1 . While socializing comes naturally for some, it can be a struggle for others. Shyness is a normal, common personality trait (特征).     1    . If you’re often hesitant to engage in social situations, you may interact with those around you in a more comfortable way. We outline four strategies for overcoming shyness in life.

Get Excited About A New Adventure

You may have been shy most of your life.     2    . Working through shyness and developing increased confidence may seem like a discouraging task for you, but viewing the journey as an exciting adventure to parts unknown can be exciting and, in turn, may boost your self-esteem.

Pay Attention To Your Words

    3    . Talking to yourself in a negative way when describing yourself can damage your self-confidence. Consider replacing phrases like “I am shy” with “I am learning to be more comfortable” in social situations. This can go a long way toward moving from shyness to confidence.

Practice Mindfulness (正念)

Mindfulness involves drawing your attention to the present and being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.     4    . In one study, participants in a mindfulness program experienced an improved view of their self-worth.

Take Small Steps

Getting started can be the hardest part of learning how to be more social for those who are shy.     5    . You can start out small. Try chatting with the teller at the bank or the person ahead of you in the checkout line. This can help you build confidence and work your way up to more difficult challenges.

A．If so, that’s a part of you that you’re used to

B．Sometimes the best path toward addressing a fear is exposure

C．Mindfulness can help reduce symptoms of social anxiety disorder

D．Taking time to tend to your appearance can make a big difference

E．How we communicate and characterize ourselves can be powerful

F．However, shyness can make it hard for people to connect with others and achieve their goals

G．But engaging with people doesn’t have to be practiced as an important work presentation

2 . Volunteer at the EcoTarium! We simply could not offer the programs and special events that make the EcoTarium a unique resource to our community without our diverse and dedicated corps of volunteers. To be considered for a more specific position, look through the volunteer listings below, and submit an application.

Zoo Ambassador Volunteer

Our zoo ambassador volunteers will assist the Zoology Department to connect with guests through engaging educational experiences about our animal residents. We are looking for volunteers who are passionate about animals and excited to interact with guests of all ages. Volunteers may also complete behavioral studies on numerous animals within the care of the EcoTarium to help enhance the welfare for our animals!

Animal Care Volunteer

Animal care volunteers will aid in all areas of husbandry (农牧业), including feeding, cleaning, record keeping, training animals, and behavioral observations. They will work with a variety of animals under our care, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects. The position is physically demanding and requires working in all weather conditions.

Education Program Volunteer

Through conversations and hands-on activities, education program volunteers help visitors make meaningful connections to our exhibits, encourage curiosity and scientific inquiry, and challenge visitors to dive deeper into the concepts explored at our museum.

Collections Volunteer

The EcoTarium seeks volunteers who are interested in making a contribution to science by uncovering lost specimens (标本) in the EcoTarium collection! Photograph, measure, and take notes on birds, eggs, seashells, or pressed flowers. This is an excellent position for a high school or college student considering a career in biology or lab science. It is also appropriate for citizen scientists of any age. It offers an opportunity to see examples of rare or extinct plants and animals.

1. What can an animal care volunteer do?

A．Collect lost specimens.

B．Learn to feed and clean animals.

C．Finish some studies on the exhibits.

D．Help elderly visitors interact with animals.

2. Which position most suits a biology major?

A．Collections Volunteer.	B．Animal Care Volunteer.
C．Education Program Volunteer.	D．Zoo Ambassador Volunteer.

3. What is the main purpose of the text?

A．To list the advantages of volunteers.

B．To spread knowledge about volunteers.

C．To train more people to become volunteers.

D．To introduce some positions about volunteers.

5 . Researchers have long thought that rewards like food or money encourage learning in the brain by causing the release of dopamine (多巴胺), known to enhance the storage of new information. Now, a new study describes how learning still occurs in the absence of rewards.

The study explored the relationship between dopamine and acetylcholine (乙酰胆碱). Past research had shown that they compete with one another. To provide some clarity, the study authors focused on when and under what circumstances dopamine levels are high at the same time as acetylcholine levels are low. They found that this situation occurs frequently, even in the absence of rewards.

“Our findings challenge the current understanding of when and how dopamine and acetylcholine work together,” said study lead author Anne Krok. “Rather than creating unique conditions for learning, rewards take advantage of a mechanism that is already in place and is constantly at work.”

The study team gave dozens of mice access to a wheel on which they could run or rest. On occasion, the researchers offered the animals a drink of water. Then they recorded the mice’s brain activity and measured the amount of dopamine and acetylcholine released at different moments. As expected, the drink treats created the typical patterns of dopamine and acetylcholine release that are prompted by rewards. However, the team also observed that before receiving water treats, dopamine and acetylcholine already followed “rise and fall” cycles approximately twice every second. Krok notes that this pattern continued regardless of whether the mice were running or standing still. “Similar brain waves have been observed in humans during periods of self-examination and rest,” she adds.

“These results may help explain how the brain learns on its own, without the need for external rewards,” said study senior author Nicolas Tritsch.

Tritsch says, “The results of the study may also offer insight into new ways of understanding depression. Lack of motivation is a common symptom of depression, making it challenging to perform basic tasks. It is possible that a disruption (扰乱) in the internal-drive system might be contributing to this issue.”

1. What does the new study find about dopamine and acetylcholine?

A．Their competitive relationship.

B．The effective cooperation between them.

C．Their existing working mechanism.

D．The role they play in information storage.

2. What do the experiments on mice show?

A．How mouse brains process new information.

B．The release patterns of dopamine and acetylcholine.

C．What causes the release of dopamine and acetylcholine.

D．The difference between mouse brain waves and those of humans.

3. What might be the cause of depression according to the text?

A．Lack of motivation.

B．Lack of external rewards.

C．The inability to deal with tasks.

D．The disorder of the internal-drive system.

4. What is the main idea of the text?

A．Learning ability can be improved constantly.

B．Learning can occur without external rewards.

C．Rewards encourage learning in the brain.

D．Dopamine release is the key to learning.

6 . A self-described “girly girl”, nine-year-old Zandra Cunningham was constantly begging her parents for the latest beauty products. One day her dad simply told her “no”, which inspired her to make her own.

Zandra has been recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the youngest millionaires in America. When asked about her experience as a child entrepreneur (企业家), Zandra says, “It wasn’t frightening. When you’re young, you don’t have that fear mentality. ‘Maybe it’s not going to work’ never really crossed my mind.” For Zandra, it became a challenge to separate her personal interest from what her customers actually wanted. “There were a lot of things that I felt were good ideas, but they wouldn’t fit into the market,” she says. Being part of the market herself, Zandra felt she had a unique perspective that allowed her to truly listen and respond to her customers.

It started as a hobby for Zandra and her mom. They’d play around with different ingredients until they found formulas they liked “through trial and error”. Slowly, they started transforming the pastime into a brand. Zandra began selling her products at local markets, and a few years later—when Zandra was 12 years old — the family started a shop for Zandra Beauty. At the time, Zandra Beauty was one of the first brands to offer plant-based and organic beauty products at an affordable price. The 21-year-old has essentially grown up alongside her brand—but her goals have remained the same: “Our main focus is to push out amazing products that are safe for everyone and the earth.”

“There’re so many brands doing similar things, but there’s still so much room to grow,” says Zandra. “Your customers are out there, and you just have to find something that’s going to set you apart.”

1. What can be inferred from Zandra’s words in paragraph 2?

A．Her young mind made her fearless.

B．Her parents supported her greatly.

C．She had much precious experience.

D．She was always very caring.

2. Which of the following is the most important in Zandra’s opinion?

A．Sharing her personal interests.	B．The diversity of hobbies.
C．Changing the global market.	D．The need of customers.

3. What kind of product does Zandra mainly pursue?

A．The one that is cheap and useful.

B．The one that is enjoyed by her mom.

C．The one that is created by trial and error.

D．The one that is reliable and eco-friendly.

4. What is Zandra’s attitude towards the future of her brand?

A．Hopeful.

B．Concerned.

C．Doubtful.

D．Relieved.

9 . Packing up my luggage, I felt a wave of fear. Maybe tomorrow’s flight would be ________ and I didn’t have to go after all — I ________ hoped. It was May 2022, and I’d ________ my job in London to begin a year-long journey around the world.

I loved to travel and had been ________ to visit many countries with friends and family. This time, I’d be travelling alone, which was pretty ________ for a woman with a disability, though I have learnt to ________ life in a wheelchair since I was 7.

Accessibility isn’t much of a(n) ________ in some countries, but my first ________ on my solo trip was Bali. Although I’d ensured my hotel wouldn’t be a problem, I couldn’t ________ any risks.

“If it doesn’t ________, you can always come home.” my parents ________ me. But I wasn’t going to give up without a ________.

In Bali, the hotel where I stayed was ________ by a kind woman who made sure I had ________ to the shower and anything else I needed. With her help, I made it to a mountain ________ and saw most of the island’s sights. As ________, the view from the top was thrilling.

After that, I made the trip up as I went, staying in a country until I got ________ and moved on to the next. Wherever I went, such as Africa and Asia, I was greatly impressed by the ________ of strangers helping me.

________, I’d visited a total of 66 countries on my own by February 2023. Now, I’m fully ________ that a disability doesn’t have to stop a person from getting out there and seeing the world.

1.

A．arranged

B．analysed

C．booked

D．cancelled

2.

A．curiously

B．secretly

C．doubtfully

D．proudly

3.

A．promised

B．proved

C．found

D．quit

4.

A．sensitive

B．nervous

C．fortunate

D．unwilling

5.

A．disappointing

B．frightening

C．embarrassing

D．exciting

6.

A．object to

B．compare to

C．adapt to

D．belong to

7.

A．issue

B．experience

C．demand

D．benefit

8.

A．collection

B．communication

C．assumption

D．destination

9.

A．rid

B．update

C．organize

D．tolerate

10.

A．work out

B．settle down

C．come out

D．break down

11.

A．believed

B．ignored

C．helped

D．comforted

12.

A．strategy

B．reward

C．fight

D．support

13.

A．challenged

B．run

C．damaged

D．suspected

14.

A．access

B．response

C．reference

D．addiction

15.

A．village

B．range

C．peak

D．stream

16.

A．prepared

B．explained

C．required

D．predicted

17.

A．fascinated

B．bored

C．accustomed

D．amused

18.

A．cruelty

B．stubbornness

C．kindness

D．selfishness

19.

A．To start with

B．From then on

C．Now and then

D．Sooner or later

20.

A．convinced

B．guessed

C．worried

D．questioned

10 . Power from home-based wind turbines (涡轮机) can be used locally, or sold back to the power company to offset power costs. Power companies buy green power from homeowners at retail (零售) rates, rather than the lower wholesale rates.

There is a great deal of power to use in the wind, and even a small homeowner can get involved. An effective way to use wind power is with a home wind turbine. Wind power is inconsistent in most areas of the world, so a wind generator alone is seldom sufficient to power a house.

However, a single wind generator can ease power cost in a household, especially coupled with other forms of clean energy, such as solar power. Multiple turbines can even be connected with a battery storage system for the household that wants to be completely reliant on air for power. One of the most impressive aspects of air as a power source is that once the turbine is in place, it operates at zero carbon production, making it an extremely environmentally friendly power source.

When siting wind turbines, the following factors should be kept in mind: check with the local government for the laws and regulations about siting wind turbines. Wind speeds are always higher at the top of a hill, on a shoreline, and in places clear of trees and other structures. Remember that trees grow over the years; wind turbine towers do not. Ensure neighbors are informed of plans early on to avoid conflict later on. Wind turbines can be a source of green power that will keep paying off for years to come, though the initial investment can be high. Bear in mind that the wind turbines are also likely to cause problems for wildlife, especially birds and bats.

1. What does the underlined word “offset” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Result in.

B．Call off.

C．Make up for.

D．Give rise to.

2. Why is a wind turbine inadequate to meet the power demand of a house?

A．Wind turbines have a low efficiency.

B．Sometimes there is little wind to take advantage of.

C．The household consumes too much electricity.

D．Wind power is consistent in most areas of the world.

3. Which goes against building a house completely reliant on green power?

A．Multiple turbines.	B．A battery storage system.
C．Solar power.	D．Carbon production.

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The best places for siting wind turbines.

B．The disadvantages of siting wind turbines.

C．Matters needing attention when siting wind turbines.

D．Costs and dangers of siting wind turbines ecologically.