1 . Many people have dreamt to find a cancer cure. Now, a pill might provide some insight into their dreams.
The medicine, AOH1996, also called the “cancer-killing pill”, explicitly targets the protein that encourages cancer cells to spread across the body. It prevents proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA 细胞增殖核抗原) with a tiny molecule. Up to August 2023, it is being evaluated in Phase I clinical studies for the treatment of solid cancers.
Cancer is a condition in which abnormal cells continue to proliferate uncontrollably, causing the tissue to be destroyed. About one in six deaths were due to cancer in 2020, making it the top cause of death globally.
According to a recent study published in Cell Chemical Biology, City of Hope researchers have discovered a novel method to treat cancer using a special tablet that can get rid of solid tumors. AOH1996 differs from other targeted cancer therapies in this respect, where other approaches may cause a tumor to change and develop more resistance to treatment.
According to City of Hope Professor Linda Malkas, the research team created a medicine specifically targeting the kind of PCNA seen in cancer cells since data indicate that PCNA is distinctively changed in cancer cells. The novel cancer medicine acts like a snowstorm closing a significant airport, stopping only flights from and to aircraft carrying cancer cells.
“Results have been promising. AOH1996 can prevent tumor growth in cell and animal models. The drug is currently in Phase I clinical trial in humans at City of Hope.”
Treatment of lung, brain and skin cancers with AOH1996 has shown to be effective. It kills specific cells by stopping them from replicating (复制) typically. To assess this medicine for potential future use, more clinical studies are planned.
1. What can we know about PCNA?| A．It is a pill that cures solid cancer. |
| B．It is a medicine that prevents tumor growth. |
| C．It is a molecule targeted by the cancer-killing pill AOH1996. |
| D．It is a protein that causes cancer cells to spread across the body. |
| A．It has cured many patients’ cancers. |
| B．It will develop drug resistance. |
| C．It is a natural product collected from plants. |
| D．It has less side effects than other cancer drugs. |
| A．AOH1996 targets cancer cells without harming healthy cells. |
| B．AOH1996 has caused chaos in the medical field. |
| C．AOH1996 is highly effective but inefficient in treating cancer patients. |
| D．AOH1996 is unpredictable and can have unintended consequences. |
| A．Determining the specific types of cancers it can effectively treat. |
| B．Investigating the possible side effects of the medicine. |
| C．Determining if it can be used on a large scale. |
| D．Confirming its effectiveness in killing specific cells. |
2 . Reasons why you should learn how to surf
It gives you an exciting experience.The feeling of riding the waves is one you can never describe until you have experienced it. While surfing, you’ll be in a peaceful state as you wait for the next big wave. It can be difficult to explain why, but the whole experience is indeed calm and exciting at the same time.
Surfing is a physically challenging sport that requires you to use your entire body, making it almost an extreme fitness activity. Every surfing session will certainly make you exercise your whole body. So, expect to have aching muscles after your first surfing session.
There is no denying the fact that healthy and fit people are confident with their bodies.
Learning a new skill with a group leads to a sense of accomplishment, and learning how to surf is no different. Although it’s natural to go surfing alone at times, no surfer has surfed without acquaintances (熟人), friends, or club mates. It’s a given for people who surf to share experiences with others, both locally and globally.
It gives you moments with nature.Like some other sports, surfing allows you to have time with nature.
| A．These two qualities come hand in hand |
| B．It allows you to grow your social circle |
| C．Surfing also gives you a sense of freedom |
| D．Don’t worry, though, as this feeling is entirely natural |
| E．It has a rich and varied history and contemporary culture |
| F．That will translate to how you handle your personal and professional life |
| G．When people learn to surf, they become more connected with the natural environment |
3 . In an increasingly globalized business world, companies demand Human Resources (HR) leaders who can overcome cultural barriers to achieve key goals. This year, students in the Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations (MHRIR) Program will get hands-on experience leading multicultural teams as they work together with peers (同辈) from all corners of the globe.
“Our students get firsthand experience on global teams, which helps them understand the challenges and the opportunities they will face in the business world,” said MHRIR Program Director Stacy Hove.
Elishka Correa joined the program to explore how HR leaders can help businesses grow quickly in the global marketplace. “Companies appreciate diversity — not only in terms of products and markets, but the people they hire — so that they can expand their business and reach customers in different parts of the world,” she said. “When I go into an organization, I’m not only going to work with Indians or Americans, it’s going to be a mix of people. That trend is beginning to grow, so I think it’s very important to appreciate people from different backgrounds.”
As they progress through the program, the students are discovering unexpected challenges as they work on projects in diverse teams. Each contributor brings a different approach to solving problems, communicating, and challenging one another’s opinions.
Devin Roll, a student from North Dakota, appreciating the unique views his classmates share, said, “The benefits of having cross-cultural experiences go far beyond the classroom. Diverse teams and companies outperform their competitors, and HR leaders act as a vital partner in acquiring and maintaining diversity in the workforce.”
Many of the international students in the program said they would return to their home countries after graduation and bring along connections to their classmates, who would build careers (职业) in countries around the world. They hope to stay in touch, and share their expert knowledge.
1. What is the aim of the program?| A．To help students to set clear goals. |
| B．To provide jobs for foreign students. |
| C．To teach students to run their own business. |
| D．To train students to build multicultural teams. |
| A．It prevents social advance. | B．It makes it easy to hire people. |
| C．It can help business growth. | D．It can put an end to the conflict. |
| A．It is predictable. | B．It is short-lived. | C．It is unidentifiable. | D．It is far-reaching. |
| A．Work for the university. | B．Keep closely connected. |
| C．Stay in their home countries. | D．Reform teaching methods. |
4 . While socializing comes naturally for some, it can be a struggle for others. Shyness is a normal, common personality trait (特征).
Get Excited About A New Adventure
You may have been shy most of your life.
Pay Attention To Your Words
Practice Mindfulness (正念)
Mindfulness involves drawing your attention to the present and being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.
Take Small Steps
Getting started can be the hardest part of learning how to be more social for those who are shy.
| A．If so, that’s a part of you that you’re used to |
| B．Sometimes the best path toward addressing a fear is exposure |
| C．Mindfulness can help reduce symptoms of social anxiety disorder |
| D．Taking time to tend to your appearance can make a big difference |
| E．How we communicate and characterize ourselves can be powerful |
| F．However, shyness can make it hard for people to connect with others and achieve their goals |
| G．But engaging with people doesn’t have to be practiced as an important work presentation |
5 . A gene variant (变体) that causes the “alcohol flush (脸红)” reaction increases the risk of heart disease by causing inflammation of blood vessels (脉管), especially in drinkers. Around 8 percent of the world’s populations has a gene variant called ALDH2*2 that impairs the body’s ability to break down alcohol and causes unpleasant symptoms such as flushing soon after people drink. Now, researchers have shown why this change also raises the risk of heart disease.
“We are trying to understand why ALDH2*2 is associated with a higher risk of coronary arte (冠状动脉) disease at a cellular (细胞的) level,” says Hongchao Guo at Stanford University in California.
The ALDH2*2 gene encodes one version of the enzyme (酵素) alcohol dehydrogenase (脱氢酶), which breaks down the toxic acetaldehydes (乙醛) produced when alcohol is metabolized (代谢), and also mops up other harmful substances known as free radicals.
The gene variant also impairs the growth of new blood vessels. “That means that when there is a heart attack, when there is a need of blood vessel growth, carriers have less ability to generate new blood vessels,” says Guo.
The team found that an existing diabetes (糖尿病) drug called empagliflozin may reduce these harmful effects in people with ALDH2*2 who drink a lot of alcohol. But for Wu, the take-home message is clear. “If you’re missing this enzyme, try not to drink,” he says. “If you drink consistently, you are at much higher risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer.”
Given its many negative consequences, there has been debate about why this change spread and became common, today being found in more than a third of people of cast Asian origin.
“My only explanation is that if you are missing this enzyme, you tend to drink less and there’s therefore less chance of you becoming alcoholic,” says Wu.
1. Which of the following may be caused by “alcohol flush”?| A．Heart disease and high blood pressure. | B．A gene variant called ALDH2*2. |
| C．Inflammation of blood vessels. | D．Diabetes and cancer. |
| A．Exiting diabetes drug can help people witALDH2*2. |
| B．People with ALDH2*2 shouldn’t drink alcohol. |
| C．People with ALDH2*2 have less chance of becoming alcoholic. |
| D．Drinking alcohol can bring about diabetes and cancer. |
| A．Diabetes drug can free people with ALDH2*2 of alcohol flush. |
| B．If you are missing this enzyme, you will easily become alcoholic. |
| C．People with ALDH2*2 tend to suffer from cancer. |
| D．More than a third of people of cast Asian origin may be affected by ALDH2*2. |
| A．To explain the impact of genetic variant causing the “alcohol flush”. |
| B．To introduce ways to stop drinking alcohol. |
| C．To introduce dangers of drinking alcohol. |
| D．To persuade people to get rid of drinking alcohol. |
6 . Obese people experience discrimination (歧视) in many parts of their lives, and the workplace is no exception. Studies have long shown that obese workers, defined as those with a body-mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, earn significantly less than their slimmer co-workers.
Yet the costs of weight discrimination may be even greater than previously thought. “The overwhelming evidence,” wrote the Institute for employment Studies, “is that it is only women living with obesity who experience the obesity wage penalty (薪资损失).” They were expressing a view that is widely aired in academic papers. To test it, The Economist has analyzed data concerning 23,000 workers from the American Time Use Survey, conducted by the Bureau of Labour Statistics. Our number-processing suggests that, in fact, being obese hurts the earnings of both women and men.
The data we analyzed cover men and women aged between 25 and 54 and in full-time employment. At a general level, it is true that men’s BMIs are unrelated to their wages. But that changes for men with university degrees. For them, obesity is associated with a wage penalty of nearly 8%, even after accounting for the separate effects of age, race, graduate education and marital status.
The conclusion — that well-educated workers in particular are penalized for their weight — holds for both sexes. Moreover, the higher your level of education, the greater the penalty. We found that obese men with a Bachelor’s degree (学士学位) earn 5% less than their thinner colleagues, while those with a Master’s degree earn 14% less. Obese women, it is true, still have it worse: for them, the equivalent figures are 12% and 19%, respectively (分别地).
Your line of work makes a difference, too. When we dealt with the numbers for individual occupations and industries, we found the greatest differences in high-skilled jobs. Obese workers in health care, for example, make 11% less than their slimmer colleagues; those in management roles make roughly 9% less, on average. In sectors such as construction and agriculture, meanwhile, obesity is actually associated with higher wages.
These results suggest that the total costs of wage discrimination borne by overweight workers in America are greater than expected. Now, it’s time for our governments to take it seriously.
1. What does the underlined word “it” refer to in paragraph 2?| A．Obese men earn less salary. |
| B．Only obese women earn less salary. |
| C．Both obese men and women earn less salary. |
| D．Weight discrimination may be greater than previously thought. |
| A．A fat woman office director. |
| B．An obese construction worker. |
| C．An obese man with a bachelor’s degree. |
| D．A heavier female doctor with a Doctor’s degree. |
| A．Supportive | B．Objective | C．Subjective | D．indifferent |
| A．Overweight discrimination in other countries. |
| B．The reason of discriminating obese people in their lives. |
| C．American people’s attitude towards overweight discrimination. |
| D．Actions taken against overweight discrimination in workplaces. |
7 . A tree has roots (根). People have roots too. If you get to the root of a problem, you will solve it. It’s the same thing with words. Dig deeply into a big, unfamiliar word and you will understand where it came from.
As readers, especially those reading in a second language, we need to deal with the text as if we were detectives (侦探) looking for information to unlock (解开……秘密) the unknown. Like any good detective arriving on the crime scene, the first thing to do when meeting a new and difficult word is to judge the situation, to look at everything that is known and see if it helps us to understand what it means.
As you know, prefixes (前缀) and suffixes (后缀) can be added to the beginning or end of words to change the meaning. Know them, and you will have the word building power. But root words are the key (关键). Take time to learn a few of these, put them in your memory, and you will become a master word detective.
Let’s look at one common root word used in English. “Alter” from the Latin(拉丁语的) word means “other”. When you meet this root word, you know that the bigger word has something to do with “other”. Examine the word “alternate”. Can you find the Latin root in it?
• If you and your friend like to eat out, first you pay and the other pays the next time. You are alternating paying.
• If you go to the movies on alternate Saturdays, you go on one Saturday, but not the other Saturday.
• If you have no alternative, you have no other choice.
Learn as many root words as possible in the language you are studying. Then use your “rooting for words” skills. Like any new skill, practice and hard work are always paid back.
1. If Jim and Lily go to the movies, which one below is “alternating paying”?| A．Jim pays every time. | B．They each pay half. |
| C．They take turns paying. | D．Their parents pay for them. |
| A．By giving a fact. | B．By taking an example. |
| C．By telling a story. | D．By having a discussion. |
| A．My brother is my senior by two years. |
| B．He was ill so he was absent from school. |
| C．A criminal was sentenced to death by law. |
| D．60 students were present at the sports meeting. |
(①=Paragraph (段落) 1 ② =Paragraph 2, ...)
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
8 . Imagine this: You walk into a place and the atmosphere is light and airy. The subtle scent of coffee beans fills the air and everyone that approaches you is friendly and welcoming. You’re comfortable and feel like you belong. As in most cities, it’s a place where people meet, discuss ideas, and conduct business. After taking a few sips of that Caramel Macchiato, you immediately get that feeling of energy and optimism. Perhaps it’s partly due to the caffeine and sugar rush, or maybe it’s that the presence of a Starbucks typically indicates a city on the rise.
In December of 2017, Trenton’s first Starbuck’s café was opened to the public at 102 Warren Street. Walking in, people living in Trenton scream at everything about this café, from the diverse but local stuff to the Trenton themed décor (室内装饰) and art. To make things better, this Starbucks also serves as an “opportunity café” which essentially means the young people in our communities are recruited and offered job training and employment. This program not only uplifts our youth, but also increases the amount of minority business in the city.
In the interviews with customers, a trend in responses arose. To many, the Starbucks was a “favorite place to stop in after work” and provided “a very relaxing environment.” The staff were often highly praised, noted as being friendly, helpful, and working in harmony. The interior décor of the café struck a lot of people’s attention, given the familiarity of the atmosphere. Painted on the walls, all around the store, are murals (壁画) with bright, colorful, graffiti-like designs very sui generis in Trenton, showcasing local monuments like the State House and the famous “Trenton Makes” bridge.
This new Starbucks brings a sense of modernity to Downtown Trenton and reminds us that our city is always developing. Open from 6 a. m. until 7 p.m. every day, the building is hardly ever empty. This space is made for everyone in Trenton, even the non-coffee lovers.
1. What is the major function of Paragraph 1 in the passage?| A．To present an introduction to the topic. |
| B．To set a background for the main theme. |
| C．To summarize the main idea of the passage. |
| D．To describe a common phenomenon for the readers. |
| A．People are amazed at the number of job opportunities provided by the Starbucks. |
| B．“Opportunity café” program helps achieve booming economy and bring spiritual benefits. |
| C．Most respondents regarded the Starbucks as a harmonious and entertaining workplace. |
| D．Numerous people are attracted to stop in after work by the murals with original designs. |
| A．Substantial. | B．Delicate. | C．Inspirational. | D．Unique. |
| A．Starbucks Is Designed for Everyone |
| B．Starbucks Gains Popularity in Trenton |
| C．Starbucks Sets an Atmosphere of Progress |
| D．Starbucks Creates More Job Opportunities |
9 . What My Year Abroad Taught Me About Cultural Differences
Imagine going to study abroad. You walk into the local shop and bam!, Golliwogs (黑面木偶) everywhere. I’m talking salespeople dressed as Golliwogs. Surprised, you go to the junk food section as that’s the only thing that will give your body the sugar rush it needs to shock your body out of the state of bewilderment (困惑). And there they were: Golliwog cookies.
I’m using the word “Golliwogs” because to a British person abroad that’s what they are. But in the Netherlands and Belgium the image is known as Zwarte Piet (Black Pete). There has been much discussion about whether or not it’s racist.
Working as a trainee with the European Commission, I met people from all over the world, not just Europe. Working alongside my German, Spanish and Italian colleagues, I learned some valuable lessons.
Another lesson was the value of the coffee break. Coffee breaks in Brussels were not just time to get coffee. It was a chance to develop new ideas with colleagues in a more informal setting. At first I declined the invitation to attend, but after a while I began to notice that almost everyone went on these trips to the coffee machine and decided to join them.
Graduates and students who have worked abroad gain an understanding of what it means to be truly European and how this can benefit you at work. Not only do you bring home experiences, skills and practices from other countries, but you also seek to take your work further afield (向远方).
| A．You might be amazed by the quantity of work and innovative concepts that can emerge during informal coffee breaks. |
| B．This marked my initial experience in comprehending diverse cultures. |
| C．As British people, we need to stay low-profile in what we do. |
| D．So, how did I apply these acquired abilities? |
| E．As individuals from Britain, we must produce more influence in our pursuits. |
| F．This was my first lesson in understanding British cultures. |
10 . A therapy (治疗) client and I are working on an eating disorder and find it originated from a relationship break-up or perhaps being bullied in middle school. Such hurtful experiences led to not eating for a couple of weeks. Then comes a high praise from a friend that totally backfires. Maybe it’s an enthusiastic, “Wow, you look great!’’ In a flash, this praise excites an inner and often unconscious thought: “Oh, people care more about me if I lose weight. So many things feel out of control but I can control people’s affection by not eating.”
Often, very well-intentioned individuals offer praise out of a desire to uplift and connect. Such praise is often tied, directly or indirectly, to a person’s relationship with the standards of a specific group or institution. Sadly, such praise can easily reduce an individual’s dignity to their level in line with the group’s expectations rather than supporting their inherent (固有的) dignity and worth. So, what’s a better way?
One answer is to exit the game of “right and wrong” and enter a more life-giving focus on what needs are present. Returning to our example above, when you see that someone has lost weight and you want to give them a praise, just pause and take a deep breath. Simply ask, “How are you doing?” See them and hear them. Appreciate them as a person of limitless value. Know there may be much more to their inner world than meets the eye. Similarly, when you see someone’s success in school, appreciate the hard work they put into it. Ask with gentle curiosity, “How’s it been for you?” Listen with your full attention that in itself can be a rare gift in today’s hustle and bustle world.
By maintaining your concern and listening to the ways they want to be accompanied and supported — even when it might not be your first instinct — you can see them as a whole person, with complex feelings, very human needs, and inherent dignity.
1. What does the underlined word “backfires” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Improves the situation. | B．Shows sincere concern. |
| C．Removes hurtful feelings. | D．Produces an unexpected result. |
| A．Analyzing the phenomenon. | B．Listing another example. |
| C．Presenting the solution. | D．Making a proposal. |
| A．To start a light conversation. |
| B．To focus on one’s inner needs. |
| C．To explore the secret of keeping slim. |
| D．To show appreciation for one’s efforts. |
| A．Say No to the “Right or Wrong” Game |
| B．Why We Need to Make Praises to Others. |
| C．Follow Me and Be a Qualified Therapist |
| D．How Innocent Words can Be Harmful |
