1 . This question has fascinated behavioural scientists for decades: why do we give money to charity?

The explanations for charitable giving fall into three broad categories, from the purely altruisic (利他的)— I donate because I value the social good done by the charity. The “impurely” altruistic— I donate because I extract value from knowing I contribute to the social good for the charity. And the not-at-all altruistic— I donate because I want to show off to potential mates how rich I am.

But are these motives strong enough to enable people to donate as much as they would want to? Most people support charities in one way or another, but often we struggle to make donations as often as we think we should. Although many people would like to leave a gift to charity in their will, they forget about it when the time comes.

Many people are also aware that they should donate to the causes that have the highest impact, but facts and figures are less attractive than narratives. In a series of experiments, it was found that people are much more responsive to charitable pleas that feature a single, identifiable beneficiary(受益者), than they are to statistical information about the scale of the problem being faced. When it comes to charitable giving, we are often ruled by our hearts and not our heads.

The good news is that charitable giving is contagious—seeing others give makes an individual more likely to give and gentle encouragement from an important person in your life can also make a big difference to your donation decisions— more than quadrupling them in our recent study. Habit also plays a part— in three recent experiments those who volunteered before were more likely to do donate their time than those who had not volunteered before.

In summary, behavioural science identifies a range of factors that influence our donations, and can help us to keep giving in the longer term. This is great news not just for charities, but also for donors.

1. What can we learn about people who do charitable giving?

A．Most people support charity as often as they think they should.

B．Some people don’t want to leave a gift to charity until the time comes.

C．Those who donate because they can gain an advantage are purely altruistic.

D．Some people send money to charity simply to tell others they are wealthy.

2. In which way will people donate more willingly?

A．Not revealing the names of the donors.

B．Showing figures about the seriousness of the problem.

C．Telling stories that feature a single, recognizable beneficiary.

D．Reminding people to write down what to donate in the will in advance.

3. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 5 mean?

A．People will learn from others and follow the suit.

B．Many people are familiar with charitable giving.

C．Charitable giving helps the beneficiary in all aspects.

D．Charitable giving can bring a lot of benefits to donors.

4. What is the writing purpose of the passage?

A．To persuade more people to donate.

B．To explain the science behind why people donate.

C．To criticize some false charitable giving behaviours.

D．To explore approaches to making people donate more.

2 . Pullman is a superb writer and Seagull is a brilliant communicator. They had a debate after Seagull posted a question on his social media platform: “When you were trying to create an environment for learning, what were your best pieces of classical music to listen to?” He received hundreds of suggestions — and one negative reply, from Pullman: “That’s not what classical music is for. Treat it with respect.”

That did it! Everyone — professional musicians, students, teachers — weighed into the argument, and the majority supported Seagull and were criticizing Pullman.

It’s easy to see why people are annoyed. We all want classical music to be as accessible as possible, especially to the young. If some of them are using Bach or Schubert as a tool to help them study, what’s the problem? They may also develop an attachment to classical music.

So is Pullman ridiculous and supercilious by objecting to classical music being used as background music? At first sight, his idea seems stuffy and extreme. By suggesting that classical music should be “treated with respect” and not used as background music, Pullman seems to be closing classical music of to millions of people.

It’s worth pointing out, however, that he isn’t the first to express concerns about classical music being devalued by becoming too commonplace in today’s technologically shaped world. In Benjamin Britten’s 1964 speech, the composer expressed exactly the same worries as Pullman. Britten suggested, “The true musical experience demands some preparation, some effort, a journey to a special place, saving up for a ticket, some homework perhaps”. In short, it demands as much effort from listeners as from composers and performers.

I don’t agree with such an extreme viewpoint, but I do think it touches on a reality. You will never fully grasp the beauty of classical music if you half-hear it only in the background. That doesn’t necessarily matter. Music can be enjoyed on many levels. What Pullman and Britten are really saying is that, in a drive for “accessibility”, we shouldn’t deny the emotional and intellectual complexity underpinning (构成) much classical music.

1. What did Seagull’s posting result in?

A．Great admiration for Seagull.

B．Public criticism of classical music.

C．A discussion about learning environments.

D．An argument over the role of classical music.

2. What does the underlined word “supercilious” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Self-important.

B．Open-minded.

C．Impatient.

D．Considerate.

3. Why is the Benjamin Britten’s 1964 speech mentioned?

A．To show his affection for classical music.

B．To introduce young people to classical music.

C．To demonstrate classical music is demanding.

D．To support Pullman’s idea over classical music.

4. Which word best describes the author’s attitude to Pullman’s idea?

A．Favorable.

B．Doubtful.

C．Objective.

D．Uninterested.

3 . The case for and against social media

Is social media harmful to teenagers?     1     Social media sites have been blamed for most of the world’s social problems from feeling disconnected and lonely to having difficulty forming meaningful relationships. Yet, many of us feel a need to use social media because it offers something we cannot find elsewhere, despite knowing the downsides.     2    

An argument for social media claims it can strengthen social bonds by facilitating relationships with people in different geographical areas. For example, social media has helped old school friends to get back in touch after many years without contact.     3     These are real benefits of using social media.

    4     The argument used by many people is that interactions on social media are no substitute for face-to-face communication. When you are out with friends how many times do they check their phones? for example.     5     Research highlights it is far more satisfying to physically laugh out loud in real life rather than to replace the act with a typed representation of laughter such as “haha” or “LOL”.       

Ideally, we should have enough self-control to be able to limit our use of social media, enjoying the benefits it can bring.

A．The disadvantages of social media.

B．In my opinion, the disadvantages of social media outweigh the benefits.

C．It is all too easy to become absorbed in this online life rather than communicate in real life.

D．People secure jobs now through social media or research information for their studies.

E．This is the question we are going to examine.

F．We will look at the arguments for and against using social media before answering the question.

G．We aim to control our use of social media.

4 . Optimism (乐观) is probably not a surprise that optimistic thinkers tend to be happier than pessimistic thinkers.     1     Here is what may surprise you.

Optimists live longer.

Optimistic thinkers have lower rates of high blood pressure, heart disease, and even risk of cancer, as well as lower rates of mortality in general. These health factors may be influenced by optimists’ focus on taking care of themselves.     2     One large study published in 2022 determined that optimists have a life span 11% to 15% longer than average.     3    

Optimists are more successful.

Just as optimists tend to be more resilient (有复原力的) outside of the workplace, they are also resilient on the job. Even if their bosses don’t recognize that they’re doing a good job, optimists are able to bounce back and keep performing well. People who are more optimistic also seem to have better job security than less optimistic workers.     4     Plus, people who feel optimistic about their careers are more likely to both succeed at work and to feel satisfied with their jobs.

    5    

People with higher levels of subjective well-being — a mindset that can include optimism — have stronger immune systems and even experience faster wound healing than others with lower levels of well-being. People with positive experiences lowered their rates of depression, physical symptoms, and sleep complaints.

A．Optimists take fewer sick days.

B．Optimists pick themselves up faster.

C．But there are other benefits to being optimist.

D．They are more likely to live to age 85 or older.

E．Optimists are more likely to take steps to cope with it.

F．This improved security can even lead to increased optimism.

G．Optimists tend to exercise more, sleep better and eat healthier.

5 . Any parent knows how challenging it can be to separate kids from social media, messaging apps, or online games and videos.     1     Simply taking away the device can often backfire (适得其反), creating anxiety and withdrawal symptoms in your child. Instead, there are plenty of other ways to help your child find a healthier balance:

Be a good role model. Children have a strong impulse (冲动) to imitate, so it’s important you manage your own smartphone and Internet use. Don’t let your own smartphone use distract from parent-child interactions.

    2     There are a number of apps available that can limit your child’s data usage or restrict texting and web browsing to certain times of the day.

Encourage other interests and social activities. Get your child away from screens by exposing them to other hobbies and activities, such as team sports and after-school clubs.     3    

Talk to your child about underlying issues. Compulsive smartphone use can be the sign of deeper problems.     4     Is your child suffering with other issues at school or home?

Get help. Teenagers often rebel against their parents, but if they hear the same information from a different authority figure, they may tend to listen.     5     Don’t be afraid to seek professional consulting service if you are concerned about your child’s smartphone use.

A．Is your child having problems fitting in?

B．Spend time as a family away from screens.

C．Is your child having trouble working harder?

D．Try a sports coach, doctor, or respected family friend.

E．Use apps to monitor and limit your child’s smartphone use.

F．Turn devices off and leave them in another room overnight to charge.

G．Youngsters lack the maturity to control their smartphone use on their own.

6 . A Palestinian soccer team has been formed with players who have lost legs as a result of fighting between Israeli and Palestinian forces. It is the first Palestinian national soccer team of its kind. The players say the organization helps them deal with the physical and mental effects of their war wounds.

Ziad Halib is one of the players and he is 41-year-old. He lost his right leg in 2008 during the first Israel-Hamas war and has been on the team since 2019. He has never missed a training session or game. “We feel we have something, we can give something,” Halib said.

The players hope to compete with teams from other countries. They are seeking to take part in the 2022 Amputee (被截肢者) Football World Cup in October, Turkey. This will require them to attend qualifying competitions in March, Iran. They will be able to make the trip if the border opens to permit them to travel through Egypt.

Simon Baker is a Red Cross advisor and creator of the Irish Amputee Football Association. He recently oversaw the final training session of the season in the Gaza Strip. His job was to choose 20 players from a group of 47 representing different Gaza teams.

Gaza is home to an estimated 1,600 amputees out of a population of more than 2 million. Baker first visited Gaza in 2019, as violent protests were taking place along the territory’s heavily-guarded border with Israel. His goal was to create a whole league for amputees. He spent time training players and officials and was able to organize a league with five teams and more than 100 players. He also started a league for younger amputees, which includes players as young as 5 years old. Baker stays away from discussing politics. His main goal is to create an environment by which the players come to the field and they leave the trauma (创伤) behind.

1. How can Ziad Halib and his teammates attend competitions in Iran?

A．By participating in World Cup in Turkey.

B．By winning qualifying competitions in Iran.

C．By gaining permission to travel through Egypt.

D．By training harder and winning a training game.

2. What was Simon Baker’s task in the Gaza Strip?

A．Picking out footballers.	B．Serving the Red Cross.
C．Inspiring football lovers.	D．Forming a national team.

3. Which of the following words can best describe Baker according to the last paragraph?

A．Enthusiastic and kind.	B．Brave and determined.
C．Courageous and calm.	D．Imaginative and modest.

4. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To introduce a popular Palestinian soccer team.

B．To praise Simon Baker for his great contribution.

C．To encourage amputees to join the football team.

D．To show soccer helps Palestinians heal war wounds.

7 . Reading poems is not exactly an everyday activity for most people. In fact, many people never read a poem once they get out of high school.

It is worth reminding ourselves that this has not always been the case in America. In the nineteenth century, a usual American activity was to sit around the fireside in the evening and read poems aloud. It is true that there was no television at that time, nor movie theatres, nor World Wide Web, to provide diversion. However, poems were a source of pleasure, of self-education, of connection to other people or to the world beyond one’s own community. Reading them was a social act as well as an individual one, and perhaps even more social than individual. Writing poems to share with friends and relations was, like reading poems by the fireside, another way in which poetry has a place in everyday life.

How did things change? Why are most Americans no longer comfortable with poetry, and why do most people today think that a poem has nothing to tell them and that they can do well without poems?

There are, I believe, three factors: poets, teachers, and we ourselves. Of these, the least important is the third: the world surrounding the poem has betrayed us more than we have betrayed the poem. Early in the twentieth century, poetry in English headed into directions unfavourable to the reading of poetry. Readers decided that poems were not for the fireside or the easy chair at night, and that they belonged where other difficult-to-read things belonged.

Poets failed the reader, so did teachers. They want their students to know something about the skills of a poem; they want their students to see that poems mean something. Yet what usually occurs when teachers push these concerns on their high school students is that young people decide poems are unpleasant crossword puzzles.

1. Why is reading poems thought to be a social act in the nineteenth century?

A．Because it built a link among people.

B．Because it helped unite a community.

C．Because it was a source of self-education.

D．Because it was a source of pleasure.

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

A．Stories.

B．Changes.

C．Amusements.

D．Concentrations.

3. What is the main cause of the great gap between readers and poetry?

A．Students are poorly educated in high school.

B．Poems have become difficult to understand.

C．Students are becoming less interested in poetry.

D．TV and the Internet are more attractive than poetry.

4. What does the author try to tell us by writing the text?

A．The history and changes of poetry.

B．The correct way for teachers to teach poetry.

C．The failure of poetry in people’s life nowadays.

D．The reason why people aren’t keen on poetry today.

8 . When it comes to a public library, you usually think of books and computers for people to use. You can even think of educational lectures and concerts that are often held in the library. But few people would expect to have a farm in the library.

But why not? After all, with rising costs, food safety is a community-wide issue. The Cicero Public Library near Syracuse in New York solved this problem by building a farm on its land. When Meg Backus saw all the open space in the library across the street from the building, he realized it could be used to benefit the community.

The farm was created in 2011 and in the beginning, 40 members of the library brought seeds (种子), water, and supplies to see if they could grow food on the land. It turned out that they could. To get the needed supplies for a larger farm, the library began to work with the organization Syracuse Grows Agency.

The community farm donates (捐赠) over 200 pounds of fresh produce (农产品) to local food banks every year. Half of the growing area is used as the Food Educational Garden. The other half is used by growers themselves. During the year, there are educational programs held at the library to teach people how to garden. There are also a lot of gardening books that can be used at the library.

Lauren Rosenstein, a worker of the library, said that she felt like she was giving something back to the community. “You’re really making a difference as a local community because you’re growing the food that people are eating.”

1. Why did Meg Backus build the farm?

A．To earn money.

B．To attract more readers.

C．To improve food safety.

D．To teach readers how to grow food.

2. How did the 40 members feel at first?

A．Doubtful.

B．Stressed.

C．Hopeless.

D．Confident.

3. What are educational programs held at the library mainly about?

A．Farmers’ life.

B．Food donation.

C．Gardening skills.

D．Food banks.

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

A．Make a Farm Popular	B．Turn a Library into a Farm
C．Meet the First Library Farm	D．Find a Job on a Library Farm

9 . Movie stars might think their lives are private after leaving the acting location, but they ought to know that they have much power over their audience. The power gives them an ability to change people, events, even history, making them to have the responsibility of being good role models.

With time going on, movie stars become celebrities (名人) and in the process get a large number of fans. Some of them follow their deeds, dress, and act like them. In reality, they want to be like their favorite movie stars. If a movie star engages in acts that the society does not approve, those who look up to them, especially the teens, will do the same. Movie stars should be responsible for what they do and say as following the actions is now simpler because of social media. It is important to behave like a role model even when they think no one is watching.

Nobody is perfect, and movie stars also have had their down moments. They may not have been good role models at the time, but they can change the narrative by doing the right things. They can also turn the past shortcomings into positives by opening up about problems and how they overcame the challenges. And their audience can learn to discuss their problems and seek help.

People starring in movies are the target of companies to promote their products or services for a fee. Their celebrity status is a reason enough to think beyond the payment. A movie star should not recommend something that will influence the way teens live negatively. It would be wrong to promote something like sweetened drinks or foods without health benefits. Movie stars face problems like other people, but because of their influence, they have a responsibility to be role models in the public eye.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．Fans often follow their stars’ dress and hobbies.

B．Celebrities’ actions spread fast on social media.

C．Movie stars should be responsible for their fans.

D．Movie stars’ acts have a great impact on their fans.

2. How should movie stars deal with their down moments?

A．Lie to fans by making up a story.

B．Do the right things to overcome the problems.

C．Cover their problems with good movies.

D．Post their problems online to seek help.

3. Which is the author’s advice to celebrities?

A．Don’t tell problems to the public.

B．Don’t play roles that have a negative impact on teens.

C．Don’t ask for payment when promoting products.

D．Don’t recommend unhealthy drinks or foods.

4. What is the author’s purpose of writing this article?

A．To tell movie stars how to help people in need.

B．To stress movie stars’ impact on teens.

C．To call on movie stars to be good role models.

D．To advise movie stars to open up about their problems.

10 . Everywhere I look, there are new buildings under construction. The neighborhoods that I knew as a boy, filled with beautiful old buildings, have mostly disappeared, and in their place, modern, high-rise buildings have appeared. There is good reason for this. Residents want all the conveniences of modern living. However, how can our children understand and maintain their cultural identity if we erase so much of the physical evidence of it?

The arguments for preserving historic buildings are not simply about an emotional attachment to the past. There are also good economic arguments in favour of preservation. The renovation (修缮) and preservation of historic districts can become an economic engine, drawing tourists and small businesses to the area. For example, in Dubai, the historic Al Bastikiya district draws thousands of tourists every year from all over the world. It also attracts local residents, eager to learn about their city's past.

Some have argued that historic preservation is too expensive, but many recent projects have demonstrated that this is not necessarily the case. In fact, renovation of an existing structure for adaptive reuse can cost about £40 per square metre less than even the most basic new construction, while preserving the beauty of the original building. And, although it is often claimed that old buildings have a more significant environmental footprint than new construction because they aren’t very energy efficient, architects and environmental experts maintain that the greenest building is the one that is already built. New construction almost always has a more serious environmental impact (影响) because it requires the use of all-new materials that must be transported, often over long distances, instead of recycled materials that are already on site. We recycle so many other things. We can and should recycle buildings, too.

Historic preservation is an option that opens many possibilities; demolition (拆毁), in contrast, is irreversible. Once these treasures are lost, they are lost forever, an important link in our heritage that can never be recovered.

1. What drives people to replace old buildings with new ones?

A．Their dislike of old buildings.	B．Their pride in cultural identity.
C．Their concern about young generations.	D．Their desire for modern comforts.

2. What does the example of Al Bastikiya show?

A．Historic renovation costs much money.

B．Local governments support small businesses.

C．Historic preservation brings economic benefits.

D．International tourism promises economic recovery.

3. What can be inferred about renovating old buildings from paragraph 3?

A．It uses green materials.	B．It damages architectural beauty.
C．It reduces enviromental impact.	D．It worries environmental experts.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards historic preservation?

A．Positive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Disapproving.

D．Objective.