1 . It’s a joyful and stressful time of year in the United States for students and their families as they make decisions about where to attend college. Families often turn to rankings systems to help make a decision.     1    

When I talk to families as a scholar of higher education, they’re often surprised that teaching excellence is not counted in rankings.     2    

Emerging research suggests that courses in lower-ranked universities, on average, scored higher on teaching than courses in higher-ranked universities.     3     The absence of teaching excellence from the rankings is surprising given the link between high-quality teaching and student success. Quality teaching is one of the most important predictors of a wide range of college outcomes.

Rankings, however, are only one reason why a low value is placed on teaching in higher education. Administrators often don’t view teaching excellence as a way to increase enrolment (注册) or funding.     4     Research shows that the more time instructors spend on teaching, the lower their salary. What is the result? Many instructors continue to teach using traditional lectures, which lead to lower success rates.

    5     Nevertheless, not much will change until schools with high-quality teaching are rewarded with more resources, higher rankings and increased enrolments. In the long term, universities, organisations that rank schools, and others should work to make teaching a valued, core part of the mission.

What should students and their families do? They should give strong consideration to universities where high-quality teaching is valued, even though the schools may be ranked lower.

A．Higher education has achieved its true potential.

B．Therefore, it’s not highly valued in hiring or promotion.

C．Quality teaching has been an important reputation-building factor.

D．However, the rankings ignore a critical factor: the quality of teaching.

E．Efforts to improve teaching at the university level have recently emerged.

F．They’re even more surprised at how teaching is undervalued by universities.

G．In fact, universities often shift emphasis from teaching to other ranking factors.

2 . An Australian professor is developing a robot to monitor the health of grazing cattle, a development that could bring big changes to a profession that's relied largely on a low-tech approach for decades but is facing a labor shortage.

Salah Sukkarieh, a professor at the University of Sydney, sees robots as necessary given how cattlemen are aging. He is building a four-wheeled robot that will run on solar and electric power. It will use cameras and sensors to monitor the animals. A computer system will analyze the video to determine whether a cow is sick. Radio tags (标签) on the animals will measure temperature changes. The quality of grassland will be tracked by monitoring the shape, color and texture (质地) of grass. That way, cattlemen will know whether they need to move their cattle to another field for nutrition purposes.

Machines have largely taken over planting, watering and harvesting crops such as com and wheat, but the monitoring of cattle has gone through fewer changes.

For Texas cattleman Pete Bonds, it's increasingly difficult to find workers interested in watching cattle. But Bonds doesn't believe a robot is right for the job. Years of experience in the industry - and failed attempts to use technology - have convinced him that the best way to check cattle is with a man on a horse. Bonds, who bought his first cattle almost 50 years ago, still has each of his cowboys inspect 300 or 400 cattle daily and look for signs that an animal is getting sick.

Other cattlemen see more promise in robots. Michael Kelsey Paris, vice president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, said a robot could be extremely useful given rising concerns about cattle theft. Cattle tend to be kept in remote places and their value has risen, making them appealing targets.

1. What is a problem with the cattle-raising industry?

A．Soil pollution.	B．Lack of workers.
C．Aging machines.	D．Low profitability.

2. What will Sukkarieh's robot be able to do?

A．Monitor the quality of grass.	B．Cure the diseased cattle.
C．Move cattle to another field.	D．Predict weather changes.

3. Why does Pete Bonds still hire cowboys to watch cattle?

A．He wants to help them earn a living.	B．He thinks men can do the job better.
C．He is inexperienced in using robots.	D．He enjoys the traditional way of life.

4. How may robots help with cattle watching according to Michael Kelsey?

A．Increase the value of cattle.	B．Bring down the cost of labor.
C．Make the job more appealing.	D．Keep cattle from being stolen.

3 . My name is Alice. Early last year, I was troubled by an anxiety that crippled ( 削弱 ) my ability to do anything. I felt like a storm cloud hung over me. For almost a year I struggled on, constantly staring at this wall that faced me. My perfectionist tendencies were the main root of this: I wanted to be perfect at whatever I did, which obviously in life is not possible, but it consumed me.

One day, I attended a presentation by wildlife conservationist Grant Brown at my high school. His presentation not only awed and inspired me, but also helped emerge an inner desire to make a difference in the world. I joined a pre-presentation dinner with him and that smaller setting allowed me to slowly build up my courage to speak one-on-one with him—an idea that had seemed completely impossible. This first contact was where my story began.

A month later, Brown invited me to attend the World Youth Wildlife Conference. Looking back, I now see that this would be the first in a series of timely opportunities that my old self would have let pass, but that this new and more confident Alice enthusiastically seized. Shortly after I received his invitation, applications to join the Youth for Nature and the Youth for Planet groups were sent around through my high school. I decided to commit to completing the applications, and soon I was a part of a growing global team of young people working to protect nature. Each of these new steps continued to grow my confidence.

I am writing this just six months since my journey began and I’ve realised that my biggest obstacle ( 障碍 ) this whole time was myself. It was that voice in the back of my head telling me that one phrase that has stopped so many people from reaching their potential: I can’t. They say good things come to those who wait; I say: grab every opportunity with everything you have and be impatient. After all, nature does not require our patience, but our action.

1. What was the main cause for Alice’s anxiety?

A．Her inability to act her age.	B．Her habit of consumption.
C．Her desire to be perfect.	D．Her lack of inspiration.

2. How did Grant Brown’s presentation influence Alice?

A．She decided to do something for nature.	B．She tasted the sweetness of friendship.
C．She learned about the harm of desire.	D．She built up her courage to speak up.

3. The activities Alice joined in helped her to become more ________.

A．intelligent

B．confident

C．innovative

D．critical

4. What can we learn from this passage?

A．Practice makes perfect.	B．Patience is a cure of anxiety.
C．Action is worry’s worst enemy.	D．Everything comes to those who wait.

4 . Hundreds of scientists, writers and academics sounded a warning to humanity in an open letter published last December: Policymakers and the rest of us must engage openly with the risk of global collapse. Researchers in many areas have projected the widespread collapse as “a credible scenario(情景) this century”.

A survey of scientists found that extreme weather events, food insecurity, and freshwater shortages might create global collapse. Of course, if you are a non-human species, collapse is well underway.

The call for public engagement with the unthinkable is especially germane in this moment of still-uncontrolled pandemic and economic crises in the world's most technologically advanced nations. Not very long ago, it was also unthinkable that a virus would shut down nations and that safety nets would be proven so disastrously lacking in flexibility.

The international scholars’ warning letter doesn't say exactly what collapse will look like or when it might happen. Collapseology, the study of collapse, is more concerned with identifying trends and with them the dangers of everyday civilization. Among the signatories(签署者) of the warning was Bob Johnson, the originator of the “ecological footprint” concept, which measures the total amount of environmental input needed to maintain a given lifestyle. With the current footprint of humanity, “it seems that global collapse is certain to happen in some form, possibly within a decade, certainly within this century,” Johnson said in an email.

“Only if we discuss the consequences of our biophysical limits,” the December warning letter says, “can we have the hope to reduce their speed, severity and harm”. And yet messengers of the coming disturbance are likely to be ignored. We all want to hope things will turn out fine. As a poet wrote,

Man is a victim of dope(麻醉品)

In the incurable form of hope.

The hundreds of scholars who signed the letter are intent(执着) on quieting hope that ignores preparedness. “Let's look directly into the issue of collapse,” they say, “and deal with the terrible possibilities of what we see there to make the best of a troubling future.”

1. What does the underlined word “germane” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Scientific.	B．Credible.
C．Original.	D．Relevant.

2. As for the public awareness of global collapse, the author is________.

A．worried	B．puzzled
C．surprised	D．scared

3. What can we learn from this passage?

A．The signatories may change the biophysical limits.

B．The author agrees with the message of the poem.

C．The issue of collapse is being prioritized.

D．The global collapse is well underway.

5 . Music has long been considered to be an enjoyable pastime for many people．     1     The mental health benefits from music can't be argued．Music could also be helping you with many other health problems behind the scenes．

    2    However，for the same reason，music can be very beneficial if one is in pain．By distracting （分心） the mind from the pain，music，people say，can lower stress and anxiety levels．This，of course，can lead to less pain．

Many people enjoy relaxing music in the evening prior to going to bed．    3    While the validity of the idea is still being assessed，the lowered stress can even be tied back to blood pressure．Similarly, according to researchers，listening to just 30 minutes of soft music every day may help with healthy blood sugar levels， through the lowering of stress and anxiety．

When it comes to heart health，there is speculation （推测） that it's not the style of music， but rather the tempo that makes it so good for your heart health．In one European study，participants listened to music as the researchers monitored their heart rates and blood pressure．    4     On the other hand，when the music slowed，the participants' stress and anxiety levels became lower and the effects on heart rates appeared to follow suit．

    5    But there is a whole range of other health issues that turning up the radio could be beneficial for，which is what makes music so valuable．

A．This feeling can also result in many other health problems．

B．Some experts say that music can be harmful if it is too loud．

C．This idea is a little off-the-wall but still has scientific backing．

D．They say it can play a big role in calming the brain enough to sleep．

E．The implications of music on overall well-being are really impressive．

F．It is also highly popular due to the individualized effects on stress and anxiety．

G．Interestingly，the more cheerful the music was，the faster their heart rates were．

6 . Early fifth-century philosopher St．Augustine famously wrote that he knew what time was unless someone asked him．Albert Einstein added another wrinkle when he theorized that time varies depending on where you measure it．Today's state-of-the-art atomic（原子的） clocks have proven Einstein right．Even advanced physics can't decisively tell us what time is, because the answer depends on the question you're asking．

Forget about time as an absolute．What if，instead of considering time in terms of astronomy,we related time to ecology？What if we allowed environmental conditions to set the tempo（节奏） of human life？We're increasingly aware of the fact that we can't control Earth systems with engineering alone，and realizing that we need to moderate（调节）our actions if we hope to live in balance．What if our definition of time reflected that？

Recently，I conceptualized a new approach to timekeeping that's connected to circumstances on our planet，conditions that might change as a result of global warming．We're now building a clock at the Anchorage Museum that reflects the total flow of several major Alaskan rivers，which are sensitive to local and global environmental changes．We've programmed it to match an atomic clock if the waterways continue to flow at their present rate．If the rivers run faster in the future on average，the clock will get ahead of standard time．If they run slower，you'll see the opposite effect．

The clock registers both short-term irregularities and long-term trends in river dynamics．It's a sort of observatory that reveals how the rivers are behaving from their own temporal frame（时间框架），and allows us to witness those changes on our smartwatches or phones．Anyone who opts to go on Alaska Mean River Time will live in harmony with the planet．Anyone who considers river time in relation to atomic time will encounter a major imbalance and may be motivated to counteract it by consuming less fuel or supporting greener policies．

Even if this method of timekeeping is novel in its particulars，early agricultural societies also connected time to natural phenomena．In pre-Classical Greece，for instance，people“corrected”official calendars by shifting dates forward or backward to reflect the change of season．Temporal connection to the environment was vital to their survival．Likewise，river time and other timekeeping systems we're developing may encourage environmental awareness．

When St．Augustine admitted his inability to define time， he highlighted one of time 's most noticeable qualities：Time becomes meaningful only in a defined context．Any timekeeping system is valid，and each is as praiseworthy as its purpose．

1. What is the main idea of Paragraph 1？

A．Timekeeping is increasingly related to nature．

B．Everyone can define time on their own terms．

C．The qualities of time vary with how you measure it．

D．Time is a major concern of philosophers and scientists．

2. The author raises three questions in Paragraph 2 mainly to________．

A．present an assumption	B．evaluate an argument
C．highlight an experiment	D．introduce an approach

3. What can we learn from this passage？

A．Those who do not go on river time will live an imbalanced life．

B．New ways of measuring time can help to control Earth systems．

C．Atomic time will get ahead of river time if the rivers run slower．

D．Modern technology may help to shape the rivers’ temporal frame．

4. What can we infer from this passage？

A．It is crucial to improve the definition of time．

B．A fixed frame will make time meaningless．

C．We should live in harmony with nature．

D．History is a mirror reflecting reality．

7 . Get up at 6 am, arrive at the hospital one hour earlier to help patients check in, and accompany patients during consultations… In recent years, “patient escorts” has emerged as a new industry, and those who have taken on this career are known as “people who sell time”, 26-year-old Zhang Tian is one of them.

September 4 was a lucky day for Zhang Tian. On this day, Zhang Tian saw a video about patient escorts on a short video platform. The daily routine of patient escorts shown in the video fascinated her and gradually inspired her to take this on as a business. She browsed through many platforms and read multiple information and found there indeed exists a certain demand for patient escorts, especially for the elderly, children, and pregnant women. Since she had never engaged in this kind of work before, she spent two days in major hospitals in Wuhan, in order to familiarize herself with all the departments on different floors, as well as the processes of medical consultation and preparation for surgery.

After preliminary preparatory (预备的) work, Zhang Tian posted a video of myself-introduction on major social platforms, talking about the help and services a patient escort provides, as well as some tips for a quick and convenient medical consultation. At first, she was a little worried that her video would go unnoticed. However, after she uploaded the video, it got over 100 likes and she received her first ever offer as a patient escort.

The memory of her first task is still alive and fresh in her mind. She received a phone call on September 9 from a man whose father was seriously ill and might need surgery. He wanted Zhang Tian to accompany his father through his consultation and treatment.” Zhang Tian made full preparations before meeting her first client and did a very good job despite her nervousness.

“Later, the family expressed their gratitude to me over and over again, which warmed my heart and gave me a sense of achievement.” Zhang Tian said.

1. What do patient escorts do?

A．They assist doctors in hospitals.

B．They arrive at hospitals early to check in.

C．They take on this career to sell their time.

D．They help patients get treated in hospitals.

2. September 4 was a lucky day for Zhang Tian because ______.

A．she enjoyed seeing an interesting video

B．she got inspiration for her own career

C．she found a demand for medical workers

D．she was well received on social platforms

3. How did Zhang Tian get her first client?

A．She got familiar with the routine work in hospitals.

B．She spent two days in major hospitals to meet patients.

C．Her video on social platforms attracted her first client.

D．The man’s father was seriously ill and might need a surgery.

4. Which of the following words best describe Zhang Tian?

A．Hardworking and considerate.	B．Humorous and careful.
C．Ambitious and imaginative.	D．Talkative and positive.

8 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。

Tom, a 15-year-old inventor and entrepreneur (创业者), witnessed at his own school the widespread consumption of sugary drinks by kids. He knew there had to be a better portable drink solution and decided to innovate from something he saw in his own home: fruit infused (浸泡) water.

Tom watched his mum make healthy fruit infusions but then struggle for a take-along option. From observing his mum and from his desire to give kids better drink options, he came up with his original model for the Fun Bottle. “I wanted to come up with a healthy, natural way for people to drink when on the go. A big part of my mission is to get people of all ages off sugary drinks,” Tom explains.

The bottle is made with a strainer (滤网) that allows the great tastes and natural sugars of the various fruits and vegetables you choose to come through the water, without any of the seeds or skins flowing through.

Tom is proud of his design and excited to be selling the Fun Bottle on his website and in stores, but this 15-year-old is most proud of the opportunities that Fun Bottle presents to others. It helps to provide healthy alternatives to sugary drinks; and also Tom donates part of the profits to the Organisation for a Healthier Generation (OHG).

Tom has been awarded several prizes, but this teenage innovator remains humble. When asked what advice he’d give other entrepreneurial youth, he says, “Prepare and have your family’s support. It is important to know from the beginning that there are a lot of highs and lows, and there is no such thing as overnight success.”

1. What did Tom witness at his own school?
2. Where did Tom get the idea for the original model for the Fun Bottle?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Tom is most proud of the opportunities that Fun Bottle presents to others because he not only provides healthy alternatives to sugary drinks but also donates all the profits to the OHG.
4. Among Tom’s qualities, which one(s) do you think will be important for us? Why?(In about 40 words)

9 . Recently，I took a trip home by train．I got a seat opposite a middle-aged man with sharp eyes，who kept_________a young woman in a window seat with a little boy on her lap．The woman's eye fell on the man's face，and she immediately looked down and_________her scarf．

As the night wore on，people began to close their eyes，but the seats were so uncomfortable that only a very heavy sleeper could manage to get any_________．The woman looked over at the man．He was still staring at her．She looked back at him with fire in her eyes．I was beginning to get_________，too．

The train moved on．The little boy was _________ awake on his mother's lap，but the woman dropped off to sleep．A moment later，he began to_________the half-open window—one leg went over it．The man jumped up and _________the child just before he fell out．

The_________ woke up the woman．She seemed to be in_________，and then reality dawned （显现）．“Your child has been looking for an opportunity to climb out of the window，”the man said as he gave the child back to her. ．“So I have been watching the whole time．”The woman was __________，and so was I．

1.

A．guiding

B．bothering

C．watching

D．monitoring

2.

A．adjusted

B．changed

C．packed

D．waved

3.

A．air

B．joy

C．space

D．rest

4.

A．nervous

B．embarrassed

C．angry

D．disappointed

5.

A．almost

B．still

C．hardly

D．even

6.

A．drag

B．climb

C．knock

D．push

7.

A．grabbed

B．rocked

C．touched

D．picked

8.

A．alarm

B．quarrel

C．risk

D．noise

9.

A．sorrow

B．relief

C．panic

D．pain

10.

A．astonished

B．confused

C．concerned

D．inspired

10 . How does it feel when you solve your problem by yourself? Things may not always go as planned, but being resourceful can help you stay calm and work your way out of tricky situations.

Being resourceful means finding smart and creative ways to solve a problem, using whatever resources you have at the time.     1     They can also be anything else that’s useful, such as information, advice or your own experience. It also means trusting your instincts, the ability you’re born with, rather than through training and being confident about your ability to face challenges. A resourceful person is not the one getting cross or panicking when something goes wrong. They’re thinking about how to solve the problem.

    2     when we learn to problem solve for ourselves rather than immediately going to others for help, it can help to build our confidence, help us feel more independent, and feel better about making decisions. Being resourceful may not help you avoid problems, but thinking creatively about how you can deal with them will make you feel less stressed and more prepared next time.     3     This can boost self-esteem, that is, how you feel about yourself.

When you’re facing a challenge, try to focus on the actual problem rather than how you feel about it. Think about where and when it happened and what the causes are. Next, think up as many solutions to the problem as you can.     4     Finally, review what has and hasn’t worked, so you’re equipped to deal with a situation next time.

And remember, if you have a tricky problem that you’re unable to solve, then ask a trusted adult for help.       5    

A．You also learn what you’re good at.

B．Here is how you can be more resourceful.

C．These may be practical things like pens and paper.

D．No one is expected to solve all problems by themselves.

E．Resourcefulness is a skill that’s good for you in lots of ways.

F．They can be famous mottos that always inspire us to move on.

G．Weigh up what’s good and bad about each one and choose the best.