1 . Which is more important for parents, making more money to give the kids a better life or spending more time with them? It is a problem for parents and it is not easy to decide. A new study shows that today’s parents are spending more time with their children than parents in the past. According to the study, today’s college-educated mothers spend about 21.2 hours a week taking care of their children. But women with less education spend about 15.9 hours. Before 1995, it was only 12 hours.

Dads are spending more time on ball games. Before 1995, fathers with college educations only spent about 4.5 hours a week playing with their children. Today, it increases to 9.6 hours a week. For fathers with high school education, the time goes up from 3.7 hours to 6.8.

These days, parents don’t care more about the cleaning or the cooking. They are trying their best to spend time with their families. As for the kids, they don’t mind how much time their parents spend with them. They just want to enjoy the time their parents do be with them.

So, take part in the kids’ activities when you are with them, such as helping with homework or playing soccer with them.

1. How long do college-educated mothers spend taking care of their kids a week?

A．About 9.6 hours.	B．About 12 hours.
C．About 15.9 hours.	D．About 21.2 hours.

2. What can we know from the new study?

A．Women with less education spend about12 hours staying with their kids,

B．Mothers in the past spent less time staying with kids than mothers these days.

C．Mothers with college education are lazier than those with less education.

D．Dads spend more time staying with their kids than mothers do.

3. How long did fathers with college education spend with kids a month before 1995?

A．About 4.5 hours.	B．Less than 9 hours.
C．About 13.5 hours.	D．About 18 hours.

4. What do kids care about according to the text?

A．They care about how much money their parents can make.

B．They care about how much time their parents spend with them.

C．They care if their parents are really with them.

D．They care if their parents can give them a better life.

2 . A dramatic video emerged on social media last Friday. It showed the heroic efforts of Australian police as they ________ carrying out a mission to save a man trapped in a granary (谷仓). The video, firstly shared on the Internet by Australia’s Queensland Police Service, ________ showed the devoted team work of several ________. The pictures of them using their shovels (铁锹) to carefully dig into the granary were so clear. This daring ________ took place in Baralaba, a town of central Queensland.

In the middle of the ________ rescue efforts, the police chief was caught on video urgently ________additional shovels. He just wanted to ensure the ________ and well-being of the trapped individual, and said to a farmer, “Can you get some more shovels, my friend? We need to open more space to ________ his ability of breathing in fresh air.” The rescue team together made a proper ________ in the granary in a race against time to ________ the trapped man. Finally, he was saved.

The police chief, who played a key role in the ________, reflected on the incredible community spirit that appeared in the state of ________. He noted, “The local farmers, workers and businessmen along the road offered to ________ on that important day. It was the ________ efforts of all of the people involved that made this rescue action ________ in the end. This spirit of partnership has made our world a much better place.”

1.

A．applied for

B．commented on

C．put off

D．set about

2.

A．vividly

B．abstractly

C．complexly

D．theoretically

3.

A．farmers

B．officers

C．businessmen

D．photographers

4.

A．ceremony

B．inspection

C．operation

D．reform

5.

A．ecological

B．peaceful

C．calm

D．intense

6.

A．making

B．requesting

C．changing

D．purchasing

7.

A．right

B．proof

C．ambition

D．security

8.

A．disturb

B．admire

C．protect

D．restrict

9.

A．opening

B．trade

C．cloth

D．living

10.

A．free

B．feed

C．tolerate

D．transform

11.

A．game

B．meeting

C．rescue

D．surgery

12.

A．pessimism

B．emergency

C．relaxation

D．comfort

13.

A．broadcast

B．compete

C．check

D．aid

14.

A．subjective

B．combined

C．humble

D．divided

15.

A．adapt

B．delay

C．succeed

D．increase

3 . Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday in the US. Some other countries have their own versions of Thanksgiving.

Brazil

Legend has it that Joaquim Nabuco, Brazil’s first ambassador (大使) to the US, enjoyed the American holiday so much that he persuaded his government to set up a similar day of thanks. Dia de Acao de Gracas is also celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of November to give thanks for the fall harvest. The Brazilian holiday ends with a colorful and noisy carnival(狂欢节) and parade.

Japan

Japan’s version of the holiday, called “Kinro Kansha no Hi” or Labor Thanksgiving Day, is observed on November 23. It originated from an ancient rice harvest festival called Niiname-sai. Later, the holiday’s purpose was to celebrate the rights of workers. Today, Labor Thanksgiving Day is mainly observed with small acts of community service. Children often mark the occasion by handing out thank-you notes to firefighters, police officers, and other frontline workers.

Canada

Thanksgiving in Canada is a low-key affair with no big parades or retail sales. The holiday mainly focuses on families and friends getting together for a meal. While many parts of the country get the day off, it is an optional (可选择的) holiday in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador. As a result, the celebrations often take place the weekend before the holiday.

Ghana

Ghana celebrates its version of Thanksgiving in August or September. As the story goes, the Ga settlers arrived in Ghana in the 16th century after facing lots of hardships during their travels across Africa. They celebrated their first harvest in Ghana with a feast, and a tradition was born. Before the festival, there is a month-long ban on noise, especially drumming. Similar to Thanksgiving, Homowo is a festival of food.

1. What probably led to the birth of Dia de Acao de Gracas in Brazil?

A．The development of agriculture.	B．A demand from Americans in Brazil.
C．A government official’s suggestion.	D．The influence of traditional Brazilian culture.

2. What can be learned about Japan’s version of the holiday?

A．It begins with an exciting carnival.

B．Rice sales are a big part of the holiday.

C．Celebrations can take place before Labor Day.

D．It encourages kids to express gratitude for hard work.

3. In which country can you best enjoy the quiet before its Thanksgiving?

A．Canada.

B．Ghana.

C．Brazil.

D．Japan.

4 . In school, kids are told to drink water in class.     1     And we’re reminded by experts that water will help us have glowing skin and regulate our weight. But how much should we actually be drinking to make the body function properly?

For many years, people have followed the unofficial advice of drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, known as the “8×8 rule”. It’s said that this seems to have partly come from the guidance that was published almost 80 years ago. In 1945, the US Food and Nutrition Board of National Research Council advised drinking one millilitre (毫升) of liquid for every recommended calorie of food. This is equal to around two litres of water a day, or eight glasses per person.     2     Weight, age and activity level all affect how much water someone should drink.

    3     It’s not that important, according to Dr Stanley Goldfarb from the University of PennsyIvania. He said that our body is very good at hydration (水合) control. That is to say, it tells us when we are in a state of lack of water. Firstly, there is “the thirst system”, which tells us to go drinking because our body water content is slightly reduced. And secondly, we have the kidney (肾) system which helps to keep water and kicks in well before we really sense any thirst.

There are, of course, undeniable benefits to drinking water.     4     It also contains essential nutrients like calcium and magnesium, which are important for bone strength.

So, next time you feel thirsty, reach for a glass of water, but otherwise, don’t worry about it!     5    

A．Your body knows what it’s doing.

B．Is that the probable origin of the “8×8 rule”?

C．So should we control our water intake at all?

D．Yet the reality is that individuals have different needs.

E．After all, drinking more water is far from unreasonable.

F．Announcers encourage us to remember our bottles on public transport.

G．Water helps our bodies regulate temperature, aids digestion and acts as a shock absorber for our joints.

5 . Soft skills can make a huge difference to your life. They include being a good listener, working with other people and showing a positive attitude.     1     Happy and successful people are likely to have most, if not all, of the soft skills listed below.

    2     Being able to work harmoniously in a team is a skill of vital importance. Whether you work in a factory or an office, it’s certain that you are part of a team. You must learn how to get on with others. If you’re a team leader, you must also know how to motivate and inspire your members.

Work for the ideal work-life balance.     3     In fact, those who are crazy about earning money are often far from happy. For most things in this world, balance is the key. It is understandable that you want to work hard and earn a lot of money at the same time. But just ensure that you leave enough time and energy to enjoy the rewards.

See the best in others. Ask yourself if you have this quality. Many people don’t have it. However, having this skill is awesome. Seeing the best in others means that you can help them develop to the best of their potential.     4    

Have the eagerness to learn. Where would we be without learning? From our birth to adulthood, we constantly learn new things.     5     And they often complain that they have difficulty adapting to the changes in their lives. So to stay young, happy and satisfied, renew your enthusiasm for learning.

A．Communicate clearly and effectively.

B．Happiness is not dependent on money.

C．Understand the power of teamwork.

D．However, as we get older, many people stop learning.

E．Having a friendly personality helps you make new friends.

F．It also means that you can quickly build trust with other people.

G．Without them, you’ll struggle to find work, partners and happiness.

6 . It’s OK to do a little comfort shopping, especially in these tough times.     1    . Here are a few ways to start controlling that stress-spending and start saving a little smarter—today.

Make a budget. Don’t just think about it in your head. You have to write it down. If it’s not written down, then it’s not a budget. Once you’ve taken into account the necessities like food, shelter and savings, don’t forget to put aside some money for fun. Whether your fun budget is $5 a week or $50 a week, it’s important to set that money aside. Money is not just meant to be responsible with.     2    .

Before you reach for the fun-budget money, make sure that what you are buying is a love, a thing that will bring you lasting joy.     3    . Likes are short-term joy. It means you’ll forget these things in less than a year. Wants are just instant satisfaction and you’re not going to be interested in such things even a day later.

Sound familiar? We have all purchased some wants — whether it’s a T-shirt or a bag that are now gathering dust in the closet,     4    , because not only you’re spending money that you don’t have, but you’re actually making your life less enjoyable.

    5    . It’s a muscle that you just need to practise by creating a saving account that is disconnected from your mobile phone. So it isn’t convenient to stress-spend that hard-earned money.

A．These things may give you lasting joy

B．These wants are particularly damaging

C．Don’t worry if it doesn’t come easily at first

D．Be cautious about things you just like or want

E．You’re also supposed to use it as a tool to make your life enjoyable

F．But don’t let stress-spending get in the way of your long-term saving goals

G．Imaging your future self is a joyful way to think about saving for your future

7 . Born into a family of motorcyclists, Bridget McCutchen was able to witness firsthand the ______ and excitement that riding a motorbike could bring from a very early age. But the idea of riding around the world hadn't ever ______ her until her older brother pointed out that she was still young enough to beat the world record for the youngest person to circle the ______ on a motorcycle.

McCutchen, whose longest road trip had been from Wisconsin to Washington, says she ______ the idea at first. But it kept coming back into her ______.

After ______ as much money as she could, McCutchen ______ in August. She has been recording her ______ online, stressing that there's a huge difference in ______ the world between traveling by car and on a ______ .

However, traveling by motorcycle on ______ roads comes with its dangers. McCutchen has ______ from the motorcycle on a few occasions and nearly crashed into trucks around blind corners.

Of course, if she is successful in breaking this particular record, the likelihood is that someone even ______ will come along and set a new record one day. However, McCutchen isn't ______ about this at all. In fact, she says she'll ______ help anyone who's keen to do so, even if it means that they beat her to it.

1.

A．mystery

B．pleasure

C．variety

D．intelligence

2.

A．belonged to

B．turned to

C．occurred to

D．related to

3.

A．country

B．backyard

C．school

D．globe

4.

A．dismissed

B．forgot

C．liked

D．remembered

5.

A．house

B．face

C．office

D．mind

6.

A．spending

B．saving

C．losing

D．investing

7.

A．checked in

B．broke down

C．set off

D．ran out

8.

A．dreams

B．mistakes

C．conversations

D．travels

9.

A．understanding

B．changing

C．seeing

D．ruling

10.

A．bicycle

B．plane

C．train

D．motorbike

11.

A．unfamiliar

B．quiet

C．main

D．safe

12.

A．escaped

B．fallen

C．started

D．died

13.

A．slimmer

B．happier

C．younger

D．richer

14.

A．worried

B．curious

C．careful

D．hopeful

15.

A．barely

B．gladly

C．creatively

D．suddenly

8 . Dorothea Dix was born in 1802 in Massachusetts. When she was 12 years old, she left her unhappy home to live with her grandmother in Boston. There Dorothea went to school and was so quick at her lessons that two years later she went back to Worcester, Massachusetts and taught in a school for little children. She was only fourteen and rather small for her age. Anyway, she proved herself a good teacher, and the children loved her and respected her. In 1821, she opened a school for girls in Boston.

Gradually, her health broke down, and she began to think that she could never work any more, but after a long rest in England, she came back to America and did something far greater than teaching. She went through the whole country where she first observed the inhumane treatment of the mentally ill. During Dorothea’s traveling for nearly two years throughout the state, and meeting similar conditions, she always spoke kindly to the ill-treated, but she spoke wrathfully to the men who ill-treated them. In January 1843, she submitted to the Massachusetts legislature (立法机关) a detailed report of her fully documented findings.

In the next 40 years Dorothea inspired legislators in 15 US states and in Canada to establish state hospitals for the mentally ill. Her continuous efforts directly affected the building of 32 institutions in the United States. When the Civil War broke out, she went straight to Washington and offered to nurse the soldiers without pay. She hired houses to keep supplies in and bought an ambulance. She gave her time, strength and money to her country.

Dorothea Dix has been called the most useful woman of America. She is an, American educator, social reformer and humanitarian whose devotion to the welfare of the mentally ill led to widespread reforms in the United States and abroad.

1. What do we know about Dorothea Dix when she was 19?

A．She set up a school.	B．She lived with her parents.
C．She went to school in Massachusetts.	D．She failed to become a good teacher.

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

A．Patiently.

B．Fluently.

C．Angrily.

D．Quickly.

3. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The awards Dorothea Dix received in her life.

B．The contributions Dorothea Dix made to her country.

C．The support Dorothea Dix got from her family.

D．The difficulties Dorothea Dix met during the Civil War.

4. Which of the following can best describe Dorothea Dix?

A．Humorous and well-educated.	B．Generous and warm-hearted.
C．Proud and hard-working.	D．Romantic and open-minded.

9 . Scientists are now digging into precisely why exercise holds so many benefits for our mental health and memory. The answer, studies say, lies in our brain chemistry.

Each time you work up a sweat, your body releases feel-good happy hormones (荷尔蒙), including endorphins, dopamine and endocannabinoids, the latter being responsible for the so-called runner’s high. Now researchers are also pointing to myokines (肌肉因子) as an important contributor to the mental health benefits of exercise. When our muscles contract, myokines are released into the bloodstream, helping your muscles and organs communicate. They think this communication increases resilience to stress, reduces symptoms of mental suffering and anxiety and has a direct effect on depression.

A 2021 scientific report published in Neuropharmacology showed evidence that myokines boost brain function, like improving memory and mood. “Myokines reduce systemic inflammation (炎症), which is especially beneficial for people with drug-resistant depression whose low mood is linked to high inflammation,” explains Dr Jennifer Heisz, an expert in brain health and associate professor in the department of kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada.

A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that treatment for depression can be much more effective when physical activity is added to the usual care. Participants found benefits after 12 weeks of exercising for 30 to 60 minutes a day. “While exercise is not a replacement for professional mental health treatment, physical activity can complement and enhance the effects of the treatment,” says lead researcher Ben Singh, a research fellow at the University of South Australia.

“It is amazing to consider how moving our bodies can heal our minds,” says Heisz. Whether you’re cycling, walking around your neighbourhood or doing yoga, getting sweaty is good for your body and mind. To get the biggest overall health boost, the key is to zero in on sports and activities you enjoy, so you’ll keep going back to them.

1. How do myokines boost our mental health?

A．By bonding muscles with organs.

B．By slowing down our bloodstream.

C．By contracting muscles through the body.

D．By releasing happy hormones in our brain.

2. What is Ben Singh’s attitude towards physical activity in treatment for depression?

A．Doubtful.	B．Negative.
C．Uncertain	D．Approving.

3. What does the underlined phrase “zero in on” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Adapt to.	B．Give up.
C．Focus on.	D．Put off.

4. How does the author develop the text?

A．By making comparisons.

B．By presenting research findings.

C．By offering suggestions.

D．By conducting some experiments.

10 . Baidu, a Chinese search engine and artificial intelligence firm, announced its latest electric autonomous driving vehicle, Apollo RT6, on Thursday. The new vehicle is a fully electric vehicle with a steering wheel (方向盘) that can be removed when not required. It will cost ¥250,000 per unit.

“The steering-wheel-free design allows more space for extra seating or other additions and the massive cost reduction will enable us to put tens of thousands of autonomous vehicles into operation across China,” Robin Li, co-founder and CEO of Baidu, said at the firm's Baidu World Conference Thursday. “We are moving towards a future where taking a robotaxi will be half the cost of taking a taxi today.”

Baidu already runs Apollo Go and Apollo Moon, taxi services using self-driving robotaxis with safety staff seated in the driver or passenger seat. They have been in operation in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, although the service is limited to specific areas. The new vehicle will soon join those robotaxis.

The RT6 has reached the industry's Level 4 out of five possible levels of technology. That means its systems can operate without a driver but must be pre-loaded with a detailed map, thus limiting the areas where the vehicles can operate. Lower levels of self-driving technology have been available for decades. For example, many Level-3 vehicles allow hands-free highway driving. Other kinds of self-driving robot vehicles are already widely used in factories warehouses and other tightly controlled settings.

Compared to previous generations where the technology was mainly used on conventional vehicles, the Apollo RT6 was designed specifically with fully autonomous driving in mind.

Baidu is best known for its search engine and online advertising services, but in recent years it has invested heavily in autonomous driving and artificial intelligence technology, including automated personal assistants and AI chips.

1. What can we know about Apollo RT6?

A．It is free to run in any area.	B．It has to operate with a driver.
C．It will be cheaper to operate.	D．It can work without a detailed map.

2. The technology of a fully self-driving vehicle should reach__________.

A．Level 2

B．Level 3

C．Level 4

D．Level 5

3. What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．A personal assistant.	B．A company.
C．A search engine.	D．A fully autonomous car.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．An Introduction to Baidu's Latest Vehicle: Apollo RT6

B．Baidu's Future Plan for Its Electric Vehicle: Apollo RT6

C．Limitations of the Level-4 Self-driving Electric Vehicles

D．The Great Market Potential for Fully Autonomous Vehicles