1 . We usually divide a year into four seasons. However, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, there are five seasons — spring, summer, late summer, fall, and winter. Each of the five has many features which guide us to change our habits to keep the balance between our body and the external environment.
Winter in TCM
The ancient Chinese believed that winter is the Yin “阴” season in nature.
In TCM theory, winter is a season to feed ourselves both spiritually and physically. Activities in the season have a turn inwards. For example, we can do more writing, reading and other soul-nourishing (滋养灵魂的) activities. Although energetic exercise should be avoided, it’s important to keep our body healthy with gentle exercise, especially outdoor activities, in which we can get fresh air and sunlight. In addition, we should also go to bed earlier to save more energy.
Foods for winter
The principle of harmony between what we eat and the season is based on hundreds of years of experience in TCM. It suggests that we embrace locally-grown and seasonable foods, which is the way nature intends us to eat. During the winter, there are many foods beneficial to us.
Moods in winter
According to TCM theory, stress, depression and unresolved anger can also weaken our immune system, allowing external factors to affect our body in winter.
| A．Activities in winter |
| B．Exercises in winter |
| C．Most of them naturally grow in this season |
| D．It is inactive, cold and dark, which makes us slow down. |
| E．If you exercise properly in winter, you can enjoy yourself. |
| F．Everyone can enjoy winter if they live and exercise appropriately. |
| G．So, keeping a good mood is especially important in this cold season. |
2 . The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms (节气). Cold Dew (寒露), the 17th solar term of the year, begins this year on Oct. 8 and ends on Oct. 23. At this time, the dew is greater and colder and there will be less rain. Autumn crops will be ripe. Here are three things you should know about Cold Dew.
Foggy autumn
Temperatures drop significantly in October. When the cold air encounters autumn rain, the abundant water vapor in the air soon reaches saturation (饱和状态), and then it turns into fog. When the humidity is high, there will be foggy regions formed in many areas of China.
Season for fishing
People always say that fishing in shallow water in autumn makes sense. That’s because during the Cold Dew period, temperatures decrease quickly and sunshine doesn’t reach deep water thoroughly. Fish swim to shallow water areas where the water temperature is relatively high.
Season for drinking chrysanthemum (菊花) wine
Chrysanthemum is the iconic flower of Cold Dew. To prevent autumn dryness, many regions in China have the custom of drinking chrysanthemum wine. This is a tradition of the Double Ninth Festival, which often falls around Cold Dew. According to ancient records, drinking wine made with chrysanthemums, poria cocos mushroom and pine oleoresin grants (给予) people long-lasting youth.
1. What is NOT the characteristic of Cold Dew?| A．Wet weather. | B．Low temperatures. |
| C．Foggy conditions. | D．Fully-grown crops. |
| A．Because fish become mature in autumn. |
| B．Because fish move slowly in cold water. |
| C．Because fish eat more in low temperatures. |
| D．Because fish tend to gather in warm areas. |
| A．Celebrating Cold Dew. | B．Relieving people from autumn dryness. |
| C．Ensuring people a stronger build. | D．Keeping people warm in low temperatures. |
3 . End of Heat, the 14th solar term of the year, implies that most parts in China are getting rid of the hot summer and entering autumn.
Enjoying clouds
When the End of Heat comes, summer heat is gone. Clouds in the sky scatter around forming different shapes. There is a saying that goes, “Enjoying the clouds of various forms in July and August (lunar month).”
Autumn weariness
There is a saying that goes, “People tend to feel sleepy in spring, doze in summer and feel tired in autumn.” As the weather becomes cool during End of Heat, many people will feel tired and weary, which is called “autumn weariness”.
Eating Duck
Duck has a sweet flavor and according to traditional Chinese medicine it has a “cool” nature.
The Fishing Season Festival
| A．It is a sign that the human body needs rest. |
| B．For fishermen, the End of Heat is a season of harvest. |
| C．End of Heat is also the busy harvest season for farmers. |
| D．People can enjoy many kinds of seafood during this period. |
| E．A folk tradition is to eat duck during the End of Heat period. |
| F．The following are things that you should know about End of Heat. |
| G．The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. |
4 . As a popular subject of study among evolutionary ecologists, the three-spined stickleback (三刺鱼) is known for their different shapes, sizes, and behaviors—they can even live in both sea water and fresh water, and under a wide range of temperatures. But what makes that?
The researchers tracked six populations of the fish before and after seasonal changes to their environment, using genome sequencing (基因组测序) . Seasonal changes result in great changes in habitat structure and balance of salt and freshwater, and only those fish able to tolerate these rapid changes survive into the next season.
“These changes probably resemble the habitat shifts experienced by stickleback populations during the past 10,000 years, says Professor Barrett “We hope to gain insight into the genetic changes that may have resulted from natural selection long in the past.”
Remarkably, the researchers discovered the evidence of genetic changes driven by the seasonal shifts in habitats, which mirrored the differences found between long-established freshwater and saltwater populations. “These genetic changes occurred in independent populations over a single season, highlighting just how quickly the effects of natural selection can be detected,” says Professor Barrett, “the findings suggest that we may be able to use the genetic differences to predict how populations may adapt to the environment.”
The research emphasizes the importance of studying species in dynamic environments to gain a better understanding of how natural selection operates. In the further research, they plan to investigate how repeatable the observed genetic changes are, by testing whether they show up year after year. Doing so would demonstrate their ability to reliably forecast the evolutionary future of these populations.
1. What is paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The difficulties of the research. | B．The purpose of the research. |
| C．The background of the research. | D．The methods of the research. |
| A．Habitat shifts. | B．Genetic changes. |
| C．Seasonal changes. | D．Independent populations. |
| A．To know what natural selection is. |
| B．To study species in dynamic environments. |
| C．To test the reliability of the present discoveries. |
| D．To forecast the evolutionary future of certain species. |
| A．A science magazine. | B．A science fiction. |
| C．An advertisement. | D．A novel. |
5 . Summer is a time to look forward to because there is no school to get you down.
●Read if you feel bored
Subscribe to a magazine or comic if you don’t like books. Choose whatever age-appropriate book that interests you and start reading. You can read anywhere. In your backyard or on your balcony, on your bed, or out by the lake.
●Get caught up on schoolwork.
Not all of us are straight “A” students. Take this time to go to the library and review material for the next year in advance.
●Travel.
●
If summers are hot where you live, you can go to the beach with your family or friends. Also, some water parks have great discounts at times during the summer. But be careful, if there’s a heat wave outside, you’d better stay out of the sum, or even go indoors.
| A．Beat the heat. |
| B．Reading doesn`t have to be boring |
| C．Spend a lot of time outside. |
| D．If you usually go on vacation in the summer |
| E．Since it’s summer, you can do this at your own pace |
| F．To have a good summer, you don’t have to do anything expensive. |
| G．If you don`t have much time. |
6 . The woods are turning orange. Drifts of dry leaves are growing on forest floors and flying into street corners. From a distance, it is beautiful. But the air is still warm and summery. This turning and leaf fall is not the usual gradual preparation for winter in temperate zones (温带) but a stress response by trees trying to preserve water. We are now in a false autumn, caused by heat and drought. And it feels wrong.
There is, therefore, something deeply disturbing about such a graphic alteration of familiar rhythms. Droughts are not unknown to the UK, of course, and too many parts of the world are certainly familiar with far more severe versions. But increasingly they are occurring in the context of a climate emergency, and record-breaking heat. And the beauty of a false autumn, specifically, has an emotional effect, a deep weirdness, something mysteriously suggestive of evil or danger.
Cultures across the world contain ceremonies for the propitiation (宽恕) of the weather; a sense of responsibility for the natural world- and the belief that it will punish us if we fail it—is as old as humanity. One of the reasons why the Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1798 poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is so effective is the directness with which it links the shooting of an albatross (信天翁)—the destruction of innocent wildlife—to a terrible change in the weather: no rain, just burning, death-dealing sun. We may not understand the mechanism, but at an instinctual (本能的) level it feels right.
And in a similar way it has not really been a surprise to hear that birds are struggling. In London, young swifts (雨燕) were seen falling out of the sky. Fewer—and too early—nuts and berries mean some animals will not live through this winter. Older trees, with their longer roots, will hopefully survive, but young trees may not—all that promises further warming. There will always be a degree of uncertainty about the causes of specific weather events, but we cannot deny that we have not taken care of the albatross. Now we must hope we are doing enough to make sure that these fearful golden days can be an autumn of autumns.
1. According to the passage, what is a disturbing sign of “a false autumn”?| A．Tree leaves are turning orange and fall gradually in winter. |
| B．Birds are struggling to fall out of the sky in London. |
| C．People worldwide are careless of droughts and heat in the UK. |
| D．Nuts and berries ripen earlier but yield less than before. |
| A．Because people across the world sympathize with the albatross. |
| B．Because it directly links destruction of wildlife to extreme weather. |
| C．Because we are certain about how the weather shifts instinctually. |
| D．Because he is an established Romantic poet curious about nature. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Concerned. | C．Humorous. | D．Ironic (讽刺的). |
7 . The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, begins this year on Dec 7 and ends on Dec 20.
Snowy winter
Appreciating plum blossoms
Plum blossoms usually flower in mid-to-late December in some southern cities of China, and sometimes bloom even earlier. The plum blossom is admired in Chinese culture for its toughness during severe winters.
Eating lamb
Lamb is a favorite food for Chinese people during Major Snow.
Eating porridge
Hot porridge could help warm you and nourish (滋养) your body in cold weather. In China, it’s customary to eat red bean porridge on the first day of Major Snow.
Preventing lung illness
During this period, Chinese people watch for outbreaks of lung illness, which can be prevented by properly drinking water. During Major Snow, it’s drier and colder, so people should drink more water. But you should not drink too much water at once.
| A．In addition, there are other varieties |
| B．People in southern China make sausages |
| C．The snow falls at night and melts in the day |
| D．Don’t drink cold water after exercise, either |
| E．The snow in North China may last a whole day |
| F．It’s excellent for protecting the body against the cold |
| G．During this period, the temperature drops significantly |
8 . Some people can't wait for the lovely colors, cooler weather, and cozy sweaters of autumn. In fact, fall is Americans' favorite time, but for a minority of others, the transition from summer creates worry, fear and worse. According to Carrie Landin, a psychologist from the University of Colorado Health Integrative Medicine Center, a significant number of people actually experience autumn anxiety.
For some people, stress is triggered (触发) by environmental factors: Decreases in daylight cause chemical changes in the brain. "Less daylight leads to lower levels of chemicals like serotonin and dopamine that control our emotions," says Kimberly Asner-self, associate professor at Touro Colleges` School of Health Sciences. "As these chemicals drop, the body responds by increasing levels of cortisol. the hormone released in situations where we face threat." The result can be an increased anxiety, difficulty sleeping and depression.
But it's not just increasing darkness that can trigger these symptoms. For people who feel this way every year, some of the reaction is mental. "When we know there's the potential for stress ahead we tend to anticipate the problems, feeling anxious before they even happen," Landin says.
The fall features more than its fair share of impending (迫在眉睫) events: back to school at the beginning of the season and family get-togethers toward the end. Mayra Mendez, a psychologist from Providence Saint Johns Health Center, suggests identifying your personal triggers and making a plan to manage them before they feel overwhelming. For instance, if you're concerned about family issues and holiday parties, decide in advance that it's perfectly OK to say no to some of them. If fall's stricter work and school schedules make you anxious, plan regular breaks and vacations to look forward to.
Finally, you should also find ways to embrace the present moment. Remember: while autumn may throw you a few tricks, there are plenty of treats to be found too.
1. What may be the cause of autumn anxiety?| A．Cooler weather. | B．Less daylight. |
| C．Sleep difficulties. | D．Vacation plans. |
| A．potential stress can be predictable | B．stress can be triggered by chemicals |
| C．depression is related to family issues | D．anxiety can be caused by mental factors |
| A．Manageable. | B．Overwhelming. |
| C．Troublesome. | D．Beneficial. |
| A．Seasonal Anxiety | B．Tricks or Treats |
| C．The Autumn Blues | D．Characteristics of Fall |
9 . Autumn Equinox (秋分) lies at the midpoint of autumn, dividing autumn into two equal parts. After that day, the location of direct sunlight moves to the south, making days shorter and nights longer in the northern hemisphere.
Here are things you should know about Autumn Equinox.
Cool autumn
As it is said in the ancient book, The Detailed Records of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476BC), “It is on Autumn Equinox day that the Yin and Yang are in a balance of power. Thus the day and night are of equal length, and so are the cold and hot weather.”
In South China, there is a custom popularly known as “having Qiucai (an autumn vegetable) on the Autumn Equinox day”. Qiucai is a kind of wild plant. Every Autumn Equinox day, all the villagers go to pick Qiucai in the wild. Qiucai is fresh and green in the field, thin, and about 20 cm in length.
By Autumn Equinox, olives, pears, chestnuts, beans, and other plants are mature. It is time to pick and eat them.
Season for enjoying chrysanthemums
| A．Eating Qiucai |
| B．Season for eating nuts |
| C．Season for eating various plants |
| D．But the moon won’t be full during Autumn Equinox. |
| E．The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. |
| F．Autumn Equinox also is a good time to enjoy chrysanthemums in full bloom. |
| G．By Autumn Equinox, most of the areas in China have entered the cool autumn. |
10 . I was at the hardware store the other day and overheard a woman tell Ed., the manager, that fall was her favorite time of year. Ed., because he liked to keep his customers happy, agreed that fall was a wonderful season, but I could tell he was lying.
I was going through my mind recently, trying to find sweet memories of fall. I failed. I met my wife in the summer and married her two summers later. My sons were born in the winter and summer, my granddaughter in the winter. I’ve been fried twice in my life, both in fall. One October, a truck carrying tofu ran a red light and hit me, destroying my favorite car, combining the three things I most hate - trucks, tofu and October.
I'm not saying fall is without its attractions. The leaves are beautiful. But fall's vacillation (立场摇摆)is troubling, its effort (努力)to please everyone, its continuous search for the middle ground to be all things to all people. Say what you will about summer and winter, at least they have the courage to keep their opinions strong, even if they kill us with extreme heat or cold.
I recently read a story of a man coming out of a three-month coma (昏迷). It started in early fall and ended just as winter came. I hope if I were ever in a coma I would be just as lucky as the man.
Upon my awakening, one of my families who stood around my bed would ask. "Don't you remember anything from the past three months?"
"Not the first thing," I would happily report.
If I ever have enough money. I'm going to buy a second home in Australia, so that when fall starts here, I can move there for three months, just when spring is starting.
1. What did Ed think of the customers words according to the author?| A．Ed understood them and supported the customer completely. |
| B．Ed might hold a different opinion on the topic. |
| C．Ed believed the customer wasn't telling the truth. |
| D．Ed thought they stood for most peoples' opinion. |
| A．The author has a big and loving family. |
| B．The author is having a hard time at work. |
| C．It is important to follow the rules of the road. |
| D．Nothing good has happened to the author in fall. |
| A．Because he slept fall away. |
| B．Because he ho sweet memories of fall. |
| C．Because he dreamed of fill many times. |
| D．Because he was met by his family when waking up. |
| A．Drive tracks. | B．Eat tofu dishes. |
| C．Watch leaves falling in fall. | D．Move to Australia in October. |
