1 . What are the speakers talking about?
| A．Polite greetings. | B．Table manners. | C．Body language. |
2 . A gene variant (变体) that causes the “alcohol flush (脸红)” reaction increases the risk of heart disease by causing inflammation of blood vessels (脉管), especially in drinkers. Around 8 percent of the world’s populations has a gene variant called ALDH2*2 that impairs the body’s ability to break down alcohol and causes unpleasant symptoms such as flushing soon after people drink. Now, researchers have shown why this change also raises the risk of heart disease.
“We are trying to understand why ALDH2*2 is associated with a higher risk of coronary arte (冠状动脉) disease at a cellular (细胞的) level,” says Hongchao Guo at Stanford University in California.
The ALDH2*2 gene encodes one version of the enzyme (酵素) alcohol dehydrogenase (脱氢酶), which breaks down the toxic acetaldehydes (乙醛) produced when alcohol is metabolized (代谢), and also mops up other harmful substances known as free radicals.
The gene variant also impairs the growth of new blood vessels. “That means that when there is a heart attack, when there is a need of blood vessel growth, carriers have less ability to generate new blood vessels,” says Guo.
The team found that an existing diabetes (糖尿病) drug called empagliflozin may reduce these harmful effects in people with ALDH2*2 who drink a lot of alcohol. But for Wu, the take-home message is clear. “If you’re missing this enzyme, try not to drink,” he says. “If you drink consistently, you are at much higher risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer.”
Given its many negative consequences, there has been debate about why this change spread and became common, today being found in more than a third of people of cast Asian origin.
“My only explanation is that if you are missing this enzyme, you tend to drink less and there’s therefore less chance of you becoming alcoholic,” says Wu.
1. Which of the following may be caused by “alcohol flush”?| A．Heart disease and high blood pressure. | B．A gene variant called ALDH2*2. |
| C．Inflammation of blood vessels. | D．Diabetes and cancer. |
| A．Exiting diabetes drug can help people witALDH2*2. |
| B．People with ALDH2*2 shouldn’t drink alcohol. |
| C．People with ALDH2*2 have less chance of becoming alcoholic. |
| D．Drinking alcohol can bring about diabetes and cancer. |
| A．Diabetes drug can free people with ALDH2*2 of alcohol flush. |
| B．If you are missing this enzyme, you will easily become alcoholic. |
| C．People with ALDH2*2 tend to suffer from cancer. |
| D．More than a third of people of cast Asian origin may be affected by ALDH2*2. |
| A．To explain the impact of genetic variant causing the “alcohol flush”. |
| B．To introduce ways to stop drinking alcohol. |
| C．To introduce dangers of drinking alcohol. |
| D．To persuade people to get rid of drinking alcohol. |
On a Saturday afternoon, my friend’s eleven-year-old daughter Jenny and I wound our way through the crowd at the State Fair of Texas. Her dad, along with my husband, followed behind. Seconds later, we arrived at the section of the fair that I dreaded（畏惧）more than searching for a place to park: the midway rides. As the loudspeakers shouted “I Will Survive”, potential victims passed us like a tornado.
Jenny looked up at the windsurf ride with her eyes wide open. I was confident that she, like my children when they were her age, would bypass the twisting, terrifying, multi-story mechanical arms and continue walking elsewhere.
I was wrong.
“Will you go on this ride with me?” she asked.
“Um, sure,” I answered while glancing up at the people who were suspended upside down.
“How bad could it be?” I asked.
“Not bad if rides don’t make you sick,” Jenny said.
I could have made up an excuse for not to risk my life. Or I could have admitted my possibility of motion sickness. But, earlier that morning, I had challenged myself to try something new each week. I was ready to push myself out of my comfort zone. Jenny stared at the ride, eager to experience the same thrill as the brave group of riders in front of us, I couldn’t say no.
We bought two tickets. After climbing into our seats, an attendant reached up, pulled down the bar, and locked it in place. The ride lifted us slowly and then turned us over like the blueberry pancakes. Staring at the ground directly below us, I wondered why I had decided to wear flip-flops（人字拖）. I wondered when my new health insurance would kick in. My stomach upset. The ride touched down finally. Her dad and my husband were waiting for us at the exit. “How was it?” they asked.
“Fine. No big deal,” I said, even though my head was dizzy. Jenny walked ahead of us and convinced me to keep taking chances and sample more rides.
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。
“Oh, look at the pirate ship!” she said.
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On the way to the car, I sent my son a video of me on the first ride filmed by my husband.
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When I was in middle school, my family moved to Seattle, where my parents started their new business — a small grocery store downstairs my house. As a girl of shy and reserved nature, I had to take a fresh start to fit into the sophisticated city life.
One sunny day, my school announced an exciting event, a talent show for the local food bank. Students were encouraged to showcase their unique talents in front of the public in the city hall on National Day. A buzz of excitement fed the school as everyone began preparing for the big day. Deep down, I felt a spark of curiosity and a desire to participate. However, my self-doubt held me back, “I don’t have any special skills to share.”
Days turned into weeks, and the talent show drew closer. I couldn’t shake the upsetting feeling until one day, Emma, one of the most popular girls in my class, came to me while I was helping in the grocery store after class. “How about singing together in the talent show?” She grinned, “I heard you singing a tune, along the way back home. I can’t help following you here.” Gosh, I couldn’t believe my ears. Emma, with personality and popularity, acknowledged my little talent. Since Emma had the world’s prettiest voice, I felt like being favoured by fortune.
“You two? The talent show for the food bank?” My mum bent towards us and her face lit up. “A big occasion.” Then a light bulb seemed to go in her head. “Why not practise right now upstairs? I bet you’ll be a perfect match.” Winking at us, she seemed to know we were thinking alike.
Emma and I embarked on rehearsing almost every single day after school. We brainstormed, exchanged ideas and rehearsed the scene. As the days rolled by, I was feeling pretty good about our act. But the day before the performance, Emma called that she had an acute stomachache and was not in any shape to perform.
注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
I was completely knocked out by the news.
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Finally came the big moment.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It was in the afternoon before the end of the Second World War that Antonio Black, who was twelve, caught sight of a beautiful brooch (胸针) in a shop window. The brooch is so beautiful that he was unwilling to leave the store until he had purchased it. But it was too expensive — $5. His family was very poor and his parents struggled to make ends meet. Five dollars would buy almost a week’s food for his family.
Antonio couldn’t ask his father for the money. Everything his father made through fishing went to his mother, Susan. Slim and beautiful, his mother was the center of the home and the glue that held it together. The housework was never-ending, and she struggled to feed and clothe their five children, but she was happy as her family and their well-being were all she cared about.
Nevertheless, he opened the shop’s door and went inside. Standing proudly and straight in his flour-sack (面粉袋改做的) shirt and washed-out trousers, he told the shopkeeper what he wanted, adding, “But I don’t have the money right now. Can you please hold it for me for some time?”
“I’ll try,” the shopkeeper smiled. “People around here don’t usually have that kind of money to spend on things. It should keep for a while.”
Antonio respectfully touched his worn cap and walked out. He would raise the money and not tell anybody, for he thought Mum would be surprised when she saw that brooch. On hearing the sound of hammering (锤打) from a side street, Antonio suddenly had an idea that he could raise money by selling the used nail bags. People built their own homes in Bay Roberts, using nails bought in bags from a local factory. Sometimes the used bags were thrown away at the construction site, and Antonio knew he could sell them back to the factory for five cents a piece. That day he sold two nail bags and hid the money in a rusty soda tin.
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。
Every day after school, Antonio started his plan.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The day finally came!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Holidays are not necessarily for fun or rest. Doing something meaningful can also gain special pleasure. When the final bell rang, the students were reminded that there was no school on Monday—the Labor Day. “Enjoy your extra day off” said the teacher to her class.
An extra day off unsuited Kayla just fine. She loved breaks. She wanted to go out to play with her friends. When the school bus dropped Kayla off, she ran into the house happily.
“How was school, Kayla?” asked her mom.
“It was great, Mom. I am excited about no school on Monday.”
“You just started back to school two weeks ago. Already in need of a break, huh?” asked Kayla’s mom with a laugh.
Kayla slept in the next morning. Saturday was her favorite day of the week. I trained most of the day, so Kayla enjoyed playing videogames inside. On Sunday, her friends came over and they played basketball for several hours.
Then it was Labor Day, you know, the extra day off that Kayla was so looking forward to. But Kayla was awakened early that morning by her dad. He told Kayla that in honor of Labor Day, the family would be cleaning both inside and outside the house. Kayla couldn’t believe it. This was a holiday. A day when she was supposed to be enjoying freshly squeezed lemonade while playing in her tree house. As Kayla wiped here yes, she began to wonder if this was just a bad dream.
“Kayla, your breakfast is ready. We have a lot of work to do today. Let’s get a move on,” said Kayla’s mom. As she sat down at the kitchen table, Kayla asked her parents，
“Are you serious about working today? Isn’t Labor Day a holiday?”
“Yes, Kayla. It is,” replied her dad. “But your mom and I thought working hard today would make you appreciate why Labor Day was observed in the first place.”
注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右;2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
At first Kayla felt disappointed at her parents’ plan for the holiday.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________But things began to change as she was doing the chores.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“You’re fired!” Andrew Chilton wasn’t joking. At that moment, the high school junior wanted his personal care attendant, Christy Chachere, out of his life forever. He didn’t want her help any more. He thought he could write his own term papers. “You’re fired!” He said it again.
Christy Chachere, a retired PE teacher, didn’t take a step back. She believed she could do this job. “You know, I’ve taught middle schoolers,” she said. What about Andrew’s outcry? It was music to her ears. Progress was faster than expected.
When Andrew suffered from autism (自闭症) at age eight, people told his mom, Cindy, to get him on the list for an attendant to provide after-school care. Someone would drive him to places and see that he was safe. In New Orleans, Louisiana, the wait can be years, the need far outstrips (超过) the supply. Cindy had no choice but to turn to the program Volunteers of America for help.
Even so, it was eight years before they were matched with Christy. In the meantime. Andrew’s family did their best to help him get through life’s hardships. “I did worry about him,” said Cindy. There was a lot to worry about. Doctors and school teachers said that Andrew might not even graduate from high school. Other questions were around the corner as well. Would he ever have a job, or live independently?…Cindy would do anything for her son.
Christy saw the problem right away. “Andrew wouldn’t take a step without his mother’s permission (同意),”she recalled. “You have to let him fail,” she told the family. “It’s the only way he’s going to learn. He has to be able to do things on his own.”
No longer would Cindy help Andrew write papers. His younger brother wouldn’t help him with the computer, either. It was a little unacceptable to step back. Actually, everyone was on board but Andrew.
注意：1. 续写词数应为 150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Andrew was filled with anger, but things began to change.
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“She understood me, and it turned out she was really nice.” Andrew said.
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8 . In the days before the Internet, critical thinking was the most important skill of informed citizens. But in the digital age, according to Anastasia Kozyreva, a psychologist at the Max Planck Institute of Human Development, and her colleagues, an even more important skill is critical ignoring.
As the researchers point out, we live in an attention economy where content producers on the Internet compete for our attention. They attract us with a lot of emotional and eye-catching stories while providing little useful information, so they can expose us to profit-generating advertisements. Therefore,we are no longer customers but products, and each link we click is a sale of our time and attention. Toprotect ourselves from this, Kozyreva advocates for learning the skill of critical ignoring, in which readers intentionally control their information environment to reduce exposure to false and low-quality information.
According to Kozyreva, critical ignoring comprises three strategies. The first is to design ourenvironments, which involves the removal of low-quality yet hard-to-resist information from around. Successful dieters need to keep unhealthy food out of their homes. Likewise, we need to set up a digital environment where attention-grabbing items are kept out of sight. As with dieting, if one tries to bank onwillpower not to click eye-catching “news”, he’ll surely fail. So, it’s better to just keep them out of sightto begin with.
The next is to evaluate the reliability of information, whose purpose is to protect you from false and misleading information. It can be realized by checking the source in the mainstream news agencies which have their reputations for being trustworthy.
The last goes by the phrase “do not feed the trolls.” Trolls are actors who internationally spread false and hurtful information online to cause harm. It may be appealing to respond to them to set the facts straight, but trolls just care about annoying others rather than facts. So, it’s best not to reward their bad behaviour with our attention.
By sharpening our critical ignoring skills in these ways, we can make the most of the Internet while avoiding falling victim to those who try to control our attention, time, and minds.
1. What can we learn about the attention economy from paragraph 2?| A．It offers little information. | B．It features depressing stories. |
| C．It saves time for Internet users. | D．It seeks profits from each click. |
| A．To discuss the quality of information |
| B．To prove the benefits of healthy food. |
| C．To show the importance of environments. |
| D．To explain the effectiveness of willpower. |
| A．Reveal their intention. | B．Turn a deaf ear to them. |
| C．Correct their behaviour. | D．Send hard facts to them. |
| A．Reasons for critical thinking in the attention economy. |
| B．Practising the skill of critical ignoring in the digital age. |
| C．Maximizing the benefits of critical ignoring on the Internet. |
| D．Strategies of abandoning critical thinking for Internet users |
9 . In the US, there is an old joke: “Tie an Italian’s hands behind his back and he’ll be speechless.” However, Susan Goldin-Meadowin, author of the book Thinking With Your Hands, has a rather different view.
“Almost everyone gestures, not just Italians,” she laughs. “Conference interpreters gesture in their little rooms, though no one is looking at them. Even people born blind gesture when they speak, including to each other. In the TV series, The Crown, Lady Diana is warned that her hands may reveal her real emotions, which could be dangerous and that they have to be tied together so she can learn to speak without gesturing.”
The gesture under discussion is the so-called “co-speech gesture”. It is much more abstract than such symbolic gestures like a finger over the lips for “Silence!” or raising a finger to mean “Great!”. Like words, such symbolic gestures are fixed within cultures (but vary between them). Instead, co-speech gestures that accompany speech are another channel of information and emotion. For example, subjects are asked to watch a film in which a cat runs, but they are told to lie and say it jumped. They may do so in words—while their hands will make a running movement. The co-speech gesture is not sign languages, either. They have clearly defined words and grammar.
And the co-speech gestures have great potential for practical applications. For example, some students who fail at a tricky mathematics problem may gesture in a way that indicates they understand it. Then they should be taught differently from the ones whose gestures suggest that they really understand it.
“Children with language delays caused by brain injuries at or around birth are likely to catch up verbally by the age of about 30 months, if they gesture as much as their peers (同龄人). Those who gesture less are more likely to need intensive early intervention,” Susan Goldin-Meadowin adds. “Co-speech gesturing is not just about a lack of control. It is about thinking and communication, and is an aid to both.”
1. What does Susan Goldin-Meadowin really want to tell us in paragraph 2?| A．Lady Diana is probably an emotional woman. |
| B．Italians are very talkative and gesture too much. |
| C．It is unnatural for the blind to gesture to each other. |
| D．Co-speech gestures are used by all of us unknowingly. |
| A．They are as abstract as co-speech gestures. |
| B．They have clearly defined words and grammar. |
| C．They are usually learned by human beings naturally. |
| D．They vary from culture to culture and person to person. |
| A．Put enough trust in students. |
| B．Encourage students to tell the truth. |
| C．Observe the co-speech gestures carefully. |
| D．Teach the tricky problems in different ways. |
| A．Co-speech Gestures Are a Vital Part of Communication |
| B．Symbolic Gestures Differ Greatly From Co-speech Gestures |
| C．Co-speech Gestures Are More Difficult Than Sign Languages |
| D．Symbolic Gestures Have Great Potential for Practical Applications |
1. How will the woman spend her summer holiday?
| A．Study at home. |
| B．Work in the shop. |
| C．Travel with her mother. |
| A．His parents. | B．His friends. | C．His brothers. |
| A．Piano. | B．Swimming. | C．English. |
