1 . However, ____________ (谋生) is by no means the only reason why we work — there are other important reasons that motivate us to enter the world of work. (根据汉语提示完成句子)

2 . Recently, after I gave a virtual presentation on my book Indistractable, a listener wrote something in the Zoom chat that drove me crazy, “This is great but wouldn’t work for me. I’m a Gemini (双子星座的人).”

Ironically, the Zoom listener is right. If she thinks she’s incapable, she’ll prove it correct — whether it has anything to do with the stars and moon or not. Her inflexible self-identification denies her the chance to improve her life. It’s incredibly self-limiting.

That’s why we should stop defining ourselves as fixed identities and nouns, and instead start describing ourselves using verbs.

Words are powerful. Linguistic research shows that language shapes people and culture; it can also give us insight into ourselves and our behavior. In a well-known study, researchers Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobsen had all students in the same elementary school take a standard IQ test. Then they randomly selected a group of students, regardless of their test results, and told teachers the group would show “dramatic intellectual growth”. Eight months later, those students scored significantly higher on an IQ test. The study concluded that teachers’ positive perception of students correlated to those students’ high performance on intellectual and academic tests. The labels the children received became a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy (预言).

That’s because language shapes expectations, which shape our reality. If we have experiences that lead us to label ourselves with specific nouns during our life, then we are likely to stick with those labels and the behaviors that go with them.

Using verbs to identify ourselves is an effective method for releasing “trapped priors”—a term in psychology for a perception of reality that’s affected or trapped by past experiences. Verbs are action words well suited to describing short-lived behaviors that can and do change. They don’t lay claim to our entire identity, but they acknowledge that we are people first and foremost, not whatever a singular noun may say we are. So, instead of saying, “I am a procrastinator (拖拉者)”, you should say, “I am a person who often procrastinates.”

By focusing on our behaviors, not fixed characteristics, we can release harmful perceptions of ourselves that hold us back from trying methods that might improve our lives — like those that can help us achieve the critical skill of being indistractable.

1. What does the author want to show through the example of the Zoom listener?

A．The concept of flexible self-identification.

B．His confusion about the way to self-identify.

C．His understanding of proper self-identification.

D．The negative effects of using nouns to define oneself.

2. What does the well-known study imply?

A．Self-fulfilling prophecies change over time.

B．Encouragement promotes students’ improvement.

C．Language usage will have an impact on teaching.

D．IQ has little to do with students’ academic performance.

3. How are teachers expected to evaluate students?

A．By highlighting their behaviors.

B．By focusing on their advantages.

C．By analyzing their typical characteristics.

D．By assessing their academic performance.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．Nouns are more powerful than verbs

B．Your words can determine your future

C．How we define ourselves really counts

D．Our option of words reflects our identity

3 . Recently, I sat in a lecture hall with a couple of hundred final-year undergraduate students.     1     When I was about to graduate, the future seemed unclear. I didn’t have a place on a company graduate programme like many of my classmates. Decades on, I realized that what seemed like obvious career ladders weren’t so simple.

In the UK at least, the job market for today’s graduates seems good. The annual report by the Institute of Student Employers found that graduate recruitment could increase by 5% in 2023-24. Companies struggled to recruit in areas such as digital, engineering and finance.     2     — with an average of 86 applications for every opening.

    3     The Chartered Institution of Personnel and Development’s good work survey found that only 35% of people said their job offered good opportunities for career advancement.

There are a few reasons why people find it difficult to advance on the career ladder. One of them many people struggle is that career ladders are becoming smaller. As large organizations have slimmed down, so have the internal paths for promotion.     4     As work gets outsourced to gig workers, there are few opportunities for developing new skills and stepping up.

Another issue is that increasing numbers of people just aren’t interested in climbing the ladder. The recent iteration of the world values survey found millennials and generation Z placed less value on work than they used to. A decade ago, 41% of millennials thought work should come first while that number is 14% today.     5    

A．Despite this strong demand, each position was hotly contested.

B．Looking around, I thought about my own uncertainty at their age.

C．It seems many of us no longer see ourselves defined by our work.

D．Career setbacks such as unsuccessfully applying for a promotion are often painful.

E．Once today’s generation of graduates find a job, only some will find opportunities to advance.

F．This means careers have been replaced with jobs, and jobs have increasingly been replaced with tasks.

G．Like the students sitting in that lecture hall, many of us only see a small portion of the paths for carcer development life might offer.

4 . Ghanim Al-Muftah was born on 5th May 2002 in Qatar. Due to a rare disease, he was born without legs. He has to go through many operations every year.

At a young age, the boy became a(n) ________ for not just kids but even for adults. In medical cases as serious as his, there are few chances of ________. He showed extraordinary strength and willpower, which not only helped him live a ________ life but helped him go beyond majority of the children of his age.

He is not just a boy who survived a terrible physical disability, but he ________ difficulties and behaved excellently in his life. Ghanim ________ millions of people through his Twitter and Instagram. According to him, social media is a very ________ platform. Social media is what helps him spread his message and ________ the world that disability is simply an excuse for not performing to the full potential.

He is an example for the world and especially for those ________ with physical disabilities. Ghanim did not make his disability an excuse to ________. Rather, he used his weakness to develop a strong ________. A surprising fact about Ghanim is that he is fond of sports and actively ________ in swimming, skateboarding, and ice hockey.

The world can learn a great deal from the young boy. At his young age, he was able to ________

what physically fit individuals fail to achieve in their ________ lives. He is an epitome (典范) of strength and ________ who teaches the world that nothing is big enough to ________ someone from living the life of their dreams.1.

A．defence

B．trick

C．inspiration

D．riddle

2.

A．death

B．survival

C．growth

D．injury

3.

A．busy

B．tough

C．painful

D．normal

4.

A．took out

B．built up

C．got over

D．broke down

5.

A．influences

B．defeats

C．confuses

D．hurts

6.

A．traditional

B．remote

C．important

D．boring

7.

A．shows

B．cheats

C．awakens

D．promotes

8.

A．working

B．struggling

C．cooperating

D．communicating

9.

A．pull up

B．hold on

C．give up

D．move on

10.

A．feeling

B．desire

C．feature

D．personality

11.

A．takes

B．breaks

C．participates

D．throws

12.

A．achieve

B．understand

C．doubt

D．enjoy

13.

A．previous

B．future

C．particular

D．entire

14.

A．health

B．courage

C．strategy

D．image

15.

A．prevent

B．save

C．protect

D．tell

5 . If you ask children the question, “Where does your food come from?” Their answer probably is “the kitchen” or “the grocery store”. Mahan Chandra Borah, a 41-year-old rice farmer, was concerned about this and aimed to educate young people about the importance of agriculture in his country.

“Hundreds of varieties of rice and other crops went extinct in India because of people’s unawareness and I wanted to do something about it,” Mahan says. The result was the formation of the Annapurna Rice Library — a center preserving native seeds and all things ‘rice’.

As a boy, Mahan was a curious reader. “I always had curiosity about things and wanted to get a PhD,” he recalls. Most of Mahan’s days were spent reading and helping his father out in the fields. “Working with him in the fields is how I learnt all I know about farming,” he says.

“Our family was humble. While I wanted to study more, the money was an issue,” he adds. Things became even harder when Mahan’s father passed away. “I was completing my graduation and was heartbroken. However, I also had to look after my family. Studying further was out of the question, so I decided to do agriculture like my father for a living,” he says. 

Mahan could have decided to go for traditional farming, but instead, he decided to research alongside. “I went online to look for papers on farming and seed saving. For the library, I have 500 types of seeds preserved there,” he says. Mahan says his favorite rice variety is Bhao Dhan. It is very tough in nature and can adapt easily to the flood-prone (易发洪水的) nature of Assam. However, the lower yield (产量) per hectare has been the reason why the farmers do not prefer to grow the rice.

For the last 15 years, Mahan has operated his library on his own funds. “I run my household and maintain the library. Lack of funds has become an issue, but I am managing somehow and I am sure I will overcome the difficulties and keep it alive,” he says.

1. What inspired Mahan to set up the Annapurna Rice Library?

A．The expectation from his father.

B．The lack of grain varieties in India.

C．The great demand for more native seeds.

D．The public ignorance of rice seed protection.

2. What can we learn about Mahan from the text?

A．He came from a family rich enough.

B．He graduated from college with a PhD.

C．He dreamed to be an agricultural expert.

D．He learned about farming from his father.

3. Why does Mahan like Bhao Dhan?

A．Its delicious taste.

B．Its high production.

C．Its growing popularity.

D．Its good adaptive ability.

4. Which of the following can best describe Mahan?

A．Devoted and determined.	B．Generous and easygoing.
C．Courageous and humorous.	D．Sensitive and open-minded.

6 . Upper Antelope Canyon Tours

Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tour

Price: From $108

Duration: 80 minutes

The tour starts at $108 per person, but cost an additional $11 if you want to visit during peak sunlight hours. Those 7 and younger are not permitted on the outings. This tour is not recommended for pregnant people.

Antelope Canyon Navajo Tour

Price: From $100

Duration: 1.5 hours

This Tour’ guides are local Navajo people. The company’s 1.5-hour sightseer tours of the Upper Canyon take place several times daily beginning at 7:30 a.m. Prices for these tours, which include the park entrance fee, are approximately $100 per person. The company opens up online reservations one to two months in advance, so be sure to book early, as tickets sell out quickly.

Antelope Slot Canyon Tour

Price: Adults from $112; kids from $102

Duration: 1.5 hours

This Tour offers tours of the nearby Cathedral Canyon. Pricing ranges from $112 to $120 per person, depending on the time of day and popularity of the tour time. Discounted tickets are available for soldiers and children aged 6 to 12; children younger than 6 are not allowed.

Antelope Canyon X Taadidiin Tour

Price: Adults from $40; kids from $30

Duration: 1.5 hours

This Tour operates 1.5-hour small-group hikes through the canyon. A Hiking permit is required for visitors aged 8 and older. Photography lovers can sign up for Taadidiin’s Photo Tour, which spends three hours in the canyon and permits participants to bring a tripod and a camera bag. Additional fees are $125 per person.

1. What are you required to do if you want to make Antelope Canyon Navajo Tour?

A．Pay much more money.	B．Drive your own car.
C．Book tickets beforehand.	D．Carry your hiking permit.

2. Which tour gives a discount to people who serve in the army?

A．Antelope Canyon Navajo Tour.	B．Antelope Slot Canyon Tour.
C．Antelope Canyon X Taadidiin Tour.	D．Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tour.

3. How much will an adult photography lover pay if he chooses Taadidiin’s Photo Tour?

A．$165.

B．$ 40.

C．$ 85.

D．$125.

7 . Your carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases that you produce as you live your life. In order to hold the global temperature rise to 2˚C or less, everyone needs to average an annual carbon footprint of 1.87 tons by 2050.     1    

Eat low on the food chain. This means eating mostly fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans. Meat and dairy is responsible for 14.5 percent of man-made global greenhouse gas emissions.     2     If you have no meat or dairy every day, you can reduce your carbon footprint by 8 pounds.

    3     Fashionable, cheap items go out of style quickly and get dumped in landfills where they produce methane (甲烷) as they decompose. Currently, the average American gets rid of about 80 pounds of clothing annually. In addition, most fast fashion comes from Asia, so shipping it to the U.S. requires the use of fossil fuels.

Use low energy appliances. Replace traditional light bulbs with LED ones. Though LEDs cost more, they use a quarter of the energy and last up to 25 times longer. Make energy efficiency a primary consideration when choosing a new microwave, air conditioning unit, dishwasher, or refrigerator.     4    

Choose green travel. An average car produces about five tons of carbon each year.     5    Take public buses, carpool, or bike to your destination when possible. This not only reduces CO₂ emissions, it also lessens traffic jams.

A．Don’t buy fast fashion.

B．Never choose quality clothing.

C．But people ignore this serious problem.

D．Making changes in transport matters much.

E．Here are ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

F．They are mainly from food production and processing.

G．Products with the ENERGY STAR sign have better efficiency.

8 . Three paralysed (瘫痪的) men, who were told they would spend the rest of their lives in a wheelchair, are able to walk again, thanks to an electrical device, which was placed around the men’s spines (脊柱) and boosted signals from their brains to their legs.

The first patient to be treated was 30-year-old Swiss man David M’zee, who suffered a severe spinal injury several years ago in a sporting accident. David’s doctor said he would never walk again. However, thanks to the electrical device developed by a team at a public research university in Lausanne, Switzerland, he agreed to take part in a trial led by Dr. Courtine at the university.

“I came with my daughter, Charlotte, who was one month old at the time. As we approached David, he looked her in the eye and said, ‘I will walk before you,’” Dr Courtine recalls. “When Charlotte took her first step she was 14 months old, by which time David was walking by Lake Geneva. He said to her, ‘I have beaten you.’”

David can now walk up to eight paces when the device is switched off and this is the first time that this has been recorded in a chronic (慢性的) spinal injury. However, out of the lab, in the real world, it is hard for David to walk more than a few paces. The signals from the device soon become uncomfortable and so can’t be used all the time. The system is also expensive and not reliable enough to be used out of the laboratory for day-to-day use, so it’s far from a cure.

David is the first of three patients who have benefited from the first wave of the treatment. Two other men have also managed to walk again, to various degrees.

The researchers plan to begin larger trials in Europe and the US in the next few years. If these go well, the researchers are confident the system could become more widely available.

1. How does the electrical device help the paralysed walk again?

A．By straightening the spines.	B．By making the brains recover.
C．By signaling the legs to move.	D．By making use of a wheelchair.

2. Why does Dr. Courtine mention his daughter?

A．To point out David’s weakness.	B．To explain David’s failure to walk.
C．To show the speed of David’s recovery.	D．To prove his daughter’s athletic ability.

3. What is the problem with the device?

A．It is hard for typical patients to operate.	B．It is unreliable when used out of the lab.
C．It always makes patients uncomfortable.	D．It sometimes sends wrong signals to legs.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The device can cure paralysis.	B．The device has been widely used.
C．The device will be tested globally.	D．The device has a potential market.

9 . Have you ever observed how a family runs smoothly? It’s the balance that plays a role in a family. But a family where there is too much chaos (混乱), argument, and one-sided communication has no balance. As a result, such a chaotic family suffers consequences like divorced parents, distances between children.

In the same way, nature needs balance, harmony and protection. You are already aware of the phrase — too much of everything is bad. That’s why the sensibility to bring balance in nature is every human’s responsibility.

The community of living species interacts with the environment’s non-living components in a healthy ecosystem. Rainfall, temperature, sunlight, soil, and water chemistry are the main examples of abiotic (无生命的) aspects of ecosystems that need to be in a stable manner.

       To survive, plants need a certain combination of temperature, moisture, and soil chemistry. Protecting plants is also important because it provides food for the animals. 

What you see above are the natural phenomena that have been happening since the beginning of the universe. That’s how nature has been functioning. But indulgent human activities in using natural resources has created poor habitation in the natural environment. In fact, here are the human actions that have broken the balance in nature for so many years now.

      People cut down trees to make space for new companies owing to an increase in population, which has decreased the amount of oxygen in the air. Global warming has resulted in the melting of the ice caps, leading to rising sea levels and other natural disasters like cyclones and tsunamis. As a result of habitat loss, it is getting harder for species to survive.  

To bring the Earth to its original form is impossible. But there is always a potential for bringing awareness. Hence, if the above human activities are lessened or changed with recycling activities, the next generation can still live a healthy life.

1. Why is a chaotic family mentioned in paragraph 1?

A．To bring up a new topic.

B．To come to a conclusion.

C．To complain about family chaos.

D．To admire the balance of a family.

2. How do we keep the balance of nature?

A．Limit human activities to the fullest.

B．Control a certain amount of everything.

C．Don’t cut down trees for new companies.

D．Don’t use energy for economic development.

3. Which does the underlined word “indulgent” in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Responsible.

B．Controlled.

C．Romantic.

D．Unlimited.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards the future of the Earth?

A．Worried.

B．Doubtful.

C．Confident.

D．Uncertain.

10 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What happened to Stevie Wonder shortly after his birth?

A．He was unable to see.

B．He couldn’t hear anything.

C．He broke his arm.

2. When did Stevie Wonder have his first hit record?

A．As a child.

B．As an adult.

C．As a teenager.

3. When was Stevie Wonder’s most successful period?

A．In the 1960s.

B．In the 1970s.

C．In the 1980s.