1 . We know it can be hard to put your phone to bed before you sleep. However, if you’re trying to improve your sleep, you really should ditch your phone at least an hour before bedtime. Luckily, our experts can help.

Scientific evidence suggests that the blue light emitted from your phone, tablet, computer, and TV suppresses (抑制) your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone (荷尔蒙) that plays an important role in your sleep cycle. Melatonin release in the evening helps you relax before bedtime. A 2013 study that analyzed technology use and sleep patterns with data from a National Sleep Foundation poll found that using devices like phones was tied to more sleep disruption than electronics that aren’t interactive.

Many of us use the excuse that our mobile devices serve as our wake-up calls, or keep them nearby to use meditation apps. If you want to use your phone as an alarm, consider setting it a couple of hours before you turn in for the night, and then setting the phone itself to bedtime mode for the rest of the evening.

Here’s another groundbreaking idea: You could get a real alarm clock. After reviewing them at Reviewed, we recommend the Sharp Dream Caster. Not only is it easy to set a wake-up time, the clock includes white noises and rain noises to help you sleep, plus a number of volume settings to pick what works best for you.

But an alarm clock won’t help you avoid doom-scrolling through social media. Take things a step further by avoiding using electronic devices. You can try reading a book (one made of paper), taking a bath or drinking a cup of chamomile tea.

Finally, if you want to keep up your meditation practice screen-free, consider the Morphée. It looks like a little music box and comes with a variety of breathing exercises and soundscapes to help you get to sleep.

1. What does the underlined word “ditch” in paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Set aside.

B．Pick up.

C．Show off.

D．Turn to.

2. What may be caused by the suppression of melatonin?

A．Relaxing yourself before bedtime.

B．Sleeping less than you normally would.

C．Adapting to your sleep cycle more easily.

D．Reducing the pressure from screen use.

3. Why is the Sharp Dream Caster recommended?

A．It is sold at a lower price.	B．It can predict a heavy rain.
C．It is controlled by cellphone.	D．It helps put your eyes together.

4. What is suggested for better sleep according to paragraph 5?

A．Making the best of the eco-friendly products.

B．Making a change according to circumstances.

C．Establishing a bedtime routine without electronics.

D．Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake-up time.

2 . Large amounts of waste, or garbage, are filling streets in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, after protesters blocked a road leading to a landfill outside the city. People in Bancharedanda where the garbage is kept blame the government for not doing enough to protect them from the waste.

One British tourist, Richard McSorley, recently talked about the problem. He remembered how clean Kathmandu was when he first visited it many years ago. “If I were a new tourist, I would be despondent now,” McSorley said, while pointing to a load of garbage next to a city street. For weeks, treatment of waste has been a continuous problem in the city surrounded by hills. The problems started after people in the village of Bancharedanda refused to have the garbage thrown at a nearby landfill.

Biswas Dhungana was one of the protesters. He said the villagers were refusing to permit trucks loaded with garbage to enter. They say government officials have done little to provide basic equipment and effective ways to deal with the garbage. He added, “We have been forced to live like pigs in terrible conditions for several years as the government has not done anything to keep the village clean.”

Last week, hundreds of villagers built a wall of rocks on the road leading to Bancharedanda. It forced about 200 trucks filled with Kathmandu’s garbage to return without dumping their load. It was said that protesters also threw stones from surrounding hills.

Sunil Lamsal is an official to watch over how Kathmandu’s garbage is treated. He said, “I am working to deal with the concerns of the locals in Bancharedanda. But now, garbage continues to grow on the streets of Kathmandu. This has led to increased danger for people living in the capital. In the light of it, the government will soon take further positive measures to tackle the problem, as the environment affects every family.”

1. How does the author begin the text?

A．By listing statistics.	B．By asking questions.
C．By describing a phenomenon.	D．By drawing a comparison.

2. What does the underlined word “despondent” in paragraph 2mean?

A．Disappointed.

B．Dependent.

C．Dynamic.

D．Disabled.

3. Who were to blame in the eyes of the protesters?

A．Government officials.	B．Foreign visitors.
C．City residents.	D．Truck drivers.

4. What is Sunil Lamsal trying to do?

A．Punish the protesters.	B．Meet the villagers’ demand.
C．Stop the villagers’ illegal actions.	D．Urge every family to clean their village.

3 . We’ve heard people say that we shouldn’t worry too much about the future. But this saying doesn’t hold true in the technological world. Here, you always need to think about the future, or else you won’t have the chance to be in the digital age. There are so many new inventions that come up daily, which help in making our lives better and easier.

The iPod we use daily was once a far-fetched thought of Mr. Jobs, which has become a reality today. Similarly, when television was launched, we thought nothing could beat this invention. Then came cable television, and now it’s the age of digital television. Similarly, until a few years ago, 3D was limited to movies, but today, we have 3D blueprints, 3D graphics, and 3D television sets as well. All these inventions were just a prediction by their inventors, but they later, went on to become a part of our lives. Similar predictions can be made for the future.

For example, how about having human-like robots that understand our instructions by simply speaking to them? We can talk with these robots regularly and simply instruct them to perform a particular task. If you want tea, you can simply require your robot to make it for you. These robots can be useful in industrial fields as well. For example, you can simply ask the robot to switch on the manufacturing line.

If waste keeps increasing, the future will see many problems related to pollution. So what about having a waste recycling machine that produces notebooks? Yes, I’m not talking about the regular recycling machines that give us raw materials we need to put to effective use. If we build recycling machines that produce a particular product out of the waste, it’ll do much help to the environment as well.

This list can go on and on. Our imagination has no limits and so does technology. Who knows? Maybe one of these ideas may become a reality in the near future!

1. What should we do according to the author?

A．Take the future less seriously.	B．Use 3D technology more widely.
C．Base new inventions on experience.	D．Keep making predictions for the future.

2. What can so called human-like robots do according to the text?

A．They can talk to themselves.	B．They can understand human words.
C．They can offer the users instructions.	D．They can invent something for humans.

3. What does the author think of the waste recycling machine?

A．It is achievable.

B．It is profitable.

C．It is affordable.

D．It is impractical.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The far future of technology.	B．Ways of making predictions.
C．Effects of predictions on inventions.	D．The significance of human imagination.

4 . When Anika Puri visited India with her family four years ago, she was surprised to come across a market in Bombay filled with rows of ivory jewelry (象牙饰品) and statues. Globally, ivory trade has been illegal for more than 30 years, and elephant hunting has been prohibited in India since the 1970s.

“I was quite shocked,” the 17-year-old from New York, recalls, “Because poaching (偷猎) is illegal, how come it is still such a big issue?”

Curious, Puri did some research and discovered a shocking statistic: Africa’s forest elephant population had declined by about 62 percent between 2002 and 2011. Years later, the numbers continued to drop. Puri, a wildlife lover, wanted to do something to help protect the species and others still threatened by poaching.

Over the course of two years, Puri created EISa, a low-cost product of a machine learning-driven software that analyzes movement patterns in thermal infrared (热红外) videos of humans and elephants. Puri says the software is four times more accurate than existing state-of-the-art detection methods. It also eliminates the need for expensive high-definition thermal cameras, which can cost thousands, she says. EISa uses a $250 FLIR ONE Pro thermal camera with 206 * 156 resolution that plugs into an off-the-shelf iPhone 6. The camera and iPhone are then attached to a drone (无人机), and the system produces real-time inferences as it flies over parks as to whether objects below are humans or elephants.

Its potential impact on society earned her the Peggy Scripps Award for Science Communication. “Research isn’t a straight line,” Puri says. “It makes me resourceful. It helps me develop into a more creative thinker.”

1. What inspired Anika Puri to make the invention?

A．One study trip to Bombay.

B．The deep passion for law.

C．One visit in India.

D．Her love for ivory.

2. How does the author explain the situation of Africa’s forest elephant?

A．By listing figures.	B．By making comparison.
C．By showing an example.	D．By referring to some former studies.

3. What’s the research like in Anika Puri’s eyes?

A．It’s tough and can’t reach the goal.	B．It’s beneficial to one’s development.
C．It really requires a variety of resources.	D．It should be further developed because of the need.

4. What may be the best title of the text?

A．Poaching Is a Shocking Problem

B．Drones Were Applied to the Ban on Poaching

C．A Fantastic Discovery Was Eventually Made by a Brilliant Teenager

D．A Teenager Invented a Low-Cost Tool to Spot Elephant Poachers in Real Time

5 . In January 2022, the now l7-year-old Mack Rutherford watched his 19-year-old sister, Zara Rutherford, set two new world records for flying around the world in an ultralight aircraft. Less than a month later, Mack declared his intention to go for a world record too!

“I always knew I wanted to do something special in my life in aviation but I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do, it was only when my sister flew around the world that I knew this was what I wanted to do,” Mack said.

Mack is no stranger to aviation. He was only 15 when he became the youngest pilot in the world. Now, he’s set the record for the youngest person to fly around the world, replacing previous record-holder Travis Ludlow of Britain. Travis was 18 when he set the record in 2021.

Mack’s journey began on March 23rd, 2022 when he left Sofia, Bulgaria flying a Shark, an ultralight aircraft that’s the same style his sister used in her circumnavigation of the globe.

“I am flying a Shark,” Mack wrote on his website. “It is a high-performance ultralight aircraft made in Europe. The aircraft has been specially prepared for such a long journey.”

Mack traveled through 52 countries over five continents. The trip was supposed to take between two and three months, but paperwork and visa issues slowed his progress.

On August 24, 2022, Mack completed his journey and set not one, but two new world records! He’s now the youngest person to fly around the world solo. He displaced his sister as the previous record holder, but we’re sure there are no hard feelings!

As Mack stepped out of the aircraft in Belgium, he had some simple words of wisdom to offer the world.

“Just follow your dreams, no matter how old you are — work hard and move forward to achieve your goals,” he said.

1. What encouraged Mack to follow his dream mostly?

A．Encouragements from his parents.	B．His sister’s great achievements.
C．His strong-willed personality.	D．His intention to travel the globe.

2. What do we know about Mack’s journey?

A．Mack flew the same place that his sister did.	B．Mack finished the journey ahead of time.
C．Bad weather made his journey slow.	D．It lasted for about five months.

3. Which of the following words can best describe Mack?

A．Courageous and ambitious.	B．Cooperative and generous.
C．Enthusiastic and kind.	D．Professional and proud.

4. How does the author develop the text?

A．By giving examples.	B．By following space order.
C．By following time order.	D．By giving a detailed analysis.

6 . Alwan, owner of a Bronx corner store named Lucky Candy, aims to help kids in the neighborhood from needy families—and keep their math skills sharp too. The ________ is simple; answer a math question-say, what’s 8 x 8 + 50?——and get five seconds to ________ as much as you can from the shelves of Lucky Candy, all ________ . Lucky Candy is located on a.busy street in the Bronx, which is what’s known as a food ________ ,where affordable,healthy food is often in short supply.

For Alwan, ________ is as essential as breakfast. So he thought up this clever way to brighten his young neighbors’ days.

“I think about questions I used to get ________ at school when I was in elementary school,” Alwan says of how he ________ questions for the kids.

When a young math genius gets an answer ________ , one of two things usually happens. Some kids rush for the candies, and who could ________ them? Others grab things like rice and   ________,clearly thinking of family at home.

Alwan ________ the sprees(玩乐)with his paycheck. But his boss， also his father，Aobad, doesn’t mind ________ too. A Yemeni immigrant, Aobad knows that in one of the ________ , most competitive places in the U. S., a bit of help goes a long way.

At present, Alwan’s story is ________ quickly on social media not only because of the emotional reactions of the participants but also Alwan’s connection to his ________.

1.

A．purpose

B．cause

C．challenge

D．vocabulary

2.

A．hold

B．strike

C．touch

D．grab

3.

A．by accident

B．for free

C．in short

D．at once

4.

A．island

B．resource

C．desert

D．container

5.

A．joy

B．snack

C．math

D．appetite

6.

A．prepared

B．checked

C．asked

D．interviewed

7.

A．comes up with

B．makes a note of

C．pays attention to

D．thinks highly of

8.

A．available

B．ready

C．better

D．right

9.

A．blame

B．stop

C．seize

D．describe

10.

A．magazines

B．potatoes

C．sweets

D．toys

11.

A．pays

B．assists

C．rewards

D．covers

12.

A．playing

B．contributing

C．competing

D．reacting

13.

A．toughest

B．greatest

C．quietest

D．neatest

14.

A．surrounding

B．spreading

C．turning

D．tracking

15.

A．father

B．store

C．community

D．trial

7 . I have been in love with Yoga for many years. The practice of Yoga can lead to a ________ between mind and body. In the training, there is a ________ motion that has been one of my favorite poses. Each time I participate in this practice, I feel a deep sense of ________ with all those in the group.

Instead of standing alone, the class stands in a ________ close enough for us to hold hands. Each of us gives and ________ trust and support from one to another. As a unit we shift our ________ to one foot, resting the other foot against our ankle or our leg muscle. Slowly we ________ the hand position so that we are palm to palm. We ________ our arms and create a crown (王冠) of hands above our heads.

A slight ________ may start and soon we realize we have the ________ of each person in the circle, trusting them to protect us from ________. We feel a sense of security, closing our eyes knowing we are ________. In time we return to standing on two feet before shifting to ________ on the other foot.

As we finish, there is a moment of silence for us to ________ absorb the love and support we have received. Balance with support makes standing together ________ in community. So much better than standing alone.

1.

A．separation

B．conflict

C．harmony

D．adjustment

2.

A．bending

B．standing

C．jumping

D．sliding

3.

A．pride

B．belonging

C．patience

D．connection

4.

A．circle

B．line

C．crowd

D．shelter

5.

A．receives

B．offers

C．assures

D．affords

6.

A．strength

B．power

C．weight

D．energy

7.

A．improve

B．change

C．lower

D．challenge

8.

A．tighten

B．loose

C．wave

D．raise

9.

A．shake

B．touch

C．hug

D．push

10.

A．honor

B．support

C．sympathy

D．respect

11.

A．failing

B．releasing

C．injuring

D．falling

12.

A．safe

B．confident

C．smart

D．independent

13.

A．struggling

B．dancing

C．skating

D．balancing

14.

A．secretly

B．individually

C．eventually

D．purposely

15.

A．popular

B．unique

C．strong

D．effective

8 . It’s not just in your head: a desire to curl up on the sofa after a day spent toiling at the computer could be a physical response to mentally demanding work, according to a study that links mental exhaustion to changes in brain physiology that cause feelings of tiredness.

The study was conducted by neuroscientist Antonius Wiehler at the Paris Brain Institute and his colleagues. To learn the cause of mental exhaustion, the research team enrolled 40 participants and assigned 24 of them to perform a challenging task. These included looking at a computer screen and matching different letters that appeared. The other 16 participants did a similar, but easier task. Both teams worked for six hours, and had two ten-minute breaks.

While the study participants focused on their work, Wiehler and his team scanned the glutamate (谷氨酸) in the brains of the participants. Glutamate is an important signalling molecule in the brain that works in memory and learning. Too much glutamate may upset the brain’s functions, which means the brain is tired and it must rest.

The researchers found that participants who laboured on the more difficult task had higher levels of glutamate in the brain than those who worked on the easier task. The result suggested people who spend more than six hours working on a task that requires a lot of thought are more likely to feel tired.

And now that a system has been established to measure metabolic (新陈代谢的) changes in response to mental fatigue, the team hope to learn more about how to recover from mental exhaustion. While the researchers haven’t worked out a new solution, Wiehler offers that, “I would employ good old recipes: rest and sleep! There is good evidence that glutamate is eliminated from a period of rest. A good nap can be as short as 20 minutes, but can make us feel totally refreshed.”

1. What do Wiehler and his colleagues try to study?

A．Why thinking hard makes us feel tired.	B．Why people spend long time on screen.
C．Who prefers to take a challenging task.	D．How people can alternate work with rest.

2. Which task may cause mental exhaustion more easily?

A．Watching a funny movie on TV.	B．Climbing the Mountain Tai over 6 hours.
C．Involving a simple economic-related decision.	D．Playing chess games on the computer for 7 hours.

3. What is the attitude of Wiehler toward the system?

A．Skeptical

B．Negative.

C．Indifferent.

D．Supportive.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．There is no need to find a new solution.	B．It is no use putting the system into reality.
C．Further study is necessary for mental exhaustion.	D．A nap is the best way to reduce the mental tiredness.

9 . July is National Ice Cream Month. This means it is your civil duty to consume a spoon or two of the delicious treat daily. In 1984 the former US president Ronald Reagan designated July 17 as National Ice Cream Day in honor of the nutritious food. Here are some ice cream anecdotes (轶事) to keep you entertained while enjoying the creamy dessert.

Origin of ice cream

The first records of milk-based ice cream, made using heated milk, flour, and camphor (樟脑), come from China’s Tang dynasty (618-907 AD). But the Arabs are credited with inventing the delicious treat, using milk, sugar as ingredients in the 9th century. By the 10th century, the modern-day recipe with milk, cream and dried fruits was widely available in West Asian countries.

The frozen treat did not arrive in the US until 1744 when Maryland Governor Thomas Bladen served strawberry ice cream to guests. Now, Americans are the world’s largest consumers of ice cream, eating an average of 48 pints (品脱) per person every year.

Ice-cream related Guinness World Records

The frozen dessert’s popularity makes it a favorite for setting new Guinness World Records. The latest one was set in 2021 by the Ice Cream Lab pop-up at the Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The temporary retail shop offered ice cream lovers 1,001 flavor options — setting a new world record for the most flavors offered.

Ice cream choice reveals personality traits

Most people believe their choice of ice cream flavor is due to taste preferences. But Dr. Alan Hirsch, founder of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, maintains it reflects the individual’s personality.

Vanilla ice cream fans are risk-takers who are great at relationships. Love chocolate ice cream? Then you are lively, charming, and slightly dramatic. Mint chocolate ice cream fans can be ambitious and argumentative. Surprisingly, those who enjoy the multi-colored rainbow sherbet (果汁冰糕) are labeled pessimists, while rocky road ice cream lovers are believed to be engaging speakers and even better listeners.

1. How many stages did ice cream experience before it arrived in the US?

A．2.

B．3.

C．4.

D．5.

2. Which ice cream is the favorite of adventure lovers?

A．Vanilla ice cream.

B．Chocolate ice cream.

C．Rainbow sherbet ice cream.

D．Rocky road ice cream.

3. What is the subject of the text?

A．Fun tradition.

B．Cultural heritage.

C．Nutrition and health.

D．Celebrity anecdotes.

10 . The proverb that an apple a day keeps the doctor away also applies to apple wine, say experts. They have found the first evidence that the drink made from fermented apple juice is good for your health. It is packed with chemicals that help protect against cancer, heart disease and other age related conditions.

Apple wine, one of England’s oldest alcoholic drinks, has long been thought to be beneficial to health, but there was no proof. Now scientists have confirmed there are high levels of health-improving antioxidants(抗氧化剂) in the wine.

Half a pint of apple wine in moderation(适度) delivers the same amount of antioxidants as a glass of red wine, recognized as having health benefits. Antioxidants can “get rid of” substance called free radicals(自由基), naturally produced in the body.

Dr. Care line Walker, a scientist at Brewing Research international, survey, said, “A diet rich in antioxidants may help to protect against disease and our research confirms apple wine has the same levels of antioxidants as red wine. It could well be c lain ted that a glass of apple wine a day will keep the doctor away. But it is important that ad one drink beyond the recommended daily intake of the alcohol—an average apple wine having about 2.5 units per pint. ”

Separate trials on volunteer apple wine drinkers at the Institute of Food Research, Norwich, details of which are published in the latest Journal of Nutrition, showed the antioxidants are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream, enhancing the health benefit.

John Thatcher, chairman of the National Association of Cider makes, said, “I have spent a lifetime making apple wine, enjoying a regular glass or two, and now l can enjoy it all the more knowing it is helping to keep me healthy.”

1. What does the first paragraph suggest?

A．Apple wine has a long history	B．Apple wine can cure some diseases.
C．An apple a day keeps the doctor away	D．Apple wine helps to keep people healthy.

2. Why is apple wine beneficial to health according to the author?

A．It can help people keep slim.

B．It is rich in antioxidants good for health.

C．It is mainly made from fermented apple juice.

D．It can help people to take in more free radicals.

3. Which of the following is Dr. Walker’s idea according to paragraph 4?

A．Apple wine is more suitable for women than men.

B．In the future apple wine will take the place of red wine.

C．Drinking apple wine moderately is beneficial to our health.

D．The more apple wine we drink, the healthier we will become.

4. What do we know from the last two paragraphs?

A．Antioxidants can be rapidly absorbed by our body.

B．Apple wine has been confirmed better than apples.

C．Excessive wine drinking does great harm to our health.

D．Journal of nutrition is in the charge of John Thatcher.