3 . Chinese food is well-known for its rich sorts and distinct flavors from different areas. This article highlights four classic dishes that represent the wide range of Chinese cooking.

Dongpo pork

Dongpo pork is a delicious dish from Zhejiang Province, China. It’s made by cooking streaky pork (五花肉) slowly with ingredients like soy sauce, ginger, and sugar. This makes the meat very soft and full of flavor. The tasty sauce is great for mixing with rice. The dish is named after a famous poet, Su Dongpo.

Hot candied milk tofu

Hot candied milk tofu is a sweet specialty from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It is crisp (酥脆的) on the outside and soft on the inside. It tastes sweet and is suitable for people of all ages to eat. It’s also great for getting more calcium.

Steamed Chinese cabbage in supreme soup

Steamed Chinese cabbage in supreme soup is a famous Sichuan cuisine. It is made with the hearts of Chinese cabbage from the north. It’s cooked with chicken, duck, and pork bones to make a clear flavourful soup, which is seasoned with minced chicken or pork. Some chicken oil is drizzled on top. The Chinese cabbage, cooked in the soup, keeps its crisp freshness and soaks up (吸收) the soup, offering a tasty experience.

Steamed fish head with chopped hot chilli peppers

In Hunan Province, the love for spicy food is obvious in a famous traditional dish, steamed fish head with chopped hot chilli peppers. The fish head is marinated (腌) with a generous amount of red chilli peppers and then steamed to perfection. The combination of the fish’s natural freshness and the chilli peppers’ heat creates an unforgettable taste experience.

1. What is the first dish named after?

A．A famous chef.	B．A historical figure.
C．A traditional festival.	D．A specific cooking technique.

2. Which dish uses several kinds of meat as ingredients?

A．Dongpo pork.

B．Hot candied milk tofu.

C．Steamed Chinese cabbage in supreme soup.

D．Steamed fish head with chopped hot chilli peppers.

3. What are the key tastes of steamed fish head with chopped hot chilli peppers?

A．Sweet and sour.	B．Sweet and fresh.
C．Salty and sweet.	D．Spicy and fresh.

4 . Since the old times, art has always been with us. Art has always been very important to people. It shows our feelings, ideas, and what we see around us. From the first simple cave drawings to the latest computer art, the way art has changed is a very interesting part of human history.

    1     This was a time when art was really amazing. Artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo made art that went beyond what was done before. They made beautiful things that also showed a new way of looking at the human body, how things look from different angles, and how light works.

But art is more than just pretty. Art isn’t just about looking nice.     2     In history, artists have used their art to ask questions about how society works, and to show they don’t agree with things. For instance, in times of significant social movements, art on walls and posters became a way for people to show they wanted changes.

Art can make us think and inspire us to do different things. In the 1900s, artists started making abstract art.     3     Artists like Picasso and Wassily Kandinsky used shapes and colors in new ways to make us feel emotions and think about ideas without showing real things.

How art grows also shows how technology gets better over time.     4     Digital art can be anything made with a computer or shown online. It has changed what we think art is. It also lets more people see and make art because you just need a computer to do it.

Art serves as a universal medium for the exchange of ideas, transcending (超越) language and cultural barriers. It allows for a form of communication that is accessible to all. It is away of sharing ideas with everyone.     5    

A．Take the oldest art as an example.

B．Take the Renaissance as an example.

C．People can understand it, no matter where they are from.

D．It means they tried to paint a lot of pictures to make a living.

E．This means they didn’t try to paint pictures of things we know.

F．Nowadays, with computers and the Internet, art is changing again.

G．It can also say important things about society and can help change things.

5 . Maples are known for their autumn colors. Many species put on a display of oranges, browns, yellows, and reds every year. Here are four excellent species of maple for your landscape.

Bigleaf maple
Native Area: North America
Height: 50 to 100 feet

As the name suggests, the leaves are quite large on this tree. It has the biggest leaves of any maple; the classic palm-shape leaves can be over 12 inches wide. This large tree is an excellent shade tree for large landscapes and parks.

Hedge maple
Native Area: Europe and Asia
Height: 25 to 35 feet

The hedge maple is a great choice for the urban garden, as it does well in many severe environments: drought, salty soils, shady locations, and climates where there is ozone deficiency. It can also be used as a street tree if the power lines are high enough.

Norway maple
Native Area: Europe and Asia
Height: usually 40 to 50 feet

Known either as Norway maple or European maple, this popular species was brought to North America from Europe in the 18th century. It has since become one of the most common trees. In the right settings, this species may become invasive (侵入的), so before planting it, check to make sure it is not a problem in your region.

Hornbeam maple
Native Area: Japan
Height: 15 to 30 feet

Many species of plant within a genus have a similar appearance, but there can be surprises, as is the case with the hornbeam maple. Its leaves are nothing like what you expect from a maple. This can be a somewhat difficult plant to find for sale, but it can make a good   small tree or a large shrub (灌木) in the landscape.

1. What might the name of the first maple be based on?

A．Its height.	B．Its native area.
C．The size of its leaves.	D．The function it performs.

2. Which can adapt to various challenging environments?

A．The bigleaf maple.	B．The hedge maple.
C．The norway maple.	D．The hornbeam maple.

3. What can we learn about the hornbeam maple?

A．Its leaves look like hands.

B．It is larger than other maples.

C．It is easy to find for sale at the market.

D．Its leaves differ from those of typical maples.

6 . The community is the basic unit where we share space and resources with others. A harmonious and orderly community not only enhances the quality of life for its residents but also promotes stability and development in society. Therefore, community residents should understand and fulfill their responsibilities and duties to ensure a harmonious and beautiful community environment.

    1    

The cleanliness of the community environment directly affects the health and quality of life of its residents. Residents should avoid littering, actively participate in community cleaning activities, and regularly clean their own doorsteps and surroundings. Additionally, properly sorting waste and participating in recycling are essential duties for every resident.

Observing public order

    2    . Every resident should observe public order and not disturb the peace of the community. This includes controlling noise from household activities, avoiding loud noises at night or on rest days, and following traffic rules by not parking illegally or speeding within the community. Moreover, residents should treasure public facilities and not damage plants or trees, collectively maintaining the community’s beauty and functionality.

Participating in community management

Actively participating in community management is;an important responsibility for residents. This includes voting for community leaders, participating in community meetings, and offering suggestions and feedback on the management and activities of the community. Residents can also join volunteer organizations, take part in community safety patrols, and organize cultural events.     3    .

Promoting neighborly harmony

Good neighborly relations are the foundation of a harmonious community.     4    . Each should be willing to help, and provide extra care and assistance to the elderly, children, and disabled individuals. When facing neighborhood disputes (纠纷), residents should approach the situation with understanding and tolerance and resolve issues through communication and negotiation.

Enhancing safety awareness

Community safety affects everyone’s interests. Residents should increase their safety awareness and report suspicious behavior and safety hazards (安全隐患) promptly.     5    . Using them, residents can protect themselves and assist others in emergencies.

A．Protecting ourselves and others

B．Residents should respect each other

C．Maintaining environmental cleanliness

D．The community is a space for public life

E．Those all contribute to the community’s development

F．Every resident has the opportunity to clean the community park

G．Besides, residents should learn basic safety knowledge and first aid skills

7 . Stress often occurs when humans have too much work or are in immediate danger. We communicate our stress to others through our behavior and physiological changes. Thus, stress can communicate information and even be useful for survival in certain situations. On the other hand, the massive spread of stress frequently leads to dangerous situations in groups, such as mass panic.

However, not only humans, but also animals can experience and spread stress. This is the present research focus of Dr Hanja Brand l from the University of Konstanz.

“It has been repeatedly shown that stress can be spread from one human to another,” Brand l says. “Often, a similarly strong physiological response is triggered, even though you have never experienced the stress yourself.” But what is known about stress among animals? Brand l concludes other animals in the group can be just as stressed as the friend who experienced something bad. Stress is evolutionarily deeply rooted and the process is similar in all vertebrates (脊椎动物).

When are animals stressed? To be mentioned primarily are naturally occurring threats to which they are exposed, such as natural enemies. Human influences raise the level of stress. “Increasing changes in the habitat or noise and light pollution also have an impact as these massively influence the environment of the animals.” Brand l explains. “Animals are flexible and can adapt to situations. But at some point, the stress response—the adaptations that otherwise help animals better escape stressors like enemies—no longer gives them a survival advantage,” she adds.

This not only endangers the animals’ health, but also changes the social structure of groups. “If we know how the underlying mechanisms (机制) work, we can better protect animals,” says Brandl.

For humans, too, insights from the animal world are useful, she says. “With humans, we can’t measure the functionality of groups under stress well in natural scenes.” Therefore, Brandl is now continuing her studies. In the future, this will make it easier to respond to and help with the spread of stress in groups of people.

1. What can we learn about stress from paragraph 1?

A．Stress is both good and bad.

B．Group living. can easily cause stress.

C．Each individual reacts differently to stressful situations.

D．Poor communication is one of the biggest causes of stress.

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

A．Ignored.

B．Eased.

C．Caused.

D．Transformed.

3. What can humans do to help animals reduce stress?

A．Supply food to them.

B．Make them live in groups.

C．Protect their habitat from being destroyed.

D．Provide opportunities for them to practice their survival skills.

4. From which is the text probably taken?

A．A pet magazine.	B．A news website.
C．A book review.	D．A technical forum.

9 . A study following nearly 30,000 older adults for more than 10 years has found six key healthy lifestyle factors can significantly reduce memory loss and those adults engaging in between four and six of the healthy lifestyle behaviors could dramatically reduce their risks of developing dementia (痴呆), even when carrying genes that increase their risks of Alzheimer’s disease.

“Six healthy lifestyle aspects were assessed: a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, active social contact, active cognitive (认知的) activity, never smoking, and never drinking alcohol,” the researchers explained in the new study. Participants were classified (分类) into the favorable group if they had four to six healthy lifestyle factors, into the average group for two to three factors, and into the unfavorable group for zero to one factor.

The study found that people with four to six healthy habits had a much slower loss of memory than those with fewer healthy habits. People with these good habits were also much less likely to get dementia than those with one or no healthy habits. Those who had two or three good habits were 30% less likely to get dementia.

The study didn’t figure out which of the six healthy habits is the best for stopping dementia or which combination is the best. However, the information did show that eating healthy seemed to help prevent memory loss the most, with brain exercise and regular physical exercise also very helpful.

About 20% of the people in the study had a gene that makes Alzheimer’s disease more likely. Even so, having several good health habits helped slow down memory loss. This shows that changing how we live can really help.

Even though each health habit helped in a different way, overall, the study found that people with more good health habits had much less memory loss than those with fewer good habits. This suggests that the choices we make in how we live can help protect our memory. The study adds to the evidence that we might be able to change our risk of memory loss.

1. What were the groups categorized based on?

A．The participants’ age.	B．What hobbies the participants got rid of.
C．The healthy lifestyles the participants had.	D．What the participants’ attitudes to factors were.

2. What can we infer from paragraph 3?

A．The favorable group was happier than the other two.

B．More healthy lifestyles were of more benefit to health.

C．Healthy habits had little impact on memory or dementia.

D．People with a healthy diet wouldn’t suffer a loss of memory.

3. Which plays the second greatest role in reducing memory loss?

A．A healthy diet.	B．Active social contact.
C．Active cognitive activities.	D．Never drinking alcohol.

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

A．Healthy Lifestyles Slowing Memory Loss	B．A Study Making A Great Breakthrough
C．A Healthy Diet Being The Best Lifestyle	D．Old Adults Suffering From Health Problems

10 . Thomas was a well-known wise man. One day, he wandered in a beautiful small town. Because of his fame, people from nearby towns who heard of his arrival all came to visit and seek his advice.

Many who came sought help with difficulties in daily life, and Thomas, unable to bear turning them away, patiently offered suggestions. Word spread quickly, and more and more people came to see Thomas for guidance.

One day, dozens of people crowded outside Thomas’s door, all clamoring (大声地要求) that their problems were the most serious and urgent, each insisting that Thomas address their concerns first, with no one willing to yield (让步).

After a moment of thought, Thomas took out some paper and a pen and said, “I can’t hear clearly with everyone talking at once. How about everyone write down your problem on a piece of paper and place it in this basket beside me?”

Once everyone had placed their notes in the basket, Thomas shook the basket and said, “Please each take a piece of paper from the basket and read what it says.”

As everyone read a note from someone else, they all realized that indeed, each person has their own troubles, and every household has its own challenges. Then Thomas spoke up, “Now, whose problem is the most urgent to solve?” Hearing that question, no one spoke again, because now no one dared to claim that their problem was the most severe.

Often, we are bound by our immediate feelings. When difficulties and problems strike, it feels as though we are caught in a vortex of pain. But if we shift our focus from ourselves and look towards others, we might discover that the problems we face are not so significant. Perhaps others are the ones who need help more urgently, or maybe there is something within our power that we can do for them.

1. Why did people visit Thomas?

A．For advice.	B．For a meeting.
C．For a competition.	D．For introductions.

2. How did Thomas handle the crowd?

A．He ignored them.	B．He listened to each one individually.
C．He prioritized the problems himself.	D．He asked them to write down their problems.

3. What did reading others’ problems show to the people?

A．The complexity of their difficulties.	B．The similarity of their situations.
C．Their need for more advice.	D．Their living conditions.

4. What lesson did Thomas teach?

A．Competition.

B．Sympathy.

C．Prioritization.

D．Self-confidence.