1 . Sounds from human activity flood across the oceans, causing trouble to ocean creatures. And climate (气候) change may make some places even louder.
Researchers have expected the oceans to get noisier because of increasing human activity. “The more goods you buy, the more shipping you have, so the more noise you have.” says Luca Possenti, a scientist studying sound in the ocean at the Royal Netherlands Institute. But Possenti and his co-worker realized that climate change might also influence how sound travels through the water.
Human-caused climate change is changing ocean temperatures, salt levels and acidity (酸度). So Possenti’s team used computers to model how those factors (因素) influence noise levels across the world’s oceans.
When waters become more acidic, they can’t take in sound at some wavelengths as well, so those sounds can travel further, adding to the noise in some areas. This effect is relatively small. Other changes impact the sound level more, the researchers found. Changes to temperature and salt levels can change how well different layers (层) of the ocean mix, which, in turn, impacts how sound travels.
The team predicted (预测) models of the world in about 70 years if climate change continues. And then they compared them with models of the world now. In the North Atlantic, they saw an increase in sound levels in the upper 125 meters of the ocean. This was caused mostly by ice melting (融化) off of Greenland, forming a cold layer of water near the ocean’s surface. Sound traveling through water tends to go toward the coldest area. As a result, sound waves tended to get stuck in the cold top layer-spreading further out across the water, instead of traveling deeper. That increased the noisiness at this depth in the North Atlantic. The models suggested that a single ship could sound about five times as loud underwater because of this. Considering all the ship traffic between Europe and North America, that may stress animals, many of which communicate, and catch food with sound.
1. How is paragraph 2 developed?| A．By quoting an expert. | B．By using examples. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By presenting research findings. |
| A．Effects of temperature changes. | B．Some risk factors for a nosier sea. |
| C．Impacts of acidity on wavelengths. | D．Ways oceans mix and sound travels. |
| A．Sea animals will be protected from noises. |
| B．Added meltwater does more harm than good. |
| C．Greenland is hit the hardest by climate change. |
| D．The result of the research is based on prediction. |
| A．Increase in salt levels. | B．Failure of acidity control. |
| C．Change in the ocean depths. | D．Formation of a cold water layer. |
1. What kind of people are “early birds”?
| A．The people getting up around 5:00 or 6:00 am. |
| B．The people going to bed around 9:00 or 10:00 pm. |
| C．The people going to bed around 10:00 or 11:00 pm. |
| A．Around 9:00 pm. | B．Around 10:00 pm. | C．Around midnight or later. |
| A．One-fifth. | B．Two-fifths. | C．One-fourth. |
| A．Getting grades in school. | B．Some intelligence tests. | C．Getting good jobs. |
| A．The possible existence of life on other planets. |
| B．Methods for building powerful new telescopes. |
| C．A technical problem that astronomers can’t solve |
| D．The discovery of planets orbiting distant stars. |
| A．They studied variations in the appearance of the parent stars. |
| B．They were able to see the planets with a telescope. |
| C．They compared the parent stars to the Sun. |
| D．They sent astronauts on a mission into space |
| A．Their surface features. | B．Their chemical composition. |
| C．Their temperature. | D．Their age. |
| A．All the stars are orbited by their own planets. |
| B．We currently have a telescope that can be used to see other planets |
| C．By a very direct method, the astronomers measured subtle distortions. |
| D．By a very indirect method, the astronomers measured subtle distortions. |
4 . Nowadays, the term “superfood” has become the nutritional buzzword. Simply put, these superfoods are those that provide large amount of nutrients through minimal calories.
The term “superfood” may have taken the modern food scene by storm.
In an age when we share all kinds of superfoods on social media, ignoring the phenomenon is impossible.
| A．What is driving the trend? |
| B．What are nutritional superheroes? |
| C．They bring appearances to the table as well. |
| D．Superfoods promise more than just a meal. |
| E．No single food can cure all diseases. |
| F．They seem tailormade to deal with these concerns. |
| G．However, its roots can be traced back to early 20thcentury nutrition literature. |
5 . Will your happiness differ if you are doing a kind action without any expectation of rewards or with an expectation of rewards? A study by University of Sussex, headed by Dr. Daniel CampbellMeikeljohn, tried to answer that question. He and his partners analyzed over 1, 000 brain scans from other studies related to reactions to making a decision based on kindness. They split the studies based on who was making a decision for altruistic (无私的) reasons and who was making a decision due to the expectation of an obvious reward. The results were interesting.
In both instances, the reward center of the brain lit up on the MRI scans (磁共振成像扫描). Yet, for those who made their decision without any rewards, other areas of the brain lit up as well. Specifically, it lit up the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (前扣带皮层区域), which scientists believe plays a role in emotional regulation. Also, it might aid in maintaining excitement related to an event that creates a positive emotional state.
In one study about the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, it is believed that this brain region could be related to depression if it isn’t developed properly or is dysfunctional. The fact that this part of the brain lights up during acts of generosity and caring without expectation of rewards shows that the altruistic individuals are getting more sustainable pleasure than those motivated by rewards. It also could aid in explaining how it helps depressive individuals feel happier after doing a kind deed.
We live in a society, and no man is a lonely island. We all need each other. For those who genuinely desire to help others regardless of repayment, maintaining a balance of helping others and yourself is very important. It is healthy and necessary to be kind to yourself, as well as to others.
1. Why did the author think the results interesting?| A．There are no differences as to the litup area of the brain. |
| B．The reward center of the brain lit up in one case alone. |
| C．The subgenual anterior cingulate cortex makes no difference. |
| D．The reward center of the brain lit up in both cases. |
| A．It might help keep calm. | B．It may make a difference to controlling emotion. |
| C．It can create positive emotion. | D．It has nothing to do with depression. |
| A．Help others regardless of yourself. | B．Treat others and yourself with kindness. |
| C．For the sake of yourself, lend a hand. | D．Practise kindness at all costs. |
6 . What if “looking your age” refers not to your face, but to your chest? Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have developed an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) model that uses chest radiographs (光片) to assess a person’s biological age. More importantly, when it is different from the chronological age (实足年龄), it can signal a link with chronic (慢性的) diseases. These findings mark a breakthrough in medical imaging, paving the way for improved early disease detection and intervention.
The research team, led by graduate student Yasuhito Mitsuyama and Dr. Daiju Ueda from the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology at the Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, first constructed a deep learning-based AI model to estimate age from chest radiographs of healthy individuals. They then applied the model to radiographs of patients with known diseases to analyze the relationship between AI-estimated age and each disease. Given that AI trained on a single dataset tends to over fit, the researchers collected data from multiple institutions.
For the development, training, internal and external testing of the AI model for age estimation, a total of 67,099 chest radiographs were obtained between 2008 and 2021 from 36,051 healthy individuals who underwent health check-ups at three facilities.
To confirm the usefulness of AI-estimated age using chest radiographs as a biomarker, an additional 34,197 chest radiographs were collected from 34,197 patients with known diseases from two other institutions. The results showed that the difference between AI-estimated age and the patient’s chronological age was positively correlated with a variety of chronic diseases. In other words, the higher the AI-estimated age compared to the chronological age, the more likely individuals were to have these diseases.
“Chronological age is one of the most critical factors in medicine,” stated Mr. Mitsuyama. “Our results suggest that chest radiography-based apparent age may accurately reflect health conditions beyond chronological age. We aim to further develop this research and apply it to estimate the severity of chronic diseases, to predict life expectancy and to forecast possible surgical complications.”
1. What is the AI model used to do?| A．Tell a patient’s chronological age. | B．Estimate an individual’s biological age. |
| C．Develop advanced chest radiographs. | D．Analyze individuals’ workout habits. |
| A．They followed patients for over two decades. |
| B．They obtained data from the same institution. |
| C．They collected a large number of chest radiographs. |
| D．They had face-to-face talks with healthy individuals. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By interviewing their doctors. |
| C．By observing them in their lab. | D．By analyzing causes and effects. |
| A．The research is too complex to be carried out widely. |
| B．The AI model is expected to have a promising future. |
| C．Chronological age matters more than AI-estimated age. |
| D．The research findings have been well received in medicine. |
7 . Humans have sailed the oceans’ surfaces for millennia (千年), but their depths remain effectively uncharted. Only about a quarter of the seafloor has been mapped at high resolution. Maps of most regions display only approximate depths and often miss entire underwater mountains or canyons (峡谷).
So a group of researchers has recruited some deep-diving experts: Elephant Seals and Weddell Seals. Scientists have been placing trackers on these blubbery marine mammals around Antarctica for years, gathering data on ocean temperature and salinity. For a new study, the researchers compared these dives’ location and depth data with some of the less detailed seafloor maps. They spotted places where the seals dove deeper than should have been possible according to the maps-meaning the existing depth estimates were inaccurate.
In eastern Antarctica’s Vincennes Bay, the diving seals helped the scientists find a large, hidden underwater canyon. An Australian research ship called the RSV Nuyina later measured the canyon’s exact depth using sonar, and the researchers have proposed naming their find the Mirounga-Nuyina Canyon — honoring both the ship and the involved Elephant Seals, genus (动植物的属) Mirounga.
But seals can’t map the entire ocean floor. The trackers used in the study could pinpoint a seal’s geographical location only within about 1.5miles. Plus, because the seals don’t always dive to the bottom of the ocean, they can reveal only where the bottom is deeper than in existing maps — not shallower. McMahon notes that scientists could improve on these data by using more precise GPS trackers and analyzing the seals’ diving patterns to determine whether they have reached the seafloor or simply stopped descending.
The current seal-dive data can still be valuable for an important task, says Anna Wåhlin, an oceanographer. The deep ocean around Antarctica is warmer than the frigid waters at the surface, and seafloor canyons can allow that warmer water to flow to the ice along the continent’s coast, Wåhlin explains. To predict how Antarctica’s ice will melt, scientists will need to know where those canyons are and how deep they go.
1. What problem is mentioned at the beginning of the text?| A．Lack of the map. | B．Not enough tools. |
| C．Ineffective charts. | D．Inaccurate measurement. |
| A．By observing the seals. | B．By comparing different data. |
| C．By using advanced equipment. | D．By analyzing the existing maps. |
| A．The canyon. | B．The ship. | C．The seals. | D．The genus. |
| A．The present data is of little use. |
| B．Seal’s swimming pattern influences the data. |
| C．The ocean’s surface around Antarctica is warmer. |
| D．The seal can’t reach deep ocean because of temperature. |
8 .
I grew up hearing that it is better to give than to receive, and the older I get, the more I aim to take this message to heart. Nevertheless, here I am, in the midst of the holiday season stressed out about gifts I have not yet purchased.
How did gift buying become an emotionally fraught chore (苦差事)? For a moment, it’s easy to question if it’s worth it. But science tells me that giving makes us feel good.
“The act of giving actually does improve your happiness,” says Michael Norton, a psychologist at Harvard Business School. He has published several studies on the effects of giving.
In one experiment that included about 700 people, the researchers randomly assigned participants to make either a purchase for themselves, or for a stranger. Afterwards, the participants reported how happy they felt. Turns out, giving to others led to a significant happiness boost, whereas spending on oneself didn’t move the needle.
“If you take $5 out of your pocket today, the science really does show that spending $5 on yourself doesn’t do much for you,” Norton says. “But spending that $5 on somebody else is more likely to increase your happiness.”
Take a scarf. If you buy one for yourself, it’s just another thing you don’t necessarily need. But if you buy a scarf for someone else, “you’ve shown them that they’re important to you,” Norton says. Either way, it’s just a scarf. “But it can either be a throwaway object or something that enhances a relationship between two people,” he says.
So, there’s evidence that generosity promotes happiness, but the process of shopping, wrapping and schlepping (搬) gifts can be tiresome — or even extremely annoying considering all of our day-to-day demands and other holiday stressors.
Studies also show when people are given something they are more likely to give back. Reciprocity (互惠) is a foundation of good relationships and when we surround ourselves with generous people, we tend to feel the same. Feeling that spirit of giving and the connection it can bring is what the holidays are all about.
1. Why does the author mention his own experience in paragraph 1?| A．To make a prediction. | B．To introduce the topic. |
| C．To present a reason. | D．To clarify a concept. |
| A．By listing data. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By making comments. | D．By telling personal experiences. |
| A．It’s difficult and expensive. | B．It happens frequently. |
| C．It’s not valued by others. | D．It requires much effort. |
| A．It is not worth the effort. |
| B．It is a must to enhance a relationship. |
| C．It brings about emotional benefits. |
| D．It gains popularity during holidays. |
9 . As I write this, a Bob Seger song is stuck in my head. It’s been playing on repeat ever since I heard it in a movie. I hated it a lot when it first came out years ago, and I still really hate it now. Why, oh why, does an earworm happen? This phenomenon, known as an earworm, is both fascinating and annoying. Earworms are a type of auditory imagery, where we perceive a tone without actually hearing it. When a familiar song is heard and suddenly stopped, some areas of the brain become overly activated in expectation of hearing the rest of the song, and then it fills in the missing pieces.
Anyone can experience earworms, but certain personality characteristics, like openness to experience, may increase their frequency. You may have seen a popular TikTok recently of a guy saying earworms aren’t normal but are instead symptoms of ADHD (多动症) or OCD (强迫症). That’s generally not the case. “It is entirely normal to experience earworms: Over 90% of participants in large-scale surveys report having had earworms at least once a week, and they are not a symptom of any other underlying mental condition,” says Jakubowski. Interestingly, earworms aren’t all bad. Research indicates that they can enhance our ability to recall past events, as the repetitive nature of the song strengthens our memory.
There are several strategies to get rid of earworms. Listening to the entire song can help resolve the unfinished loop. Alternatively, distracting yourself with another melody or engaging in activities that require focus can also be effective. Chewing gum or eating something crunchy may interrupt the song playing in your head. Despite these strategies, sometimes the best approach is to simply accept the presence of the earworm and let it fade away naturally. In my case, trying to actively rid myself of the song only made it more persistent. It seems patience is key when dealing with these stubborn musical guests in our minds.
1. What is an earworm?| A．A type of insect that affects hearing. | B．A song that gets stuck in your head. |
| C．A medical condition related to the ears. | D．An element missing in a song. |
| A．They cannot be controlled or stopped. | B．They indicate underlying illness. |
| C．They only occur in certain individuals. | D．They are normal phenomena. |
| A．To enhance memory recall of earlier incidents. |
| B．To increase musical creativity and imagination. |
| C．To expand openness to new experiences. |
| D．To improve focus and concentration. |
| A．Concerned and worried. | B．Scientific but negative. |
| C．Annoyed but accepting. | D．Excited and fascinated. |
10 . Billions of insects are moving together over the sky like a black cloud. It’s a swarm of locusts. Many insects move in huge swarms. They form swarms for different reasons. Some move together to look for food or to find new homes. Sometimes insects swarm for protection. These enormous swarms can destroy food crops and harm other living things.
When something disturbs a red fire ants’ nest, out they will come. Not just one or two, but thousands of them. The fire ants swarm all over their victim. Their stings burn like fire. Each ant in the swarm can sting over and over again. The fire ants hold onto their victim with their mouth parts. Then they inject their prey with poison. Most small animals cannot survive the stings from a swarm of fire ants.
When army ants are on the move, anything in their path is prey. Even snakes can’t escape a swarm of these stinging ants. Army ants move together to look for food. They can’t see their prey, but they use smells and sounds to find their way. If they come to a river, they make a bridge with their bodies. They cling together with their legs. Then the rest of the ants can cross the bridge. There is not much that can stop these fierce and cruel ants from chasing their prey.
Insects are not the only animals that swarm. There are many others that do. Most are not harmful to people. Being close to a huge swarm of animals can be scary and dangerous. Some scientists have studied animal swarms. They have found that many swarms follow simple rules. They work together to solve problems. When they work together they are a very strong team.
1. What does the underlined word “swarm” in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．To force a liquid into something. | B．To hold onto something tightly. |
| C．To move together in a large group. | D．To watch over something. |
| A．Their stings contain a kind of poison and are deadly to most small animals. |
| B．They can destroy food crops and are harmful to other living things. |
| C．When they move together, they are called “a swarm of locusts”. |
| D．They move in swarms to make new nests in different places. |
| A．Blind and smelly. | B．Angry and violent. |
| C．Scary and dangerous. | D．Strong and fast. |
| A．Moving Nests | B．Stinging Fire Ants |
| C．A Moving Army | D．Swarms of Animals |
