1 . More than half of the world’s population are city residents, and, by 2050, the United Nations predicts that seven in ten people will be. Architects are having to consider how architecture influences our emotional well-being in urban settings.

According to Colin Ellard, a research psychologist at Waterloo University, Canada, there is a lot of evidence which shows “the profound impact that the design of buildings has on how we feel, how we treat one another, and our overall psychological well-being”. A study from the University of Heidelberg concluded that people raised in the countryside are less likely to have mental disorders than those raised in the city. The city of Vancouver in Canada, which is surrounded by mountains and ocean, recognises the need to connect with nature. It has included protecting ocean and mountain views in its urban planning guidelines. For example, tall buildings are set up in strategic locations that don’t block scenic views for downtown residents.

The British designer Thomas Heatherwick wants to make architecture less soulless and boring. He told The Guardian, “We need to fearlessly demand interestingness and make buildings that enrich our senses.” He has listed seven characteristics of a boring building. These include being too flat and straight. He says lack of depth means light and shadow cannot play on surfaces, while straight lines are at odds with nature and make buildings dull.

However, making buildings interesting is not always easy, as architect Rafael Vinoly found out in 2013 when he created the 37-store y skyscraper in London. The building was admired for its curved exterior walls covered in reflective glass. However, it acted like a magnifying glass and reflected light which melted nearby cars and almost set fire to a carpet. A screen had to be added to prevent the building causing further damage.

So, for your own well-being, surround yourself with buildings that bring you joy, and ideally a view of nature.

1. Why are tall buildings located in certain places in Vancouver?

A．To protect people’s mental health.	B．To follow the tradition of the city.
C．To caution people against disorder.	D．To reveal the prosperity of the area.

2. Which kind of building is Thomas’ preference?

A．One with straight lines.	B．One having flat surfaces.
C．One having a security system.	D．One with innovative patterns.

3. What did Rafael Vinoly fail to consider in his design?

A．Boldness.

B．Creativity.

C．Practicality.

D．Flexibility.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To call on people to live in big cities.

B．To compare buildings in different cities.

C．To stress the importance of healthy emotion.

D．To convince people of emotional impact by buildings.

2 . Children who spend more time playing adventurously have less anxiety and depression and were happier over the first Covid-19 lockdown (封锁), according to a new study led by the University of Exeter. Today’s children have fewer chances for adventurous play, such as climbing trees, riding bikes or jumping from high surfaces. The study sought to test if adventurous play offers learning chances that help build resilience (适应力) in children, therefore helping to prevent mental health problems.

The research team surveyed nearly 2500 parents of children aged 5-11 years. Parents finished questions about their child’s play, their general mental health pre-Covid and their mood during the first Covid-19 lockdown.

Researchers found that children who spent more time playing outside had fewer “internalizing problems,” characterized as anxiety and depression. Those children were also more positive during the first lockdown. Results were the same even after researchers took more factors including child sex, age and parent mental health into consideration. They also found that the effect was more influential in children from lower income families than those growing up in richer households.

“This is really positive because play is free, natural and rewarding for children, available to everyone, and doesn’t require special skills. We now badly need to build and protect natural spaces, well-designed parks and adventure playgrounds, to support the mental health of our children,” Helen Dodd, who led the study, said.

“The positive influences of allowing children to manage challenges in their play are widespread and far-reaching. Adventurous play helps children to build the resilience, and manage stress in challenging situations,” said Jacqueline O’Loughlin, Chief Executive of PlayBoard NI. “Children and young people need freedom and chances to meet with challenges and risk in their everyday playful adventures.”

1. What does the new study focus on?

A．Ways of improving children’s resilience.

B．The influence of adventurous play on children.

C．Signs of anxiety and depression in children.

D．Children’s social needs during the Covid-19 lockdown.

2. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．The results of the research.	B．The process of the research.
C．The limitations of the research.	D．The importance of the research.

3. What does Helen Dodd advise people to do?

A．Allow children to use natural spaces for free.

B．Create opportunities for children to adventure.

C．Reward children for attending adventurous play.

D．Encourage children to learn special skills for adventures.

4. What is O’Loughlin’s attitude towards adventurous play?

A．Uncaring.

B．Doubtful.

C．Positive.

D．Disapproving.

3 . Ask most people which day of the week they fear the most and the answer is likely to be Monday. The first day of the working week can make us depressed.     1    

The most depressing day of the year is the third Monday in January, when it’s cold and dark outside. This day was named “Blue Monday” by psychologist Cliff Arnall. Even if there was little science behind Blue Monday, it’s probably true that the sound of our alarm clock on any Monday morning means the coming of a new working week and possibly the end of our weekend of fun.     2     It’s what psychologists call an emotional shift, and no other part of the week has a transition(过渡) like it.

Apparently, Monday means the end of weekend lie-ins.     3     According to a website, “If you can’t stand your job, then the Monday blues can be very real.” And it can be especially difficult to start another seemingly endless workweek. Your case of the Mondays can have a negative impact on your performance, productivity and the people around you.

    4     Feeling a bit low shouldn’t be confused with more serious depression, caused by other factors. Claudia Hammond, an author and presenter, argues that this low feeling might be untrue.     5     She mentions an Australian study of how people reflected on their mood and found the day that scored the lowest was in fact Wednesdays. So, when Monday comes, maybe we should give it a second chance!

A．But is Monday as bad as we like to think it is?

B．What exactly makes us feel down remains unknown.

C．Weekends are definitely happy days in all countries.

D．That’s why the feeling is described as the Monday blues.

E．There is a strong cultural idea that we don’t like Mondays.

F．Our Monday mood can be based on a direct comparison to the day before.

G．It’s back to the routine and the realization that there are five days of working ahead.

4 . Anger is a basic human emotion that is experienced by all people. Usually triggered (触发) by an emotional hurt, anger is usually experienced as an unpleasant feeling that occurs when we think we have been injured, mistreated, opposed in our long-held views.     1    

The experience of anger varies widely: how often anger occurs and how long it lasts are different for each person. People also vary in how easily they get angry, as well as how comfortable they are with feeling angry.     2     Some people are very aware of their anger, while others fail to recognize anger when it occurs. Regardless of how often we actually experience anger, it is a common and unavoidable emotion.

    3     When well managed, anger or annoyance has very few harmful health or interpersonal consequences (结果). At its roots, anger is a signal to you that something in your environment isn’t right. It catches your attention and encourages you to take action to correct that wrong thing. How you end up dealing with the anger signal has very important consequences for your overall health, however. When you express anger, your actions trigger others to become angry too.     4     Violence can follow. You may develop a reputation (名声) that no one wants to be around you.

Out of control, anger distances friends, co-workers and family members. It also has a clear relationship with health problems and an early death.     5    

A．Blood pressure rises.

B．Anger can be a positive emotion.

C．Anger can be beneficial or harmful.

D．Some people are always getting angry while others seldom feel angry.

E．These are but two of many reasons why learning to properly manage anger is a good idea.

F．Another way to reduce your anger and deal with it is to breathe slowly and deeply.

G．It also occurs when we are faced with problems that keep us from achieving personal goals.