1 . Hearing live music may be more emotional than listening to a recording of the same tune because it brings about greater activity in the part of the brain linked to processing emotions:

Sascha Frühholz at the University of Zurich in Switzerland and his team composed 12 pieces of music, each lasting 30 seconds. Half were written with the aim of expressing negative emotions, such as sadness and anger. These were slower, less harmonious and included more minor chords (和弦) than the remaining songs, written to arouse positive emotions.

The researchers then employed 27 people who weren’t musically trained, to listen to these 12 pieces twice — once performed by a live pianist, which the participants heard through a speaker, and once as a recording. The order they listened to them was randomly assigned, with 30 seconds of silence in between. People didn’t know when they were hearing a recording or live music.

While listening to the music, the participants lay in an MRI scanner (扫描仪) so the team could monitor their brain activity. The pianist then adapted the volume and speed of the piece according to the brain activity. For example, if someone was showing little activity in response to a positive piece of music, the pianist might play louder.

“Recorded music is not adaptive to now a listener is responding, but live pianists often adapt the music to the audience to get the best response from them,” says Frühholz.

Live performances of both the negative and positive pieces led to increased brain activity in the left amygdala, the region of the brain that is strongly linked to assigning sensory stimuli, such as sounds, to certain emotions.

The recorded tunes caused much less, and more inconsistent, activity in the left amygdala. This matched how emotive the participants rated each piece of music after the experiment.

The findings show that live music strengthens our emotional response, probably due to its free-flowing and active nature.

1. Which aspect of live music does Sascha Frühholz’s research focus on?

A．The technical skill of live musicians.

B．The popularity of live music concerts.

C．Its emotional impact on listeners’ brain

D．Its lack of interaction with the audience

2. What made the audience receive the best response from live musicians?

A．Their harmonious tune.	B．Their emotional performance.
C．Their adjustment to the listeners.	D．Their connection with the audience.

3. How did the researchers conduct the experiment?

A．By analyzing the data.	B．By comparing brain activity.
C．By grouping the participants.	D．By asking certain questions.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．What could live music bring us?

B．What emotions could live music express?

C．Why does live music make us so emotional?

D．Why does live music outweigh recorded music?

2 . Teen volunteer opportunities are the best way to learn the values of responsibility and enhance problem-solving skills. Here are a few volunteer opportunities for you to take up.

Care for pets

Animal shelters and homeless shelters are the best places for animal lovers. A typical day volunteering at an animal shelter would involve helping with the adoption process, feeding animals and cleaning up after animals.

Participate in a beach cleanup

Teens can associate with a local environmental organization for a beach preservation. This is a great way to learn about ecology and contribute to its improvement in a hands-on manner. The opportunity involves outdoor activities and is a good platform to connect with green advocates.

Volunteer at a summer camp

A job as a ‘Counselor-in-Training’ is a great fit for teens. It teaches them organization skills by training under experts. Teenagers can learn communication skills and benefit from the real-time feedback from children and parents. It is also an excellent opportunity to learn outdoor support skills, such as CPR and first aid.

Volunteer at a local hospital

Local hospitals are always on the lookout for a helping hand. Whether it’s chatting with residents, greeting visitors or transporting patients to the cafeteria, a little help goes a long way! A few hospitals may have an age limit and require volunteers to get basic training and commit their time each week.

1. Which volunteer opportunity suits environmentalists best?

A．Care for pets.	B．Volunteer at a local hospital.
C．Participate in a beach cleanup.	D．Volunteer at a summer camp.

2. What can volunteers benefit from a job at a summer camp?

A．They can receive guidance from biologists.

B．They can progress in academic performance.

C．They can gain independence in outdoor activities.

D．They can acquire essential emergency medical skills.

3. What is special about volunteering at a local hospital?

A．It welcomes volunteers of all ages.

B．It may call for weekly time devotion.

C．It may involve interactions with doctors.

D．It demands training before volunteering.

3 . A new trend has popped up in China with many young people abandoning brand (品牌) names to create makeshift handbags out of things like reusable grocery bags and other materials. One example is the Shenzhen bag, which includes canvas (帆布) bags, paper bags, milk tea packages that people carry around in Guangdong Province.

Makeshift handbags like the “Shenzhen bag” are also common among young people in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. People find the bags practical, wearable and fashionable, and they can be carried on the shoulder or the back. This emerging trend reveals a new attitude to consumption as young people in China begin to pursue a simple and shared life, with consumers no longer blindly pursuing brand names as a status (身份) symbol, but advocating a simple and low-carbon lifestyle. In addition to the handbags, and regardless of their monthly incomes, many young people are living more casually, in line with a “good enough mentality”. Loose T-shirts, Crocs, and canvas bags are basically standard mode.

“Consumers today are becoming more mature and rational. They are pursuing smarter consumption through careful consideration and calculation to find the cheapest; most practical, cost-effective way of shopping,” says. Wang Ning, a sociology professor at Nanjing’s Southeast University.

Economists believe that China’s Generation Z no longer blindly pursues brands and luxury goods or buys things for brand name and status. Instead, they pay more attention to their actual needs, quality, and experience of buying, and prefer sharing and secondhand purchases. They also advocate environmental protection and sustainable consumption.

Price-aware Chinese consumers have also begun to place a greater emphasis on their inner selves. Driven by rational consumption, many young people no longer save to buy a brand-name bag, but for self-improvement.

The new handbag trend has also created business opportunities. Reusing packaging used for food brands as handbags results in mobile advertising for the associated brands, and the phenomenon of the “Shenzhen Bag” has also benefited paper bag companies.

1. What is the feature of “Shenzhen bag”?

A．A popular luxury brand of handbag.

B．A makeshift handbag symbolizing status.

C．A traditional handbag designed for specific people.

D．A temporary handbag that was once for another use.

2. Which is closest in meaning to the underlined word “rational” in paragraph 3?

A．Conservative.	B．Reliable.
C．Sensible.	D．Considerate.

3. What contributes to the change in consumption habits among China’s Generation Z?

A．A belief for a plain and green lifestyle.

B．A neglect of environmental protection.

C．Blind pursuit of brand names and luxury goods.

D．Focus on outer appearance rather than inner selves.

4. What is the text?

A．A book review.	B．A news report.
C．A business plan.	D．A research article.

4 . As a child, John always wondered how the human body worked and how he could keep it healthy. His interest in medicine grew stronger when he volunteered at a children’s hospital during high school. The never-give-up spirit of young patients battling against various illnesses massively affected him. Initially, he chose nursing in college, believing it would lead him to work closely with children. But after his first half year, he recognized nursing wasn’t fit for him.

Switching to biology helped him discover his passion for learning about the complexities of human body and using that knowledge to help children. Although the thought of the lengthy education and residency required for pediatrics (儿科学) made him hesitant, a heart-to-heart conversation with his brother changed his mind. His brother convinced John that his passion should motivate him rather than scare him. It was then that John decided to become a pediatrician because of the simple fact that he would work with children every day, and would make a positive impact on their lives and their families.

Pediatrics is not just about regular check-ups, it also includes making sick kids feel better and helping them heal. This brings so much joy to John’s heart. To him, he is not only a doctor but also a teacher, offering a safe space for the little ones to open up and share their fears or concerns. Plus, he really enjoys being a friendly and easy-to-talk-to person in their lives.

Being a pediatrician gives John the rewarding experience of helping and interacting with children daily and making those little ones’ tough times easier. Also, the changing world of healthcare means he’ll always be learning new things and facing exciting challenges. With his future plans, he wants to get into the field of being a physician assistant — a stepping stone that keeps him involved in pediatric care while still engaged in direct interaction with young patients. It allows him to do lots of the same things as a pediatrician, as well as helps him improve skills that are vital for making kids healthier.

1. What can we learn about John from the first paragraph?

A．He began to have an interest in medicine during high school.

B．He decided to work on nursing after graduation from college.

C．He got inspired by young patients when volunteering at a hospital.

D．He was curious about how the doctors work to keep people healthy.

2. Why did John choose the career as a pediatrician?

A．To learn about the complexities of human body.

B．To bring about improvements in children’s lives.

C．To get rewarding experience of helping children.

D．To face the challenges making him hesitant and scared.

3. Which of the following best describes John’s feeling towards being a pediatrician?

A．Excited but tired.	B．Worthy but stressful.
C．Proud and delighted.	D．Concerned and moved.

4. What’s the text mainly about?

A．John’s journey of pursuing a career in pediatrics.

B．John’s challenges and rewards as a pediatrician.

C．A comparison between pediatricians and nurses.

D．The importance of improving the health of children.

5 . The process of sorting through my childhood stuff started out easy. At first, I was excited to toss everything out. But as the bedroom emptied out, I felt a creeping sense of sadness. My childhood was over, and I entered full-fledged (成熟的) adulthood. And I wondered:     1     In short, yes.

    2     That’s because going through your old stuff can possibly stir up difficult emotions or sweet memories. Whatever emotions pop up, accept them, and it will help you process it faster.

Before you start sorting, determine how much storage space you’re willing to devote to your childhood items.    3     You may have limited space for old stuff. But listen to your heart. If you’re sentimental and you want to hold on to stuff, hold on to it. You canal ways get rid of it later.

During this process, it can be useful to have someone you trust by your side. They can help you honor the memories associated with each object and let go.     4     They know which life experiences mean the most to you.

And you don’t have to pile your childhood stuff in the attic (阁楼).     5     You can take photos, which you can revisit any time on your phone or computer. Or you can turn them into an art project and display it in a shadow box.

Remember, there is someone who care enough to hold on all old stuff for you. This is a value of all of the time and effort and money your parents have poured into you. This has been saved in love.

A．Get creative and think outside the box.

B．Could my childhood memories be regained?

C．You can find meaning in your life experiences.

D．Loved ones can also help you decide what to save.

E．But it will probably still be a bittersweet experience.

F．That will help you figure out how much stuff you can keep.

G．Was there a less heartbreaking, more strategic way to do this?

6 . Around a third of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions come from the global food system, and lost or wasted food is known to contribute to some amount — but it has never been clear to exactly what degree. Now, by following specific foods through their entire life cycle, researchers have determined just how much this wasted food adds to emissions during harvest, transportation and disposal.

For a study in Nature Food, Xunchang Fei and his teammates used 164 countries’ food supply data from 2001 to 2017 to estimate emissions across 54 food products and four categories: cereals (谷物) and beans; meat and animal products; vegetables and fruits; and root and oil crops.

About a third of food is lost during harvest, storage and transportation or wasted by consumers. The team found this food was responsible for about half of total emissions from the global food system. And four countries, including China, the US, India and Brazil, contributed to 44.3 percent, mainly owing to their dietary habits and large populations. Of the four food categories, meat and animal products were the source of almost three quarters of emissions that occurred throughout the supply-chain stage involving food loss.

The study also found that emissions varied from countries to countries. For instance, developed countries’ advanced waste-treatment technologies could create fewer emissions. Such details showed how “different countries should set different goals for the reductions of food loss and waste,” Fei said, “such as reducing meat production in some areas, and switching from landfills to composting (堆肥) processes in others.”

Prajal Pradhan, an expert in food system, noted that the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals aimed to halve food waste in the coming years. Based on this study, he said emissions could decrease if high-income countries could focus on saving food thrown away by consumers, and low-and-middle-income countries could prioritize avoiding food loss during harvest, processing, storage and transport.

1. What problem can lost or wasted food lead to according to paragraph 1?

A．Soil pollution.	B．Worldwide starvation.
C．Energy shortage.	D．Greenhouse gas emissions.

2. How did the team estimate emissions?

A．By giving examples.	B．By analyzing statistical data.
C．By stating arguments.	D．By explaining theoretical knowledge.

3. Which kind of food waste generates the most emissions?

A．Cereals and beans.	B．Root and oil crops.
C．Meat and animal products.	D．Vegetables and fruits.

4. What does Prajal Pradhan suggest?

A．The United Nations should cut food waste in half.

B．Middle-income countries could focus on food waste.

C．High-income countries could prioritize avoiding food loss.

D．Different countries should have different priorities to reduce emissions.

7 . How to Survive Overthinking

●Focus on the big picture.

    1     While you might be able to learn something new by giving these things some quick consideration, it’s better to step back and look at the whole picture. If you’re crushing on (迷恋) someone, for example, you might think about their every comment or facial expression after you see them- but examining every interaction for telling details can keep you from seeing what’s really going on.

●Distract (分心) yourself when you’re overthinking.

Do something that you find fun and engaging. When your thoughts are running away from you, sometimes you just need to do something else for a while.     2     Some people enjoy coloring or doing puzzles, while others may enjoy going for a walk.

●Get your thoughts down on paper.

Try spending 10 minutes a day writing down your thoughts.     3     When you write, it helps you organize your thoughts, so they don’t feel so confused and overwhelming (压垮的) in your mind.

Writing can also help you get to the root of what’s going on.

●Talk out your thoughts with a friend.

Saying your thoughts out loud can help you process them. If you just can’t seem to move past your thoughts, try opening up to someone you really trust, like a close family member or a friend. Tell them what you’re dealing with and why you think you keep coming back to these thoughts.     4     They might just have some good advice that might put your mind at ease.

●Try to see problems as challenges.

Look for solutions instead of just replaying the obstacle. If you notice that you’re just thinking about every little detail of a decision you’re facing, try to reframe your thoughts. Focus on how you can solve the problem, or what you can learn from it.     5    

A．Big problems seem less terrible when you break them down.

B．Journaling can be a really powerful way to calm overthinking.

C．When you're overthinking, you tend to get caught up in details.

D．When you’re finished, give them some space to share their opinions.

E．This simple shift can help you feel empowered instead of overwhelmed.

F．Anything will work, as long as it gets your mind off whatever is bothering you.

G．You might notice you tend to overthink when you’re anxious about a difficult situation.

8 . Four Travel Destinations for Nature Lovers

Oulanka National Park, Finland

In Lapland, in northern Finland, there are hotel rooms, and other accommodation options that were specially designed for enjoying the spectacular colorful natural light show known as the Aurora (极光) Borealis. Oulanka National Park is just one great spot in this region for viewing the dancing lights during the aurora sighting season, which falls in October and November as well as March and April.

Batibou Beach, Dominica

Known as “The Nature Island of the Caribbean”, Dominica is an obvious choice for those who want to get back to nature. It has an incredibly green landscape that includes volcanic hot springs, natural mud baths, countless rivers and waterfalls, unspoiled rain forest, and refreshing natural swimming holes. On Black Sand Beach, you can even visit a leatherback, hawksbill, and green turtle reserve.

Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland

With a long list of outdoor adventures, Gros Morne offers striking natural beauty in western Newfoundland. This national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site stretches across nearly 700 square miles as part of the Long Range Mountains. Encircled by tiny seaside communities, it features thick forests, freshwater fjords (峡湾) , dramatic cliffs (悬崖) . Hiking, camping, and boating are all popular here.

The Baths, Virgin Gorda

Famous for The Baths, a geological wonder on the north shore made up of giant granite boulders (花岗岩巨石) that form sheltered sea pools on the beach's edge, it seems as if it was perfectly made for a relaxing swim in the water. The protected area also includes Devil's Bay, ideal for swimming and diving.

1. When is the best time to visit Oulanka National Park to see dancing lights?

A．From May to July.	B．From March to April.
C．From October to December.	D．From December to February.

2. What is Batibou Beach known for?

A．Its tiny seaside communities.	B．Its colorful natural light show.
C．Its thick forests and freshwater fjords.	D．Its volcanic hot springs and mud baths.

3. Which will you choose if you want to visit Devil's Bay?

A．Oulanka National Park.	B．Batibou Beach.
C．Gros Morne National Park.	D．The Baths.

9 . With such a strong artistic heritage, it’s no surprise that England knocks it out of the park when it comes to world-class art galleries. These are the galleries you need to add to your must-visit list.

Royal Academy of Arts (RA), London

Not your standard gallery, the Royal Academy of Arts is led by artists to promote not just the appreciation of art, but its practice. It is world-famous for hosting some exhibitions that get everyone talking. Besides, what sets the RA apart is its engagement with the public through participatory experiences, allowing visitors to not only view art but become part of it in innovative ways.

Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich

Sitting on the edge of the University of East Anglia’s campus, the Sainsbury Centre holds a collection of remarkable works of art spanning over 2,000 years. Inside the seminal Norman Foster building, you’ll find artworks from around the world, including some stunning pieces of European modern art by Degas, Francis Bacon, and Alberto Giacometti.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Yorkshire

Tearing up the rulebook when it comes to how we traditionally view art, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park strives to break down barriers by showing works from British and international artists in the open air. Set in hundreds of acres of West Yorkshire parkland, you’ll see sculptures by some of the leading artists of the 20th century.

Whitworth, Manchester

After a sky-high £15 million development, the Whitworth is becoming one of the premier galleries in the north of England. Making full use of its picturesque park setting, the gallery has a beautiful art garden and a sculpture terrace (露台), all waiting to be explored. Inside the gallery, you can view an exciting programme of ever-changing exhibitions.

1. What is special about the Royal Academy of Arts?

A．It offers interactive experiences.

B．It displays works by senior artists.

C．It occupies a vast space in the museum.

D．It stages exhibitions in a traditional way.

2. What do Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Whitworth have in common?

A．They are small in scale.	B．They offer outdoor settings.
C．They feature long-standing works.	D．They host exhibitions on an annual basis.

3. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．An art textbook.	B．An art student’s paper.
C．A personal travel blog.	D．A travel guidebook.

10 . Research has shown that mindful eating has positive impacts on people, so it’s beneficial to know how to eat more mindfully. Here are some techniques for eating at a healthy pace.

Remove all distractions while you eat.     1     Make sure your cell phone is face down and you’re not going to be responding to any messages that come through.

Take enough time to finish your meal. Even with all distractions removed, very often you still find yourself eating faster than you should.    2     It takes about that time for your body to get the signal to the brain that you are full.

    3     You might wonder how to spend 20 whole minutes eating a sandwich. One way to slowdown is to engage your senses and think through all the details about your meal. Ask yourself: What’s on my plate? How hungry am I today? Is it too salty? Notice the smell, the taste and whatever other senses that arise as you eat.

Limit the amount of the food you might munch on(大口吃) mindlessly. Put a small amount of snack food, like potato chips, in a separate bowl to help avoid mindless munching.    4     Putting aside some of the food can help you eat less at a healthier pace.

Actually chew. If you’re wolfing down(狼吞虎咽) your food you’re probably not chewing it. And chewing is an important part of digestion.     5     Look at each bite before putting it into your mouth, acknowledge what you’re eating and chew, chew, chew.

A．Notice all the little details about your food.

B．Limit your time for a meal within 20 minutes.

C．It helps break up the foods so it’s easier for absorption.

D．Watch out for your food intake and the time you spend on it.

E．When you sit down to eat, spend at least 20 minutes doing so.

F．If you have a whole bag of it, it is challenging to stop after several bites.

G．They can limit your ability to enjoy your food and notice when you are full.