1 . You’re in the shower. You grab the showerhead. What do you do? You sing.

Have you ever wondered about this phenomenon? Some of us wouldn’t sing in public if someone paid us. Yet we’ll sing in the shower without embarrassment. Believe it or not, there’s a scientific explanation behind it.

First, let’s look at why we’re relaxed enough in the shower to burst into song. Think about it: you don’t sing when you’re sad (unless you’re singing the blues, of course). For many people, shower time is the only time they’re alone all day. You’re in a warm, small, safe environment. You’re comfortable enough to be yourself! When you relax, your brain releases dopamine (多巴胺), which can give your creative juices an extra kickstart.

Warm water is rushing over you, and now you’re relaxed and feeling good. It turns out that singing makes you feel even better. Singing, because of the breathing you put into it, gets more oxygen into the blood. This gives you better circulation, which in turn improves your body and mood. And because you have to breathe a little deeper to belt out a song, you get some of the same relaxation and mind-clearing benefits as meditation (冥想). Another neat thing is that when you’re singing, you really can’t think about your problems—more stress relief.

But the best thing about singing in the shower? The acoustics (音响效果)! You can never ask for a better sound system than a bathroom. Because bathroom tiles (墙砖) don’t absorb sound, your voice bounces back and forth around the room before fading away, which makes your voice hang in the air longer. And because the shower is a small space, it boosts your voice, making your singing sound more powerful. So you will sound better than you actually are, which is a confidence boost.

We don’t sing in the shower simply because we have “Call Me Maybe” stuck in our heads. It turns out we do it for many reasons: stress relief, happiness, great acoustics, or maybe just because we like to hear our own voices. Whatever the reason, keep it up. It’s good for you. And if you’ve never tried it, pick a song, grab the showerhead and put on your own private concert.

1. Why do many people feel comfortable singing in the shower?

A．The acoustics are perfect in public places.	B．Shower time is relaxing and private.
C．Singing boosts stress levels.	D．Showering improves vocal abilities.

2. What scientific effect contributes to the urge to sing in the shower?

A．Released dopamine due to relaxation.	B．Increased exposure to blues music.
C．Enhanced oxygen absorption from water.	D．Strengthened lung capacity.

3. Why does singing in the shower help in relieving stress?

A．The bathroom’s small size encourages relaxation.

B．Breathing while singing improves circulation.

C．Singing removes the need for deep breaths.

D．Tile walls absorb sound and stress.

4. In which part of a website can we probably read the text?

A．Science.

B．Technology.

C．Culture.

D．People.

2 . What do people associate with the Metropolitan Museum of Art called the Met? For most, this New York museum is a treasure trove (宝库) of beautifully-scheduled artistic expression. After all, its collections include 1.5 million works of art from prehistory to the present.

But since September 9, 2023, as Hyperallergic reports, the Met is also the setting for a new, super-creative center for kids aged 3—11 and their families, named“81st St Studio”, which sets out to help children understand the materials used to make art. Coming in through the entrance, visitors see tree trunks, cardboard and a carved wooden screen among other examples. Visitors can participate in activities such as woodblock carving and drum making.

According to Heidi Holder, Chai r of the Met’s education department, there’s no contradiction in this new attempt. She recently said the Met is a science institution. As she explains, “We have three big parts of ourselves: our scientific research, our conservation and our art.” As Holder explains, even when objects created hundreds of years earlier come in, a scientific understanding of the materials used will help people better understand the art itself.

The exhibit is rich with art and science activities to encourage self-expression. There’re no traditional glass exhibition cupboards here. Instead, the 3,500-square-foot center is filled with seven stations that encourage visitors to explore them using all their senses. As Holder said, “It’s an open space where you can create your own path. You can learn at your own pace. You can take risks, be curious, have fun, and discover things.”

A music installation (装置), for instance, helps kids understand how materials influence sound. It consists of several creative music-making devices. Curious young visitors can pull open small, drawer like boxes. For example, an accordion lets out an airy sound as the opening and closing motion compresses (压缩) the air inside it.

In agreement with its ambitions to serve as a community center, the 81st St Studio is free to enter for children and their caregivers, no museum ticket required, during regular Met hours.

1. What is the purpose of the 81st St Studio?

A．To encourage participators to be more creative.	B．To assist children in learning about art materials.
C．To help children to create some works of art.	D．To ask people to concentrate on conservation.

2. What is Holder’s attitude towards opening the 81st St Studio?

A．Approving.

B．Negative.

C．Uncaring.

D．Uncertain.

3. What can we infer from Holder’s words in paragraph 4?

A．The 81st St Studio has a limited space.	B．Kids will be faced with some difficulties.
C．Lots of exhibits are not easy to discover.	D．Kids are free to explore the 81st St Studio.

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

A．The Met Is Best for Art Education	B．Scientific Activities Are Based on Art
C．Art and Science Can Meet for Education	D．Artistic Creation Comes from Inspiration

3 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

The very ancient poetry that     1     (write) a thousand or more years ago was simpler and about common things like love, romance and nature that people appreciate. Though much poetry was created in the eras following the Song dynasty, it is thought that the poets became increasingly     2     (academy) and hard to understand so that modern Chinese can’t appreciate the style and meaning.

For foreigners, ancient Chinese poetry     3     (be) more difficult     4     (comprehend). One of the reasons is the nature of Chinese characters     5     (they).Often one character has many meanings,     6     makes the translation of Chinese into English a key part of reading and understanding Chinese poetry. Put simply, good translation is essential to     7     (full) understand Chinese poems.

Another point worth     8     (notice) about ancient Chinese poetry is that itis influenced by Confucian and Taoist thinking. Ancient Chinese poetry has a focus of friendship besides love or being     9     lover. Friendships, to the village, the community, the country or your drinking friends are dominant themes. The poets’ main task seems to be just writing poetry, because a life as a poet is an important thing. In this respect, Chinese poetry is all     10     the poet, the “meaning” for the poet and not what is happening around the poet.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What was Tom doing during the earthquake?

A．Crying.

B．Escaping.

C．Sleeping.

2. How was Tom when the earthquake took place?

A．He was ill.

B．He was helpless.

C．He was frightened.

5 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。

Zhang Zening, a hanfu enthusiast in Nanjing, started an extraordinary journey eight years ago to revive this traditional Chinese costume. Inspired by ancient murals (壁画) ，Zhang studied the artistry of hanfu in various museums,     1     (transform) paintings into wearable pieces.

Upon graduating, Zhang opened     2     hanfu studio with some friends. Now Zhang has cooperated with women’s re-employment organizations, seeking stay-at-home women with sewing skills, among     3     were many single mothers that could earn an income while taking care of their children. Around 2015, Zhang began to focus independently     4     the process of hanfu restoration. In that year, she visited Dunhuang, and     5    (impress) by the delicate murals there, wondering how she could     6     (possible) materialize them into beautiful costumes. Eight years     7     (late), she managed to restore more than 50 sets. In the past decade, she     8     (travel) to more than 10 cities across China, constantly studying murals and conducting research to restore hanfu from different     9     (dynasty ) . She has cross-referenced different materials accurate as possible. Thanks to her work, many young people wear     10     (restore) hanfu when they visit museums, and Zhang is excited to see more of them doing so.

6 . We are familiar with the button, but no one knows for sure when it came into being. The button might have shown up as early as 2,000 BCE.     1     Just something pretty sewn onto your clothes. Then about 3,000 years later, someone finally invented the buttonhole, and buttons were suddenly useful.

The button is such a great invention. Not only does it slip through the buttonhole, but then it kind of falls into place.     2     The design of a button hasn’t changed much since the Middle Ages. It’s one of the most lasting designs in history.

For me, the best buttons are usually round. There’s either a dome (圆顶状) button with a little shank (柄), or there’s just this sort of round thing with either a rim (边) or not, either two holes or four holes.     3     And the way you figure out its size is: the diameter (直径) of the button plus the width of the button, plus a little bit of room.

Before buttons, clothes were bigger — they were kind of used for covering, and people just wrapped themselves in those things. But then fashion moved closer to the body as we discovered uses for the button.     4    

I think the reason why buttons have lasted for so long, historically, is that they actually work to keep our clothes shut. Zippers break; Velcro (魔术贴) makes a lot of noise, and it wears out after a while. If a button falls off, you just sew that thing on.     5     It’s not just the most elemental design ever, it’s also such a crazy fashion statement.

A．A button is there for the long run.

B．The shapes of buttons are not fixed.

C．It was decorative when it first started.

D．It plays an important role in the production of clothes.

E．It was the very way to make clothes fit the body perfectly.

F．Thus we’re completely secure, like it’s never going to open.

G．Almost more important than the button is to determine the buttonhole.

7 . After working an extra shift, Dr. Jessica Gold returned home feeling burned out and submitted herself to the urge to watch TV and sleep most of the day. As Generation Z would say, she was “bed rotting”. The phrase describes staying in bed all day, just like “rotting” (腐烂) there, according to Gold, a professor at Washington University. It is similar to having a lazy day, but it is more of an immobile term with less activity. She said, “It is OK as long as you understand why you are doing it and turn to other activities as well.

“Lying in bed for more than a day is concerning and could lead to different mental health issues, ”Gold added, “The urge to rot in bed all day, especially if it happens more seriously, is likely about something more than just catching up on sleep or needing a day to do nothing, but avoiding the feelings, stress or pain of being awake. This sort of behavior has been linked to symptoms (症状) of depression and anxiety.”

Bed rotting could be affecting more than just your mental health — it could also have a negative impact on your sleep. “Bed rotting is exactly the opposite of what we want people to do,” said Baron, associate professor of family and preventive medicine. “As a general guideline, if you are not asleep within 30 minutes during the night, you should get out of bed, ” said she.

Bed rotting after a long day is normal, but if it is affecting your work, social life or other important activities, then you should turn to professionals, Gold suggested, because they can help you get to the root cause and get you to learn to do something that you may think of as hobbies.

Recharging activities can energize us and better prepare us for the unavoidable stress we face daily. “Some options include hanging out with a friend, seeing a film or exercising, said Rego, a psychologist from New York, “If you don’t want to leave the house, try activities like reading a book or journaling instead of just lying down.

1. What can we learn about ”bed rotting“?

A．It is favoured by Generation Z.	B．It is an active attitude toward life.
C．It is acceptable if it is controllable.	D．It is the same with having a lazy day.

2. What did Gold want to tell us in paragraph 2?

A．The impact of bed rotting.	B．The trend of bed rotting.
C．The cure for bed rotting.	D．The prevention of bed rotting.

3. What can we infer from Baron’s words?

A．Bed rotting makes for stress relief.	B．Bed rotting results from lack of sleep.
C．Bed rotting contradicts good sleep habits.	D．Bed rotting refers to part of the sleep cycle.

4. What is Rego’s suggested alternative to “bed rotting”?

A．Adopting a regular exercise routine.

B．Engaging in some relaxing activities.

C．Seeking professional mental health services.

D．Watching other digital devices rather than TV.

8 . A Texas woman says that she took two kittens (小猫) into her home, only to discover that they were not housecats.

Jane Dinscore, her sister and her niece were bitten on the hands while trying to feed them.

“I think they started doing a little bit more research and thinking. These don’t look like standard housecats. Maybe we should call somebody. Thankfully, they did. San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) spokeswoman Lisa Norwood told local TV station KENS 5 on Monday.

But Jane Dinscore has changed her story since the news broke on Monday. Originally, she told the authorities she found the kittens in an alleyway (小巷) in San Antonio. Now she says she received the kittens from her brother, James Dinscore, in rural Atascosa County. However, she maintains that she believed the kittens were pet cats. She says she took the kittens home and called ACS after they began biting her and her relatives. She says she lied at first about their origin in the interest of her brother.

ACS and Texas State Parks and Wildlife are working together to determine if the situation deserves any criminal charges for disturbing wildlife, according to USA Today.

The animals are now under the care of Wildlife Rescue Rehabilitation in San Antonio. The group hopes to eventually release the bobcats in a safe area.

In general, wild animals should be left in the wild. If you suspect a problem with a wild animal or believe you have found one that’s sick, injured or abandoned, call a local wildlife center or animal control organization. And if you believe an animal you’ve found is a lost pet, you may take it to an animal shelter or a rescue group.

1. What happened to Jane Dinscore?

A．She was attacked by her kittens.	B．She was interviewed by KENS 5.
C．She was accused of disturbing wildlife.	D．She was forced to live in Atascosa County.

2. Why did Jane Dinscore tell a lie at first?

A．She was sure her kittens were housecats.	B．She was told to keep everything a secret.
C．She was unwilling to cause her brother trouble.	D．She was afraid her kittens would be taken away.

3. How will Wildlife Rescue Rehabilitation in San Antonio deal with the bobcats?

A．Set them free in the wild.	B．Send them to a pet shelter.
C．Help them find their mother.	D．Raise them until they are adopted.

4. What’s the author’s purpose of writing the last paragraph?

A．To arouse curiosity.	B．To invite comments.
C．To make predictions.	D．To provide suggestions.

9 . Why was school created?    1    Especially on test days, many students wonder exactly why they’re being subjected to such terrible and unusual punishment!

If you’re honest with yourself, though, you know what a great place school is.    2    . Sure, tests can be stressful, but think of how boring life would be if you didn’t get to learn new things and see other people so often!

Schools are not a new invention. You may have seen some old one-room schoolhouses that have been around for several hundred years or more.    3    .

In fact, education dates back to the very first humans ever to live on Earth. Why? To survive, every generation has found it necessary to pass on its knowledge, skills, values, and traditions to the next generation. How can they do this? Education! Each subsequent generation (后代) must be taught these things.

    4    They educated young people within the family unit. Over time, however, populations grew and societies formed.

Rather than every family being responsible for education, people soon found out that it would be easier and more efficient to have a small group of adults teach a larger group of children.    5    .

A．In this way, the idea of school was born.

B．The earliest schools, though, date back thousands of years.

C．At that time, schools focused on reading, writing, and maths.

D．Ancient schools weren’t like the schools we know today, though.

E．We’re sure that’s a question that every student asks from time to time.

F．The earliest human beings didn’t need schools to pass along information.

G．You have fun, learn all kinds of interesting things, and get to spend time with your friends.

10 . Simply finishing a marathon is a big achievement, but one woman in Thailand didn’t just run all 26.2 miles — she also _________ a little dog, Chombueng!

Runner Klongsanun was _________ a local marathon on Jan. 20th, 2023 when around mile seven, she noticed a seemingly _________ young dog along the roadside.

While other runners reportedly passed by the dog, Klongsanun, a dog lover, decided to pick it up and finish the _________. However, she still had 19 more miles to go. For anyone running a marathon, carrying any kind of _________ for 19 miles can make a marathon even more _________ and tiring. But instead of putting the dog down or _________ it to a looker-on to hold, the _________ Klongsanun crossed the finish line with the tiny dog in her arms.

After the race, Klongsanun _________ to take the dog home. Klongsanun even went back to the area where she first __________ Chombueng to make sure there weren’t any other dogs in need of __________, but she didn’t find any other animals.

“It was __________ a challenge to run almost 20 miles carrying a dog. __________, I did it because he is pitiful,” said Klongsanun. It looks like Chombueng has found a(n) __________ family while Klongsanun has a marathon __________ she’ll never forget.

1.

A．comforted

B．rescued

C．raised

D．delivered

2.

A．preparing for

B．signing up for

C．participating in

D．looking forward to

3.

A．adopted

B．trained

C．poisoned

D．abandoned

4.

A．race

B．test

C．plan

D．battle

5.

A．weight

B．pressure

C．equipment

D．honour

6.

A．surprising

B．boring

C．challenging

D．convincing

7.

A．donating

B．giving

C．returning

D．lending

8.

A．encouraged

B．confident

C．independent

D．determined

9.

A．prayed

B．decided

C．struggled

D．agreed

10.

A．spotted

B．caught

C．identified

D．claimed

11.

A．food

B．company

C．help

D．operation

12.

A．unexpectedly

B．undoubtedly

C．unintentionally

D．unfortunately

13.

A．Moreover

B．Therefore

C．Otherwise

D．However

14.

A．odd

B．familiar

C．permanent

D．ordinary

15.

A．memory

B．dream

C．record

D．promise