Listen. What’s that in the background? Is it rock, country or classical music? 1 ．

“Music makes both the left and right brain more active, and this can maximize( 使最大化 )learning and improve our memory,” says Dr. Masha Godkin, a professor at Northcentral University.

According to Godkin, it’s good to listen to classical music while you are studying. 2 ． You can also listen to meditation( 冥想 )music, which can relieve stress and relax your mind.

It is helpful to create a playlist of the best study music. Everyone’s taste in music is different, but when it comes to creating the best study music playlist, here are some tips to consider:

● Go Classical

You may not want to go to a concert of classical music, but the sounds of the classical music seem to increase mood and productivity( 效率 ). 3 ．

● Consider Tempo

It seems that music with 60-70 beats a minute like Beethoven’s Fur Elise can help students study longer and memorize more information.

● Nature Sounds

4 ． They make great background noise. You can even create your own mix with websites like Noisli.

● Electronic Music

Electronic music is a great choice for those who don’t like classical. Any music with little to no lyrics is best.

● Sound Control

The volume of your study music is important. Don’t drown out( 淹没 )your own thoughts. Remember, it’s supposed to be in the background.

5 ． Please write to us and let us know what music helps you get through school!

A ． This makes it great for studying.

B ． What do you think of country music?

C ． One reason is that classical music has no lyrics.

D ． The sounds of birds, wind and rain are relaxing.

E.We would love to know what’s on your study playlist.

F.Did you know that some kinds of music can help you focus?

G.However, you are not expected to listen to music in the classroom.

Nezumi was a mouse. He was thinking about finding a husband for her daughter Suki. But Suki said, “Father, I wish to marry Taro.”

Taro was smart and strong, but Taro’s parents were not rich or powerful. “My Suki can’t marry a common mouse!” Nezumi said. “I’ll find someone powerful for my daughter.” Nesumi traveled far and wide, but nobody met his high standards.

One day, he climbed to the top of a mountain. “Hi, Sun!” Nezumi called. “Nobody is more powerful than you. I’d like you to marry my daughter.” Sun smiled and said, “Yes, I’m powerful. Without me, nothing grows. But when Cloud covers my face, the world grows cold.” As Cloud came, Sun disappeared.

Nezumi bowed to Cloud and told him his wish. “Surely I’m powerful,” he said. “But here comes someone stronger.” And Wind blew Cloud away.

Then Nezumi shouted his wish to Wind. “Of course I’m powerful. But I can’t pass through Wall,” said Wind.

When Nezumi told Wall his wish, Wall said quietly, “Yes, I’m powerful. I keep enemies away. But I’m afraid of mice like you, who dig under me and make me fall down.”

Nezumi let out a big laugh. He ran back home and said to Suki, “My dear! You are right. Taro will be a powerful husband.”

1 ． Nezumi wanted to find ________ for her daughter.

A ． a ring B ． a house C ． a husband D ． a friend

2 ． Nezumi thought that Taro’s parents were not ________ .

A ． rich B ． smart C ． polite. D ． honest

3 ． Where did Nezumi call to Sun?

A ． In his yard. B ． On a mountain. C ． In his hole. D ． On the beach.

4 ． Wall aid that he was afraid of ________ .

A ． Sun B ． Cloud C ． Wind D ． mice

5 ． From the last paragraph, we can infer （推断） that ________ in the end.

A ． Suki and Taro got married B ． Nezumi laughed at Suki

C ． Suki ran away from home D ． Nezumi fought with Taro

Apartment to rent, 16 Baddesley Road, Little Haddern Village

We have a comfortable three-bedroom apartment to rent ( 出租 ).

The apartment is in very good condition!

●one large living room

●three bedrooms

●big kitchen

●small garage ( 车库 )

Do you like the quiet life? The apartment is for you!

Large garden.

Beautiful views of the fields and woods.

Only fifteen minutes by train to the city center.

Animals and children are welcome!

Only$600 a month (in advance, please).

Interested? Please telephone:

Carleen Green

West Farm, Little Haddern Village

Tel: 019405486574

1 ． Where is the apartment?

A ． On Haddern Road. B ． In a village. C ． Near a school. D ． Behind a hotel.

2 ． The apartment has

A ． two bedrooms B ． a small garden C ． one large garage D ． a big kitchen

3 ． You should pay ________ if you want to rent the apartment for half a year.

A ．＄ 1,800 B ．＄ 2,400 C ．＄ 3,600 D ．＄ 7,200

4 ． You can call ________ at 019405486574 if you want to rent the apartment.

A ． Carleen Green B ． West Farm C ． Baddesley D ． Little Haddern

5 ． Which of the following is true?

A ． People with pets cannot rent the apartment. B ． The apartment is not very far from the city center.

C ． Only adults who have children can rent the apartment. D ． You can’t see the fields or the woods from the apartment.

Online study can be hard. Zech Hipp was doing it with great difficulty. Zech is 15 years old. He lives in Seattle, Washington, with his four brothers and his mother.

“It’s hard to stay focused,” he said. “I can’t stay focused on one thing at a time.” Zech has gotten some helpful advice from his “Big Brother” Owen Kim. Kim is 33 years old. He is Zech’s mentor through a program. The program is called Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound.

A mentor is someone who gives help and advice. Kim and Zech often text, talk over the phone and even video call. Kim gave Zech some advice about how to stay focused while doing school at home. Kim suggests picking one space and always doing your work there. “Make that space as comfortable as possible,” he said.

In his room, Zech set up a cubby （小房间） .He has a place where he can make tea. This was Kim’s idea. Here, Zech said he is more separated from everybody else in the house. That’s where he does schoolwork.

Kim and Zech have been Big Brother and Little Brother for four years. They used to meet once a week. They would walk through the city or play video games. In spring 2020, COVID-19 started spreading. Kim and Zech had to stop meeting up in person. The illness spreads easily between people. Now, they only communicate over the phone or video call.

Kim is older than Zech. He has had different life experiences. When they talk, Kim can give Zech a different point of view about life. Zech said this is helpful. Kim said its been a great thing for him, too. He said Zech has been a wonderful addition to his life.

“Owen’s always there,” Zech’s mother said. All of her boys have had Big Brothers or Big Sisters. “It has done such wonders for our family,” she said. “Just having them in our lives has been such a blessing.”

1 ． What do we know about Zech from Paragraph 1?

A ． He lives in a big city in India. B ． He had trouble learning online.

C ． His mother is too hard on him. D ． There’re five people in his family.

2 ． What is talked about in Paragraph 2?

A ． Why Kim and Zech studied together. B ． When Big Brothers Big Sisters started.

C ． What good advice Zech gave to Kim. D ． How Kim became Zech’s “Big Brother”

3 ． Why did Zech set up a cubby in his house?

A ． To get a new job and do his work there. B ． To have a space to study with his brothers.

C ． To make a special space for schoolwork. D ． To make a space for him and Kim to met.

4 ． Because of the spread of COVID-19,Kim and Zech had to ________

A ． part with their family B ． stay at home watching videos

C ． meet up at Zech’s home D ． talk on the phone or video call

5 ． What’s the writer’s purpose of writing the text?

A ． To introduce a helpful program. B ． To help a boy named Zech Hipp.

C ． To show us how to study online. D ． To stop the spread of COVID-19.

Scientists have long predicted that warmer temperatures caused by climate （气候） change will have the biggest influence on the world’s poorest people. New research now suggests that has already happened over the past years.

A study coming out in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science found that in most poor countries, higher temperatures are more than 90% likely to have resulted in a fall in economic output （经济产量） , compared to a world without global （全球的） warming. The influence has been less big in richer countries—with some even benefiting （获益） from higher temperatures.

“We’re not saying that global warming created inequality （不公平） ,” says Noah S. Diffenbaugh, the writer of the study and a professor at Stanford University who studies climate change. But “global warming has slowed down the improvement”. The poorest countries are facing the worst influence of rising temperatures—for which they are least responsible, he adds.

The new study builds on past research. A 2015 study in the journal Nature predicted that the average income （平均收入）） in the poorest countries will be 25% lower by 2100 compared to a world without warming, while some of the richest countries—like the USA—could experience an increase in income. And a report from IPCC, the UN’s climate science body, showed that if global temperatures rise more than 1.5℃ by the end of the century, poor countries will likely face very serious challenges, including the disappearance of whole communities and millions of early deaths. “They will suffer the most, as they are already,” said Mary Robinson, who used to be a UN Special Envoy on Climate Change and a president of Ireland.

The influence is greater elsewhere, especially in Sub-Saharan, African countries including Sudan, Burkina Faso and Niger, where climate change has driven the average income more than 20% lower. “There are a number of ways by which temperature influences economic activities,” says Diffenbaugh What’s clear is that, for poor countries, the news is all bad.

1 ． According to the text, warmer temperatures ________.

A ． are mainly caused by poor countries B ． may bring advantages to rich countries

C ． had no influence on the world before D ． can improve the poorest people’s health

2 ． What does “ suffer ” underlined in Paragraph 4 most probably mean in Chinese?

A ．供应 B ．犹豫 C ．遭受 D ．谋利

3 ． Which of the following will face great economic problems caused by climate change?

A ． The UN. B ． The USA ． C ． Ireland. D ． Burkina Faso.

4 ． What is the main idea of the text?

A ． Climate change will make poor countries poorer. B ． We must take action to deal with climate change.

C ． Climate change can cause millions of early deaths. D ． People make good predictions about climate change.

5 ． From which is the text most probably taken?

A ． A geography textbook. B ． A health magazine.

C ． A research paper. D ． A storybook.