2 . Almost all food companies calculate the calorie content of their offerings using a mathematical formula (公式). They first measure how many grams of carbohydrate (碳水化合物), protein and fat are in the food. This formula is known as the Atwater system. Then they multiply (乘以) each of those amounts by a set value. There are four calories per gram of carbohydrate or protein and nine calories per gram of fat. The sum of those values will show up as the calorie count on a food label.

The numbers in this formula are called Atwater factors. They come from data collected more than 100 years ago by nutritionist Wilbur O. Atwater. Atwater asked volunteers to eat different foods. Then he measured how much energy their bodies got from each one by comparing the energy in the food with the energy left over in their feces and urine.

According to the formula, the calorie content in a gram of fat is the same whether that fat comes from a hamburger, a bag of almonds (杏仁) or a plate of French fries. But scientists have found that the Atwater system isn’t perfect.

David Baer is a professor at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland. His team has shown that some foods do not match the Atwater factors. For example, some plants have tough cell walls. Chewing plant-based foods, such as nuts, consumes some of these walls but not all. So some of these nutrients will pass out of the body, undigested.

Making foods easier to digest through cooking or other processes can also change the amount of calories available to the body. For example, Baer’s team has found that almond butter provides more calories per gram than whole almonds. The Atwater system, however, predicts each should deliver the same amount.

The Atwater system may have problems, but it is simple and easy to use. Though other systems have been proposed, none is the best.

1. What is the Atwater system mainly used for?

A．Measuring the weight of food.

B．Calculating the calorie content of food.

C．Predicting the energy output of the body.

D．Determining the nutritional value of food.

2. According to David Baer’s team, what makes some foods not match the Atwater factors?

A．The difficulty in digesting certain foods.

B．The high calorie content in processed foods.

C．The difference in the way people chew food.

D．The variety of nutrients in different foods.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．The Atwater system is the best way to calculate calories.

B．None of the proposed systems is better than the Atwater system.

C．Other systems are more complex but more accurate than the Atwater system.

D．Despite its problems, the Atwater system remains popular due to its simplicity.

4. Where does this passage most probably come from?

A．A health and fitness website.	B．A cooking magazine.
C．A history book.	D．A science journal.

3 . Are you looking for a unique spot to visit? There are plenty of things to see and do in the beautiful Western Canada cities of Vancouver and Victoria.

Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

Chinatown is an important link to Vancouver’s history. A short walk takes you to the Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. Its design includes three philosophies: Daoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Features made of rock and water, stone and bamboo, and circles and squares emphasize the contrast of emotion and intellect, with the intent that you leave feeling more at peace.

Capilano Suspension Bridge (悬索桥) Park

Grab a free shuttle bus from many places in central Vancouver to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. At 430 feet, it is the longest foot suspension bridge in the world, high above a raging blue river. It is strong enough to hold 110,000kg, which makes sure to you cross the way safely, and is far different from the original 1889 rope bridge it used to be.

Fairmont Pacific Rim Nordic Spa

A welcome retreat (安静之所) from the busy Vancouver streets is the Fairmont Pacific Rim Nordic Spa. Surrounded by harbour and mountain views, you could make the most of the warm fires, comfortable robes, pool and hot-water bath. From the floor to the cold pool you spent joyful moments soaking (浸泡) in the rooftop hot-water bath, listening to birds.

Victoria Miniature (微型；微型的) Museum

The biggest tourist attraction in Victoria Miniature World is the wonderful world of miniatures, with 85 miniature dioramas (实景模型) and displays of popular tourist attractions from all over the world. They include castles of Europe, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, and a miniature copy of the Great Canadian Railway in the 1880s.

1. Where can you learn about the philosophy of Confucius in Western Canada cities?

A．Victoria Miniatures Museum.	B．Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.
C．Fairmont Pacific Rim Nordic Spa.	D．Dr Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.

2. What can visitors experience in Vancouver?

A．Walking across the fastest river.	B．Taking full advantage of the warm fires.
C．Taking an expensive bus to the destination.	D．Leaving the tourist attraction with anxiety.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A news report.	B．A movie poster.
C．A book review.	D．A tourist guidebook.

5 . Events from January to April in Historic Wicoff House Museum

January 20@4: 30 pm—6:30 pm

Wicoff House Museum Puzzles (智力游戏) & Pints (of Ice Cream)

Celebrate National Puzzle Month at the museum! Join us for puzzles and board games. We will also have blank (空白的) puzzles that we can use to create our own puzzles. All adults welcome. There will be an ice cream bar! Bring a snack to share with the group, if desired.

tinyurl.com/ wicoffpuzzles

January 28@1:00 pm—3:00 pm

Wicoff House Museum—Around the World in 80 Minutes

Join us at the Wicoff House for this free community event! Learn about different countries and cultures by doing activities related to important people, buildings, event sand inventions from around the world.

tinyurl.com/ wicoffworld24

February 11@1:00 pm—2:00 pm

Plainsboro’s First Inhabitants (居民)

In 1981-1982, a scientific dig was conducted before the construction of the Scudders Mill Road bypass at Route 1. Researchers uncovered over 25,000 items at this site. The Wicoff House Museum has a collection of Lenni-Lenape items discovered throughout the township by local residents.

inyurl.com/ lenape24

April 6@4:00 pm—8:00 pm

Wicoff House—Escape Room

Join us at the Wicoff House for this fun family event. You will be “locked” in the rooms of the historic Wicoff House with a challenge to solve before time runs out! $5 per person, pay at the door. Includes: Escape Room admission, slice of pizza and drink, gift. Escape rooms are best suited for children 8 and up.

inyurl.com/ escapewh24

1. What can people do on January 20?

A．Form their own working groups.	B．Enjoy various artistic works.
C．Design their own puzzles.	D．Learn to make snacks.

2. Which website may people visit if they want to know about different inventions?

A．inyurl.com/lenape24	B．inyurl.com/escapewh24.
C．tinyurl.com/wicoffpuzzles.	D．tinyurl.com/wicoffworld24.

3. What do we know about Wicoff House—Escape Room?

A．It will last 3 hours.	B．It provides people with food.
C．It is free for families.	D．It is suitable for a 5-year-old.

6 . As my wife puts it, “Animals have overtaken our lives.”

I was on the air last week when Daisy, our dog, ate a bittersweet chocolate bar heartily. We hide chocolate from her; it can be dangerous for dogs. But Daisy is the Hercule Poirot of hidden sweets. An empty wrapper in her mouth told the tale.

Our family rushed Daisy to a vet clinic, where——well, I’ll spare you the details. Daisy is fine now, but our hearts are just restarting.

We are also caring for a huge, white cat we’ve named Gato Blanco. He claws furniture on his hind(后部的) legs, like Catzilla tearing down a Tokyo bridge. Every chair in our apartment is now covered with sheets, towels, or plastic wrap. We keep a window open, no matter the weather, because one of our daughters is allergic to cats. But she wants to keep Gat o close, even as he knocks photos, flowers, pens and my microphone off tables, with a smart forehand.

Our feline lodger(猫科房客) also climbed onto a planter outside our apartment and strolled over to the other side of the building, seven floors up. Is that Spider-Man? No-it’s Gato!

Daisy the dog sits beneath our dinner table, quivering and blinking her large, dew y eyes. Some of us may let a few pieces of food fall her way from time to time. We can’t let her get too excited, though, because she has a tendency to... well, more details to spare. We keep towels handy for such episodes of excitement.

Gato Blanco, meanwhile, leaps onto our table. But not to eat, just to hang with the cool kids, our daughters. “Hey, how was your day,” I imagine him saying. “We gonna watch something after dinner?”

Our family may complain as we sneeze, mop, and search the floor for our missing pens. But we also hold our animals close as they help us laugh, marvel, and care for them, and for each other. Our lives have been overtaken by our animals. And we’re having a troublesome and wonderful time.

1. What do we know about Daisy?

A．She is allergic to cats.	B．She has a heart problem.
C．She doesn’t get excited easily.	D．She is good at finding sweets.

2. What can Gat o do?

A．Fly like Spider-Man.	B．Make a mess of the room.
C．Talk like a real human.	D．Tear down a Tokyo bridge.

3. Which of the words can best describe the writer’s feeling towards their animals?

A．Bittersweet.

B．Concerned.

C．Content.

D．Depressed.

4. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To warn readers against keeping pets at home.

B．To give advice on what species of animals to buy.

C．To share their stories and feelings about keeping pets.

D．To entertain readers with dark humour jokes about pets.

7 . Short-form video content has become more and more popular in recent years, with many platforms (平台) having a key influence. These short videos, usually from a few seconds to a few minutes in length, have caught the attention of millions of users all over the world. However, as our time spent on short-form video content continues to rise, it is important to understand its influence on our attention span (持续时间).

Short-form video content is designed to catch attention quickly and provide information or entertainment in a short and easy manner. While this can do good in some cases, it can also lead to a phenomenon known as “continuous partial attention”. Continuous partial attention is the state of repeatedly dividing one’s attention among several tasks. When watching short-form videos, people are often taking part in other forms of media or distractions (分心的事物) on their devices like computers or smart phones at the same time, such as checking information on social media platforms. This too-often switching of attention can lead to a decrease in focus and concentration, finally impacting our ability to retain information and engage in deep thinking.

A study found that people who watched short videos were less likely to remember the information compared to those who watched longer videos or took other forms of learning. The researchers thought that the limited length of short-form videos may not provide enough time for the brain to process and store information into long-term memory. This suggests that while short-form videos can be a useful tool for getting to know new concepts at the beginning, it may not be as effective for deep learning and remembering.

To decrease the negative effects of short-form videos on attention span, platforms that consider quality more important than quantity should be developed. By providing content that is meaningful and interesting and that makes people think seriously, these platforms can encourage users to engage in more focused and intentional use of short-form video content. Additionally, individuals can take active steps to manage their own short-form video consumption, such as setting time limits or engaging in activities that promote deep thinking and concentration.

1. What mainly causes the phenomenon “continuous partial attention”?

A．Enjoying short-form videos of too many topics.

B．Watching only part of each video without finishing it.

C．Changing attention frequently to other tasks on the devices.

D．Viewing and listening at the same time while watching short-form videos.

2. What does the underlined word “retain” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Keep.

B．Update.

C．Recover.

D．Process.

3. What can be done to reduce the harm of short-form videos on attention span?

A．Turning to long-form videos intentionally.

B．Preventing the application of short-form videos.

C．Setting limits on the length of short-form videos.

D．Promoting short-form videos encouraging deep thinking.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards short-form videos?

A．Unclear.

B．Careful.

C．Supportive.

D．Doubtful.

10 . The US economy seems strong with high employment, falling inflation (通货膨胀), and growth. However, the reality is far less optimistic for ordinary American workers.

A March 6 survey by the Savings website showed that 47% of US parents financially support their adult children to cope with rising living costs. Gen Zers (18-27) are the most likely to receive such aid, averaging $1,515 per month. Still, even older parents assist their Millennial and Generation X adult children, accounting for 21% of support. Common expenses include groceries, tuition, and health insurance.

Why are so many US adults struggling? Soaring food prices are a major factor. The US Department of Agriculture predicts a 2.5% increase in food prices in 2024. Meanwhile, stable housing remains an elusive dream for many, with the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (抵押贷款) reaching at almost 8% in October 2023, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. This high cost prices many Americans out of homeownership.

The final piece of the puzzle is falling salaries. Previous generations were able to count on graduating from college as the key to landing a job that paid well. But now, young US graduates have found that they earn less than their parents. According to a CNBC analysis, college graduate salaries have decreased more than 10 percent in four decades after adjusting for inflation. In other words, steadily declining salaries make it even harder for young Americans to cope with steadily rising costs.

With Gen Zers in the US struggling under financial pressures, so do the older generations supporting them, as their generosity puts their prospects for retirement at risk. The Savings website discovered that working parents were found to contribute 2.4 times more to support adult children than they contribute to their retirement accounts each month.

Essentially, while the US economy remains floating, we might witness multiple generations of Americans sinking in their own lifeboats in the years ahead.

1. What did the March 6 survey find out about adult children in the US?

A．Nearly half of them are financially dependent.

B．Over half of Gen Zers are financially struggling.

C．21 percent of Generation X receive parental help.

D．A majority of them rely on their parents for education.

2. What does the underlined word “elusive” in paragraph 3 most probably mean?

A．Readily accessible.	B．Difficult to achieve.
C．Often misunderstood.	D．Commonly sought after.

3. What can be inferred from the article about people in the US?

A．Graduates’ financial struggles are temporary.

B．Government policies favor older generations.

C．Financial pressures affect both the young and the old.

D．Salaries for graduates tend to keep pace with inflation.

4. What is the author’s attitude toward the future prospects of Americans?

A．Negative.

B．Positive.

C．Reserved.

D．Ambiguous.