1 . Computer scientist Mary has an idea for a new robot to help her work with children. How should it look? The robot should have arms to be able to lift things. And if it is going to communicate with people, it will also need a face. Scientists believe that giving a robot a face can make it seem more friendly. Humans would also like to pay more attention to robots with faces. But what kind?
For Mary, she wants to make sure that her new robot doesn’t look too much like a human. She wants people to just treat it as a machine-person. If it looks more like a human than a machine, she thinks users might find it a bit creepy and feel afraid. Mary also believes that robots’ faces don’t need to look a lot like ours. Her research shows that we can enjoy communicating with robots whether or not they look like humans, because our brains are able to look for faces. Just put two circles on top of a robot’s body, and we will see a face.
Dave feels differently. He believes that although at first we might be afraid when seeing a robot with a lifelike face, we may soon get used to it. If robots are going to work closely with humans, they should look as much like us as possible. After all, faces are an important part of the way we communicate.
To make his robots look as much like real people as possible, Dave invented a special skin (皮肤) for their faces. With this skin, robots can show human-like expressions and appear to be angry, sad, happy or surprised. Dave’s robots are also programmed to copy expressions. How? Just imagine his robot is looking at you. The cameras in its eyes send pictures of your face to its central computer!
1. Why do scientists think a robot needs a face?A.It can do more housework. | B.It should be more good-looking. |
C.It can look after children. | D.It can better communicate with people. |
A.Four. | B.Three. | C.Two. | D.One. |
A.毛骨悚然的 | B.和蔼可亲的 |
C.活泼好动的 | D.聪明伶俐的 |
A.People should look like a machine-person. |
B.Robots need to express their own feelings. |
C.Robots shouldn’t look too much like humans. |
D.People can never accept robots with a human face. |
A.To explain the reasons why robots should have faces. |
B.To suggest what humans can do with robots with faces. |
C.To share ideas on what kind of faces robots should have. |
D.To show how scientists invent robots with different faces. |
2 . The world uses about a thousand million (百万) tons of water a day. Water is a human right and everyone should have their share. Yet more than 700 million people around the world have trouble getting clean, safe water.
Treating wastewater is a good way to provide fresh water for us. And it also helps the environment by keeping waste out of rivers and oceans. 80% of wastewater around the world is not treated at all, and it is running into oceans. But now we have got the technology to treat and reuse the wastewater.
While 75% of our planet is covered with water, only about 2% is fresh water—that comes from rivers, lakes, ice and snow. The rest, 98% of the water, is in seas and oceans. It is too salty to drink. Then desalination businesses come in. More than 19,000 factories have been built around the world, mostly in coastal countries. They process (加工) more than 92 million tons of water every day. But the technology they use requires a lot of energy.
Scientists are working to create a less costly technology. They want to produce 20 times more clean water and make sure everyone has enough. But for now, the world still faces each day with not having enough water for everyone.
1. Where is the fresh water on our planet from?A.Rivers and lakes. | B.Rivers and oceans. |
C.Lakes and seas. | D.Seas and oceans. |
A.storing waste in ice and snow |
B.letting waste run into oceans |
C.keeping waste out of rivers and oceans |
D.sending waste to coastal countries |
A.远洋运输 | B.潮汐发电 |
C.食盐销售 | D.海水淡化 |
A.75% | B.2% | C.98% | D.80% |
A.Water should be a human right. |
B.The water problem is still serious. |
C.Our planet is covered with water. |
D.Everyone has enough clean water. |
3 . Folke Borgstrom, an 18-year-old student from Sweden, bought a jade necklace (玉项链) in Beijing. He came to China to take part in the 16th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students (第十六届“汉语桥”世界中学生中文比赛) in Beijing and Yunnan from Oct.16 to Oct.30 in 2023.
Borgstrom knew about jade from a Chinese TV program. “A main character looks so cool with jade,” Borgstrom said. After doing some online research on jade, he found out that it has cultural meaning. “People believe that jade can bring good luck,” Borgstrom added.
When it comes to making Chinese culture international, we often think of traditional ways, like setting up cultural exchange programs. However, pop culture, such as Chinese TV programs, is getting more popular among young people in other countries.
Chulkyu Lee, a 16-year-old girl from R.O.K, likes to watch short videos on the Internet. She said, “Through the Internet, I’ve seen many real lives of Chinese people. It lets me know more about the daily lives of Chinese people and the real China.”
Yang Yao from Yunnan Media Group believes that we should use more creative ways to spread Chinese culture. He takes R.O.K as an example of this. “You may know little about the history of the Goryeo Dynasty (高丽王朝), but through the dramas of R.O.K, you come to understand its food like kimchi (泡菜),” said Yang. “China’s culture can go abroad in the similar way,” Yang added.
1. What did Folke Borgstrom come to China for?A.To meet the main character in a Chinese TV program. |
B.To take part in the 16th Chinese Bridge Competition. |
C.To make a research about Chinese traditional culture. |
D.To buy the jade he wanted for a long time. |
A.The jade. | B.The research. | C.The jade necklace. | D.A Chinese TV program. |
A.She is from Sweden. | B.She came to China herself. |
C.She loves short videos on the Internet. | D.She loves Chinese traditional culture. |
A.Folke Borgstrom is a teacher. |
B.Chinese TV programs are not pop culture. |
C.The dramas of R.O.K are a good way to spread the culture of R.O.K. |
D.Cultural exchange programs are more effective to spread culture. |
A.To introduce the development of Chinese culture. |
B.To share more foreign culture with us. |
C.To ask us to protect our traditional culture. |
D.To find out more creative ways to spread Chinese culture. |
4 . Diaojiaolou, also called Diaolou, is a traditional house in southern China. You can find many of these houses beside a river or in the mountainous areas of Yunnan, Guangxi, Hunan and Sichuan. This type of building is popular among the Miao, Zhuang, Buyi, Dong, Shui, and Tujia peoples.
Diaojiaolou dates back to hundreds of years ago. When ancient Chinese pioneers moved from northern to southern China, they met many difficulties. They suffered a lot from the beasts (猛兽), snakes, and insects in the mountain forests. At first, they set fire to keep beasts away, but they were still often bitten by snakes. Then an old smart leader in the village invented Diaojiaolou. They are in fact 100% wooden houses built on silts (泥沙). These buildings are usually two to three storeys high. The whole house is really strong. Even if one of the stilts (支柱) was destroyed, the house would remain standing.
The stilt houses have many advantages. In ancient times, these buildings would provide protection from beasts. Nowadays they continue to provide protection from snakes and insects. What’s more, these buildings help prevent humidity-related (湿度相关的) illnesses that are common in southern China. In the mountainous areas of southern China, people can’t endure the wet ground in summer, so living on high floors is a wise choice.
And the special buildings are in perfect harmony (和谐) with the beautiful scenery—small bridges, flowing water, and green mountains. And many stilt buildings are hidden in ancient trees and bamboos, like traditional Chinese landscape paintings.
1. Where can people find Diaojiaolou?A.Beside a river. | B.In a desert. | C.In a modern city. | D.In grassland. |
A.To get a further view. | B.To separate the young from the old. |
C.To get close to the nature. | D.To keep themselves safe. |
A.It is really easy to build. |
B.It is friendly to the environment. |
C.It costs little to be made. |
D.It is very strong and keeps people from some diseases. |
A.忍受 | B.相信 | C.感觉 | D.触摸 |
A.Pioneers from northern China. | B.A kind of traditional building. |
C.Beautiful scenery in Yunnan. | D.The advantages of Diaojiaolou. |
5 . Yunnan is known for its natural beauty, ethnic (民族的) cultures and delicious local food. Here is a Yunnan travel guide according to the four different seasons.
◆Spring In March, the famous Hani Terraces are covered with water. They make colorful scenery under the blue sky. In April, Yunnan is filled with cherry blossoms (樱花), especially in Kunming’s Cuihu Park and Dali’s Butterfly Spring. |
◆Summer Summer in Yunnan is hot and humid (潮湿的), but it is a perfect time to visit the mountains. Visitors can also visit all kinds of lakes, such as Erhai Lake and Fuxian Lake. It is pleasant to enjoy water sports or just relax by beaches. |
◆Autumn In autumn, many places are painted in changing colors. Lugu Lake is covered in a sea of pink and purple flowers. Tiger Leaping Gorge and Jianshui Ancient Town are the best places to visit in this season. |
◆Winter Visitors can experience a special winter because of different festivals. Naxi and Lisu people have traditional festivals in winter. Kuoshi Festival (阔时节) is celebrated by Lisu people in December or the following January. Visitors can join them in singing, dancing, swinging and crossbow shooting (射弩箭). |
1. When can people go to Yunnan if they want to see cherry blossoms?
A.In April. | B.In June. | C.In August. | D.In December. |
A.Hot and dry. | B.Warm and wet. | C.Hot and wet. | D.Warm and dry. |
A.Four. | B.Eight. | C.Ten. | D.Eleven. |
A.People can visit Yunnan at any time. |
B.Autumn is a good time to visit the mountains in Yunnan. |
C.To enjoy water sports, people can go to Dali’s Butterfly Spring. |
D.In spring, people can experience Naxi people’s traditional festivals. |
A.People who like different flowers. | B.People who always visit lakes. |
C.People who are good at dancing. | D.People who enjoy climbing mountains. |
6 . Have you ever seen a colorful rainbow in the sky right after it rains? That happens when the sunlight goes through the water in the air.
The sun’s light is actually made of many colors that don’t all move the same way. When this light goes into a raindrop, it bends (弯曲) a bit and splits into (裂成) all these colors like red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
As these colors come out of the raindrop, they bounce off (弹回) the inside back of the drop. This makes them bend again and spread out, making a shape like part of a circle, which is the rainbow we see. Purple bends a lot, but red not so much.
So, why do rainbows look like a curve? It’s because the raindrops are not all the same distance (距离) from us. They make a circle shape around a line from the sun to our eyes, creating that curve.
Rainbows are usually seen in the part of the sky opposite the sun. Sometimes, you might even see two rainbows at once! That’s when the sunlight bounces twice inside the raindrops.
Next time you see a rainbow, remember it’s just the sun and rain working together to make something really special and pretty in the sky.
1. What makes the sunlight show many colors?A.The sun moves very fast. |
B.The air near the raindrops gets warm. |
C.The clouds break the sunlight. |
D.The sunlight goes into a raindrop and bends. |
①Sunlight goes into a raindrop. ②The sunlight splits into many colors. ③Colors bounce off the inside back of the drop. ④The colors bend again and spread out.
A.①→②→③→④ | B.①→③→②→④ | C.②→①→③→④ | D.②→③→①→④ |
A.Right above you. | B.Close to the sun. | C.Opposite the sun. | D.All around the sky. |
A.弧线 | B.直线 | C.三角 | D.立体 |
A.The Sun and Its Magic |
B.How Rainbows Form |
C.Raindrops and Light |
D.The Colors of the Sky |
7 . Water is important for all living things on Earth. The water cycle (循环) is a natural process that takes water from the ground and the sky and brings it back to the earth again. It is a cycle that happens the whole year and is most active from March to June in China.
The water cycle always begins with water vapour (蒸汽). When it’s hot outside, you can see clouds forming in the sky. These clouds are made of water vapour that comes from the ground, plants and rivers. As water vapour rises into the sky, it cools down and becomes clouds. After that, clouds travel through the sky and fall back to Earth as rain or snow. Then, water runs through rivers and oceans and finally returns to the earth again in different forms like rainwater or snow.
The water cycle plays an important role in protecting our Earth’s climate (气候). It provides us with water to drink and keeps our climate healthy. On top of that, it takes water from rivers and oceans and brings it to the areas that don’t have enough water. Without the cycle, we would face many problems. When there is too much water in one place, it becomes a flood. When water is badly in need, it becomes a drought. Besides, water vapour can take heat from the sun and keep our planet cool.
The water cycle is a natural process that keeps our planet alive. It’s important for plants and animals to drink water and for our rivers to stay flowing with water. Understanding the water cycle can help us enjoy the beauty of nature, know how our planet works and develop better methods to protect our Earth. And that is a responsibility we should take on.
1. Which is the right order of the water cycle according to the text?① Water returns to the ground. ② Rain or snow falls down.
③ Water vapour rises up. ④ Clouds are formed in the sky.
A.③②④① | B.④②③① | C.④③②① | D.③④②① |
A.It brings warm weather. | B.It shows the beauty of nature. |
C.It keeps the climate healthy. | D.It cleans the air and the ground. |
A.Earth’s climate. | B.Water vapour. |
C.The water cycle | D.Drinking water. |
A.洪涝 | B.沙尘暴 | C.泥石流 | D.旱灾 |
A.To encourage people to save water. |
B.To call on people to protect our planet. |
C.To inspire people to get close to nature. |
D.To help people solve water problems. |
8 . Bullying (欺凌) can happen to anyone. Many children around the world are bullied every year, but there are things that can be done to help.
What is bullying?
Bullying is when someone makes you feel bad or hurts you again and again. Bullying can happen at school, out of school and online. Bullying includes:
·calling people mean (恶意的) names
·laughing at people
·telling lies about people
·taking someone’s things without permission (允许)
·not letting someone play in a group
·hitting people.
What is cyberbullying (网络欺凌)?
Cyberbullying includes:
·sending bad messages online
·sharing photos online without permission
·not letting someone be part of an online group
·spreading lies online.
What can you do?
If someone is not kind to you, tell an adult that you know and like. For example, talk to a parent or a teacher. If you get bad messages, don’t reply. You should save them and give them to your teacher, your family, or the police. Ask an adult for help. Don’t share something before you make sure it is true. That will help stop the cyberbullying. Talk to your parents or teacher or an adult if you see bullying or if you are worried about a friend. Say sorry if you are not kind to someone. You can write a message or talk to the person. And always remember: think about how to be kind in the future.
For more information, visit our home page at www.kidsworld.com.
1. According to the passage, which one is NOT bullying?A.Laughing at people. | B.Telling lies about people. |
C.Hitting people. | D.Taking someone’s things with permission. |
A.sending messages online |
B.spreading lies online |
C.not letting someone be part of an online group |
D.sharing photos online without permission |
A.talk to your parents | B.keep it a secret |
C.talk about it in public | D.share it with your friends |
A.write a letter | B.make a phone call |
C.search the Internet | D.read a magazine |
A.children | B.the police | C.teachers | D.parents |
9 . National Smile Month is the largest and longest-running oral (口腔的) health campaign (运动) in the UK. National Smile Month will be sharing positive messages and encouraging others to develop and have a healthy mouth between May 13 and June 13, 2024.
The British are known for their bad teeth because they have too many sweet foods and drinks. It seems that most of them don’t often show their feelings. They neither smile nor cry. But this is not true. The British like to smile as much as anyone else. They just don’t want to show their bad teeth.
There are three key messages in helping people develop and have a healthy mouth. They are:
■ Brush your teeth at night and at least once a day.
■ Cut down on how much sweet food and drink you have, and how often you have them.
■ Visit your dentist regularly, as often as they ask you to do.
With the help of these three messages, people can realize the importance of good teeth and be confident enough to open their mouths to smile. National Smile Month isn’t just about education and stressing the importance of a healthy mouth. The key to the success of the campaign is that we have lots of fun doing it!
A smile might be a small body language, yet it can make a great difference to our state of mind. You can support National Smile Month in so many ways. Hold events to raise awareness (意识) of oral health, or simply post something on social media. By taking part in National Smile Month, you can help to create a healthier and happier world.
1. When is National Smile Month in the UK in 2024?A.Between March 13 and June 13. | B.Between May 13 and July 13. |
C.From May 13 to June 13. | D.From March 13 to July 13. |
A.Because they never go to the dentist. |
B.Because they don’t like to brush their teeth. |
C.Because they have too many sweet foods and drinks. |
D.Because they think there is no need to show their feelings. |
A.By raising more money. | B.By posting something online. |
C.By holding sports events. | D.By having classes at school. |
A.The British like neither smiling nor crying. | B.You must brush teeth at least 3 times a day. |
C.Only smile can make you more confident. | D.National Smile Month is meaningful and fun. |
A.Health. | B.Nature. | C.Business. | D.Sports. |
10 . What do we look forward to in winter? Snow and ice festivals! Many of them hold fun ice sculpture contests (冰雕比赛). Check out these four famous winter sculpture contests!
Kiruna Snow Festival, Sweden This festival started in 1986. A snow sculpture contest is held during the festival every year. Artists from all over the world show their skills in the contest. Tourists can also have a lot of fun there. They can skate and take part in snow blowing games. This year’s festival was held from January 24 to 28. |
Geilo Ice Music Festival, Norway This festival began ninetheen years ago. Artists come to Geilo to make working musical instruments out of ice. People can enjoy musical shows in an igloo (冰屋). The 2024 festival took place from February 19 to 24. |
International Snow Sculpture Championships, U. S. A. This contest has been held for more than thirty years. Teams of artists compete to turn ice into art works by hand. No power tools are allowed! Their works will be displayed in an outdoor art gallery in Colorado. This year, the contest was held from January 22 to 26. And the art gallery was open from January 26 to 31. |
Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, China It started on January 5th, 1985, and has become the world’s biggest winter festival. As China’s economy (经济) grows, the size of the snow and ice sculpture shows keeps growing. Besides that, the beautiful lighting also make the festival stand out. The festival is officially held from the end of December through February. Opening dates keep changing, and ending dates partly depends on the weather. |
1. Which is the youngest of the four winter sculpture contests?
A.Kiruna Snow Festival. |
B.Geilo Ice Music Festival. |
C.International Snow Sculpture Championships. |
D.Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival. |
A.watch musical shows | B.experience skating | C.show their skills | D.play interesting games |
A.Swden. | B.Norway. | C.America. | D.China. |
① Its longest history. ②The size of the snow and ice sculpture shows.
③ The beautiful lighting. ④ The changeable opening time.
A.①② | B.②③ | C.③④ | D.①③ |
A.Poem. | B.Story. | C.Letter. | D.Introduction. |