1 . A question has increasingly bothered me since I began studying our relationship with technology two decades ago: Will we ever pay attention again? The concern arose from measuring the shrinking attention spans in various work roles. Whether we’re talking about a Gen Z or a baby boomer, a CEO or an administrative assistant, attention spans on our computers and phones are short and declining.

We tend to blame this trend on growing digital alerts and notifications, or on algorithms aimed at capturing our focus. These do play measurable roles. But it turns out that people are nearly as likely to switch their attention of their own volition. We are determined to be interrupted, if not by others, then by ourselves. Simply choosing to check our email is a major reason for interruptions. Our research found that, on average, people check their inboxes 77 times a day. More than 40% of the time, they do it willingly, without being spurred by any alert.

Are we doomed to see our attention spans nosedive? Completely unplugging from technology might help us recover, but few of us are ready to give up the benefits of online connections. There are possible remedies, however, if not real solutions.

First, we can become more intentional in our actions by examining the reasons behind: Am I distracting myself because I am bored? Are there other options? Taking proper breaks is also important; research shows that even a 20-minute walk in nature can lead us to increase our generation of ideas. Finally, people can plan to concentrate on important tasks when their mental resources are at their peak for avoiding distraction.

Institutional decisions can also help us to preserve attention. It’s not realistic to cut off email completely, but the volume can be reduced. We found that cutting email off in an organization for one workweek helped people focus longer on screens and reduced stress. Companies with an email-free day a week have reported positive results.

The German companies Volkswagen and Allianz have gone a step further and adopted a policy called “Right to Disconnect”. Actually, this policy of not punishing workers for failing to answer e-communications after work hours has been instituted in Ireland and France. How does this help? A 2017 study found afterhours work communications created emotional exhaustion, and a 2014 study showed detaching from work can improve sleep. The study found when sleep deficits increase, attention spans decrease.

Our online behavior is greatly influenced by the wider culture and the ever more sophisticated tools of digital technology, but we can’t just blame our short attention spans on algorithms and notifications that flood in. We still own our attention, and we can take change into our own hands.

1. In paragraph 2, the author mentions the result of the research to show that________.

A．we are likely to interrupt ourselves in most cases

B．people will sometimes voluntarily seek distraction

C．people are constantly interrupted by email from others

D．digital alerts are not to blame for the reduced concentration

2. What can be inferred about the two German companies before the introduction of the “Right to Disconnect” policy?

A．The companies used to punish workers for not staying connected after work.

B．The employees of these companies were generally not satisfied with their job.

C．Their employees had lower sleep quality compared to those in France and Ireland.

D．The companies refused to adopt the policy because they wanted to make more profits.

3. What can we conclude about digital technology from the passage?

A．It’s up to us human beings to decide how much we want to be distracted by it.

B．We can adjust our online behavior by making some changes to digital culture.

C．Standards must be set to ensure that we do not fall victim to its negative effects.

D．The impact of digital technology on our lives can be extended by cultural behavior.

2 . When my father died, one of the tasks that fell to me was to sort through and decide which objects to save and which to throw away. Now I look at the objects of my life as if I were dead, wondering, what will my children do with the human skull that sits on the bookcase? They’ve been wanting to throw it out for some years, but will they know how much can be learned from living with a skull? And I know they will throw the white plastic head of a horse on my desk into a rubbish bag without a thought, never knowing that it is the only piece remaining from the first chess set I owned. It is me at age twelve.

But the final decisions are left to those who know us least — our children. I was the closest to my father and knew him well; however, only when I was going through his study did I learn he had collected picture postcards of hotels. What was I to do with all the objects that had been him? The sad part of me wanted to put everything in my car and take it home. The rational won, however, and I filled rubbish bags with old newspapers, magazines, apologizing to his spirit as I did. I could not throw out the thousands of pictures he had taken on his travels. I brought the pictures home, though I will never look at them. I brought twelve boxes of my father home.

I look at the objects that are my life and the only way my children can satisfy me is by not touching a thing. But they must if I am to go on with my death. And I wonder how many boxes of me will my children keep? I look at these objects that are me and know, too, that they are symbols of how alone I and each of us is, for no one knows what any object means except he or she who owns it. Every object of our lives is a memory, and emotion surrounds around it, hiding and protecting a tiny truth of the heart. Only I have the memories of when and how each one was obtained; I look at the objects that are me, and the memories are warm and permeated (弥漫) with love.

1. Why does the writer keep the plastic head of a horse?

A．Because his father gave it to him as a gift.

B．Because it makes him a very good chess player.

C．Because it brings back memories of his childhood.

D．Because he accepted it as a prize for a competition.

2. How did the writer deal with the remaining objects of his father after he died?

A．He threw everything away.

B．He saved some of the worthless objects.

C．He took some of them to his own house.

D．He sorted them and put them into good order.

3. What do we know about the writer?

A．He is very strict with his children.

B．He prefers to collect different skulls.

C．He relies on his children to deal with his possessions.

D．He knows more about his father after his father died.

4. According to the last paragraph, the objects we save ________.

A．serve as the symbols of our social class	B．are reminders of past experiences
C．are quite expensive and valuable	D．make us proud of ourselves

3 . Top Apps For Climate Activists

The world population is at 7 billion and it’s predicted that by the end of this year there will be one smartphone for every five people in the world. That’s a lot of phones and a lot of information literally at our fingertips.

Information is constantly changing and those of us working hard to protect the environment for ourselves and future generations need to have access to up-to-date material. Being a climate change activist can be time consuming. But there’s an app (or ten) for that! The number of apps out there is staggering.

With these apps you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to stay in the know when it comes to your health, and the health of the environment.

	Carbon Emissions Calculator (CEC) for Air Travel (iOS-Free) This app allows passengers to estimate the carbon emissions attributed to their air travel. It is simple to use—just select your origin and destination airports, specify the class of travel and number of passengers. View the carbon footprint and the distance traveled for your trip.
	Fooducate (iOS and Android-$4. 99) This app empowers food shoppers everywhere to make healthy, informed decisions while at the supermarket. Scan your food and Fooducate generates a letter grade (A, B, C, or D) for each product scanned, along with brief explanations and warnings about its nutrients and ingredients. There is also an option to enter the bar code manually. The app will recommend minimally processed, real foods which are naturally rich in nutrients and antioxidants.
	Locavore (iOS and Android-Free) If you’re looking for the closest farmers market selling your favorite in season produce, then Locavore is the app for you. Locavore is a great app for those searching for local, in season, organic foods in your area. The app has one-click access to thousands of healthy, seasonal recipes and other information that can be shared with your friends and family. I like how the app not only lets you know which fruits and veggies are in season—it also lets you know how long they’ll be in season.
	Zimride (iOS and Android-Free) Ridesharing apps are all the rage. Zimride is a new spin on ridesharing, using social networks to enable real connections. Once you set up a profile you are able to book a ride in your area, or post a ride of your own. Drivers can charge for rides and Zimride doesn’t take a cut. Rides seem to be reasonably priced and since profiles are linked with Facebook it’s easy to check out your potential ride companions.

1. According to this text, the author recommends APPs because________.

A．those APPs could help people gain the up-to-date material

B．those APPs could forecast the changing climate accurately

C．those APPs could help people who have a fast-paced lifestyle

D．those APPs are free for those people who have a designated phone

2. If you want to find in season foods, which Apps should you download?

A．Zimride.

B．Fooducate.

C．Locavore.

D．CEC for Air Travel.

3. What can we learn about the APPs mentioned in this passage?

A．Zimride will charge for rides and then take a cut.

B．Locavore can tell us which fruits and meat are in season.

C．CEC for Air Travel can calculate the accurate carbon emissions of passengers.

D．Fooducate will recommend minimally processed foods naturally rich in nutrients and antioxidants.

4 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空，在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Nowadays, people are choosing to live in a minimalist lifestyle. Minimalism,     1     (bear) out of early 20th-century modernism, was a trend     2     over-decorated and over-furnished. One of the main reasons people choose to become minimalists is that they want to achieve more meaning in their life. Through practicing minimalism, people reduce their possessions to ones that make them     3    (true) happy. Besides, digital minimalism is particularly appealing to millennials who have grown tired of social media and being addicted to their technology.

5 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空，在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

The eastern Chinese city of Zibo     1     (emerge) as one of the country’s most popular tourist spots in the past few months — thanks to its barbecue. Favored by so-called internet influencers, the city has gone viral on Chinese social media platforms.     2    (video) on sites such as Xiaohongshu show thousands of people traveling to the city to savor (品尝) local barbecue,     3     they say is wrapped in a pancake. When asked     4     attracts them most, travellers say the awesome food in chorus, though the restaurants were not stylishly furnished.

6 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空，在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

The passengers on the bus watched with sympathy as Susan made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and then, using her hands to feel the seats,     1    (settle) in one of them. It had been years since Susan became blind. As the result of an accident, she     2    (throw) into a world of darkness. Susan’s husband Mark watched her sink into despair and he was determined to use every possible means to help her wife. Mark volunteered     3    (ride) the bus with Susan each morning and evening until she could manage it by herself.

7 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处的括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

It’s evident that not everybody has a sense of humor. Learning about theories of humor doesn’t guarantee that one’s ability to tell a joke will improve in any measurable degree. It would be distressing to learn about humor’s many benefits only     1    (discover) that it’s an entirely a product of genetics. Still, psychologists are divided on whether humor is an innate or learnable trait. In the past, they believed that only some cultures developed humor, but this     2    (believe) has changed, as no culture has ever been found lacking of comedy. So, if you want to improve your sense of humor, trying to look on the funny side of life     3    (work).

8 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写 1 个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处的括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Imagine     1    (abandon) at the age of 6 by his poor parents! Charles Mulli was forced to become a street beggar in order to survive. Yet even in the midst of his poverty and despair, he still dreamed of being an important man someday. He     2     (labor) at many difficult jobs for the following several years. Mulli then saved money and bought a car. That was     3     he began using as a taxi and in time, he started a transportation service company with a fleet of vehicles. All of his hard work turned Mull into a millionaire and an important man.

9 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求回答问题。

“I can’t” might actually mean “I don’t want to,” “I’m afraid,” “I’m confused,” or even “I don’t know how.” And after parsing out hidden meanings for the hundredth time, I can understand why my childhood gymnastics coach had put a gym-wide ban on the phrase.

Anyone who used it, even the other coaches, had to do 50 push-ups before trying conversation again. It wasn’t that he wanted people to do things beyond their skill or safety level. The policy was against the words themselves. He felt they were a shield to hide behind instead of admitting more useful and actionable hesitations. “I’m afraid.” “I’ve never done it by myself.” “I need to rest a few minutes before I try.” “I’m embarrassed to try in front of other people.” “I don’t want to, because...”.

Academic experiences can follow the same pattern. Answering unexpected questions or trying a new protocol in front of an audience can be crippling, Homework problems can compound and seem to get worse with each try instead of better. We end up uttering “I can’t,” because sometimes it’s easier than “I am so frustrated and exhausted that I want to cry,” “This makes me feel so dumb,” or even “I need help.”

As an asthmatic, my most vivid memories come from the annual hazing ritual known as the gym-class mile run. For me, “I can’t” actually meant “I’m afraid of having an asthma attack in front of all of my classmates,” and “It’s so embarrassing to run and be laps behind my peers; I would rather shield my ego from the hit by intentionally walking the whole thing, so please leave me alone.” My heart still starts to race just thinking of the number of times my self-preserving. “I can’t” was met with a dismissive “Of course, you can.”

But letting ourselves fall back on the “I can’t” can do more damage than just hiding our deeper feelings. Eventually we, and the people around us, start to believe it. I know there are things I have stopped trying because, well, I just can’t. So why try? The number of laps I have avoided with well-timed bathroom breaks is staggering. I can’t go back and tell my childhood self that the mile run wasn’t worth the anticipatory anxiety. But I can remember how badly I wished even one classmate had acknowledged that I had barely missed the school record in sit-and- reach instead of teasing me about laps the next day. I can remember that “I can’t” can so often mean something else. And I can take the time to try to ask the right questions, so that I can say something more useful in response than “Of course you can.”

1. What were people supposed to do if they said “I can’t” in my childhood gymnastics?
__________________________________________________________________
2. What does “I can’t” actually mean when I said that in the gym-class mile run?
__________________________________________________________________
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
There are things I have stopped trying because of the fact that I am not able to do that.
__________________________________________________________________
4. Describe one of your experiences of dealing with “I can’t”. (In about 40 words)
__________________________________________________________________

10 . In some ways, it is surprising that languages change. After all, they are passed down through the generations reliably enough for parents and children to communicate with each other.     1     For example, while Japanese has changed relatively little over a thousand years, English evolved rapidly in just a few centuries. Many present day speakers find Shakespear’s sixteenth-century plays difficult and Chaucer’s fourteenth-century The Canterbury Tales nearly impossible to read.

Languages change for a variety of reasons. Large-scale shifts often occur in response to social, economic, and political pressures, as there are many examples of language change fueled by invasions, colonization, and migration.     2     Frequently, the needs of speakers drive language change. New technologies industries, products and experiences simply require new words. By using new and emerging terms, we all drive language change. But the unique way that individuals speak also fuels language change because no two individuals use a language in exactly the same way.     3     Through our day-to-day interactions, we pick up words and savings from other people and integrate them into our speech. Teens and young adults, for example, often use different words and phrases from their parents. Some of them spread through the population and slowly change the language.

    4     Vocabulary can change quickly as new words are borrowed from other languages, or as words get coined, combined, or shortened. Some words are even created through misinterpretation of form. As noted in the Linguistic Society of America’s publication Is English Changing?, the word pea is one such example. Up until about four hundred years ago, pease could refer to either a single pea or many peas. At some point, people assumed that pease was the plural form of a new word, pea, based on the way pease sounded. While vocabulary can change quickly, sentence structure — the order of words in a sentence changes more slowly.     5     For example, during the Great Vowel Shift five hundred years ago, the pronunciation of vowels in English changed dramatically. This shift represents the biggest difference between the pronunciation of Middle English and Modern English.

A．Changes in sound are somewhat harder to document but just as interesting.

B．Yet linguists find that all living languages change over time — at different rates though.

C．As long as people are using a language, that language will undergo some change.

D．All natural languages change, and language change affects all areas of language use.

E．The three main areas of language that change over time are vocabulary, sentence structure, and pronunciation.

F．Even without these kinds of influences, a language can change dramatically if enough users adopt a new way of speaking.

G．The vocabulary and phrases people use depend on where they live, their age, education level, social status and other factors.