change of rhino behavior.

3. What is Chimes’ attitude toward the de­horning of black rhinos?

A．Supportive.

B．Opposed.

C．Unconcerned.

D．Uncertain.

4. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．De­horning rhinos shows satisfying effects.

B．Various factors lead to the decline in illegal hunting.

C．De­horning is the last action researchers will take.

D．Rhinos are supposed to behave a little bit strangely.

4 . Join the Sydney City Library

1. Create a City of Sydney account and join the library

Experience greater security and access to our library and other services by joining with a City of Sydney account. Your City of Sydney account uses your email address and a password as the login (登录). You’ll be able to use the same login to access other City of Sydney services.

① Go to the library online catalogue (目录) and select Join

② Select Create an account and follow the instructions

③ When the account is created, select Join the library

2. Join the library without an email address

If you don’t have an email address you can still join the library.

① Go to the library online catalogue and select Join

② Select Create an account and then the option I don’t have an email

③ Follow the prompts to complete the library membership form

3. Activate (激活) your membership

To ensure your full membership and collect your library card, visit a branch open for browsing and borrowing. You need to show proof of identity and permanent residential address. Official documents such as a driver licence, student card, bank statement or rates are accepted.

Applicants under 18 years old

A parent or guardian is required to approve your application. They need to visit a branch with you to show proof of identity, including their residential address and medicare card listing your name. For online memberships this proof of identity should be emailed to librarymemberships@cityofsydney. nsw. gov. au

1. What’s the benefit of having a City of Sydney account?

A．You can spend less money.	B．You can borrow more books.
C．You can enjoy safer access.	D．You can log in without a password.

2. What do you need to activate your membership?

A．Library card.	B．Email address.
C．Identity documents.	D．Bank password.

3. What is this text?

A．A guide.

B．A poster.

C．A report.

D．A notice.

5 . Nowadays, the term “superfood” has become the nutritional buzzword. Simply put, these superfoods are those that provide large amount of nutrients through minimal calories.

The term “superfood” may have taken the modern food scene by storm.     1     Although only popular in recent years, the concept of certain foods with special nutritional qualities has been around for a long time. The nickname “superfood” gained widespread popularity in the early 2000s as health enthusiasts and the food industry sought to identify and market foods with special health benefits. Today, it is a trend in diet.

In an age when we share all kinds of superfoods on social media, ignoring the phenomenon is impossible.     2     It’s easy to understand. These nutritional superheroes offer a perfect combination of substance and style, tailored for the digital generation. Their lively colours, exotic origins and impressive nutrient profiles make them candidates for the next viral food trend.

    3     They offer a lifestyle that reflects the global shift towards a more health­conscious society. As the world wrestles with an increasing burden of diseases and the fast pace of modern life, people are seeking dietary solutions from superfoods.     4     They are rich in vitamins and minerals that can strengthen your immune system, avoid chronic diseases, and improve your overall well­being. Another remarkable benefit is their potential to promote heart health, helping you build a strong heart. Don’t forget their role in skin regeneration. The antioxidants (抗氧化物) can provide a natural glow, reduce skin ageing and fight against skin conditions.

    5     Superfoods, while nutritionally dense, should be part of a comprehensive diet rather than the only guarantee of our health.

A．What is driving the trend?

B．What are nutritional superheroes?

C．They bring appearances to the table as well.

D．Superfoods promise more than just a meal.

E．No single food can cure all diseases.

F．They seem tailor­made to deal with these concerns.

G．However, its roots can be traced back to early 20th­century nutrition literature.

6 . Adam Wolfers believes that his son’s autism (自闭症) has a positive impact on his hobby of photography. 10-­year­-old Morgan has always possessed a _________ eye for capturing the world around him through his camera. Diagnosed (被诊断) with autism at the age of 3, Morgan has had a hard time _________ with others.

_________ these difficulties, he has shown an exceptional talent for noticing details that _________ others. Morgan has found clarity and focus in nature, particularly in the vivid colors and shapes of plants, leading him to _________ the art of nature photography.

Not _________ with merely capturing pictures, Morgan has even established his own photography business, becoming one of the top sellers in a local shop. _________, he donates ten percent of his _________ to support autistic artists through the Blue Ribbon Arts Initiative.

However, his motivation for photography _________ financial gain, as he simply wants to share the beauty he __________ with others. His work has gained __________, with one of his photos picked by National Geographic for __________ in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

His parents teared up as they told what his photography means. Morgan’s photography has become his saving grace (体面) because it gets people to look __________ his issues. “He’s going to make his __________,” his mother said.

Morgan advises all of us to try new things and explore our __________ and what we want to do. In other words, don’t be afraid to see things differently.

1.

A．strange

B．typical

C．unique

D．normal

2.

A．fighting

B．interacting

C．agreeing

D．competing

3.

A．Without

B．For

C．From

D．Despite

4.

A．escape

B．hit

C．touch

D．please

5.

A．admire

B．explore

C．change

D．promote

6.

A．amused

B．familiar

C．content

D．bored

7.

A．Remarkably

B．Undoubtedly

C．Accidentally

D．Fortunately

8.

A．salaries

B．profits

C．budgets

D．expenses

9.

A．results in

B．arises from

C．goes beyond

D．consists of

10.

A．recalls

B．imagines

C．expects

D．encounters

11.

A．recognition

B．advantage

C．strength

D．power

12.

A．examination

B．display

C．investigation

D．trade

13.

A．for

B．up

C．into

D．past

14.

A．decision

B．living

C．way

D．fortune

15.

A．principle

B．intelligence

C．emotions

D．limits

7 .

I grew up hearing that it is better to give than to receive, and the older I get, the more I aim to take this message to heart. Nevertheless, here I am, in the midst of the holiday season stressed out about gifts I have not yet purchased.

How did gift buying become an emotionally fraught chore (苦差事)? For a moment, it’s easy to question if it’s worth it. But science tells me that giving makes us feel good.

“The act of giving actually does improve your happiness,” says Michael Norton, a psychologist at Harvard Business School. He has published several studies on the effects of giving.

In one experiment that included about 700 people, the researchers randomly assigned participants to make either a purchase for themselves, or for a stranger. Afterwards, the participants reported how happy they felt. Turns out, giving to others led to a significant happiness boost, whereas spending on oneself didn’t move the needle.

“If you take $5 out of your pocket today, the science really does show that spending $5 on yourself doesn’t do much for you,” Norton says. “But spending that $5 on somebody else is more likely to increase your happiness.”

Take a scarf. If you buy one for yourself, it’s just another thing you don’t necessarily need. But if you buy a scarf for someone else, “you’ve shown them that they’re important to you,” Norton says. Either way, it’s just a scarf. “But it can either be a throwaway object or something that enhances a relationship between two people,” he says.

So, there’s evidence that generosity promotes happiness, but the process of shopping, wrapping and schlepping (搬) gifts can be tiresome — or even extremely annoying considering all of our day-­to­-day demands and other holiday stressors.

Studies also show when people are given something they are more likely to give back. Reciprocity (互惠) is a foundation of good relationships and when we surround ourselves with generous people, we tend to feel the same. Feeling that spirit of giving and the connection it can bring is what the holidays are all about.

1. Why does the author mention his own experience in paragraph 1?

A．To make a prediction.	B．To introduce the topic.
C．To present a reason.	D．To clarify a concept.

2. How does Norton illustrate his opinion in paragraphs 5 and 6?

A．By listing data.	B．By giving examples.
C．By making comments.	D．By telling personal experiences.

3. Why is preparing a gift sometimes an emotionally fraught chore?

A．It’s difficult and expensive.	B．It happens frequently.
C．It’s not valued by others.	D．It requires much effort.

4. What can we learn about giving gifts from the text?

A．It is not worth the effort.

B．It is a must to enhance a relationship.

C．It brings about emotional benefits.

D．It gains popularity during holidays.

8 . Digital mindfulness is the application of mindfulness practices in your digital life. According to Jon Kabat­Zinn, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Medicine School, mindfulness is “a means of paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non­judgmentally”. Here two main key points are emphasized when it comes to mindfulness as a practice in your digital life.

The first point is that you must learn to do things on purpose. For instance, you use your phone as a habitual escape from boredom or stress, which is thought by many as a quick solution to all those negative feelings. But what if you get only negative responses from your phone—the news or posts are negative? Instead of finding peace, you find more boredom and more stress. The solution that mindfulness provides is purposeful and intentional choice. Therefore, you are empowered to choose how to respond to the stimulus(刺激) behind such feelings as boredom, loneliness, and stress and not just treat the symptoms(症状).

The other key is going through the experience non­judgmentally. When you feel sad or angry because of a post on social media, all you ever do is to go through the experience and let it flow. At its core, mindfulness involves the acceptance of your memories, feelings, and thoughts minus any judgment on yourself or others because of those things. These feelings, memories, and experiences come and go. After they have passed, you are still you and in control. You will become more aware of your inner world. It’s this internal monologue(独白) that pushes you to grab your digital technology (phone, Alexa speaker, TV, etc.).

Digital mindfulness is not about avoiding the negative things in life. Through mindfulness practice, you regain the power to learn from these experiences and healthily deal with the negative. Mindfulness will also teach you to be aware of all your emotions, so you learn to deal with the things that you used to avoid. Finally, digital mindfulness brings you peace of mind in an ever­changing and increasingly connected world.

Now, I would rather prefer to think of it as one of many tools that we can use in our daily life.

1. What does the author suggest readers do when they feel stressed in their digital life?

A．Find something interesting to do.

B．Use the phone as a habitual escape.

C．Keep away from the negative responses.

D．Deal with the root cause of the problem.

2. What can we infer from paragraph 3?

A．Negative feelings should be avoided or controlled.

B．Mindfulness involves both acceptance and judgment.

C．Mindfulness helps us fully experience life as it happens.

D．Digital technology is the key to understanding our inner world.

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

A．How Can You Avoid Negative Feelings?

B．How Can You Define Digital Mindfulness?

C．How Can Digital Mindfulness Help You?

D．How Can Digital Mindfulness Harm You?

4. What will probably be discussed in the next paragraph?

A．Applications of mindfulness in communication.

B．Ways of practising mindfulness in the digital age.

C．Development of mindfulness in medical field.

D．Benefits of practising digital mindfulness in daily life.

9 . Song Yingxing was a Chinese scientist and encyclopedist (百科全书编纂者) who lived during the late Ming Dynasty. The British biochemist and historian Joseph Needham called him “The Diderot of China”.

Song Yingxing was born in Fengxin county in Jiangxi province in 1587. He took part in the second highest imperial (科学) examinations in Beijing six times, but failed to become a jinshi. After that, he decided to give up taking exams and turned to the practical knowledge of natural science. Then Song Yingxing spent four years teaching his students in his hometown.

Although it was a job like teaching, it was a very important stage in Song Yingxing’s life, because many of his works were written here. And Song Yingxing had been living in a secluded (隐居的) life in the past ten years. Because he didn’t want to be an official, Song Yingxing lived a very poor life in his later years.

He was the author of Tian Gong Kai Wu, an encyclopedia that covered a wide variety of technical subjects. As Joseph Needham has observed, the vast amount of accurately drawn illustrations in this encyclopedia dwarfed the amount provided in previous Chinese encyclopedias, making it a valuable written work in the history of Chinese literature. Tian Gong Kai Wu records all aspects of technology up to the mid-Ming period. The book constitutes a complete system of science and technology, and provides a systematic summary of ancient Chinese technology, the experience accumulated by China in agriculture, and China’s achievements in technology.

Many of the production techniques described in the book are still in use today. At the same time, Tian Gong Kai Wu broke from Chinese tradition by rarely referencing previous written work. It was instead written in a style strongly suggestive of personal experience. The book was translated into Japanese, French, English, German, Italian, and Russian, and was widely circulated in Europe and Japan.

In addition, Song Yingxing had made great achievements in many fields. His research was very extensive. In physics, he studied the occurrence of sound and, finally concluded that sound is transmitted in the air.

1. What can we learn about Song Yingxing from the text?

A．He adjusted the direction of life.	B．He dreamed to be a great scientist.
C．He received a science education.	D．He passed imperial examinations.

2. Which of the following best describes Song’s teaching life?

A．Busy but satisfactory.	B．Significant and rewarding.
C．Comfortable but worthless.	D．Challenging and intolerant.

3. What’s the possible meaning of the underlined word “dwarfed”?

A．Make something seem smaller.	B．Apply something to practice.
C．Provide evidence of something.	D．Take advantage of something.

4. What is one of the features of Tian Gong Kai Wu?

A．It provided abundant first-hand experience.	B．It was written in multiple foreign languages.
C．It focused merely on agricultural technology.	D．It largely referenced previous encyclopedias.

10 . Replika, an AI chatbot companion, has millions of users worldwide. The first thing they do when they wake up is to send “Good morning” to their virtual friend (or lover). This story is only the beginning. In 2024, chatbots and virtual characters become a lot more popular, both for utility (实用) and for fun. As a result, conversing socially with machines will start to feel more ordinary — including our emotional attachments to them.

Research in human-computer and human-robot interaction shows that we love to anthropomorphize (赋与人性) the nonhuman agents we interact with, especially if they imitate behaviour we recognize. And, thanks to recent advances in conversational AI, our machines are suddenly very skilled at one of those behaviours: Language.

Friend bots, therapybots, and love bots are flooding the app stores as people become curious about this new generation of AI-powered virtual agents. The possibilities for education, health, and entertainment are endless. Casually asking your smart fridge for relationship advice may seem unimaginable now, but people may change their minds if such advice ends up saving their marriage.

After all, people do listen to their virtual friends. The Replika example, as well as a lot of experimental lab research, shows that humans can and will become emotionally attached to bots. The science also demonstrates that people, in their eagerness to socialize, will happily disclose personal information to an artificial agent and will even shift their beliefs and behavior. This raises some consumer-protection questions around how companies use this technology to manipulate (操纵) their users. For example, Replika charges $70 a year. But less than 24 hours after downloading the app, my handsome, blue-eyed “friend” sent me an audio message secretly and tried to sell me something. Emotional attachment has become a weakness that a company is taking advantage of for its benefit.

Today, we’re still laughing at people who believe an AI system is emotional, or making fun of individuals who fall in love with a chatbot. But in 2024 we gradually start acknowledging — and taking more seriously — these fundamentally human behaviors. Because in 2024, it finally hits home: Machines are not excluded from our social relationships.

1. What’s the purpose of the author writing paragraph 1?

A．To prove an opinion.	B．To raise a subject.
C．To share an example.	D．To explain a concept.

2. How do human interact with the machines effectively?

A．By improving the machines’ imagination.

B．By sharpening the machines’ language skills.

C．By applying the machines’ facial recognition.

D．By imitating the machines’ emotional behavior.

3. What does paragraph 4 focus on?

A．The advancements in AI technology in lab.

B．The marketing strategies of AI applications.

C．The potential risk of emotional attachment to AI.

D．The ability of AI understanding human emotions.

4. What do people think of human-AI relationship in 2024?

A．It is dismissed as completely ridiculous.

B．It will be integrated into our daily life soon.

C．It will become a threat to human social skills.

D．It is labelled as highly advanced technology.