1 . When it comes to keeping off extra pounds, watching what we eat may not be enough—we have to keep an eye on our food’s packaging, too. Half the world is expected to be overweight by 2035. In addition to overeating and lack of exercise, the scientific community is exploring another factor that may contribute—eating products packaged in plastic.
For a study published last year, researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology set out to determine what chemical compounds (化合物) exist in 34 common plastic items that touch things we eat, such as yogurt cups, juice bottles, candy packages, and plastic wrap used for produce and cheese, as well as items often found in kitchen.
Of the 55,000 chemicals the researchers found in these items, only 629 were identifiable, which influence our bodies’ ability to regulate weight, troubling health effects. “We’re quite certain that there are many chemicals in plastic products that impact metabolism (新陈代谢), but we just couldn’t identify all of them,” Martin Wagner, a study co-author said. Strikingly, Wagner and his colleagues found that a third of all the common products they tested contain chemicals that cause the adipogenic (生脂的) process. Although we are exposed to them daily, most of these mystery chemicals are unknown, unstudied and unregulated.
For years, experts have been warning against plastic food containers, particularly for hot or oily foods which may make the plastics unstable and increase the risk of chemical leaching (渗出). As one of them, Wagner argues that we need to start reducing our exposure to plastic without waiting for more slow-moving research to prove that the plastics in our food, products, blood and organs are risk factors for bad health outcomes.
Really, reducing our plastic exposure should be our overall goal. When we think about cutting junk out of our diets, the criminals shouldn’t just be candy and soda—plastic needs to go, too.
1. What newly-found factor may cause overweight?| A．Eating too much. | B．Lack of exercise. |
| C．Unhealthy eating habits. | D．Food’s plastic packaging. |
| A．Most products tested contain adipogenic chemicals. |
| B．Metabolism is affected by chemicals in plastic products. |
| C．The influence of plastic products on our health is unknown. |
| D．Only 629 chemicals in plastic products regulate people ‘s weight. |
| A．Stop eating foods packaged in plastic. |
| B．Avoid using plastic products for hot or oily foods. |
| C．Reduce our exposure to plastic as much as possible. |
| D．Wait for more research to prove the risks of plastics. |
| A．Keeping off extra pounds is urgent. |
| B．It’s high time to stop using plastic packaging. |
| C．Chemicals in plastic packaging may lead to overweight. |
| D．Plastic food packaging proves to contain harmful chemicals. |
2 . A model of personalised dementia (痴呆症) support could improve life for people with dementia and their carers by allowing them to make the best choices for their own care needs.
In Britain, there is a concerning gap in dementia support, notes Dr Tomasina, Dementia Care Programme Lead at the University of Plymouth. “They have received a diagnosis but are not yet in need of a care home or input from specialists. Worryingly, these individuals and their carers, who are usually family members, are often left without suitable support to face a range of severe challenges,” she says.
Challenges can include social lonliness, despair and frailty (脆弱) due to combined physical and cognitive decline. However, a five-year research project including the Universities of Plymouth and Manchester-established in 2018 and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research—aims to remedy this disregard by evaluating a system for dementia support they have developed.
Dementia Personalised Care Team(D-PACT) proposes improving the lives of people living with dementia and their carers with personalised emotional and practical support from an appropriately trained Dementia Support Worker. “The Support Worker becomes a trusted point of contact who can spot potential problems before they get into crises,” says Professor Richard Byng, Professor in Primary Care Research at the University of Plymouth. “It’s a model that helps the individual and their carers function and stay together.”
The study, which was conducted in a range of settings, shows potential value and has been well-received by those who took part. “People have described a step change in their support,” says Professor Byng. “They say they feel listened to and treated as a person, getting reassurance and relief—particularly carers—that they are doing things right and someone is alongside them.”
1. What’s the purpose of the personalised support?| A．To cure people with severe dementia. |
| B．To bridge the gap between patients and doctors. |
| C．To help people with dementia choose the best carers. |
| D．To better the life of people with dementia and their carers. |
| A．Build up. | B．Make up for. | C．Take over. | D．Take care of. |
| A．Deal with potential problems. |
| B．Propose to D-PACT a better support. |
| C．Help people with dementia recover quickly. |
| D．Provide emotional support for patients with dementia. |
| A．It can relieve people’s stress. | B．It functions like a person. |
| C．It can help people listen better. | D．It is especially helpful to carers. |
3 . When Soares was a young boy growing up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, his family didn’t have the means to pay for extracurricular activities. However, they found a solution by signing him up for a free circus school that aimed to keep him off the streets and out of trouble. It was there that Soares discovered his passion for performance art, including acrobatics, capoeira, acting, and clowning. Ballet never crossed his mind as a practical career option, as ballet wasn’t a noticeable dance form in Brazil at the time.
At the age of 12, Soares began dancing but not in the traditional sense. His older brother was part of a hip-hop street dance group, and Soares started hanging out with them. He soon combined his circus school skills with hip-hop and capoeira to create a unique style that fascinated audiences in Rio.
One day, the head of a Brazilian dance company saw Soares perform and arranged for him to selection for a dance school. He was awarded a scholarship that covered his tuition fees, and he began studying modern dance. However, it wasn’t long before everyone believed that Soares should switch to ballet. He was immediately put on a fast track, attending academic school in the mornings and ballet classes in the evenings.
Soares’ parents were hesitant about their son pursuing ballet as a career. They were worried about his grades and whether ballet would provide him with a stable future. Soares shared their concerns and had never known anyone who pursued ballet professionally.
Despite these reservations, something incredible happened within two years of Soares starting ballet training. He participated in the Paris International Dance Competition and won a silver medal. This achievement was even more impressive considering that most of his competitors had been studying ballet since childhood. After Paris, Soares joined the national ballet company in Brazil and began earning money from his dancing.
Three years later, he went on to win the gold medal at the Moscow International Competition, previously won by legendary ballet dancers like Mikhail Baryshnikov.
1. Why was Soares sent to a circus school?| A．To seek a chance to make a name. | B．To stop him getting into trouble. |
| C．To earn money to pay for tuition fees. | D．To develop an interest in performance art. |
| A．Modern dance became his favorite. | B．Winning a scholarship was his main aim. |
| C．He quickly displayed his talent for ballet. | D．His academic classes had to give way to ballet classes. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Objective. | C．Supportive. | D．Unclear. |
| A．An Unconventional Journey to a Ballet Star |
| B．The Financial Struggles of a Young Dancer |
| C．Modern Dance: A Gateway to Ballet Excellece |
| D．The Dilemma: Balancing School and Ballet for Success |
A week before New Year's Day, the phone rang. "Maggie ran off, and I can't find her, "my husband, Jerry, said in an anxious voice. He'd driven to the town park with our dog, Maggie. “Why'd she run away?” I asked. “A smaller dog scared her, and she took off over the footbridge. ” Maggie was eleven years old, overweight, and afraid of her own shadow. I asked Jerry to find her before she ran too far away. Our daughter overheard my end of the conversation. Jennifer often played upon the couch with Maggie. "Maggie's lost? Tell Dad I'll help him look for her. "She flew out of the door.
At first, Maggie's tracks were easy to follow because a couple of inches of snow covered the ground. But her prints stopped at the parking lot where the snow had melted. My husband and Jennifer searched for hours into the night. Before leaving the park, Jerry hung his jacket on the branch of a tree and placed Maggie's bed below it. He hoped the wind would carry his scent and Maggie would find her way back. But there was no sign of her the next day. Jennifer made dyers and handed them out to houses around the park. We posted Maggie's photo on all the "Lost Dog" sites and social media. Friends and family promised to keep an eye out for her.
The third day, I waited at home for calls and contacted M&M Pet Rescue. They offered to help. But there was no sign, and we were all worried. Jerry and Jennifer went door-to-door with Moggie’s picture, asking if anyone had seen her. Soon Maggie's story spread through the whole community.
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.
The forth day, a lot of people reached out to help look for Maggie.
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As Maggie came toward us, I cried tears of joy.
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5 . It is often said that our attention span is shorter than ever, and a survey from Oxford researcher found that 41 percent thought it was worse since the pandemic. But there are steps you can take to help you focus better.
Minimize distraction (分散注意力)
Removing yourself from people and devices will allow you to concentrate better.
Whether it’s music, white noise or even silence, you might find there is a particular sound that helps you keep your attention. This improves alpha waves — brain waves that promote relaxation and are thought to play a role in learning and make you more creative.
Move your body
When you exercise, your heat ate increases, helping your body to let out a protein called BDNF, which helps nerve cell growth.
Focus on the right food
Some so-called “brain foods” are helpful for your mind.
Sleep well
Structure your life
Having a daily routine, including breaks, will minimize the brain tiredness that goes with having to make endless on-the-go decisions and allow you to focus on the really important task.
| A．Find the right sound |
| B．Listen to particular music |
| C．Cut out the use of some devices. |
| D．Work in a different room if necessary. |
| E．Who doesn’t suffer from brain fog after a bad night? |
| F．These include fish, nut, blueberries and dark chocolate. |
| G．This is important for concentration, memory and learning. |
6 . Children at boarding school get the best night’s sleep because of strict lights out time, according to a recent study, which was presented at Sleep Down Under, the 33rd yearly scientific meeting of the Australasian Sleep Association. Professor Kurt Lushington, a psychologist who led the study; said, “It is a naturalistic experiment showing the key to good sleep in teenagers is quite simple: a good timetable and no mobile devices (设备) at night.”
Over the past 20 years, the time children spend sleeping has fallen and only half regularly get more than seven hours. The recommended amount is eight to ten. The biggest problems are smartphones and tablets (平板电脑) whose blue light wakes the brain, making it harder to drop off.
An Australian team compared sleep patterns ( 方 式 ) of 15 to 18-year-olds at a school in Adelaide. The 59 boarders had to leave their phones in a kitchen area or on their desk before bed and turn their lights out by a set time. They slept-for an average 8 hour 26 minutes a night compared with 7 hours 46 minutes for day pupils.
Lack ( 缺 少 ) of sleep affects mental health and school performance ( 表 现 ) and causes behavioural problems. It has also been connected with the child obesity epidemic and other diseases. This year an American study found that teenager who didn’t get enough sleep took in extra sugar during a school year. They ate sweets, cakes, chocolate and biscuits and drank, fizzy drinks to promote their energy levels.
Lushingon recommends that parents reach agreement on not using a phone. This is most likely to work if they do likewise and offer other enjoyments, such as books. “I think if you put these rules in place, kids will go along with them,” he told New Scientist.
1. What is the secret to teenagers’ good sleep according to paragraph 1?| A．Strict lights out time. |
| B．More physical exercise at school. |
| C．Good bedtime plan and more playtime. |
| D．Regular schedule and no mobile devices. |
| A．Fall asleep. | B．Fall behind. | C．Give up. | D．Calm down. |
| A．Bad effects for lack of sleep. |
| B．Bad examples of school performance. |
| C．The relationship between diseases and sleep. |
| D．Behavioral problems caused by bad eating habits. |
| A．Say no to mobile devices |
| B．Choose proper sleep patterns |
| C．The more you sleep, the healthier you’ll get |
| D．For a goodnight’s sleep, try boarding school rules |
7 . Morgan Ridler, a two-year-old boy from Welsh, was diagnosed (诊断) with adrenocortical carcinoma last year. He had to leave his home in Swansea to suffer a risky operation (手术) in Birmingham because the doctors there “were the only ones willing to take it on with such low survival rates—only a 10 percent chance of survival.
When a student nurse heard his Welsh-speaking mother comforting him in their native language she decided to make sure Morgan would not feel frightened when his family were away during the nights. She wrote a series of comforting Welsh words on Morgan’s bedside notes, including their phonetic (语音的) spelling, to make sure all the doctors and nurses treating him could comfort their young patient if needed. The words included, “You’re OK” and “You’re safe”.
It was not until a year later that Natalie Ridler, 32, his mother, learnt about the act of kindness, after she requested a copy of his medical notes to help to make sense of what he had gone through. “I want to say thank you to her and I have nominated (提名) her for a student nursing award to thank her for going above and beyond,” Ridler said. Ridler posted about the act of kindness on social media and wanted to publicize it. In the Faccbook post, Ridler said, “…. it made my heart so full. What an unbelievable nurse she will make one day.”
The nurse got in touch with the family and spoke with Ridler over the phone. The nurse told Ridler she has now graduated and is due to start her first role in ICU next week.
Morgan is now just waiting for a small operation to remove his treatment line into his chest. “After that he can ring his bell to say he is all clear,” Ridler said.
1. Morgan Ridler was sent to a hospital in Birmingham because _________.| A．the doctors there were very skilled |
| B．the hospitals there are in good condition |
| C．the risk of the operation there is extremely low |
| D．only the doctors there were ready to take him in |
| A．She operated on Morgan herself. |
| B．She instructed him to ring the bell. |
| C．She left Welsh words for doctors to comfort Morgan. |
| D．She posted the story online to raise money for Morgan. |
| A．By visiting her in person. | B．By sending her an email. |
| C．By proposing her for an award. | D．By offering her a job in ICU. |
| A．Calm and brave. | B．Caring and thoughtful. |
| C．Skillful and polite. | D．Confident and outgoing. |
8 . If you’re thinking about trying surfing, but don’t know where to go, here are four places recommended on Google reviews.
Adventure Access
Location: Seaham Harbour Marina, Scaham, SR77EY
Rating:4. 8
A happy visitor wrote: “I had the best time improving my surfing skills with Adventure Access. It only needs £18 to use their equipment (装备) for an hour on the water. I immediately booked another time! I highly recommend this place.”
Seaton Carew Beach
Location: Hanlepool Marina Bay, NewsKent County
Rating:4. 5
A visitor wrote: “The climate here is warm all the year, so you will feel comfortable while surfing whatever season it is. What’s more, the sand here is so soft that I had a perfect feeling when we play beach sports. Come here and enjoy yourself.”
White Water Centre
Location: Tees Barrage Way, Stockton-on-Tees
Rating:4. 6
A couple wrote: “My husband and I booked a one-hour lesson for kayaking (划皮划艇) and paddleboarding (桨板冲浪). We had never done either before. Kyle was our instructor and he was very patient to teach us. Whatever your age, have a go, even if you have no sense of balance.”
North East Wake Park
Location: Bishoplon Lake, Stocklon-on-Tees
Rating:4. 7
A visitor wrote: “Today was our first time trying something like this and it was great fun. It is perfect, whatever level you are at. The team there was very friendly, so I highly recommend this place.”
1. What is the location of Scaton Carew Beach?| A．Bishopton Lake, Stockton-on-Tees. |
| B．Tees Barrage Way, Stockton-on-Tees. |
| C．Hanlepool Marina Bay, NewsKent County. |
| D．Seaham Harbour Marina, Seaham, SR77EY. |
| A．Adventure Access. | B．WhiteWater Centre. |
| C．Seaton Carew Beach. | D．North East Wake Park. |
| A．They are free for the old. | B．They are beginner friendly. |
| C．They have all kinds of water activities. | D．They are most suitable for young people. |
I was already afraid of the water. After experiencing a shark attack when I was eight years old on a family trip to Florida, I barely went in the ocean any deeper than my knees. By shark, I mean dolphin, and by attack, I mean he was bobbing around in the water about five miles from shore, but people were screaming “SHARK!”and waving their hands around along the coastline. Real shark or not, that moment stuck with me. That memory, coupled with being freezing in any weather less than thirty degrees Celsius (摄氏), made the idea of plunging (投入) into cold water a hard pass.
My husband, Mike, had been cold plunging (冰浴) for years and would present me with facts to prove that it was a good thing. By doing so, you experience benefits such as heightened energy, immune (免疫的) system support, boosted mood, better sleep, and stress reduction. It was an appealing list of benefits—none of which mattered to me. What was presented as a clear “wonder drug” was still not attractive enough for me to get out of my warm house and go swimming. Did I mention that I live in Canada? It’s minus twenty degrees Celsius here sometimes.
On New Year’s Day, Mike invited me to his cold plunging. I had been thinking less about health data and more about my confidence. Do you want to do something hard? Something brave? I asked myself. Something completely scary, uncomfortable and seemingly crazy, or do you want to say no and focus on all of the reasons why you wouldn’t dare? I put on my swimsuit, covered it up with eighteen wool sweaters, and joined Mike for the adventure.
In fairness, it was a beautiful day. This made the scary thing feel a little more reasonable as Inegotiated (谈判；协商) with myself the entire twelve-minute drive. My heart was already pounding. We had packed a bag with towels, blankets, warm water for cleaning our sandy feet, and a hot cup of coffee to warm our hands.
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。
I was determined to do the hard thing.
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I have now been cold plunging for over a year.
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In China, paper-cutting is one of the treasures of traditional culture. It uses paper
The themes of paper-cutting are very extensive,
Paper-cutting is not only
