1 . The average American gets about 4,000 steps a day — but how much is enough? According to a recent study of more than 72,000 people, getting in 9,000 to 10,000 daily steps cuts the risk of death by more than a third and reduced cardiovascular (心血管) disease risk by at least 20 percent, but even smaller increases showed benefits.
Ashley Goodwin, one of the study’s authors, says the study really builds on the evidence we already know about how walking can help lower cardiovascular risk and death. He found it especially amazing that the benefit differed so little between those who sat for long periods each day and those who sat less. “That’s really great because it drives home the message that simply walking a little bit more than you usually do is going to bring some health benefits, no matter where you’re starting from.”
Past research had shown that higher step counts are linked to better heart health and a longer life, and a separate body of research has shown the increased risks of cardiovascular disease and death associated with more sedentary (久坐) time. But this study brought those bodies of research together to learn if extra daily steps could offset (抵消) the risks of sedentary behavior even in those who spend much of the day seated.
The results show that both highly sedentary and less sedentary people had statistically similar risk reductions from higher step counts. But the findings also reveal that the more steps people had per day, the more their risk of heart disease or death fell, up until about 9,000 to 9,700 daily steps for highly sedentary people.
In fact, highly sedentary people in the study began experiencing a heart benefit starting as low as 4,300 steps per day, when their risk of heart disease fell by 10 percent. Doubling that step counts to 9,700 steps a day doubled the benefit. Similarly, highly sedentary people began seeing a 20 percent reduced risk of death starting at 4,100 steps per day. Again, that benefit nearly doubled to 39 percent when their daily step counts increased to 9,000.
1. What is newly found in the study?| A．Higher step counts are linked to a longer life. |
| B．Walking 10,000 steps a day is not suitable for everyone. |
| C．A small increase in people’s usual step counts is beneficial. |
| D．The average American gets around 4,000 steps each day. |
| A．The more steps people get, the healthier they are. |
| B．Walking can treat cardiovascular diseases to some degree. |
| C．People can benefit from walking without walking too fast. |
| D．Walking has similar effect on sedentary people and active people. |
| A．To research how step counts differ from people to people. |
| B．To examine how walking can help lower cardiovascular risk. |
| C．To know whether extra daily steps offset the risks of being sedentary. |
| D．To check whether sedentary life can lead to increased risks of death. |
| A．To list the recommended step counts. |
| B．To show the link between step counts and health. |
| C．To warn people of the harm of sedentary lifestyle. |
| D．To compare the steps of active people and inactive people. |
2 . One day, hundreds of people were stuck in traffic on the highway in below-freezing temperatures due to a snowstorm. With the conditions making it
But one stuck driver found a
The simple loaves of bread were surely a ray of
| A．stressful | B．effortless | C．practical | D．difficult |
| A．water | B．necessities | C．bread | D．blankets |
| A．new | B．familiar | C．bright | D．strange |
| A．least | B．best | C．most | D．worst |
| A．spotted | B．realized | C．stared | D．knew |
| A．number | B．message | C．note | D．clue |
| A．lend | B．sell | C． distribute | D．send |
| A．upset | B．optimistic | C．excited | D．anxious |
| A．relief | B．regret | C．surprise | D．credit |
| A．consulting | B．guiding | C．begging | D．instructing |
| A．kept up with | B．teamed up with | C．met up with | D．put up with |
| A．hope | B．truth | C．inspiration | D．faith |
| A．happiest | B．bravest | C．kindest | D．friendliest |
| A．profit | B．difference | C．living | D．contribution |
| A．welfare | B．fame | C．award | D．humanity |
3 . Deserts could be the best places on Earth for harvesting solar power. They are spacious, relatively flat, and never short of sunlight. So researchers imagine it might be possible to transform the world’s largest desert, the Sahara, into a large solar farm, capable of meeting four times the world’s current energy demand.
While the black surfaces of solar panels absorb most of the sunlight that reaches them, only around 15% of that incoming energy gets turned into electricity. The rest is returned to the environment as heat, affecting the climate. If these effects were only local, they might not matter in a thinly populated desert. But the area of the installations in the Sahara would be vast, covering thousands of square miles. Heat released from an area this size will be redistributed by the flow of air in the atmosphere, having regional and even global effects on the climate.
A 2018 study used a climate model to assess the effects of building massive solar farms in the Sahara. The model revealed that when the size of the solar farm reaches 20% of the total area of the Sahara, the heat released by the darker solar panels creates a big temperature difference between the land and the surrounding oceans that ultimately lowers surface air pressure and causes wet air to rise and condense (凝结) into raindrops. With more rainfall, plants grow and the desert reflects less of the sun’s energy since vegetation absorbs light better than sand and soil. With more plants present, more water is evaporated (蒸发), creating a better environment that causes vegetation to spread.
So, a large solar farm could generate enough energy and at the same time turn one of the most abominable environments on Earth into a habitable place. Sounds perfect, right? Not quite. In a recent study, we used an advanced Earth system model to closely examine how Saharan solar farms interact with the climate. It showed there could be unintended effects in remote parts of the land and ocean.
We are only beginning to understand the potential consequences of establishing massive solar farms in deserts. Solutions like this may help society reduce the use of fossil energy, but Earth system studies like ours underscore the importance of considering the numerous coupled responses of the atmosphere, oceans, and land surface when examining their benefits and risks.
1. What can be learned about solar farms?| A．They are mainly located in deserts. |
| B．They can affect the local and even global climate. |
| C．They can make the best use of incoming energy. |
| D．They satisfy the world’s current energy demand. |
| A．It might become greener. |
| B．It might reflect more sunlight. |
| C．Its surface air pressure will increase. |
| D．Its temperature difference between day and night will decrease. |
| A．Addictive. | B．Dynamic. | C．Sensitive. | D．Unpleasant. |
| A．It is an impossible task. |
| B．It will do more good than harm. |
| C．It calls for more consideration. |
| D．It might be the solution to fossil fuel pollution. |
“Anybody have a bandage (绷带)?” a voice echoed down the dorm hallway. That was a common scene frequently happening in our first week at college when we were all experiencing “forgot-this-or-that.” I had forgot to bring snacks for late-night hunger. Some poor girl in the dorm had apparently forgotten bandages. We all felt a little displaced.
Several months before, I sat at my high school graduation party admiring my gifts and battling waves of post-high school emotions. The usual and beloved inspirational books were lying in disorder around my feet, silently announcing the wealth of wisdom they wished to share. A small pile of personal checks lay nearby. Laundry items, desk supplies, sewing things - all well-intentioned and well-received. They would demonstrate their givers’ thoughtfulness over and over during my college career.
But one gift struck me as strange. I frowned when I opened it. A first aid kit? Inside it were a small packet of pills, pain-killers, creams, ointments (药膏), an insect sprayer (喷雾), a tape, pads of gauze (纱布)and bandages. Who would give that as a gift? “You’ll need that once you’re at school,” Mom pointed out. “You won’t have to chase down the campus nurse for every cough. ”I shrugged at this thought.
Not long after, in August, I packed my life into a borrowed truck and slipped the first-aid kit in with my luggage. I barely thought about it once I reached campus, busy unpacking, book-buying, scheduling and meeting new friends.
One day, I was peacefully sitting in my room, absorbed in preparing my studies. The quiet atmosphere was suddenly broken by a sharp scream, “Anybody have a bandage? Emily got her arm burnt!” The voice echoed through the dormitory hall, instantly throwing residents into a state of confusion and alarm.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
I remembered my little first-aid kit.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
Years later, I received a party invitation from a young friend who was graduating from high school.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . When did we start walking for leisure?
“Going for a walk” is a popular pastime among older and younger generations alike because of its well-known benefits for our physical and mental health. But you may be surprised to hear that wandering through pretty streets or hiking in mountainous have not always been considered leisure activities, according to Daniel Gale, a researcher of pedestrianism (步行运动).
This idea of taking a stroll to clear your head has survived through to the 21st Century. But have pedestrian manners remained the same? A 1780 article for the London Magazine advised pedestrians to avoid things such as hanging around in conversation and obstructing people behind you.
In this modern age, when many of us are tied to our desks and to our screens, try the simple act of stepping out onto the city pavements, or getting lost in nature.
| A．What if speed-walking isn’t your thing? |
| B．This may make all the difference to our wellbeing. |
| C．Nowadays, we could add distracted phone-users. |
| D．He brought the recreation of walking into fashion. |
| E．Going on an urban walk is much more pleasant now. |
| F．It was a time to absorb what was going on around him. |
| G．In Britain, walking for fun wasn’t really a thing until the 1780s. |
“Persist.” — Viet Thanh Nguyen
“Success is no accident.” — Chris Bohjalian
“Keep writing and it’ll get easier.” — Lisa Jewell
“Be patient with yourself.” — Min Jin Lee
These are words of advice taken from our interviews with award-winning and bestselling authors. Notice, though, not a single mention of their status, prizes, or advances—in other words, their success. And while status, literary awards, and money can be indicators of a successful writer, one must actually sit down and write for any of those things to happen. That’s what all of these pieces of advice have in common: putting words on the page.
In this issue, you’ll find articles to help you succeed, no matter your goals. If it’s to figure out whether that mess of a novel you’ve got sitting in a drawer can be rescued or if you need to move on, Andromeda Romano’s article will offer questions to ask yourself. Michael La Ronn’s essay will give you an example of how an unexpected opportunity might be just the push you need. Or, if you’ve had trouble finding an agent, Ryan Van Cleave’s collection of tips and advice from 22 literary agents on every aspect of the business might change your luck. Matty Dalrymple shares ways to reach more readers and build a community with them.
Wish you success and happy new year!
1. The advice mentioned at the beginning highlights the importance of ______.| A．a big dream | B．constant practice | C．earning money | D．achieving success |
| A．Matty Dalrympl. | B．Michael La Ronn. |
| C．Ryan Van Cleave. | D．Andromeda Romano. |
| A．Writers. | B．Businessmen. | C．Booksellers. | D．Literary agents. |
1. 请他推荐一部英文电影；
2. 说明推荐理由。
注意:
1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Mr. Johnson,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
8 . I was 3 years into my Ph.D. Yet I still felt in the
To me, this monitor was a
Then I graduated. My
And just like that, a ripple (涟漪) effect from an
| A．end | B．air | C．past | D．dark |
| A．fair | B．famous | C．frank | D．independent |
| A．volunteering | B．progressing | C．applying | D．leaving |
| A．anxiety | B．surprise | C．annoyance | D．embarrassment |
| A．suggestion | B．gift | C．ride | D．choice |
| A．response | B．change | C．gesture | D．contribution |
| A．shared | B．needed | C．provided | D．experienced |
| A．reminder | B．result | C．form | D．proposal |
| A．eventually | B．fortunately | C．acceptably | D．physically |
| A．kept back | B．looked into | C．turned down | D．blown away |
| A．slower | B．emptier | C．broader | D．heavier |
| A．comparison | B．time | C．communication | D．satisfaction |
| A．continue | B．found | C．restore | D．check |
| A．sense | B．achievement | C．dream | D．character |
| A．expensive | B．artificial | C．ordinary | D．adjustable |
9 . A century ago, kids were transported to school by all kinds of random vehicles. Because there were no national standards, it was up to states or individual school districts to hire buses, trucks and even horse-drawn wagons to convey kids to and from school.
Frank Cyr didn’t like this system. Back in the 1930s, Cyr was a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and an advocate for rural education. Cyr traveled the country conducting a study of school transportation. “In many cases, standards have been set up by more or less hit-and-miss methods,” reported Cyr in a New York Times article. He decided that something needed to be done to keep America’s schoolkids safe.
So in 1939, Cyr organized a conference in New York City dedicated to improving and standardizing the American school bus. He invited educators, transportation officials from 48 states and bus manufacturers to design a newer, safer school bus. At the meeting, Cyr hung up 50 paint samples on the walls of the conference room and formed a special committee to pick a winner. They chose the symbolic yellow-orange color that was originally known as “National School Bus Chrome”.
Cyr wasn’t a scientist or a safety expert, but he instinctively made the connection between bright colors, visibility and vehicle safety. “Based upon the standards of 1939, yellow was a very intelligent choice,” says Dr. Stephen Solomon, a retired optometrist (验光师) and founder of Visibility in Motion, which does consulting for emergency services providers. “The colors that are most easily seen by the human eye are the yellows — the yellow-green to yellow to greenish-yellow,” says Solomon. “That’s at the peak of the visibility range.”
Solomon explains that color vision is determined by photoreceptor cells in the retina (视网膜) called cones (视锥细胞). There are three types of cones, each tuned to detect different wavelengths of light: red, green and blue. Yellow light stimulates both the red and green cones at the same time, which is why the eye is most sensitive to colors in the yellow range.
1. What does the underlined word “hit-and-miss” in paragraph 2 probably mean?| A．Random. | B．Similar. | C．Effective. | D．Special. |
| A．Many schoolkids were invited. |
| B．A prize was chosen to award a winner. |
| C．Cyr was appointed as a transportation official. |
| D．The color yellow was selected for school buses. |
| A．It has different wavelengths. | B．It determines photoreceptor cells. |
| C．It affects two cones at the same time. | D．It covers the most visibility range. |
| A．Why Are School Buses Yellow? | B．Cyr: Father of School Buses |
| C．1939: a Year of School Bus Standards | D．What Vehicles Are Safe for Kids? |
10 . Harpreet Kaur has a passion for connecting with others of different faiths. She said “yes” when Zahabia Ahmed-Usmani, program manager at the Kaufman Institute for Interfaith Understanding(KIIU), asked her to introduce Valarie Kaur at a February event at Grand Valley State University. Valarie Kaur is a well-known author of See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love. The women share more than just a last name; both have a faith tradition rooted in service and equality.
The book’s message struck Harpreet as she listened to the author’s online presentations about welcoming all. “Valarie was such a good speaker. I wish I could be like her,” the freshman from Forest Hills Eastern High School thought.
She found out about the Kaufman Interfaith Leadership Scholars from her dad. This is her first year participating in this group that helps youth build bridges to help communities value, respect, and love all. The group of scholars meet every other Sunday and include students from many faiths. “I was surprised by how much I didn’t know about other faiths—and by how many similarities there are,” she said. “And it’s fun!”
She’s learned a lot about herself, too. “I’m always trying to better myself. I’ve always been really shy.” So, she decided to accept the opportunity to practice public speaking by introducing Valarie Kaur at the Grand Valley State University event—a clear indication of her drive to improve her own leadership skills.
While Harpreet may see herself as shy, Ahmed-Usmani sees the leadership qualities in her: “Since the first day I met her, I was impressed by how earnestly she learned, worked and played with her peers. She is a powerful young woman with the ability to convince others of following her lead.”
In the future, Harpreet will keep her hope for interfaith understanding: “The biggest lesson I have learned from my involvement in all these activities is that you never know what others are going through. Be open-minded. Hear other people’s side.”
1. What does the underlined word “both” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Valarie Kaur and her book. |
| B．Harpreet Kaur and Valarie Kaur. |
| C．KIIU and Grand Valley State University. |
| D．Harpreet Kaur and Zahabia Ahmed-Usmani. |
| A．Researching on building bridges. |
| B．Connecting people of different beliefs. |
| C．Learning about different communities. |
| D．Finding similarities of different values. |
| A．Persuasive. | B．Respectful. | C．Considerate. | D．Generous. |
| A．Hard work pays off. | B．One good turn deserves another. |
| C．Strike the iron while it is hot. | D．Put yourself in other’s shoes. |
