1 . Everyone deserves healthy meals. However, unfortunately, not everyone has
A teenager named Lauren Schroeder
“I wanted people to get the nutrition they needed from fresh vegetables,” Lauren said. This
To kick-start her project, Lauren got economic
But all her efforts
So far, she has spent over 1,000 hours working in the garden, producing 7,000 pounds of vegetables. “I want to
| A．invitation | B．access | C．admission | D．ticket |
| A．especially | B．actually | C．obviously | D．extremely |
| A．confirmed | B．appreciated | C．recognized | D．identified |
| A．Arranging | B．Determining | C．Struggling | D．Pretending |
| A．musical | B．familiar | C．unique | D．low-income |
| A．recommended | B．reminded | C．inspired | D．requested |
| A．aware | B．confident | C．certain | D．free |
| A．took up | B．looked into | C．applied for | D．went over |
| A．guidance | B．support | C．pressure | D．benefit |
| A．organizes | B．expects | C．promotes | D．demands |
| A．amazing | B．specific | C．professional | D．tough |
| A．worked out | B．paid off | C．broke off | D．wore out |
| A．reward | B．rescue | C．honour | D．donation |
| A．impact | B．impress | C．challenge | D．observe |
| A．discovery | B．profit | C．difference | D．intention |
2 . An American company has developed a new technique (技术) to make bread stay fresh for 60 days.
Scientists found that a kind of mould (霉菌) caused bread to go bad. The new technique kills the mould and keeps the food for longer time. This means there will be less waste of food in the world in future.
Food waste is a big problem in most developed countries. In the US, an average (普通的) family throws away 40% of the food they buy, which adds up to $165bn every year, about 330 million tons in weight. Bread takes a larger part. In the UK, 32% of the bread they buy is thrown away as waste when they can still be eaten.
The bread usually goes mouldy (发的) in around 10 days, but the American company says the new technique will keep the bread free from mould for two months.
”We treated a piece of bread in a special machine. At 60 days it had the same amount of mould as it was first made,“ says Mr. Stull, the leader of the company.
Although there are a lot of bread makers interested in the new technique, few customers like the idea. They say they don’t think a piece of bread which lasts for 60 days tastes good.
”We’ll have to make our customers accept the idea. But it will take some time,“ says Mr. Stull.
1. What is the key point of the new technique?| A．It can prevent the world from wasting food. |
| B．It kills the mould and keeps bread fresh for longer time. |
| C．It keeps the same amount of mould. |
| D．It makes bread taste good. |
| A．Nearly half. | B．A quarter. | C．More than half. | D．About one-third. |
| A．Food waste can be reduced immediately (立刻) with the new technique. |
| B．We will buy bread that can last longer. |
| C．Few customers are sure about the technique. |
| D．Poor countries are in great need of food. |
| A．A new technique has been invented to keep bread fresh longer. |
| B．There is great waste of food in developed countries. |
| C．There is a kind of mould that causes food to go bad. |
| D．Customers don’t like food that lasts for two months. |
3 . India, as a country with plenty of resorts (旅游胜地), is popular with different kinds of travelers. If you’re planning to visit the country, the followings are the places that may interest you.
Delhi
Delhi is a perfect place for those who love history, and there are plenty of attractions here to keep tourists of all interests entertained. It’s often the first city that many tourists visit on a trip around India. There are many resorts including India Gate, the Lotus Temple, Qutub Minar, and Humayun’s Tomb.
Agra
Agra is most well known for the Taj Mahal, which draws a large number of tourists to the city. Built in the 1600s, the Taj Mahal is still standing strong today and is admired by tourists as an important part of India’s heritage (遗产).
Kashmir
Kashmir is one of the most beautiful cities in India. With flower gardens, amazing water-falls, and snow-topped peaks, it’s a simply unforgettable place that tourists want to return to time and time again. Kashmir is especially popular with honeymooners and loved-up couples, because a lot of romantic trips are on sale in Kashmir.
Goa
Though Goa is small in size, it’s one of the top resorts for young tourists and those who love taking beach vacations. The golden sands and coconut palm trees are the charm (吸引力) here, and the sunrises and sunsets are so gorgeous that you’ll never forget them.
1. What do we know about Delhi from the text?| A．It is the highest city in India. |
| B．It is known for the Taj Mahal. |
| C．It is attractive to history lovers. |
| D．It is the coolest city in India. |
| A．It is the smallest place. |
| B．It is the capital city of India. |
| C．It offers many tours attracting couples. |
| D．It drives young people crazy. |
| A．Delhi. | B．Goa | C．Kashmir. | D．Agra. |
4 . Coming into the town of Santa Catarina Palopó, in the highlands of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, the first thing you notice is the bright colors. Most of the buildings along the main street are eye-catching, deep blues and greens, dotted with red and yellow to form diverse patterns and designs.
Santa Catarina Palopó was once a sleepy town of 5, 000 people, most of them dependent on agricultural work. But as agriculture began to dry up here, poverty came. To deal with poverty and promote econ on growth through tourism, a small but creative group of laborers, artisans, domestic workers and stay-at-home moms created the Pintando Santa Catarina Palopó project.
The project aimed to paint all 850 homes and buildings in bright colors to change the hillside town into a work of art. “We wanted to paint the houses with colors and figures that represent the community” says the project’s executive director Stephany Blanco. “Families can choose designs for their house that are representative of the family.”
One of the most representative characteristics of the region is the blue huipil, a traditional blouse which has been worn commonly by local women since the 16th century. That deep sky blue was chosen the primary color-for the Pintando project, with secondary colors found in the sunsets and the nearby lake to make the design more attractive. Inspiration was also found in local culture, symbols such as volcanoes, flowers, and the national bird of Guatemala.
Each week, local artists, community members and tourists pick up paintbrushes to make buildings colorful. “At first, the idea of the project was uncertain, but now you can see a considerable difference in the town,” Melissa Whitbeck said. “The color of the buildings is believed to improve the quality-of life of the people. It uplifts the people’s mood and encourages them to be proud of their hometown.”
1. Why was the Pintando Santa Catarina project started?| A．Because of a workforce shortage. | B．Due to the poor economic conditions. |
| C．Thanks to the increase in population. | D．For the old-fashioned farming ways. |
| A．Building family art galleries in Guatemala. | B．Creating job opportunities for local artists. |
| C．Developing local tourism by selling artworks. | D．Changing the town into a cultural destination. |
| A．The surrounding volcanoes. | B．Mayan-styled butterflies. |
| C．A type of traditional clothing. | D．The national bird of Guatemala. |
| A．Positive. | B．Reserved. | C．Concerned. | D．Negative. |
5 . Loss of slow-wave sleep as you age may increase your risk of developing dementia (痴呆), according to a new study.
“We found that aging was associated with a decline in the amount of the deepest stages of sleep, known as slow-wave sleep. We then found that people with greater declines in slow-wave sleep over time had a higher risk of getting dementia over the next 17 years of follow-up,” said Matthew Pase, senior author of the study.
Slow-wave sleep is the third and fourth stages of sleep, which is important for brain health. During this stage, the body removes unwanted or harmful materials from the brain. “For the brain, this deep sleep is thought to be the most restorative,” said Dr Richard Isaacson, who wasn’t involved in the study.
The researchers wanted to know whether chronic (慢性的) reductions in slow-wave sleep over time are linked to dementia risk in humans and whether dementia-related processes in the brain may contribute to getting less of this type of sleep. They studied 346 people with an average age of 69 and completed two overnight sleep studies—one between 1995 and 1998 and the second between 1998 and 2001—during which their sleep was monitored. The researchers also investigated whether any change in the amount of slow-wave sleep that participants got was associated with developing dementia up to 17 years after they completed the sleep studies. By that time, 52 participants had been diagnosed with dementia. Each percentage decrease in slow-wave sleep per year was linked to a 27 percent increased risk of developing dementia. The rate of slow-wave sleep loss accelerated (加速) from age 60, peaked from ages 75 to 80and slowed afterwards.
“This is an important study yet again showing the impact of quality of sleep on a person’s risk of cognitive decline and dementia,” Isaacson said. “It’s important to not only pay attention to the total amount of sleep a person gets each night, but also monitor sleep quality as best as possible.”
1. What can we learn from the new study?| A．The older you are, the less sleep you will have. |
| B．Slow-wave sleep has been linked to the risk of dementia. |
| C．The rate of slow-wave sleep loss keeps going up with age. |
| D．The amount of sleep has an impact on the risk of dementia. |
| A．By making a comparison. | B．By introducing a concept. |
| C．By referring to another study. | D．By making a survey. |
| A．Sleep quality needs more attention. |
| B．We should have enough sleep. |
| C．The elderly should sleep more than the young. |
| D．The amount of sleep is more important than sleep quality. |
| A．Sports. | B．Health. | C．Education. | D．Environment. |
6 . Ms. McIntyre, 38, worked as a publisher. She suffered brain cancer and her health got worse despite some medical treatment. But she realized that in a way, she was luckier than some other people. She had insurance to help pay for her medical care. But Ms. McIntyre and her husband, Mr. Gregory, knew that many people with cancer face tough decisions because of the costs of medical care and wind up owing far more than they can pay.
Though her health was failing, Ms. McIntyre decided to help pay off the medical debts of as many people as she possibly could. The couple began donating money to a group called RIP Medical Debt, which is committed to working to pay off the unpaid medical debts of others. The group can pay off medical bills for about 100 times less money than they cost. In other words, for every 100 donated, the group can pay off 10,000 in unpaid medical bills.
Unfortunately, Ms. McIntyre passed away before long. Mr. Gregory posted a message for Ms. McIntyre on her social media accounts. “If you’re reading this, I have passed away,” the post began. Then the post explained, “To celebrate my life, I’ve arranged to buy up others’ medical debts and then destroy the debts.”
The couple had set up a page on a website to raise money for this purpose. They had hoped to raise about $20,000. Nevertheless, Ms. McIntyre’s last post attracted a lot of attention. The donations on her web page quickly passed the total goal. In less than a week, the site had raised 10 times more than expected and the donations are still coming in. By November 22, 2023, Ms. McIntyre’s web page had raised over $627,000, or enough money to pay off about $60 million in medical debts.
Mr. Gregory planned a special event in December to celebrate Ms. McIntyre’s life and to announce how many millions of dollars of medical debts her efforts had paid for.
1. Why did Ms. McIntyre feel luckier than some other people?| A．The doctors eventually cured her. | B．Her disease didn’t become worse. |
| C．She had a decent job before being ill. | D．She had security about medical care. |
| A．By paying for their daily debts. | B．By giving away money to them. |
| C．By ridding them of debts from treatments. | D．By purchasing medical insurance for them. |
| A．The public involvement. | B．The couple’s commitment. |
| C．The operation of a website. | D．The increase of medical debts. |
| A．Humorous and elegant. | B．Influential and understanding. |
| C．Cautious and promising. | D．Enthusiastic and adaptable. |
7 . Four Art Study Abroad Programs in 2024
Whether you love art history, dance, photography, writing, or beyond, here are the top art programs to attend in 2024.
The 6-week Gap Year Course in Italy | Art History AbroadProgram length: 6 weeks in summer
Price: $10,000
If you’re interested in studying artists, criticism, and painting techniques during periods like the Renaissance and styles like baroque, Romanesque, and modern art, then this program is for you. It prides itself on not simply teaching art but also culture and an appreciation of beauty.
Creative Internships (实习) in Australia with ABI | ArtBound InitiativeProgram length: 1 month
Price: $3,250
If you’ve ever had an interest in pursuing a career in the creative industry, consider an internship opportunity with ArtBound Initiative. Interns can work in exciting overseas locations while getting one-on-one career coaching from professionals.
The Irish Arts and Culture Program | Irish Gap YearProgram length: 1 semester
Price: $17,000
Explore your own areas of interest as you work side by side with local Irish artists, photographers, writers, and musicians, learning about Ireland’s rich cultural and artistic heritage. Your hands-on experience goes hand in hand with day trips to galleries, museums, and castles, and at the end, you’ll have the opportunity to exhibit your works at the Le Cheile Art Expo.
Creative Semester in France | Berridge ProgramsProgram length: 1 semester
Price: $16,500
Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced performer or artist, your interests and talents will be nurtured by industry professionals. During your time here, you will work on improving your skills which will end with a feature film or creative performance.
1. Where should you go to obtain career guidance according to the text?| A．France. | B．Australia. | C．Italy. | D．Ireland. |
| A．The 6-week Gap Year Course in Italy. |
| B．Creative Internships in Australia with ABI. |
| C．The Irish Arts and Culture Program. |
| D．Creative Semester in France. |
| A．$3,250. | B．$10,000. | C．$16,500. | D．$17,000. |
8 . In the northernmost edge of Colombia sits the coastal town of Acandí. Access to the town is only by water or air; there is no road that leads there. The residents there are faced with the struggles of balancing livelihoods while protecting biodiversity.
In the past, traditional community fishing methods, passed down by the elders, focused on the reasonable fishing and management of resources. However, the introduction of large-scale trawling vessels(拖网渔船) decades ago gradually depleted the area’s fishing resources, leading to damage to marine(海洋的) life seriously.
Jesús Antonio Julio Cuestas, who serves in the region’s conservation and management of marine resources, stresses the bad impact of these developments and calls for new fishing techniques. “Fishing and conservation co-exist as long as we have good management practices and reasonable use of our fishing resources,” says Cuestas. He and other officials actively monitor fishing activities in Acandí. Each morning, they visit the fish markets to gather data on fishery resources—including prices and sizes—to monitor the state of the local fishing industry.
Along with Cuestas, the fishers work to reduce their impact on the marine ecosystem. By changing fishing methods and adopting new practices, they aim for a more balanced approach to fishing. “This year the local fishermen have not used the trawl net s that were causing the death of the leatherback sea turtles,” explains Cuestas proudly. Changes include the efforts of boats to protect the seagrass that serves as feeding grounds for marine life and an end to fishers throwing net s where turtles lay their eggs.
This marine reserve in Acandí, Cuestas believes, is their greatest treasure. He attaches great importance to working together with local residents to improve the quality of life while preserving the marine ecosystem. By doing so, he imagines a picture where individuals from the fishing community can pursue various careers, such as engineers or lawyers, proudly stating that they are the products of the fishing tradition in Acandí.
1. What does the underlined word “depleted” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Reused. | B．Restored. |
| C．Explored. | D．Reduced. |
| A．To cut down on the costs of fishing. |
| B．To improve the income of local residents. |
| C．To promote the well-being of marine wildlife. |
| D．To spread traditional community fishing methods. |
| A．The aim of the changes to fishing methods. |
| B．The efforts to preserve marine ecosystem. |
| C．The results the trawl net s have brought about. |
| D．The impact of fishers on the local environment. |
| A．Confident. | B．Uncaring. |
| C．Concerned. | D．Doubtful. |
9 . Lots of kids like to talk about sports, but Joseph D’Avirro talks about sports like a professional host in a show called Sliders & Curveballs. The 9-year-old from Newington, Connecticut is a natural at sports talk and has been broadcasting the show—which is about baseball, basketball and other sports—with his dad, Mike D’Avirro, since September 2019.
The D’Avirro started the broadcast after two former college roommates of Mike died, which made Mike want to spend more time with his son. Then the idea came to him. So far, they have done about 50 programs. Joseph’s favorite is when the father-and-son team interviewed Jim Calhoun, the coach leading the Connecticut Huskies to three national titles. They have also interviewed important sports authors.
The father and son make about one 30- to 40-minute podcast each month. They prepare for the podcasts by deciding on the questions they want to ask the guest. Joseph asks half of the questions, and Mike handles the other half. Joseph reads his questions again and again to get them in his brain well. It is a lot of work, but Joseph says it is “a lot more fun than homework”. Joseph has also learned to speak up and speak clearly. He has to listen and to go with the flow of the conversation. For example, he said, “If the guest is talking about sports in the 1990s, you have to think about sports in the 1990s.”
When asked how long he and his dad will continue doing the show, he answered, “Until my dad starts growing gray hairs.” Joseph has other ambitions when he grows up—to be a sports player, a sports broadcaster or to own a basketball team. Those are big dreams, but Joseph is already living a dream: talking sports and spending time with his dad.
1. What is Joseph’s show about?| A．Some talk shows on sports. |
| B．Ways to get along with parents. |
| C．Stories about famous sports players. |
| D．Sports that his family loves playing. |
| A．His son’s talent for sports. |
| B．His wish to be a host since college. |
| C．The deaths of his college roommates. |
| D．The encouragement from his roommates. |
| A．It’s as boring as homework. |
| B．It’s challenging to his brain. |
| C．It takes a lot of time but means a lot. |
| D．It’s more interesting than homework. |
| A．A rising sports broadcaster |
| B．A long road to go to success |
| C．The father-and-son team hosts |
| D．Joseph D’Avirro’s big dream |
• Do personalized quizzes with speaking.
• Understand and truly enjoy real-world videos.
• Learn new words in multiple contexts.
Reviews from users
FluentU is a great method to learn a foreign language. We watch videos with subtitles and at any time, we can stop the video if we don’t understand a word or an expression. We click on for additional explanations. Then, we have a quiz to work the vocabulary. I find this method very interesting to improve and stay motivated.
—Estelle Jaouen
I appreciate being able to hear the pronunciation from a male and female voice. I think the mix of characters and pinyin are great and well-balanced. I love the fact that I’ve only been doing this for less than a month and I already know dozens of useful phrases and words!
—Maria van Eeden
I like the fact that it’s very dynamic and not grammar focused. Also, having many videos to learn from makes it even less boring no matter where you are as long as you have a smart phone. I like to just watch each video one time, pause at each sentence and try to remember words and sentences.
—Eduard Marius
The best thing about FluentU is that you have direct context for each new vocabulary that you learn. Repeating the dialogues is the way I learn. Also, that you can bring in your own vocabulary list and that the program searches for videos or material in which the words are included are remarkable!
—Jan Rehmer
1. What is included in FluentU?| A．Lots of videos. | B．Many language tutors. |
| C．Varieties of educational websites. | D．Much advice on grammar learning. |
| A．Estelle Jaouen. | B．Maria van Eeden. | C．Eduard Marius. | D．Jan Rehmer. |
| A．An English brochure. | B．A language textbook. |
| C．An interview about AI. | D．An introduction to an App. |
