1 . When you have to cancel your Thanksgiving plans due to the spread of the COVID-19, you may find yourself craving companionship as much as that pumpkin pie. That’s because parts of the brain respond to loneliness much like they react to hunger, according to a study in Nature Neuroscience.

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology scanned the brains of 40 healthy, social young adults after 10 hours of either fasting (禁食) or social isolation (隔离). They found that after being alone, participants’ neurological responses to social signals were similar to hungry people reacting to food — that is, certain areas of the brain linked to desire were turned on to start working.

For an isolated person, a picture of people laughing together caused the same areas of the brain to light up as when a hungry person looked at a big plate of pasta.

“Just like hunger is an unpleasant sensation that motivates us to seek out food and thirst motivates us to seek out water, loneliness is a biological need that motivates us to reconnect to others,” Holt-Lunstad told Insider.

Researchers were surprised to find that people who were prevented from socializing became much more focused on that need, and less reactive to hunger. As their loneliness increased, they became less responsive to images of food.

These latest findings suggest that the relationship between food and loneliness might be more complicated than we thought, despite the popular opinion of stress-eating to cope with social isolation. More research is needed to understand the complex ways people deal with loneliness.

Studies like this can help scientists understand how the brain processes loneliness, and possibly reduce the negative consequences. However, although loneliness may be similar to hunger, fixing it isn’t as easy as serving someone a hearty dinner because people are unique and they need varying levels of social interactions to meet their needs.

1. The underlined word “craving” in the first paragraph can be replaced by          .

A．avoiding

B．desiring

C．preferring

D．ignoring

2. Researchers scanned the brains of the young adults                        .

A．to find their brain responses to both loneliness and hunger

B．to provide explanations for their feeling lonely and hungry

C．to find how loneliness can have a negative impact on health

D．after they have been hungry and socially isolated for 10 hours

3. What conclusion can be drawn from what Holt-Lunstad said in Paragraph 4?

A．Hunger is an unpleasant sensation.

B．Hunger and thirst motivate us to feed ourselves.

C．Socializing is supposed to be basic human need as it is.

D．The effects of loneliness on health are comparable to other factors.

4. What does the last paragraph imply?

A．Loneliness may be fixed just as hunger is satisfied.

B．Situations of loneliness are complicated and hard to cope with.

C．Scientists have understood how the brain processes loneliness.

D．Loneliness is such a common and serious problem that we all have to suffer.

2 . Don’t try to ______ any excuse, Alan. Tell me why you didn’t come to school yesterday.

A．show up

B．give up

C．step up

D．make up

3 . Have you ever imagined an insect-inspired robot, which weighs less than a gram, could one day help out in surgery (外科手术)?

Scientists have designed this small, “insect-bot” called mCLARI that can control and even change its body shape as it travels in different environments to fit through gaps. It’s 2 centimeters long, weighs less than 0.97 grams and can travel at a speed of 6 centimeters per second.It’s the smaller, faster replacement to CLARI, which was designed by the same team.

“Because of the robot’s small size and ability to change shape, we expect usage of this technology in four important areas,” the lead author Kaushik Jayaram said. These include disaster (灾害) response , check on high-value objects, environmental monitoring and medical treatment.

“In the long term, we hope such robots will be used more widely in moving through human bodies and performing surgeries that can’t be easily done at present,” Jayaram said. With mCLARI, Jayaram’s team is moving closer to creating robots that can fit in different environments—just like the insects they’re inspired by.

The mCLARI robot has four legs and can move in narrow spaces by changing between running forward and side-to-side and can use different speeds in human bodies. Its legs are joined to its body through joints (关节), which enables mCLARI to change its body shape based on the environment it is in. For example, its legs can be lengthened up to 50% in certain spaces.

As follow-up work, the scientists want to give mCLARI more power and sensing ability while helping the surgeries. “We are also excited about understanding the effect of shape change on improving functions of robots,” Jayaram said. “And this is sure a great one-step forward of the technology. The robot will have entered the market by 2025 and will bring greater benefits to mankind, especially in medical treatment.”

1. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．Possible application fields of the robot.	B．Different types of the robot.
C．Several important features of the robot.	D．Working process of the robot.

2. Which of the following can best describe mCLARI?

A．Valuable but uncontrollable.	B．Modern but high-cost.
C．Heavy and time-consuming.	D．Advanced and effective.

3. What is Jayaram’s attitude towards the robot?

A．Worried.

B．Positive.

C．Doubtful.

D．Uninterested.

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

A．Jayaram: A Scientist Studying Robot Intelligence

B．mCLARI Is Already Widely Available in the Market

C．CLARI: A Robot Invented by Inspiration from the Insects

D．A Tiny Shape-changing Robot Will Help Perform Surgeries

4 . A new study, led by Dr. Rebecca Stone, has shown that children as young as four years old eat 79% more calories when they are bored, compared to when they are in a normal mood (情绪) .

The researchers have explored the behaviors that make children more likely to eat when they experience negative emotions. Often when children experience bad emotions such as boredom or sadness, caring adults will use food to soothe them. However, this behavior, known as emotional feeding, appears to increase the possibility of children eating more when they are in low spirits. As time passes, too many calories intake will have a significant effect on children’s health both mentally and physically.

Dr. Stone stresses that the experience of boredom is important in the development of children’s sense of self and creativity, so she does not recommend that children should avoid being bored. Instead, she suggests children learn to experience boredom without turning to food. She also suggests that parents turn their children’s attention away from food when they feel bored, or restructure the home food environment to make it less likely that children turn to food in response to being bored.

While there do appear to be individual differences between children in terms of their eating when bored, it is helpful to know that the feeding practices that adults use around food might shape the likelihood of this happening. Although it is attractive to use food as a tool to help children, emotional feeding might lead to greater emotional eating in the future. It is important for parents and caregivers to be aware that this short-term fix could create future problems.

It is hoped that, on the original basis of the study, the team will deeply explore other negative mood states in children and offer advice and support for families to find more effective ways to manage challenges around children eating behavior.

1. What does the research focus on?

A．How children form good living habits.	B．How children face challenges in life.
C．How boredom impacts on children eating.	D．How parents bring up their children.

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

A．Ignore.

B．Comfort.

C．Excuse.

D．Control.

3. What can we know about emotional feeding?

A．It makes children lose weight quickly.

B．It creates a new home food environment.

C．It cannot keep children trusting their parents.

D．It may not help handle bad moods in the long run.

4. What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?

A．Expectations for further studies.

B．The importance of going on a diet.

C．The necessity of managing moods.

D．Ways to strengthen family relationship.

5 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇 完整的短文。

In our weekly staff meeting, our editor Ashley was not pleased with the quality of our reporting. “Our readership is way down. We need better stories for this Thursday’s school newspaper. Does anybody have any ideas?” she said.

I handed her my article about our basketball team beating Deerfield High School the previous night by one point. “Sports stories are fun,” she said, “but not good enough for the front page. We need something to really get people ‘s attention.”

After our meeting, we left the newsroom together and heard someone screaming, “Perry is missing!” Perry was a big red parrot and had been our school mascot (吉祥物) for ten years. He played an important role in students’ lives, both in and out of class. He had also been a constant presence at school events, inspiring a sense of unity among students.

Everyone gathered around Perry’s empty cage, heartbroken. Suddenly, a student from the crowd came over and showed me a photo. “You’re a reporter for the school paper, right? I happened to take this yesterday,” he said. In the photo was a Deerfield High School basketball player with something large hidden under his shirt around the size of a parrot.

“He must have stolen Perry to get back at us for winning the game!” Ashley cried. We hurried back to the newsroom, agreeing to run the photo on the front page with the headline “Deerfeld Stole Perry.” “This is just the story we need. Everyone will read it,” Ashley said confidently.

After she left, I took a closer look at the photo. The clock in the background read 4:15 pm, but our game against Deerfield hadn’t started until 4:30 pm. Why would the boy have taken Perry before we even played? An uneasy feeling came over me that we might have falsely accused someone.

I went to Perry’s usual caretaker to ask if he knew Perry was missing. ”He’s not missing. He’s retired. He’s ready for some quieter days,“ he said. Learning the truth, I immediately told Ashley and suggested writing a story to say goodbye to Perry.

注意:
1.续写词数应为150左右:
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

To my surprise, Ashley insisted on reporting the “Deerfield Stole Perry” story.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On Thursday, the paper came out with the headline “Bye-Bye, Perry” on the front page.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6 . 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。

Despite being 75 years old, Chai Tixia’s expertise in Jianzi is truly impressive. With quick kicks, he effortlessly sends the Jianzi into the air and gracefully guides it to land    1     (gentle) on his head.

Jianzi,    2     game that dates back to the Han Dynasty, is surprisingly simple: players must keep the Jianzi in the air,    3     (use) any part of their body except their hands and arms. However, to master this game    4     (require) a lot of practice.

While enjoyed throughout China, Jianzi     5     (describe) by Chai as an important aspect of hutong culture. The narrow alleyways, situated within Beijing’s inner city, provide the setting for the game’s    6     (popular). Each mormning, Chai and his fellow hutong residents gather for their shared passion for Jianzi.

Chai’s spirited matches with his neighbors have a big audience     7     (draw) to the artistry and excitement of the game. The onlookers who watch them playing with great athleticism are amazed at     8     Chai and his fellow players can achieve.

Having practiced Jianzi for over 30 years, Chai cherishes the physical and social     9     (benefit) the game brings. Engaging in lively matches with his neighbors energizes his body, enhances his flexibility,     10     promotes unity within the community. Through Jianzi, Chai harvests not only health but a sense of belonging and friendship.

7 . Last year, I started the journey of being a remote product designer. The thought of a _____schedule, a comfortable home office, and the escape from the crowded public transport was incredibly _____. The first few weeks were filled with a long-lost feeling of_______.

However, the   _____of working from home gradually set in. I had started my day with the best intentions, promising myself quick breaks and regular_______   . But deadlines, endless emails, and virtual meetings ______ me to my computer throughout the day, leaving me little time to ______. Gone were the short walks to a colleague’s desk and the quick lunchtime walks around the office complex. Finally, my world was______ to the walls of my home, my steps ______   in mere meters rather than kilometers.

One day, I tried   ______ one of my favorite dresses and it wasn’t passing through my waist at all. Glancing at myself in the mirror, I saw a ______ person carrying extra weight, rather than someone enjoying freedom. The______of work and personal life had left me feeling like I was a never ending motion machine.

This incident marked the______ of a journey of self-discovery. I made up my mind that I needed a(n)_______ not just for my waistline but for my overall well-being. It was a promise to prioritize my physical and mental health, and a commitment that I could ________ control over my life and my body.

1.

A．tight

B．regular

C．full

D．flexible

2.

A．appealing

B．amusing

C．challenging

D．disturbing

3.

A．direction

B．security

C．freedom

D．responsibility

4.

A．duties

B．rewards

C．problems

D．expectations

5.

A．visits

B．emails

C．updates

D．stretches

6.

A．tied

B．inspired

C．guided

D．introduced

7.

A．reply

B．relax

C．react

D．read

8.

A．extended

B．limited

C．related

D．exposed

9.

A．counted

B．repeated

C．watched

D．followed

10.

A．tidying up

B．putting aside

C．fitting into

D．getting back

11.

A．lazy

B．tired

C．rude

D．mad

12.

A．mix

B．success

C．balance

D．value

13.

A．distance

B．memory

C．beginning

D．training

14.

A．promise

B．excuse

C．answer

D．change

15.

A．maintain

B．ease

C．remove

D．regain

8 . Art comes in two main categories: realistic and abstract. Realistic art aims to show real-life scenes, people, and objects exactly as they appear. It involves paying close attention to details, making things look like photographs.    1    . It’s more about expressing feelings, emotions, and ideas.

Realistic art is easy to understand. Viewers can easily recognize what is portrayed. Take the Mona Lisa, for example—it’s a realistic painting of a lady with a mysterious smile.    2    , helping us to learn about the past.

Unlike realistic art, abstract art is more about being creative.     3    . They use shapes, colors and patterns to express feelings and ideas. Abstract art means different things to different people. Some people enjoy trying to figure out what the artwork conveys.

    4    . Realistic art needs precision in drawing or sculpting to make things look real. Abstract art requires imagination to use shapes and colors in new ways. Many artists are skilled in both. They create realistic pieces to demonstrate their technical skills and abstract ones to display their creativity.

As for personal preference, some people prefer the clear stories of realistic art while others are attracted to the mystery of abstract art, interpreting meanings in the shapes and forms. Together, the two kinds of art make the art world diverse and engaging.    5    .

A．Both types of art take skills to make

B．Photographs preserve faces of folks from long ago

C．Grasping abstract art demands more artistic training

D．Both ways of creating art have their own value and beauty

E．In contrast, abstract art focuses less on realistic appearances

F．Artworks like this tell stories about history and everyday life

G．Artists have the freedom to go beyond real-life representations

9 . Each year, the world loses about 10 million hectares of forest—an area about the size of Iceland—because of cutting down trees. At that rate, some scientists predict the world’s forests could disappear in 100 to 200 years. To handle it, now researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have pioneered a technique to generate wood-like plant materials in a lab. This makes it possible to “grow” a wooden product without cutting down trees.

In the lab, the researchers first take cells from the leaves of a young plant. These cells are cultured in liquid medium for two days, then moved to another medium which contains nutrients and two different hormones. By adjusting the hormone levels, the researchers can tune the physical and mechanical qualities of the cells. Next, the researchers use a 3D printer to shape the cell-based material, and let the shaped material grow in the dark for three months. Finally, the researchers dehydrate the material, and then evaluate its qualities.

They found that lower hormone levels lead to plant materials with more rounded, open cells of lower density, while higher hormone levels contribute to the growth of plant materials with smaller but denser cell structures. Lower or higher density of cell structures makes the plant materials softer or more rigid, helping the materials grow with different wood-like characteristics. What’s more, it’s to be noted that the research process is about 100 times faster than the time it takes for a tree to grow to maturity!

Research of this kind is ground-breaking. “This work demonstrates the great power of a technology,” says lead researcher, Jeffrey Berenstain. “The real opportunity here is to be at its best with what you use and how you use it. This technology can be tuned to meet the requirements you give about shapes, sizes, rigidity, and forms. It enables us to ‘grow’ any wooden product in a way that traditional agricultural methods can’t achieve.”

1. Why do researchers at MIT conduct the research?

A．To grow more trees.	B．To protect plant diversity.
C．To reduce tree losses.	D．To predict forest disappearance.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about the lab research?

A．Its theoretical basis.	B．Its key procedures.
C．Its scientific evidence.	D．Its usual difficulties.

3. What does the finding suggest about the plant materials?

A．The hormone levels affect their rigidity.

B．They are better than naturally grown plants.

C．Their cells’ shapes mainly rely on their density.

D．Their growth speed determines their characteristics.

4. Why is the research ground-breaking according to Berenstain?

A．It uses new biological materials in lab experiments.

B．It revolutionizes the way to make wooden products.

C．It challenges traditional scientific theories in forestry.

D．It has a significant impact on worldwide plant growth.

10 . “Why does grandpa have ear hair?” Just a few years ago my child was so curious to know “why” and “how” that we had to cut off her questions five minutes before bedtime. Now a soon-to-be fourth grader, she says that she dislikes school because “it’s not fiun to learm.” I am shocked. As a scientist and parent, I have done everything I can to promote a love of learning in my children. Where did I go wrong?

My child’s experience is not unique. Developmental psychologist Susan Engel notes that curiosity defined as “spontaneous (自发的)” investigation and eagerness for new information-drops dramatically in children by the fourth grade.

In Wonder: Childhood and the Lifelong Love of Science, Yale psychologist Frank C. Keil details the development of wonder — a spontaneous passion to explore, discover, and understand. He takes us on a journey from its early development, when wonder drives common sense and scientific reasoning, through the drop-off in wonder that often occurs, to the trap of life in a society that devalues wonder.

As Keil notes, children are particularly rich in wonder while they are rapidly developing causal mechanisms (因果机制) in the preschool and early elementary school years. They are sensitive to the others’ knowledge and goals, and they expertly use their desire for questioning. Children’s questions, particularly those about “why” and “how” support the development of causal mechanisms which can be used to help their day-to-day reasoning.

Unfortunately, as Keil notes, “adults greatly underestimate young children’s causal mechanisms.” In the book, Wonder, Keil shows that we can support children’s ongoing wonder by playing games with them as partners, encouraging question-asking, and focusing on their abilities to reason and conclude.

A decline in wonder is not unavoidable. Keil reminds us that we can accept wonder as a desirable positive quality that exists in everyone. I value wonder deeply, and Wonder has given me hope by proposing a future for my children that will remain wonder-full.

1. What is a common problem among fourth graders?

A．They upset their parents too often.	B．They ask too many strange questions.
C．Their love for fun disappears quickly.	D．Their desire to learn declines sharply.

2. What can be inferred about children’s causal mechanisms in paragraph 4?

A．They control children’s sensitivity.	B．They slightly change in early childhood.
C．They hardly support children’s reasoning.	D．They develop through children’s questioning.

3. How can parents support children’s ongoing wonder according to Keil?

A．By monitoring their games.	B．By welcoming inquiring minds.
C．By estimating their abilities.	D．By providing reasonable conclusions.

4. What is the text?

A．A book review.

B．A news report.

C．A research paper.

D．A children’s story.