1 . Initial conversations can have a huge impact on how relationships develop over time. People are often stuck in the impressions they think they might have made the minute they finish speaking with someone for the first time: “Did they like me or were they just being polite?” “Were they deep in thought or deeply bored?”

To find out whether these worries are necessary, we have conducted nearly 10 years of research. In our studies, participants in the UK talked with someone they had never met before. Afterward, they were asked how much they liked their conversation partner and how much they believed that their conversation partner liked them. This allowed us to compare how much people believed they were liked to how much they were actually liked.

Time and time again, we found that people left their conversations with negative feelings about the impression they made. That is, people systematically underestimate how much their conversation partners like them and enjoy their company — a false belief we call the “liking gap”.

This bias (偏见) may seem like something that would occur only in initial interactions, but its effects extend far beyond a first impression. Surprisingly, the liking gap can constantly affect a variety of relationships, including interactions with coworkers, long after the initial conversations have taken place. Having a larger liking gap is associated with being less willing to ask workmates for help, less willing to provide workmates with open and honest feedback, and less willing to work on another project together.

There are numerous strategies to minimize your biased feelings. One place to start is shifting your focus of attention. Try to direct your attention to your conversation partner, be genuinely curious about them, ask them more questions, and really listen to their answers. The more you’re zeroed in on the other person, and the less you’re focused on yourself, the better your conversation will be and the less your mind will turn to all the things you think you didn’t do well.

1. Why did the author carry out 10 years of research?

A．To dismiss national concerns.	B．To check out a potential bias.
C．To enhance human communication.	D．To develop harmonious relationships.

2. What is one effect of people’s liking gap?

A．Fewer chances of new projects.	B．Underestimation of their ability.
C．Bad relationships with people around.	D．Low willingness to interact with others.

3. What does the author intend to do in the last paragraph?

A．Restate opinions.

B．Deliver warnings.

C．Give suggestions.

D．Make a summary.

4. Which might be the best title for the text?

A．Liking Gap May Influence Work Performances

B．First Impressions Rely On Initial Conversations

C．People Probably Like You More Than You Think

D．How People Like You Matters Less Than You Assume

2 . 你校英文报正在开展以 Students’ Time Spent on Physical Exercise Weekly为题的讨论。请使用图表中的调查结果写一篇短文投稿, 内容包括：
1. 描述调查结果;
2. 分析其原因并给出建议。

注意：
1. 写作词数应为80左右;
2. 短文的题目和首句已为你写好。

Students’ Time Spent on Physical Exercise Weekly

Nowadays, many students are aware of the significance of physical exercise, although the time they spend on it varies.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3 . You see a shopper trip over in a busy street. Someone else can help. That’s what you tell yourself. This is the bystander effect in action — the dilution (淡化) of responsibility in the presence of others — and it has been demonstrated in many past studies.

But life is complicated and psychologists have seen exceptional circumstances. Two experiments were conducted by Marco van Bommel and his team using an online chat room for people with extreme emotional problems. Eighty-six students were logged into the forum (论坛) and shown five messages from troubled users. They were told to write a reply if they wanted, but it was entirely up to them.

Basically, participants could see their names on the screen alongside others’ names. A counter also told them if the forum was quiet, with just one other person logged in, or busy, with 30 others online. This arrangement reproduced the classic Bystander Effect-participants were less likely to post replies with more people logged in. However, when the researchers cued (提示) self-awareness by highlighting participants’ names in red on the screen, they posted more replies on a busy forum.

A second study was built on these findings, but this time self-awareness was raised by the presence, or not, of a computer web-camera. Over 100 participants took part. Although told the camera wouldn’t be used until later, those with cameras were asked to check the camera’s indicator-light during the study. The Bystander Effect was reproduced when web-cameras were absent-on busy forums participants posted fewer replies to needy users. By contrast, those cued to be self-aware by the web-cam actually wrote more replies.

Nearly any online community can benefit from the research. The ability to turn hesitant bystanders into eager helpers is a recipe for engagement and collective benefit. As in the research, simple design cues could be integrated to help online users remember they are visible to the community. For example, the size of profile images and specific on-site reminders can be used to highlight how users see themselves within the community.

1. What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 1 refer to?

A．The hidden danger of a busy street.

B．The bystander effect in action.

C．The dilution of responsibility.

D．The presence of other people.

2. In the first study, the participants posted more replies to the troubled when

A．there were more emotional problems

B．the counter indicated the forum was quiet

C．their presence was reminded on the screen

D．more individuals were logged in the forum

3. Why is the web-camera used in the second study?

A．To encourage more replies.

B．To reproduce the bystander effect.

C．To further test participants’ mindset.

D．To better record participants’ actions.

4. What strategy can online communities learn from the research?

A．Working together to attract more users.

B．Combining designs to boost users’ memory.

C．Building more platforms for public promotion.

D．Exploring ways to change bystanders into upstanders.

5 . For Australian cattle farmer Jody Brown, the most frightening evidence of drought is the silence. Trees stand still, the singing of birds gone.

The constant dryness means her cattle have decreased to around 400, down from 1,100 in 2002, and at limes there have been no animals on the land at all. The native grasses, once green, have disintegrated into grey ash. According to United Nations’ estimates, global crop production could fall about 30% because of climate change, while food is sharply demanded in the coming decades. The world is facing a new age of rapidly increasing food prices that could push almost 2 billion more people into hunger in a worst-case climate crisis.

Facing the scary predictions, farmers have begun to adapt. On Brown’s farm, she’s experimenting with regenerative-farming practices better suited to drought. She’s exploring alternatives to traditional methods that don’t push the land as hard. Meanwhile many agrichemical companies are developing new varieties for vegetables, like cabbages that are more resistant to extreme weather.

Across the globe, farmers are switching seeds and improving irrigation (灌溉). Lucas Oliveira in Brazil is pulling out half his coffee trees to plant corn and soybeans instead. He is being forced to change course after coffee crops suffered from drought and then an extreme frost. With drought hitting California, Fritz Durst is working to trap water. He’s boarded up pipes to hold the rain that does fall. Durst will also plant cover crops, which can help enrich soils and prevent erosion (水土流失).

One of the biggest challenges for farmers is that there is currently no access to funds that would be critical to undertake the kind of massive transformation.

“If you have to deal with millions of farmers around the world, you have to coordinate (协调). That’s a huge task,” said Monika Zurek, senior researcher at University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute.

1. Why are the data mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．To illustrate the frequent drought.

B．To evidence the increasing food demand.

C．To present the severe results of climate crisis.

D．To describe the situation of crop production.

2. What is farmers’ reaction towards the predictions?

A．Exploring alternative farming practices.

B．Sticking to traditional methods.

C．Developing new varieties for vegetables.

D．Experimenting with ngrichemicals.

3. How does Fritz Durst in California deal with the drought?

A．He switches to planting coffee trees.

B．He employs ways to trap water.

C．He covers his crops to resist drought.

D．He conducts researches on the soil.

4. What is crucial to the transformation?

A．Improving irrigation facility.

B．Tackling environment change.

C．Offering farmers access to funds.

D．Introducing ways to prevent erosion.

6 . The four-day workweek’s moment has arrived. With a new proposal of legislation (立法) in America to reduce the standard workweek from 40 to 32 hours, awareness of a shorter workweek — and enthusiasm for it — is gaining. And so is the doubt around it.

Initial doubt is reasonable since American work culture has been founded on constant working and expectations for overachievement. However, if there were ever a time for transforming thinking, this is it. The challenges over the past years have strengthened our muscles of adaptation. And the new practice of working from home proved that we can adjust quickly to changing conditions.

Four-day workweek pilots (试点) are emerging across the globe, with some companies now deciding to adopt the policy permanently. Microsoft Japan and Kickstarter represent just the growing number of organizations exploring the four-day workweek.

Supporters cite many benefits, including improved physical and mental health, increased gender equity and positive environmental impacts. It is easy to imagine what we might do with an additional day-off - spend time with family and friends, pursue a hobby, sleep. Pilot findings show increased productivity as well. Many in favor of the four-day workweek anticipate a more fulfilled community.

Some leaders will see the research and believe that a pilot is worthwhile. Others will resist the idea. They were taught that face time with employees is the only way to ensure accountability (责任心) and productivity. Less face time can feel like a loss of control.

While each organization will need to find what works for them, doing so can be a productive exercise. Leaders can let employees work out the details rather than “solving” the challenge from the top down. Perpetual Guardian asked employees to propose their own productivity measures, including how to increase productivity and arrange shifts. Awin, a tech firm, saw 80 employees volunteer for task forces to ensure that their switch to a four-day workweek went smoothly.

1. Why are Americans doubtful about the new workweek practice?

A．There are limited legislation proposals for it.

B．It challenges American work value.

C．It goes beyond their standard workweek.

D．There are few pilots for it across the globe.

2. What is paragraph 2 mainly discussing?

A．American work culture.

B．Challenges of the new practice.

C．Details of the new workweek pilots.

D．The possibility of adopting the new practice.

3. What can be achieved by the new practice?

A．A more healthy and efficient society.

B．Diversity of organization management.

C．Increased sense of responsibility.

D．More choices of community services.

4. What does the author suggest leaders do?

A．Handle the challenges from the top down.

B．Allow the employees to try the new practice.

C．Work out detailed solutions for the organization.

D．Develop more ways to measure productivity.

7 . People today are not unfamiliar with term such as "going eco-friendly" and "sustainable lifestyle". However, there exists a group of sceptics（怀疑论者）who believe that going eco-friendly is merely a fad（一时的风尚）. I disagree with this viewpoint, Going eco-friendly is not merely a fad and it does, in fact, change the beliefs and attitudes of people.

The long-term presence of environmental organisations shows the efforts that people have made towards going eco-friendly. Organisations such as World Wildlife Fund advocate people to go eco-friendly. The high involvement of the organisations and the participants is thus a strong indicator that going eco-friendly is not merely a fad but a trend that can last decades.

Another strong indicator is the emergence of sustainable products in many industries, such as organic produce and electric vehicles. The consumer demand, coupled with eco-conscious（环保意识的）businesses, is behind the sharp increase in such products. This shows a shift in the beliefs and attitudes of people towards adopting a sustainable lifestyle. Thus, it seems quite certain that going eco-friendly is not merely a fad.

While some people who broadcast their eco-friendly practices are criticised for just hoping to project an eco-conscious image, there are a number of celebrities who have been practising the zero-waste lifestyle for years. For those who do so for years, and not mere days or months, it is indeed a commitment that can only come with a true change in beliefs and attitudes towards caring for the earth.

The call to save the earth looks set to stay. With the development of technology and the appearance of many platforms advocating going green, people are more willing to change their beliefs and attitudes when they can learn about and appreciate the positive impact of the work of different environmental organisations and individuals. It is hoped that these effects will go a long way in ensuring that our planet will remain a suitable place to live in.

1. Why does the author mention World Wildlife Fund?

A．To appreciate its environmental efforts.

B．To encourage people to go eco-friendly.

C．To evidence the universal recognition of going green.

D．To highlight the difficulty in changing people's attitudes.

2. What does the underlined word "emergence" mean in paragraph 3?

A．Sudden disappearance.	B．Sharp increase.
C．Gradual development.	D．Limited application.

3. What does the author expect of technology development?

A．It may discourage people from sustainable lifestyle.

B．It may boost the business of organic produce.

C．It will be used to project an eco-conscious image.

D．It will promote environmental awareness.

4. What is the author's purpose in writing this text?

A．To prove going eco-friendly a lasting trend.

B．To popularize the eco-friendly products.

C．To offer strategies to go eco-friendly.

D．To advertise for eco-friendly platforms.