1 . The Giving Voice Chorus (合唱团) was created in 2014 by Mary Lenard, a former director of the Alzheimer’s Association of Minnesota-North Dakota. With co-worker Marge Ostroushko, who has taken care of a parent with Alzheimer’s disease(AD), a brain disorder that gets worse over time, Lenard set out to create an environment where people with AD and their caregivers felt supported and comfortable.
“People with AD sometimes withdraw and often are not included in the community,” she says. “Marge and I recognized that music and singing are ways for people with AD to still be included and join in life.”
In the beginning, the chorus was made up of 30 people, including volunteers from the community who helped with small tasks during chorus practice, such as helping singers find the printed music in their binders (活页夹) if they lost their place. Since then, the Giving Voice Chorus has grown to two additional choruses, with more than 180 members overall.
“We don’t do auditions, and we don’t care what AD cases you have or the stage of your disease,” says Lenard. “As long as you enjoy the experience, anyone can be part of the group. It’s a place where everyone belongs.”
Lenard says, “When we first started out, Marge and I didn’t know if people with AD were going to move away from the place where they ought to be or get upset.” But the opposite has happened. “There’s a positive change we see in people when they’re singing songs they love. They’re smiling, and there’s joy and laughter. It’s really special.”
“People with AD might have difficulty learning a new song or coming up with words on their own,” says Dr. Caselli, AD specialist at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. “But if they hear a song they’ve known all their lives, they tend to remember the words and are able to sing along. And because speech and long-term memory aren’t usually affected until late in the disease, members of the Giving Voice Chorus are likely to stay active until the last few months of life.”
1. What’s the purpose of the Giving Voice Chorus?| A．To enrich the young men’s life. | B．To raise money for the poor. |
| C．To ask people to tend to the old. | D．To help people with AD. |
| A．Stop social activities. | B．Be looked down upon. |
| C．Be cheated. | D．Get lost. |
| A．Confident. | B．Worried. | C．Curious. | D．Unwilling. |
| A．They can express themselves freely. |
| B．They can learn a song quickly. |
| C．They fail to sing a familiar song. |
| D．They can be active near the end of life. |
2 . Medha Pappula, an eight-grader at Brambleton Middle School, is using her skill set to solve a problem — bullying. She recently earned an award from National Bullying Prevention Center (NBPC) for her anti-bullying efforts in software development and animation (动画).
Pappula, 13, said she discovered that a classmate had experienced cyberbullying (网络欺凌), which was painful for her to learn about. “Even though I didn’t experience it, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, even my worst enemy.” Pappula said.
Then she developed a program. “It takes a message, and then recognizes signs of bullying and gives a rating (评价) to the cyberbullying.” the teen said. “If the rating is high, the program can be used to carry out things like removing that message or reporting it.”
In addition to this program, the NBPC awarded Pappula for a three-minute animated video about Unity Day, which she created and shared on YouTube last October. Unity Day was started by the NBPC in 2011 to raise bullying awareness among school-age children. Schools encourage their students to wear orange on Unity Day, as it is a color that is connected with safety.
Pappula visited different websites to develop her animation skills several years ago. She spent more than a month creating her 2-D animated video using an animation software called Krita. The effort paid off, as nearly 6000 people have already viewed the “Unity Day” video on YouTube. Pappula hopes to continue to work with the NBPC and use her skills to lift those around her.
1. How did Pappula find cyberbullying?| A．It was her painful experience. | B．It was her worst enemy. |
| C．It shouldn’t happen to anyone. | D．It could be stopped easily. |
| A．Take a message. | B．Carry out bullying. |
| C．Recognize signs of bullying. | D．Give a rating to the cyberbullying. |
| A．She developed the skills herself. | B．She asked schools for help. |
| C．She learned from YouTube. | D．She developed Krita. |
| A．A Cyberbullying Experience | B．An Anti-bullying Software |
| C．A Bullying Prevention Center | D．An Anti-bullying Teenager |
3 . You might think people all over the United States have WiFi — wireless Internet service — and mobile phones. But there is no such service in Green Bank, West Virginia, a tiny town four hours from the US capital, Washington D. C. Fewer than 150 people live in Green Bank, which has two churches, an elementary school and a public library. It is also home to the largest radio telescope in the world.
There is a ban (禁令) on WiFi in Green Bank, along with anything else that can create electromagnetic (电磁的) waves. Officials say the waves could disturb the signals (信号) the telescope receives.
For many Americans, a visit to Green Bank is a little like returning to the 1950s. To get there, you must read road signs because there is no GPS service in the town. People can connect with the Internet through telephones, but wireless service is not allowed.
The observatory (天文台) is one of the largest employers in the area. The National Science Foundation (NSF) spends about $8.2 million a year to operate the observatory, telescope and educational center.
Jonah Bauserman is a technician. If he supposes there is a signal that is not allowed in the zone, he drives to the house where the signal is coming from and checks it. But once a week, when the device is cleaned, some banned devices are allowed near it.
People in the town respect the work of the scientists. And they say they are happy to live without WiFi and mobile phones. “You know, instead of sitting here with our phones and other devices we’re out fishing, hunting and going to each other’s houses.” Everyone knows each other and communication is almost always face to face.
1. What will you see when you pay a visit to Green Bank?| A．GPS service. | B．Guide posts. | C．Cellphone towers. | D．Radiocontrolled toys. |
| A．Following signals from cellphones. | B．Cleaning the telescope once a week. |
| C．Listening for signals from outer space. | D．Protecting the telescope from being affected. |
| A．Great wealth. | B．Many job chances. |
| C．A healthier lifestyle. | D．Much difficulty in life. |
| A．An American Town Without WiFi and Mobile Phones |
| B．Good Relationships Between People in an American Town |
| C．The Largest Radio Telescope in the World |
| D．A Better Life Without Wireless Devices |
4 . Keeping animals safe on the road
Roadkill is not a rare sight when driving down most highways and sometimes also on roadways in cities.
They chose Nanjing as the study subject, where there are more than 9,700 kilometers of paved roads. A total of nine roads were chosen for the research, including three national highways.
| A．You may not feel good about seeing roadkill |
| B．The object is to educate people about road safety |
| C．The length of the roads combined was over 224.27 kilometers |
| D．It refers to animals being hit by cars or other vehicles by accident. |
| E．Cats, dogs and blackbirds were the three commonly killed animals |
| F．In the past, research in China focused on roadkill in nature reserves |
| G．Roadkill incidents are more likely to happen in November and January |
5 . The cotton harvest is about to get underway in the Texas High Plains, the windswept region that grows most of the crop in the nation’s top cotton-producing state. But Barry Evans, a third-generation cotton grower, has already walked away from more than 2,000 acres (英亩) of his bone-dry fields. “It just didn’t come up. We hardly had anything,” said Evans.
Extreme heat and a lack of rainfall have severely damaged much of this year’s cotton harvest in the U.S., which produces about 35% of the world’s crop. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecast that more than 40% of what U.S. farmers planted in the spring would be abandoned because of drought. Nowhere is this more apparent than the flat, dry stretch of Texas. The USDA says Texas cotton farmers are likely to abandon nearly 70% of their spring planting. That has been the worst harvest since 2009.
The region normally receives around 18 to 20 inches of rain per year, but saw less than three inches of rain from August through the summer, as nearly all of Texas baked under drought. Much of the cotton grown in the region needs rain. Even those with irrigated (灌溉的) fields are expecting low yields (产量) this year.
The losses in cotton could cost the Texas High Plains $1.2 billion after farmers receive federal (联邦的) crop insurance payments, estimates Darren Hudson, director of the International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness at Texas Tech University. That leaves out others who depend on the crop, such as cotton gins (轧棉机) and storehouses. “Any time you have a bad year in cotton, it has a role to play in the overall economy,” Hudson said.
Fortunately, most cotton farmers in this part of Texas plan to use cotton seed varieties that can resist drought. Varieties are continuously developed and will be adjusted to generate high yields if dry conditions continue. “Even though it’s drought resistant,” Hudson added, “we still have to have a little bit of help from Mother Nature.”
1. What are the statistics in paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The impact of extreme weather on U.S. farmers. |
| B．The world’s cotton distribution. |
| C．USDA’s measures to address drought. |
| D．The amount of U.S. cotton harvest in 2009. |
| A．Texas is unfriendly to cotton farmers. | B．Cotton is vital to the American economy. |
| C．Farmers depend much on Mother Nature. | D．Cotton gins are unaffected by cotton losses. |
| A．Build effective irrigation systems. | B．Apply for federal crop insurance. |
| C．Switch to growing a different crop. | D．Use further improved cotton seeds. |
| A．Drought pushes cotton prices to a new high. | B．The world’s cotton supply keeps falling. |
| C．Texas cotton takes a hit during drought. | D．Drought impacts the quality of cotton. |
6 . Now some women are spending a weekend at Mother’s Camp. There, husbands (丈夫) and children are not allowed. Why would a woman want to take a vacation without her family? Some women say they need time to be alone.
At Mother’s Camp a woman has room to herself. She can sleep, read or watch TV, and no one will bother (打扰) her. No children will ask, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” No husband will say, “Oh, dear, I can’t find any clean socks.” In fact, almost 50% of women in the United States work outside the home. Many of them work full-time and then come home to a second job — taking care of their homes and families. These working women say one of their biggest problems is housework.
In the United States, working women do about 75% of the housework. Many of their husbands say they want to help. But then they burn the rice or they can’t find the pans. They ask so many questions that their wives decide it is easier to do the job themselves.
Some women go to Mothers Camp just to get a break from housework. For two days they don’t cook, they don’t clean, they don’t look after their children or husbands. What do they do? They enjoy warm, sunny weather, walking, swimming or boating in a clear blue lake and sing songs around the campfire. They relax away from home. They have a really wonderful vacation at Mothers Camp.
1. How long can women enjoy their vacation at Mothers Camp?| A．One month. | B．A week. | C．72 hours. | D．Two days. |
| A．They cook dinner. | B．They boat in a clear blue lake. |
| C．They do some cleaning. | D．They look after their children. |
| A．They don’t need to do any housework. | B．They want to get a break from housework. |
| C．They dislike to stay at home with their families. | D．They do as much housework as their husband. |
| A．Busy Working Mothers | B．Mothers in the US |
| C．Mothers Relax Away from Home | D．Mother’s Camp in the UK |
7 . Life is full of uncertainties, and every activity we do carries some level of
In March, Ian and a group of friends went on a snowboarding trip in Washington State. During their
Ian explained the
Francis saw a flash of red in the corner of his eye. He
Without hesitation (犹豫), Francis began to dig hard to save Ian from the snowy trap. In the end, he
| A．interest | B．risk | C．boredom | D．success |
| A．discovered | B．described | C．mentioned | D．guessed |
| A．glorious | B．nervous | C．creative | D．lucky |
| A．visit | B．adventure | C．training | D．discussion |
| A．beaten | B．hidden | C．trapped | D．tested |
| A．situation | B．method | C．application | D．invitation |
| A．close | B．equal | C．unique | D．various |
| A．advised | B．cleared | C．chose | D．saw |
| A．quiet | B．final | C．effective | D．historic |
| A．heard | B．imagined | C．prevented | D．noticed |
| A．related | B．legal | C．unusual | D．impossible |
| A．report | B．warning | C．promise | D．answer |
| A．made | B．got | C．put | D．promoted |
| A．injured | B．thankful | C．curious | D．satisfied |
| A．regarded | B．touched | C．spared | D．saved |
The city of Zibo had never seen so many visitors. As the sun began to set, the smell of sizzling (发出咝咝声的) meat
The city was little known by outsiders before it went viral (走红) on Chinese social media platforms recently. Most visitors are young people,
1. 作业和体育锻炼时间的变化
2. 学生们课余生活的变化：有更多的空闲时间做自己感兴趣的事，如踢足球、弹钢琴和画画等。
请根据以上调查结果，写一份英文调查报告，并阐述你的看法。
词数：80左右(开头已给出，不计入总词数)。
The “double reduction” policy has been carried out since July, 2021. In order to learn about the changes of the students’ life, Yangcheng Middle School did a survey.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 . In the rich countries of the West, the electric vehicle revolution is well underway. Climate-conscious consumers drive Teslas or Polestars for reasons of morality and fashion. Poorer countries are also experiencing a wave of electrified trend. In Bangladesh, electric three-wheeler taxis, known as tuk-tuks, are rapidly replacing gas-powered ones on the streets. Such electric vehicles are climate friendly, cost effective, and help reduce air pollution.
Yet a glance under the hood (引擎盖) of these vehicles reveals a poisonous secret: each tuk-tuk runs on five massive lead-acid batteries, containing almost 300 pounds of lead in total. Every year and a half or so, when those batteries need to be replaced and recycled, about 60 pounds of lead leak into the environment. Battery recycling, often at small-scale unregulated factories, is a highly profitable but deadly business.
Lead is dangerous, and any exposure to it is harmful to human health. Lead that has entered the environment hurts people on an extraordinary scale. The numerous ways lead enters air, water, soil, and homes across the developing world — and the enormous damage it does to human health, wealth, and welfare — causes one of the biggest environmental crises in the world yet receives little attention.
The World Bank estimates that lead kills 5. 5 million people per year, which would make it a bigger global killer than AIDS, malaria, diabetes, and road traffic deaths combined. On top of the shocking deaths, the social burden of lead poisoning is extraordinary, as is its contribution to global inequality — our research on the cognitive effects of lead poisoning suggests that it may explain about one-fifth of the educational achievement gap between rich and poor countries.
But unlike many challenges faced by developing countries, lead poisoning is a problem that is fixable with some attention and a relatively modest financial investment. Better monitoring, research, and rules can help protect children all over the world from the dreadful effects of lead poisoning and reduce the massive global costs it brings.
1. How does the author describe the lead problem in paragraph 2?| A．By making a comparison. | B．By analyzing hidden causes. |
| C．By listing convincing numbers. | D．By explaining its working principle. |
| A．Lead enters rich countries in various ways. |
| B．Lead poisoning may make poor societies poorer. |
| C．Exposure to lead doesn’t necessarily harm someone. |
| D．Lead leaking has caused great panic in both countries. |
| A．Fixing these used batteries. | B．Putting certain effort and money. |
| C．Prohibiting the illegal use of lead. | D．Reducing the cost of recycling lead. |
| A．The Impacts of Lead Poisoning on Human Health |
| B．The Outcomes of Using Electric Vehicles |
| C．The Ways to Solve Lead Problem |
| D．The Global Lead Poisoning Crisis |
