Classified TrainingⅠ 分類訓(xùn)練一

閱讀理解 + 閱讀七選五

（一）

閱讀理解

A

There are four fun festivals throughout the year in Brazil.

Festa Junina

Festa Junina is celebrated all over Brazil for the entire month of June as a yearly celebration of Saint John. It celebrates country life with typical clothes， food and dances inside a large tent， with decorations such as colored flags， beautiful table cloths and balloons.

Oktoberfest

The Germanic roots of the south of Brazil brought this traditional German festival to Brazil， where it has become one of the most popular beer festivals. Held in the middle of October every year in Blumenau， it celebrates typical German cuisine and plenty of beer. There are all kinds of German foods at the festival.

Festival de Cachaca

Every year in the town of Paraty， Festival de Cachaca is held for cachaca， the national drink" made from sugarcane （甘蔗）. This festival is held over a long weekend in August and it gives you a chance to try cachaca. There are also shows of samba and food trucks. It’s also a great opportunity to get to know the beautiful town of Paraty.

Parintins Folklore Festival

The festival held every year in Parintins is the second largest in Brazil after the carnival. It goes over a period of three days at the end of June and celebrates the Amazonian legend of a resurrected ox （復(fù)活的牛）. The main attraction of the festival is the competition between the two teams Garantido and Caprichoso that compete to retell the story of the ox through a mix of dancing and singing.

1. What festival lasts the longest time？

A. Oktoberfest. B. Festa Junina.

C. Parintins Folklore Festival. D. Festival de Cachaca.

2. What can you do if you attend Oktoberfest？

A. Taste German food. B. Watch shows of samba.

C. Drink the national drink. D. Listen to the story of the ox.

3. What do the four festivals have in common？

A. They are yearly activities. B. They enjoy global popularity.

C. They focus on food and dancing. D. They are celebrated all over Brazil.

B

The two rescuers knew they were in trouble when they found that they had to stay at the airport on the night before Thanksgiving with a grounded plane and 30 turtles （海龜）. Regnante and her husband， Tingley， were part of a volunteer effort to save hundreds of sea turtles that were washed up close to death on the beaches of Massachusetts.

The couple urgently needed to find temperature-controlled accommodation for the endangered sea turtles. They were in the rescuer race to save the smallest sea turtles in the world， at a little over 2 feet long， and they had been found with very low temperatures. Every year， hundreds of turtles follow warm ocean currents north from their hatching sites in the Gulf of Mexico， become trapped in the cold Atlantic and are then rescued from Cape Cod by volunteers， who take them to wildlife centers along warmer coastlines.

Regnante is a volunteer in Turtles Fly Too， a charity that provides air transport for the stricken turtles. One day， she took off with the turtles from near Boston in a plane piloted by her husband. They were bound for （飛往） New Orleans but storms forced them to change course and refuel twice. Then， at Chattanooga， Tennessee， a stone damaged the propeller. “It was just one thing after another，” Regnante said. “I just kind of wanted to say， ‘Guys， it’s going to be OK’. ”

For turtles， being out of the water and in transit （在運送中） for a long period was stressful. Luckily， a happy ending was delivered. Two heated trucks were sent nearby， where the turtles spent the night. On Thanksgiving morning， Regnante and Tingley drove them to a handover point in Alabama from where the turtles were taken to their new home.

“Turtles Fly Too does whatever it takes to make the mission happen，” Leslie， president of the charity， said. “When challenges arise， we’ll be quick to make adjustments.”

4. What can be inferred about the sea turtles？

A. They were hatching babies. B. They were dying from hunger.

C. They were to be brought to cold areas. D. They were in danger of poor condition.

5. What made Tingley change course during the flight to New Orleans？

A. The fund issue. B. The bad weather.

C. The lack of fuel of the plane. D. The physical condition of his wife.

6. What did Leslie mean in the last paragraph？

A. Everything has its two sides.

B. They will try their best to help themselves.

C. Saving turtles sometimes depends on luck.

D. The charity will spare no effort to save the turtles.

7. What can be the best title for the text？

A. A Race to Save Turtles B. Endangered Sea Turtles

C. New Shelters for Sea Turtles D. An Introduction to Turtles Fly Too

C

I am an active playgoer and play-reader， and perhaps my best reason for editing this book is a hope of sharing my enthusiasm for the theater with others. To do this I have searched through dozens of plays to find the ones that I think best show the power and purpose of the short play.

Each play has a theme or central idea which the playwright （劇作家） hopes to get across through dialogue and action. A few characters are used to create a single impression growing out of the theme. It is not my intention to point out the central theme of each of the plays in this collection， for that would， indeed， ruin the pleasure of reading， discussing， and thinking about the plays and the effectiveness of the playwright. However， a variety of types are represented here. These include comedy， satire， poignant drama， historical and regional drama. To show the versatility （多面性） of the short play， I have included a guidance play， a radio play and a television play.

Among the writers of the plays in this collection， Paul Green， Susan Glaspell， Maxwell Anderson， Thornton Wilder， William Saroyan， and Tennessee Williams have all received Pulitzer Prizes for their contributions to the theater. More information about the playwrights will be found at the end of this book.

To get the most out of reading these plays， try to picture the play on stage， with you， the reader， in the audience. The houselights dim （變暗）. The curtains are about to open， and in a few minutes the action and dialogue will tell you the story.

8. What do we know about the author according to Paragraph 1？

A. He has written dozens of plays. B. He has a deep love for the theater.

C. He is a professional stage actor. D. He likes reading short plays to others.

9. What does the author avoid doing in his work？

A. Stating the plays’ central ideas. B. Selecting works by famous playwrights.

C. Discussing various types of plays. D. Offering information on the playwrights.

10. What does the author suggest readers do while reading the plays？

A. Control their feelings. B. Apply their acting skills.

C. Use their imagination. D. Keep the theme in mind.

11. What is this text？

A. A short story. B. An introduction to a book.

C. A play review. D. An advertisement for a theater.

D

An analysis of 5.4 g of stones and dust that a Japanese Hayabusa-2 spacecraft gathered from Ryugu， an asteroid （小行星） near Earth， has discovered a surprising component： a drop of water. The discovery offers new support for the theory that life on Earth may have originated from outer space.

Hayabusa-2 was launched in 2014 on its mission to Ryugu， and returned to Earth’s orbit in 2020 to drop off a capsule containing the sample. The sample has been divided among different scientific teams to maximize the chance of new discoveries. The precious cargo has already produced several results， including organic materials that showed some of the building blocks of life on Earth， amino acids （氨基酸）， may have been formed in space.

The lead scientist， Tomoki Nakamura of Tohoku University and his team， which is made up of about 150 researchers from the US， Britain， France， Italy and China， also analyzed the sample from Ryugu. The team’s latest discovery was a drop of water containing salt and organic matter. “This drop of water has great meaning. Many researchers believe that water was brought from outer space， but we actually discovered water in Ryugu for the first time，” Nakamura said.

That bolsters the theory that asteroids such as Ryugu， or its larger parent asteroid， could have provided water， which contains salt and organic matter in collisions （碰撞） with Earth. “Such discovery may have been directly linked to the origin of the oceans or organic matter on Earth，”" Nakamura said.

Kensei Kobayashi， a scientist who is not part of the research group， applauded the discovery. “The fact that water was discovered in the sample itself is surprising， given the chances of it being destroyed in outer space. It does suggest that the asteroid contained water， in the form of liquid and not just ice， and organic matter may have been generated in that water，” Kobayashi said.

12. What did Nakamura’s team find lately？

A. Ryugu moves near Earth. B. Ryugu has liquid water.

C. Organic matter exists in sample water. D. Amino acids come into being in space.

13. The underlined word “bolsters” in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by “ ”.

A. supports B. doubts C. advances D. tests

14. What is the significance of the discovery？

A. It draws attention to amino acids. B. It proves the mission to Ryugu a success.

C. It offers clues to origins of life on Earth. D. It promises a bright future for space exploration.

15. What is Kobayashi’s attitude towards the finding？

A. Critical. B. Doubtful. C. Objective. D. Favorable.

閱讀七選五

How to Write a News Article

Writing a news article is different from writing other articles or informational pieces. 16

Knowing how to write a news article can help you exercise your writing skills and convey information clearly and briefly.

Gather all your facts. Before you write a news article， make a list or outline of all the connected facts and information that need to be included in the article. 17 It will help you write a clean， brief article.

Start with the lead. 18 This is one of the most important parts of the piece， so start with the leading statement when you write a news article. Your lead should be one sentence which states the topic of the article.

Give all the important details. The next important step to write news articles is including all the relevant facts and details that relate to your lead statement. 19 These details are important， because they are the key points of the article that fully inform the reader.

20 Be sure to double check all the facts in your news article before you contribute it， including names， dates， and contact information or addresses.

Writing accurately is the best way to make yourself a suitable news article writer.

A. Check facts before concluding.

B. Follow up main facts with additional information.

C. Include the basics of where， when， who， what and why.

D. A leading sentence is to catch readers’ attention and interest them.

E. Unlike other articles， news articles present information in a specific way.

F. Avoid any statements or description that could be constructed as support or criticism.

G. This list helps prevent you from leaving out any relevant information about the topic or story！

16. " 17. " 18. " 19. " 20.

（二）

閱讀理解

A

The puppet shows （木偶?。?presented at Fairyland share that common thread of “Belonging”.

The City Mouse and the Country Mouse

Annie， the Country Mouse， is extremely excited that Markie Mouse， her cousin from the City， is paying her a visit. Come and enjoy one of Aesop’s most famous fables about two mice who step into each other’s worlds， only to find out that home is where the heart belongs.

Puppets and Scenery by Lewis Mahlmann. Script （劇本） by David C. Jones.

It Could Always Be Worse

A funny tale of a family that is unhappy with their living conditions. A family are fed up with their overcrowded， noisy home. They turn to a local wise man， who advises solutions and tells them that it could always be worse. Will this family ever learn to be happy with what they have？ Come to Fairyland and find out！

Puppets designed by Elizabeth Luce. Scenery by Lewis Mahlmann. Script by Shana Barchas， inspired by a traditional folk tale.

The Dragon Who Wasn’t

An original tale written by Frank Oz， a great teenage puppeteer at Children’s Fairyland in the 1960s. This funny story is about a magical kingdom in desperate need of its very own fire-breathing dragon.

Puppets by Jesse Vail. Scenery by Annie Wong.

The Velveteen Rabbit

Based on Margery Williams’ great book， How Toys Become Real， this is the heart-warming tale of a special relationship between a young boy and his toy rabbit. You’ll be charmed as the Velveteen Rabbit fearlessly stays by the young boy’s side and is rewarded for her loyalty in the end.

Puppets by Randal Metz. Scenery by Annie Wong. Puppets designed by Kacey O’Hare.

1. What is the theme of the first puppet show？

A. Home. B. Success. C. Wealth. D. Happiness.

2. What is special about It Could Always Be Worse？

A. It is adapted from a book. B. It is created by Elizabeth Luce.

C. It is one of Aesop’s famous fables. D. It is based on a traditional folk tale.

3. Who is the writer of The Dragon Who Wasn’t？

A. Jesse Vail. B. Randal Metz. C. Frank Oz. D. Annie Wong.

B

Ellen Kalish runs a center for rescued wild animals in New York. When a woman asked if she could treat an owl （貓頭鷹）， she was happy to help. Then， the caller told her exactly where the tiny owl was hiding out. It was the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center in New York City！ Kalish said she has been helping wild animals for 20 years， but she has never heard a story like that. The rescued owl has been nicknamed “Rockefeller”.

When workers were unwrapping the tree which just arrived， one of them spotted the creature. At first the worker thought the owl might be injured. One of the workers called his wife， telling her he was bringing the owl home. He asked if she could find a place that helps wildlife animals. She called Kalish.

How did Rockefeller end up stuck in the tree in the first place？ Kalish offered a few ideas. He could have gone to the tree to hide and got trapped later， she said. Maybe once the tree was loaded onto a truck， the branches squished （擠壓） him into the trunk. He might have been too scared to move.

Kalish met the woman who first called her at a gas station. The woman handed her a cardboard box with the owl inside.

Kalish brought Rockefeller back to the wildlife center. She said she gave him plenty of water and left two mice in the plastic pet carrier. They were gone by the next morning. Rockefeller spent most of his time at the wildlife center eating or sleeping. On Monday， he went to the vet （獸醫(yī)） to get some X-rays taken. He has no broken bones， Kalish added.

Rockefeller will not spend much time at the center， she said. She is preparing to release him soon. The release will be quick and quiet， she said， and she will bring a camera to take pictures of him flying away.

“I will wish him a very long and happy life，” Kalish said.

4. How did Kalish feel probably when she heard the story of the owl？

A. Disappointed. B. Anxious. C. Surprised. D. Excited.

5. Why did the owl get into the Christmas tree probably according to Kalish？

A. To hide there. B. To get some food.

C. To have fun there. D. To settle into it as home.

6. How did Kalish help the owl？

A. She rescued him from other wild animals. B. She drove him to her house.

C. She gave him water and food. D. She treated his broken bones.

7. Which word best describes the owl’s life in the wildlife center？

A. Disappointing. B. Comfortable. C. Unpleasant." D. Interesting.

C

Keeping a schedule helps you arrange your time in ways that matter to you. If you do not decide how to spend your time， you will likely procrastinate （拖延）， get distracted， and get nowhere. Following a schedule in life is a key element towards your success.

You can set boundaries around your time for work， rest， learning， health， and more. This way you will be free to do what is important to you. Just like a budget for your money， your schedule allows you to spend time on the things that matter to you. You can selectively choose what you will do and what you will not do. In this way， you can gain more freedom in your life.

A schedule can help you fit more into a day， but your main concern ought to be getting the important things into your day. You cannot do everything， so you do what matters and maintain your focus by ignoring things that would distract you from the things that will have the greatest impact. This way， you can increase your productivity.

You can prove your trustworthiness by sticking to a set schedule. Following it can help you remember the things you have agreed to do. You can also help avoid conflicts by checking your schedule before you make a new promise. Use your schedule to maintain your trustworthiness and reliability in the eyes of others.

Your schedule ensures that you take action each day to achieve your goal. Whether small or large steps， your increasing successes build up each day. Repetition develops excellence and excellence leads to success. As you see yourself winning from day to day， your self-confidence grows.

8. Without a schedule， you tend to .

A. achieve nothing B. have more freedom to enjoy life

C. do everything you want to do D. become addicted to smartphones

9. If you set boundaries around your time， what can you get？

A. Less money. B. Less pressure.

C. More freedom. D. More rest.

10. What can we infer from Paragraph 4？

A. Our energy is limitless. B. The promise is not easy to make.

C. Schedule helps to protect your credit. D. Conflicts cannot be avoided in our life.

11. What can be the best title for the text？

A. The Benefits of Keeping a Schedule B. The Ways to Keep a Schedule in Life

C. The Keys to Achieving Success in Life D. The Tips of Setting Up a Wonderful Schedule

D

Mogao Grottoes is located at the western end of the Hexi Corridor along the ancient Silk Road in Dunhuang， China. Until now， most mural paintings at Mogao Grottoes have been dated by directly referring to the mural texts or historical documents. However， some are still left with the creation era uncertain due to the lack of reference materials or the disagreement of art experts.

The drawing style of mural paintings was changing throughout history and can be learned and quantified （量化） through painting data. A new dating method has been developed by encoding （編碼） the drawing styles using visual codes learned through deep learning. This new method successfully discovered the creation era of six mural paintings at Mogao Grottoes.

With the help of experts from Dunhuang Academy， seven mural paintings from two grottoes （No. 205 and No. 206） were chosen as subjects for this dating research.

To figure out the creation era of these paintings， Qin Zou， a researcher from Wuhan University， collected 3，860 mural paintings from 194 different grottoes with confirmed creation-era labels. To find the visual codes that can identify the era in these paintings， the authors built a deep convolutional neural network （卷積神經(jīng)網(wǎng)絡(luò)） and classified these painting images into the right eras. Based on the classification model， a dating method was built and applied to date the seven paintings.

Six of the new dating results were approved by experts from Dunhuang Academy. “These dating results are correct and the method is great，” said Mr Hui-Min Wang， a distinguished expert from the Archaeological Institute of Dunhuang Academy.

“To the best of our knowledge，” wrote the researchers， “this work represents the first account of a scientific and quantitative manner to support the era prediction and reduce the uncertainties in dating ancient paintings by using deep learning.”

12. What is the reason that some murals remain undated？

A. Variety in the drawing style. B. Errors of historical documents.

C. Shortage of reference materials. D. Disagreement of historical documents.

13. What can we learn about the new dating method？

A. It requires a large number of visual codes.

B. It dated the seven chosen murals correctly.

C. It was developed by experts in Dunhuang Academy.

D. It involves collecting information from the mural texts.

14. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about？

A. The importance of creation-era labels.

B. How the classification model is created.

C. The influence of the new dating research.

D. Why the researchers chose 3，860 murals.

15. What do the researchers think of their new method？

A. It brings many uncertainties. B. It classifies drawing styles.

C. It is an important achievement. D. It makes accurate predictions.

閱讀七選五

When life is stressful， it’s very easy to give in to feelings of anger or depression. 16 Here are some ways that can help you better deal with a wide range of negative emotions.

Acknowledge your feelings.

Dealing with negative emotions can be difficult. But it’s important to allow yourself to experience those emotions. Suppressing （抑制） them can cause stress. 17 For example， if you are feeling nervous， ask yourself， “What am I afraid of？” Acknowledging the issue can help you figure out how to handle it.

Change your environment.

18 Try changing your space to make it a more calming place. For example， if your negative emotions arise from feeling out of control， try organizing your space. Clearing up the mess can make you feel on top of things.

19

When you know that something is causing a negative emotion， try to shift your focus away from that situation. For example， if you are stuck in a traffic jam and running late， listen to your favorite CD. Focusing on something positive can help to calm you down.

Talk about your feelings.

Talking about your negative emotions is very productive. It is a good idea to let your loved ones know your feelings. Try saying， “I’ve been really stressed out lately. Do you have time to talk things through with me？” 20 It’s fine to express anger or frustration， but do so without shouting.

A. It’s time to figure out what causes them.

B. Shift your focus away from the bad thing.

C. Be calm and reasonable while you are talking.

D. You don’t have to put too much effort into them.

E. When you experience a negative emotion， acknowledge it.

F. However， you will be more productive if you can handle them.

G. Small changes can have a big impact on your emotional health.

16. " 17. " 18. " 19. " 20.

（三）

閱讀理解

A

Young Writers Awards

About the Contest

Bennington College has a unique literary tradition. We’ve had twelve Pulitzer Prize winners， three US poet laureates， four MacArthur Geniuses， and two of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people. In celebration of this， Bennington launched the Young Writers Awards to promote excellence in writing at the high school level. Students are invited to enter with the following work：

·Poetry： A group of three poems

·Fiction： A short story （1，500 words or fewer） or one-act play

·Nonfiction： A personal or academic essay （1，500 words or fewer）

A first-， second-， and third-place winner is selected in each category. We welcome participation of both US and international students.

Awards amp; Rules

First-place winners in each category are awarded a prize of $1，000; second-place winners receive $500; third-place winners receive $250.

·Free for entrance.

·All entries must be original work reviewed， approved and guided by a teacher. We will use your teacher as a contact for the competition if we have any questions. For homeschooled students， please contact one to assist in your writing even if you have experience in such competitions.

Young Writers Awards finalists and winners are also qualified for undergraduate scholarships （獎學(xué)金） at Bennington. Young Writers Awards finalists who apply and gain admission to Bennington will receive a $10，000 scholarship every year for four years， for a total of $40，000. Young Writers Awards winners reaching the standard will receive $15，000 every year， for a total of $60，000.

1. Why did Bennington launch the Young Writers Awards？

A. To continue the scientific tradition. B. To finance the talented students.

C. To boost students’ ability in writing. D. To compete with the other schools.

2. What should participants do about the entry？

A. Hand in a personal essay. B. Team up with two partners.

C. Pay an entry fee on time. D. Find a teacher to help with the entry.

3. How much is the scholarship for finalists a year？

A. $60，000. B. $40，000. C. $15，000. D. $10，000.

B

When Paul was a boy growing up in Utah， he happened to live near a copper smelter （煉銅廠）， and the chemicals that poured out had made a wasteland out of what used to be a beautiful forest. One day a young visitor looked at this wasteland and called it an awful area. Paul knocked him down. From then on， something happened inside him.

Years later Paul was back in the area， and he went to the smelter office. He asked if they had any plans or if they would let him try to bring the trees back. The answer from that big industry was “No”. Paul then went to college to study the science of plants. He later got married and had some kids. But his dream would not die. And then one night he did what he could with what he had. Under the cover of darkness， he went secretly into the wasteland and started planting.

And every week， he made his secret journey into the wasteland and planted trees and grass. For fifteen years he did this against the plain common sense. Slowly rabbits appeared. Later， as there was legal pressure to clean up the environment， the company actually hired Paul to do what he had already been doing.

Now the place is fourteen thousand acres of trees and grass and bushes， and Paul has received almost every environmental award Utah has. It took him until his hair turned white， but he managed to keep that impossible vow （誓言） he made to himself as a child.

4. What does the underlined word “something” refer to in Paragraph 1？

A. To stop the chemical pollution. B. To go to college.

C. To ask the industry for help. D. To say sorry to the visitor.

5. What did Paul do for his dream after graduating from college？

A. He raised rabbits in the wasteland. B. He asked the smelter officers for help.

C. He studied the knowledge of planting. D. He did the wasteland planting secretly.

6. Why did the company hire Paul to plant trees and grass？

A. They realized the importance of it. B. They were forced to do so.

C. They were moved by Paul. D. They were affected by pollution.

7. What can be the best title for the text？

A. The Hard Life of Paul B. The Easy Choice of Paul

C. The Wonder of Constant Work D. The Power of Many Hands

C

In the fictional worlds of film and TV， artificial intelligence （AI） has been described as so advanced that it is indistinguishable from humans. But what if we’re actually getting closer to a world where AI is capable of thinking and feeling？

Tech company UneeQ is heading for its “digital humans”， which appear lifelike on the screen not only in terms of language， but also because of facial movements： raised eyebrows， a smile， even a nod. They look close to a human， but not quite.

Shiwali Mohan， an AI scientist at the Palo Alto Research Center， is skeptical （懷疑的） of these digital beings. “They’re humanlike in their looks and the way they sound， but that in itself is not being human，” she says. “Human qualities also involve how you think， how you approach problems， and how you break them down; and that takes a lot of algorithmic （算法） design. Designing for human-level intelligence is a different attempt than designing images that behave like humans.” She then continues， “If something looks like a human， we have high expectations of them， but they might behave differently in ways that humans just instinctively know how other humans react.”

Yet the demand is there， with UneeQ seeing high adoption of its digital employees across the financial， health care， and commercial industry. “Unless these industries make their business models much more efficient digitally， they might be left behind，” says Chetan Dube， UneeQ’s CEO.

Some other companies are taking their digital beings a step further， enabling organizations and individuals to create digital humans themselves using free-access platforms they provide. “The biggest motivation for such platforms is to popularize AI，” says Dube.

Mohan is cautious （謹(jǐn)慎的） about this approach， yet she supports the purpose behind these digital beings and is optimistic about where they’re headed. “As we develop more advanced AI technology， we would then have to use new ways of communicating with that technology，” she says. “Hopefully， all of that is designed to support humans in their goals.”

8. What aspects are UneeQ’s digital humans similar to real humans according to Paragraph 2？

A. Their thoughts and feelings. B. The way they act and react.

C. The way they move around. D. Their speech and facial expressions.

9. What human quality do digital beings lack according to Mohan？

A. Counting ability. B. Language skills.

C. Instinctive judgments. D. Problem-solving ability.

10. Why do many industries employ digital humans？

A. For fear of falling behind. B. For the need for business cooperation.

C. To spread digital technology. D. To move up health care systems.

11. What does Mohan think of the future of digital beings？

A. Terrible. B. Promising. C. Uncertain. D. Hopeless.

D

Two of the saddest words in the English language are “if only”. I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words， because they express regret， lost opportunities， mistakes， and disappointment.

My father is famous in our family for saying， “Take the extra minute to do it right.” I always try to live by the “extra minute” rule. When my children were young and likely to cause accidents， I always thought about what I could do to avoid an “if only” moment， whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a counter， or something that required a little more work such as taping padding （襯墊） onto the sharp corners of a glass coffee table.

I don’t only avoid those “if only” moments when it comes to safety. It’s equally important to avoid “if only” in our personal relationships. We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had foregone an opportunity to say “I love you” or “I forgive you”. When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday， I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn’t be here. But then I thought about the fact that he’s 84 years old and I realized that I shouldn’t give up an opportunity to see him. I called him and told him I had decided to go to work on my day off after all.

I know there will still be occasions when I have to say “if only” about something， but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality. And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right， or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection， I know that I’m doing the right thing. I’m buying myself peace of mind and that’s the best kind of insurance for my emotional well-being.

12. Why does the author regard “if only” as two of the “saddest” words in the English language？

A. They are used by those who feel sad.

B. They mean sadness in the language.

C. They mean regrets and disappointment in life.

D. They make the author think of some sad experiences.

13. What does the underlined word “foregone” in Paragraph 3 probably mean？

A. Avoided." B. Lacked. C. Given up. D. Made use of.

14. Why did the author decide to go to her office on Good Friday？

A. To see an eye doctor. B. To accompany her father.

C. To join a celebration. D. To finish her work.

15. How does the author get a peaceful mind？

A. By keeping herself busy.

B. By always doing the urgent things.

C. By trying her best to avoid unpleasant things.

D. By accompanying her parents day and night.

閱讀七選五

Why Is Eating Colorful Food Good for You？

Most of us are faced with the same choice numerous times a day： what to eat. Along with price， accessibility and preference， we’ll often use a food’s healthfulness to help us make a decision." 16

It’s widely accepted by researchers that we need a varied diet. 17 Eating lots of colors may lower your risk of missing out on all vital nutrients. If we’re missing a color of the rainbow， we may be missing a function of that food. This is because plant foods contain thousands of natural compounds， which have anti-inflammatory （抗炎的） benefits.

18 Blue and purple foods， including blueberries， have a high content of the plant anthocyanin （花青素）， which has been linked to lowering the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Flavones （黃酮）， which give foods a yellow color， may reduce the risk of heart disease.

A research fellow at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health， says eating a colorful diet can also help people avoid possible side effects of eating too much of one food. “ 19 For example， research has found that orange juice is associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline， but too much intake is associated with type 2 diabetes，” she says. However， this is because of its sugar content， not flavones.

Eating a rainbow diet may also be complex. 20 We could tie ourselves in knots. We also need to eat from other food groups to get all the nutrients we need， such as protein.

A. Food is very complex.

B. A varied diet is packed with different vegetables.

C. It could be really hard to get every color every day.

D. Different colored foods come with different benefits.

E. But how do we know we’re getting enough nutrients？

F. However， is color the best guide to getting all the nutrients？

G. And one way to do this is by eating all the colors of the rainbow.

16. " 17. " 18. " 19. " 20.

（四）

閱讀理解

A

Finding a new book to read can be hard. Here are several different ways you can find your next favorite book to read！

Local Library

Most libraries allow anyone to walk in and look around. Head over to the sections that interest you and browse the shelves， then use your phone to look up any books that catch your eye. Or if you want to support your local library， just check the book out. You could also talk to the librarian. If you tell them what kinds of books you’re looking for， they’ll be able to point you in the right direction.

Online Book Stores

Amazon， AbeBooks， and Better World Books are all great options. Most online bookstores allow sorting by recent releases， and it’s a great way to discover books you’ve never heard of before. Check out the first few pages’ previews， reviews and ratings， and if you like it， buy it！

Meetup Book Clubs

If you prefer to get your book recommendations through dialogue and discussion， then Meetup might be the option for you. Book clubs on Meetup are pretty straightforward; they tell you which book to read， and then you discuss it as a group. Meetup groups might hold events once a month， once a week， or maybe even multiple times a week. If one group isn’t enough， you can always join multiple.

Goodreads

One of the easiest ways to discover new books to read is to use a book recommendation site like Goodreads. Every year， Goodreads puts out “Best Books” for all major genres （類型）， including Fantasy， Poetry， Romance， and Young Adult. Each genre has 20 entries， and you can view past years’ awards back to 2011. Once you’ve added and rated enough books， Goodreads will begin recommending other books that you might like.

1. What can you do in the local library？

A. Provide support for the librarian. B. Find books with your phone.

C. Do group study. D. Get advice on book choice.

2. What is special about Meetup Book Clubs？

A. They hold reading activities daily. B. They sort out books by recent releases.

C. They offer group discussions on books. D. They allow members to get books for free.

3. Which of the following recommends books based on readers’ preference？

A. Local Library. B. Online Book Stores. C. Meetup Book Clubs. D. Goodreads.

B

When she worked in banking， Irini Tzortzoglou’s idea of cooking was to pick up a ready meal from Marks amp; Spencer on her way home， and put it in the oven. But now， since winning the BBC cooking competition Master Chef at the age of 60， with menus inspired by her Greek heritage， food has become her life and new career.

She had been interested in cooking when she was a child. Food was an important part of her life. Tzortzoglou， 64， was born in Greece， where her grandparents’ house was always open， and her grandmother would often be cooking for dozens of people. Tzortzoglou would help out， “I loved the smells. I loved the processes.”

Tzortzoglou felt very bored after retiring. Then one day her husband said， “Why don’t you try Master Chef because you always love watching it.”

She was a reasonably good cook， who loved entertaining and could put together a decent （體面的） dinner party menu， but competing on the show demanded a whole new skill level. “I didn’t want to embarrass myself by leaving in round one， so I trained myself for a year，” she said.

She put in time， effort and money. She went to Athens to see what was happening with Greek food today. She ate at Michelin-star restaurants to see what Greek Master Chef and the young chefs were doing. And then she started practicing. She also started physical training because she could see how tough （艱難的） it was to run around the kitchen while filming， or stand for hours.

And then Tzortzoglou has become immersed in （沉浸于） Greek food， and has written a cookery book， Under the Olive Tree. “I don’t have free time， but I love it，” she said. “I feel like a child let loose in a sweet shop.”

4. What can we know about Tzortzoglou as a child？

A. She liked watching BBC programs. B. She studied hard to become a banker.

C. She showed interest in cooking. D. She had to cook for the whole family.

5. Why did Tzortzoglou take part in Master Chef？

A. To seek a new career. B. To preserve the heritage.

C. To have a new life. D. To experience a party.

6. What does Paragraph 5 mainly tell us about Tzortzoglou？

A. Her love for Greek food. B. Her performance at the competition.

C. Her desire to go back to Athens. D. Her effort to prepare for the competition.

7. What words can best describe Tzortzoglou？

A. Confident and outgoing. B. Brave and childlike.

C. Generous and creative. D. Active and inspiring.

C

Humans are not the only ones that like gold. Australian scientists have discovered a new fungus （真菌） that decorates its long， thread-like tendrils （卷須） with gold collected from the soil. The experts desperately hope the “gold digger” will provide information on the locations of gold deposits （沉積物） and make searching for the precious metal easier， and more environmental friendly.

The gold-loving fungus was discovered accidentally by a team of researchers led by Dr Tsing Bohu， a scientist at Australia National Science Agency， when they were examining the microbes （微生物） in the soil at Boddington， a tiny town home to Australia’s largest gold mine.

A closer analysis suggested that the fungus uses chemical interactions with underground minerals to accumulate gold from its surroundings. Though fungi often interact with other things in nature， the reaction with gold was unexpected. “Fungi are well-known for playing an important role in the recycling of organic materials， such as leaves and bark， as well as for the cycling of other metals，” Dr Bohu explained. “But gold is so chemically inactive that this interaction is both unusual and surprising.”

The fungi are not wearing the gold for beauty. “There is a biological benefit from this reaction，” Dr Bohu said. “Gold-loving fungi can grow faster and bigger compared to other fungi that don’t work with gold.”

The researchers still need to conduct further analysis to understand the relationship between the fungi and the precious metal. More importantly， they need to determine if its presence is a sure sign of the existence of large deposits of the metal underground. The scientists also believe the fungi could be used to find the presence of gold in waste products and man-made electronics.

However， those hoping to get free gold from the fungi make you in for a disappointment， for the delicate fungus is hard to see. Also， its gold can only be seen under a microscope.

8. What information are the experts eager for？

A. Sites of gold deposits. B. Species of the microbes.

C. The function of the new fungus. D. Easier ways to find the metal.

9. What can we learn from Bohu’s words in Paragraph 3？

A. Fungi’s interaction with gold is beneficial. B. Gold’s look is identified by fungi.

C. Gold is accumulated by fungi’s evolution. D. Fungi’s formation with gold is natural.

10. What is the characteristic of gold-loving fungus？

A. It is easy to see. B. It wears the gold for pretty look.

C. It grows faster. D. It is as common as other fungi.

11. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Beauty-Loving Fungi B. Gold-Loving Fungi

C. Australia’s Largest Gold Mineral D. New Discovery of Gold

D

The meaning of silence varies among cultural groups. Silences may be thoughtful， or they may be empty when a person has nothing to say. A silence in a conversation may also show stubbornness （倔強）， uneasiness， or worry. Silence may be viewed by some cultural groups as extremely uncomfortable. Persons in other cultural groups value silence and view it as necessary for understanding a person’s needs.

Many native Americans value silence and feel it is a basic part of communicating among people， just as some traditional Chinese and Thai persons do. Therefore， when a person from one of these cultures is speaking and suddenly stops， what may be implied is that the person wants the listener to consider what has been said before continuing. In these cultures， silence is a call for reflection.

Other cultures may use silence in other ways， particularly when dealing with conflicts among people or in relationships of people with different amounts of power. For example， Russian， French， and Spanish persons may use silence to show agreement between parties about the topic under discussion. However， Mexicans may use silence when instructions are given by a person in authority rather than be rude to that person by arguing with him or her. In still another use， persons in Asian cultures may view silence as a sign of respect， particularly to an elder or a person in authority.

Nurses and other caregivers need to be aware of the possible meanings of silence. Nurses should recognize their own personal and cultural construction of silence so that a patient’s silence is not interrupted too early or allowed to go on unnecessarily. A nurse who understands the healing （治愈） value of silence can use this understanding to assist in the care of patients from their own and from other cultures.

12. What does the author say about silence in conversations？

A. It implies anger. B. It promotes friendship.

C. It is culture-specific." D. It is content-based.

13. In what country might people regard silence as a call for careful thought？

A. China. B. France. C. Mexico. D. Russia.

14. What does the author advise nurses to do about silence？

A. Let it continue as the patient pleases." " B. Break it while meeting patients.

C. Evaluate its harm to patients." " " " " D. Make use of its healing effects.

15. What does the author mainly want to show us？

A. The power of silence." " " " " B. The various meanings of silence.

C. Various cultures in the world." " D. Good behaviors in conversations.

閱讀七選五

How to Create an Effective Action Plan

Creating a powerful action plan always begins with having a clear purpose or goal in mind. It is designed to take you from wherever you are right now directly to the accomplishment （完成） of your stated goal. 16

Know what you want to do. The less clear you are about what you want to do， the less effective your plan will be. 17 You may figure it out before starting your project.

Work backward from your end goal. Identify your end goal， and then list everything you need to do to accomplish it. 18 After you know what you need to accomplish， break this down into small steps to help you create a more realistic plan.

Break large tasks down into smaller ones. 19 If you’re feeling confused about a large task， what can help ease your anxiety and make it more practical is breaking it down into smaller ones.

20 Without specific time frames （框架） and deadlines， some tasks may never get completed. No matter what action items you choose for which stage of your action plan， it is significant that a time frame should be attached to absolutely everything.

A. Put timelines on everything.

B. Try hard to achieve your goal.

C. Some tasks may seem more difficult to achieve than others.

D. Try to specifically explain what you want to achieve as early as possible.

E. Depending on your goal， you may even consider different ways to reach your goal.

F. Keep in mind that you may have to change your plan as you work toward your goal.

G. With a well-designed plan， you can achieve nearly any goal you set out to accomplish.

16. " 17. " 18. " 19. " 20.

（五）

閱讀理解

A

The best science books inspire a sense of wonder and make you amazed at the incredible world we live in. Here are four of them to feed your imagination.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

How did it all begin？ And how did we get here？ Combining history and science， the book offers comprehensive yet entertaining answers to these questions. Bill Bryson takes readers on an impressive journey through the greatest scientific discoveries in history. It explains scientific topics in a vivid way， but it’s quite a long read.

Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe

How do helicopters work？ Or cells？ Randall Munroe explains how things work using illustrations and only the most common l，000 words in English. It will shift your approach to explanation. However， additionally providing more technical terms might have enhanced the understanding and learning experience.

Ask an Astronaut by Tim Peake

What does it feel like to fly into space？ How do you prepare for it？ Astronaut Tim Peake answers all the questions you never knew about going into space. The book gives insights into the cutting-edge science， as well as the day-to-day life on board of the International Space Station. Its question and answer format makes it easy to quickly find answers， but it can become less appealing due to the lack of descriptive language.

Deep Time by Riley Black

Want to know the story of our planet？ Riley Black takes us on a journey， in the order of time， through the geological events that have shaped our planet. The fascinating high-quality images are supported by easily digestible explanations of key historical moments. It also expands on key concepts in geology， astronomy and biology.

1. What is a shortcoming of Thing Explainer？

A. It is rather long. B. It is written in plain language.

C. It lacks technical terms. D. It lacks high-quality images.

2. Which book is organized in the format of question and answer？

A. A Short History of Nearly Everything. B. Thing Explainer.

C. Ask an Astronaut. D. Deep Time.

3. What do A Short History of Nearly Everything and Deep Time have in common？

A. They combine science and history. B. They feature vivid illustrations.

C. They introduce astronauts’ daily life. D. They entertain readers of all ages.

B

It has been Wu Rongjin’s dream to be a positive influence on her students since she started teaching at Luwan No. 1 Central Primary School in Shanghai.

The school， near the memorial for the Site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China （CPC）， has rich historical resources to help its students learn about the history of the CPC.

During a visit to the memorial in 2005， Wu noticed some of the students were not interested in the guide’s description. Later， Wu arranged for the students to revisit the memorial， and write their own tour and narration script （解說詞） in simple language. Wu wanted to help the students learn about the revolutionary （革命的） tradition in China， and treasure their happy lives.

A group of the students began working as tour guides， especially for visitors of their own age， at the memorial. The students’ lively narrations have won high praise from visitors.

During the past 19 years， Wu has worked with the students （tour guides） to organize tours， write narration scripts， and explore new forms of narration in Chinese and English.

Many former members of the teenage narration team have continued taking part in related narration activities， even though many of them are now studying in middle schools or universities， or have even started working life.

Hu， now a middle school student， says he is often stopped on the street and told， “I remember you. You were a member of the teenage narration team at the memorial.” Lin， another former member of the team， is studying abroad. She says she can still remember all of the narration scripts.

4. Why did Wu lead the students to the memorial again？

A. To help them further know about the history. B. To make preparations for a history exam.

C. To collect information to write an article. D. To teach them how to respect others.

5. What can we infer about the students’ narration as tour guides？

A. It annoys the old. B. It creates new jobs. C. It is a bad decision. D. It is a successful story.

6. What does Lin think about the narration work？

A. It gets her into trouble. B. It puts great pressure on her.

C. It leaves a deep impression on her. D. It wins popularity with foreign students.

7. Which word can best describe Wu as a teacher？

A. Strict. B. Honest. C. Creative. D. Humorous.

C

Every parent wants their children to develop well. Sometimes it seems that a child’s game is empty entertainment and it would be better to replace it with something more useful. However， for a child， play is the main way of interacting with the world， mastering new knowledge and skills.

The game forms a unique model of the world， redesigned in accordance with the needs and capabilities of the children. It reflects the real world and helps to master it. That is why it is so important to choose the right toys for your children.

For a child， any game is the same productive activity as work for an adult. And if the result of adult work is the produced “product”， for children， the result of the game is new knowledge about the world and a better understanding of how the world works. Interacting with other children during the game， the child develops his or her own style of behavior and communication. In short， play is critical to development because it is the way a child interacts with the world.

Through the game， children learn new skills and develop speech， thinking and logic， memory， attention and other mental functions. In games， children learn to follow the rules， control their behaviors， develop communication skills with peers and adults. Often the game becomes a way for children to cope with their difficult experiences and express their feelings of fear， anger， resentment （憤恨）， sadness and shame. The game also will bring pleasure， joy and a lot of other positive emotions to children—and the significance of this cannot be underestimated. Also， through the game， children learn to be proud of their success， which supports their self-esteem （自尊）. Enough self-esteem is the key to the full development of the individual.

The role of an adult in play is to support and encourage the child. This helps the child understand that his opinion is valuable， and his ideas and fantasies deserve respect.

8. What does Paragraph 1 mainly tell us about a child’s game？

A. It is important. B. It is troublesome.

C. It can be replaced by other activities. D. It is thought unnecessary by parents.

9. What does the underlined word “product” in Paragraph 3 refer to for children？

A. Reflection of work value. B. Output from hard work.

C. New knowledge and theory. D. Wonderment from growth stage.

10. What is talked about children playing a game in Paragraph 4？

A. Its popularity. B. Its patterns.

C. Its benefits. D. Its rules.

11. What is a suitable title for the text？

A. Test the Importance of Play on Life Skills B. Build Important Life Skills Through Play

C. Change the Ways of Developing Life Skills D. Keep Away from Play to Develop Children

D

Zebrafish， named for their characteristic stripes （條紋）， have been a popular test subject for researchers. Only a few centimeters in length， the fish reproduce easily in captivity （圈養(yǎng)）， grow quickly， and their transparent body makes it easy to study their organs. Above all， they possess some surprising “self-healing” power. When part of their heart is removed， they can grow it back in a matter of weeks. When blinded， they can quickly regain the ability to see.

Studies show that humans and zebrafish have the same major organs and share 70 percent of the genes. Moreover， 84 percent of human genes associated with disease find a counterpart （對應(yīng)的事物） in zebrafish. Scientists thus hope that understanding the self-healing mystery of the fish may one day allow humans to regenerate such organs as eyes， hearts， and spines.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University are particularly interested in zebrafish retina （視網(wǎng)膜） regeneration. They have learned that damage of retina can cause blindness in zebrafish， yet it only takes about three to four weeks before vision is regained. The structure and cell types of zebrafish retina are almost the same to those of humans. If the process can be copied in humans， it may give rise to new treatments for blindness caused by retinal damage.

In order to know exactly how zebrafsh retina is regenerated， the team looked at the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid （GABA）， a chemical messenger in the brain that reduces the activity of neurons. They found that lowering GABA levels in zebrafish can activate retina regeneration， while a high level of GABA concentration will suppress the regeneration process. This suggested that GABA plays an important role in the fish’s ability to regain their sight. The result served as a further proof to scientists’ previous work.

The team is beginning to test the GABA theory on mice. If that works， human trials will be next on the plan. If the research proves successful in humans， some of the nearly 40 million blind people worldwide may one day have a tiny， striped fish to thank.

12. What is the most amazing for zebrafish？

A. Its regeneration ability. B. Its excellent eyesight.

C. Its transparent body. D. Its beautiful stripes.

13. What does the underlined word “suppress” in Paragraph 4 probably mean？

A. Hold back. B. Get over. C. Speed up. D. Add up.

14. What can we learn about the study in Vanderbilt University？

A. Its first experimental subject is mice.

B. It copied its experimental process in humans.

C. It helped researchers get unexpected discoveries.

D. Its results are in line with previous study findings.

15. What does the text mainly talk about？

A. Zebrafish retina is mysterious. B. Zebrafish can heal themselves.

C. Zebrafish may help us cure blindness. D. Zebrafish try to regain its self-healing power.

閱讀七選五

The Healing Power of Humor

As a heart doctor， I have to deliver a lot of bad news. 16 Not only can it help lift patients’ spirits up， but it actually helps them recover faster. Laughter can cultivate （逐漸形成） optimism， and it truly is the best medicine in many ways：

It relaxes patients.

Medical operations usually make patients feel nervous. Some may sweat， have cheat pain and feel unusually strong or irregular heartbeats. 17 When people use humor， the nervous system just tones down （減弱） a bit， and that allows the heart to relax.

It calms fear.

People are scared of their bodies. Humor can crack through the ice and take the fear away. For example， I have to tell patients about the risk of cognitive impairment （認(rèn)知損傷） after operations." " 18 So I tell them in a humorous way that it’s usually just like forgetting second grade. People understand what that means， and it doesn’t seem quite as frightening.

19

After an open-heart operation， a patient might say， “Doctor， my chest really hurts.” And I’ll smile and say， “Oh， does it feel like someone opened you up， cut the bone and operated in there？” That tells them the pain is normal and they are going to be fine. So they take their minds off their troubles and worry less.

It helps doctors.

20 When we give the news， we are supposed to help patients in a human way. A good sense of humor is just like a weapon， and it can beat the difficult situation.

A. It eases worries.

B. It removes pain.

C. Humor is a wonderful tool.

D. They’re terrified， fearing the worst.

E. Laughter changes our body chemistry.

F. Breaking bad news is never a pleasant task.

G. Others may even feel like they are choking.

16. " 17. " 18. " 19. " 20.

（六）

閱讀理解

A

Positions for You to Choose From

A care worker

Sex： female

Requirements： personal in-home assistance experience with the ability and patience to get along with the senior population， a valid driver’s license and a PPD test or a physical exam.

A kitchen helper

Sex： male

Requirements： only 1-year experience with the ability to lift up to 50 pounds， stand for long periods while filling bags or cartons with portions of food， serving meals， transferring supplies， and performing other duties： the ability to multitask， follow basic kitchen duty directions and have an up-to-date driver’s license.

An overnight cook

Sex： male

Requirements： minimum of 2-year cooking experience with the ability to interpret documents and safety rules， multitask in busy kitchens， lift 50 pounds and have an up-to-date driver’s license and own transportation.

A kitchen manager

Sex： male and female

Requirements： minimum of 3-year cooking experience with the ability to interpret documents and safety rules， multitask in busy kitchens and lift up to 30 pounds frequently and experience with inventory and ordering.

Visit aquinn@cheerde.com or go to 546 South Bedford St. for more information.

1. Which job is suitable for a woman good at communicating with the elderly？

A. A care worker. B. A kitchen helper. C. An overnight cook. D. A kitchen manager.

2. How should a kitchen helper be？

A. Patient. B. Strong. C. Smart. D. Kind.

3. What do the four jobs have in common？

A. They’re popular with drivers. B. They require interpreting skills.

C. They’re related to kitchen safety. D. They require related experience.

B

On a drizzly British spring day， the 2024 Guinness World Records held a ceremony in Bournemouth to award local lifeguard Chris Lewis the title of the world’s longest-serving lifeguard.

Lewis， 75， began volunteering as a lifeguard at the age of 16. Over the years， he patrolled （巡查） the beaches as a member of the Royal Lifesaving Society， and in 2001， became part of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution （RNLI） lifeguard service when the charity began providing beach patrols for local authorities. “It’s the best job in the world，” Lewis said. “You’re working on the beach， which you love， and you’re helping people. What could be better？”

Most of his colleagues are half his age， but he is still fighting fit. A Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeguard must complete a 400 m pool swim in under 7.5 minutes， and run 200 m along the beach in under 40 seconds. The swimming fitness tests are still reasonably easy for Lewis. But a little hip trouble， the legacy of a rugby injury， can slow down his running. “I’ve been doing yoga to try to help with that，” he said.

Lewis’s most memorable rescue took place in 2010 when a 16-year-old girl and her two younger brothers got into trouble while swimming off Durley Chine beach. On that day， the girl was being hurled into a groyne， leaving her with nasty （嚴(yán)重的） cuts. One of her brothers was hanging on to the groyne while the third child was being knocked around by the waves. Lewis swam out with a rescue tube and managed to get all three back to the beach. As he got out， everyone on the beach stood up and applauded.

If Lewis does stop any time soon， there is someone else who may just break his record. His wife of 49 years， Elaine Lewis， 70， has been a lifeguard in Bournemouth for 50 years and still competes in lifeguard competitions. Their two children are lifeguards and their grandchildren are in training.

4. What made Lewis work so long？

A. His interest in swimming." " " " " " " B. His colleagues’ challenge.

C. His love for helping others." " " " " " " D. His desire to regain health.

5. Which of the following words best describes Lewis’s job？

A. Well-paid." " B. Demanding." " C. Creative." " " D. Exciting.

6. What can we know about Lewis？

A. He works for RNLI all his life." " " " " B. He suffers from hip trouble.

C. His colleagues are young men." " " " " D. His family are all lifeguards.

7. What can be the best title for the text？

A. The Longest-Serving Lifeguard" " " " " B. An Unusual Old Man

C. A Guinness World Record Holder" " " D. A Memorable Rescue

C

Gardeners who claim that talking to plants encourages them to grow have long been seen as a little silly. But scientists have discovered evidence which suggests the gardeners may actually be right and plants could be listening to them. Biologists at Tel Aviv University in Israel have found that flowers can act as a plant’s “ears” to help them detect the sound of approaching insects.

When the researchers played recordings of flying bees to evening primrose flowers， within three minutes the sugar concentrations in the nectar （花蜜） of its flowers increased. The liquid， produced to attract pollinating （授粉） insects， was on average 20 percent higher in flowers exposed to the buzz （嗡嗡聲） compared to those left in silence or exposed to higher pitched sounds. Professor Lilach Hadany， who led the study， said， “Our results document for the first time that plants can rapidly respond to pollinator sounds in an ecologically relevant way.”

However， Prof Hadany said a plant’s ability to respond to pollinators may be weakened in city environments or beside a busy road. While plants require water， sunlight and the right temperature to grow， it is widely believed they do not have senses in the way animals do.

But the study， published on the open-science website BioRxiv， suggests the efforts of gardeners who talk to their plants may not be in vain. “Plants’ ability to hear has indirect meanings well beyond pollination—plants could potentially hear and respond to herbivores， other animals， the elements， and possibly other plants，” Prof Hadany added.

A month-long experiment conducted by the Royal Horticultural Society found female voices appear to speed up the growth of tomatoes. The research offers a possible explanation—women’s voices are at the right frequency for the plants to hear.

8. What is evening primrose flowers’ response to bees’ buzz？

A. Sweeter nectar. B. Brighter color. C. Longer bloom. D. Less liquid.

9. Where can plants grow better according to Hadany？

A. On a square. B. In the woods. C. Along the street. D. Beside a highway.

10. What can we infer from the research？

A. Plant gardeners prove kind of stupid.

B. Plants can only potentially hear animals.

C. Plants respond to sounds slowly and ecologically.

D. Plants gardeners talk to frequently develop well.

11. What does the text mainly talk about？

A. Women’s voices improve plants’ growth. B. Plants can’t grow well without sound.

C. Bees are the best pollinators. D. Plants can hear.

D

Doctors at the University of California， San Francisco， in the USA， have developed a piece of software that can read minds. The project hopes to help people who， because of medical conditions， are unable to communicate with others.

Until now， technologies that have helped speech-impaired people communicate have been too slow to allow a natural conversation. People find these things upsetting to use. This new way uses brain signals to change a person’s thoughts into text. When we want to speak， the brain sends signals to make the lips， jaw and tongue move in the right way to make an understandable sound. By discovering these brain signals， the new software is able to predict what a person wants to say quickly enough to hold a conversation.

The brain-reading software was tested on three volunteers who could all speak like healthy people. They were being treated for epilepsy （癲癇）. As part of their treatment for epilepsy， each patient had electrodes （電極） placed on to their brain. Edward Chang， who led the study， used these electrodes to record the signals in the patients’ brains while they listened to a list of questions and answered them.

Chang and his team then built a computer program that learned to match the patients’ brain signals to the words the patients heard and the words the patients spoke. For the questions， the software matched the correct words 76% of the time. For the answers， it matched the correct words 61% of the time.

Now， the mind-reading software works only for the limited set of sentences on which it was trained. Scientists hope that this early system will help them develop a more powerful one that could understand thoughts in real time to give people their voices back. Chang said， “We as scientists should try our best to help people to bring that most important and basic human ability back.”

12. What is the disadvantage of previous technologies？

A. They lacked interpretation accuracy." " " B. They didn’t support natural conversations.

C. They couldn’t recognize brain signals." " D. They were fast for the speech-impaired.

13. How does the software help people？

A. By changing thoughts into text." " " " " B. By sending signals to their lips.

C. By organizing conversations for them." " D. By training them how to speak.

14. What do we know about the volunteers of the study？

A. They would live a normal life.nbsp; " " " B. They were receiving treatment.

C. They used to have a language barrier. D. They had electrodes fixed on their back.

15. What can we know about the software according to the last paragraph？

A. It has been widely used." " " " B. It can restore most human abilities.

C. It still needs improving." " " " " " " " D. It allows real-time conversations.

閱讀七選五

People love to sing！ Whether you sing in the shower or with a chorus， raising your voice in song comes with some very surprising benefits. From improving your mood to making you healthier， there is scientific evidence that singing is good for your body and your mind. 16

It helps relieve stress.

Singing can help relieve stress by reducing cortisol （皮質(zhì)醇）， a hormone that is known as the “stress hormone”. 17 Too much cortisol is very bad for your health. A study measured the amount of cortisol in the participants before and after singing. The researchers found that cortisol levels were lower after singing.

18

People who sing use deep breathing and control the use of the muscles in their breathing systems. While singing cannot treat lung diseases， anything that helps to strengthen the throat muscles could help people breathe easier.

It helps you have a sound sleep.

If your sleep is interrupted by snoring （打鼾）， try singing. 19 A 2008 UK study about the effect of singing on snoring compared singers with non-singers. The researchers found that far fewer singers snored， and they recommend singing as a potential treatment for snoring.

It may improve memory.

20 A study found that besides remembering the lyrics， singing brought back other memories too. The researchers found that singing songs that were learned in childhood actually caused a return of very specific memories and that gave the participants a feeling of hope and positivity.

A. It helps improve mood.

B. It may improve lung function.

C. It is naturally produced by your body.

D. So go ahead and sing to your heart’s content.

E. Older people with memory loss can often recall song lyrics.

F. It makes no difference whether they sing alone or in a group.

G. That’s because singing strengthens throat muscles， which in turn reduces snoring.

16. " 17. " 18. " 19. " 20.