1 . A new book makes the argument for being a careful kind of writer, even in informal, throwaway messages. Todd Rogers and Jessica Lasky-Fink are behavioral scientists, both at Harvard. Their Writing for Busy Readers is cleverly titled: all readers are busy nowadays. They present well-established principles that have long been prized in guides to writing including The Economist's style book: cut unnecessary words, choose those that remain from the vocabulary everyone knows and keep sentence structure simple. But Writing for Busy Readers brings evidence.

Take “less is more”. Most books on writing well advise readers to cut needless words. The authors, however, have tested the principle. For example, in an email to thousands of school board members asking them to take a survey, cutting the length from 127 to 49words almost doubled the response rate. The same applies to text messages. In another experiment, a shorter message inviting parents to take the survey got more responses.

Besides word-count, sentence structure and word choice are covered in the book. Short and active sentences, with common words, are best. The authors' other point s are less about writing than about design and information al packaging. Bullet points (项目符号), headings and formatting for emphasis are good—when used with care. But mixing up different forms of emphasis like highlighting, bold and italics (粗体和斜体的) is the “equal of a peanut butter, ham and Gorgonzola sandwich on banana bread: this combination adds up to an unpleasant, off-putting whole”.

If everyone is a busy reader, everyone is a busy writer, too. That may make it appealing to fire off as many messages as quickly as possible and hope for the best. But from essays to text messages organizing dinner plans, devoting time to the needs of readers has provable benefits. If you are so busy that you write an undisciplined message that readers ignore and delete, then you might as well have not written it at all.

1. What could be inferred from paragraph 1 about Writing for Busy Readers?

A．It lays down principles for busy readers.	B．It approaches writing as a science.
C．It advocates writing simply.	D．It is aimed at title writing.

2. In what way is Writing for Busy Readers different from most books?

A．It advises readers to cut needless words.	B．It has adopted an evidence-based approach.
C．It has overturned established writing principles.	D．It promotes the use of common words.

3. How do Rogers and Lasky-Fink look at the forms of emphasis?

A．They should be combined in use.	B．They could bring undesired effects.
C．They matter less than sentence structure.	D．They are key to informational packaging.

4. What might the author suggest we do when we write?

A．Prioritize readers.	B．Try to polish the writing.
C．Disregard word-count.	D．Learn to change styles.

2 . I've been conducting scientific research with experts who specialise in advanced microscopy (显微镜观察) at Nottingham University for more than ten years. But I'm not a scientist—I'm an artist and lecture r in illustration.

Despite their importance in education and society, science and art are often seen as distinct fields, which, in my opinion, restricts beneficial connections. I want to facilitate these connections by helping to make sense of scientists' work for a wider audience through my own work as an artist. I have seen the enormous potential that exists when scientists and artists work together.

Like advanced imaging specialists, I am absorbed in light, colour, technology and science. When I discovered the Wellcome Trust's Sci-Art project in 1998, its belief—to facilitate connections that produce art directly inspired by science—encouraged me to seek out life scientists to collaborate (协作) with, because the methods we employ to create images are connected.

Advanced microscopy is used to observe cells that the naked eye (裸眼) cannot see, while being as gentle as possible on the object being examined. My work focuses on the imaging potential of the biomedical data revealed through advanced microscopy. This artistic expression of scientists’ data can provide them with tools for showing their work in a different way to a different audience. For example, I work with scientists while they conduct image experiments, to discover how and why they generate image data of cell behaviour.

Inspired by watching these scientists at work I create data pictures, seeing unique patterns, wonderful colours and movement through layers of skin at this carefully enlarged size. I then display my artwork along with advanced microscopy photographs at scientific conferences to compare results and highlight the aesthetic (类学的) potential of scientific data from an artist's viewpoint.

I've worked with four science labs since 2010. Over a decade of combining science and art, I've discovered three major advantages to such collaborations. The variety of collaborations increased my appreciation for technical advances in scientific visualisation. They inspire both scientists and artists to think creatively. They contribute to making science more accessible to the general public.

1. What role does the author play between science and art?

A．A judge.

B．A promoter.

C．A guard.

D．A leader.

2. How did the Wellcome Trust's Sci-Art project impact the author?

A．It inspired her to become a life scientist.	B．It strengthened her belief in sharing and caring.
C．It got her to approach scientists for cooperation.	D．It generated her interest in light and colour.

3. What does the author's work involve?

A．Collecting the biomedical data.	B．Keeping track of cell behaviour.
C．Conducting image experiments.	D．Presenting data in an artistic manner.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Every science lab should have an artist on the team

B．It takes time to facilitate scientist-artist collaborations

C．Advanced microscopy inspires scientists to think critically

D．Science should contribute to a variety of new art techniques

3 . Alan was not only a close friend but also one of my best performing actors. When I found out that he had passed away, I started thinking of the first time when we cooperated.

When I was getting ready to make my movie The Russians Are Coming, I remember that I called Alan up and said, “    1    .” He came over to the studio. He'd never made a movie before and he was asked to do some improv (即兴表演). He was just perfect.

    2    .He found a Russian, a diplomat or something, from the south of Russia. And they worked on the lines, particularly the Russian translations. He practiced his lines and acting repeatedly.

Alan was new to film, but it didn't show, He was relaxed on set, He didn't seem to be tense at all.    3    

Maybe it's good that he wasn't a well-known actor at the time, because people accepted his brilliant performance to the point where they believed he was a Russian. That was not easy for an American like Alan.    4    , and you could always believe Alan when he was on screen. I ended up showing the film in Moscow to the Russian Film Workers Union and his performance won much praise.

Alan and I stayed close, but I never had the opportunity to work with him again, I just never had a part that I thought was right for him. Alan understood that and appreciated my consideration. Years later, he told me, “I think I enjoyed making The Russians Are Coming more than anything.” And he looked at me and said, “    5    ” And I said, “No, Alan, it was because of your talent and efforts. You are a gifted and devoted man.”

A．That movie worked because of you

B．I'm glad to have cooperated with you

C．Alan's performance was more than believable

D．To prepare for the role, Alan spared no efforts

E．The most important thing for an actor is believability

F．I need someone who can play a Russian and be completely believable

G．He always showed the confidence I saw in really great and experienced actors

4 . With a quick look, could you tell the difference between a group of 20 dots (点) and a group of 30? What about 20 and 21? It seems like there must be a point at which you’d simply be guessing, but recent research suggests otherwise. Given enough opportunities, people consistently perform better than chance on this kind of task even when the numerical difference is extremely small, according to a study published in the Journal of Numerical Cognition.

The research team showed more than 400 participants dot groups for just one second. On easy practice trials such as 30 versus (对比) 20 dots, participants chose the larger group correctly almost every time. For 20 versus 21 dots, they were right nearly 60 percent of the time. And even in the hardest comparison — 50 versus 5l dots — participants consistently answered correctly on 51.3 percent of trials.

“If you are asked to make a judgment about which of two groups contains more stuff, and you have a little bit of intuitive (直觉的) feeling that one of them is more than the other, you should trust that,” says study lead author Emily M. Sanford.

The researchers tested two mathematical frameworks for thinking about this situation: one with a hard limit on the fine numerical difference people can perceive and one almost without. They found their data fit better with the second model, suggesting that even with numbers as high as 100 versus 101, the task would become harder but not impossible.

“The implications go far beyond number sense,” Sanford says. “because the study builds on a theory describing perception across many different stimuli: the work suggests that when deciding which of two circles has a larger area, for example, a person wouldn’t be truly guessing unless the circles were exactly the same size.”

“We can’t easily tell that 5l is greater than 50, so we sort of forget that our perceptual system is doing that,” says psychologist Sami Yousif from the University of Pennsylvania. “I see it as a landmark paper in the sense that it really reveals some of the assumptions that have, in my opinion, troubled this field for a long time.”

1. Which of the following dot groups is the easiest comparison according to the study?

A．20 versus 21.

B．20 versus 25.

C．40 versus 41.

D．40 versus 45.

2. Which of the following shows Emily M, Sanford’s opinion?

A．Our ability to tell differences can be seen in many areas.

B．We can easily decide which of two circles has a larger area.

C．Our intuitive feeling prevents us making right decisions.

D．We tend to guess when it comes to spotting tiny differences.

3. What does Sami Yousif think of the study paper?

A．It shows that our perceptual system fails to work well.

B．It proves that people always trust their intuitive feeling

C．It leads to a challenging problem in the field of science.

D．It contributes to a better understanding of perceptual ability.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Tiny Numerical Differences Are Hard to Distinguish

B．We Have Little Awareness of Our Perceptual System

C．Most People Are Able to Finish Complex Perceptual Tasks

D．Humans Can Rely on Intuitive Feeling to Spot Differences

5 . American companies have learned to love renewable resources. Now, they are beginning to get involved in next-generation climate solutions.

An advanced geothermal(地热的) project supported by Google began generating electricity last week, a big step in seeking for technology that can affordably fill gaps in wind and solar generation with carbon-free power. The pilot project in northern Nevada uses drilling and fracking(水力压裂法) techniques employed by the oil and gas industry to get heat from Earth to generate power.

Geothermal technology has long been viewed as a potential way to tap the natural heat of Earth to make carbon-free power. But it has traditionally been limited to locations where there are natural underground lakes of hot water, which are hard to access. In 2021, geothermal energy accounted for less than half a percent of America's power generation.

Fervo Energy, a Houston-based startup gives an answer-to use drilling and fracking techniques

In Nevada, the company drilled two wells to a depth of about 8,000 feet and then extended them horizontally(水平地) for more than 3,000 feet. Then Fervo injected(注入) cold water under high pressure to cause the rock between the wells to be fracked, creating fractures(裂缝). Water is then pumped into the first well, absorbing heat as it flows through the fractures and returning to the surface via the second well at temperatures high enough to make steam and spin an engine.

The project represents a convergence of two companies’ climate ambitions. Fervo had sought to apply advances in oil and gas drilling to geothermal technology. But finding financing to prove that the company's technology worked was a challenge. Luckily for Fervo, Google had just started reconsidering it; approach to clean energy around the time when Fervo was looking to test its technology.

“The demand for clean, firm power is so urgent, especially now,” said Gabriel Malek, chief of staff at Fervo. “And we're recognizing that the geothermal project is one workable option available to us. It is promising, actually.

1. What is the problem with geothermal energy?

A．It is in little demand.	B．It still produces CO2.
C．It is not easy to employ.	D．It is rarely seen on Earth

2. What is paragraph 5 mainly about?

A．How drilling and fracking techniques come.

B．How natural heat on Earth comes into being.

C．Fervo's solution to pollution caused by energy.

D．Fervo's approach to harvesting geothermal energy.

3. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “convergence” in paragraph 6?

A．Source.

B．Barrier.

C．Combination.

D．Shift.

4. What do Gabriel Malek's words suggest?

A．His company has self-funded the project.

B．He is hopeful about the geothermal project.

C．He promises to provide clean power for free.

D．His company cooperates with many businesses.

6 . Do you ever worry that your kids aren’t getting enough exercise? Maybe they spend a lot of time doing inactive things such as playing computer games or reading books. Do you tend to say, “Go outside and get some fresh air!”?

Years ago, I always looked for ways to include physical activity into my kids’ days. They’d go for walks and do hunts along the way. Before we left home, I often wrote a list of things for them to look out for: a black cat, a red car, a bike and a Banksia bush. Or I organized obstacle courses (障碍赛跑) in the park for my children to run around: “Run to the big tree, climb up the ladder and skip to the picnic table.”

As my kids have grown to be teenagers, they have become unwilling to follow “Mother’s Orders”. They might get to the point when they no longer want to play outside or go for walks. After trying to force my kids to leave their books and do something that raises their heartbeat, I have learnt that it’s impossible to force kids to exercise. If they don't want to do it, we’ll end up frustrated and angry. So will they. It’s much better if our kids decide for themselves that they want to be fit because this is a healthy and enjoyable thing to do.

So should we just hang around waiting for the day to arrive when our child might say, “I think I’ll go for a run... join the gym...go swimming...take up a sport”?

Maybe we should reflect on ourselves. We often want our children to do things we’re not prepared to do ourselves. We want them to be fit and healthy, but we make excuses for why we can't exercise.

For many years, fitness had been a big part of our family life. However, there are times when we've lost our enthusiasm. Last week, after doing a lot of online searches, I signed up for a free trial of the Walk at Home app. I'm challenging myself to get fitter and stronger. I want to regain my enthusiasm for exercise. I'm doing this for myself and also for my kids.

1. What did the author do to her kids years ago?

A．She tried to involve them in exercise.

B．She asked them to make exercise plans.

C．She trained them to be professional athletes.

D．She encouraged them to enjoy inactive things

2. What does the author say about her teen kids?

A．They have become less active.	B．They have lost interest in reading.
C．They always follow her orders.	D．They try their best to de sports.

3. What is the author’s current attitude towards forcing kids to exercise?

A．Indifferent.

B．Unclear.

C．Opposed

D．Positive.

4. What advice does the author most probably offer to parents?

A．Waiting for their kids to be active.

B．Setting a good example to their kids.

C．Arranging various activities for their kids.

D．Finding easier ways to exercise for their kids,

7 . Snow and ice festivals are something to look forward to in winter. All around the world, people make the most of the cold weather to compete in winter sculpting competitions. The results are works of art that inspire awe and wonder. Thousands of visitors want to enjoy the festivities. Here are some amazing winter festivals.

Geilo Ice Music Festival-Geilo, Norway

This unique ice music festival that began 19 years ago is truly unique and brings ice sculpting to an all-new level. Artists gather in Geilo to create musical instruments from ice. The performance takes place in an igloo(圆顶小屋). This year's festival will take place from February 19 to February 24.

International Ice and Snow Festival-Harbin, China

The annual festival in Harbin, the largest in the world, restarted in 1985. Some people actually compare it to a frozen Disneyland because the festival's actions are learned by several theme parks and include, thrilling rides. There's also a fantastic evening display of ice sculptures. The festival is open on January 5 this year.

Ice Magic Festival-Banff, Canada

The festival has been taking place in Banff National Park for over 20 years. This year's competition will run from January 26 to January 28 and from February 2 to February 4. The final artworks are displayed for visitors who can participate in other activities including freestyle ice sculpting and ice games. You must have tickets to attend.

Kiruna Snow Festival-Kiruna, Sweden

This snow festival held in Kiruna, which is deep inside the Arctic Circle, began in 1986. The main part of the festival is a snow sculpting competition that includes artists from around the world. But there are plenty of activities to keep visitors busy during the competition, including sledding(滑雪橇), figure skating and a snowblower contest where participants work to see who can clear a path through a 40cm deep pile of snow, This year's festival takes place from January 24 to January 28.

1. Where should you go to attend a festival if you are available in early January?

A．Kiruna, Sweden.

B．Harbin, China.

C．Banff, Canada.

D．Geilo, Norway.

2. What may visitors get at Ice Magic Festival?

A．Free tickets for the festival.	B．Unique musical instruments.
C．The chance to admire final ice artworks.	D．The permission to live in an igloo.

3. What can we know about Kiruna Snow Festival?

A．It has the longest history.	B．It is aimed at removing snow.
C．It is funded by several theme parks.	D．It features a snow sculpting competition.

8 . No matter how old you are, your mom will always remain as one of the most important people in your life. Maybe you don’t know how to express your appreciation and love to her on an ordinary day.     1    Here are several things we can do this Mother’s Day to show how much we appreciate and care for our mothers.

Give her flowers.     2     You can show your love to your mom by giving her flowers that match her personality. Or, if you do not know your mom’s favorite, carnations (康乃馨) could be your best choice.

Cook for her. Mothers usually are the ones who cook for us. Your mom will absolutely love it if you surprise her by taking over the kitchen and cooking something for her. Just make sure you clean up afterwards.

    3     You can just do so describing how much your mother means to you. It can be very effective that your mom will keep them and always be reminded of how important she is to your lives as a family member.

Travel with her. Mothers work hard, so traveling can help her to relax and forget her problems. She will treasure the moment when t wherever you go, just your presence.     4    

Take her to a spa. Massages or spas (按摩保健) are for moms of all ages, and she will enjoy breaking the boredom of staying indoors the whole day.     5    

Mother’s Day is coming. It is a time to let Mom know she’s special to you.

A．Write her a letter.

B．Remember her wedding anniversary.

C．A lot of us forget that the best gift to give her is ourselves.

D．Almost every girl appreciates flowers and so does your mother.

E．She remains the center of attention and respect for a child for a long time.

F．And this will offer your mom comfort and an increased sense of well-being.

G．However, Mother’s Day is the special time when you can let her know how important she is to you.

9 . Beijing Opera (京剧) is our national opera. It came into being after 1790 and has a history of over 200 years. Its music and singing came from Xipi and Erhuang in Anhui and Hubei. There are four main roles in Beijing Opera; Sheng, Dan, Jing and Chou. Beijing Opera is full of famous stories, beautiful facial paintings, wonderful gestures and fighting. Some of the stories are from history books, but most are from famous novels. The people in the stories usually can’t agree with each other. They become angry, unhappy, sad and lonely. Sometimes they are frightened and worried. Then they find a way to make peace with each other. Everyone is usually happy in the end.

Beijing Opera is an important part of Chinese culture. In China, it used to be popular with old people while young people didn’t like it very much. However, more young people are becoming interested in it nowadays. And more people around the world are learning about Beijing Opera’s special singing, acting and facial paintings.

1. How old is Beijing Opera in 2020?

A．207 years old.	B．217 years old.
C．227 years old.	D．230 years old.

2. Beijing Opera’s ________ came from Xipi and Erhuang in Anhui and Hubei.

A．music and singing	B．acting and fighting
C．music and acting	D．singing and fighting

3. How is the end of each story in Beijing Opera?

A．Angry.	B．Sad.
C．Happy.	D．Frightened and worried.

4. Which of the following is TRUE?

A．Beijing Opera used to be popular with old people and young people.

B．More people at home and abroad are interested in Beijing Opera nowadays.

C．Beijing Opera isn’t a part of Chinese culture.

D．There are five main roles in Beijing Opera.

5. What’s the best title of the passage?

A．The History of Beijing Opera

B．Beijing Opera

C．The Roles of Beijing Opera

D．The Changes of Beijing Opera

10 . Primary and secondary school learners, university students, and guests were invited on Wednesday and were treated to a colorful celebration at the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, to mark the beginning of the year of the dragon which officially starts on Saturday. The place featured beautiful decorations with red and gold colors and lucky symbols.

Visitors got an opportunity to participate in cultural experiences including painting, papercutting and pot throwing as well as experiencing Chinese cuisines like spicy hotpot, steamed stuffed buns (包子) , Chinese hamburgers, dumplings and barbecue among others. They were also treated to heartwarming performances including face-changing, lion dance, dragon dance, drumming, Chinese opera, Chinese songs and a talent show featuring Chinese traditional clothes as well as a mixture of Chinese and Kenyan fashion.

Leah Muthoni, a student at the University of Nairobi lauded the Chinese cuisines served at the event, especially noodles and dumplings. She also appreciated the decorations, drawings, pictures and performances. Similar feelings were also shared by George Mwita, another student from the University of Nairobi who greatly enjoyed the pot throwing game.

In his welcoming speech, Professor Stephen Kiama, the vice headmaster of the University of Nairobi who doubles up as the Kenya director of the Confucius Institute, hoped this year will be a good year of development because the Chinese dragon horns represent power and strength, while the drums represent courage and energy.

Kiama said the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi has achieved a lot since its establishment in 2005, including winning the Confucius Institute of the Year Award seven times and pioneering the establishment of the Bachelor of Arts in the Chinese language in Kenya. “Last year, with the joint efforts of the various parties and stakeholders we established the first bachelor of education in Chinese in Kenya and we admitted the first group of students,” he said. Kiama hopes that this year the Confucius Institute will gain more force with the blessing of power, courage and vitality from the year of the Chinese dragon. He said the Confucius Institute offers a good platform for cultural exchange between China and Kenya through events like the Chinese Lunar Year celebrations. Kiama hoped that the relationship between China and Kenya would further be strengthened by the blessings of the year of the dragon.

In Chinese methodology (方法论) , the dragon has the power to control seasons, time and harvests, and it’s seen as a symbol of wealth. The Chinese consider dragons to be powerful. sympathetic, wise, kind and warm.

1. What is spoken of as one of the cultural experiences the visitors participated in?

A．Tasting Chinese cuisines.	B．Writing with brushes.
C．Reciting Chinese poems.	D．Guessing lantern riddles.

2. Which can replace the underlined word “lauded” in Paragraph 3?

A．Mixed.

B．Praised.

C．Delivered.

D．Sold.

3. What is the fact about the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi?

A．It has the biggest number of students in Africa.

B．George Mwita is one of the Chinese teachers there.

C．It has won the Confucius Institute of the Year Award seven times.

D．They set up the first bachelor of education in Chinese in Kenya in 2005.

4. What is the best title for the news report?

A．Kiama considers dragons to be powerful and sympathetic

B．Confucius Institute offers good platform for cultural exchange

C．Kiama wishes year of dragon good for development of Confucius Institute

D．Confucius Institute at University of Nairobi marks year of dragon celebrations