1 . My 34-year-old son Zack was diagnosed with autism (自闭症) at age two. It has been a long road, filled with many
Autism involves continuous obstacles in social
At snack time, I started to
For a moment I stood there
| A．priorities | B．mysteries | C．challenges | D．opportunities |
| A．complicates | B．settles | C．helps | D．explains |
| A．support | B．responsibility | C．communication | D．security |
| A．affection | B．growth | C．success | D．recovery |
| A．amused | B．blessed | C．determined | D．honored |
| A．sing | B．apologize | C．respond | D．complain |
| A．agreed | B．mentioned | C．announced | D．noticed |
| A．Eventually | B．Suddenly | C．Naturally | D．Apparently |
| A．formed | B．counted | C．paused | D．followed |
| A．calling | B．encouraging | C．hugging | D．protecting |
| A．in comfort | B．in shock | C．with confidence | D．with awe |
| A．quickly | B．early | C．perfectly | D．differently |
| A．burden | B．focus | C．hope | D．impact |
| A．revived | B．worked | C．occurred | D．varied |
| A．welcoming | B．shaping | C．filling | D．approaching |
2 . The Public Transport Fares in New York
On our website, you can find out how much it costs to ride the subway, bus, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North in the New York area.
★ Subways and buses
●Fare for most riders on subways and local, limited, and Select Bus Service buses:$2.85.
●Express buses cost $6.85.
More information about subway and bus fares
●Riding the subway costs $2.85 for most riders. People with disabilities or who are 65 or older are qualified for a reduced fare.
●An unlimited ride MetroCard can save you money. It gives you unlimited rides for a certain length of time.
●MetroCards cost $1. All cards except for the Single Ride card are refillable (可充值的).
●Up to three children under 44 inches tall ride for free when they are with a fare-paying adult.
●You pay the fare at turnstiles (旋转闸门) before you aboard the train. You don’t have to do anything afterwards.
★ Railroads: LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) and Metro-North
●Fares vary based on when and where you are travelling.
●Buying tickets on your phone is the most convenient option.
More information about railroad fares
●Peak (高峰的) fares are charged during business rush hours on any weekday train scheduled to arrive in New York City terminals between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. or depart New York City terminals between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. On Metro-North trains, peak fares also apply to travel on any weekday train that leaves Grand Central Station between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.
●Off-peak fares are charged at all other times on weekdays, all day on Saturday and Sunday, and on holidays.
●Use our trip planner to find fare information. Get schedules and directions and see whether a trip is during peak or off-peak hours.
1. How much might a subway trip cost a 68-year-old man with two children under 44 inches tall?| A．$2.35. | B．$2.85. | C．$5.70. | D．$6.85. |
| A．A weekday train leaving Grand Central Station at 10 pm. |
| B．A weekday train leaving Grand Central Station at 7 am. |
| C．A weekday train departing New York City terminals at 9 pm. |
| D．A weekday train departing New York City terminals at 8:30 am. |
| A．To know special offers. | B．To leave your advice. |
| C．To check fare information. | D．To book a train ticket. |
3 . Anytime I travel on my bicycle across the country, I’m always amazed by how kind people can be to strangers.
One night, my friends and I were camping in a town in Missouri. There was a severe storm and we were getting
Fortunately, we spent the night in a nice dry home. We were
The kindness of a stranger always
That family
| A．annoyed | B．impatient | C．excited | D．nervous |
| A．warn | B．show | C．convince | D．guarantee |
| A．demand | B．concern | C．desire | D．responsibility |
| A．drowned | B．deserted | C．killed | D．trapped |
| A．even | B．merely | C．often | D．simply |
| A．submitted | B．exchanged | C．checked | D．updated |
| A．experiences | B．messages | C．traditions | D．comments |
| A．fear | B．order | C．gain | D．offer |
| A．especially | B．officially | C．occasionally | D．definitely |
| A．ask about | B．complain about | C．agree with | D．associate with |
| A．reveals | B．shakes | C．strengthens | D．shapes |
| A．states | B．wishes | C．saves | D．gives |
| A．impressive | B．practical | C．satisfactory | D．evident |
| A．funded | B．inspired | C．owed | D．delighted |
| A．drove | B．sought | C．helped | D．pointed |
4 . In a major step forward for monitoring the biodiversity of marine(海洋的)systems, a new study published in the journal Environmental DNA details how Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute(MBARI) researchers are using autonomous underwater robots to sample environmental DNA(eDNA), which allows scientists to detect the presence of aquatic species from the tiny bits of genetic(遗传学的) material they leave behind. This “DNA soup” offers clues about biodiversity changes in sensitive areas and the presence of rare or endangered species-all critical to understanding and preserving a healthy ocean.
Researchers combined two novel autonomous platforms developed by MBARI for this study-the Long-Range Autonomous Underwater Vehicle(LRAUV) and the Environmental Sample Processor(ESP). The LRAUV can travel for weeks at a time and for hundreds of kilometers. It can enable more frequent sampling in remote sites than traditional research ships. The ESP is a robotic “laboratory-in-a-can” that filters(过滤) seawater and preserves eDNA for future study. By equipping an LRAUV with ESP technology, researchers can monitor the ocean better.
“We know that eDNA is an incredibly powerful tool for studying ocean communities, but we’ve been limited by what we can accomplish using expensive crewed research ships. Now, autonomous technology is helping us make better use of our time and resources to study previously unsurveyed regions of the ocean,” said Kobun Truelove, a biological oceanographer at MBARI and the lead author of the paper.
Marine biodiversity is a measure of the abundance of individuals and species in the ocean. This interconnected mixture of organisms supports food webs, produces the air we breathe, and regulates our climate. Autonomous tools like the LRAUV and ESP enable MBARI researchers to monitor changes in sensitive ecosystems in ways that were not possible previously.
“Ship-based research will continue to play an important role in oceanographic studies, but adding new autonomous technology to the toolkit will expand capacity for research, monitoring, and resource management,” said Truelove.
1. What do the underlined words “aquatic species” in paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Those living in water. | B．Those growing near water. |
| C．Those becoming endangered. | D．Those consuming eDNA. |
| A．Filter seawater effectively. |
| B．Preserve eDNA for future study. |
| C．Travel for months at a time in the ocean. |
| D．Reach remote areas of the ocean frequently. |
| A．Autonomous technology is more economical and efficient. |
| B．Ship-based research is more time-saving and energy-saving. |
| C．Autonomous robots have entirely replaced traditional research ships. |
| D．Crewed research ships help researchers study new parts of the ocean. |
| A．Researchers Discover a “DNA Soup” |
| B．Autonomous Technology Needs Improving |
| C．Robots Sample eDNA to Monitor Ocean Health |
| D．The Biodiversity of the Ocean Needs Protection |
5 . Just like happiness and sadness, anxiety is part of everyone's lived experience—but it's not always tolerated as such. “People often spend too much time and effort trying to rid anxiety,” says Dr Joel Minden, a clinical psychologist. “I encourage them to remember that anxiety is a normal emotional response.”
If you try to banish anxiety, all you're doing is putting it more at the forefront of your mind. But if you accept anxiety as part of life, you can learn to relate to it with self-pity or even with humour. This is a cornerstone of acceptance and commitment therapy(ACT), which has been gaining clinical validation, including by the American Psychological Association. ACT guides people to see their unpleasant emotions as just feelings and to accept that parts o£ life are hard. Sufferers are encouraged to begin a dialogue with anxious thoughts, examining their causes while also keeping in mind their personal goals and values.
This way of relating to anxiety has been a powerful strategy for John Bateman, the 52- year-old host of the podcast Our Anxiety Stories. When negative thoughts arise, he acknowledges them but doesn't let them drive his decisions. Over the years, Bateman has noticed that if he submits to his thoughts, they don't go away but dramatically increase. But if he recognizes them for what they are, just a passing thought and not a fact that needs to be acted on, they gradually go away.
Learning to live with anxiety is an individual process and one that requires trial and error to get just right. While acceptance is the first and most important step to take, some lifestyle changes have been proven to take the edge off, as well. Since tiredness, increased tension and stress leave us much easier to fall into anxiety, a well-balanced diet, sufficient rest and, especially, regular exercise can help us manage it better.
1. What may Dr Joel Minden agree about anxiety?| A．It goes hand in hand with joy. | B．It should be seriously taken. |
| C．It is easily-earned experience. | D．It is often improperly treated. |
| A．Ignore. | B．Hide. | C．Recognize. | D．Control. |
| A．To explain a strategy. | B．To describe a phenomenon. |
| C．To present a successful case. | D．To introduce a public figure. |
| A．Concentrating on the process. | B．Making lifestyle adjustments. |
| C．Avoiding exposure to pressure. | D．Learning to get things in place. |
6 . I didn’t go to Santiago, Chile to look for friendship. In fact, Chile was not even on my wish list.
A mid-life crisis woman, I got a chance to study abroad. I only wanted to learn about global business, taste South American cuisine, and check “study abroad” off my wish list.
On the fifth day, I joined a group for a neighborhood work project aided by the anti-poverty (扶贫) organization. Our tasks were to build a water tower and paint the community center. Upon arrival, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like a scene out of a horrible film. That moment redefined poverty for me because I had never seen such terrible living conditions. As advised, I showed no signs of the motional battle going on inside me.
Just as I was about to start work on painting, a request came through for a few volunteers to help Nadia, a local resident who volunteered to cook for us. I raised my hand to help because I wanted spend time with the people of the neighborhood despite my shortage of Spanish speaking skills.
Nadia had a sincere smile but not overly friendly. Even without speaking each other’s language we started to learn about one another. We chatted about our children, our upbringing, shared picture of our family, struggled to instruct each other to communicate in the other’s language, and laugh many times.
After we fed everybody and the dishes were washed, my day was over. But I found myself hesitant to leave. It was as if I had known her my entire life. I had not predicted the unselfishness heart I would encounter, and it was moving.
As we were waiting for the car to pick us up, Nadia showed me her plants that are well-maintains. I could see that despite the hard conditions she was passionate about life. She made me long to be stronger person. She showed me that poverty was external, but happiness was internal. I was seeking to give 100 percent for a well-intentioned cause, but I left receiving 200 percent from her.
1. What was the author’s initial purpose of going to Chile?| A．To find new friends while traveling. | B．To participate in an anti-poverty project. |
| C．To fulfill the desire to study abroad. | D．To gain a graduate certificate in business. |
| A．She decided to relieve the poverty. | B．She kept her emotions well hidden. |
| C．She comforted the shocked volunteers. | D．She refused to continue the present task. |
| A．She felt very sympathetic toward Nadia. |
| B．She longed to interact with the local residents. |
| C．She wanted to improve her Spanish speaking skills. |
| D．She preferred cooking to painting the community center. |
| A．True friends are never apart in heart. |
| B．Happiness is defined by a positive attitude. |
| C．Language is not a barrier to great connections. |
| D．Unselfishness is putting others before ourselves. |
7 . In the threatening trouble of climate change, growing commercial crops on solar farms is a potentially efficient use of agricultural land that can both increase commercial food production and improve solar panel performance and longevity(寿命), according to a new Cornell research.
“We now have, for the first time, a physics-based tool to estimate the costs and benefits of co-locating solar panels and commercial agriculture in terms of increased power conversion efficiency and solar-panel longevity, ” said lead author Henry Williams, a doctoral student in Cornell Engineering.
“There is potential for agrivoltaic (农业光伏) systems-where agriculture and solar panels coexist-to provide increased passive cooling through taller panel heights, more reflective ground cover and higher evapotranspiration (蒸散) rates compared to traditional solar farms,” said Max Zhang, professor in the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, “We can generate renewable electricity and conserve farmland through agrivoltaic systems.” In New York, for example, about 40% of solar farm capacity has been developed on agricultural lands, while about 84% of land suitable for solar development is agricultural, according to a previous research study from Zhang’s group.
The engineers showed that solar panels mounted over vegetation reveal surface temperature drops compared to those built over bare ground. Solar panels were mounted 4 meters above a cotton crop and the solar panels showed temperature reductions by up to 10 degrees Celsius, compared with those mounted a half-meter above bare soil.
“As you decrease the solar panel operating temperature, you can increase efficiency and improve the longevity of your solar panels, ” said Williams, “We’re showing double benefits. On one hand, you have food production for farmers, and on the other hand, we’ve shown improved longevity and improved conversion efficiency for solar developers.”
“Up to this point, most of the benefits from agrivoltaic systems have been around areas with abundant sunshine, ” said Zhang, “This research is taking a step toward evaluating the application of agrivoltaics in climates representative of the Northeastern U. S. in relaxing the land-use competition it faces.”
1. What does the new Cornell research convey?| A．Growing commercial crops can relieve climate change. |
| B．It’s costly to improve solar panel performance and longevity. |
| C．Commercial agriculture can increase power conversion efficiency. |
| D．The coexistence of solar panels and commercial crops is mutually beneficial. |
| A．To show the promising future of agrivoltaics. |
| B．To indicate the lack of solar farms in New York. |
| C．To tell agricultural lands are based on solar farms. |
| D．To demonstrate agricultural farms are more developed. |
| A．The Northeastern US is rich in agricultural lands. |
| B．Hot climate zones are ideal for developing agrivoltaics. |
| C．The research made a breakthrough in land-use competition. |
| D．The application of agrivoltaics in Northeastern US proved practical. |
| A．Approaches to Tackling World Climate Change |
| B．Methods of Increasing Agricultural Production |
| C．Agrivoltaics Have Been Well Received in the US |
| D．Growing Crops at Solar Farms Generates Higher Efficiency |
8 . The best science books inspire a sense of wonder and make you amazed at the incredible world we live in. Here are four of them to feed your imagination.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
How did it all begin? And how did we get here? Combining history and science, the book offers a comprehensive yet entertaining answer to these questions. Bill Bryson takes the reader on an impressive journey through the greatest scientific discoveries in history. It explains scientific topics in a vivid way, but it’s quite a long read.
Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe
How do helicopters work? Or cells? Randall Munroe explains how things work using illustrations and only the most common 1,000 words in English. It will shift your approach to explanation. So, next time explain how something works rather than merely call it by its name. However, additionally providing more technical terms might have enhanced the understanding and learning experience.
Ask an Astronaut by Tim Peake
What does it feel like to fly into space? How do you prepare for it? Astronaut Tim Peake answers all the questions you never knew about going into space. The book gives insights into the cutting-edge science, as well as the day-to-day life on board of the International Space Station. Its question and answer format makes it easy to quickly find answers, but it can become less appealing due to the lack of descriptive language.
Deep Time by Riley Black
Want to know the story of our planet? Riley Black takes us on a journey, in the order of time, through the geological (地质的) events that have shaped our planet. The fascinating high-quality images are supported by easily digestible explanations of key historical moments. It also expands on key concepts in geology, astronomy and biology. Yet, measuring the size of some objects on the photos is difficult due to the lack of a scale bar (比例尺).
1. Which book is organized in the format of question and answer?| A．A Short History of Nearly Everything. | B．Thing Explainer. |
| C．Ask an Astronaut. | D．Deep Time. |
| A．It is rather too long. | B．It is written in plain language. |
| C．It lacks technical terms. | D．It fails to include clear images. |
| A．They combine science and history. | B．They feature vivid illustrations. |
| C．They introduce astronauts’ daily life. | D．They entertain readers of all ages. |
9 . 4 Best Places to Travel in 2023
2023 is the year when travel returns in a big way. To get you started, we’ve rounded up some of the best places to travel in 2023. All you need to do is pick the place that appeals to you.
Copenhagen
With its fantastic houses, clean streets and colorful architecture, Copenhagen is regarded as the most livable city on the earth. Named the World Capital of Architecture for 2023, Copenhagen will offer a series of major artistic events and programs sure to delight architects and design lovers.
Bhutan
For travelers with a sense of adventure and a love of discovery, Bhutan has always been a must-go destination. In 2023, travelers can once again explore the Trans Bhutan Trail, which runs 250 miles from east to west, offering visits to the century-old communities along the journey. The trail spans (横跨)18 major bridges and national parks and connects more than 400 historic and cultural sites.
Bordeaux
The coming years will be sporty in the historical wine region of Bordeaux in France. In 2023, the city will host the Rugby World Cup, an intense and stressful game. Beyond sports, Bordeaux is one of the favorite historical cities, with more than 350 structures that are either nationally or regionally listed as historical monuments.
Namibia
Wildlife and adventure lovers looking for a unique path in African Safari trips should head straight to Namibia in 2023 — this country in southern Africa is the perfect place to travel to reconnect with nature and escape the modern stresses of life. On the wildlife front, you may see lions along with giraffes and elephants.
1. What is Copenhagen well-known for?| A．The natural landscape. | B．The adventure travel. |
| C．Eye-catching architecture. | D．Famous art designers. |
| A．Modern communities. | B．Cultural relics. |
| C．Historical wine regions. | D．National monuments. |
| A．Copenhagen. | B．Bhutan. | C．Bordeaux. | D．Namibia. |
10 . I was at a new school in a new state and needed something solid to stand on: a place to feel grounded. I also needed to do laundry, so I walked to a nearby self-service laundry and stuffed a machine with my clothes. As I struggled to close the washer door, the woman working behind the counter told me to give it a good hit with my hand. The washer did its job, yet even after an hour, the dryer seemed to have barely warmed my clothes. I left, having decided to air-dry them on my car in the August heat.
A month later, I learned her name was Sandy, which she told me after I’d helped her stop a washing machine from moving across the floor. I was grading poems at a table when one of the washers broke loose and skipped an inch into the air. I jumped to the machine and held on while she unplugged it. The next week, Sandy told me dryer No. 8 was the fastest.
It went on like this. I’d do laundry once a week, usually Thursday or Friday. Sandy worked Tuesday through Saturday and we’d talk small while I folded clothes. She told me about her son and his grades, as well as the new dog they’d just adopted. She was fascinated that I was studying poetry. She teased (开玩笑) that it was harder making a living as a poet than as a laundry attendant. Even then I knew she was probably right.
I began to recognize others there: workers taking breaks by the door, a mother and her baby, and even some delivery drivers. But Sandy was the center of my community. For nearly three years and almost every week, I’d do laundry and talk with her. We checked on each other, expecting the other to be there. We asked where the other had gone when we missed a week. There was a note of concern for the other’s absence, a note of joy at their return.
I’d found a place to stand on solid ground.
1. Why did the author leave with his wet clothes?| A．He liked the August heat better. | B．He had to go back to the meeting. |
| C．He wanted to show off his new car. | D．He didn’t think the dryer worked well. |
| A．She was warm-hearted. | B．She needed a volunteer. |
| C．She wanted to thank him. | D．She was sorry for the mess. |
| A．It was harder to fulfill. | B．It was really fascinating. |
| C．It was badly-paid work. | D．It needed a lot of effort. |
| A．He formed a close friendship with Sandy. |
| B．He made a lot of friends in college. |
| C．He expected Sandy to do laundry for him. |
| D．He often wrote to Sandy after graduation. |
