1 . On these dark winter evenings, I find myself daydreaming of summer. I think of the one activity and place that quiets my mind: clamming (挖蛤) on Cape Cod.

Before I had kids, it was a much-needed active outing after days of vacation-level eating. But when I went with kids, the experience took a turn from relaxation to devotion. The bay became part of the world I was trying to build for my children. The act of clamming became an unexpected escape,a moment when I wasn't thinking about 20 different things, when I wasn’t really thinking at all.

This year, for the first time, my children joined in the clamming. I kept yelping (尖叫) when my children almost raked (用耙子耙) my feet. But there was joy in having something to teach them, to connect them not only to a generational tradition but also to the history of the land. And when they raised their basket and it wasn’t a rock for the hundredth time, but rather a shining clam, it was a richer moment than if they had struck gold. Seeing a child holding up a clam with an expression of success on his face does more for the heart than any meditation (冥想) ever could.

I hope that one day my children will view clamming as the relaxation that I do. They are not there yet.At this point, it is more adventure than getaway. At the end of our clamming morning, my 6-year-old refused to leave, insisting she needed one more clam. When she finally caught one more clam, she laughed, pride written all over her face. To be fair, perhaps what she needed to get from clamming was not what I needed. Perhaps what she needed was to have a tiny bit of control over this wild world, one in which she has little say. In that moment, she was victorious, if not in calm, then in clam.

1. Why did the author go clamming before having children?

A．To get together with her friends.	B．To spend quality time with her family.
C．To escape the responsibility as an adult.	D．To enjoy relaxation after overeating.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The experience of clamming.	B．The benefits of meditation.
C．The change of a generational tradition.	D．The necessity of exploring the land.

3. How do the kids find clamming?

A．Demanding and boring.	B．Complicated and tiring.
C．Adventurous and rewarding.	D．Painful and disappointing.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph about the author and her kids?

A．They are successful in removing stress.	B．Clamming is the most interesting to them.
C．They refused to leave the bay.	D．Clamming has different meanings to them.

2 . It has long been known that dogs can learn commands like “sit,” “stay,” or “fetch” and can respond to these words with learned behaviors, often with the help of a treat or two, but uncovering their understanding of nouns has proven more difficult.

To look into the mystery, Boros from Eötvös Lorán d University in Hungary and her colleagues, inspired by studies investigating the comprehension of babies before they can speak, decided to mimic (模仿) these experiments with dogs.

They invited 18 dog owners to bring their pets to the lab along with five objects the animals knew well. These included balls, slippers, Frisbees, rubber toys, leads and other items. At the lab, the owners were instructed to say words for objects their dogs already knew. Then, the owners held up either the matching object or a different one while small metal disc s harmlessly attached to the dogs’ heads measured brain activity in a process known as electroencephalography (EEG).

Using EEG, the researchers aimed to observe any variances in brain activity when the dog’s owner mentioned a specific object, such as a “ball”, but displayed a different item, like a stick, as opposed to when both the spoken word and the presented object matched. This was indeed the case, with the results being strongest when the object was very familiar to the dog. That’s similar to what researchers have seen in humans and is widely accepted as evidence that they understand the words.

Writing in Current Biology, the scientists say the results “provide the first neural evidence for object word knowledge in a non-human animal”.

But the true extent of the dogs’ comprehension is still unknown, even by the study’s authors, since the dogs were responding to their own toys and objects that the owners brought to the lab.

The researchers are now curious to know if this ability to understand referential language is specific to dogs or might be present in other mammals as well. Either way, they want to learn more about how this ability emerged and whether it depends on dogs’ unique experience of living with people.

1. Which aspect of dogs did Boros’s research focus on?

A．Their speed of learning actions.	B．Their willingness to follow orders.
C．Their responses to training treats.	D．Their capacity of understanding nouns.

2. What is paragraph 3 of the text mainly about?

A．The result of human-dog interactions.	B．The process of Boros’s experiment.
C．The logic of pattern matching.	D．The theory of EEG analysis.

3. The brain recording results showed a different pattern in the brain when ______.

A．pet owners showed more objects than usual

B．dogs had a larger vocabulary of object words

C．the experiment was conducted in a new environment

D．the spoken word and the presented object mismatched

4. What does the author want to convey in the last paragraph?

A．Conclusions from the experiment.	B．Insights into dogs’ experiences.
C．Expectations for future studies.	D．Applications of the discovery.

3 . York Minster—The Best Cathedral in England

Commonly known as York Minster, the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York is one of the finest old-fashioned buildings in Europe and was completed in 1472.

In addition to daily services, there are many features to discover. York Minster has one of Europe’s biggest collections of stained glass, with 128 windows made from approximately 2 million individual pieces of stained glass. In the interactive underground chambers, you can discover the 2000-year-old history of York Minster. In the grounds outside the Minster, the Old Palace houses famous historical treasures, collections and a library.

For the best view in York, climb the Tower for a splendid view of the surrounding Yorkshire countryside. All year round there are special events, including performances by the York Minster Choir.

OPENING TIMES
Mon to Sat: 9:30am—4:00pm
Sun: 12:45pm—2:15pm
TICKET INFORMATION

MINSTER ONLY	MINSTER AND CENTRAL TOWER
Adult/Senior: £18 Child (17 and under)*: free with a paying adult *Up to four children with one paying adult	Adult/Senior: £24 Child (8-17): £6 To climb the tower you must be aged 8*

It costs £30,000 a day to run York Minster and your admission fee directly supports the future of the cathedral. We never charge for people to enter the cathedral to pray, light a candle or attend a service.

BOOKING

As a working church, we do need to close from time to time at short notice so we strongly recommend booking in advance so we can keep you informed of any changes in opening times.

For more information or to book, please contact our team using the details below or complete our enquiry form.

T: 01904 557275
E: bookings@yorkminster.org
1. What can visitors do in York Minster?

A．Stay in the Old Palace.	B．Explore its rich history.
C．Make windows from stained glass.	D．Climb the Tower to watch performances.

2. What’s the charge for a couple with their six-year-old twins visiting Minster only?

A．Ƶ24.

B．Ƶ36.

C．Ƶ42.

D．Ƶ48.

3. What do we know about York Minster?

A．It takes on a modern style.	B．It bans climbing of the Tower.
C．It may have temporary closures.	D．It charges people attending services.

4 . The language of Gaelic has been spoken in Scotland since at least the 10th century and was at one time the country’s main language, widespread in towns and cities across the nation. Since the union of Scotland and England in the early 18th century, though, it has been in decline. These days you are most likely to find native Gaelic speakers in the Highlands of Scotland, with concerns having been raised about the future of the language.

Now, a new initiative from Community cafe and Gaelic cultural centre seeks to turn the tide with the release of the first Gaelic edition of the board game Scrabble.

Titled Scrabble Gàidhlig, it contains only the 18 letters found in the Gaelic alphabet and includes the grave accent on vowels À È Ì Ò and Ù. The frequency with which each letter appears has been reconsidered to reflect its usage in Gaelic, and scoring has been reformulated (重新设定) to reflect the respective ease and difficulty of using different letters in the language.

“We worked closely on the development of the new game with the team at An Taigh Cèilidh, who have done a fantastic job of localizing the material and ensuring that the game plays really well,” said CEO Jim Harrison. “I hope everyone enjoys playing it as much as we enjoyed making it.”

“It will help people improve their oral skills and the range of their vocabulary in Gaelic,” said McLeod, professor of Gaelic at the University of Edinburgh. “In particular, many Gaelic speakers are not very confident with their written Gaelic and Gaelic Scrabble could give them a valuable boost. It will be very helpful for Gaelic learners too. Gaelic spelling is very logical once you are familiar with the system, but it does take time to master it.”

Scrabble was invented in 1948 and has been common in UK homes ever since, with about half of all households owning at least one set. It is sold in more than 120 countries and available in 28 languages and counting.

1. Why was Scrabble Gàidhlig invented?

A．To help keep a declining language alive.	B．To add a new type to board games.
C．To help reunite the two countries.	D．To promote a language game.

2. What is discussed about Scrabble Gàidhlig in paragraph 3?

A．Its origin.

B．Its feature.

C．Its advantage.

D．Its function.

3. How will Scrabble Gàidhlig benefit its users according to Prof McLeod?

A．It will improve their language competence.	B．It will boost their confidence in socializing.
C．It will raise their interest in the board game.	D．It will enhance their hands-on ability.

4. What is the last paragraph intended to do?

A．Add some background information.	B．Make some further predictions.
C．Raise a reasonable doubt.	D．Introduce a global trend.

5 . For most of us, it's pretty easy to stand up for someone else.     1    . So how do you go from being everyone else' s advocate to learning how to stand up for yourself? These steps come from 16 years of coaching my clients.

·Define your boundaries

The definition of a boundary is a line that marks the limits of an area; it's both a line of containment (keeping you in) and a line of protection (keeping others out). Boundaries are not complaints, threats or demands.     2    . They are your rules for who,what,how and why you feel comfortable being close to someone else, helping others know who you are and how to interact with you.

    3    

The next time someone asks you for a favor, consider if you can afford to say yes. What I mean by this is, think about what this “yes” will cost you in terms of finances, energy, health and time. Do you have an excess of these resources that you can give after you've already cared for yourself?

·Stop people-pleasing

People-pleasing is often motivated by fear. It's easy to fall into the habit because you tend to get praised for it. People-pleasing pleases people. But its effects over a long period of time can be disastrous.     4    

·Ask for what you want

It's not easy to figure out what you want. But the more time you spend getting clear on your own

desires, the easier it is to defend what you need. Your desires are the forces that lead you into life's unknown frontier.     5    . Stand up for them and yourself.

A．Get comfortable saying no.

B．Think twice before refusing.

C．They deserve attention, energy and respect.

D．You will not end up exhausted and depressed.

E．To break this habit, start leaning toward courage and inner strength.

F．They are guidelines that help to clearly define what needs to be protected.

G．But when the tables are turned, we often feel guilty for giving priority to our own needs.

6 . Scientists are embracing artificial intelligence (AI) — from developing “self-driving” laboratories to replacing human participants in social-science experiments with robots. Many disadvantages of AI systems have been discussed. In an article published in Nature this week, social scientists say that AI systems carry a further risk: that researchers perceive such tools as possessed of superhuman abilities when it comes to objectivity, productivity and understanding complex concepts.

Scientists planning to use AI “must evaluate these risks now”, write co-authors Lisa Messeri and Molly Crockett. The article is a warning about what could be lost if scientists embrace AI systems without thoroughly considering such risks.

Messeri and Crockett examined around 100 papers and books, published mainly over the past five years. From these,they put together a picture of the ways in which scientists see AI systems as enhancing human capabilities.

In one “vision”, which they call AI as Oracle, researchers see AI tools as able to tirelessly read and digest scientific papers. In another vision, called AI as Arbiter, systems are perceived as evaluating scientific findings more objectively than do people. In a third vision, AI as Quant, AI tools seem to perform better than the human mind in analyzing data sets.

Messeri and Crockett also predict risks that arise from these visions. One is the illusion (幻觉) of explanatory depth, in which people relying on another person-or，in this case，an algorithm (算法) — for knowledge are likely to mistake that knowledge for their own. Another risk is that research becomes skewed (偏颇的) towards studying the kinds of things that AI systems can test.

If you’re a scientist planning to use AI, you can reduce these dangers through a number of strategies.All members of the scientific community must view AI use not as unavoidable for any particular task, but rather as a choice with risks and benefits that must be carefully weighed.

1. What is a further risk that AI systems carry according to paragraph 1?

A．They perform better than humans.

B．Researchers overestimate their capabilities.

C．They are able to understand complex concepts.

D．Researchers use them in self-driving laboratories.

2. What does paragraph 4 mainly tell us about AI?

A．Its benefits in analyzing scientific data.

B．Its roles in helping doing scientific research.

C．Its strengths in digesting scientific papers.

D．Its advantages in evaluating scientific findings.

3. What is the illusion of explanatory depth?

A．Finding the accuracy in algorithmic.

B．Denying the mistake of algorithmic.

C．Accepting the complexity of algorithmic.

D．Considering algorithmic insights as personal understanding.

4. What’s the author’s attitude towards the use of AI in scientific community?

A．Cautious.	B．Approving.
C．Unclear.	D．Intolerant.

8 . A man whose right hand was cut in an operation at the age of 20 is now able to feel the temperature of the objects he touches with his prosthetic (假体的) hand, thanks to a new device integrated in it.

The device, called MiniTouch, was developed last year. It is made by two components, an active thermal (热的) sensor which measures temperature and generates realistic signals which are then sent to the second component, a thermal stimulator (刺激器).

It was first tested as a standalone device at the prosthetic centre of the Italian Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL) near Bologna. INAIL’ s engineers integrated the thermal sensor on the index finger (食指) of the prosthetic hand of one patient, and the thermal stimulator into the connection point that secures the robotic hand to the forearm, in such a way that it touched a point on the remaining arm that aroused thermal feelings in the person’s a prosthetic index finger-the typical feeling of still having the finger.

During eight experimental sessions over six months, the participant could identify objects with three different temperatures or made of different materials. He could also determine whether he was touching a prosthetic arm or a real arm while unable to see, and grasp and move blocks of different temperature in order to classify them from the hottest to the coldest.

“The richness and realism of the feelings provided to wearers is key to the effectiveness of a prosthetic hand in replacing a natural hand in daily activities,” says Emanuele Gruppioni, who led the clinical tests.

“As a next step we will work with a new prosthetic hand, developed in cooperation with the Italian Institute of Technology, to improve the MiniTouch integration and have a light and wearable thermal prosthetic hand,” Gruppioni concludes.

1. What’s the function of paragraph 1?

A．To present a problem.	B．To make a comparison.
C．To introduce the topic.	D．To clarify a concept.

2. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．The thermal stimulator.	B．The connection point.
C．The index finger.	D．The thermal sensor.

3. What does MiniTouch enable the patient to do when tested?

A．Change the materials of the objects.	B．Integrate a thermal sensor on his real arm.
C．Feel the temperature of the objects.	D．Send thermal information to engineers.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．A man who has a prosthetic had	B．MiniTouch that consists of two components
C．A prosthetic hand that feels the heat	D．Engineers who made a wearable prosthetic hand

9 . Culinary tourism in New Brunswick has grown dramatically and deliciously in recent years, offering up a variety of new adventures for the foodie explorers. Here’s a sampling of what’s on the menu.

Old-growth Forest Tour

Take a medicine walk with Cecelia Brooks and her son, Anthony Brooks. They guide you through the forest, teaching the history of local medicinal plants and trees along the way. Afterwards, they prepare wild rice and corn pancakes with ingredients straight from Cecelia’s garden.

Kings Landing Tour

Wandering through the open-air museum’s historic buildings and chatting with interpreters dressed in period clothing about life in the Saint John River valley in the 19th century is an immersive cultural experience, but eating history is next level. Tasting a meal in the King Head Inn’s attractive dining room, where traditional pub food evokes (唤起) an immediate journey back in time.

Paddle (划桨) Tour

Second Nature Outdoors offers a sunrise paddle tour on the Saint John River that starts with a canoe (独木舟) out to Hartt Island, where guides teach how to roast coffee over a campfire. Drinking coffee and eating local cheese with river views is the perfect way to begin the day.

Ganong Chocolate Museum Tour

The museum tour includes everything from the early methods of chocolate making to the story behind the Ganong candy dynasty’s famous Pal-o-Mine bar. The highlight must go to the hands-on activity where you participate in the complicated process of hand-dipping chocolates and taste the fruit of your labor!

1. Which tour will most probably make you feel transported to the past?

A．Paddle Tour.	B．Kings Landing Tour.
C．Old-growth Forest Tour.	D．Ganong Chocolate Museum Tour.

2. What will travelers do during the Paddle Tour?

A．Make local cheese.	B．Enjoy an amazing canoe journey.
C．Learn the history of herbs.	D．Take part in a paddle competition.

3. What do the four tours have in common?

A．They provide walks in the forest.	B．They require professional interpreters.
C．They offer immersive cultural experiences.	D．They involve trying tasty cuisine or snacks.

10 . Valencia lives, for the time being, in a mobile home park.

He greeted me when I arrived and poured me a cup of coffee. He told me that his dad had worked at a brick-manufacturing plant. His mother worked at home. Most of his seven brothers and sisters didn’t go to college.

Valencia was determined to be the first, despite his late start. He said he was an average student struggling with math and went to community college a year after graduating from high school but decided quickly it was not for him.

He got into construction and then the insurance industry, but he’d always liked to write and do crossword puzzles. “And I loved to read. A lot,” he said. And he joked with his mother that if he won the lottery, he’d use the winnings for college.

It was around 2007. Valencia got tired of telling himself he was going to go back to school. He told his mother it was finally for real. She said, “I hope you make it, Jerry.” And I told her, “I’m going to make it, Mom. Surely!”

The plan was to capitalize on his former construction experience to study civil engineering—the design, building and repair of roads, bridges, etc. But he discovered other interests.

“He was not the youngest student,” says Grant Tovmasian, coach of the forensics debate team Valencia joined. “But he was the most motivated and dedicated, encouraging fellow students and inspiring them to live a more satisfying life?”

Valencia’s sister Sindi Majors says her brother was always bright, but he went through a couple of rough experiences in his life.

Because Valencia has nearly always been homeless, she bought him a motor home, where he lived from 2009 to 2018.

There is something splendidly irrational about Valencia’s determination to get a four-year degree and then a master’s. At his current pace, he’ll be 90 when he finally achieves his goals.

But that doesn’t influence him. He’s found all the youthful energy and academic opportunity stimulating.

“Valencia’s grade in my class this semester will not show up on his transcripts (大学生的成绩单). But I’m giving him an A and in the most important ways, it counts.” says Tovmasian.

1. What does the underlined phrase “capitalize on” in paragraph 6 probably mean?

A．Make use of.

B．Get rid of.

C．Break down.

D．Appeal to.

2. Which of the following is the right order of Valencia’s experience?
a. Valencia joined the debate team.
b. He went to a community college.
c. He got into construction industry.
d. He planned to study civil engineering.

A．b-d-c-a

B．b-c-d-a.

C．c-a-d-b

D．d-c-b-a

3. Which of the following can best describe Valencia?

A．Caring and ambitious.	B．Devoted and modest.
C．Positive and generous.	D．Determined and motivated.

4. Why does Tovmasian decide to give Valencia a grade A?

A．Because he hopes to see Valencia graduate as soon as possible.

B．Because he admires Valencia for his good quality and performance.

C． Because Valencia has done extra work to perform the best in the class.

D．Because Valencia has reached his goals earlier inspired by Tovmasian