1 . The female (雌) giant panda Yaya was born in the Beijing Zoo in 2000, and the male (雄) giant panda Lele was born in the Shanghai Zoo in 1998. In 2003, they were sent to the Memphis Zoo and would live there for ten years as part of a giant panda protection and research program between China and the US.
According to the program, the giant pandas Yaya and Lele should have come back to China in December 2013. However, the US refused to give them back to China and managed to get a chance to keep them for another ten years. Sadly, Lele passed away on February 3rd, 2023 instead of returning home.
Lele’s death suddenly caught people’s attention to these two pandas in the US.
It’s said that Lele died because of the poor care he got when he was alive. He lost his weight and appeared to have a toothache that the zoo wasn’t able to treat. Before he died, his health was getting even worse, but no health care was offered to help him. He was only 24 years old when he died, but pandas can live well for more than 30 years.
Yaya, the other panda, also shows her bad condition and sleeps the whole day. Besides, she has suffered (遭受) a lot from the stomach disease for a long time.
Though the zoo wanted to cover its carelessness from the public, their poor condition was noticed by visitors’ cameras. Many people point out that one of the worst problems is the low quality and small amount of bamboo. However, the Memphis Zoo didn’t agree with the saying.
Now, we are calling to honor Lele and make sure of Yaya’s safe return. On Thursday afternoon 27th April 2023, Lele’s body and Yaya arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport from Memphis.
根据短文内容，判断句子正(T)、误(F)。1. In 2003, Yaya and Lele were sent to the Memphis Zoo and then lived there forever.
2. China refused the US when the US decided to give two pandas back in 2013.
3. Lele died at the age of 24 although pandas can live well for up to 30 years.
4. Visitors’ cameras showed that Yaya lived a terrible life in the Memphis Zoo.
5. The passage mainly tells us that we should protect pandas because they are in danger.
Hello! I am Emma. I love to volunteer (志愿者服务). I started volunteering when I was eight years old. At that time, my grandmother was helping at a community canteen (食堂), and I often went there with her. I tried to help but usually spent my time talking with the old people there because I was too young to do much.
As I grow older, I volunteer at different organizations (组织). Last year, I did two voluntary jobs (工作). The first one was at a food bank. I spent weekends packing bags there. Another one was at an animal hospital. I took care of animals with other volunteers.
Volunteering is great. When volunteering, I am not just making a difference in the lives of others, but also improving my own. I make new friends and learn something new. I love volunteering.
1. Emma started volunteering with her grandmother.2. Emma was young, but she helped a lot at the community canteen.
3. Emma helped pack bags in the food bank on weekends.
4. Emma can make new friends when volunteering.
5. The writer wrote the passage to tell us how to volunteer.
Why do we say maidongxi (买东西) instead of mainanbei, yijian xiangzuo (意见相左) instead of yijian xiangyou, and shangcesuo (上厕所) instead of xiacesuo? Many Chinese words have directions in them, and there is lots of history and culture hidden behind.
Where to buy things
When going shopping, Chinese people say maidongxi, instead of mainanbei. It is said that in the Tang Dynasty, there were two popular markets in Chang’an. One was called the East Market, and the other was called the West Market. When shopping, people usually went to the East Market first, and then went to the West Market. As time went by, people started to describe shopping as maidongxi.
Left or right
In Chinese, we say yijian xiangzuo when we have different opinions. Why is it not yijian xiangyou?
Most people are right-handed. They feel uncomfortable if they try to use their left hands to write or use chopsticks. This was true in old times as well. So in Chinese, “left” is always thought to be different, such as yijian xiangzuo.
Up or down
We use shangcesuo instead of xiacesuo to mean “go to the bathroom”. Why?
In ancient times, houses were laid out in a certain way. The gate of the house would face south, with the bathroom in the northeastern part of the house. On maps, north is usually at the top. In Chinese, we talk about “the north” as shang. So people would say they were going “up” to the bathroom rather than going “down” to the bathroom.
1. In the Tang Dynasty, people usually went shopping in the West Market first.2. People think that “left” means being different in Chinese.
3. In ancient times, Chinese people built their houses with the gates facing south.
4. On maps, north is usually at the top, so Chinese people describe it as xia.
5. This passage is mainly about the changes of Chinese words.
Chinese scientists found a whale fall (鲸落) for the first time in the South China Sea during a deep-sea expedition (考察) carried out by oceanic research vessel (船) Tansuo-1.
It’s sad to learn that a whale has died in the ocean. However, that’s not the end for the whale. It has a lot to give to other sea animals after death. When a whale dies, it quickly sinks to the bottom of the ocean floor. There, the whale body provides food for deep-sea animals, which are often hungry for food. The remains can last for lots of years and create an ecosystem (生态系统) called a whale fall-an “oasis (绿洲)” of life in the deep sea.
The whale fall ecosystem can exist in the deep ocean because great pressure and cold temperatures there prevent the body from decomposing (腐烂) too quickly. But the depth also makes it hard for scientists to discover them. There are less than 50 known whale falls in the world.
The whale body in the South China Sea is about three meters long. Scientists have found several species of shrimp (虾) and fish near the whale body. Some fish have started to eat the whale’s tail. The whale fall might be quite recent and needs long-term observation (观测), according to Xie Wei, a scientist who took part in the expedition.
By studying the whale fall, scientists can better understand how marine (海洋的) ecosystems support life and how to protect biodiversity (生物多样性) resources in the deep sea.
1. A whale fall is called an “oasis” because it provides food for deep-sea animals.2. It’s hard to find whale falls because of low temperature.
3. The whale fall in the South China Sea may have formed recently.
4. The passage is mainly about the death of whale.
Kobe Bryant died with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people in a helicopter crash (直升机坠毁) in California. Lots of people were surprised at the news and very sad about losing the great basketball player.
Kobe Bryant was born on August 23, 1978 with basketball already in his blood. When Kobe was six years old, his dad started playing basketball in Europe, so his family moved to Italy. Then Kobe started playing basketball. The family moved back to the United States when Kobe was 13. Though his grades were good, he still chose to join the NBA after high school. Kobe played in the NBA All-Star Game for the first time in 1998. Kobe was an 18-time All-Star player. He won five NBA championships (冠军) and two Olympic gold medals (奖牌) . People think he was one of the greatest basketball players during his 20-year life with the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe retired(退役) in 2016. In 2018, he won an Academy Award for a short film about his dreams of playing basketball.
Although Kobe died, we will always remember his story and spirit.
1. Seven people died in the helicopter crash in California.2. Kobe started playing basketball at the age of 6.
3. Kobe was one of the greatest basketball players and won five Olympic gold medals.
4. As a great basketball player, Kobe didn’t play for the Los Angeles Lakers.
5. The passage is mainly about Kobe’s life.
6 . Most people have heard of the Great Wall of China, but not many people outside of China know about the Grand Canal. This man-made waterway—known in China as Da Yunhe is 1, 700 kilometers long and some parts of it are more than 2, 000 years old. It links (连接) the north of China with Hangzhou, a city in the southern part of the country. It’s the longest man-made waterway in the world.
The Grand Canal was built as a way to transport grain (谷物) from the rich land in China’s south to cities in the north. In fact, it’s not one canal, but a system of canals and rivers linked together. It’s still an important part of the transport system in China. Thousands of boats use it every day to transport grain and many other types of things.
Now the Chinese government is doing new work on the Grand Canal. It is making parts of it deeper, so bigger ships can use it. The canal will also help to move water. There is a lot of rain in the south of China, but not as much in the north. The canal will carry millions of liters of water from the south to the north.
The Grand Canal is much less famous than the Great Wall so not very many tourists visit it. But it’s possible to go on a cruise (游船) along some of the oldest parts of the canal. Passengers on these cruises see beautiful parts of China that other visitors don’t see.
根据短文内容，判断句子正 (T)、 误 (F)。1. The longest man-made waterway in the world is 1, 700 kilometers long.
2. In the past, the most important purpose of the Grand Canal was to move water.
3. The Chinese government is making parts of the Grand Canal deeper.
4. The last paragraph is only about why few people outside China know about the Grand Canal.
5. Now the Grand Canal is used for different purposes.
7 . In the world, a five-day work week is common. However, in some places, people are exploring the idea of paying workers the same for working just four days a week. Some companies have been slow to try it. The results of last year’s experiment suggested the move may be good for both companies and workers.
Last June, 61 UK companies agreed to try giving their workers a four-day work week. They asked their workers to do as much as they usually did in five. The experiment turned out to be good for most companies. The number of days that workers were out sick dropped by 65%. About 57% fewer people left their jobs during the experiment. What’s more, the companies made more money—about 1.4%.
How did workers do more in less time? Some companies cut meetings, or made sure they were shorter. Others used technology to help workers get more done quickly. Some companies created “a focus time” so workers could work on just one thing without being interrupted (打扰).
In general, workers said the four-day work week left them feeling less tired. About 71% said they felt less “burnt out” with their new work hours. About 73% of the workers were more satisfied with the time they spent working. Workers reported that the extra day off allowed them to do more of what they loved.
Professor Brendan Burchell, who helped run the study, said, “A four-day week means a better life for so many people.” At the end of the experiment, 92% of the companies involved (参与) said they planned to keep the four-day work week.
根据文章内容，判断句子正 (T)、误 (F)。1. The writer explains the experiment results by listing numbers.
2. The expression “a focus time” in the passage means “a time to take a break from work”.
3. Paragraph 4 mentions workers’ feelings about working four days a week.
4. We can know the four-day work week has been highly thought of from the last paragraph.
5. The purpose of this passage is to introduce different companies.
National medals and honorary titles (荣誉称号) are usually awarded to those who have got great achievements for our country every five years. As a part of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, President Xi Jinping awarded 42 people the Medal of the Republic, the Friendship Medal and National Honorary Titles. They come from different backgrounds, including scientists, lawmakers, educators, artists, model workers and 6 non-Chinese people. All have made big contributions to the nation’s construction and development. Here are some of the people we’ll know.
Chinese scientist Tu Youyou is one of the eight who were awarded the Medal of the Republic. Tu, who won the 2015 Nobel Prize for her discovery of the malaria drug artemisinin (抗疟药物青蒿素), is the first Chinese citizen to win a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. She has saved millions of lives worldwide. She has also made important scientific innovations (创新) in traditional Chinese medicine.
Tu is not the only one who has given her life to the country’s development. Nan Rendong, before his death in 2017, led the research and development of China’s FAST (Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope 500米口径球面斑电望远镜), the largest radio telescope on the earth, which is ready to receive radio waves in space like alien signals. He worked on the project for more than 20 years. His contributions to Chinese astronomy earned him the title, “the people’s scientist”.
1. 36 Chinese people were rewarded by Xi jing according to the passage.2. People of six different backgrounds are mentioned in the article except pilots.
3. The underlined word in the third paragraph “astronomy” means “地质学”.
4. Tu Youyou has made traditional Chinese medicine enter all the countries.
5. The main purpose of the passage is to introduce some of the people who won national awards and express thanks to them.
It was cloudy. A boy was walking through the countryside. He saw that an angel (天使) between the clouds soon disappeared (消失) after singing a beautiful song.
The boy thought it must be the door to heaven (天堂). To him, it was exciting to see what was there. So he started building a great big tower of wood, up to the sky. However, when the tower was very tall, it fell down. He tried building it with earth (泥土), but he still failed. He sat down and cried loudly.
The angel returned. She sang again and the boy listened carefully, The meaning of the song was that you could get to heaven if you were confident (自信的). At once, his heart became filled with confidence. This time, he built the tower with rocks. He was surprised to find it didn’t fall. He finally jumped onto it and climbed along it. He suddenly knew that he was able to open the door to heaven only if he believed he could do it.
1. The boy saw the angel disappear.2. The boy failed (失败) twice before he got to the sky.
3. At last, the boy built the tower with earth.
4. The story teaches us that we can do things well if we have confidence.
Spring is here, and it is time to enjoy West Lake Longjing tea. Usually, we think of workers picking tea leaves by hand. But now, some Longjing tea is being picked by smart tea-picking robots!
In a Hangzhou tea garden, a smart tea-picking robot developed by Zhejiang SciTech University begin to work for the first time. “We took thousands of pictures of new tea buds (芽) and put them into the robot for it to learn. The robot uses an AI model to recognize (识别) the buds it needs to pick,”said Professor Chen Jianneng, Party branch secretary (党支部书记) of the research team. This lets the robot find the right tea buds about 90% of the time.
The robot’s arm pulls and sucks (吸) up the tea buds. These buds are quickly moved into a special box. After the robot collects all the buds from the area it’s working at, it moves the buds from the box to a main box.
The robot was made because there are not enough people to pick tea leaves. In Zhejiang, about 400,000 more pickers are needed now. “Picking is the biggest challenge for the development of the tea industry,” said Professor Wu Chuanyu, who leads the research team.
“Tea-picking robots are a trend (趋势) of the future,” said Wu. About five years from now, the robots will do the job of picking West Lake Longjing tea instead of people, Wu added.
1. Spring is a time to enjoy West Lake Longjing tea.2. In a Lincang tea garden, some Longjing tea is being picked by robots.
3. The robot uses an AI model to find out the right tea buds it needs to pick.
4. In Zhejiang province, about 40,000 more pickers are needed now.
5. The text mainly talks about robots are created to help pick tea leaves.
