1 . I clearly remember my first airplane ride. It was in my last year of high school that my friends and I decided to go to Italy. I was both really excited and afraid.
On that day, my mom drove me and one of my friends to the airport. We got there early. After my mother left, we waited outside for the rest of the group. From where we stood we could see every plane taking off. The planes were so close to us; I could almost feel their power. At the same time, there was a fear that a plane might crash (坠毁) at any time.
I couldn’t t take it anymore so we went back inside. I decided to eat some candy and chocolate before the flight. They always help to calm me down. Minutes later, the rest of the group arrived.
Then, we all went to the gate. My legs were shaking and I thought I was going to throw up. But no, I stood there like a “man” and faced reality.
We were about to board the plane. My friends were all laughing and joking around with each other like it was no big deal, and I walked right behind them terrified to death. Once we got into the plane and found our seats, I could only do one thing: look for the devices (装置) that can save lives.
Then I heard the engines starting. My eyes popped open wide and I took a really deep breath.
I felt the plane moving and I could only think to myself God will not let me die; God will not let me die. Ten minutes later I was myself again. I wasn’t afraid anymore. I started to relax; I even read a book and talked to my friends. I remember falling asleep for a while too. And in no time we were in Italy.
Rome sweet Rome!
1. How did the author get to the airport?
| A．By bus. | B．By bike. | C．By car. | D．On foot. |
| A．The author was frightened and nervous. |
| B．The author wanted to play with them. |
| C．The author’s friends were in danger. |
| D．The plane was going to crash. |
| A．The author’s friends. | B．People in the waiting room. |
| C．The author’ s parents. | D．Some candy and chocolate. |
| A．My Terrified Airplane Ride | B．My First Airplane Ride |
| C．My Unforgettable Experience | D．To Be a Real Man |
2 . According to a study published this week, habitual napping (打盹) appears to be associated with a large brain volume in adults although experts stressed that further research was needed. It reduces the cost caused from the lost time and the fatigue-related errors. The work followed previous studies that suggested a brief doze could improve people’s ability to learn.
Arianna Huffington, a co-founder of Huff Post and the founder and chief executive of Thrive Global, said, “Given the latest science on the effectiveness of napping and the clear link between employees feeling well rested and their productivity, it’s long past time that businesses embrace short naps at work.”
Some businesses, including Thrive Global, have already introduced facilities for employees to take naps. Google introduced sleep pods as far back as 2014 and companies like Nike and Ben & Jerry’s introduced nap rooms. The practice has even been adopted by the NHS, with a growing number of hospitals introducing sleep pods for staff in an effort to help them get more rest. Employees, it seems, are enthusiastic. Sean Greenwood, of Ben & Jerry’s, said, “If a quick nap gets employees more involved and creative, we’re happy to provide that for our team members.”
Unfortunately, the practice of napping still suffers from our collective concept that sleep equals weakness and laziness. However, the performance-enhancing benefits of naps have been no secret to many leaders throughout history. It also gives the higher-ups the chance to acknowledge the 24/7 culture and come up with top-down solutions that encourage workers to take care of themselves in and out of work.
While sleep experts stressed that a daytime doze could be beneficial, they said it was crucial to get enough shut-eye at the end of a day. It is the late stage of sleep, sometimes missed by early risers, that strengthens the nerve circuits that make for learning and memory, allowing the brain to make and consolidate new neutral connections. Additionally, prioritizing sufficient sleep during the regular nightly sleep period is essential for overall well-being.
1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．Work stress. | B．Learning abilities. |
| C．A research finding. | D．The brain volume. |
| A．Dismissive. | B．Approving. |
| C．Unclear. | D．Critical. |
| A．To advocate enough rest. | B．To praise creative employees. |
| C．To compare the differences. | D．To present the current situation. |
| A．The approaches to shut-eye. | B．The importance of napping. |
| C．The secrets to well-being. | D．The benefits of memory. |
3 . Rounds of applause (掌声) broke out as the first Chinese female astronaut (宇航员) Liu Yang shared her space adventure with students at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC).
“I get excited every time I look up at the sky because I know we have a space home up there, which was built by our Chinese astronauts,” said Liu. When she shared China’s manned space program achievements (成就), her own stories heartened many students who love aerospace.
With the launch (发射) of China’s Shenzhou-9 spaceship in June 2012, Liu became the first Chinese female astronaut in space, spending 13 days there. In June 2022, she re-entered space 10 years later in China’s Shenzhou-14 spaceship and completed many tasks, such as building the space station’s T-shape structure with other crew members during their six-month mission.
Many students from different schools in Hefei, the capital of east China’s Anhui Province, listened closely to the science popularization lecture on site, while many more took part in the event through live streaming in different parts of the country.
“How do you overcome various challenges in work?” “How do astronauts drink water in space?” “What’s your feeling when you first entered space?” Several students were lucky enough to be picked to ask Liu questions after the lecture.
“Lots of students from our school attended the event today. Being the first female astronaut in China, Liu Yang proved that everyone can try to achieve their dreams,” noted Sun Yan, a teacher from the middle school attached to USTC. “I believe the female students would be more confident in their decisions in the future.”
The activity was a part of the celebration of Space Day of China, which falls on April 24 every year. In 2016, China choose this date to celebrate Space Day to honor the launch of its first satellite Dongfanghong-1 into space on April 24, 1970.
1. What does the underlined word “heartened” mean in paragraph 2?| A．Encouraged. | B．Frightened. | C．Destroyed. | D．Warned. |
| A．Liu Yang’s experiences in space. |
| B．The length of Liu’s stay in space. |
| C．The launch of China’s spaceships. |
| D．The building of the space station. |
| A．They wanted to be astronauts. |
| B．They were top students in the school. |
| C．They were curious about life in space. |
| D．They were familiar with space exploration. |
| A．Disappointing. | B．Meaningful. | C．Boring. | D．Risky. |
4 . Your guide to a low-cost, work-free, relaxing staycation
You are not alone if a staycation is all you can afford this year.
Don’t check on work chatter. That includes Slack, Teams and other instant messaging options. Put work files out of sight.
Do not work on your home to-do list. You are on holiday, so don’t do household chores. Don’t look around for stuff that needs fixing. Unless you enjoy painting walls to relax, forget about the to-do list. Yes, there’s washing piled up.
Look for free events. If you’re staying local, search for free events, concerts, movies or other activities you can do on the cheap. I love the beach, so even when I can’t get to one, I’ll find some local body of water — lakes, reservoirs, waterfronts — where I can sit, read or just relax.
| A．Rest and have fun. |
| B．Create a daily route. |
| C．Free doesn’t mean less fun. |
| D．But let it be, unless you need some underwear. |
| E．You’ll end up working or feeling you have wasted your time. |
| F．Visiting local tourist attractions and dining out can add up in a hurry. |
| G．If you’re in debt, there are still ways to enjoy your time off from work. |
5 . If you have difficulty sleeping well at night, you probably have tried anything that can bring good sleep. One thing might sound a little strange but has been known to work: adding a weighted blanket (毯子) to bedcovers.
About 32% of Americans don’t get enough sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts there recommend at least 7 hours of shut-eye per night for adults. But as many as 35% of adults have trouble sleeping from time to time, and 10% regularly have trouble falling and staying asleep.
Just as swaddling (包裹) babies can send them to sleep, using a weighted blanket helps your heart and breathing slow and your body give off feel-good hormones (荷尔蒙). This can help you feel less worried and sleep. The weight is usually between 5 and 30 pounds, which sounds like a lot but is spread out over the entire bed.
A 2020 review looked at 8 studies and concluded that weighted blankets helped people calm down. Another research carried out in Sweden in 2020 surveyed 120 people with sleeplessness and sadness. Those who used a weighted blanket reported that they had better sleep and were less tired, anxious and sad during the day.
“They’ve become the sleep tool to have,” says Alanna McGinn, a lead sleep expert. “I’m a huge supporter of them because they can work so well. People with blood illness should check with their doctor before using a weighted blanket. And if you’re someone who gets a little claustrophobic (患幽闭恐怖症的), it’s probably not the best thing for you,” adds Alanna McGinn.
1. What do the numbers in paragraph 2 show?| A．Some Americans have difficulty sleeping well. |
| B．About a third of Americans can sleep well for 7 hours. |
| C．Americans think it a good idea to swaddle a baby. |
| D．Most Americans have tried weighted blankets for a good sleep. |
| A．By keeping you in silence. |
| B．By making you feel less worried. |
| C．By keeping you warm all the night. |
| D．By protecting you from the street light. |
| A．They are key to a good sleep. |
| B．They can help to treat patients. |
| C．They are friendly to people with blood problems. |
| D．They may not be suitable for people with certain illness. |
| A．Hormones playing a role |
| B．Americans suffering sleeplessness |
| C．Weighted blankets probably improving your sleep |
| D．Research dealing with sleeping problems |
6 . Meeting people is the first step to make friends.
Make small talk even if you don’t feel like it
Small talk can make people feel false and meaningless.
When you talk to someone new and realize that you have similar interests, the conversation usually goes from stiff (生硬的) to fun and interesting. Therefore, make it a habit to find out if you have any mutual interests or something in common. You can do this by mentioning things that interest you and seeing how they answer.
Don’t write people off until you know them
Don’t judge people too quickly. Try not to think that they are shallow (肤浅的), boring, or that you have nothing to talk about. If everyone seems uninterested, it might be because you have been in small talk.
Make people like being around you
When you try to make people like you, it will become easier for you to make friends.
| A．But it does have a purpose. |
| B．Help people get to know you. |
| C．Being used to talking to people is important. |
| D．Figure out what you might have in common. |
| E．If you only make small talk, everyone will sound shallow. |
| F．But how do you actually become friends with someone? |
| G．When you make sure that people like being around you, they will like you. |
7 . The famous magazine, Runner’s World, has chosen some of the best, most difficult and enjoyable UK races.
Top of the Wolds 10K Challenge
This 10-km countryside track in Yorkshire is all fun until you take the left turn at Nunburnholme. At this point, you enter a serious uphill part, but thankfully the uphill part only lasts for around 1.5 km. You’ll have about a kilometre to enjoy the views before the way takes you downhill again, and back to where you started in Warter—a cute little village.
Scurry2Bridges Run
This 161-km relay race (接力赛) is divided into 16 parts, so you each run 4 separate parts. Over the course of this day-long adventure, you’ll each run about marathon distance while the workers will drive around for pick-ups and drop-offs at relay exchange points between the start in Dundee and the finish in Edinburgh.
Scafell Sky Race
Here’s a trail run (越野跑) that is not suitable for beginners. With a total of 3,500 m of ascent (上坡路), this is unquestionably one of the hardest events around. Good thing is that the views are beautiful, and that there’s hot food and a bottle of apple juice waiting for you in the end.
Offa’s Dyke 15
The traditional 15-mile distance begins at the Clock Tower in Hay-on-Wye and includes a few hard climbs before finishing in Kington. This year the hard event has added a less challenging 10 km around Kington.
1. What do we know about Scurry2Bridges Run?| A．It is made up of 16 parts. |
| B．It is a 16-mile relay race. |
| C．It has a uphill part about 16 km. |
| D．It requires runners to run and drive. |
| A．Top of the Wolds 10K Challenge. | B．Scurry2Bridges Run. |
| C．Scafell Sky Race. | D．Offa’s Dyke 15. |
| A．They are rather difficult races. |
| B．They are held in the countryside. |
| C．They ask runners to take part alone. |
| D．They can provide the runners with food. |
8 . Volunteering is fun and rewarding (有益的), but if you want to be a good volunteer, you need to learn more.
Be understanding.
| A．Treat others like friends, and they’ll do the same for you. |
| B．begin to do it at once. |
| C．Try to understand what other people are facing. |
| D．Here’s some advice on how to do the volunteering jobs well. |
| E．Don’t try to do everything by yourself. |
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1. You can ________at Lisa’s Gym.
| A．watch a movie | B．play basketball | C．go to a concert | D．find a job |
| A．Wednesday | B．Thursday | C．Friday | D．Saturday |
| A．8967234 | B．8567234 | C．8213373 | D．8124697 |
10 . China has named the nation’s first Mars rover (火星车) Zhu Rong. For all of us, Zhu Rong is a well-suited name.
In an ancient Chinese story, Zhu Rong had the face of a man and the body of an animal. H rode on two dragons.
When he had a big fight with Gong Gong, the god of water, Zhu Rong won. But after the fight, the human world came into complete darkness. Then he brought fire from heaven to the world.
“Zhu Rong is regarded as the earliest god of fire in traditional Chinese culture,” a space official said. “The first Mars rover was named Zhu Rong. The name symbolizes light and hope for space exploration in our country, and means to guide humans to continue exploration.”
After leaving the earth last summer, Zhu Rong circled Mars for several months and landed on it in May. In recent years, our country has sent up the world’s first quantum satellite (量子卫星), and Chang’e-4 has made a soft landing on the moon. We have made great progress in space technology and will soon start building our own space station.
1. What Zhu Rong brought from heaven to the world was ________.| A．fire | B．wars | C．water | D．animals |
| A．a big fight | B．complete darkness | C．light and hope | D．Chinese culture |
| A．the earth | B．Mars | C．the moon | D．the sun |
| A．Zhu Rong is a bad person in an ancient Chinese story |
| B．China has made great progress in space technology |
| C．the writer is proud of China’s space technology |
| D．the official doesn’t like the name Zhu Rong |
