1 . “I can’t live without my mobile phone!” is what I often hear people say as they talk about how mobiles have become an essential part of their lives.

The all so common sight of heads bent, eyes staring at mobile screens and fingers busy tapping away repeats itself across major cities around the world. Whenever there is a moment to spare while on the train, taxi or waiting in a queue, people busy themselves with their mobile phones.

Some people believe our unhealthy obsession with mobile phones is destroying how we appreciate the little things in life or miss the moments that matter. The truth is that technology overall should be seen as a tool to improve our lives.

Mobile phones have certainly had a great influence on our lives, but I truly believe it’s for the better.

It’s changed the way we communicate, whether for work or play. We are now less constrained (限制) by time and geographical location. With my mobile phone, I can dial into conference calls while stuck in a traffic jam, or reply to urgent e-mails while on the go. I can send a text message or share photos and videos with friends who aren’t living in the same country. My phone calendar keeps my life organized, and even Facebook. Twitter, and instant messaging are now accessible from mobile phones!

The mobile revolution isn’t just changing the lives of urbanite like myself. I know of a young Bangladeshi woman named Shompa Akhter who is crazy about fashion and design. She dreamt about starting her own business and she did just that, opening a shop in Kushtia featuring her own creations. Dealing with suppliers in different towns was a problem for Shompa-purchase orders had to either be hand delivered or mailed out to suppliers. Shompa also found it tough publicizing (宣传) her business to potential customers outside her town. But once she learnt to operate the mobile phone, she was addicted. The 25-year-old businesswoman now stays in touch easily with her suppliers. Mobile e-mail is a blessing in her life. Who would have thought that mobility could bring about such enormous change? It shouldn’t really be a surprise though.

1. In the first two paragraphs, the author wants to show ________.

A．mobile phones make people communicate less

B．mobile phones make people’s life more enjoyable

C．people become addicted to mobile phones in daily life

D．people’s health is greatly affected by mobile phones

2. What’s the author’s attitude towards mobile phones?

A．Supportive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Critical.

D．Uninterested.

3. Paragraph 5 is mainly about ________.

A．new functions of mobile phones	B．new changes in Information Age
C．the author’s personal experiences	D．the advantages of mobile phones

4. What do we know about Shompa from the passage?

A．She operates a food store.	B．She is addicted to Internet surfing.
C．Her mobile phone helped her business a lot.	D．Mobile e-mail is still unavailable to her.

2 . Playing a musical instrument throughout your life protects your hearing in old age, a Canadian study suggests. The study, published in Psychology and Aging, carried out hearing tests on 74 adult musicians and 89 non-musicians. It found a 70-year-old musician’s hearing was as good as that of a 50-year-old who did not play.

Hearing normally declines as people age. By 60, 10-30%of people have moderate hearing loss. By 80, that goes up to as many as 60%. Problems are particularly seen in the central auditory (听觉的) processing system, which is associated with understanding speech, especially when there is background noise.

Previous studies have shown musicians have better hearing than non-players. But this research, by a team at the Rotman Research Institute in Toronto, looked at adults of all ages — from 18 to 91 — to see how people were affected as they aged. They carried out hearing tests on 74 amateur and professional musicians (who had played since the age of 16, were still practising and had been given formal music lessons) and 89 non-musicians (who had never played an instrument). Musicians were significantly better at picking out speech against noise.

The researchers suggest that lifelong musicianship reduces age-related changes in the brain, probably due to musicians using their auditory systems at a high level on a regular basis.

The head of biomedical research at Action on Hearing Loss, Dr. Ralph Holme, said: “While this study suggests that musicians might be more able to cope with the consequences of hearing loss, it is far better to reduce damage in the first place by using appropriate ear protection. We have always campaigned for everyone who plays a musical instrument or listens to loud music to wear hearing protection, like earplugs, which reduce the risk of damaging your hearing permanently.”

1. What can we get from the Canadian study?

A．It tested the hearing of 162 people.

B．The finding of the study wasn’t published publicly.

C．Playing a musical instrument may do good to hearing.

D．Musicians were as good at picking out speech against noise as non-musicians.

2. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?

A．A person aged 80 will lose 30%hearing.

B．A person aged above 60 must have bad hearing .

C．People have fewer problems with background noise.

D．People’s hearing usually becomes worse when they get older.

3. Why don’t musicians change much in their brain as they age?

A．They like to take more exercise.

B．They use their hearing more and regularly.

C．They don’t expose themselves to background noise.

D．They pay more attention to protecting their hearing.

4. How can we deal with hearing loss according to Dr. Ralph Holme?

A．Get help from musicians.	B．Listen to loud music less.
C．Protect hearing properly.	D．Play a musical instrument more.

3 . How to improve long-term memory

There are some things that are easy for us to remember and you notice that you can still recall that information even when you no longer need it. Sometimes it is difficult to remember information.     1     Try the following steps below to remember information you want to keep in your long-term memory.

Organize information into groups.     2     It is like a supermarket; things of the same kind are put in the same place.

Connect related information. Relate what you have already known to what you will remember. This is an excellent way for you to keep information in mind as it can make your memory function better when the related information is needed.

    3     When you need to remember a piece of information, try relating it to a picture that is easily remembered. This is how many people remember positions.     4    

Repeat. The more you are exposed to something, the easier it is to remember at a later time.     5     Try using his name at least three times when you first talk to someone. That name will be easier to remember later.

A．Develop pictures in your mind.

B．Deal with information effectively.

C．But there are ways to make it easier.

D．This is especially good for meeting new people.

E．They can simply recall that the store is near the bridge.

F．Write down the information in order, read it and say it aloud at once.

G．This will help you remember things better and longer if they are grouped.

4 . “Colour” and “color”, “favourite” and “favorite”, “honour” and “honor”… Have you ever wondered why Americans spell those words without a “u”? Is it because they are lazy? Of course not. In fact, the difference in spelling was started by Noah Webster(1758 — 1843). He was a teacher who reformed (改革) English to make American identity (特征) stronger. Linguists (语言学家) celebrate his birthday on October 16 every year.

After the Revolutionary War (1775 — 1783), Webster believed that Americans should have their own dictionary, rather than rely on British dictionaries. He dropped the British “u” in some words. And he changed “centre” into “center” for children to learn English by spelling words more like what they sounded. He used “subway” instead of British word “underground”. Some other examples are “soccer” and “football”, “fall” and “autumn”.

Webster wasn’t shy about expressing his opinions. In defining (定义) preposterous(unreasonable), he wrote: “A republican government in the hands of female is preposterous.” Webster spent 28 years on the project before completing the 70,000-word dictionary with his American-style spelling in 1828. He also added local words.

His dictionary was widely used in schools. Linguists believed it helped a new country achieve unity (统一) and cultural independence at a time when most people cared about political freedom.

“He was the creator of our language and the creator of American identity,” said Joshua Kendall, who is working on a book about Webster. “He at last brought us together through our language.”

1. Which is NOT true about Webster’s dictionary?

A．It has local words in it.

B．It is a 70,000-word dictionary.

C．All the words are spelled without “u”.

D．Its words are in American-style spelling.

2. What does the underlined phrase “rely on” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Depend on.

B．Trust in.

C．Put up with.

D．Give up.

3. What do people think of Webster’s dictionary?

A．It is the only dictionary that Americans still use today.

B．It helped to bring Americans together besides its cultural influence.

C．It has no influence on the development of American English.

D．It helped to make American English more useful than British English.

4. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．The development of the British English.

B．American English is better than British English.

C．Noah Webster added local words to the dictionary.

D．Noah Webster wrote an American English dictionary and reformed English.

5 . How Weather Affects Our Mood

The weather supplies many metaphors (隐喻) for our changeable minds. Moods can brighten and darken, futures can be under a cloud, and relationships can be stormy.     1    , but does it also influence our moods?

Of the many aspects of weather, sunshine is the most closely tied to mood. Although the link is weaker than many people imagine, sunlight has repeatedly been found to increase positive moods and reduce tiredness.     2    . Happy people tend to be more favorable toward one another, and people are more helpful when the sun is shining. One study even found that diners in Minnesota, US, tipped more generously on sunny days.

    3    . A study showed that university admissions officers (大学招生人员) stressed the academic qualifications (学历) of applicants more on cloudy days, and their non-academic qualities more on sunny ones.

    4    . The more it departs (偏离) from an ideal of around 20℃，the more discomfort we feel. One study found that rates of helping others decreased as temperatures dropped below or rose above this value.

Indeed, the effects of weather on mood depend on our behavior and on how we think.     5    . A study by US psychology researcher Matthew Keller and his colleagues showed that beneficial effects of warm and sunny conditions on mood were only seen in people who had spent more than 30 minutes outdoors that day. Good weather even had negative effects on mood for people confined (限制) indoors, who perhaps looked enviously (嫉妒地) outside at the solar fun they were missing.

A．Similarly, grey weather may encourage serious and calm thinking

B．Aspects of weather beyond heat and sunshine have also been shown to affect mood

C．But the effects of weather on mood are not entirely biological

D．Temperature can also affect our mind and behavior

E．Weather provides a vivid language for describing our emotional atmosphere

F．Anything that changes our moods can affect our behavior

G．Basically, weather will only influence us if we are outdoors experiencing it

6 . ‌“Red tourism”, a new form of tourism in which people visit locations and memorials of historical significance to the Communist Party of China, has given a much-needed shot in the arm of the domestic (国内的) tourism industry in summer. And red tourism will be more popular during the National Day Golden Week holiday.

Ticket bookings for red tourism sites in June increased by five times with local and short trips to red tourism sites being the choice of about 88 percent of such tourists. And the search for the term ‌“red tourism” on Mafengwo, a Chinese travel service and social-networking platform, increased by 300 percent during the summer holidays.

Red tourism is not only about the joy of visiting a new place and taking in the wonderful sights. It is also about gaining knowledge about history and being inspired by the stories of the people who gave their lives to the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949 and worked for the wellbeing of the Chinese people. By rediscovering history and passing on the stories of the Chinese revolution and its heroes to the next generations, people can uplift their spirit.

Red tourism can also be used as an opportunity to develop rural (农村的) areas because most of the revolutionary bases and red tourism sites are in the countryside. It can raise the incomes of local people, Since red tourism creates jobs and helps increase farmers’ incomes, it can develop local development.

Data show that in the first half of 2022, more than 30 percent of all tourists visited red tourism sites in rural areas, which was 10 percent more than the last year. Yet red tourism faces certain developmental problems, mainly because some local government officials have failed to make the best use of red tourism resources for local development.

1. What can we know about red tourism?

A．It is a new form of travel in which people visit red places.

B．It was not popular during the last National Day Golden Week holiday

C．It has brought life to tourism.

D．It is about visiting colorful scenery especially with red color.

2. Why does the author list the numbers in paragraph 2?

A．To prove his idea.	B．To describe a booming scene.
C．To illustrate the story.	D．To introduce a platform.

3. What is the benefit of red tourism for rural areas?

A．It can help improve farming facilities and efficiency.

B．It can offer job opportunities to both farmers and visitors.

C．Local people can develop local development.

D．Local income can literally decrease.

4. What will be mentioned in the following paragraphs?

A．More and more people will choose red tourism.

B．Many travel companies will benefit from red tourism.

C．More red tourism sites should be open to the public.

D．Some measures should be taken to solve problems.

7 .

Trip advisor Best things to do in Denton

Bayless-Selby Museum Bayless-Selby Museum features all the splendor of the 19th century architecture, and its rooms are furnished with rare antiques from the time period. It is open Tuesday through Saturday between April and October, and Wednesday through Saturday from November to March.

Campus Theatre Denton’s Campus Theatre is a true part of the town’s history. It began as a magnificent movie house in 1949, shutdown in 1985, but returned 10 years later as a performing arts center. Today, the Campus Theatre, located in downtown Denton, hosts film festivals, plays and musicals. Tickets for these performances can be booked on the theater’s website.

Ray Roberts Park Boating down a scenic scream, swim on a beautiful beach, try your luck at catching a fish, or pitch a tent and sleep under the stars. You name it, you can do it at Ray Roberts Park. Twenty miles of multi-use paths, a marina that sells and rents boats, and a hotel can be found within the park, located just north of Denton.

Clear Creek Center The center offers lovers of the great outdoors the chance to experience some of the best birding and hiking in the Denton area, Travel the nearly eight miles of nature paths that cover the Clear Creek and the Elm Fork of the Trinity River through grasslands, wetlands and hard wood forests.

1. When can you visit the Bayless-Selby Museum in any month?

A．On Sunday.

B．On Saturday.

C．On Tuesday.

D．On Monday.

2. Where can you enjoy artistic performances?

A．Bayless-Selby Museum.	B．Campus Theatre.
C．Ray Roberts Park.	D．Clear Creek Center.

3. What do Ray Roberts Park and Clear Creek Center have in common?

A．Wildlife hunting.	B．Cycling by the water.
C．Old houses in the forest.	D．Outdoor activities.

8 . Common Mistakes New Runners Make

Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. However,     1    , which can interfere (妨碍) with training or lead to injury. If you’re just starting out, keep these things in mind to help you increase your chances of running success.

●Doing too much too soon

One of the biggest mistakes new runners make is doing too much too soon. Slowly easing into a training program will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue on with your new running routine.     2    .

●    3    

Beginners might think they need to run every day (or nearly every day) to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Running is a high-impact activity which can be really hard on your body. So it’s important to give your body a rest between workouts.

●Not wearing the right equipment

While it may be true that you don’t need expensive equipment to take up running,     4    . The most important piece of equipment for running is a good pair of running shoes, so be sure to do some research before you purchase a pair. Visit a running specialty store and ask an employee to fit you for a shoe.

●Running through pain

    5    . If something hurts when you run, you need to stop and treat the pain. Remember: It doesn’t make you less of a runner if you listen to your body to keep it healthy.

A．many make a number of common mistakes

B．Running can be uncomfortable at times

C．Not taking rest days

D．not everyone is fond of running

E．Experts suggest increasing your running by less than 10% each week

F．It’s important not to use the same muscles

G．it’s important that you wear properly for your workouts

9 . Last July, my 12-year-old car died on California’s Santa Ana Freeway. It was an hour before sunset, and I was 25 miles from home. I couldn’t reach anyone to pick me up, so I decided to take a bus. Not knowing the routes, I figured I’d just head east. A bus pulled up, and I asked the driver how far she was going. “Four more lights,” she said. There was another bus I could take from there before it was out of service at 8:30 p.m. This clearly was going to be a long night. She dropped me off at the end of her route and told me which bus to look for.

After waiting 30 minutes, I began to think about a very expensive taxi ride home. Then a bus pulled up. There was no lighted number above its windshield (挡风玻璃). It was out of service. But the door opened, and I was surprised to find that it was the same driver. “I just can’t leave you here,” she said. “ This isn’t the nicest place. I’ll give you a ride home.” “You’ll drive me in the bus?” I asked, perplexed (困惑的). “No, I’ll take you in my car,” she said. “ It’s a long way,” I protested. “Come on,” she said. “I have nothing else to do.” As we drove from the station in her car, she began telling me a story. A few days earlier, her brother had run out of gas. A good Samaritan picked him up, took him to a service station and then back to his car.

“I’m just passing the favor along,” she said. When I offered her money as a thank-you, she wouldn’t hear of it. “That wouldn’t make it a favor,” she said. “Just do something nice for somebody. Pass it along.”

1. Judging from its context, the time when the writer saw the second bus she waited for was __________.

A．an hour before sunset

B．early at dawn

C．in the evening

D．late at night

2. Which of the following statement is true?

A．No bus would possibly come at the time when the writer decided to take a taxi home.

B．The bus driver decided to drive the writer home in the bus though it was out of service.

C．The writer didn’t believe what the bus driver said and became a bit worried.

D．The bus driver felt sorry because she didn’t tell the truth, so she came back.

3. The bus driver drove the writer home later because ________.

A．she happened to go in the same direction	B．she wanted to do something good for other people
C．she wanted to pass the favor along as her brother	D．she wanted to earn more money for her family

4. The writer wrote this story to ________.

A．tell something strange that happened to him

B．warn people not to drive old car on California’s Santa Ana Freeway

C．pass a good virtue along from one to another

D．tell passengers that bus drivers were reliable in most cases

10 . In the U.S., people eat more protein than they need to, which might not be bad for human health, but does pose a problem for the country’s waterways. The nation’s wastewater is loaded with the leftovers from protein digestion: nitrogen compounds (氮化合物) that can feed harmful algal blooms (藻华) and pollute the air and drinking water.

Maya Almaraz, a biogeochemist at the University of California, Davis, and her team wanted to see how much of this nitrogen entered into the U.S. wastewater system because of a protein-heavy diet. The researchers found that the majority of nitrogen pollution present in wastewater — some 67 to 100 percent — is a by-product of what people consume.

Once it enters the environment, the nitrogen can have a series of ecological impacts. It helps algae grow much faster than they would normally, which is harmful to humans, other animals and plants. And when the algae eventually die, the problem is not over. Microorganisms (微生物) that feed on dead algae use up oxygen in the water, leading to “dead zones”, where many species simply cannot survive, in rivers, lakes and oceans.

Although it is possible to treat algal blooms, many of the current methods are not always effective at getting rid of all of the harmful growth. Some of these methods can even lead to additional pollution. So the best strategy for dealing with the effects of nitrogen pollution is prevention, says Patricia Glibert, an ocean scientist at the University of Maryland. Almaraz and her team state that controlling nitrogen pollution could be approached more quickly with a change in eating habits that could save billions of dollars in the long term.

1. Which aspect of Americans’ diet does Almaraz’s research focus on?

A．Its nitrogen compounds.	B．Its algal blooms.
C．Its amount.	D．Its effect.

2. What causes “dead zones” in the water?

A．No oxygen for many species.

B．Death of lots of healthy algae.

C．Microorganisms’ over-consumption of nutrients.

D．Poisonous chemicals released by harmful algae.

3. What can we learn about the current treatments for algal blooms?

A．They are costly but inefficiently .	B．They may cause secondary pollution.
C．They may kill all algae.	D．They are slow to take effect.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Why the Algae Grow So Rapidly?

B．Why Eating Too Much Protein Harms the Planet?

C．How to Prevent the Air and Water Pollution?

D．How to Solve the Problem of Wastewater?