1 . Christian Bowers, now 24, has Down Syndrome (唐氏综合征) and it’s been hard for him to find good friends. His mom, Donna Herter, said his lack of friends was making him feel ________.

Herter didn’t know who to turn to. So, she posted it on Facebook. “I just basically said that I was looking for a young ________,” she said. “I told them that I’d pay them $80 for two hours to just ________ and play video games with him. All he ________ wants is just a guy friend to do guy stuff with.”

Herter said Christian attends events for people with special ________, but he “desires a friendship with somebody who is ________”.

Herter sent the post at I am and when she woke up, it had about 5,000 comments. She saw parents ________ suggestions, others volunteering to help. “My hands were ________. I was sweating,” she said.

After ________ a few local guys in Wentzville, Minnesota, Donna ________ it down to seven who now visit Christian once a week.

James Hasting was one of the men she ________. Hasting said he works with people with disabilities and it’s something he has a(n) ________ for. He said he had visited Christian three times so far and they had a wonderful time together.

“Though on the ________ we may look different, deep down we have ________ and getting along should be easy,” Hasting said. He hopes to ________ others to form friendships-because you never know how much it means to someone.

1.

A．independent

B．depressed

C．curious

D．surprised

2.

A．man

B．teacher

C．girl

D．student

3.

A．show off

B．hang out

C．move on

D．calm down

4.

A．suddenly

B．regularly

C．temporarily

D．really

5.

A．skills

B．hobbies

C．needs

D．choices

6.

A．normal

B．strong

C．professional

D．brilliant

7.

A．collecting

B．rejecting

C．offering

D．comparing

8.

A．waving

B．crossing

C．aching

D．shaking

9.

A．consulting

B．interviewing

C．informing

D．persuading

10.

A．broke

B．wrote

C．narrowed

D．turned

11.

A．selected

B．refused

C．assisted

D．protected

12.

A．indicator

B．requirement

C．mode

D．passion

13.

A．education

B．spot

C．strength

D．surface

14.

A．similarities

B．experiences

C．responsibilities

D．feelings

15.

A．allow

B．inspire

C．warn

D．request

2 . Think of your most prized possession. Now, imagine you decide you must sell this item. How much is it worth to you? How much would you charge for it? And would anyone else want to buy it at that price?

Let’s consider the real-world example of a yard sale. Before your neighbors come to look at your things, you must first decide on the prices for them. For you, each item has a story, and some items may even evoke strong emotions.

Let’s say you’re selling a pair of special edition sports shoes that you took care of and really enjoyed wearing on special occasions. With these sweet memories in mind, you put a price tag of $130 on the shoes. However, a customer offers $50 for them. You think, “How could they not see how special and valuable these are?”

In financial transactions like this, sellers often believe their own items are worth more than what buyers are willing to pay. This occurs because buyers do not have the seller’s experiences with and emotional attachment to the items. Buyers want a good deal, and they’re not willing to pay what the seller is asking for.

This negotiation process can even feel a little painful for the seller—over losing something and the buyer not valuing it as much. Economists suggest this dynamic occurs through the endowment effect (禀赋效应)—people’s tendency to value things they own more highly than they would if they did not own them. The endowment effect can take hold anytime we feel a sense of ownership over a product, and it can happen quickly.

As the saying goes, “Emotions get the best of us.” There is nothing wrong with being proud of owning things and treasuring your experiences with them. But when you consider selling a prized possession, think about whether you’re fully ready to part with it. The past is the past, though. Removing your emotional attachment to material possessions can help you make more accurate assessments of how much your items are truly worth.

1. What does the underlined word “evoke” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Advocate.

B．Cause.

C．Identify.

D．Control.

2. What makes you put a price tag of $130 on your shoes according to paragraph3?

A．Your fondness for the shoes.	B．Your ignorance of the market.
C．The high quality of the shoes.	D．The special function of the shoes.

3. Which can best illustrate the result of endowment effect?

A．One likes collecting old things.

B．One tends to buy expensive goods.

C．One offers a lower price when shopping.

D．One charges a higher-than-usual price for something.

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

A．To make a suggestion.	B．To introduce a theory.
C．To analyze a phenomenon.	D．To provide some evidence.

3 . Last Christmas, I volunteered for WNWNB, a charity which takes surplus (剩余的) produce from New Covent Garden Market and ________ it to the local community.

The food was already in containers. So we set up the stand and got ready to distribute some Christmas ________. At first, it was ________. People seemed a bit suspicious of taking food for free. But they gradually ________ us and we had a fun afternoon singing carols and trying to ________ passersby to take our food.

It was then time to deliver meals to those who weren’t able to come. This is ________ things changed for me. The first door I knocked on was ________ by a woman in her 30s. She had children and looked absolutely worn out. I told her I was from WNWNB and gave her the ________ meals. It was probably only about two days’ worth of food but, the way she ________, I felt as if I was handing her gold.

I had similar responses to my next ________. In some cases, when people were elderly or alone, I’d go into their homes and have a brief ________ before heading off. Many felt ________, but I saw how happy they were to have another adult human to ________.

As a local politician I knock on doors and talk to people a lot, but there was something deeper about those ________ on Christmas Day. I finished my day at WNWNB a slightly different person from the one who ________.

1.

A．distributes

B．introduces

C．sells

D．exhibits

2.

A．forgiveness

B．images

C．recipes

D．cheer

3.

A．easy

B．nice

C．slow

D．safe

4.

A．broke away from

B．put up with

C．cut in on

D．warmed up to

5.

A．threaten

B．encourage

C．allow

D．command

6.

A．why

B．how

C．where

D．when

7.

A．opened

B．repaired

C．cleaned

D．guarded

8.

A．costly

B．unfinished

C．deserted

D．ready

9.

A．declined

B．reacted

C．argued

D．traded

10.

A．purchases

B．interviews

C．deliveries

D．schedules

11.

A．meal

B．chat

C．report

D．silence

12.

A．proud

B．free

C．lonely

D．content

13.

A．connect with

B．look after

C．turn to

D．rely on

14.

A．conversations

B．budgets

C．explanations

D．deals

15.

A．hesitated

B．started

C．ignored

D．struggled

4 . The motivation for his invention came to Aarrav Anil last year when he saw his uncle Arjun, who has Parkinson’s disease, struggle to eat. Some food spilled (溢出) out of his mouth, the rest splattered (溅) on his clothes. Arjun attempted to keep his dignity but the frustration forced him to give up and call his helper to feed him.

The sight of his uncle’s shaking the spoon so violently inspired Aarrav, 17, from Bengaluru, south India, to turn to robotics. He locked himself in his room with microcontrollers, sensors, motors, and a 3D printer. What emerged was a prototype (原型) of a smart spoon that is now undergoing trials at the RV College of Physiotherapy in Bengaluru.

The sensors in the battery-operated spoon detect shaking on one side and activate movement on the other, effectively cancelling out shaking to keep the spoon stable.

“I’ve been fine tuning the design based on the college’s feedback-that it needs to be waterproof so that it can be washed without damaging all the electronics inside; that it must be removable so it can be cleaned and replaced by a fork, ” Aarrav says.

For Aarrav it is the peak of a 10-year interest in mechanics that began when his mother bought him a Lego set. He has now represented India at more than 20 robotics competitions across the world.

When the blueprint for the smart spoon won first prize in the future innovators category at last year’s World Robot Olympiad in Germany, Aarrav felt encouraged to make the prototype.

More than 7 million people in India are estimated to have Parkinson’s disease, a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged and which mainly affects people over the age of 50. Symptoms (症状) include involuntary shaking and stiff muscles. As the disease progresses, eating can become more difficult, forcing people to rely on help from others.

Aarrav’s ambition is that every family that has someone with Parkinson’s will have the smart spoon. He says his uncle Arjun’s words keep echoing (回响) in his mind: “Who would have thought such a small thing could mean the difference between dignity and indignity?”

1. What can Aarrav’s invention help people with Parkinson’s do?

A．Control their physical balance.	B．Boost their mood and relieve stress.
C．Maintain a good range of movement.	D．Feed themselves more independently.

2. What does the underlined part “fine tuning” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Overturning.	B．Reconsidering.
C．Conducting a study of.	D．Making minor changes to.

3. What is the author’s purpose in mentioning Parkinson’s in India?

A．To show prospects of Aarrav’s invention.

B．To reveal the nation’s poor health situation.

C．To popularize general knowledge of the disease.

D．To convince people to volunteer for social causes.

4. What can be learned about Aarrav from the text?

A．He enjoys being alone.	B．He has an innovative mind.
C．He used to be a health worker.	D．He longed to be a businessman.

5 . Welcome to American United Travel Company. We’ll help you spend a perfect holiday. For over 6 years, we have been organizing value for money summer holidays, whether it’s a late holiday deal or your main summer holiday. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway, a luxury 5-star holiday, or you just want to relax and soak up the sun, we’ve got access to the very best flight and hotel deals throughout the world. We are proud to offer you various services unlike other tour companies where we offer one-stop shop for complete tourism.

Our Services Include

Tours. Meet & Assist Services. Airport Transfer. MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conferences, Exhibitions) private Jets. Ground handling (24 hours) VIP services on arrival & departure. Adventure Tour.

Means of Transportation Reservations

We operate for all means of transportation available in the country, starting with buses for groups to car rental to individuals.

Guidance

We have the most qualified guides who speak French, English, German, Italian, and Spanish. We bank on their communication skills as well as their knowledge in various fields.

Fancy Dinners

We prepare outdoor dinners in particular places such as castles, beaches, old and traditional houses, etc. Usually, these dinners are arranged according to the clients’ choices.

Luggage Concierge

Don’t worry about luggage size and weight when travelling. Give your bags to Luggage Concierge in advance and they will be waiting for you at your destination when you arrive.

Call one of our experienced travel consultants on 18884700610 to secure one of these fantastic deals.

1. What is special about United Travel company?

A．It provides one-stop complete tourism.	B．It supplies the best flight and hotels.
C．It offers transfer service.	D．Its guides speak various languages.

2. What can you do with your luggage before travelling?

A．Send it to your destination directly.	B．Carry it by yourself.
C．Keep it as light as possible.	D．Hand it to Luggage Concierge.

3. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To diversify the economy.	B．To attract tourists.
C．To conserve the environment.	D．To entertain readers.

6 . Why does the giant squid (乌贼) have eyes as large as a football? Why do more than 350 species of fish produce their own electricity? Why do dogs become more optimistic after two weeks of plentiful sniffing (嗅)?

The mysteries and miracles of animal senses are revealed in this year's winner of Royal Society Trivedi science book prize. An Immense World by Ed Yong is an exploration of the unique sensory world of other creatures, from tree hoppers to singing frogs, who sense the world in vastly different ways to humans.

Yong has interviewed many kinds of scientists during his writing but sensory biologists are his favourite. “There's a surprising number of sensory biologists who are themselves neuro-atypical—they have something like face blindness or colour blindness,” he says. “Their different than‘normal’ way of experiencing the world themselves might help them better empathize (共情) with other creatures who have those experiences. The core of this book is curiosity and empathy, understanding and valuing animals for their own benefit, and trying to put ourselves in the shoes of creatures who are very different to us.”

Yong's book carries an important message about how our lack of understanding of the sensory worlds of other animals is hugely destructive. Studies have shown that LED lights are particularly damaging to bats and insects. Flowers illuminated (照亮) by bright lights receive 62%fewer visits from insects. Meanwhile, low-frequency noise in oceans has risen 32-fold since the Second World War because of global shipping-damaging whales' ability to communicate.

Unfortunately, reducing noise and light pollution is nowhere near the political agenda. "It's understandable why it's not on the political agenda because it's not a visceral (强烈的) problem like a plastic-ridden beach or chemicals billowing from a smokestack, ”says Yong. “Light and sound don't produce the same kind of horror. Light especially feels like an entirely good thing-we want more light in our lives; light is knowledge, safety, beauty and goodness. So just raising awareness that these are problems that could be tackled is an important first step and one I hope An Immense World moves people further towards taking."

1. What is An Immense World aimed at?

A．Popularizing scientific knowledge.

B．Exploring the origin of the universe.

C．Revealing the unknown lives of animals.

D．Building harmony between man and nature.

2. Why did Ed Yong prefer to interview sensory biologists?

A．They are pleasant to talk with.	B．They are more knowledgeable.
C．They have abnormal behaviour.	D．They identify with the creatures.

3. What is the reason that reducing noise and light pollution is not on the political agenda?

A．Their seriousness is not so obvious.	B．There is a lack of government funds.
C．There is public ignorance about them.	D．They have been brought under control.

4. What is this text?

A．A news report.

B．A biology textbook.

C．A research paper.

D．A book review.

7 . Whatever your reason for feeling blue, know that occasional feelings of sadness are completely normal and to be expected in life.     1    . And while such feelings aren’t fun and can be challenging to overcome, it’s absolutely possible to beat your blue mood with a little effort.

● Spend time with loved ones

Call or visit a friend or family member that you know you can count on. Since moods are contagious (传染的), try to choose someone with a positive perspective on life.     2    . Spend your time with them, recalling good times. Or do something that will make you laugh, such as watching your favorite stand-up comedian or go shopping. Allow yourself to feed off of their positive energy to boost your mood.

●     3    

Take a trip if you’re able to, even somewhere close by. If that’s not in the cards, try something simple like changing your hairstyle, eating dinner at a new restaurant, taking a different route to work, switching up your gym routine, or visiting a local museum. It doesn’t have to be anything significant. Even a small shift in your daily activities can improve your outlook.

● Do a good deed

It may sound counterintuitive (反常的), but perhaps one of the easiest ways to beat the blues is to do something for someone else.     4    . Help a friend or family member or volunteer at your local animal or homeless shelter. You can also perform a random act of kindness. It feels good to make others feel good.

●Change your environment

Your surroundings play a significant role in how you feel. If possible, a change of scenery can help you feel better. Rearrange your furniture, add plants or other pleasing decor to your home. You might also consider who you spend your time with since moods and attitudes are contagious. Negative people can bring you down, and positive people can uplift you.     5    

A．Change your routine.

B．Do something creative.

C．And it doesn’t cost a cent to just be nice.

D．There’s nothing wrong with you for feeling down.

E．Otherwise, you risk feeling worse than you already do.

F．You may try taking a walk or listening to a calming song.

G．Surround yourself with positive people and things to feel your best.

8 . Welcome to Buckler’s Hard

Fun facts about Buckler’s Hard

A former ship-building village on the River Beaulieu in the New Forest. The setting is lovely, two rows of well-preserved red-brick workers’ cottages-separated by a lawn-lead down to the water’s edge where boats glide past. Attractions include a maritime (航海) museum telling the story of warships built for Nelson’s navy and other moments in seafaring history.

Costumed volunteers are on hand to answer questions and entertain children with, say, a game of coits or explain how families lived in the Shipwright’s Cottage. In summer hop on a boat for a cruise(漫游)up the river(extra charge).

Getting there

Take the M27, exit at junction 2 and follow the tourist signs towards nearby Beaulieu motor museum-from there Buckler’s Hard is signposted. The car park is an extra £6-£10. Train to Brockenhurst then taxi-or hire a bike and cycle the three miles through the New Forest.

Value for money?

Yes. The amount of time you take will likely depend on the weather. On a sunny day you could easily spend an afternoon for a reasonable £6.90 (adult), £4.70 (child 5-16) or £21 (family ticket for four).

Opening hours

10 a.m.-6 p.m. every day, except Christmas Day.

1. What can visitors do in Buckler’s Hard?

A．Volunteer in cruise boats.	B．Explore maritime history.
C．Play games with children.	D．Experience the country life.

2. How much would a couple with their 5-year-old twin sons pay for admission?

A．£13.80.

B．£18.50.

C．£21.

D．£ 23.20.

3. What do we learn about Buckler’s Hard from the text?

A．It offers free river cruises.	B．It is conveniently located.
C．It charges no parking fees.	D．It opens all the year round.

9 . African grey parrots (鹦鹉) help their peers complete tasks despite no immediate benefit to themselves, researchers have found in the first study to show that birds display such apparently “selfless” behaviour.

Writing in the journal Current Biology, Brucks and colleagues report how they tested African grey parrots in a task that involved the birds passing a token, in the form of a metal ring, through a hole in their section to a neighbouring bird of the same species. This token could then be passed by the second bird to a human, via another hole, who would exchange it for a piece of nut.

The team found African grey parrots helped their neighbours by passing tokens to their neighbour when a human held out their hand, allowing the second bird to drop it through-the hole and receive a tasty treat.

The same behaviour was seen when the roles of the birds were reversed (颠倒). The more tokens a bird had previously given, the more they received in return.

However, the team stress previously the birds did not know that their favour would be rewarded, suggesting it is something of a “selfless” act.

The team say it may be due to African grey parrots gathering in huge flocks at night but splitting into smaller groups during the day to forage (觅食). Brucks said such behaviour is thought to require strong social cognitive (认知) abilities, adding that being helpful might help the birds gain a good reputation with their peers, making it more likely they would team up for foraging and other tasks.

Dr Manon Schweinfurth, an expert in animal behaviour, said evidence of reciprocal (互惠的) behaviour in African grey parrots is quite interesting. “It has been thought that it is so cognitively demanding that only humans can show it. But we now get more and more evidence from other animals that they are able to show reciprocity,” she said.

1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．The methods of observation.	B．The comparison of the species.
C．One feeding behaviour of parrots.	D．One example of Brucks’ experiments.

2. Brucks’ study found that grey parrots help their peers complete tasks even if           .

A．there was no human signal	B．there was no neighbor request
C．they received no instant reward	D．they got punished for a selfish act

3. What does paragraph 6 mainly focus on?

A．Possible reasons for the research finding.	B．Potential application of the research result.
C．A further explanation of the research method.	D．A reasonable doubt about the research process.

4. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．A scientific discovery about grey parrots.	B．The development of parrots’ selfless spirit.
C．A practical experiment on animal behaviour.	D．The protection of parrots’ living environment.

10 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Last summer, Hilda worked as a volunteer with dolphin trainers at a sea life park. Her job was to make sure the tanks were free of any items so that the trainers could train the dolphins to fetch specific items. However, one day after cleaning, one of the dolphins, Maya, presented Hilda with a candy wrapper from the tank. When Katherine, the trainer, saw this, she blamed Hilda for her carelessness. Upset but not discouraged by this event, Hilda decided to do some spying on Maya.

The next morning, Hilda arrived at the park early. She put on her scuba gear (水下呼吸器) and jumped into the tank for her usual, underwater sweep. Finding nothing in the tank, she climbed out of the water just in time to see Katherine jumping in on the other side. After what happened yesterday, Hilda knew what she was doing. She watched as Katherine performed her underwater search, but Hilda wasn’t surprised when she surfaced empty-handed.

During the tank sweeps, Maya had been swimming playfully, but now the dolphin stopped suddenly and swam to the back part of the tank where the filter (过滤) box was located. She stuck her nose down behind the box and then swam away. What was Maya doing back there? Hilda wondered. She jumped back into the water and swam over to take a look behind the box, and her question was answered. Hilda then swam across the tank following Maya’s path and emerged from the water to find Katherine removing her scuba gear. As Katherine turned around, her mouth dropped open. There was Maya at the edge of the tank with a comb (梳子) in her mouth waiting for her treat.

“Maya! Where did you get that?” demanded Katherine, taking the comb and throwing her a fish. “I know where she got it,” declared Hilda climbing out of the tank with a handful of items still wet from their watery, resting place. “What’s all this?” Katherine asked, obviously confused.

注意：
(1)续写词数应为150个左右;
(2)请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

“This is Maya’s secret,” Hilda said with a big smile.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now Katherine realized what had been going on.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________