1 . For some of us, going to the dentist for routine check-ups is a thing of the ordinary. But for many people around the world, especially those in impoverished (贫困的) areas, having dental improvement and their teeth checked simply isn’t possible. A Brazilian dentist Felipe Rossi has devoted himself to helping changing that situation.

Growing up in USA, Felipe Rossi had just obtained the Bachelor of Medicine Degree and was about to start a master’s degree in Pediatric Dentistry (儿童口腔学) when a journey to his father’s home — Balsabo in Brazil — converted his initial plan. “All locals didn’t have access to dental care, and consequently, many of them suffered deformed teeth or even loss of teeth, leading to many people not daring to laugh with mouth open.” Felipe Rossi recalled. “A desire was planted in my heart. That is, to use my skills to bring healthy smiles to people suffering from dental problems.”

With the support of his parents, Felipe formed an NGO (non-government organization) called Porsorriso to give free oral treatments to individuals with low incomes who require cleaning. fillings, crowns, restoration work and more. His team is composed of approximately 30 registered volunteers who go with him to poor towns and villages in Brazil.

Sponsorship is generally provided by two private companies. Individuals may also make donations through the ‘Smile Solidarity’ program, where they can choose monthly amounts to contribute. Porsorriso also holds regular fundraisers to afford the cost of providing free dental services around the country.

As noble as its objective is, Felipe admits that Porsorriso is “struggling to survive” because of the huge cost of providing dental work and the constant fundraising events they have to hold to keep the NGO in normal functioning. “Challenging as it is, it did bring healthy teeth as well as renewed confidence to the locals. We will continue this transformative act whatever difficulties we will face”. Felipe said with a strong will.

1. How does the author introduce the topic of the text?

A．By posing a contrast.

B．By reporting an event.

C．By assuming a situation.

D．By making an appeal.

2. What motivated Felipe to offer dental treatments to Brazilians?

A．The support from his parents.

B．The passion for dental health.

C．The encounter with local s lacking dental care.

D．The professional skills and knowledge from college.

3. Which of the following can best describe Felipe Rossi?

A．Hopeful and diligent.

B．Faithful and ambitious.

C．Intelligent and creative.

D．Charitable and dedicated.

4. What do we know about Porsorriso?

A．It gives free oral treatments to anyone in need.

B．It is cooperated by Felipe Rossi and the local authority.

C．It is financially supported by corporations and individuals.

D．It holds regular fundraisers to educate people about dental care.

2 . On-campus Meal Plans

Our on-campus dining prides itself on providing nutritious food choices to meet the wide variety of dietary needs within our community. Our meal plans offer the highest quality food and create opportunities for students to engage in academic and lively discussions over meals with each other. Community is one of the great reasons why students in residence halls are required to have a meal plan. While students are automatically signed up in the Blue Plan, three meal plans are available to meet your needs.

Available plans

Three meal plans are available and our meal plans are made up of two components:

●Meal Credits: Any unused meal credits at the dining halls will run out on Saturday at midnight each week and reset for the upcoming week. Meal credits can only be used by the meal plan holder.
●Flex Dollars: Flex dollars can be used to pay for anyone, such as family, friends, or guests.

	Current Plan	Upgrade Options
Plans	Blue Plan	Gold Plan	Ultimate Plan
Meal Credits	12 meal credits per week	18 meal credits per week	Unlimited meal credits per week
Flex Dollars	600 flex dollars	1,200 flex dollars	2,000 flex/dollars
Cost	Included in your Housing Contract	+$350 per year	+$950 per year

Upgrades and changes

Want more flexibility to meet your needs? Upgrade and maximize your plan. Simply fill out the On-campus Meal Plan Change Form during the limited change period:

Fall: March 1 — September 14

Spring: December 2 — February 8

1. What is a benefit for students to have a meal plan?

A．Simplifying dining process.

B．Boosting social connections.

C．Ensuring access to delicious food.

D．Maximizing profit for dining services.

2. How much do you pay to upgrade the Gold Plan?

A．$350 per year.	B．$600 per year.
C．$950 per year.	D．$1,200 per year.

3. When can students request changes to their meal plans?

A．Jan. 24.	B．Feb. 21.
C．Sept. 18.	D．Oct. 3.

3 . Feeling guilty about your daily afternoon nap (小睡)? Don’t. Research shows that catching a few ZZZs after lunch can be good for your brain.     1    

Napping for 30 to 90 minutes can provide significant brain benefits. Researchers looked at data from 2,974 adults in China. They discovered that those who napped for 30 to 90 minutes bad better word recall and figure drawing abilities than those who didn’t nap or napped for longer than 90 minutes. However, longer naps, particularly those longer than 90 minutes, might cause problems.     2     It in tum leads to needing longer naps during the day, which can cause mental issues, feeling dizzy after waking, and trouble sleeping at night.

Charlene Gamaldo, M.D., medical director of the Johns Hopkins Sleep Disorders Center, emphasizes the importance of considering individual sleep needs and cycles when it comes to napping.     3     She advises that if you’re experiencing sleeplessness or taking longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep at night, it might be wise to limit your nap duration. This balance is crucial for maintaining overall sleep quality.

The study also suggests that both too much and too little sleep can be linked to poor health and a shorter life.     4     For most of us, the ideal nap length can have a significant positive impact on brain health and overall well-being.

    5     So, enjoy your afternoon nap, but keep it within the golden time range to get the most benefits.

A．It symbolizes a good memory.

B．Resting more during the day is restorative.

C．Therefore, it’s essential to get the right quantity.

D．But keep in mind that the length of your nap matters.

E．One reason is that they suggest poor quality in nighttime sleep.

F．A well-timed nap helps maintain thinking skills and good health.

G．While napping is beneficial, it should not disturb nighttime sleep.

4 . With many people setting health goals as part of their New Year’s resolutions, here are the reasons why you should include cold water therapy (冷水疗法) in yours.

Improved sleep

The calming effects of cold water therapy extend to the field of sleep. Some individuals report enhanced relaxation and improved sleep quality, particularly when engaging in this practice before bedtime.

Stress reduction

The stimulation of the body’s stress response during cold water therapy holds the potential to enhance one’s tolerance to stress over time. Regular exposure to this practice may contribute to an increased adaptation to stressors, developing a more adaptive response to life’s challenges.

Skin and hair health

Cold water’s ability to constrict blood vessels (收缩血管) can lead to reduced puffiness (浮肿), contributing to healthier-looking skin. Furthermore, exposure to cold water may impart benefits to hair health and shine, adding beauty to the overall well-being promoted by this tradition.

Increased endurance

Exploring the fields of physical fitness, regular engagement in cold water therapy is suggested to improve endurance. This enhancement is due to the positive impact on cardiovascular (心血管) strength, ultimately increasing the body’s tolerance to stress on the cardiovascular system over time.

While the benefits are convincing, it is crucial to acknowledge that individual responses can vary. Therefore, consulting with a healthcare professional is advisable before starting cold water therapy.

Additionally, a gradual approach and proper adaptability are essential to avoid subjecting the body to extreme cold exposure without due preparation.

As we start this journey into the new year, considering the incorporation of cold water therapy into our resolutions may provide a refreshing and healthful dimension to our pursuit of wellbeing.

1. Which of the following is not the benefit of cold water therapy?

A．We can become beauties.

B．It is likely that we will sleep better.

C．Our cardiovascular system may be stronger.

D．We may improve our ability to handle pressure．

2. What does the underlined word “impart” in the Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Deny.

B．Offer.

C．Donate.

D．Receive.

3. What does the author agree with?

A．Doctors advise patients to adopt cold water therapy.

B．Once we apply cold water therapy, our stress will be reduced

C．Everyone can benefit a lot if engaged regularly in cold water therapy.

D．We should adapt to cold water gradually when starting cold water therapy.

5 . During the past years, my first teacher — my mother — has been suffering from dementia (痴呆). Of course, I wish my mother still could make full use of her _________ and that life were easier for her. But given the _________, I am also grateful for the opportunity to _________ new lessons that my mother’s aging and illnesses present.

Living in another city, I have _________ flown from New York to Florida every two weeks or so, _________ to help ensure her safety, health and happiness.

Even so, she has never _________ being my teacher — in some ways, perhaps now more than ever before. These _________ test my courage, sometimes on a daily basis. They teach me when to guide and when to take a deep breath, when to give my mother a big hug and when to quietly weather the storm. They constantly _________ me to act patiently and wisely so her _________ are properly met, and yet still step back so I don’t rob her of her independence.

My mother has always been __________ and still insists on doing what she can for herself. She makes __________ by herself when she gets up in the morning and bends to pick up whatever __________ on the floor. When it’s time to bring her empty tea cup into the kitchen, she will __________ her walker with one hand and the cup in another.

Even as my mother __________ her ability to speak, to remember and to reason, she still __________ me how to live and love.

1.

A．memory

B．talent

C．knowledge

D．freedom

2.

A．thoughts

B．realities

C．arrangements

D．intentions

3.

A．look for

B．refer to

C．pick out

D．learn about

4.

A．gradually

B．silently

C．willingly

D．curiously

5.

A．trying

B．risking

C．agreeing

D．hating

6.

A．practiced

B．stopped

C．suggested

D．imagined

7.

A．schedules

B．skills

C．lessons

D．efforts

8.

A．allow

B．order

C．force

D．require

9.

A．dreams

B．needs

C．goals

D．results

10.

A．active

B．generous

C．humorous

D．honest

11.

A．noise

B．money

C．breakfast

D．change

12.

A．depends

B．acts

C．moves

D．falls

13.

A．raise

B．hold

C．examine

D．draw

14.

A．loses

B．finds

C．keeps

D．offers

15.

A．commands

B．blames

C．persuades

D．teaches

6 . People who experienced trauma (精神创伤) as a child or adolescent were found to be 48 percent more likely to have serious and repeated headaches as an adult than those who had not experienced trauma in their early years, according to research published in the journal Neurology. The finding came from the analysis of data from 28 studies, involving 154,739 people.

Overall, nearly one-third of the participants reported having experienced a traumatic event at least once before age 18, and 16 percent had been diagnosed as an adult with a primary headache disorder, which means that their headaches are the main problem, rather than a symptom (症状) of an underlying disease or condition.

The researchers categorized traumatic events as either threat-based (such as physical or emotional abuse, witnessing or being threatened by violence, and serious family conflicts) or deprivation-based (including neglect, financial trouble, parents’ separation, divorce or death, and living in a household with mental illness, alcohol or substance abuse). Physical abuse and exposure to family violence were among the most commonly reported traumas.

Of those who had experienced at least one traumatic event as a youth, 26 percent subsequently were diagnosed with primary headaches, compared with 12 percent of those who had not experienced trauma.

As the number of traumatic events experienced by a child or adolescent increased, so did the odds of their having headaches later in life. For example, those who had experienced four or more traumatic events were more than twice as likely to have a head ache disorder. Also, certain traumas — physical abuse and neglect — were linked to greater risk for headaches than other types of trauma.

The study found an association between trauma as a youth and headache disorder as an adult, rather than direct proof that one led to the other. But the researchers wrote that traumas experienced as a child or adolescent “are important risk factors for primary headache disorders in adulthood,” which one of the researchers described in a statement released by the American Academy of Neurology as “a risk factor that we cannot ignore.”

1. What does the research focus on?

A．The different types of trauma experienced by children.

B．The reasons why headaches are so common among adults.

C．The influence that childhood experiences have on later life.

D．The link between childhood trauma and headaches as an adult.

2. Which of the following traumatic events is described as deprivation-based?

A．Witnessing violence.	B．Physical abuse.
C．The loss of a parent.	D．Criticism from teachers.

3. What does the underlined word “odds” in paragraph 5 mean?

A．Complexity.

B．Frequency.

C．Seriousness.

D．Chance.

4. What do the researchers say about childhood trauma?

A．It causes headaches.	B．It deserves attention.
C．It can be prevented.	D．It can be life-threatening.

7 . Many of us remember the feeling of having our braces (牙套) regularly adjusted and retightened at the dentist’s. And interventions are based entirely upon the estimate of dentists and involve a great deal of trial and error, which can lead to too many visits to the dentist’s.

Professor Erleben and his team created a computer model that creates accurate 3D simulations (模拟) of an individual patient’s jaw, which dentists can use to predict how sets of braces should be designed to best straighten a patient’s teeth and plan the best possible treatment. To create these simulations, the computer model was used to map sets of human teeth after getting detailed CT images of teeth and the small, fine structures between the jawbone and the teeth. This type of precise digital simulation is referred to as a digital twin, a virtual model that lives in the cloud.

The virtual model can answer what’s happening in the real world, and do so instantly. For example, one can ask what would happen if you pushed on one tooth and get answers with regards to where it would move and how it would affect other teeth. The model also helps to predict the post treatment effect, achieve “visualization” of treatment, and facilitate patients to understand the plan of straightening their teeth. What’s more, it has enabled more flexible and convenient digital medical follow-up services.

The area of research that uses digital twins is relatively new. “However, we need to set up a sufficiently big database if digital twins are to really take root and benefit the healthcare industry,” Erleben said, “In the future, the virtual model can be used to plan, design and improve, and can therefore be used to operate companies, robots, factories and used much more in the energy, healthcare and other fields.”

1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?

A．The professional integrity of dentists.	B．The current state of dental treatment.
C．The procedure of retightening braces.	D．The intervention of modern technology.

2. Which was the first step in creating 3D simulations?

A．Predicting treatment effect.	B．Designing a computer model.
C．Drawing the shape of a mouth.	D．Obtaining the details of teeth.

3. What is Professor Erleben’s attitude towards digital twins?

A．Doubtful.

B．Curious.

C．Favorable.

D．Dismissive.

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

A．Why digital twins make a hit	B．Where virtual treatment goes
C．What trouble dentists encounter	D．How a virtual model aids dentists

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

You can be happy even when you’re suffering from illness, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the aspects of your health     1     are in your control. Exercise and sleep are particularly important when it comes     2     happiness.

Making exercise a regular habit isn’t just good for the body. It also has a     3     (power) effect on mental well-being. People who exercise regularly are happier across the board. Plus, they’re also less stressed, anxious, and     4     (depress).

It doesn’t really matter     5     kind of exercise you do, so long as you do it regularly. For the best results, aim for an hour of exercise at least five days a week. If you find something you enjoy, you’ll be more likely     6     (stick) to it. So don’t think you’re limited to     7     (go) to the gym. Find something that suits your lifestyle and preferences. If you’re having trouble thinking of activities you enjoy, think back to when you     8     (be) a kid. What sports or games did you like to play?

Also, getting quality sleep every night directly     9     (affect) your happiness, and emotional stability during the day. When you re lacking sleep, you’re much easier to stress. It’s harder to be productive, think creatively, and make wise     10     (decide). The average person needs at least 7.5 - 9 hours each night.

9 . How much water does the average adult need to drink every day? “Eight 8-ounce glasses” is common advice, but any truly serious answer to the how-much question will begin with some version of it depends.”

Researchers have long known that a region called SFO in the brain monitors the concentration (浓度) of water and salts in blood and triggers the urge to drink. But they failed to fully explain how we experience thirst. For example, when we gulp a drink, we feel almost instantly satisfied, and yet it takes 10 to 15 minutes for a liquid to enter our bloodstream. Recently neuroscientists have gained other remarkable insights into how thirst is monitored in the body and controlled in the brain.

In a series of elegant experiments with mice, Zimmerman, a neuroscientist, and his associates measured the activity of neurons (神经元) in the SFO. “We saw that their activity changed very fast when the mouse drank water or drank saltwater and when it ate food,” he says. The researchers showed that signals gathered at the SFO from several places. “You get a signal from the blood that tells your current state of hydration (水平衡), a signal from the mouth that tells you how much fluid you drank, and a signal from the gut that tells you what was consumed — was it water, was it something else?” The SFO neurons, he explains, “add these signals together” and then transmit the urge to drink or stop drinking.

The big takeaway of Zimmerman’s work is that for the most part you can trust your thirst system to tell you when you need to drink. But there are exceptions. Because the system’s sensitivity may decline with age. People with certain health conditions, including kidney stones and diarrhea, also need extra water.

Other parts of the brain — the ones used in planning — should help with hydration on hot days and when exercising. Thirsty or not, Zimmerman says, he drinks water before going for a run: “My thirst neurons don’t know I’m about to run 10 miles.”

1. What has long been known about thirst?

A．Thirst experience varies among individuals.

B．Thirst is controlled by the water-salt balance in blood.

C．Thirst satisfaction occurs with water entering bloodstream.

D．Thirst response is influenced by the type of liquid consumed.

2. What’s the main idea of paragraph 3?

A．Why we feel thirst.

B．Where SFO gets signals.

C．How we experience thirst.

D．When SFO neurons get active.

3. What’s the major conclusion from Zimmerman’s study?

A．Thirst system is generally reliable.

B．Illness might affect thirst sensation.

C．Brain areas for planning aid in hydration.

D．Brain adjusts to age-related thirst sensitivity.

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

A．Drink Your Way to Health

B．Application of the Thirst Mechanisms

C．Misunderstanding of Daily Water Intake

D．Body Detects Daily Water Needs Cleverly

10 . It’s a struggle for many of us to get out of the sedentary (久坐的) lifestyle, despite our best intentions.     1    , the biggest barriers are mental ones. Maybe it’s a lack of self-confidence that keeps you from taking positive steps, or you get easily discouraged and give up.

You already know there are many ways and great reasons to exercise — from improving mood, sleep, and health to reducing anxiety. But knowing how and why to exercise can’t get you starting and sticking to your exercise plan.     2    , you need to follow these steps which can make exercise less painful and more fun.

● Get rid of the all-or-nothing attitude. You don’t have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into boring or painful activities you hate to experience the physical and emotional benefits of exercise.     3    . In fact, adding just tiny amounts of physical activity to your weekly routine can have a great effect on your mental and physical health.

● Be kind to yourself. Don’t punish yourself if you miss a workout.     4    . If you miss a day, consider it a rest day, and remember there’s always tomorrow. If you have a hard time sticking with your workout routine, just try something different. There are plenty of ways to stay active, and at the end of the day, you will find an exercise routine that works for you.

●     5    . You are not out of shape overnight, and you’re not going to instantly transform your body either. Demanding too much, too soon only leads to dissatisfaction. Instead of paying attention only to results, focus on consistency (连贯性).

A．Let it go and be patient

B．Share the results with others

C．Have reasonable expectations

D．If you really want to make exercise a habit

E．Remember a little exercise is better than nothing

F．If you are having trouble in finding an exercise to do on a daily basis

G．While practical concerns like a busy schedule can make exercise challenging