1 . For making contact and communicating with a person, effective eye contact is essential to our everyday interaction with people, and also to those who want to be effective communicators in public places.     1    .

Generally in Western societies and many other cultures, eye contact with a person is expected to be regular but not overly persistent.     2    , causing the person who’s the object of a person’s stare to feel overly studied and uncomfortable.

    3    . The New Zealand Medical Journal reported that one reason so many young children fall victim to attacks by pet dogs is their overly-lasting eye contact with pets, which causes them to feel threatened and defensive.

Overly lasting eye contact is also a sign of a person’s over-awareness of the messages they are giving. In the case of people who try to lie to someone, they may distort (扭曲) their eye contact so that they’re not avoiding it.     4    . But on the contrary, evasive (逃避的) eye contact is a sign of discomfort. Why do we avoid looking at a person? It may be because we feel ashamed to be looking at them if we’re being dishonest of trying to take them in. Evasive eye contact may also a sign of dishonesty.

However, Scotland’s University of Stirling found that, in a question-and-answer study among children, those who maintained eye contact were less likely to come up with the correct answer to a question than those who looked away to consider their response.     5    , when this energy could be spent on deep thinking.

A．This is a widely recognized indicator of lying

B．Constant eye contact is often considered to be rude

C．Eye contact is the act of looking into someone’s eyes

D．But there’s something you may not know about eye contact

E．Overpowering eye contact can make the other person excited

F．Even between humans and non-humans, lasting eye contact is sometimes unadvisable

G．Eye contact, as a socializing device, can take a surprising amount of effort to maintain

2 . Nowadays, many of us are finding ourselves tired out, struggling to build balance back into our lives.     1     Spending time near oceans, lakes, rivers and other but spaces can provide a range of benefits including reducing anxiety, easing mental tiredness and refreshing us. Here is some advice on how to take advantage of the healing power of water.

    2     You likely have some water close by, even if it is just a pond alongside the road. Start there. Then get out to water you can visit on the weekend or a vacation. Urban water counts—rivers, canals and fountains.     3     If you can’t get to actual water, then paintings, photographs, videos and movies can produce some of the same benefits. Even virtual reality helps.

Go often. A little bit makes a big difference.     4     But an environmental psychologist found that spending a similar amount of time near water has the same benefits. Even people who look into aquariums(水族箱) have lower heart rates and better moods after just 15 minutes.

Listen. One of the most calming characteristics of water is its sound, typically steady and soft. The water sounds people find having the strongest healing power are rain in a rainforest, waves patting a beach, and a running stream. When the sounds of living things are added to the sounds of water, people like them even better. Make an audio recording of your favorite water.     5    

A．Remember that all water counts.

B．It will bring back happy memories.

C．Stay in a place surrounded by water.

D．According to researchers, water can help us.

E．So does domestic water-in pools, bathtubs, even by fish tanks.

F．Spending some time every day near water can speed up our recovery.

G．It takes at least two hours a week in nature to improve our well-being.

3 . Soothe the Sunday scaries

Most of us look forward to the weekend as a time to relax, connect with friends and family, and deal with tasks from a to-do list that gets neglected during the workweek. But as the weekend comes to an end, many are missing out on Sunday Funday and instead experiencing an overwhelming sense of anxiety and even dread about the upcoming week.     1     Some people describe it as a heaviness they can feel in their body, while others feel so unsettled that they could jump out of their skin.

Even though the Sunday scaries are common, they are manageable. Here’s how experts say you can ease your end-of-weekend anxiety.

Structure your Sunday.     2     You might still go through that sense of dread, but that feeling is harder to hold on to when you’ re engaging in something that makes you feel good.

Don’t forget to relax. If you’re feeling more stress, it’s important to make space for relaxing activities to ground yourself. Maybe a midafternoon shower or bath, maybe an engaging movie or show, whatever feels like a helpful distraction to reground from the scaries.

Identify your anxiety sources. Try to figure out what’s really causing you to dread the week.     3     Even if there’s not a single reason behind your Sunday anxiety, organizing the stress into small parts can help make it all more manageable.

    4     Getting rid of the Sunday scaries isn’t just about minimizing the gloom of the week ahead. Have something to look forward to. This gives you the opportunity to shift your thoughts to fun and will help improve your mood.

End your Sunday with the right energy. Sunday night is a proper wind-down time. Maybe you want to journal, do a face mask, read a few pages of a good book. Do your best to honor this time and make Sunday night all about you.     5    

A．Is it a deadline, meeting or presentation?

B．Create some excitement for the week ahead.

C．Experts have referred to this worry as Sunday scaries.

D．Sunday scaries come from tiredness after a really busy weekend.

E．Then you feel empowered and confident that you’ll be ready for the next day.

F．Instead of sitting on the couch and watching the clock, go to do something that you enjoy.

G．Anxiety is a natural response that happens in preparation for anything that causes pain or discomfort.

4 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

When the last customer left KFC, it was already 10:30 pm. Adam, an 18-year-old college student, dragged himself home. He had been working at KFC for over a month that summer vacation.

Entering his room, Adam found his younger brother Bill sitting on the edge of his bed with an uneasy expression on his face.

“Sorry, Adam. I … I did something wrong,” Bill sprang up and said nervously.

“What is it?”

“This afternoon I sneaked (溜) out for a ride on your motorcycle and accidentally hit our neighbor Osman Brook’s car. I was so scared and I … I hurried home in panic.”

“Is the car seriously damaged?”

“The left headlight got broken.”

“It’s truly your fault and it’s really dangerous to ride a motorcycle at your age. Besides, it’s illegal,” Adam raised his voice, obviously annoyed. Hearing this, Bill lowered his head and bit his lips hard.

“Anyway, it’s no use crying over spilt milk. I will deal with it tomorrow. Now you go to bed and have a good sleep.”

The next morning when Adam got up, Bill was still sleeping soundly. Adam was more determined about what he ought to do as an elder brother.

After breakfast, Adam took out all the money he had earned and went out of the house with it. In the yard he saw his motorcycle, on whose side the scratches (划痕) were clearly visible. Adam shook his head and sighed slightly. Then he squared his shoulders and quickened his pace to Osman’s house.

When he arrived, he was welcomed by Osman’s wife Mary, who told him that Osman had gone to the garage to have his car repaired.

“I have something important to tell him. Can I wait until he comes back?” Adam requested eagerly.

“Of course. He should be home soon,” Mary invited Adam in, served him a cup of coffee and began chatting with him.

After half an hour, the door opened and in came Osman. Having said hello to each other, Osman and Adam both sat down on the sofa.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Adam cleared his throat and began to speak.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Just then, there came a knock at the door.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . Have you ever complained that there just aren’t enough hours in a day? Do you usually find yourself falling short on time in completing assigned tasks?     1     No matter how hard I tried, tasks just kept piling up towards the end every day and it became extremely difficult to stay productive. In spite of trying all kinds of free and paid to-do apps, nothing helped.

That didn’t change until I discovered the time management technique called Time Blocking. Since then, I have been able to transform my daily schedule for the better with the help of Time Blocking.     2    

It is a simple time management technique where you schedule your day such that it is divided into time blocks that are dedicated to specific tasks or groups of tasks.     3     Imagine that you have a dozen or so tasks that you want to finish working on tomorrow. You open your to-do app of choice and neatly list down everything that you plan to do, and then plot some important meetings and reminders in your calendar app,     4     The more specific you are about the task, the more focused and productive you will be and thus, more productive.

    5     It not only makes your to-do list more manageable, but also it gives you more control over your day and helps you prioritize your tasks. It also improves your focus and helps get rid of procrastination(拖延症), as it allows you to focus on one project at a time.

A．So what is it exactly?

B．Is everyone interested in it?

C．I used to be in the same boat.

D．The benefits of Time Blocking are considerable.

E．Let’s further explain the concept in another way.

F．You’ll encounter countless questions like these in your life.

G．You’ll need to be very specific about the time and what you’re planning to do.

6 . How to Have an Attractive Personality

Being attractive comes more from your personality than your appearance, and demonstrating an attractive personality is key to having lasting relationships.     1    The following tips help foster your ability to fascinate others.

Laugh at yourself. If you make a fool of yourself, laugh at yourself instead of feeling embarrassed. It shows that you’re comfortable in your skin. A sense of humor makes someone more engaging and delightful to be with.     2     It is a great ice-breaker or stress reliever, but don’t ruin a serious conversation with inappropriate jokes.

Speak sincerely. Tell people the truth. If you can’t commit to something, it’s better to be honest about it than to have to tell them last minute that you can’t make it. When people ask for your opinion, you should be honest.     3     For instance, if you don’t like your friend’s shirt, respond with, “I really like you in blue instead,” rather than, “I hate it, it’s ugly.”  

    4     If you see value in making others laugh and keep yourself positive, you’ll be a happier person, making others drawn to you as a result. A great way to remind you to laugh more is to have daily jokes on your phone or email. Set them for a time of day when you notice yourself start to feel drained.

Have confidence in your body. You don’t have to have the “perfect body” to be confident in it. People will be more attracted to you if you dress well and carry yourself well. If you need a little boost, place posters around your mirror that remind you of the charming parts of your body.     5    

A．Speak in a positive way.

B．Make laughing a priority.

C．Remember, there is a time and place for humor.

D．There is difference between being frank and rude, though.

E．Focus on these rather than what you’re self-conscious about.

F．Actually, developing engaging personalities is not that far out of reach.

G．But having charming appearance is only skin-deep and far from enough.

7 . Mirthy hosts over 80 online events every month. You can enjoy them from the comfort of your home. All you need to do is visit our dedicated page on the Mirthy website.

Learning to rug hooking on a budget
Friday 4th and Friday 18th November at 2:30 pm

Participants will learn a brief history of rug hooking. Participants will also be encouraged to try their hand at this multi-generational art form, have two weeks to complete the small project and then come back to the second session to learn how to finish it off and prepare it for display.

The disappearance of Heneage Bloxham
Wednesday 9th November at 7:30 pm

In 2001, Sam Eedle was approached by an elderly woman in Tewkesbury. Her uncle, Heneage Bloxham, had disappeared on the Western Front and nobody in her family was able to tell her what actually happened to him. By accessing the available records, maps and war diaries, and by taking a diversion to the battlefield while on a trip to France, Sam was able to find out what happened to the woman’s uncle.

African dance
Monday 2lst November at 5:15 pm

African dance allows us to express ourselves individually while also being part of a collective. Creative expression is encouraged and our uniqueness is celebrated. Kenzi will be reminding you that movements can be adapted and explored to find a way that works for your body and movement style. Making a wild foraged wreath Monday 28th November at 2:30 pm

In this workshop, you will be learning how to make a wreath! Through winding twigs and vines to find forest textures into a festive sampling of nature, this will be an artistic nature-based experience. The wreath is free-form and adds a naturalistic winter atmosphere to your door with a minimal, organic style.

1. Where do the activities take place?

A．On the Internet.	B．In public places.
C．At school.	D．In a lecture hall.

2. Who was missing?

A．Sam Eedle.	B．An elderly woman.
C．Heneage Bloxham.	D．Kenzi.

3. When is Making a wild foraged wreath shown?

A．18th November at 2:30 pm.	B．9th November at 7:30 pm.
C．21st November at 5:15 pm.	D．28th November at 2:30 pm.

8 . “Man up.” That’s the “advice” that some guys hear from their family and friends when they’re not _________ “manly” enough because they’re showing “too many” emotions.

And, frankly, it’s the kind of advice that ends up doing great _________. Love and support are what strengthen a person; toxic masculinity (有毒的男子气概) is what _________ some problems in the future.

A 16-year-old boy told his _________ about how he cried after not getting into a soccer team. It was a pretty big _________ to him and, naturally, he was upset. And _________ his mom and his sisters comforted him, his dad had a _________ attitude towards the entire situation. A big fight followed full of accusations of the boy not being enough of a man.

The boy’s dad _________ him for “not doing enough” to get into the soccer team. He then went on to give the boy some _________ on how to be more athletic and take care of his diet more.

__________, the dad said that it was stupid to cry over a thing like this, and that it was time that he “manned up”. What followed was a long __________ and afterwards, the boy ignored his dad for a week.

The boy’s behaviour can be __________. Men, just like women, experience depression and anxiety. However, men are __________ told to control their emotions and not to __________ their problems with others, as it’s seen as being weak. Actually, for men, it is good to __________ their emotions properly.

1.

A．appearing

B．acting

C．responding

D．offering

2.

A．harm

B．failure

C．confusion

D．anxiety

3.

A．deals with

B．runs into

C．brings about

D．looks into

4.

A．opinion

B．story

C．secret

D．trip

5.

A．loss

B．change

C．shame

D．blow

6.

A．unless

B．if

C．because

D．while

7.

A．different

B．positive

C．friendly

D．flexible

8.

A．praised

B．thanked

C．forgave

D．blamed

9.

A．information

B．inspiration

C．suggestions

D．demands

10.

A．However

B．Besides

C．Therefore

D．Instead

11.

A．silence

B．separation

C．conversation

D．argument

12.

A．glorious

B．practical

C．understandable

D．impressive

13.

A．traditionally

B．originally

C．immediately

D．simply

14.

A．combine

B．share

C．handle

D．compare

15.

A．hide

B．generate

C．release

D．control

9 . My wife, Hannah, and I don’t usually keep houseplants. Anything in pots gets either overwatered or underwatered, but after my diagnosis (诊断) with brain cancer, I loved the idea of having something green around.

A friend gave me what he said was a lucky bamboo plant in a deep-green bowl. We placed the plant in the living room and I told Hannah I wanted to care for it myself. When it didn’t immediately turn yellow or lose leaves, I was pleasantly surprised. Tending to the plant gave me a sense of accomplishment when I sometimes felt useless. As a family physician, I was used to offering care, not receiving it.

Since my diagnosis, I had to rely on help from other people. Watering the plant, small act as it was, connected me to a core part of my old identity.

After I recovered from the operation and returned to work, I continued to care for the plant. Soon, it had nearly doubled in height. Both the tree and I were thriving (茁壮成长). Then, without any reason, it began to show signs of stress. Its leaves kept browning and dropping to the floor. Hannah reminded me that we’d seen houseplants die before, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the plant had become a symbol of my health. I grew increasingly depressed and fearful.

Looking back, I realized I had wrongly connected my caring of the plant—something I could manage—with my own survival—something I couldn’t. Knowing I couldn’t control my fate (命运), my anxiety actually lessened. I began to search online to figure out how to care for my plant. Following the instructions, I transplanted the tree to a larger pot, giving it room to grow. When it was back in the sunny window, we both began to thrive again. Whenever I look at the plant in its new pot, I make a point to think of those who have cared for and supported me.

1. Why was the author surprised about the plant’s good condition?

A．Because of his recent diagnosis.	B．Because of his worsening health.
C．Because of his previous failures.	D．Because of his unusual good luck.

2. What does the underlined part in paragraph 3 imply?

A．The author considered himself useless.	B．The author felt connected to the plant.
C．The author desired to provide care.	D．The author hoped to return to work.

3. Why was the author fearful?

A．Because the plant’s poor health might indicate his death.

B．Because the stress of work would harm his well-being.

C．Because he may have to rely on others from then on.

D．Because he would experience a rather risky operation.

4. How did the author lessen his anxiety?

A．By searching plant knowledge online.	B．By thinking of those who supported him.
C．By knowing he will survive in the end.	D．By accepting his unavoidable limitation.

10 . Laurie Horam never thought of himself as musical. At home, his dad never listened to music, while one of his boarding school teachers labelled him tone deaf. But last month he started to play the harmonica (口琴)on the streets of Bradford. People clapped, danced and threw coins into his case for the local food bank. Horam caught himself thinking. “How, at the age of 79, do I come to be playing music to people on the streets?”

The question preoccupied him, because, some years ago at a family gathering, Gavin, his eldest son, said: “You know what, Dad? It can’t be coincidental. We must have got our musical abilities from you.” Horam has three sons and they cover a range of instruments. He was surprised. “There can’t be music in me, because I can’t play! ”he said.

Eight years ago, Horam, a retired civil servant, was on his way back from a trip with his family. Gavin stopped at a music shop. He walked out and said: “Here you are. I bought this for you, Dad. It’s a harmonica. I’ll try to show you how to play a bit.”

They went to a session at their local pub. Gavin played the guitar and Horam sat in the corner with his harmonica, trying to make a sound that no one would hear. After six months, he was invited into the group. He discovered a talent for improvisation(即兴表演),responding to a note within a millisecond without batting an eyelid. “I don’t play by ear. I play by heart.” Actually, Horam says: “My harmonica plays me-how I feel, what I am, what I’ve been.”

Music has enriched life with friendship and made Horam feel “part of something much bigger” than himself. “At a time when the circle of life might be shrinking, mine is expanding,” he says. “Maybe we never know completely who we are or what we can do.”

1. Why did Horam play the harmonica on the streets of Bradford?

A．To recall the good old days.

B．To beg food from passers-by.

C．To live his childhood dream.

D．To collect money for charity.

2. What is Gavin’s attitude to his father’s musical ability?

A．Positive.

B．Disapproving.

C．Doubtful.

D．Unclear.

3. What does playing the harmonica allow Horam to do?

A．Enjoy the quiet.

B．Listen to his heart.

C．Express himself.

D．Sharpen his hearing.

4. What does music bring to Horam?

A．A lost soul.

B．A comfortable life.

C．A broader circle of life.

D．A new perception of family.