1 . The brain function of very late risers and “morning larks(早睡早起的人)” during the hours of the working day is different, according to a study.
Researchers scanned the brains of night owls(夜猫子)with a bedtime of 02: 30 and awake time of 10: 15, along with early risers. The tests performed between 08 : 00 and 20 : 00 found night owls had less connectivity in brain areas linked to keeping consciousness. They were more likely to be scatterbrained and they also had slower reactions and increased sleepiness.
Scientists took 38 people who were either night owls or morning larks (people who went to bed just before 23 : 00 and woke at 06 : 30) and studied their brain function at rest. The volunteers then carried out a series of tasks at various times, from 08 : 00 to 20 : 00, and were asked to report on their levels of sleepiness.
Morning larks were least sleepy and had their fastest reaction time in the early morning tests. They were also found to perform significantly better at this time than night owls. In contrast, night owls were least sleepy and had their fastest reaction time at 20 : 00, although they did not do significantly better than the larks at this time.
The brain connectivity in the areas that predicted better performance and lower sleepiness was significantly higher in larks at all time points, suggesting connectivity in late risers is impaired(减弱的) throughout the whole working day, researchers said.
The lead researcher, Dr Elise Facer-Childs, of the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Human Brain Health, said the findings “could be partly driven by the fact that night owls tend to compromise throughout their lives.” He added, “Night owls during school have to get up earlier, then they go into work and they have to get up earlier, so they’re constantly in conflict.”
Therefore, Dr Facer Childs called for more researches to understand the effects of night owls performing on a work or school schedule to which they are not naturally suited.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “scatterbrained” in Paragraph 2?| A．Unfocused. |
| B．Satisfied. |
| C．Recognized. |
| D．Discovered. |
| A．Morning larks were more tired in the morning. |
| B．Night owls were more active in the morning. |
| C．Morning larks perform better all day. |
| D．Night owls perform better all day. |
| A．The workings of their brain. |
| B．The effects of their compromises. |
| C．Whether they can turn into morning larks. |
| D．How to help them adapt to the normal schedule. |
| A．To solve a problem. |
| B．To give practical advice. |
| C．To tell an interesting story. |
| D．To present a research result. |
2 . The day started out as many others before. I was always in a rush, always trying to
Many times I heard that these were the
A warm morning, I took the kids outside and started
It wasn’t long before I
Days and
Logan only
Well, the weeds didn’t get pulled that day.
| A．prevent | B．repeat | C．accomplish | D．connect |
| A．often | B．always | C．seldom | D．usually |
| A．longest | B．noisiest | C．worst | D．best |
| A．moments | B．days | C．dates | D．years |
| A．treated | B．blinded | C．examined | D．used |
| A．watering | B．packing | C．weeding | D．Decorating |
| A．proud | B．interested | C．sad | D．glad |
| A．realized | B．regretted | C．affected | D．confused |
| A．sky | B．birds | C．clouds | D．branches |
| A．placed | B．planted | C．produced | D．built |
| A．dreams | B．games | C．months | D．persons |
| A．slowly | B．quietly | C．suddenly | D．quickly |
| A．explore | B．reduce | C．spread | D．worry |
| A．Love | B．Curiosity | C．Courage | D．Heart |
| A．waving | B．shouting | C．singing | D．whispering |
| A．smiled | B．sat | C．played | D．thought |
| A．way | B．voice | C．sound | D．sentence |
| A．take up | B．look up | C．set up | D．grow up |
| A．Instead | B．However | C．Therefore | D．Otherwise |
| A．helped | B．received | C．joined | D．supported |
3 . 43-year-old John Chadwick started live-streaming (直播) life of the birds with their chicks.But just weeks after uploading the videos to YouTube, he gained millions of views from around the world.
John said, “To think that tens of millions of people have been watching the birds from around the world is just incredible and quite overwhelming.”
The sound engineer bought the bird box by accident. He placed it on a willow tree in his back garden in March, and within hours two blue tits (蓝冠山雀) moved in and they had five chicks. At first, he only wanted to show his family what the birds were up to.
John said, “Within a day the birds moved in, and I wanted to know what was going on inside. I started to livestream and do video highlights every day-on the first day 100 people watched it. It showed things like the chicks being fed in the nests as the parents carried in caterpillars (毛毛虫). After three months, I had 2, 000 subscribers.”
John decided to put a final video together and keep it as short as possible-showing the birds going into the nests, the eggs hatching, and the chicks fledging(长羽毛).
Now despite the huge global success of the videos, John is unlikely to make enough for a nest egg of his own. He still needs to struggle for his family. But some people say they find it quite relaxing and genuinely fascinated by John’s videos.
He said, “My personal challenge to myself was to get out of my comfortable zone. And I enjoy exploring new areas. But I keep in mind that I need to care for my family.”
1. Why did John livestream birds’ life at first?| A．To kill time at home. |
| B．To know more about the birds. |
| C．To get him closer to his family. |
| D．To call on people to shelter blue tits. |
| A．His financial problem. |
| B．Little blue tits’ settlements. |
| C．Improvement of his final video. |
| D．Challenges from online viewers. |
| A．Intelligent and hardworking. |
| B．Helpful and wise. |
| C．Knowledgeable and generous. |
| D．Adventurous and responsible. |
| A．A Bird Lover’s Video of Blue Tits Attracts Millions of Fans |
| B．A Video Raises People’s Awareness of Protecting Birds |
| C．Technology Can Greatly Affect the Survival of Wildlife |
| D．A Bird Lover Makes Efforts to Protect Rare Blue Tits |
4 . Is it possible for the human heart to shrink (缩小) and if so, how does this change impact the human body?
Recently, scientists have discovered an unexpected similarity between long-distance swimming and spending a long duration of tire in space—both can cause the human heart to shrink over time! These findings were based on the experiences of astronaut Scott Belly, who spent 340 days in space in 2015, and Benoit Lecomte, an athlete who in 2018 swam 1,753 miles (about 2,821 km) across the Pacific Ocean in 159 days.
The absence of gravity in space means that the heart does not have to work as hard to pump blood through the aorta (主动脉), the largest blood vessel that supplies oxygen to all parts of our body. As a result, the heart loses muscle mass, causing it to reduce in size. The study was conducted by Benjamin Levine, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas South western Medical Center. He noted that the shrinkage was seen despite the fact that Scott Belly exercised every day.
Activities such as long-distance swimming can cause the heart to change similarly. Lecomte spent 5.8 hours swimming every day and then another hours sleeping; therefore, he spent more time in a horizontal (水平的) position than upright. This reduced the force of gravity acting on his body.
Fortunately, while the heart did shrink in size for Belly and Lecomte, it was just as strong and continued to function normally for both men. And in both cases, the heart regained its original mass and size after a return to normal daily lives,
This study is crucial as NASA prepares to send astronauts to Mars in the 2030s. Professor Levine is working with NASA on a program called cypher, which hopes to collect more in-formation by following ten more astronauts’ year-long trips as well as conducting research on shorter trips to space.
1. What do Belly and Lecomte have in common?| A．Their hearts once became smaller than before. |
| B．Their hearts are stronger than common people. |
| C．Their hearts may never return to normal. |
| D．Their hearts may have to work harder. |
| A．The lack of exercise | B．The lack of gravity. |
| C．The sleeping position. | D．The psychological pressure. |
| A．The limitation of the study. | B．The process of the study. |
| C．The details of the study. | D．The application of the study. |
| A．Can astronauts avoid the effect of gravity? |
| B．Can athlete have a stronger heart? |
| C．Can the human heart reduce in size? |
| D．Can the human heart function well in space? |
5 . Where to Eat on Christmas Day in London?
Bob Bob Ricard
The best choice for smaller child-free parties—or pairs—that think of Christmas as an excuse to enjoy distinctly adult treats, let’s say: caviar, oysters, steak, followed by cheese and fries, all washed down with wine (ordered by pressing a button, obviously).
Location: 1 Upper James St, Soho, London W1F 9DF, UK
Contact: 020 3145 1000
Min Jiang Restaurant
If a typical modern Chinese banquet (宴会) is required to refresh the family’s Christmas spirit, book a table atop the Royal Garden Hotel and look out over Hyde Park while sharing a feast that includes traditional Chinese dishes. Since it’s Christmas, it’s probably worth going all out by pre ordering a whole or hall Beijing (Peking) duck, too.
Location: 2-24 Kensington High St, Kensington, London W8 4PT, UK
Contact: 020 7361 1988
The Alexandra
A special case: The Alexandra in Wimbledon offers a wonderful Christmas dinner to anyone spending Christmas Day alone, no charge under whatever circumstances. It is a place of spirit, refuge, and generosity.
Location: 33 Wimbledon Hill Rd, Wimbledon. London SW19 7NE, UK
Contact: 020 8947 7691
The Pem
Sally Abé’s newest restaurant is serving up a classic three courses in Westminster, for £130 a head (children under six, free if accompanied by adults). Guests can choose between smoked sea fish and crab mousse or a special ham for a starter, with bee Wellington or a plate of goose coming as main dishes, followed by Christmas pudding and ice scream. We offer a 10% discount if the total cost is over £500.
Location: 22-28 Broadway, London SW1H 0BH, UK
Contact: 020 3301 8080
1. Which number should you dial if you love Chinese food?| A．020 3145 1000. | B．020 7361 1988. | C．020 8947 7691. | D．020 3301 8080. |
| A．A family banquet. | B．A wine party. | C．A living place. | D．A free dinner. |
| A．£468. | B．£520. | C．£585. | D．£650. |
6 . Children’s Discovery Museum
General Information about Group Play
Pricing
Group Play $7/person
Scholarships
We offer scholarships to low-income schools and youth organizations, subject to availability. Participation in a post-visit survey is required.
Scholarships are for Group Play admission fees and/or transportation. Transportation invoices (发票) must be received within 60 days of your visit to guarantee the scholarship.
Group Size
We require one chaperone (监护人) per ten children. Failure to provide enough chaperones will result in an extra charge of $50 per absent adult.
Group Play is for groups of 10 or more with a limit of 35 people. For groups of 35 or more, please call to discuss options.
Hours
The Museum is open daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.
Group Play may be scheduled during any day or time the Museum is open.
Registration Policy
Registration must be made at least two weeks in advance.
Register online or fill out a Group Play Registration Form with multiple date and start time options.
Once the registration form is received and processed, we will send a confirmation email within two business days.
Guidelines
●Teachers and chaperones should model good behavior for the group and remain with students at all times.
●Children are not allowed unaccompanied in all areas of the Museum.
●Children should play nicely with each other and exhibits.
●Use your indoor voice when at the Museum.
1. What does a group need to do if they are offered a scholarship?| A．Prepay the admission fees. | B．Use the Museum’s transportation. |
| C．Take a survey after the visit. | D．Schedule their visit on weekdays. |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．Using the computer. | B．Talking with each other. |
| C．Touching the exhibits. | D．Exploring the place alone. |
7 . Respecting the old is a fine tradition of China. However, no matter how much you love your elders, it’s normal to feel depressed when you must constantly repeat yourself, But imagine how they feel when they can’t understand what you and others are saying to them. It can not only be depressing but also embarrassing for them. When your elders can’t hear well, it can also be dangerous.
Background noise from electrical equipment can make it difficult for your elders to focus on what you or others say.
You must adjust your mindset before you can effectively help your elders.
Coping with elders is no easy task, but just remember that taking any of that bad mood out on them will serve no purpose. Be sure to find a healthy outlet whether it is a friend or an expert.
| A．Remember that you’re not alone |
| B．When you cope with an easy task |
| C．No matter how depressed you feel |
| D．Speak to them as loudly as possible |
| E．Because hearing loss comes on slowly |
| F．They may not hear fire or security alarms |
| G．Lower the device sound when speaking to them |
8 . Like many teenagers, I was once troubled by anxiety and dissatisfaction-feelings that my parents often met with puzzlement rather than sympathy. They were already in their 50s, and having grown up in postwar Britain, they struggled to understand the sources of my discontentment.
“The problem with your generation is that you always desire to be happy.” my mother once said. I was puzzled. Surely happiness was the purpose of living, and we should spare no efforts to achieve it at every opportunity. I simply wasn’t prepared to accept my unhappiness as something that was beyond my control.
But I have noticed a shift in thinking, and I am now coming to the conclusion that my mother’s judgement was spot on. Over the past 10 years, numerous studies have shown that our obsession (痴迷) with happiness and high personal confidence may be making us less content with our lives, and less effective at reaching our actual goals. Indeed, we may often be happy when we stop focusing on happiness altogether.
While greater contentment is achievable, don’t expect miracle, and accept that no matter how hard you try, feeling of frustration and unhappiness will appear from time to time. In reality, certain negative feelings can serve a useful purpose.
When we feel sad, it’s often because we have learned something painful but important, while stress can motivate you to make some changes to your life. The last thing you should do is to blame yourselves for occasionally feeling bad when plans don’t work out.
Eventually, you might adopt the old saying “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best and be unsurprised by everything in between.” As my mother tried to teach me all those years ago, ease the pressure off yourself. and you may find that contentment arrives when you’re least expecting it.
1. Which of the following best explain “spot on” underlined in Paragraph 3?| A．Confusing. | B．Correct. | C．Ridiculous. | D．Controversial. |
| A．High expectations. |
| B．Low living-purposes. |
| C．Inadequate efforts. |
| D．Improper preparations. |
| A．Stress in your life will probably ruin your happiness and life. |
| B．Higher personal confidence makes us more satisfied with our life. |
| C．You needn’t be guilty of feeling awful since you may learn a lot from it. |
| D．If we try hard, feelings of frustration and unhappiness will disappear from our life. |
| A．Can we benefit from negative feelings? |
| B．Why it’s time to stop fighting for happiness? |
| C．How can we overcome our unhappiness? |
| D．Can we generation be happier than our parents? |
招募条件：年满18周岁，有意愿参加志愿者服务，英语交流能力强。
注意：1.词数100左右：
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头已给出。
Dear Sir/Madam:
I am Lihua, an 18-year-old senior school student.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely.
Lihua
10 . A good education is an excellent way to land a successful career and develop your personality. But can education also have a positive effect on our brains as we get older? A team of researchers under the University Research Priority Program “Dynamics of Healthy Aging” led by Lutz Jäncke, professor of neuropsychology at the University of Zurich, has now explored this question in a long-term study.
The researchers followed more than 200 senior citizens for over seven years. The study participants are not affected by dementia(痴呆), have average to above-average intelligence and lead highly active social lives. Based on complex statistical analyses, the researchers were able to show that academic education had a positive effect on age-related brain degeneration (衰退).
The findings revealed that over the course of seven years, senior citizens with an academic background showed a significantly lower increase in typical signs of brain degeneration. “In addition, academics also processed information faster and more accurately—for example, when matching letters and numbers of patterns. The decline in their mental processing performance was lower overall,” summarizes Lutz Jäncke.
The findings add to initial findings of other research groups, who have found that education has a positive effect on brain aging. Previous studies also suggest that mental processing speed depends on the integrity(完整性) of neural networks in the brain. If these networks are affected, mental processing speed decreases.
“Even though no one can explain the causal link between education and reduced natural brain degeneration so far, the following at least seems likely: We suspect that a high level of education leads to an increase in neural and cognitive networks over the course of people’s lives, and that they build up reserves, so to speak. In old age, their brains are then better able to make up for any injury that occurs,” says neuropsychologist Lutz Jäncke.
1. From the first paragraph, we know a good education ________.| A．helps one get whatever he needs | B．changes one’s appearance |
| C．can ensure one’s physical health | D．contributes to one’s career success |
| A．Through data analyses. | B．By reasonable prediction. |
| C．Through doing experiments. | D．By referring to other studies. |
| A．Academics are not good at matching letters. |
| B．High academic level slows brain degeneration. |
| C．Academics experience fast brain degeneration. |
| D．Brain degeneration has no connection with education. |
| A．How a good education affects our brains. | B．What effects education has on our brains. |
| C．Why education positively affects our brains. | D．Whether education has a positive effect on our brains. |
