1 . China has just opened its FAST radio telescope (射电望远镜) to international scientists. It means scientists across the world can apply for using the telescope to do astronomical observations.
FAST is short for Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope. It was completed in September 2016 and it officially began operating in January 2020. Measuring 500 meters in diameter. FAST is the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope, and is 10 times more sensitive than the 100-meter Radio Telescope Effelsberg in Germany.
The major scientific task of the telescope is the observation of pulsars (脉冲星). The study of pulsars can help to confirm the existence of gravitational radiation (引力辐射) and black holes, and help solve many other major questions in physics. Another major scientific goal of FAST is to search for life outside the Earth.
The telescope is located in a naturally deep and round karst depression (喀斯特洼地) in southwest China’s Guizhou Province. The first advantage of the selected site is the altitude (海拔). The average altitude of Guizhou is about 1,100 meters. Generally, the higher the altitude, the more the telescope can observe. Secondly, the radio telescope needs to have a “big pan” to receive better signals. The huge natural depression could reduce the difficulty of construction. Moreover, the selected site in Guizhou is far away from cities, and has a low population density, which reduces the interference (干扰) caused by wireless devices such as TVs, mobile phones and radios from human activities.
So far, FAST has found over 300 pulsars. Experts predict that the number could reach 1,000 in five years and that the telescope could find and locate the first pulsar outside the Galaxy.
1. Who can use FAST?| A．Chinese scientists. | B．Scientists from all countries. |
| C．Soldiers and policemen. | D．All Chinese citizens. |
| A．In 2015. | B．In 2016. | C．In 2020. | D．In 2021. |
| A．The advantages of the selected site for FAST. |
| B．Guizhou Province has the highest altitude in China. |
| C．The reasons for using mobile phones less. |
| D．FAST is built in a pan-shape place to keep people out. |
| A．Identify more than 300 pulsars in five years. |
| B．Discover the first pulsar outside the Galaxy. |
| C．Locate wireless devices around the world. |
| D．Collect all kinds of sounds in space. |
| A．Human and Nature | B．Geography 101 |
| C．Animals and Plants | D．Scientific World |
2 . Celebrating Chinese New Year with Chinese friends can be great, but because of the culture gap, it can be really easy to give the wrong gift for Chinese New Year. Here are five things you should not give as a Chinese New Year gift.
Wallet—Loss of fortune
In traditional Chinese culture, giving a wallet as a gift means giving away all your money and you might lose all your finances (财源) and luck. However, it is no problem to give a wallet to your family member who already share your financial accounts and money.
Handkerchiefs—Saying goodbye forever
People generally give handkerchiefs at the end of a funeral (葬礼). Handkerchiefs are a symbol of saying goodbye forever. Giving someone a gift like this may suggest that you are saying goodbye forever.
Umbrellas—Break up
Umbrellas are a bad idea to give as gifts, because the Chinese word for “umbrella” sounds like the word for “breaking up”. Giving somebody an umbrella can mean that you feel your friendship has fallen apart.
Sharp objects—Cut off relationship
Giving anything sharp, such as a knife or scissors, is also a bad idea, as it’s thought to cut off the relationship. A common Chinese saying “one cut and it is in two parts” means the end of a relationship between people.
Shoes—Evil
Shoes are a bad idea as a present for Chinese New Year because the Chinese word for “shoes” sounds exactly the word for bad luck or “evil”. On top of that, shoes are something that you step on, and they are considered as derogatory (贬义的) gifts.
1. Why can’t you give a wallet as a gift during the Spring Festival in China?| A．Because it is too expensive to buy a wallet. |
| B．Because it is a symbol of saying goodbye forever. |
| C．Because your family members won’t let you do that. |
| D．Because it means that you may give away all your money and luck. |
| A．give advice to others | B．find |
| C．make people think | D．decide |
| A．you will break up with him/her |
| B．you are saying goodbye forever to him/her |
| C．you will develop a relationship with him/her |
| D．you don’t want to share something with him/her |
①Because shoes are hard to match with a person’s feet.
②Because shoes are often seen as derogatory gifts in Chinese culture.
③Because “giving shoes” stands for giving bad luck in Chinese culture.
④Because the sound of “shoes” in Chinese is similar to the sound of “evil”.
| A．①②③ | B．②③④ | C．③④① | D．④②① |
| A．Rome was not built in a day. |
| B．No man is wise at all times. |
| C．When in Rome, do as the Romans do. |
| D．Respect yourself, or no one else will respect you. |
We use money every day to pay for things we buy. We pay with either coins or paper notes. This sort of money is known as cash.
Almost anything can be used as money. In the past people have used shells, beads, cocoa beans, salt, grain and even cattle. Coins have become popular because they are easy to carry around and they last for a long time.
Coins were first used in China. Ancient Greeks also used them as early as 600BC. They were stamped with the mark of the country for which they were made. The stamp also showed how much each coin was worth.
Early coins were made of silver and gold and were worth a lot of money. Later coins were made of cheaper metals but people agreed they were worth the amount (金额) stamped on them. Later, people began to use paper money as well as coins. The value of the paper was not high but banks agreed they were worth the amount written on them.
The earliest form of trade was when people simply swapped things. This was called bartering. |
Money has been made in all sorts of shapes and sizes, especially in ancient China. |
American Indians used beads and shells made into decorative patters as money. |
Coins have been used for centuries. They are easy to make and last a long time. |
Banknotes are a written promise to pay a certain amount of money. |
Credit cards and cheques are sometimes used instead of money. |
1. People can only use paper notes to buy things.
2. Chinese people used coins before 600BC.
3. Stamps are a kind of money as well.
4. If you travelled to ancient China, knife-shaped money might be seen.
5. One advantage of coins is that they are long lasting.
4 . Have you ever wondered why we can’t remember things from when we were under 3 years old? There are a couple of reasons why our early memories might disappear.
Firstly, our brains are still developing when we’re very young. Although our brains have about 100 billion neurons (神经), the connections between them aren’t fully stable (稳定) until around the age of 3. So, some memories might not stick because the brain’s network isn’t fully built yet.
Another reason is that our brains are like busy organizers, always sorting through information. When we’re very young, our brains gather all kinds of memories, but not all of them are important for staying alive or everyday life. So, to keep things tidy and make room for new, more important information, our brains might let go of those early memories.
Some scientists also think that because babies are still learning language, they might not store memories in the same way older children and adults do. Without words to connect to experiences, these early memories might be harder to remember later on.
However, not all early memories disappear. Sometimes, if something really big happened when we were very young, we might keep a bit of that memory. Researchers have found that with the right triggers (触发器), like a specific smell or sound, people can sometimes remember these early memories.
So, while we might not remember every detail from when we were babies, our brains were busy learning and growing, making sure we kept the most important memories and skills we needed.
1. What’s it mainly about from paragraphs 2 to 4?| A．Brain growth from birth to 3 years old. |
| B．How we use language to remember things. |
| C．Reasons why we might forget early memories. |
| D．How smells and sounds help us remember. |
| A．By how happy they make us. | B．By how important they are for our daily life. |
| C．By how colorful they are. | D．By how much noise is in them. |
| A．We remember everything from our baby years. |
| B．No information is important for babies’ brains. |
| C．Our brains are fully grown when we’re born. |
| D．Some early memories can return with the right triggers. |
| A．They’re too sad to remember. | B．To make room for new, important information. |
| C．Those memories aren’t useful. | D．We have too many brain neurons. |
| A．In a science book. | B．On a food menu. | C．In a music magazine. | D．On a sports website. |
5 . At the 2024 Spring Festival Gal (春晚), a dance called “Koi (锦鲤)” amazed everyone watching. Led by Hua Xiaoyi and 11 other dancers, they looked like koi fish swimming in a pond, wishing everyone good luck and happiness for the year. This was Hua Xiaoyi’s first time performing at the gala, and she was very excited.
The dance was set to a song called “Big Fish”, and the dancers used special ropes to make it look like they were floating (浮) in water. Preparing for this dance was hard. They practiced every day for many hours, feeling like they were hanging in the air just like koi fish in water. Even though there were challenges, like long hours of practice and the pressure on their bodies, the team was determined to do their best.
Hua Xiaoyi talked about the hard work that went into making the dance. They all wanted to bring something new and exciting to the audience (观众). The dance was about more than just performing; it was about showing the beauty of working together and believing in young people’s ability to do great things.
This story shows us that with teamwork and hard work, we can achieve our dreams, just like the koi fish that leaps (跳跃) into the sky, hoping to turn into a dragon. It’s a reminder that believing in ourselves and each other can help us reach new heights.
1. How many dancers were there in the dance “Koi”?| A．10. | B．11. | C．12. | D．13. |
| A．The difficulty of the performance. | B．Good luck and happiness for the year. |
| C．The challenges of working in a team. | D．The beauty of the sea. |
| A．By swimming in a real pond. | B．By playing water sounds. |
| C．By wearing blue costumes. | D．By using special ropes. |
| A．疲倦 | B．兴奋 | C．坚决 | D．困惑 |
| A．Behind the Show: The Making of “Koi” | B．Koi: A Dance of Luck and Happiness |
| C．The Magic of the Spring Festival Gala | D．The Art of Floating: Dance Changes |
How do you decide where to go on holiday? Is it the local places of interest? Or do you choose your next holiday just for delicious food?
“Food tourism” is that people travel to new places to try the local food. It is now becoming popular among visitors. There are many forms of food tourism, such as trying street food, visiting food markets, or eating at local restaurants.
A recent survey found that about 75% of Americans have traveled for food in the last five years. They said the top four countries they would visit for their food are Italy, France, Spain and Japan.
Food is an important part of holidays for British people, too. A survey team asked 2,000 British people about their main reason for a holiday. 61% of them said “the food”. And 41% said they would travel hundreds of kilometers to find the perfect meal. The top three European countries they would choose to visit for food are Italy, Spain and France.
The survey also found that British people like to try new and different foods most when they are traveling, and nearly half of people believe that they are more adventurous (胆大的) with what they eat when they are away from home.
1. Food tourism is about traveling to local places of interest.2. 75% of Americans have traveled for food in the last five years.
3. British people do not care about food on holidays.
4. British people eat more adventurous food away from home.
5. The article is mainly about the popularity of food in travel decisions.
Imagine you’re at the supermarket. You pay for some food, then throw one third of it into the trash. This may sound crazy, but millions of us are doing this around the world, although not in such a direct way.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, over 30 percent of food produced worldwide goes to waste. Most of it is thrown away by shops that are unable to sell it or by people who buy too much food.
Do we have to do so? Creative minds say no. When we have extra (额外的) money, we save it in a bank. So how about setting up “banks” for food that we can’t eat? Many countries, including China, are trying this out.
Some people in Shanghai recently set up a fridge in their community, filling it with cake and canned (罐装的) food from nearby markets and restaurants. It’s free for anyone to enjoy.
The Real Junk Food Project is a company in the UK. It reminds people that food past its sell-by date (保质期) is still okay to eat. The company collects leftover food from supermarkets and puts it on shelves in cafes (小餐馆).
The food in the cafes has no price label (标签). You can offer as much money as you want, or give back your time as payment. There are now 125 Real Junk Food cafes worldwide.
Does the food that you have bought, but can’t eat, have to become junk? You decide.
1. Every year, about one-third of food produced around the world goes to waste.2. The same banks that save your money can help you save food.
3. In the Shanghai community, people can get free food from a fridge.
4. Food that is past its sell-by date can’t be eaten, according to the Real Junk Food Project.
5. The passage mainly talks about some creative ways to save food.
8 . Humans and gorillas (大猩猩) shared evolution (进化) for 23 million years. Their paths separated only six million years ago. New research on how gorillas communicate may help us better understand human language.
Understanding how the brain works helps us see a connection between language development and non-verbal (非言语的) signs. “Gorillas have many kinds of non-verbal communication,” said psychologist (心理学家) Sebestyen Forrester, from the University of Sussex. He thinks humans may have had the same communication skills.
Non-verbal communication includes the ways we move our bodies and the different expressions on our faces. A new study on gorillas showed that right-handedness may have a connection with communication. The right side of the body is controlled by the left part of the brain, which is also where language develops.
Two cameras were used to watch how one gorilla moved. It was shown that gorillas use their right hands more when they are doing actions with their heads or mouths at the same time. This may show that there is a connection between how our brains work and the reason we use one side of our body more than the other.
Forrester said the results could help us understand how children learn languages. For example, some children have a condition called autism (自闭症) in which they have a hard time communicating with other people. This same kind of study may help doctors find autism in children at an earlier age.
1. The shared evolution of gorillas and humans separated about ________ million years ago.| A．6 | B．17 | C．23 | D．29 |
| A．Talking loudly. | B．Reading aloud. | C．Facial expressions. | D．Singing. |
| A．knowledge | B．health | C．communication | D．feelings |
| A．find communication problems early on | B．make people use their right hands more |
| C．develop language abilities in children | D．find a treatment for children with autism |
| A．In a travel guide. | B．In a health magazine. |
| C．In a sports newspaper. | D．In a science fiction. |
9 . 2024 is the Year of the Dragon. Of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac (生肖), the dragon is the only unreal one. But Chinese people love it so much for thousands of years. And they always say they’re the “descendants (后代) of the dragon”. But how much do you know about the animal? Does it have the same meaning in different cultures?
Both people in the east and west think dragons are like snakes. Now in China, we can still find records of dragons. For example, some ancient jade carvings (玉雕) look like snakes in a letter “C”. In the west, people see dragons as big snakes in the old book The Penguin Book of Dragons.
However, stories about dragons are very different between the East and West. Dragons in China have a horse-like head, a long body but no wings (翅膀). People think they are beautiful and smart. And they can also bring good luck. While dragons in the west have shorter bodies and big wings. They often mean bad luck. Some of them can even blow fire from their mouth. For example, the evil witch (邪恶女巫) Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty, can turn herself into a big dragon!
East or west, in the world of fantasy, the dragon will always play an important role!
1. Of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, which animal is the only unreal one?| A．The cow. | B．The horse. | C．The mouse. | D．The dragon. |
| A．People in China. | B．People in Canada. |
| C．People in America. | D．People in Australia. |
| A．A letter C. | B．A strong tiger. |
| C．Big snakes. | D．Ancient jade carvings. |
| A．Dragons in the west have small wings. | B．Dragons in the west are smart animals. |
| C．Dragons in China have a cow-like head. | D．Dragons in the east can bring good luck. |
| A．Dragons and Snakes | B．The History of Dragons in China |
| C．Dragons in the East and West | D．The Symbol of Western Dragons |
Hangzhou, together with five other cities in Zhejiang, hosted the 19th Asian Games from Sept. 23 to Oct. 8. The Games was very “smart” with the use of many exciting technologies. Let’s have a look!
What if there was an accident during the game and the players needed first aid? Drones (无人机) could be used to send things over. Using a drone saves about 60 percent of the time. Medicine, blood and other things needed for first aid can be sent to people quickly.
Every dish at the Asian Games should be safe and healthy. In the kitchen of the athletes’ village in Hangzhou, there was a special system (系统) that could tell people’s faces. If a “stranger” went into the kitchen, an alarm would go off to let people know. The managers of the kitchen would also get messages on their phones. There is also a system to keep an eye on the temperature of the fridge.
Say that you were in Hangzhou and would watch one of the games. It would be sad if you couldn’t find your way. AR (增强现实技术) was here to help you. There is a mini program called the Hangzhou Asian Games AR service. You could turn on your phone’s camera and it would see where you were and then showed you the way.
1. The 19th Asian Games Hangzhou lasted for seven days.2. The “Drones” could be used to send people quickly in this passage.
3. The alarm in the kitchen can receive food messages from athletes.
4. The AR service can help out people who are lost to find their ways.
5. The passage is mainly about how technology works in 19th Asian Games Hangzhou.
