1 . Tai chi is a wellness practice that combines slow, gentle movements and postures with mindfulness.
In the study, researchers in China randomly assigned 342 adults with prehypertension to one of two interventions. Roughly half the people participated in aerobic exercise, including jogging, climbing stairs and cycling.
After 12 months, those in the tai chi group saw bigger drops in their blood pressure than those in the aerobic exercise group. What’s more, nearly 22% of the people who practiced tai chi saw their blood pressure fall to within normal range.
Tai chi is appealing as a form of exercise because it is low impact and requires little space or equipment. “I think the beauty of tai chi is that you don’t have to have a special gym membership or special clohing, “ Taylor-Piliae says. “Once you learn tai chi, you can do it anytime, anyplace, anywhere.
| A．It can help reduce anxiety. |
| B．The other half was trained to practice tai chi. |
| C．It’s often called meditation (冥想) in motion. |
| D．So why does tai chi gain in popularity among people? |
| E．So what is it about tai chi that helps lower blood pressure? |
| F．By contrast, that number was 16% in the aerobic exercise group. |
| G．But you have to practice it consistently to gain the most benefit. |
2 . How to Deal with Academic Failure
Experiencing failure in academic settings is inevitable in your journey to study. However, once you get through it, you can bounce back from almost any academic failure.
Adopt the proper mindset
The proper mentality plays a big part in dealing with academic failure.
Consider the troubles of chaotic personal relationships and stress. They are the most common external factor making students' academic performance suffer.
Bounce back
Once you have determined that, you need to develop a plan of action. Try to study at the same times and same places each day, so it becomes a routine. Enlist someone to help you stay accountable to your plan of action.
| A．Identify the trouble spots |
| B．Analyze extracurricular commitments |
| C．Achieving academic goals is vitally important |
| D．Instead of judging yourself for past shortcomings |
| E．Only by recognizing your problems weren't created overnight |
| F．Look at the history of your grades and determine the overall trend |
| G．Talk to a friend, family member or teacher about helping you stay on track |
3 . Pre-book Rome’s top local attractions with one easy solution for skip-the-line tours in Rome.
Highlights
◆The most flexible Rome sightseeing pass available — save 30% by booking together.
◆Three fully-guided priority-access tours to the most popular sites in Rome and Vatican (梵蒂冈).
Description
When in Rome, there are certain sites you simply cannot miss. Let’s face it. It’s not every day that you have a chance to explore iconic sites such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and Sistine Chapel to name a few. Check them all off your wish list with one easy sightseeing pass!
What’s included
◆Our Vatican City experience is a hand-picked comprehensive journey including entry to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Papal Crypts beneath it. We will concentrate on the grand Sistine Chapel, from its construction to the finishing touches applied by none other than Michelangelo Buonarroti. Skip-the-line access is provided at the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica.
◆Enter the Colosseum in the footsteps of gladiators (角斗士) and imagine what it feel alike to be at the thrilling scene. Wander at the ancient temples and ruins of the Roman Forum while learning about the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Skip-the-line access is provided at both the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
Cancellation policy
◆Tours depart rain or shine unless otherwise specified.
◆All cancellations must be received in emailing. Tours and passes will be refunded (退款) if canceled more than 24 hours before the tour start time. However, the following penalties (惩罚) apply:
For tours entering the Vatican Museums and/or the Colosseum, 30 dollars per person for each venue will not be returned.
No refunds will be made for cancellations with less than 24 hours notice or failure to arrive at the meeting point on time or to appear at all.
1. Which place do tourists have to line up to enter?| A．The Vatican Museums. | B．Sistine Chapel. |
| C．Roman Forum. | D．The Colosseum. |
| A．Email at least a day before it. |
| B．Be absent from the whole tour. |
| C．Call at least half a day before it. |
| D．Visit only the Vatican Museums. |
| A．To introduce a sightseeing schedule. |
| B．To inform visitors of safety measures. |
| C．To promote a Rome sightseeing ticket. |
| D．To explain how to cancel a sightseeing. |
4 . In the past, music recording was primitive. A recording engineer placed microphones in front of instruments. The producer pressed record and signaled the band to play. There was a human touch to recordings, and this way of recording gave rock music its raw edge. But here we are today. Complex and advanced audio software sits in every recording studio. The higher cost and greater practicality make creating digital music common.
However, the modern recordings aren’t beneficial to a rock record. Let’s not forget, being in a band is laborious. You need like-minded musicians to rehearse for hours on end. Nowadays, this isn’t a necessity.
Programming drums on a computer is as simple as filling cells on a spreadsheet, and there you have it, a drumbeat. Only a few professionals are aware that they aren’t listening to true live drums. Such tech is even accessible on your smartphone. Whether on a train or in a bedroom, you can create a full band track without a live band.
What happened to rock music? With pop and hip hop dominating the charts, it feels like the time for bands is over. Is rock music really dying out? Is it really on its last legs, or are we just not trying hard enough?
Artists, inspired by the great rock bands, seek to put their own spin on this classic genre. The spirit of rock music still remains. One singer mixed soul and rock while one band combined indie rock with elements of techno, both with underlying rock characteristics.
The truth is that fresh rock bands are out there and you just need to dig deeper. A search through online music blogs shows a growing number of new rock bands. While rock bands are now not as popular as before and not receiving mainstream exposure, the flame still burns brightly.
1. Which words can best describe the past music recording?| A．Underdeveloped and low-cost. | B．Easy and time-saving. |
| C．Demanding and complex. | D．Digital and creative. |
| A．Low demands for music. | B．Advanced audio software. |
| C．Deep understanding of music. | D．Help from professional musicians. |
| A．To tell rock music has lost its original attraction. |
| B．To show rock music may be presented in new styles. |
| C．To stress rock music is no longer mainstream music. |
| D．To compare rock music with some other kinds of music. |
| A．Is Rock Music Going Dead? | B．Why Is Rock Music Disappearing? |
| C．A New Kind of Music Is Emerging | D．A Way of Recording Music Is Getting Accepted |
5 . Chinese material scientists have found the soil on the moon may potentially be able to generate oxygen and fuel, a finding that means more possibilities of humans to use lunar resources to further exploration of the moon and beyond.
The researchers at Nanjing University showed that the lunar sample brought back by China’s Chang’e-5 contains active compounds (化合物) that can change carbon dioxide into oxygen and fuel. Initially, they hoped to design a system that took advantage of lunar soil and solar radiation, the two rich resources on the moon, according to a study published on Thursday in the journal Joule.
After analyzing the Chang’e-5’s lunar soil, the team found the sample contained metal-rich substances, which could work as a catalyst (催化剂) to make oxygen using sunlight and carbon dioxide. The team proposed a strategy using lunar soil to electrolyze water from the moon and the astronauts’ life support system into oxygen and hydrogen. The process was powered by sunlight. The carbon dioxide breathed out by moon inhabitants can be collected and combined with hydrogen to produce the fuel, also catalyzed by the lunar soil, according to the study. The researchers said with this method, no external energy apart from sunlight would be used to produce oxygen and fuel to support life on a moon base.
“We use the environmental resources to minimize rocket payload, and our strategy provides a scenario for a sustainable and affordable living environment for life out of the Earth,” said the paper’s first author Yao Yingfang from Nanjing University, expressing his assumption.
“The challenge lies in the fact that catalytic efficiency of lunar soil is lower than catalysts on the Earth,” said the researchers. They are testing different approaches in order to improve the design. The team is looking for an opportunity to test the system in space with China’s future manned lunar missions.
1. What is the main implication of Chinese scientists’ discovery of the moon’s soil?| A．The moon is rich in rare elements. | B．Lunar soil can be used for exploring space. |
| C．The moon can be lived on by human beings. | D．Lunar soil is a new renewable energy source. |
| A．The process of the sun producing light. |
| B．The analysis of China’s Chang’e-5’s work. |
| C．The supportive method producing metal-rich substances. |
| D．The sustainable living strategy employing lunar resources. |
| A．Profession. | B．Contract. | C．Vision. | D．Sponsor. |
| A．The discovery of active compounds on the moon. |
| B．The testing approaches to improving the lunar soil. |
| C．The research on the environmental system of the moon. |
| D．The study of using lunar soil for oxygen and fuel production. |
6 . Life can change in the blink of an eye. For Bridgette Ponson, one of those moments took place in the parking lot at her workplace, Layton Christian Academy. While she was in the parking lot, her 2-year-old boy and 3-year-old girl in tow, a car hit them. This left the mother and her kids trapped beneath the car. Thankfully, the woman driver wasn’t driving very fast. At that moment, she was blinded by the sun. However, she got out of the car to help as soon as possible. Plus, she wasn’t the only one who stopped what they were doing to save Bridgette and her kids.
Soon, Chris Crowder, CEO of the school, became aware of the accident. Without delay, he united a group of students to help. “It was split second,” Chris recalled. “I immediately just ran into the building because I knew I had to get a lot of people to lift this car. The students just heard me shout. All students from different countries just ran out and lifted it up.”
Still, this wasn’t an easy task. The car was heavy. But the whole group of students worked together to lift the car enough for Bridgette and her kids to get free. Finally, one kid was flown to Primary Children’s Hospital while Bridgette and the other kid were taken by ambulance to the hospital. Although Bridgette took the brunt of the injuries, all three of them were expected to make complete recoveries within a few days. The heroic students who helped out certainly got their well-deserved praise.
“I’m very proud of our kids. They ran out without hesitation, and they just knew what to do without even being told what to do. I’m even surprised by the driver who was behind the wheel. She immediately ran to help,” said Chris.
1. Which of the following caused the accident in the parking lot?| A．The car was speeding. | B．The driver was trapped in the car. |
| C．Bridgette ignored the surroundings. | D．The sunlight blocked the driver’s sight. |
| A．To meet foreign students. | B．To avoid the car accident. |
| C．To provide emergency aid. | D．To lift the kids out of the car. |
| A．Many hands make light work. | B．The hospital is no place to be sick. |
| C．Injuries may be forgiven, but not forgotten. | D．Praise makes good men better and bad men worse. |
| A．Passive. | B．Hesitant. | C．Timely. | D．Expected. |
7 . When you think of a map, is north on the top or the bottom? Usually, maps are designed with north on top, though when we think about it, there is no logical reason for this bias (偏见). After all, there is no up or down in space. So what is wrong with south, east or west being on the top of the map? The answer is: nothing at all. In fact, north-up maps only became the norm in the last few hundred years.
Ancient Egyptian maps had south at the top because the Nile River flows downhill from mountains in the south to the Mediterranean Sea in the north. Mecca was to the south of most early Muslim civilizations, and south-up maps were designed so that viewers would look up to see Mecca. Medieval Christian maps had east at the top, as they believed the Garden of Eden was in the east. The only early maps that had north at the top were those of early China because the emperor lived in the north.
North seems to have settled at the top of maps during the 16th century, largely thanks to a Flemish mapmaker, Mercator. Mercator was a great admirer of an early Greek mapmaker, who, for reasons now unknown, put north at the top of maps, so Mercator did, too. When Mercator’s world map became the standard map to navigate the oceans, north up became standard as well.
What is the implication of this north-view of the world? Psychologically, people tend to think of up as good and down as bad. Just think of words and phrases like “upmarket”, “upbeat” and “moving up in the world”, and how they contrast with their opposites. Because north is so consistently put at the top of maps, people now think of north as good, too.
Several attempts have been made in recent years by introducing south-up maps to the market. These maps not only give us a chance to see the world differently, but also give everyone the chance to see themselves on top.
1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?| A．North-up maps were rare in ancient times. |
| B．Deciding up or down in space is ridiculous. |
| C．Mecca maps were based on a legend. |
| D．The south-up map first appeared in ancient Egypt. |
| A．An illogical reason. | B．The spread of Mercator’s maps. |
| C．People’s preference for up. | D．An age-old tradition in Greece. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Supportive. | C．Uncaring. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．To criticize a phenomenon. | B．To compare various facts. |
| C．To correct a cultural bias. | D．To argue for a viewpoint. |
8 . Argentina lies in the South America. There are many festivals in Argentina during the year. Therefore, you can enjoy the different interesting festivals when traveling there.
First of all, we should talk about the Tango (探戈) Festival inArgentina, which is held in the capital of this country — Buenos Aires, from February to March. You ought to know that Argentina is the home of tango, so Argentinians admire this dance very much. Even if you cannot dance perfectly, you should join the people and try to perform this dance.
The next festival in Argentina is Open Polo (马球) Tournament. You should go to Palermo to see this festival in Argentina. This festival is held every year and is the most important polo tournament in Argentina.This kind of sport is considered the most important in Argentina.
Attending this festival in Argentina, you will be able to communicate with different people and admire the fascinating competition between the teams of different countries, such as Argentina, England, Australia, as well as the US. This festival in Argentina is usually held between November and December every year. So don’t miss the opportunity if you travel to Argentina at this time.
The other festival in Argentina is the Semana Musical Liao Liao. This is a festival of classical music. The festival was created in 1993 and is held at the Liao Liao Hotel, near Bariloche. The festival is held yearly in October. So if you admire this kind of music, you should travel toArgentina in October.
There are also many carnivals in Argentina in summer. Of course, it’s impossible to put everything about festivals in Argentina into just one article. We hope that you have found this article interesting and eye-catching.
1. What would be the best title for the passage?| A．Entertainments in Argentina | B．Festivals in Argentina |
| C．Travel to Argentina | D．A brief introduction to Argentina |
| A．is organized by the government |
| B．welcomes everyone to take part in it |
| C．is held in summer |
| D．holds parties for different dances |
| A．Open Polo Tournament. | B．Every carnival in Argentina. |
| C．The Tango Festival. | D．The Semana Musical Liao Liao. |
| A．Buenos Aires in spring | B．Palermo in April |
| C．Palermo in winter | D．Bariloche in October |
9 . Scientists have not found any signs of life on Mars yet, but they say a robotic vehicle called “Curiosity” is helping them learn a lot about the planet’ s history and climate.
Curiosity landed on Mars in August 2012 after travelling through space for more than eight months. It was sent to Mars by scientists from NASAin the United States.
Curiosity is about the size of a car and has six wheels. It also has a robotic arm, cameras, and instruments that allow it to examine things it finds on the surface. Then it sends the information back to the earth.Curiosity' s main task is to find out if anything could live on Mars, either now or in the past. On Nov.2,NASA scientists held a press conference (新闻发布会) to discuss what Curiosit y had found in its first two months onMars.
Curiosity has found soil that is similar to the sand formed by volcanoes (火山) on the earth. Scientists say that studying the minerals in Martian soil will help them understand what conditions were like on the planet in the past.
Curiosity also found smooth stones like the ones found on river beds and seashores on the earth, where their rough edges have been worn down by water. Mars is very cold and dry now, but scientists say the smooth stones tell them that a river used to run through the place where they were found.
Curiosity has been testing the atmosphere around Mars for a type of gas called methane (甲烷), but so fari t has not found any. On the earth, most methane is produced by plants or animals. Methane on Mars might indicate that some type of tiny plants or animals lived there.
Curiosity is the fourth robotic vehicle to be sent to Mars. It will continue to explore the planet for about two years :
1. Which of the following descriptions about Curiosit y is TRUE?| A．It landed on Mars in January 2012. |
| B．It is small in size and has four arms. |
| C．It took over eight months to arrive in Mars. V. S. |
| D．It was sent to Mars by scientists from Russia. |
| A．there’ s no air on Mars | B．Mars is warm and wet now |
| C．the soil on Mars is rich | D．there used to be water on Mars |
| A．smooth stones | B．rivers |
| C．robotic vehicles | D．volcanoes |
| A．some tiny animals once lived on Mars |
| B．there are no plants or animals on Mars now |
| C．the atmosphere around Mars is full of methane |
| D．Curiosity is designed to test the atmosphere around the earth |
10 . Tony Hawk, who I thought was bigger than life, came in the room and then the interview began.
As the world’ s greatest skateboarder (滑板手) , he talked about how his life was not always so miraculous (奇迹般的). He mentioned one day he was skating on top of the world, and the next day the sport of skateboarding fell right on its face. Life for Tony has had its ups and downs, and what brought him back up was the way he believed in himself. One of the most tragic events in Tony’ s life was that his father passed away. Although he suffered such pain, he never lost sight of his dream. He put his energy into his dream, which helped him overcome his sadness.
One part of Tony that completely impressed me is the way he accepts himself. His goal is never to do better than others, but to do his best. If he does the best he can, it doesn’t matter how anyone else takes him.That’s true and wise. As for me, I play baseball and things aren’t going so well, but I’m trying my hardest because that’s life. It’s how you approach those bad days that will keep you on top.
Confidence brought Tony to the next level. During our meeting he continually talked about the importance of following one’ s dream. He also said, along with that, one needs to have a strong faith in one’s own ability to achieve that dream, no matter what challenges are presented.
By the end, I didn’t see the same guy who had walked through the door an hour earlier. Now I view him as more than a world-class skateboarder. He is also a normal person who has dealt with many of the same problems we all face, but the difference is that he is always able to rise above his problems by having faith in his dream.
1. What does the underlined part “fell right on its face” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．finished. | B．continued. | C．happened. | D．failed. |
| A．has the same view of life as Tony Hawk |
| B．doesn’ t want to play baseball anymore |
| C．wants to be as successful as Tony Hawk |
| D．accepts Tony Hawk’ s suggestion |
| A．His achievement. |
| B．His unusual experience. |
| C．His determination to realize his dream. |
| D．His confidence in winning the game. |
| A．Simple. | B．Real. | C．Lucky. | D．Dangerous. |
