1 . There is a popular saying in the English language: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Well, that is not true. Unkind words, name-calling or even the so-called “the silent treatment” can hurt children as much as being physically hit, sometimes even more so. A recent study of middle school children showed that verbal (言语的) abuse by other children can harm, the development in the brain. The study was a project of researchers at Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts. Researcher Martin Teicher and his team studied young adults, aged 18 to 25. These young men and women had not ever been treated in a cruel or violent way by their parents. The researchers asked the young people to rate their childhood exposure to verbal abuse from both parents and other children. Then the researchers performed imaging tests on the brains of the subjects.
The images showed that the people who reported suffering verbal abuse from peers in middle school had underdeveloped connections between the left and right side of the brain. The two sides of the brain are connected by a large bundle of connecting fibers called the corpus callosum. This was the area that was underdeveloped.
The middle school years are a time when these brain connections are developing. So, unkind, hurtful comments from children or adults during this period have the greatest effect. The researchers tested the mental and emotional condition of all the young people in the study. The tests showed that this same group of people had higher levels of fear, depression, anger and drug abuse than others in the study.
The researchers published their findings online on the American Journal of Psychiatry's website.
Parents cannot control what other people say to their children, but they can prepare their children.
1. Why does the author use the popular saying at the beginning?| A．To show the power of words. |
| B．To introduce an opposite view. |
| C．To prove the author's argument. |
| D．To show ancient people's wisdom. |
| A．They were hurt by unkind words. |
| B．They performed poorly in imaging tests. |
| C．They had their brain slightly damaged. |
| D．They experienced no physical abuse at home. |
| A．Comments on the findings. |
| B．Approaches to further studies. |
| C．Suggestions to parents. |
| D．Different opinions on the matter. |
| A．Unkind words hurt the brain. |
| B．Verbal violence should be stopped. |
| C．The way we speak matters. |
| D．Words are worse than sticks and stones. |
2 . For the first time in more than 60 years, firearms and motor vehicles are killing Americans at an identical rate, according to new death data. The death rate for both firearms and motor vehicles stands at 10.3 deaths per 100,000 people. The result was produced primarily by a sharp drop in the rate of motor vehicle deaths since 1950, while over the same period, gun deaths rose.
The steady decline in motor vehicle deaths can be attributed to (归因于) a combination of improved technology and smarter regulation. The federal government commanded the presence of seat belts in the 1960s. The 1970s brought anti-lock brakes. The 1980s brought an increased focus on drunk driving and seat belt use. Airbags came along in the 1990s. More recent years have seen demands on electronic stability systems, increased penalties (惩罚) for careless driving and other improved technology used to meet safety requirements.
However, the history of American gun control regulation has been more erratic (不稳定的). Restrictions past in earlier times have been undone recently. Technological advances, like smart-gun technology that prevents people other than the owner from firing a gun, have been blocked by opposition from the National Rifle Association of America and many gun owners.
The result? The gun death rate is slightly higher than before. Particularly annoying is that there may be ways to improve gun safety and reduce firearm deaths. But innovations (创新) in gun safety are hard to come by, in large part because of Congress’s longstanding ban on many types of federal government research. The ban badly affects academic researchers. One well-known researcher, Garen Wintemute of the University of California at Davis, had to donate $1 million of his own money to keep his research going. He clearly tells his students not to join the field because of the severe difficulties that researchers face in obtaining funding and publishing their results.
Gun deaths and vehicle deaths are in many ways two different problems. Gun deaths are typically on purpose, but motor vehicle deaths are usually accidental. And cars are much more complicated machines than guns. Still, we’ve been able to make driving much safer. We could potentially do the same with guns.
1. What does the new death data reveal?| A．Gun deaths once experienced a sharp drop in 1950. |
| B．About 10 out of 10,000 people died of gun accidents. |
| C．Motor vehicle deaths have slightly declined since 1950. |
| D．Guns are now killing as many people as cars in the U.S. |
| A．By stating facts. | B．By using figures. | C．By giving instructions. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．Give up his gun research. | B．Donate $1 million to his university. |
| C．Support Congress’s ban on gun research. | D．Discourage students from following his research. |
| A．Gun safety could be guaranteed. | B．Guns are as complicated as cars. |
| C．Car driving is much easier than before. | D．Car accidents tend to be caused deliberately. |
3 . People have many different ways to relax during break time at work or school. Smartphones are probably the number one choice for a quick mental vacation. Looking at your cellphone may damage your mental power, according to a recent psychological study from Rutgers University in the United States.
For the study, more than 400 students were asked to finish a set of 20 word puzzles. The students were divided into three groups. One group was allowed to take a break and use cellphones to buy things online. The second group was asked to have a rest and buy things using a computer. The last group didn't take any break at all.
Interestingly, the group that used their cellphones during the break went back to work feeling the most tired and least motivated to continue. They also had the hardest time solving the remaining word puzzles. The cellphone group took 19 percent longer to finish the rest of the task, and solved 22 percent fewer problems than those in the other break conditions combined.
Terri Kurtzberg, co-author of the study, explained that they assumed looking at cellphones during a break would be no different from any other break—but instead, the phone may cause increasing levels of distraction that make it difficult to return focused attention to work tasks.
“Cellphones may have this effect because even just seeing your phone activates thoughts of checking messages, connecting with people, access to ever-refilling information and more, in ways that are different from how we use other screens like computers, and laptops,” Kurtzberg told Science Daily.
So, during your next break, try putting your smartphone way. Go out for a walk, get to know your classmates or even take a nap. You may be surprised by the results!
1. What did the study find about using cellphones during breaks?| A．It could affect one’s relationships with others | B．It could reduce one’s ability to solve problems |
| C．It could make people more motivated at work | D．It could be beneficial both physically and mentally |
| A．They have become a necessary part of people’s lives. |
| B．Their negative influence is almost impossible to avoid. |
| C．They may make it hard for people to concentrate on work. |
| D．They may influence people in the same way as computers. |
| A．It makes people sleepy | B．It does harm to peoples brains |
| C．It activates thoughts of using cellphones | D．It reminds people of their unhappy experiences. |
| A．Turn off their cellphones | B．Keep their cellphones out of sight |
| C．Keep their cellphones face down | D．Replace cellphones with laptops. |
4 . Have you seen people who take pictures of food for more than 10 minutes before eating? My friend Stella is such an example. Every time we went to a restaurant she would not take a bite until all the dishes we
Many people care too much about others’ opinions and try too hard to
If they really want an elegant life, they should put more
| A．ordered | B．served | C．offered | D．prepared |
| A．cooking | B．washing | C．setting | D．collecting |
| A．messy | B．arranged | C．casual | D．missed |
| A．dishes | B．restaurants | C．tables | D．pictures |
| A．chance | B．choice | C．excuse | D．reason |
| A．comfort | B．please | C．inspire | D．discourage |
| A．independent | B．generous | C．responsible | D．confident |
| A．real | B．secret | C．peaceful | D．healthy |
| A．rarely | B．hardly | C．exactly | D．nearly |
| A．difficulty | B．change | C．guidance | D．harm |
| A．question | B．dislike | C．doubt | D．follow |
| A．effort | B．ambitions | C．feeling | D．money |
| A．other than | B．more than | C．rather than | D．less than |
| A．identifying | B．accepting | C．persuading | D．amusing |
| A．simplifying | B．ruining | C．beautifying | D．worsening |
5 . The Internet plays a big part in human life. We use it for work and pleasure. We use it to learn a new language. We find advice on it. We use it to connect with family and friends. We use it to stay in touch with events we care about. The list goes on and on.
Well, that train has left the station. But can using the Internet too much be bad for our health?It might be, researchers say. A new study finds that heavy Internet use may be connected to high blood pressure in an unlikely group: teenagers.
High blood pressure makes your heart and blood vessels (血管) work too hard. Over time, this extra pressure increases your risk of a heart attack. High blood pressure can also cause heart and kidney (肾脏) diseases. It is also closely linked to a brain disease.
The Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan did the study. 335 young people, from 14 to 17 years old, took part in it. 134 of the teens were described as “heavy Internet users”. And researchers found that out of these 134 teens, 26 had high blood pressure. The researchers say the study is the first to connect heavy Internet use with high blood pressure. Other research has connected heavy Internet use with anxiety, depression and obesity (肥胖).
The lead researcher is Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow. She said, “Using the Internet is part of our daily life, but it shouldn't ruin us.” Ms Cassidy-Bushrow adds that it is important for teens to take regular breaks from their computers or smartphones and do some kind of physical activity. She also suggests that parents limit their children's use of the Internet to two hours a day, five days a week.
1. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 imply?| A．The Internet develops rapidly. |
| B．No one can escape from the Internet. |
| C．The Internet can provide whatever we want. |
| D．There is no going back to an Internet-free life. |
| A．Causes of high blood pressure. | B．The harm of high blood pressure. |
| C．The disadvantages of Internet use. | D．Ways to prevent high blood pressure. |
| A．Teenagers shouldn't use the Internet. |
| B．The Internet will ruin human life in the future. |
| C．Smartphones are more harmful than computers. |
| D．Regular breaks are necessary when teens are using the Internet. |
| A．Heavy Internet users are mostly teenagers. |
| B．We should prevent teenagers from the Internet. |
| C．Too much Internet use may be bad for teenagers. |
| D．Every coin has two sides — so does the Internet. |
6 . It may be one of Britain’s most successful exports—Miss World. This 53-year-old event took place in China last week and attracted over 120 women worldwide with knockout looks in a mad struggle for the crown.
Traditional values have long kept the Chinese, especially women, from displaying beauty. But Chinese people have now changed their attitude towards beauty contest, although some men will still be shouting that the winner is no more beautiful than his wife or his former girl-friend or even his mother in a sour tone.
And a further question to be asked is: does taking part in a beauty contest show a woman’s courage, wisdom and liberation or rather the opposite—a forced choice and a revolting act made under conditions of long-term discrimination?
Organizers of such beauty contests claim that the contestants are judged on qualities other than just their physical appearance. But still no answer is given to why there isn’t a Mr. Beauty or a Mr. World Contest.
Think about who is always standing beside a fancy car on show?
The beauty contests go on year after year, with winners enjoying fame which quickly disappears.
| A．Or at least, why isn’t that kind of contest popular |
| B．While such events go on and on |
| C．Though a Mr. World Contest is also held |
| D．But such men are not shouting for the right reason |
| E．What never changes is the fate of women as a class |
| F．Is it a boy or a girl |
| G．Women were not allowed to show their beauty in China |
7 . In the third century BC, the full stop, or period, was introduced by Greek literary critic Aristophanes of Byzantium. This punctuation mark is used to show the end of a sentence.
However, the full stop has a different meaning to teenagers and those in their early 20s, who interpret this punctuation mark as a sign of anger. And there is a reason for that.
The younger generation has grown up using the texts as their primary means of communication.
When sending messages, they tend to break up their thoughts by sending each one as a separate message, instead of using a full stop. Some have said the full stop is redundant when used in texting because the message is ended just by sending it.
According to the Telegraph, linguist Lauren Fonteyn of Leiden University in the Netherlands, tweeted: “If you send a text message without a full stop, it's already obvious that you've concluded the message.” “So if you add that additional marker for completion, they will read something into it and it tends to be a falling intonation or negative tone.”
David Crystal, one of the world's leading language experts, argues that the usage of full stops is being “revised in a really fundamental way”. In his book Making a Point, he says that the punctuation mark has become an “emotion marker" that reminds the recipient that the sender is angry or annoyed.
Though the full stop has taken on a different meaning to the younger generation, experts noted that it is important to take context into account. For example, using full stops in an email is perfectly acceptable and is not considered rude.
1. What does the underlined word "redundant" probably mean?| A．Clear. | B．Unacceptable. | C．Unnecessary. | D．Old-fashioned. |
| A．Using the full stop improves communication. |
| B．The usage of the full stop is changing for the worse. |
| C．A text message is quite different from spoken language. |
| D．The full stop in text messages can show senders' emotions. |
| A．Consider different situations. | B．Check who the recipient is. |
| C．Take it as an “emotion marker”. | D．Follow the culture of the young generation. |
| A．The history of punctuation marks. | B．A new meaning to the full stop. |
| C．Correct ways to use the full stop. | D．Different views on punctuation marks. |
1. When did the accident happen according to the man?
| A．At 7:20 a.m. today. | B．At 7:20 p.m. today. | C．At 7:20 a.m. yesterday. |
| A．Driving a car. | B．Listening to music. | C．Making a phone call. |
| A．A doctor. | B．A policewoman. | C．A driver. |
| A．Sign his name. | B．Copy his ID card. | C．Record their conversation. |
9 . Approaching 96, at an age when most are lonely and in poor health, Olga Murray, full of energy, has been eagerly planning a trip to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, while keeping in touch with hundreds of friends around the world. How can she be in such good shape? You may wonder. Is it her good genes? (Her mother lived to 98.) Her daily salads and three-times-a-week workouts? Or might it have something to do with the retired lawyer's second career as founder of a nonprofit organization?
Scientists increasingly are finding that the answer — call it living with purpose, finding meaning in life or just engaging with something larger than yourself — can be a particularly healthy pursuit. Living with a sense of purpose can improve the quality of those final years. Murray offers a vivid example of how to create a sense of meaning.
Murray's story began in 1984, after she had worked 37 years as a lawyer and was starting to think about retirement (退休). At 59, while traveling in Nepal, Murray found herself amazed by the children there.“They were poor beyond anything I had ever experienced,”she recalled in a self-published memoir (自传) years later.“Yet they were the most joyful little kids anywhere on earth.”She wanted to devote the rest of her life to helping educate Nepalese children.
Returning to Nepal the next year, she met Allan Aistrope, then a volunteer English teacher at the country's only orphanage (孤儿院). The two combined forces, beginning with organizing college scholarships for four of the orphans. After another five years, they had launched the Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF), which by then was supporting several hundred scholarship students and raising 60 homeless children. In 1994, the two hired Som Paneru, a former scholarship student, as executive director. Murray has taken several steps to make sure the NYF will survive after the unavoidable loss of her presence. She ceded (转让) the presidency to Paneru in 2012. Now, she is busy as usual, leading lots of fundraising campaigns (筹款活动).
1. What might be the reason for Murray's long life according to the scientists?| A．Her good genes. |
| B．Her daily workouts. |
| C．Her changing career. |
| D．Her living with purpose. |
| A．They were eager to receive education. |
| B．They lived a very poor but happy life. |
| C．They liked to converse with foreigners. |
| D．They were terribly interested in her memoir. |
| A．She helped four orphans go to college. |
| B．She started the Nepal Youth Foundation. |
| C．She volunteered to act as an English teacher. |
| D．She sent 60 homeless children to the orphanage. |
| A．Recovering the losses she has experienced. |
| B．Devoting herself to fundraising activities. |
| C．Picking the right person to replace Paneru. |
| D．Helping more people plan their retirement. |
10 . It was a comfortable sunny Sunday. I was going to meet an old university friend I hadn't seen for years, and was really excited.
My train was running a little late, but that was no big problem—I could text him to say I would be late. He would understand. But where was my mobile phone? I had that familiar sinking feeling. Yes, I'd left it at home.
No mobile phone. I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling anxious, on edge and worried when I don't have my phone with me. In fact, I know I'm not alone: twothirds of us experience nomophobia (无手机恐惧症), the fear of being out of mobile phone contact.
That's according to a study from 2012, which surveyed 1,000 people in the UK about their relationship with mobile phones.
It says we check our mobile phones 34 times a day, and that 18—24 year olds, especially girls, are the most likely to suffer fear of being without their mobiles: 77% of them say they are unable to be apart from their phones for more than a few minutes.
Do you have nomophobia?
·You never turn your phone off.
·You frequently (频繁地) check for texts, missed calls and emails.
·You always take your phone to the bathroom with you.
·You never let the battery run out.
It's funny to think that around 20 years ago the only people with mobile phones would be businessmen carrying their large, plastic ‘bricks’. Of course, these days, mobile phones are everywhere. A UN study from this year said there would be more mobile phones than people across the world by the end of 2020.
And when there are more phones than people in the world, maybe it's time to ask who really is in charge (主管). Are you in control of your phone, or does your phone control you?
So, what happened with my university friend? When I arrived a few minutes late, he just laughed and said, “You haven't changed at all—still always late!” And we had a great afternoon catching up, full of jokes and stories, with no desire (欲望) to check my phone.Not having the mobile phone with me makes me feel strangely free. Maybe I'll leave it at home on purpose next time.
1. What does the passage talk about?| A．The history of mobile phones. | B．The story of meeting an old university friend. |
| C．The attraction of playing mobile phones. | D．The terrible feeling of being without the mobiles. |
| A．Worried. | B．Positive. | C．Neutral. | D．Negative. |
| A．A successful manager. | B．A 21-year-old girl. |
| C．A 21-year-old boy. | D．A lonely middleaged person. |
