1 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Which department did Ms. Long work in?

A．The marketing department.

B．The accounts department.

C．The overseas department.

2. What does Denis want to do?

A．Recommend a job to Elliot.

B．Ask for a job transfer.

C．Talk with Ms. Long.

2 . Autonomously copying other people’s thoughts or options or simply going with the crowd is often referred to as “herd (群体) behaviour”. Herding can appear to make a lot of sense. In an earlier article, I discussed the so-called “wisdom of crowds”, which suggests that average judgments of large groups of people often outperform individual choices.

Psychology research has attempted to model herd behaviour and suggests that the phenomenon relies on the existence of social connections or patterns between individuals as well as specific mechanisms of passing on information. A key condition is the human ability to “mentalize”, which means being able to read and interpret someone else’s mental state and using the information to explain their options. This action of mentalizing is responsible for people’s tendency to attach meaning to options by the herd, even if many behaviours may have come about at random.

Herd behaviours, while common and easy to explain, hold significant dangers. Contrary to the so-called “wisdom of crowds”, which emerges when the judgments of individual group members are independently collected to produce an average opinion, herd behaviours typically rely on so-called “information cascades”, where people take on others’ beliefs or copy their options without critically evaluating the underlying reasons. This frequently leads to the mirroring of unreasonable or stupid behaviours.

Blindly following the herd can be dangerous. So how can we resist the tendency of following the crowd? The sad news is that psychology research suggests that it’s surprisingly difficult to withstand the influences of the herd. In an experiment, researchers found that warning messages about the potential errors of the crowd were surprisingly ineffective in helping subjects make better choices. It appears there is no quick and easy fix. Instead, long-term attitude changes may be necessary, which could involve individuals adopting more critical approaches towards their peers’ opinion, and questioning others’ behaviours as opposed to blindly following them.

1. Why does the author mention “wisdom of crowd” in Paragraph 1?

A．To introduce the definition of herd behaviour.

B．To contradict the judgments of large groups.

C．To attract readers to his previous discussion.

D．To justify the behaviour of following others.

2. What makes herd behaviour possible according to psychology research?

A．Heavy reliance on social activities.

B．Ineffective mechanism of information exchange.

C．Attaching meaning to crowd’s random choices.

D．Analyzing individuals’ mental state.

3. How does the author develop Paragraph 3?

A．By defining.	B．By quoting.
C．By making a comparison.	D．By giving an example.

4. What is probably the best policy if we want to resist herd behaviours?

A．Following your heart.	B．Thinking twice before action.
C．Working out a quick fix.	D．Taking peers’ opinion seriously.

3 . Shakespeare described sleep as “the main course in life’s feast, and the most nourishing”. New research suggests it may also be a key nutrient in defend us against Alzheimer’s disease.

Poor sleep has long been linked to Alzheimer’s, but the relationship is similar to the chicken-and-egg puzzle. It isn’t clear which came first. During deep sleep, the brain produces slow electrical waves and flushes out neurotoxins (神经毒素) including amyloid (淀粉样蛋白) and tau (微管蛋白) , two indicators of the disease.

Studies have shown that even one night of terrible deep sleep can lead to an increase of amyloid. A week of disrupted sleep can raise the amount of tau, which is especially insidious because over time it can strangle neurons from the inside out.

A study in the Annals of Neurology found that a sleep pill called suvorexant could reduce amyloid and tau in middle-aged adults with no cognitive problems. The two-night trial showed that amyloid dropped 10%to 20%, and a key form of tau 10%to 15%in people who received a high dose compared to a placebo (安慰剂) group. But these effects need to be studied over longer periods of time—including in older adults at higher risk of Alzheimers. But the study suggests that improving sleep quality among middle-aged adults could help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s later in life.

What has puzzled neurologists, however, is that some people with high levels of amyloid who may appear to have Alzheimer’s based on brain scans nonetheless function normally. Neurologists assume that this is because some people have higher levels of “cognitive reserve.” which enables them to function normally despite neurological damage. But there’s another X factor, which scientists have struggled to identify. A new study suggests it may be sleep, and in particular deep sleep.

“Think of deep sleep almost like a life raft that keeps memory afloat, rather than memory getting dragged down by the weight of Alzheimer’s disease,” says Matthew Walker, a neuroscience professor at UC Berkeley.

1. What is the relationship between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease according to the new research?

A．Inadequate sleep will indicate Alzheimer’s disease.

B．The disease may be prevented if we can sleep well.

C．Neurotoxins produced during sleep cause the disease.

D．A good sleep will raise the indicators of the disease.

2. What can we infer from paragraph four?

A．It’s too early to use the sleeping pill to treat Alzheimer’s.

B．It’s advisable that adults turn to suvorexant to sleep well.

C．Suvorexant is a desirable pill to improve our sleep quality.

D．The amount of Amyloid and tau decreased due to placebo.

3. What is the main idea of paragraph five?

A．Researchers’ great confusion about the high levels of amyloid.

B．Low level cognitive reserve resulting in abnormal brain function.

C．Potential determinants related to the possibility of Alzheimer’s.

D．Neurologists’ assumption about our brain function and damage.

4. Why dose Matthew Walker make the comparison in his remarks?

A．To advocate a healthy lifestyle among adults.

B．To emphasize the significance of sleep quality.

C．To demonstrate the crucial role of our memory.

D．To detail the damage brought by Alzheimer’s.

4 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(一个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Year of the Dragon comes with inspiration for creativity and the power to bring big ideas     1    life.

Designer Wang Zijian’s Dragon Out of Water, a creative tea infuser (泡茶器),shines on the wall at the exhibition of the winning works of the 2024 Global Zodiac Design Competition at the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center.     2     (it) cute dragon design and special function are bound to appeal to young consumers. “It’s     3    unique product, and we expect a positive response from young customers,” Wang told Beijing Review.

The item belongs to China Chic, or guochao, also     4     (know) as “national wave”,    5    refers to products of all sorts including traditional Chinese cultural elements. These products    6     (embrace) by the country’s younger generations in recent years. According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, Gen Z    7     (account) for 74 percent of consumers of China Chic goods in 2022, and the search volume of China Chic products has increased five times over the past decade.

As a young designer, Wang hopes     8     (capture) young consumers with his creative interpretation of dragons. “I’ve been    9    (thorough) studying the dragon’s historical connotations (言外之意) and the     10     (psychology) characteristics of Gen Z consumers,” the 34-year-old designer told Beijing Review.

5 . A professor at the University of South Florida recently published a paper she knew barely anyone would read. At least, not outside her field. The paper had to do with the impact of algae (海藻) blooms and depletion (退化) of coral reefs on the region’s tourism industry.

The work of completing the paper was glum, says Heather O’Leary. It involved tracking visitors’ reactions to the environment on social media. “Part of the data for months was just reading posts: dead fish, dead fish, dead fish,” she recalled. “We were really thinking every day about the Gulf of Mexico and the waters that surround us, about those risks, and the risks to our coastal economy.”

O’Leary wanted people to pay attention to her paper and raise their environmental awareness. But she couldn’t come up with any solutions. However, attending concerts at USF’s School of Music inspired and gladdened her. She reached out to its director of bands, Matthew McCutchen. “I’m studying climate change and what’s going down at the coral reefs,” he remembered her saying. “And I’ve got all this data from my paper and I’d like to know if there’s any way that we can turn it into music. So people can know about my paper.”

Indeed there was. Composition professor Paul Reller worked with students to map pitch, rhythm and duration to the data. It came alive, O’Leary said, in ways it simply couldn’t be done on a spreadsheet.

“My students were really excited to start thinking about how students from other majors, such as the music students, heard patterns that they did not normally hear in some of the repetitions,” she said. In this case, she said, the patterns revealed the economic impact of pollution on coastal Florida communities.

With music, she added, “you can start to sense with different parts of your mind and your body that there are patterns happening and that they’re important.” “The world is going to see more and more of these ‘wicked problems’, the ones that take multiple people with different types of training and background to solve.”

Now,a group of professors and students are working to bring together music and the environment in related projects, such as an augmented (增强的) reality experience based on this composition. The group wants to spread awareness about the algae blooms, data literacy (数据认知) and environmental protection.

1. What does the underlined word “glum” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Exciting.	B．Emotional.
C．Routine.	D．Miserable.

2. What favor did Heather ask Matthew to offer?

A．Turn her algae data into music.

B．Find some music about coral reefs.

C．Teach her some musical terms.

D．Compose songs regarding climate change.

3. What do patterns in Paul’s music reflect?

A．The different types of training.

B．The repetition of pitch and rhythm.

C．The threat of pollution on the costal economy.

D．The complex challenges of wicked problems.

4. What role did Heather think music plays?

A．Providing solutions to the algae problem.

B．Exposing more wicked problems to the public.

C．Showing the economic growth in coastal cities.

D．Helping people experience the problems better.

6 . How to Make Your Writing Flow?

Writing flow refers to how smoothly text flows from one sentence to the next and one paragraph to another.     1     On the other hand, choppy (不连贯的) writing lacking flow disrupts the reading experience. Luckily, you have the tips below to improve the flow of your writing.

1. Vary your sentence structure.

Using only short, choppy sentences creates a disconnected rhythm that disrupts the flow, while a series of long, complex sentences overwhelm readers.     2     Varying sentence structure keeps readers engaged and create s natural movement from one idea to the next.

2. Use transition words and phrases.

Transition words and phrases act like bridges between sentences and paragraphs. They create logical connections between ideas. Use transitions like “however,” “therefore,” “similarly,” and “in contrast” to glue sentences and paragraphs together smoothly.     3    

3. Structure paragraphs around a central idea.

    4     The supporting sentences in the paragraph should work together to explain, develop, or argue that central idea. This creates cohesion within paragraphs and connects them to each other logically. Use topic sentences to introduce the main idea of each paragraph. Paragraphs structured around a singular focus improve writing flow and readability.

4.     5    

Revisiting writing with fresh eyes makes flaws in flow and transitions more noticeable. Let your drafts rest for a day or two to prevent getting stuck reworking the same passage repeatedly. Approaching writing anew allows you to evaluate flow and smooth out imperfections with distance and objectivity.

A．Don’t leave out the revising process.

B．Let completed drafts rest before editing.

C．The key is to mix sentence lengths to create fluid variety.

D．Place them at the beginning of a sentence or between independent clauses.

E．Flowing writing maintains the continuity of ideas and transitions logically.

F．Each paragraph should have a controlling idea relating to your overall theme.

G．As a writer, it is your responsibility to present your readers with a central idea.

7 . Do you feel like there are too many things to do in a day, but not enough time to do them? If so, you’re experiencing what researchers call time poverty.

    1    . The standard reply to “How are you?” is often “I’m so busy!” Many people find it increasingly difficult to spare time to see friends, pursue a hobby, or take a vacation. Some people even take great pride in how busy they are because it’s become a status symbol.     2    . Fortunately, here are specific steps we can take to feel more time affluent (富足的) and more socially connected.

If you want a satisfying social life, buy time for it. You might pay to have a disliked housework done by others, get a direct flight instead of a cheaper one with a stopover, or pay extra to drive the fastest route home.     3    , like calling a friend or hanging out with your kids.

Another way to get more time is to give it away. In one study, researchers asked people to devote part of their Saturday morning to doing something for themselves that they weren’t already planning to do or doing something for someone else. The people who gave away their time later felt like they had more of it.     4    .

If you have too many things to do and not enough time to do them, try to cut back on some things.     5    . You can probably choose to slow down a little and make more time for casual chats with co-workers and unplanned get-togethers with friends.

A．Time poverty is a sign of the times

B．Helping others expands our sense of time

C．Buying time is a good way to free you from the boredom of repeated tasks

D．The choices we make with our time greatly affect our happiness and social lives

E．Then invest your free time in something socially engaging

F．You don’t have to keep up with the pace of the modern world

G．Yet, feeling short on time is associated with lower level of happiness and connection

8 . It was in the cold midwinter, and the homeless couple struggled through the night snow, seeking shelter. The father-to-be ________ the roadside for some place where his struggling ________ might rest safely for the night.

That December night, Gus Kiebel, a county wildlife officer, was driving home from work when he ________ the pair in the flash of his headlights. He parked his truck and ________ the animals. Gus ________ out his hands to the beagles (比格犬), which made no effort to escape. Then, he placed the dogs in his truck. Gus ________ his phone, took a picture of the pair and sent it to his wife, Katie Kiebel before calling Katie.

“You cannot put them ________ in the snow,” she said. “Bring them home.”

The Kiebels prepared a bed for the dogs on their warm home, where the ________ animals lay together. However, already having a dog, the Kiebels couldn’t ________ to keep new ones. The next day, Katie took the dogs to the shelter — on one condition. “I’m not ________ the dogs over to you if you’re going to separate them,” she said. The shelter workers promised to keep the couple together. Soon after Christmas, the beagles were ________— as a ________, to a loving family.

It’s a simple story, but it speaks to the ________ of our nature. And when ________ and love triumph over cruelty and neglect, it can feel like the greatest ________ of all.

1.

A．looked

B．headed

C．searched

D．figured

2.

A．companion

B．company

C．friend

D．effort

3.

A．scared

B．attracted

C．appealed

D．spotted

4.

A．scared

B．approached

C．attracted

D．appealed

5.

A．put

B．laid

C．made

D．stretched

6.

A．brought up

B．took out

C．warmed up

D．put down

7.

A．down

B．up

C．back

D．aside

8.

A．disappointed

B．lovely

C．unparalleled

D．exhausted

9.

A．afford

B．offend

C．intend

D．succeed

10.

A．turning

B．driving

C．signing

D．giving

11.

A．welcomed

B．received

C．adopted

D．presented

12.

A．pet

B．pair

C．family

D．reward

13.

A．bottom

B．basis

C．fundamental

D．best

14.

A．kindness

B．curiosity

C．generosity

D．patience

15.

A．achievement

B．miracle

C．career

D．job

9 . 阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

We entered the Year of the Dragon. Or should that be the Year of the Loong? That is a question that has been     1     subject for debate in China, as some say there is a difference between the two in Chinese and Western mythology.

They point to dragons in the West being usually thought of as evil creatures. Dragons, they say, are     2     (typical) seen as symbols of chaos,     3     (describe) as enemies in Western mythology and literature. In Chinese culture, Loong are seen as symbols of power,     4     (excellent), and good luck. The Loong     5     (be) a central concept in Chinese culture for thousands of years, and its origins can be traced back to early Chinese civilization through mythology and religious beliefs.    6     Loong were believed     7     (have) control over natural phenomena such as rain, and water, and were associated with the productivity of the land, Loong became symbols of strength and good fortune.

The differences     8     the belief of the mythical creatures in China and the West     9     (root) in their different cultural values. Thus the answer to the question at the beginning is clear: Whether or not to use Loong instead of dragon is not important. What is important is     10     as we enter a new lunar year people globally appreciate the cultural values embodied in such Chinese symbols as Loong.

10 . Why does the man always get to the office early?

A．He takes some shortcuts.

B．He leaves home super early.

C．He lives close to the company.