1 . Like the rest of us, scientists have long suspected the healing capacity (修复能力) of a good hug. Unlike the rest of us, they’ve gone about trying to prove it.

“Laboratory studies suggest that things like hugs help us feel safer. They can also make us less sensitive to physical pain and less reactive when we’re faced with threatening experiences,” says Michael Murphy. He is a research professor in the department of psychological sciences at Texas Tech University. “This lab work has shown that hugs and other touch behavior are related to stress. The more stress we have, the more our heart rates and blood pressure go up. At this time, hugs and other forms of personal touch may give off all sorts of feel-good chemicals, so that stress can be reduced.”

“There’s a lot that we still need to learn, and there’s a lot we don’t know,” Murphy says. “However, what seems to be rising up is that hugs, as well as other forms of loving and gentle touch, are really powerful. They remind people that they’ re cared about and that they have someone in their corner.”

We expect touch. When we were born, we were placed in our mothers’ arms almost immediately. In that first year of our life, we spend a lot of time being held by other people. And as we grow up, we seek out hugs and touch as a way of connection. I think what we have lost in the past few years are these really easy opportunities to be reminded of connection.”

While he was at Carnegie Mellon, Murphy was the lead author of a hug-centered 2018 article in the scientific journal PLOS One. In a series of interviews with 404 adults over a two-week period, the researchers found that receiving a hug is associated with the attenuation of negative emotions that occur on days with interpersonal conflicts. That is to say, generally, hugs help to reduce the negative impacts that personal conflicts may cause in our daily lives.

1. What can we infer about hugs from the laboratory studies?

A．They show people’s good social relationships.

B．They can cure us of our mental disease.

C．They can put much pressure on people.

D．They make us feel calm and at ease.

2. Why do people seek out hugs and touch as they grow up?

A．To recall childhood memories.

B．To keep connected with others.

C．To solve relationship problems.

D．To express their social politeness.

3. What does the underlined word “attenuation” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A．Expression.	B．Influence.
C．Suffering.	D．Reduction.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Power of Hugs

B．How to Reduce Stress

C．How to Care for Others

D．The Importance of Interpersonal Relations

2 . Improve Your Relationships

Having stable and positive relationships in your life can make you happier and more fulfilled. Whether it's your friends, family, or significant other, improving a relationship can sometimes be confusing.     1    

Express your appreciation for the person.

    2     Notice the positive things that the person is doing and go out of your way to show your appreciation for them. You can also show your appreciation by remembering important events like anniversaries or birthdays.

    3    

If you hardly see each other or talk to each other, it can be difficult to maintain a relationship. Take extra time out of your day and devote it to the person that you want to improve relations with. Try to work around the other person's schedule so that you can spend the time together. You can share a meal, watch a show, listen to music, or go shopping with them.

Turn off distractions.

Distractions like a cell phone, social media, or video games can create a division in between you and another person. If you notice that you are always distracted, you should turn off your cell phone or computer and talk to them.     4    

Seek therapy(心理治疗) if you can't get along.

To fix or improve family relationships or relationships with your significant other, you can turn to therapy. If you notice that you and the person are always arguing over the same kinds of things, and nothing has worked, you should consider seeking therapy with them.     5     And family therapy may be able to restore bonds between family members.

A．Spend more time with the person.

B．Maintain a relationship if possible.

C．People often like to be praised for achievements.

D．A specialist can help solve long­term issues in the relationship.

E．If they are the one always distracted, ask them if they can do the same.

F．Follow the tips and you can develop good relationships with your family.

G．Luckily, by adjusting your behaviour, you can improve any relationship in your life.

3 . Tips for Submitting a Good Letter of Recommendation

If you consider applying for any colleges abroad, one of the most important parts is the recommendation letter. Its purpose is to give universities a complete picture of you.

    1    

But a credible (可信的) reference saying you’ve consistently worked hard on a project can be the difference between getting accepted or rejected.

Choose the right references

Universities want to know how well you work under pressure and how you react to criticism, basically your characteristics, abilities and mentality. A good referee (推荐人) should have a solid professional relationship with you and be able to communicate your academic and personal strengths.

    2    

Most universities ask for two recommendation letters. They are regularly split between a school professor and an extracurricular (课外的) source. Undoubtedly, it’s good to show your skills in the subject you want to study.     3    

Time

Professionals can sometimes find it hard to make time for writing recommendations.     4     So give them plenty of time and send them a link of your university’s recommendation letter guidance page, if possible.

Clear goals

Don’t be afraid to ask your referees to include certain qualities or examples you want to highlight. You should inform at least one of your referees about your career goals, grades and recent projects. They may not be referenced. But giving referees additional evidence to back up their points can make the letter more convincing.

    5     It’s where you can find what a university lays stress on, as well as some important information such as deadlines and so on.

A．Make sure to know more about your university.

B．You can write that you’re hard-working yourself.

C．They can be quite occupied during application season.

D．The more information you include, the better it may be.

E．Don’t forget to check each university’s guidelines for reference letters.

F．Examples of how you have demonstrated them are needed to add more credibility.

G．But other abilities that may not be apparent in the classroom can be equally valuable.

4 . Ruby Kate, 11 likes to spend time with residents at the local nursing homes where her mother Amada works as a nurse.

One day last summer, Ruby_______that a resident named Pearl was staring out of the window and looking very_______. Ruby and Amanda learnt that Pearl’s dog had just left. She couldn't _______to have someone take care of her dog and it was basically homeless. After a little more _______, Amanda and her daughter found out that Pearl only gets $40 each month from her Medicaid check. Many of the other residents received just as little — if _______ — spending money at all.

Pearl’s story_________Ruby. She wanted to do something to_________her and the other residents. So she got out a_________and wrote down a simple question: “What are three things you wish you had?”

Amanda was_________of Ruby’s broad question. She didn't think her daughter would ________with anything helpful. “In my adult mind, that question is not going to ________” said Amanda. “They're going to tell you that they want things you can't give them.”

She went door to door at the nursing home, __________residents to list their three wishes. When Amanda saw what her daughter wrote in her notebook, she was__________that the list was filled with just________ requests like new pillows, books, razors and peanut butter.

Ruby and Amanda________all of the items on the first list and that started a chain reaction of ________ and kindness. They launched a GoFundMe page to__________money to fulfill more wishes. Soon after, Ruby's story went viral and she's now collected more than $250,000 and__________ her own nonprofit called Three Wishes for Ruby's Residents.

“I'd like it to go on ________ and ever and ever,” she said. “Because I just want it to go________and I want it to go around the states and even in different countries.”

1.

A．warned

B．noticed

C．screamed

D．worried

2.

A．upset

B．curious

C．exhausted

D．satisfied

3.

A．expect

B．bother

C．afford

D．agree

4.

A．discussing

B．examining

C．sharing

D．digging

5.

A．any

B．so

C．not

D．ever

6.

A．moved

B．struck

C．changed

D．depressed

7.

A．comfort

B．compensate

C．help

D．protect

8.

A．brochure

B．pen

C．diary

D．notebook

9.

A．skeptical

B．aware

C．tired

D．confident

10.

A．put up

B．bring up

C．end up

D．show up

11.

A．matter

B．work

C．inspire

D．arise

12.

A．persuading

B．ordering

C．asking

D．advising

13.

A．delighted

B．confused

C．frightened

D．shocked

14.

A．simple

B．demanding

C．unreasonable

D．strange

15.

A．collected

B．bought

C．made

D．removed

16.

A．curiosity

B．anxiety

C．sympathy

D．generosity

17.

A．raise

B．earn

C．save

D．borrow

18.

A．managed

B．founded

C．advertised

D．invested

19.

A．temporarily

B．cheaply

C．forever

D．efficiently

20.

A．richer

B．higher

C．faster

D．bigger

5 . When I was seven, my parents explained to me that my sister would be different.     1     But now I realize I see the world in a much different way, all thanks to her.

Throughout our lives, my sister has often got stared at because she has Down syndrome (唐氏综合征), which makes her appear abnormal. There were times when I had to struggle with her.     2     I simply thought. “Everyone else is just staring and that is wrong. They should offer us help instead of staring at us like it’s a circus act (马戏表演).”

I had this in mind when I was traveling alone recently and saw a mother and a son with special needs at the airport gate.     3     They were heading towards the gate of their second departure of the day. The mother was obviously stressed out and trying to keep her son calm while some items were falling out of her un-zipped (拉开拉链的) backpack. The son was pulling strangers’clothes, and she appeared to be embarrassed about it. Then the boy began to scream, looking very scared and confused.

Some people gave the son and mother strange looks, the same kind of looks my sister and I would sometimes get.     4     I tried to help calm the boy down by assuring him he was going to see his grandmother as his mom kept telling him. When the boy finally calmed down, I returned to my seat. At the time, an older gentleman turned around and said to me. “I thought about doing what you did, but I just thought about it. You did it.”

To be honest. I didn’t even really regard what I did as something different or good.     5    

A．They had got off another plane.

B．People would stare at us even more.

C．I don’t know what I should do to help.

D．But I went up and asked if I could lend a hand.

E．I just consider it as the only choice in that situation.

F．I was so angry that I shouted loudly at the strangers.

G．I had no idea what impact she would have on my daily life.

6 . Don't brag(炫耀)，but be proud of what you've done. These two pieces of advice were tough to balance before Facebook existed.    1    We are unable to draw a line between a humble bragging and a straight-up bragging. But we certainly know that oversharing doesn't do your friendship any favors.

Social media like Facebook bring us convenience.    2    Once upon a time, only your family and close friends would be there to see you eagerly open presents on Christmas morning. Now the photo you take on your iPhone will likely become a touch-up Instagram in about 15 seconds. Maybe you just post it subconsciously. But your sharing behavior could easily be considered annoying or even narcissistic(自恋的).

    3    Maybe we should all be asking ourselves the question before hitting the share button. As our personal fame grows alongside our social media presences, so does the number of people we could potentially impress or bother.

According to Therapist Jessica Michaels, providing "emotional context" may help prevent what might be seen as a bragging. Think about how you say something, not just what you say. Frame it in a way that makes it more of a sharing idea. For example, if you plan a party for Christmas, you could post "Hey friends of mine! Let's plan this together. Maybe we could all go." instead of saying "Oh I can't wait to enjoy my party."     4    

Remember, the original intention behind social media is a connector, and your true best friends definitely do want to know when things are going good for you. Next time when you post a photo of your fantastic winter vacation, for example, make sure to tag your friends.    5    

A little bit of social media love goes a long way!

A．To post or not to post?

B．Will it make me a celebrity?

C．Tell them you wish they were by your side.

D．They are the most important friends in our life.

E．Meanwhile, they can put us in danger of oversharing.

F．It makes a big difference how you express your ideas.

G．Even today's share-it-all social media haven't made it any easier.