1 . 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。

These days, many Chinese young people have turned to trees to help with their stress. Although it sounds strange, there’s science behind the act of tree-hugging.

A study in 2021     1     (report) that the act of tree-hugging can increase oxytocin (催产素). It’s a hormone responsible for     2     (feel). The     3     (high) the level of oxytocin is, the calmer and happier you may be. Hugging trees for only 21 seconds can lead to     4     increase in oxytocin.

Another hormone     5     (call) cortisol (皮质醇) is a marker of stress. The brain produces more cortisol when the person is anxious, angry, or very sad. Hugging trees helps cut cortisol production,     6     makes us feel better.

Although the activity is     7     (help) to us, it’s important to keep in mind that we shouldn’t hurt nature while doing it. Trees often hold valuable ecosystems. Many small creatures live on the tree and they are too small to be seen. You may want to be gentle when hugging trees—just like how you hug a friend!

There are other ways to turn to nature to help with your stress, such as forest bathing     8     water healer. You can stand or sit     9     a forest and close your eyes to listen to all the sounds around you, or you can sit beside the water to     10     (simple) enjoy the sounds.

2 . How to Improve Your Mental Health

Your mental health is an important aspect of your overall health. No matter what your situation is, you can take steps to improve your mental health.

Take a self-assessment(评估). Everyone has what is known as “emotional intelligence” or EQ. EQ refers to how well you understand your emotions and actions. Figuring out your EQ is important if you want to improve your mental well-being.     1     A mental health expert can also help you determine your EQ.

Set goals. After you have completed your self-assessment, you can clearly identify the areas you would like to focus on improving. Take time to set some clear and achievable goals. These can be both long term and short term goals. Write down your goals.     2    

Handle your emotions. An important part of improving your mental well-being is learning to admit your emotions.     3     However, it is important to handle your emotions. Handling your emotions is a multi-step process. It includes sensing, naming, attributing, evaluating and acting.

Learn how to identify and deal with your triggers (诱因) . Everyone has different triggers.     4     To deal with your triggers, take some time to figure out what they are and develop plans for how to deal with them.

Gather information. Avoid the bad name that mental health issues are somehow not “real” problems. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Take some time to learn about the importance of your mental health.     5     For example, you might visit a yoga studio to ask them about the mental benefits of practicing yoga.

A．Take some time to look at the big picture.

B．This is when you apply a name to the emotion.

C．Yours might be certain people, situations, or places.

D．Research different ways to improve your mental health.

E．This will help you keep them and make your dream come true.

F．Sometimes it might feel simple r to set aside an uncomfortable emotion.

G．You can find online assessment tools to help you figure out your results.

3 . Wilberforce Tushemereirwe holds up a genetically-modified banana that took millions of dollars and 20 years to make. It contains a large amount of provitamin A, a substance that transforms into vitamin A in the body. This “super banana” was created at Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Laboratories for the noblest of causes: to save the lives of thousands of children who die in Uganda every year from a lack of vitamin A.

Vitamin A shortage remains a serious global public health problem. The World Health Organization estimates that 190 million preschool children suffer from vitamin A shortage today, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. It is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. It also inhibits children’s growth and weakens their resistance to illnesses so that many die from treatable diseases such as diarrhea and measles. In Uganda, one of the world’s poorest countries, it remains high on the list of health risks, which makes it urgent to find ways to deal with the condition.

The Ugandan government has tried for decades to solve the problem — with limited success. Distribution of vitamin A capsules, for example, worked well in urban areas but failed to reach those most in need in rural areas. Increasing corn and wheat flour and eatable oils with vitamin A proved more effective. But those foods are not consumed in large enough amounts to make a meaningful difference. Bananas, a main staple of the Ugandan diet, seemed to be a better option.

Yet, one problem still remains. Fred Wanyu, a Ugandan tribal leader and linguist, says his ancestors considered the banana “the mother of society”. Farmers worry that a new super banana will distort (扭曲) Ugandan banana culture dramatically. Though he respects the ancestors, Wanyu also believes that if a little piece of banana is added to a sister banana, developing into something better, “I think we will live in a better world.” “That’s what many Ugandans wish for as they struggle their way out of malnutrition and extreme poverty.” “Culture is dynamic,” Wanyu said. “Otherwise, we would continue writing on stones.”

1. Why was the super banana created?

A．To increase the production of bananas.

B．To assist Ugandan people in fighting hunger.

C．To help the human body absorb more vitamin A.

D．To save children suffering from vitamin A shortage.

2. What is the main purpose of paragraph 2?

A．To show ways of preventing vitamin A shortage.

B．To explain the leading cause of blindness in children.

C．To stress the urgency of developing the super banana.

D．To introduce some serious global public health problems.

3. What is Wanyu’s attitude towards the super banana?

A．Positive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Indifferent.

D．Disapproving.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Advantages of “Super Banana”

B．Exploration of “Super Banana”

C．Wide Spread of “Super Banana”

D．Large Output of “Super Banana”

4 . I realized recently that if I ever have to move again I will need a separate truck just for all the _________ hanging on my walls. I have calendars, old post cards, inspirational sayings, nature scenes, and so many pictures hanging on them. From baby pictures to ones _________ just last year, there are the smiling faces of my children looking down on me from my walls as I walk through my house.

I _________ one of these just recently, a tiny one cut out from an old photo. It was of my youngest son Casey as a baby. He was standing in the bathtub smiling _________. He wasn’t even two years old yet. I took off my glasses and put my face close to _________ it. There was a light in his eyes that _________ through that photograph. I could see the beautiful soul within coming out of that picture. This was before the first _________ of Autism (自闭症) appeared in him. This Autism would largely _________ his speech, limit his learning, and make him dependent on us for the rest of his life. It would keep him from becoming the boy I _________ he would be.

I felt the pain of regret and __________ looking at that picture. But then I remembered just yesterday when he __________ and leaned close to me while we watched something he liked on television. I looked into his eyes at that moment and saw that same __________ and that same beautiful soul that was in his baby picture. Autism might have affected his mind and changed his life but it never touched his __________.

Like my son Casey, each one of us has a __________, beautiful and shining soul within full of love and light. It is up to us, though, to __________ that soul, to let it shine, to let it share its love with everyone, everywhere. May we always do so.

1.

A．posters

B．clothing

C．stuff

D．paintings

2.

A．brought

B．made

C．picked

D．taken

3.

A．changed

B．developed

C．noticed

D．fixed

4.

A．patiently

B．happily

C．sadly

D．nervously

5.

A．see

B．feel

C．touch

D．hang

6.

A．passed

B．disappeared

C．faded

D．shone

7.

A．impression

B．signs

C．flash

D．sources

8.

A．silence

B．give

C．practice

D．improve

9.

A．pushed

B．recommended

C．dreamed

D．ordered

10.

A．loss

B．honor

C．shock

D．curiosity

11.

A．shook

B．wept

C．sighed

D．laughed

12.

A．determination

B．light

C．sorrow

D．admiration

13.

A．body

B．face

C．pain

D．soul

14.

A．lonely

B．bright

C．creative

D．helpless

15.

A．sell

B．free

C．hide

D．damage

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why is the man going to Vietnam?

A．To travel.

B．To work.

C．To study.

2. What does the man know about spiders from the handbooks?

A．They have killed plenty of tourists.

B．They are often eaten by other animals.

C．They like to make their webs everywhere.

6 . With low or no-carbohydrate diets rising in popularity in recent times, the potato is now regularly overlooked in favour of other vegetables. In fact, research literature has previously indicated potatoes may have a detrimental effect on health, such as increasing the possibility of developing Type2 diabetes(糖尿病).

However, new research done by Edith Cowan University (ECU) has shown while potatoes may not have all the same benefits as some other vegetables, such as lowering risk of Type 2 diabetes, health issues associated with potatoes may actually be due to how people are preparing them and what they’re eating them with.

A recent analysis of this study led by Dr Nicola Bondonno from ECU’s Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute found people who consumed the most vegetables were 21 percent less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who consumed the least amount of vegetables. PhD candidate Pratik Pokharel carried out work on the analysis and said while potatoes didn’t have the same impact on Type 2 diabetes, they also didn’t have any negative effect.

“In Denmark, people consume potatoes prepared in many different ways. In our study, we could distinguish between the different preparation methods. When we separated boiled potatoes from mashed potatoes(土豆泥), fries or crisps, boiled potatoes were no longer associated with a higher risk of diabetes: They had a zero effect,” said Pokharel.

“In our study, people who ate the most potatoes also consumed more butter, red meat and soft drinks-foods known to increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes,” said Pokharel. “We should separate potatoes from other vegetables in regard to messaging about disease prevention but replacing refined grains such as white rice and pasta(意大利面食)with potatoes can improve your diet quality because of fibre and other nutrients found in potatoes.”

1. What does the underlined word “detrimental” in paragraph 1 mean?

A．Magical.

B．Protective.

C．Fantastic.

D．Negative.

2. What may contribute to the bad reputation of potatoes according to ECU’s research?

A．The effects they have caused.	B．The ways they are consumed.
C．The places where they are planted.	D．The results previous studies have shown.

3. Which of the following have little effect on Type 2 diabetes?

A．Fries.

B．Crisps.

C．Boiled potatoes.

D．Mashed potatoes.

4. What is Pokharel’s attitude towards potatoes?

A．Critical.

B．Opposed.

C．Indifferent.

D．Objective.

7 . We all may know someone we consider to be a picky eater, who tends to dislike some common food regularly and causes social embarrassment when ordering at restaurants. But for some people picky eating can actually become a serious disorder, and clinical definitions of picky eating behaviors often include people who only consume around 20 different kinds of foods for a long period of time.

“Having restricted diets can lead to nutritional deficiencies (缺陷) as well as health problems like heart disease, poor bone health and dental issues,” explained Lorenzo Stafford, one of the authors on the latest study. “There is also a social cost because normally enjoyable moments between family members can easily turn into stressful, anxious, and conflict-causing situations when picky eaters feel ashamed or pressured to eat certain food.”

A new research homed in on the effect of plate color on food desirability for picky eaters. The experiment was based on a foundational study from 2018 which looked at the way different colored food bowls affected a person’s sense of taste.

Using a design similar to the 2018 research, the new experiments had participants rate the sweetness, saltiness and overall desirability of a snack food eaten from different colored bowls. In this instance the snack was salt and vinegar potato crisps consumed from either a red, blue or white bowl. Around 50 participants were recruited (招募) and classified as either picky or non-picky eaters based on a standard questionnaire.

The results revealed picky eaters considered the snack to be saltier when it was eaten from a red or blue bowl compared to the white bowl. And overall, picky eaters found the snack generally less desirable when eaten from a red bowl.

It is worth mentioning that a recent survey estimated nearly one in five American adults could be clinically classified as picky eaters. So exploring ways to help these people better engage with more types of food could result in valuable health outcomes.

1. Which of the following may be a picky eater?

A．Tom who ate only some bread this morning.	B．Lisa who only has vegetables for losing weight.
C．Peter who often orders little at restaurants.	D．Alex who likes only a small range of dishes.

2. What’s paragraph 2 mainly about?

A．Health problems caused by picky eating.

B．Moments that are ruined by picky eaters.

C．Potential consequences of picky eating.

D．Quotes of Lorenzo to support the research findings.

3. What is the finding of the new research?

A．Bowls of different colors directly affect appetite of eaters.

B．Blue color bowls can make the food in them saltier for eaters.

C．Food in red bowls seems less attractive to picky eaters.

D．The color of the bowl can change the taste of the dishes.

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

A．To show ways of enhancing people’s appetite effectively.

B．To stress the importance of reducing picky eaters’ anxiety and stress.

C．To encourage us to raise picky eaters’ awareness of healthy eating.

D．To call on researchers to help picky eaters try a wider variety of foods.

8 . Use food to ease your moods? The time of meals may have an impact on moods, including levels of depression and anxiety, according to researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

To conduct the study, 19 participants (12 men and 7 women) were arranged to experience a Forced Process in a dark room for four 28-hour “days”. Participants were assigned to one of two meal timing groups: the Daytime and Nighttime Meal Control Group, which had meals according to a 28-hour cycle (resulting in eating both during the night and day, which is typical among night workers), and the Daytime Only Meal Group, which had meals on a 24-hour cycle (resulting in eating only during the day). The team then assessed depression and anxiety like mood levels every hour.

The result showed that meal timing significantly affected the participants’ mood levels. During the simulated (模拟的) night shift (day 4), those in the Daytime and Nighttime Meal Control Group had increased depression and anxiety like mood levels, compared to the baseline(day 1). In contrast, there were no changes in mood in the Daytime Only Meal Group. Participants with a greater degree of circadian(昼夜节律的) disorder experienced more depression and anxiety like moods.

Researchers discovered that among individuals in the daytime and nighttime eating groups, anxiety and depression rose by 16% and 26% individually. A famous author Sarah Chellappa, who completed work on this project, said, “Meal timing is emerging as an important aspect of nutrition that may influence physical health, but the causal role of the timing of food intake in affecting mental health remains to be tested. Future studies are required to establish if changes in meal timing can lead individuals to experience anxiety-related disorders.”

The findings open the door for studying a behavioral strategy that might benefit individuals suffering from mental health disorders, such as shift workers. The study also adds to a growing body of evidence finding that strategies that improve sleep and circadian patterns may help promote mental health.

1. How is the study carried out according to the text?

A．By presenting cause and effect.

B．By examining the participants’ eating habits.

C．By recording the eating time in various groups.

D．By comparing data from two different groups.

2. Which of the following will the researchers probably agree with?

A．Daytime eating might benefit mental health.

B．It’s unavoidable for people to eat at the wrong time.

C．Nighttime meal is harmful and should be prohibited.

D．It’s necessary to keep track of our mood levels each day.

3. What does the follow-up test aim to find out according to Sarah Chellappa?

A．How food intake affects human’s moods.

B．Whether changes in meal timing cause emotional problems.

C．Whether food nutrition is related to mental health.

D．Why shift workers suffer from mental health disorders.

4. Which of the following can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Meal Timing Reduces Pressure	B．Meal Timing May Affect Moods
C．Mood Disorders Result in Anxiety	D．Good Strategies Benefit Our Health

9 . Mental health is something individuals should be taking care of, and here we recommend the following apps for you.

Meru Health

The app offers coaching and therapy programmes, which consist of 8-12 weeks of one-on-one consultations, ongoing chats with a personal coach or licensed doctor, and daily activities including mindfulness and emotional intelligence practices. The chat feature in the app offers users a mixture model where they can engage in texting, phone calls, coaching or clinical support. The app is free, but a referral (推荐) from a healthcare professional is a must to register for the programme.

Insight Timer

This meditation (冥想) app features a wide range of free meditation libraries, and offers guided meditations, music tracks and talks by leading researchers, psychologists and mindfulness experts. It also has live events like yoga, mood tracking, private mentoring, and workshops available. The advanced version, Member Plus, is $60 per year with a 30-day free trial if you sign up on their website.

Headspace

The app offers guided meditations, sleep meditations and breathing exercises that help users deal with stress and anxiety. It includes user-friendly content and appealing animations that help attract users from all meditation expertise levels. Headspace features a free ten-day introductory programme, but it also has two subscription choices: 12. 99 per month or $69. 99 per year.

Calm

The app offers “Sleep Stories” narrated by famous speakers, ten-minute Daily Calm sessions as well as a music library, short videos and mindful movement activities. Calm also provides a range of guided meditations with lengths of 3-25 minutes to fit the user’s schedule. The platform offers a seven-day trial programme at no cost and then has the choice of an annual subscription costing $ 69. 99 or a one-time purchase of $ 399. 99.

1. Which app can be used only through an expert’s recommendation?

A．Meru Health.

B．Insight Timer.

C．Headspace.

D．Calm.

2. What is the benefit of using the app Headspace?

A．It can receive users’ texts.	B．It can help users to feel relaxed.
C．It makes users enjoy music tracks.	D．It provides users with stories.

3. What do the four apps have in common?

A．They are totally free for users.	B．They provide outdoor activities.
C．They focus on our mental health.	D．They teach people how to use apps.

10 . The old saying that “laughter is the best medicine” may contain an element of truth when it comes to heart health. A research has demonstrated that laughing causes the tissue inside the heart to expand and increases oxygen flow around the body.

“Our study found that laughter treatment increased the functional capacity of the cardiovascular (心血管的) system, and patients with heart disease who engaged in a course of laughter treatment had reduced inflammation (炎症) and better health.” said the lead author, Prof Marco Safffi, of the Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre in Brazil.

In the trial, scientists carried out a first-of-its-kind study to examine if laughter treatment could improve symptoms of patients with heart disease. It involved 26 adults with an average age of 64, all diagnosed with the heart disease caused by plaque (斑块) buildup in the walls of the arteries (动脉) that supply blood to the heart. Over three months, half were asked to watch two different hour-long comedy programmes each week, including funny popular sitcoms. The other half watched two different serious documentaries, about heavy topics such as politics or the Amazon rainforest.

At the end of the 12-week study period, the comedy group improved by 10% in a test measuring how much oxygen their heart could pump around the body. The group also improved in a second measure that tested how well arteries can expand. They also had a blood test to measure several inflammatory markers, which indicate how much plaque has built up in the blood vessels and whether people are at risk of heart attack or stroke. The results showed that their inflammatory markers had significantly reduced compared with the documentary group.

“When patients with heart disease arrive at hospital, they usually have a lot of inflammatory markers.” said Saffi. “It’s really good news that laughter treatment is a good intervention that could help reduce inflammation and decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke.”

1. How does laughter help patients with heart disease?

A．It makes the tissue inside the heart become larger

B．It lowers the oxygen flow around the patients’ body

C．It reduces the function of the cardiovascular system

D．It increases inflammation and results in better health

2. What can we infer from the research?

A．The research participants were all old man above 60.

B．The documentary group worried about the Amazon rainforest.

C．The comedy group must have laughed while watching sitcoms.

D．The comedy group had more inflammatory markers than the documentary group.

3. How many tests did the participants have at the end of the research?

A．2

B．3

C．4

D．5

4. What’s the best title of this article?

A．Laughter treatment — A powerful weapon to cure heart disease.

B．Laughter treatment —An effective method to defeat heart disease.

C．Laughter treatment —A helpful way to lower the risk of heart disease.

D．Laughter treatment — A perfect therapy to save lives from heart disease.