1 . In the endless sky, the unaided human eye should be able to perceive several thousand stars on a clear, dark night. Unfortunately, growing light pollution has disabled people from the nightly view.

New citizen-science-based research throws alarming light on the problem of “sky glow” — the diffuse illumination (漫射照明) of the night sky that is a form of light pollution. The data came from crowd-sourced observations collected from around the world as part of Globe at Night, a program developed by astronomer Connie Walker.

Light pollution has harmful effects on the practice of astronomy but also on human health and wildlife, since it disturbs the cycle from sunlight to starlight that biological systems have evolved alongside. Furthermore, the loss of visible stars is a great loss of human cultural heritage. Until relatively recently, humans throughout history had an impressive view of the starry night sky, and the effect of this nightly spectacle (壮观) is evident in ancient cultures.

Globe at Night has been gathering data on star visibility since 2006. Anyone can submit observations through the Globe at Night web application. Participants record which one best matches what they can see in the sky without any telescopes or other instruments.

Researchers find that the loss of visible stars indicates an increase in sky brightness of 9.6% per year while roughly 2% is measured by satellites. Existing satellites are not well suited to measuring sky glow as it appears to humans, because they can not detect wavelengths shorter than 500 nanometers (纳米). White LEDs, with shorter wavelengths under 500 nanometers, now are increasingly commonly used in outdoor lighting. But human eyes are more sensitive to these shorter wavelengths at nighttime. Space-based instruments do not measure light from windows, either. But these sources are significant contributors to sky glow us seen from the ground.

“The increase in sky glow over the past decade underlines the importance of redoubling our efforts and developing new strategies to protect dark skies,” said Walker. “The Globe at Night dataset is necessary in our ongoing evaluation of changes in sky glow, and we encourage whoever can to get involved to help protect the starry night sky.”

1. What is a purpose of Globe at Night?

A．To develop new light sources.	B．To collect data on star visibility.
C．To help astronomers explore space.	D．To popularize science among citizens.

2. What does the loss of visible stars lead to?

A．Poorer human health.	B．Fewer wildlife species.
C．More delicate biological systems.	D．Less nightly culture elements of the sky.

3. What does the author stress in paragraph 5?

A．Satellites play a vital role.	B．White LEDs are widely used.
C．Crowd-sourced data are invaluable.	D．Shorter wavelengths are hard to detect.

4. What can be inferred from Walker’s words?

A．Their consistent efforts pay off.	B．The dataset needs to be updated.
C．More participants are expected to join in.	D．The sky glow has been over-emphasized.

2 . This month, the Internet was flooded with wonderful digital art portraits, thanks to the work of the latest artificial intelligence-assisted application to go viral: Lensa. Users uploaded their photographs to the App and then—for a small fee—it used AI to transform their profile pictures into, say, a magical warrior princess version of themselves, in no time at all.

This year has seen a breakthrough for AI-driven image generators, which are now better than ever in quality, speed and affordability. If that sounds great to you, you might not be one of the millions of humans whose livelihoods depend on being able to exchange those skills for money.

Some artists predicted that a computer would recreate the aura of a masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci in the near future. As long as there are enough data for the AI to train itself, it can copy numerous masterpieces just in several minutes. It seems unavoidable that a large number of artists would lose their jobs.

“I see it less as a threat and more of an opportunity,” the UK-based illustrator Michelle Thompson said, adding, “Like everything else, there will always be artists who can use the tools better.”

These tools are only as good as the data sets they are trained on. Human imagination, on the other hand, has no limit. For Dryhurst, an artist from Germany, AI models “could attempt to make a pale version of something we did years ago”, but that “doesn’t account for what we might do next”.

The kind of artificial intelligence we might imagine replacing artists—an entirely autonomous creative robot—does not yet exist, but it is coming. And as AI becomes more universal, artists, illustrators and designers will ultimately be set apart not by if, but by how, they use the technology.

1. Why does the author mention Lensa in Paragraph 1?

A．To recommend the new App.	B．To inform latest news.
C．To lead in the AI topic.	D．To introduce its new function.

2. What is Michelle Thompson’s attitude towards AI?

A．Concerned.

B．Favorable.

C．Unclear.

D．Critical.

3. What might be a weakness of AI in creating art works?

A．Accuracy.

B．Diversity.

C．Creativity.

D．Efficiency.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．Is AI coming into our daily life?	B．Can AI copy masterpieces of great artists?
C．Shall we welcome new AI technology?	D．Will AI replace artists in the future?

3 . In 2013, my husband Robin took a new job in Ghana. We relocated from London, where I worked as a photographer, to the capital, Accra.Robin worked,but my visa didn’t permit me to, and I was left homesick and lacking_______.With few people around, I turned to_______.I photographed horses and considered the outdoors the place where I felt most_______.

In September 2018,after one bad thunderstorm,I found a bird,barely a month old,on the ground. He was_______by his flock(群).His eyes were shut, too young to_______alone. I placed him in a cardboard box and stayed up all night, researching how to_______him.I spoke to an expert who said it would take 12 weeks to prepare him for the_______.

For the next 84 days, the_______bird lived on me. He would fly alongside me. As he learned to fly, he’d make short_______from my hand, to my shoulder, and then settled on my hair.I________ named him because I had to________myself that he needed to return to the wild. In return for putting his life back on course, he________me by giving me purpose. Three months later, he was ________ enough and flying farther from me. It was time for him to go. Then on a clear day when his flock returned,Robin and I took him out and the little bird flew away with them.

________him taught me how to live in the present. Last year,I joined local conservation efforts. That, along with the________that any little creature can make a difference, is what he left me.

1.

A．purpose

B．interest

C．experience

D．confidence

2.

A．family

B．sports

C．nature

D．school

3.

A．grateful

B．alive

C．stressed

D．scared

4.

A．envied

B．controlled

C．recognized

D．abandoned

5.

A．survive

B．fight

C．escape

D．play

6.

A．go with

B．care for

C．focus on

D．speak about

7.

A．travel

B．stay

C．wild

D．change

8.

A．rare

B．lazy

C．proud

D．tiny

9.

A．noises

B．dances

C．flights

D．stops

10.

A．kindly

B．cheerfully

C．once

D．never

11.

A．remind

B．promise

C．cheat

D．motivate

12.

A．attracted

B．honored

C．shocked

D．rewarded

13.

A．high

B．strong

C．smart

D．calm

14.

A．Raising

B．Tolerating

C．Evaluating

D．Amusing

15.

A．secret

B．message

C．news

D．lesson

4 . The Language of Flowers

Ding dong! I looked up from the couch. Who in the world could that be? My body was troubled with illness, so I’d ________myself away. Friends telephoned, texted, emailed and sent cards. I didn’t ________, thinking that I had nothing to offer anyone in the miserable condition I was in.

I ________got up and opened the door to a flower delivery. As I put the flowers on my dining table, I was struck by its ________. It was comprised of solitary blossoms of many varieties that shouldn’t really ________yet somehow did. The mystery flowers had come in a blue jar, without a card.

Instead of returning to the couch, I ________ the florist. He told me some of my friends were behind the ________, secretly. “They wanted to get a ________to you, ” he said, “through the language of flowers.”

The group had followed him and picked very ________stems after consulting an old book. “I learned some things,” the florist said, then ________: “The red carnation (康乃馨) meant ‘Our hearts ache for you’. The yellow tulip (郁金香) wanted to see ________in my smile again. The pink carnation had a few ________words to say about never forgetting me.”

The more I understood what the flowers were ________, the more I started to remember the woman who might have ________them before I separated myself from everyone and everything. My friends knew I was still that woman, with ________beyond my health.

1.

A．hidden

B．given

C．driven

D．broken

2.

A．forbid

B．accept

C．act

D．respond

3.

A．cautiously

B．reluctantly

C．instantly

D．cheerfully

4.

A．size

B．style

C．uniqueness

D．shape

5.

A．go together

B．stand out

C．mix up

D．fade away

6.

A．informed

B．thanked

C．rewarded

D．telephoned

7.

A．delivery

B．program

C．mystery

D．scene

8.

A．companion

B．message

C．commitment

D．gift

9.

A．expensive

B．rare

C．specific

D．fresh

10.

A．explained

B．clarified

C．defined

D．analyzed

11.

A．pain

B．fortune

C．sympathy

D．sunshine

12.

A．modest

B．tolerant

C．formal

D．meaningful

13.

A．involving

B．saying

C．smelling

D．signing

14.

A．advocated

B．confirmed

C．required

D．earned

15.

A．ambition

B．value

C．curiosity

D．fantasy

6 . Michael Gonsalves, a chef of Golden Oak at Disney World, has a cuisine concept rooted in fresh, locally-sourced ingredients that originated from childhood harvesting produce from their family garden with his mom to eventually leading kitchens at Walt Disney World Resorts to employ a sustainable model.

“Truly the whole process starts with menu planning,” he said. Creating one dish leads into the creation of many more through the end-to-end use of products. As chefs, they are always searching for the best ingredients. It is then their focus to ensure they appreciate and respect all that go into each and every one of them. For example, they source chicken that is naturally grown and fed on a natural plant forward diet, no hormones (激素) or additives — that’s used in many ways throughout menus from a simple grilled chicken breast to bone soup. Nothing goes to waste.

When they do have waste, even if minimal, they shift it from landfills to transform it into compost (堆肥) that’s then used across the Walt Disney World property. They also support Second Harvest, a local community food bank where healthy produce, prepared, but not served, meals eatable for human consumption are donated. Disney also works with pig farmers when they can’t distribute foods past the point of safety for human consumption. Besides, wildlife reservations love to get the meat because tigers and wild cats can still eat that.

Their operations are “on a path to a sustainable zero waste kitchen of tomorrow” where chefs learn the full-life cycle of plants from seed to plate and gain a better understanding and appreciation for the product and their craft.

Golden Oak at Disney has millions of bees that produce up to 300 pounds of honey per year, plus those bees help with cross pollination (授粉) of their gardens on a daily basis. They advocate a culture that helps develop not only the quality of food, but an appreciation for nature.

1. Where did Michael Gonsalves’ idea about cuisine come from?

A．His mom’s suggestions.	B．His dream of becoming a chef.
C．His interest in delicious food.	D．His labor experience as a child.

2. How are the ingredients dealt with in Golden Oak?

A．They are grilled to eat.	B．They are used to the fullest.
C．They are divided into groups.	D．They are selected by quality.

3. What does the author intend to do in paragraph 3?

A．Give examples about zero waste.

B．Introduce the unique habit of wildlife.

C．Stress the importance of natural food.

D．Explain the operation mode of the food bank.

4. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?

A．Disney World:New Cuisine Road

B．Michael Gonsalves:Creative Chef

C．Michael Gonsalves:Advocate of Food Diversity

D．Disney World:Pioneer in Environmental Protection

8 . Armed with a toolkit of techniques and tricks to calm the mind and bring focus back to your body, you can stop stressful situations from sabotaging your day, says Katy Georgiou.

GROUND YOURSELF

Making contact with the ground is your baseline go-to response for stress. This technique can be especially helpful if you find your stress regularly turns into panic. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, place your feet flat on the ground so that you feel stable, and then close your eyes. If you’re able to sit on the floor cross-legged or to lie down flat, then even better.

Think of this as earthing: really connect with the ground beneath your body. Some studies suggest that this simple act can help reduce or relieve symptoms of stress such as pain and fatigue, reduce blood pressure, and improve sleep. If you’re feeling disconnected from the world, it can also remind you that you belong to it and are a crucial part of it — the ground will always be there for you.

LOVE THYSELF

Adopting regular, daily or weekly routines for self-care can be very containing, creating consistency amid all sorts of stressful life events happening around you. Looking in the mirror each day can actually remind you that you exist, so feel free to factor some reflective gazing into your daily routine, whether it’s while applying moisturiser, shaving, or brushing your hair. Studies have shown that being confronted with your reflection can have powerful effects, taking us out of our heads and into the immediate present. For added effect, pay attention to the way your products interact with your hair and skin as you apply them.

Playing around with smells, colours and textures in your hands will also engage your senses. Using a scented shampoo or smoothing on body lotion after a warm bath can be easy ways to do this.

CLEAR YOUR MIND

Abandon all your thoughts and try to focus only on your surroundings. What can you see, hear, smell, taste and touch? Identify three things you can hear, one thing you can taste, four things you can see and two things you can feel on your skin. Pick out colours in the room you are sitting in, notice textures and different kinds of light. If somebody is with you, tell them what you are experiencing. The point here is that your senses are your best and easiest route back to feeling calm, by coming out of your head and rooting yourself back in the present. This is incredibly helpful if you’re having a panic attack or flop response.

1. If your friend Jane always feels worn out and suffers from sleep deprivation, which of the following techniques will you especially recommend to her?

A．Connect her body to the ground beneath her.

B．Adopt a daily gaze at her reflection in the mirror.

C．Exchange her scentless shampoo for an aromatic one.

D．Focus on what she can see, hear, smell, taste and touch.

2. Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A．Lying down flat can better relieve your stress.

B．Grounding yourself can give you a sense of belonging to the world.

C．Brushing your hair while looking in the mirror can remind you of your existence.

D．Those having a panic attack should shut their senses down.

3. The passage is intended to __________.

A．help people understand themselves better

B．introduce some practical methods for stress management

C．emphasize the significance of exploiting multiple senses

D．promote a mindset of living in the moment

9 . Los Angeles native Randall Bartlett sat under the rooftop of a traditional Chinese scholar’s studio, occasionally turning a page of his book. The scene was in the reopened Liu Fang Yuan garden at the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens. For him, the garden brings to life the Chinese philosophies he learned from books.

Phillip E. Bloom, director of the Center for East Asian Garden Studies, said the idea for Liu Fang Yuan goes back to the 1980s with the initial aim of creating a collection of Chinese plants, but after research, they realized plants alone were not sufficient to demonstrate the essence of a Chinese garden. Eventually, it was decided to model a garden on 16th and 17th century scholarly retreats(隐居处)in Suzhou.

The decision was made partly due to the fame of Suzhou classical gardens, but also because similarities were found between the Huntington and Suzhou gardens. Bloom said that Henry Huntington, founder of the Huntington Library, was a successful US businessman who used his fortune to collect rare books, artworks and to create gardens. “Many Suzhou gardens were also created by rich people who tried to pursue a scholarly lifestyle,” he added.

To preserve the character of the Suzhou gardens, the Huntington Library sought help from Suzhou, giving rise to collaboration between US and Chinese architects, contractors and designers. In all stages of construction, artisans(工匠)from Suzhou came to work on details of the venue.

After three years of expansion from 2018 to 2020, Liu Fang Yuan reopened to the public with 4.6 hectares of new landscape, making it one of the largest classical-style Chinese gardens in the world. The additions include courtyards displaying penjing, a scholar’s studio, a pavilion(亭子)situated at the garden’s highest point, etc.

Now, it is meaningful to see how people from local communities interact with the garden. “A lot of volunteers come to different lectures and exhibitions about Chinese culture hat we hold regularly,” Bloom said. By exposing its visitors to arts and literature, Liu Fang uan goes beyond international boundaries and bridges the cultural gaps between the two ountries.

1. What do we know about Liu Fang Yuan?

A．It used to be a scholarly retreat in Suzhou.

B．It was constructed by Suzhou artisans alone.

C．It became the largest garden after being expanded.

D．It promotes cultural exchanges between America and China.

2. What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The introduction to the founder.

B．The fame of Suzhou classical gardens.

C．The features of a scholarly lifestyle.

D．The reasons for modeling a Suzhou garden.

3. What does the underlined word “collaboration” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．negotiation

B．cooperation

C．inspiration

D．contradiction

4. Why did Bloom mention local people’s interactions with the garden?

A．To show its cultural significance.

B．To detail its architectural features.

C．To promote its diverse activities.

D．To boost its international fame.