1 . Vegetarians would rather not be forced to eat meat. Yet the reverse compulsion is hidden in the proposals for a new plant-based “planetary diet.” Nowhere is this more visible than in India.

Earlier this year, the EAT-Lancet Commission released its global report on nutrition and called for a global shift to a more plant-based diet and for “substantially reducing consumption of animal source foods.” In countries like India, that call could become a tool to aggravate an already tense political situation and stress already undernourished populations.

The EAT report assumes that “traditional diets” in countries like India include little red meat, which might be consumed only on special occasions or as minor ingredients in mixed dishes.

In India, however, there is a vast difference between what people would wish to consume and what they have to consume because of innumerable barriers around class, religion, culture, cost, geography, etc. Policymakers in India have traditionally pushed for a cereal-heavy “vegetarian diet” on a meat-eating population as a way of providing the cheapest sources of food.

Currently, under an aggressive Hindu nationalist government, Muslims, Christians, disadvantaged classes and indigenous communities are being compelled to give up their traditional foods.

None of these concerns seem to have been appreciated by the EAT-Lancet Commission’s representative, Brent Loken, who said “India has got such a great example” in sourcing protein from plants.

But how much of a model for the world is India’s vegetarianism? In the Global Hunger Index, the country ranks 102^nd out of 117. Data from the National Family Health Survey indicate that only 10 percent of infants of 6 to 23 months are adequately fed, which is why calls for a plant-based diet modeled on India risk offering another whip with which to beat already vulnerable communities in developing countries.

A diet directed at the affluent West fails to recognize that in low-income countries undernourished children are known to benefit from the consumption of milk and other animal source foods, improving cognitive functions, while reducing the prevalence of nutritional deficiencies as well as death.

EAT-Lancet claimed its intention was to “spark conversations” among all Indian stakeholders. Yet vocal critics of the food processing industry and food fortification strategies have been left out of the debate. But the most conspicuous (明显的) omission may well be the absence of India’s farmers.

1. What is more visible in India than anywhere else according to the passage?

A．People’s positive views on the proposals for a “planetary diet”.

B．People’s reluctance to be compelled to eat plant-based food.

C．People’s preferences for the kind of food they consume.

D．People’s unwillingness to give up their eating habits.

2. What would the EAT-Lancet Commission’s report do to many people in countries like India?

A．Radically change their dietary habits.	B．Keep them further away from politics.
C．Make them even more undernourished.	D．Substantially reduce their food choices.

3. What do we learn from the passage about food consumption in India?

A．People’s diet will not change due to the EAT-Lancet report.

B．Many people simply do not have access to foods they prefer.

C．There is a growing popularity of a cereal-heavy vegetarian diet.

D．Policymakers help remove the barriers to people’s choice of food.

4. What does the passage say about a plant-based diet modeled on India?

A．It may benefit populations whose traditional diet is meat-based.

B．It may be another blow to the economy in developing countries.

C．It may worsen the nourishment problem in low-income countries.

D．It may help narrow the gap between the rich and poor countries.

2 . A humanoid robot can relay video and touch sensations to a person wearing a haptic (触觉内) feedback suit and a virtual reality (VR) headset hundreds of kilometres away, offering away for people to attend events without travelling.

The iCub 3 robot is a 52-kilogram, 125-centimetre-tall robot with 54 joints across its body. Its head contains two cameras where a human’s eyes would be, and an Internet-connected computer where the brain would go. Along with the cameras, sensors covering its body send data to the robot’s “brain”. These sensations are then reproduced on a suit and VR headset worn by a remote human operator.

When the operators react to what they see and feel, the suit’s sensors pick up the movements and the robot matches them. “The key is to translate every signal and bit of digital data that can be sent through the network.” says Stefano Dafarra, who was part of the iCub3 team. There can be a small delay of up to 100 milliseconds to capture and transmit the visual shots, but the operator can case this by moving slightly slower than normal.

The team demonstrated the robot at the Venice Biennale, where it wandered through an exhibition while its operator stood 290 kilometres away in Genoa. Dafarra hopes people will use the iCub3 to attend events remotely, reducing the need to travel. “But at present, a fall could be hugely damaging to the robot, and it’s uncertain whether it could stand up again on its own," he says.

“iCub3 is an interesting robot and offers clear advantages from the previous versions.” says Jonathan Aitken, whose laboratory owns a prior version of the robot. However, he is disappointed that the team wasn’t clear in its research about the data transmission requirements of the new version of the robot. “It would be good to know just how much data was required, and what the upper and lower bounds were.” he says.

1. What’s the principle behind the humanoid robot?

A．It conveys sensations to the wearer and acts accordingly.

B．It receives commands from an operator through the Internet.

C．The cameras take pictures and then interact with the sensors.

D．The computer in the robot processes the data and gives orders.

2. Which aspect of life may the technology be applied to?

A．Medical consultation.	B．Sports events.
C．Outdoor workouts.	D．Virtual tourism.

3. What can we infer about iCub 3 from the text?

A．It fails to appeal to potential investors.

B．Its performance hasn’t been evaluated clearly.

C．Its present version still requires to be updated.

D．Its transmission of data came across technical problems.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Humanoid robots with sense of touch catch on

B．iCub 3 robot combines with VR to benefit more people

C．Humanoid robots let people see and feel things remotely

D．New advances in technology enable people to travel at work

3 . Tokyo restaurant Sushiya no Nohachi reportedly serves great sushi, but it is most famous for its gimmick—making the world’s smallest sushi with a single grain of rice.

Located in Asakusa, a slightly quieter part of Tokyo, Sushiya no Nohachi is the place to go if you want to enjoy the tiniest, most adorable sushi in the world. Each piece is made with only a grain of rice and a tiny slice of topping wrapped in the thinnest piece of nori(海苔). Every served piece is actually perfect, which hints at the amount of work and patience that Bes into making them. They are the work of Hironori Ikeno, the chef of Sushiya no Nohachi, who came up with the idea in 2002 when a client asked him how small he could make his sushi. He answered, “as small as a grain of rice”, and proceeded to demonstrate that he wasn’t kidding. Over the years, the restaurant has become internationally famous for making the world’s smallest sushi.

Despite its size, miniature sushi actually takes a bit longer to make than regular-sized me, because of the precision and concentration required to put the tiny ingredients together. That is part of the reason why the restaurant only prepares tiny sushi for customers a few times a week and no more than five times a day, although they do sometimes make exceptions for foreign visitors who travel to the restaurant just to experience the world’s smallest sushi.

“I had a client from Sweden who came just to see my tiny sushi and the moment she saw it, she literally cried with joy.” Hironori Ikeno said.

Interestingly, one cannot simply order the tiny sushi at the restaurant. It is served for f re upon request with a regular-sized sushi course. Considering the sushi served at this place is reportedly delicious, you should probably be more excited about that. Plus, it also justifies the gimmick that the restaurant is so famous for.

1. What does the underlined word “gimmick” in paragraph 1 probably refer to?

A．A class to teach cooking skills.

B．A trick to attract customers.

C．A plan to promote the sushi.

D．A dish to win over opponents.

2. What made Hironori Ikeno start to make the smallest sushi?

A．His pursuit for perfection.

B．The curiosity of a customer.

C．The requirement from his boss.

D．A bet he made with others.

3. Compared with the regular sushi, the world’s smallest sushi __________.

A．Take more time to make one

B．Unpopular among customers

C．costs more money to buy one

D．needs more expensive materials

4. What do Hironori Ikeno’s words about the Swedish customer show?

A．Diversity of the customers.

B．His lack of experience.

C．Special treatment to foreigners.

D．His sense of achievement.

4 . Edinburgh is famous for its many museums where you can learn its rich history.

Museum on the Mound

Located in the heart of Edinburgh’s city center, this appealing museum takes a fresh look at money — and much, much more. You will see coins and banknotes from over the ages, including the first Scottish banknote printed in 1727. There are also interesting interactive displays and you can even try your hand at opening a safe!

The Writers’ Museum

It is housed in the beautiful Lady Stair’s House, a category A listed building. The collection celebrates the legacy (遗产) of Scotland’s literary contributions, with special emphasis given to Sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson and Robert Burns. The museum is home to numerous paintings, books and manuscripts (手稿), and you can also see Burns’ writing desk and Scott’s chess set.

Our Dynamic Earth

It celebrates the beauty of the earth via technology. Interactive exhibits allow visitors to experience earthquakes, the ocean floor, ice ages and mountains by the use of computer software. Particularly interesting is the “tour” around the eleven Earthscapes. It is educational fun for the whole family and can serve as a good introduction to concepts surrounding the formation of the planet and the creatures we share the earth with.

National Museum of Scotland

The diverse collections here include the history of Scotland with exhibitions of international interest. The natural world, science and technology, discoveries, art, and world cultures are all explored. There are interactive elements and activities to suit children of all ages, including science experiments and musical instruments.

1. Which might be the most attractive to finance majors?

A．Our Dynamic Earth.	B．Museum on the Mound.
C．The Writers’ Museum.	D．National Museum of Scotland.

2. What do The Writers’ Museum and National Museum of Scotland have in common?

A．They have an artistic atmosphere.	B．They have interactive exhibits.
C．They provide hands-on activities.	D．They showcase world cultures.

3. What can you do at Our Dynamic Earth?

A．Play with your family.	B．Tour the world virtually.
C．Design computer software.	D．Learn about ancient creatures.

5 . Great whites, the largest predatory(捕食性的)sharks in the world with the most fatal attacks on humans, are tough to imagine as newborn babies. That is partially because no one has seen one in the wild, it seems, until now.

Wildlife filmmaker Carlos Gauna and UC Riverside biology doctoral student Phillip Sternes were scanning the waters for sharks on July 9, 2023, near Santa Barbara on California’s central coast. That day, something exciting appeared on the viewfinder of Gauna’s drone camera. It was a shark pup(幼崽)unlike any they’d ever seen.

“We enlarged the images, put them in slow motion, and realized the white layer was being shed(脱落)from the body as it was swimming,” Sternes said. “I believe it was a newborn white shark shedding its embryonic layer.”

These observations are documented in a new paper in the Environmental Biology of Fishes journal. What Gauna and Sternes observed could help solve the longstanding mystery of great white birthing habits. This may well be the first evidence we have of a pup in the wild. Great whites, referred to only as white sharks by scientists, are gray on the top and white on the bottom. But this roughly 5-foot-long shark was pure white.

Though the paper authors acknowledge it is possible that the white layer the shark shed could have been a skin condition, the two believe what they saw was in fact a newborn great white. First, great white females give birth to live pups. A second reason is the presence of large, likely pregnant great whites in this location. Finally, this location off the coast of central California has long been proposed as a birthing location for great whites. Many scholars believe great whites are born farther out at sea.

Great whites are listed as an international endangered species. “Further research is needed to confirm these waters are indeed a great white breeding ground. But if it does, we would want lawmakers to step in and protect these waters to help white sharks keep thriving,” Sternes said.

1. What do we know about what appeared on Carlo s Gauna’s camera?

A．It is rare in the world.	B．It is tough to identify.
C．It is not open to the public.	D．It is unbelievable to scientists.

2. What does the white shark pup look like?

A．Pure gray.	B．White only on the bottom.
C．Gray on the top.	D．Pure white.

3. What is paragraph 5 mainly about?

A．How great white females give birth to pups.

B．How the authors prove they saw a baby shark.

C．Why the authors believe they saw a newborn shark pup.

D．Why the authors think the white layer is a skin condition.

4. What does Sternes hope for if their assumption is confirmed?

A．Helping white sharks to stop breeding.

B．Using laws to protect shark pups and their habitats.

C．Listing white sharks as endangered species.

D．Further study to confirm white sharks breeding waters.

6 . It is not hard to learn more about a piece of famous painting, but identifying an unknown painting can be tricky. What do you need to do to get its specific information? Here are tips to identify a painting.

·Use the signature or monogram (字母组合图案) to dig online and find the image. Look in the corners of the painting to see if there is a signature or monogram.     1     If it’s harder to read, see if you can break down the letters and read them. This will let you narrow down the search and figure out who the artist is.

·Turn to an image recognition app to identify the painting immediately. If you’re struggling to remember an artist’s name or you want additional information on a particular painting, download an image recognition app designed specifically for art. There are several apps for both Android and iPhone that allow you to snap a photo of a painting to search through museum catalogues, university databases, and art history texts.     2    

·Ask an expert to identify the era, style, or painter of an image.     3     The reason is that an expert like a professor in the field of art will be able to offer insights about the period, style, and give you a better sense for where to look. He may even know who the artist is as soon as he takes a look at it.

·    4     Contemporary painters may paint people or objects from the past, but they can’t time travel. If there’s a train, company logo or some other time-specific component of it, this is a great way to set a baseline (基准) for your search.

In a word, the tips above are helpful.     5     In this way, you will effortlessly identify the unknown painting.

A．This is the easiest way to find a specific painting.

B．Locate its exact location when you appreciate the painting.

C．If the name is easy to read, search the artist’s name up online to find it.

D．Email or visit an art history professor to ask whether he can look at the image.

E．Take advantage of obvious clues in the subject matter to narrow down the date.

F．Thus, you’ll find it easier than you think to find the information you’re looking for.

G．If the professor mainly focuses on newer artists, a contemporary abstract piece is going to be easier to identify.

7 . Eating more plants is a great move for your health and the environment.     1     There are some common mistakes people make when going meatless:

Not replacing meat with other protein sources. When you take something out of your diet, you take out the nutrients that food provided.     2     Some nutritionists recommend including protein sources like beans, soy foods, nuts and nut butters, seeds and seed butters, and whole grains.

    3     There are more choices than ever for plant-based burgers, sausage, and ground “meat”, and they seem like a no-brainer good choice. But man-made meats also tend to be heavily processed, which contain ingredients (成分) that offer zero nutrition such as preservatives and coloring.

Taking too much cheese. Limit your intake of refined carbohydrates (碳水化合物), sweets and cheese. Cheese is an easy way to get meat-free protein, but too much can end up adding a lot of saturated (饱和的) animal fat in your diet. People are suggested to get most of their protein from plant-based sources and use smaller amounts of cheese to give flavor.     4    

Not having enough vegetables. The point of eating more plant-based food is to eat more plants!     5     The trick is that no matter what you are eating, throw a handful of greens onto your plate or bowl.

A．Making an effort to eat protein.

B．But that doesn’t always happen.

C．Take a look at your plate before you eat.

D．Eating too many processed man-made meats.

E．Meat is a rich source of protein, iron and B vitamins.

F．But simply eating less meat doesn’t guarantee health benefits.

G．Replace cheese with things like nut-based sauces in some dishes.

8 . As fall approaches, like many of us who either follow an academic calendar for our work or have children in school, I’m preparing for a significant change in my schedule. As I anticipate more demands on my time, I reflect on how to maintain some sense of balance in my life.     1    

First of all, it is sensible to think small. We often feel like our values-based actions need to take a significant amount of time.     2     Look over the areas that you are having trouble fitting into your life. Is there a way to engage in a small part daily or weekly? Maybe instead of 90 minutes of yoga, you can do a few poses in the morning or stretch during work break.

    3     A good friend of mine often sets up calls with me while she is taking her daily walks. She still gets her exercise and her time outside, and we also get to connect. Doing housework as a family can help parents have valued family time while still keeping their homes running smoothly.

As we know, life is messy and ever-changing. It’s also important to pay attention while we are doing the actions that matter to us. It can be easy to think of the areas we aren’t engaged in.     4     Bringing mindfulness to our actions makes them more rewarding.

One more thing that needs to be added is the fact that no matter how much attention we bring to balancing our lives, we will unavoidably fall out of balance again.     5     Please be gentle with ourselves. And it may be helpful to think of the saying, “Fall down seven times; get up eight.”

A．Don’t take it too much to heart

B．We may put meaningful actions together.

C．However, we don’t notice what we are doing.

D．Balancing our lives requires planning and action.

E．I often underestimate how long it takes me to do a task.

F．Hence, I can do what matters to me across many areas of my life.

G．Even small numbers of values-based actions can be meaningful, though.

9 . World’s Best Spicy Foods

When it comes to the world’s best spicy dishes, we have some of the world’s hottest peppers to thank. The following spicy dishes from around the world bring the heat in the most delicious way.

Piri piri chicken, Mozambique

The Portuguese introduced this spicy dish into Mozambique as far back as the 15th century, when they mixed African peppers with European ingredients. And it’s the red pepper that brings the spiciness to this complex, layered and delicious dish. The dish is also popular in Namibia and South Africa.

Sichuan hot pot, China

The joy of this dish is not only the delightful warming ingredients of the Sichuan peppercorns, but the fact that you can cook exactly what you like in the spicy soup. Duck, seafood, chicken, pork, lamb and seasonal vegetables are all fair game for throwing into the pot to boil in a soup made with Sichuan peppercorns and dried Sichuan peppers.

Som tam, Thailand

From northeastern Thailand, this fresh and spicy salad is a main dish at Thai restaurants around the world. Som tam turns to green papaya(木瓜) for its main ingredient. The papaya is then put with long beans or green beans and a mix of flavorful Asian essentials that include dried shrimp(虾) and fish sauce among other ingredients. Thai peppers give the salad its necessary kick.

Aguachile, Mexico

This raw marinated(腌制) shrimp dish from the western Mexico tastes as good as it looks. Tiny but powerful peppers, grown throughout Mexico, make the spicy magic happen in the aguachile, which means “pepper water” . Marinate the raw shrimp with ingredients including lime(酸橙) juice, red onion and cucumber and enjoy with fried corn pancakes.

1. How does piri piri chicken differ from the other three foods?

A．It goes with vegetables.	B．It uses a variety of ingredients.
C．It is flavored with red peppers.	D．It originated in another country.

2. Which dish gives you the freedom to choose the main ingredients?

A．Piri piri chicken, Mozambique.	B．Sichuan hot pot, China.
C．Som tam, Thailand.	D．Aguachile, Mexico.

3. What do som tam and aguachile have in common?

A．They are raw foods.	B．They have a long history.
C．They are served with pancakes.	D．Shrimp is their main ingredient.

10 . Starting the new year on the right foot is all about adopting a healthy mindset. Here’s how to have a successful start, according to wellness experts.

Start daydreaming

Focused daydreaming, a state caused by mind wandering while focusing on “mindless” tasks such as walking or housework, allows you to start thinking more creatively.     1    . So making them a part of your daily routine this year guarantees more creativity and innovation in all areas of your life.

Do something different every day

Bring more varieties into your life by trying something different every day.     2    . Eat a different breakfast, sit in another place at the table, or take a different route to work. Read a newspaper that you never read. Variety is the spice (调味品) of life, so add some spice.     3    

Focus on what you have and not what you lack

So often in our lives we find ourselves come from a place of shortage. We don’t have what we want and things aren’t going as well as we’d like.     4    . Whether it’s internal confidence or external resources, focus on what you have that you are grateful for. Build a practice of appreciating who you are, what you do and what you have. This will set you free to stop striving and start thriving.

    5    

New year, new feelings, new goals? Yes, and the most important part is that every change, in order to be effective, should come from our gut and our own self-motivated driver. Try to focus on one to three things that you would like to improve in the new year, and from there, set simple habits for each one. Then, set a schedule for how you will incorporate these new habits inside your daily routine.

A．Make a not-to-do list

B．Focus on forming healthy habits

C．Deliberately change your routine

D．This year, turn your mind to what you do have

E．If you normally go to the bridge club, then go to similar clubs

F．You will find that it gives you new experiences and fresh ideas

G．Daydreaming breaks are associated with increased brain activity