云南昆明市五华区南师范大学附属中学2026届高考适应性月考卷（八）英语试题

云南师大附中2026届高考适应性月考卷（八） 英语 注意事项： 1．答题前，考生务必用黑色碳素笔将自己的姓名、准考证号、考场号、座位号在答题卡上填写清楚。 2．每小题选出答案后，用2B铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑。如需改动，用橡皮擦干净后，再选涂其他答案标号。在试题卷上作答无效。 3．考试结束后，请将本试卷和答题卡一并交回。满分150分，考试用时120分钟。 第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分） 注意，回答听力部分时，请先将答案标在试卷上。听力部分结束前，你将有两分钟的时间将你的答案转涂到答题卡上。 第一节（共5小题；每小题1.5分，满分7.5分） 听下面5段录音。每段录音后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段录音后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段录音播放两遍。 1. What will the man do next? A. Sign for the package. B. Find the pickup notice. C. Look up the order number. 2. How much should the man pay for the ticket? A. $ 20. B. $ 45. C. $ 90. 3. What is the relationship between the two speakers? A. Fellow students. B. Boss and clerk. C. Teacher and student. 4. When will the man have a meeting? A. On Thursday. B. On Friday. C. On Saturday. 5. What affects the man’s phone bill? A. His family’s Internet use. B. His calls and texts. C. The taxes and extra fees. 第二节（共15小题；每小题1.5分，满分22.5分） 听下面5段录音。每段录音后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听每段录音前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟；听完后，每小题都有5秒钟的作答时间。每段录音播放两遍。 听下面的录音，回答第6和第7小题。 6. Where does the man want his table to be? A. Near the kitchen. B. Near the entrance. C. In the corner. 7. What does the manager advise the man to order? A. Seafood. B. Chips. C. Duck. 听下面的录音，回答第8至第10小题。 8. Which of the following is the man’s volunteer task? A. Guiding visitors. B. Collecting artworks. C. Introducing painters. 9. What impressed the man most about the foreign visitors? A. Their deep love for modern art. B. Their wide knowledge of Chinese history. C. Their keen interest in Chinese painting. 10. What did the man learn from the volunteer activity? A. More painting skills. B. Better communication skills. C. Methods of art appreciation. 听下面的录音，回答第11至第13小题。 11. Why did Edwards choose ski jumping? A. He showed a natural talent for it. B. It was a relatively easy winter sport. C. It offered him a better chance to qualify. 12. What challenge did Edwards face while preparing for the Olympics? A. He lacked funds. B. He was underweight. C. He was nearsighted. 13. What made Edwards become famous at the 1988 Winter Olympics? A. The gold medal he won. B. The spirit he demonstrated. C. The world record he set. 听下面的录音，回答第14至第16小题。 14. What is the man’s attitude toward the new rule? A. Neutral. B. Supportive. C. Disapproving. 15. Why does the man mention a national survey? A. To show children have too much screen time. B. To prove some websites are helpful. C. To explain how games harm kids. 16. What is the main problem for the woman’s son? A. Poor social skills. B. Physical tiredness. C. Low grades. 听下面的录音，回答第17至第20小题。 17. What changed the speaker’s view on effort? A. Practicing harder every day. B. Failing language exams. C. Learning a new theory. 18. Why do some schools focus on effort? A. To improve students’ results. B. To encourage smarter strategies. C. To teach students about fixed talent. 19. What concerns researchers about the growth mindset? A. It encourages students to work alone. B. It ignores the necessity of other resources. C. It makes people afraid to take risks. 20. Why does the speaker talk about his son? A. To prove the importance of learning languages. B. To explain how to improve exam grades. C. To show the effect of the growth mindset. 第二部分 阅读（共两节，满分50分） 第一节（共15小题；每小题2.5分，满分37.5分） 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。 A Rather than travel to major hubs like Miami or Boston, you can funnel your time and energy into heading a bit further off the beaten path without busting the bank. Fort Myers, Florida Fort Myers is an idyllic location perfect for beachy escapes. Fort Myers’ coasts are lined with white-sand beaches, unexplored inlets, and vast wildlife preserves. Because of its gorgeous coastal views, Fort Myers has all the tourist infrastructure you’ll need — including budget options for dining, lodging, and touring that feel effortlessly classy. Greenville, South Carolina Greenville is a fantastic alternative to anyone a little burnt out by Asheville’s growing crowds and rising prices. In Greenville, you’ll get to experience the beauty of the Appalachians along with the same independent and spirited arts community. In fact, you have Greenville’s modest pricing to thank for its flourishing art scene — and even a growing culinary scene. Again, you also get the best of Mother Nature. Cape May, New Jersey Cape May offers an atmosphere that calls back to the glory days of beachside summertime. The historic downtown Cape May area is home to gorgeous little bed and breakfasts, along with boutique shops and mom-and-pop eateries. Think of it like a more refined and affordable version of Atlantic City. Bozeman, Montana Most visitors are focused on winter sports and cool summers — but prices are steep in places like Jackson Hole. That’s not quite the case in Bozeman. Thanks to its status as a college town, there’s always a deal to be found. At the same time, you have access to all those upscale outdoor activities, from fishing to skiing to soaking in hot springs. 21. Where can you experience a strong artistic atmosphere? A. Fort Myers, Florida. B. Greenville, South Carolina. C. Cape May, New Jersey. D. Bozeman, Montana. 22. What do Fort Myers and Cape May have in common? A. Profound historical roots. B. Sizable wildlife shelters. C. Breathtaking seashore views. D. Luxurious outdoor activities. 23. Who are the target readers of this article? A. Foodies who enjoy special delicacies. B. Trendoids who seek hotspots. C. Shopaholics who are addicted to shopping. D. Travelers who have tight budgets. B Renee Cafaro has wanted to work in fashion for as long as she can remember. But “as I became a teenager,” she says, “it was made clear to me by a lot of people in my life — and they might’ve been right back in the heroin-chic (骨感时尚风) 1990s — that there was kind of no place for the fat girl in fashion.” Cafaro’s conclusion: “I can’t be the fashionable girl, but I can be the smart girl.” So she went to Stanford, then put her political science education to use working on the 2004 congressional campaign. Still, the problem remained. Cafaro loved fashion, and it didn’t love her back. In 2008, she was offered a position as a member of the senior advisers unit. Cafaro had to suit up. So she went to a local Target to cobble together (仓促拼凑) cardigans and slacks, managing to find some formal wear. “I cried in the dressing room,” she says. Cafaro also found herself frustrated while on vacation in Europe in 2009, struggling with strapless bras that filled half her suitcase. Over the next five years, she started familiarizing herself with her creative side again, balancing her campaign work with fashion and travel writing. In 2016, Cafaro became the U. S. editor of plus-size-focused Slink magazine. When it paused publication during the pandemic, she finally had time to design that dress she’d dreamed up. The Game Changer — with patented bra — now retails for $ 199 to $ 225 at RCA Public Label, one of two fashion brands Cafaro has founded in the past five years. Cafaro’s designs have been featured on the runways at Paris, London, and New York fashion weeks, and she dressed Melanie Miller, a member of the Oscar-winning producing team. She enjoys the rare opportunity to put on her own designs. “When the industry has only offered me clothes made of cheap plastics and rough fabrics for my whole life, it is really nice to feel special, feel expensive, and invest in yourself.” 24. What initially discouraged Cafaro from pursuing a career in fashion? A. She was admitted to her dream university. B. She took a keen interest in political science. C. She was faced with pressure from the mainstream. D. She lacked professional training in fashion design. 25. Why did Cafaro get involved in the fashion industry? A. Because of her frustration with the political campaign work. B. Because of her determination to rise to fame in fashion design. C. Because of her success in becoming an editor of a magazine. D. Because of her dissatisfaction with limited clothing options. 26. What is paragraph 5 mainly about? A. The commercial challenges. B. The business achievements. C. The brand management. D. The customer feedback. 27. Which of the following best describes Renee Cafaro? A. Talented and idealistic. B. Disciplined and optimistic. C. Empathetic and reflective. D. Unconventional and creative. C In The Incredibles, Violet Parr is a lot like other teenagers. She has embarrassing parents, a troublesome little brother and a crush so intense it makes her want to disappear. But unlike other teens, Violet can actually vanish when the boy she likes looks her way. Many animals, too, find it helpful to hide from predators (捕食者) in plain sight. The secret to invisibility is all about light. “The way we see things is when light is reflected back off of an object onto our eyes,” says Kate Feller, who studies vision and behavior at Union College in Schenectady, N. Y. The more light that can pass through something undisturbed, the harder it is to see that thing. Light that hits our bodies usually gets absorbed or bounced around. But animals with nearly invisible body parts have figured out tricks to get around this. A lot of animals get their colors from molecules called pigments (色素). These compounds appear different colors depending on which wavelengths of light they absorb and which they reflect. Green pigments, for instance, reflect green light and absorb all other colors. For an animal to vanish in plain sight, like most baby fish, it needs to get rid of these colorful compounds. Some animals’ see-through parts are nearly reflection-free. Glasswing butterflies, for instance, have wings that are almost fully transparent (透明的). Their wings have fewer reflective scales than other butterflies’ wings. The wings are also covered in tiny wax bumps, which soften light’s transition from air to tissue. In theory, we could draw on some of the same tricks to vanish: Don’t let light bounce around in your body. But that would be hard for a person — or any land animal — to do in real life. Light doesn’t bend that much when passing from water into a sea creature but going from air into an animal’s body, it bends a lot — making invisibility much harder on land. 28. What is the purpose of mentioning Violet Parr in paragraph 1? A. To emphasize a reality gap. B. To illustrate a scientific concept. C. To point out an adolescent struggle. D. To introduce a scientific phenomenon. 29. Why can most baby fish stay invisible? A. They lack pigments. B. They can absorb light. C. They can reflect light. D. They generate pigments. 30. What can be inferred about the example of glasswing butterflies? A. Other butterflies’ wings can barely reflect light. B. They cannot produce pigments by themselves. C. Light can pass through their wings mostly undisturbed. D. The secret to invisibility merely lies in pigment molecules. 31. What can be a suitable title for the text? A. Is It Possible to Be Invisible B. How We See Through Things C. Why Are Some Animals Transparent D. How Animals Hide from Predators D Whether to have kids can be one of the most momentous decisions a person makes. Countless factors can sway this choice. How will it affect your finances, your relationships or your career? But one of the simplest, most personal considerations is whether, and how, having a child will affect your quality of life. Here psychologists studying well-being have encountered what’s sometimes called the “parenting paradox” (育儿悖论): parents report lower mood and more stress and depression in their daily lives than adults without children, and yet parents also tend to report greater life satisfaction in general. In a study of 88 new fathers, Anthony Vaccaro, a research assistant professor at the University of North Carolina predicted that about six months after the birth of their first child, most of them would report an increase in meaning compared with their reports during their partner’s pregnancy. Instead, the research found a roughly even split between participants experiencing an increased or decreased sense of meaning. But that was just the first of several important insights. Of the participants, 35 underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) both before and after the birth of their child to calculate how in sync (协调的) each part of the brain was with the others. For people with strong functional connectivity, when activity increases in one area, it also ramps up in the rest of the brain. Namely, a father might feel overwhelmed by sleepless nights yet still contextualize this experience as part of a meaningful existence, potentially because greater connectivity in the temporal lobe (颞叶) and other emotion-related regions of the brain allows for better integration of emotional, self-oriented and abstract thinking. This finding might highlight the takeaway for the study’s dads and for those questioning whether they want children: meaning can be created regardless of the choice made. Our adaptive brain can shift journeys, reimagine stories and help us thrive even when life throws us a curveball — or a screaming infant at two in the morning. 32. What does the underlined word “sway” in paragraph 1 mean? A. Impact. B. Confirm. C. Eliminate. D. Narrow. 33. What do we know about the participants after having their first kids? A. Most of them felt more purposeful in life. B. Most of them reported greater depression. C. About half of them reported a decline in meaning. D. About half of them felt both content and stressed. 34. Why did Anthony measure functional connectivity in the brain? A. To support his previous research findings. B. To study why fathers lost their sense of meaning. C. To explore changes in fathers’ brain structure. D. To make sense of the parenting paradox. 35. What is the author’s attitude toward becoming parents? A. Favorable. B. Dismissive. C. Flexible. D. Ambiguous. 第二节（共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分） 阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。 Imagine a farm the size of California and Alabama combined would use trillions of gallons of water. In fall, a total of 80 million tons of food was harvested. 36 That’s essentially the state of food waste today. As individuals, we can address 40 percent of food waste: what we discard in our own homes. ● Make an ingredient plan 37 Choose building blocks. Pick out two proteins, one or two carbs, and a few vegetables that you can make in advance and then incorporate into your meals throughout the next few days. ● Store food strategically. Appropriate and effective storage ensures that the food will last as long as possible. You can learn when to use bags and what the ideal storage temperature might be. All this will help buy you time to incorporate items into your meals before they go bad. 38 ● 39 Use by. Best before. Sell by. Expiration date (保质期). Better if used by. What do all these titles mean? The answer is: not much. In practice, most food is safe to consume for some time after the printed date. Use your own judgment about whether something is still good to eat or needs to be tossed. ● Level up.41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 第二 (石 cove ________58 trove scull (co pair cus (p In di th re 40 There are eggshells (great for the garden) and citrus peels (add to vinegar for a DIY cleaner). There is always a level-up option of using nature’s wonders to help you break down your food waste through composting (堆肥). A. Let go of labels. B. Follow the dates. C. Map out realistically what you will consume. D. Try to use up whatever you have already bought. E. But then, all the food goes straight to the landfill, not to our plates. F. Or after: Sour milk, for example, can be used in pancakes and more. G. Even if you have mastered the basics, some food waste is unavoidable. 第三部分 语言运用（共两节，满分30分） 第一节（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分） 阅读下面短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。 The Los Angeles fire burned many people’s homes to the ground. After the wildfires started, Jordan Heber thought about ways she could 41 . A friend sent her an Instagram post by another local artist offering to 42 people’s homes at no charge, and Heber was 43 . “This will be my way to help people,” Heber said. “I moved around a lot when I was younger, and so the 44 of home is significant to me.” Shortly after she posted her offer on social media, 45 started coming in. Heber has created more than 25 paintings, including one for Jeremy Wineberg, whose home in Pacific Palisades was 46 . At the time of the fire, Wineberg was home with his partner, Zander Jimenez. Wineberg was able to 47 his jewelry box and iPad before they had to 48 . He left the rest of his 49 behind. “It’s not just stuff; it was everything that represents me, and I just feel so 50 right now,” says Wineberg. Jimenez 51 Heber’s painting offer on Instagram and eagerly sent her a 52 . “We told her our story, and she so kindly and lovingly made such a beautiful memory that looks exactly as if it were a 53 ,” says Wineberg. “We’re going to 54 it and put it in our new home eventually.” Heber is glad people find her paintings meaningful, saying, “ 55 it inspires others to use their talents to help people.” 41. A. contribute B. accommodate C. participate D. negotiate 42. A. build B. repair C. draw D. clean 43. A. invited B. inspired C. included. D. informed 44. A. meaning B. privacy C. address D. decoration 45. A. doubts B. remarks C. attacks D. requests 46. A. maintained B. evaluated C. destroyed D. replaced 47. A. grab B. spot C. open D. hide 48. A. return B. wander C. separate D. flee 49. A. paintings B. belongings C. findings D. recordings 50. A. lost B. regretful C. exhausted D. nervous 51. A. turned down B. came across C. worked out D. gave away 52. A. letter B. message C. reminder D. package 53. A. draft B. poster C. cover D. photograph 54. A. produce B. inherit C. frame D. hang 55. A. Thankfully B. Personally C. Naturally D. Hopefully 第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分） 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。 Ten caves have been restored as part of the restoration work of the Aerzhai Grottoes (石窟). 56 (release) on Oct. 8, information showed the fixed area 57 (reported) covers 250.63 square meters. Aerzhai Grottoes is located in Otog Banner of Ordos city, in North China’s Inner Mongolia 58 (autonomy) region. It is the only grottoes site in China’s grassland area and a treasure trove of Buddhist art 59 (integrate) architecture, cliff carvings, murals (壁画) and sculptures. Having a reputation as the “Grassland Dunhuang”, Aerzhai Grottoes 60 (compose) of 65 caves and 22 relief stone towers, of 61 41 caves are well preserved. The painted murals in the caves show scenes of yurts, riding and shooting, hunting and funeral customs. “This restoration project is mainly for mural repairs for such problems as surface 62 (pollute) and paints cracking and curling,” said the director of Aerzhai Grottoes Research Institute. 63 (preserve) the original materials of the Aerzhai Grottoes, experts also used digital photography and other methods to collect and store electronic data on the site. Due to the area’s harsh natural conditions, the murals are 64 danger of disappearing; the restoration work’s goal is to delay this 65 hopefully achieve long-term preservation, and remarkable progress has been seen. 第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分） 第一节（满分15分） 假定你是李华，交换生Mary在你校“当一日助教”活动（One-Day Teaching Assistant）中表现优异。请你给她写封邮件，内容包括： 1．表达诚挚祝贺； 2．回顾她的付出。 注意： 1．写作词数应为80左右； 2．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。 Dear Mary, Yours, Li Hua 第二节（满分25分） 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。 The excitement was undeniable as my closest friends, Jennie and Sofie, and I prepared for our long-awaited seven-day trip to Kashmir. Bags packed and spirits high, we arrived early in the morning. Everything felt perfect until the fifth day. We were playing in the snow near our campsite when the wind suddenly picked up. I had wandered away from the group, and before I knew it, the sound of laughter had faded. I was alone, surrounded by frost and uncomfortable silence. The world had turned into a blur of white. I couldn’t see any landmarks. I tried calling my friends and our travel assistant but there was no signal. Trapped in a frozen maze, I felt the fear begin to close in. Then, through the swirling snow, I saw a figure walking steadily toward me. I wanted to call out, but hesitated, unsure of whether to trust a stranger. But as he drew closer, his calm gaze and quiet presence sparked a flicker of hope. “Are you alright?” he asked softly, his voice warm despite the cold. “I’m lost,” I admitted. “I can’t find my friends, and there’s no signal on my phone.” He nodded knowingly. “The storm makes it hard to see. You’re lucky I found you.” “How do I get back?” I asked, my voice shaky. “Follow me,” he said simply. “I know this area well.” As we walked, minutes felt like hours when we navigated the snow-covered paths. On our way, he told me he was the owner of a homestay (民宿) called Warmglow. To ensure guest safety, he inspected the “snow-walking routes” recommended on the homestay’s official website every day in person, confirming snow thickness, hidden ice, or landslide risks. It was during a regular patrol (巡逻) that he spotted me. Following his lead, I found the icy wilderness somehow less terrifying. 注意： 1．续写词数应为150左右； 2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。 Suddenly, I saw the faint outline of people in the distance. When I looked back to thank my helper, he was nowhere to be found. 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $ 云南师大附中2026届高考适应性月考卷（八） 英语参考答案 第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分） 1~5 ACABC 6~10 BCACB 11~15 CABBA 16~20 BCABC 第二部分 阅读（共两节，满分50分） 第一节（共15小题；每小题2.5分，满分37.5分） 21~25 BCDCD 26~30 BDDAC 31~35 AACDC 第二节（共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分） 36~40 ECFAG 第三部分 语言运用（共两节，满分30分） 第一节（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分） 41~45 ACBAD 46~50 CADBA 51~55 BBDCD 第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分） 56. Released 57. reportedly 58. autonomous 59. integrating 60. is composed 61. which 62. pollution 63. To preserve 64. in 65. and 第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分） 第一节（满分15分） 【参考范文】 Dear Mary, I’m writing to extend my most sincere congratulations on your remarkable performance as a one-day teaching assistant! What struck everyone most was your careful preparation — designing interactive worksheets that sparked lively discussions among students. Not only did you demonstrate patience when clarifying complex concepts, but you also fostered an atmosphere where even shy learners actively participated. Moreover, your willingness to stay after class for extra tutoring exemplified true dedication. Your efforts have undoubtedly enriched our academic community. Keep shining brightly! Yours, Li Hua 第二节（满分25分） 【参考范文】 Suddenly, I saw the faint outline of people in the distance. My heart leaped with a desperate hope, and I started shouting their names. Tears blurred my vision as I broke into a run and strained to make them out. Then came a flicker of recognition — it was Jennie and Sofie! My friends rushed forward, wrapping me in a tight hug, their faces a mix of relief and worry. I pointed to the man behind me, explaining how the stranger had saved me from the blizzard. When I looked back to thank my helper, he was nowhere to be found. The three of us stood there, stunned. A mix of gratitude and awe filled me. We later learned from our travel assistant that the man was Mr. Karim, known for being responsible and selfless. The next day, we found his homestay. Over steaming cups of kahwa, we finally expressed our deepest thanks. His modest reply echoed in the room: “It’s what anyone would do.” From then on, Warmglow became our favorite stop, a reminder of humanity’s quiet strength. 听力原文 Text 1 M: Hi. I’m here to pick up the package I ordered online, but I can’t seem to find the pickup notice. W: No worries, sir. Do you remember the order number? We can look it up for you and then you just need to put your signature on the package. M: Sure, the order number is 415692. Text 2 M: I’d like to buy a round-trip train ticket to Chicago. I’m leaving on March 20th and coming back on March 25th. W: That will be $ 45 for the one-way ticket. M: OK. Here is my credit card. Text 3 M: Morning, Myra. W: Oh hi, Arthur! M: You’re taking Introduction to Computer Science too? W: Looks like it. It’s my only elective this term. Text 4 W: When would you like me to send these forms to your office, Mr. Emory? M: You’d better get them to me by Thursday afternoon. I need these forms for my meeting the next day. Text 5 W: How much do you pay every month for your phone bill? M: It’s hard to say exactly. I share an unlimited call, text, and Internet plan with my family, but the taxes and extra fees are slightly different every month. But it’s about fifty dollars, give or take a couple of dollars. Text 6 W: Hello, I’m Ann Smith, the new manager. What can I do for you? M: Hello. I’m afraid we’re not happy with our dining table. It’s too small and too close to the kitchen. Can you find a better place for us? We want a medium-sized table near the entrance. W: I’m afraid there’s no possibility to change it now, sir. All our tables are already taken. M: All right. Can we see the menu, please? What’s good today? W: I recommend roast duck. M: We don’t want that. Well, perhaps we will begin with mushroom soup, followed by some seafood and chips. W: OK. Text 7 M: Helen, how was your weekend? W: It was great! I went to that theme park Samuel mentioned. What about you? M: I volunteered at a Chinese painting exhibition in the city’s art gallery. My tasks were setting up displays --- hanging paintings carefully to avoid damage, guiding visitors around the halls, and answering their questions about the artworks. W: I guess you must have met a lot of people there. M: Yes! I even talked to some foreign guests. They praised me for my clear explanation of the cultural significance of traditional ink paintings. What impressed me most was how much they admired the fine brushwork and poetic themes. W: Did you learn anything from the experience? M: Absolutely! My communication skills improved a lot. Text 8 M: Have you heard of the famous ski jumper, Eddie the Eagle? W: Sure! His real name is Michael David Edwards. At first, Edwards had a goal of competing at the 1984 Olympics as a member of Great Britain’s Alpine skiing team but failed to qualify. But he didn’t give up his Olympic dream. After careful consideration, he chose the toughest event — ski jumping. M: There wasn’t a single ski jumper in the British national team at the time, right? W: Yes! That gave Edwards a better chance to qualify, as there was no one competing with him. He trained hard for the Olympics. He couldn’t afford the equipment, had severe far-sightedness, and was overweight for a ski jumper. However, his determination never wavered. M: Wow, that’s inspiring! W: Definitely. He finally made it to the 1988 Winter Olympics. He came last, but he set a personal and British record in one of his jumps. Edwards gained fame at that Olympics for his spirit. Text 9 W: Jack, the local government just announced that kids would no longer be allowed to play online games from Mondays to Thursdays. On most weekends and holidays, they would be limited to an hour a day of online gaming. Have you heard about that new rule? M: Yes. I think the government did it right. W: Do you mean that the government should set screen time limits? M: Yes. According to a national survey done by the Kaiser Family Foundation, children aged 8 to 18 spend an average of seven hours and 38 minutes on entertainment media on most days. That is too bad. W: Definitely. My son often stares at screens for too long and stays up too late, so he always feels tired during the day. M: I know what you mean. Staying up too late is bad for a person’s sleeping schedule. Too much screen time can also lead to poor grades and strain the eyes. Kids should be encouraged to spend more time going outside. Text 10 I used to think talent was everything. If you were naturally good at something, you’d succeed; if not, you wouldn’t. I thought I wasn’t good at languages, so I could never get better. Then I learned about the growth mindset, and it changed my mind. The theory comes from psychologist Carol Dweck. She says people with a growth mindset believe they can improve through practice, while those with a fixed mindset think talent is fixed. Some schools now encourage students to focus on effort and improvement, believing that a growth mindset eventually leads to better results. And in sports or business, the same idea applies. You can learn from failure, keep going, and your brain grows through challenges. But not everyone agrees. Some researchers say the idea is too simple. If someone lacks support or resources, effort alone might not be enough. Others argue that praising effort too much could make people ignore smart strategies. Still, I’ve seen it work. When my son stopped saying “I can’t learn languages” and started saying “I can’t do verbs yet, but I will improve,” things changed. He ended up doing much better in those important exams. After all, the mind, like a muscle, grows with use, but only if you believe it can. 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $