1 . Sometimes one plus one does equal three, as was the case when McNee, a basketball coach, met Mandekic. When Mandekic, a math teacher, told McNee how hard it was to get students excited about math at a gathering, he suggested, “Why not throw in something they enjoy, like sports?” “You are kidding!” Mandekic dismissed his idea at the moment.
The idea of mixing basketball and mathematics got its first shot two years later, when Mandekic and McNee, the now colleagues - who had launched a tutoring non-profit - were invited to run a summer-school program for kids who’d failed Grade 9 math at Vanier School.
When the students showed up for their first day, they weren’t exactly thrilled. Over the next few hours, Mandekic and McNee gave the kids techniques to improve their shooting while also helping them calculate their field-goal percentage - which, in turn, taught them math knowledge. At the end of the game, the winning team was determined based on which group had the highest total percentage and had done the most efficient math. “When the bell rang, they were so focused on collecting their data and figuring out which team won that they didn’t leave,” says Mandekic. The classes, later named BallMatics, soon spread to other schools.
Later, McNee and Mandekic established a private school called Uchenna. At the school, kids with excellent basketball skills study all subjects, train at their sport and work part-time helping out with the BallMatics after-school programs. For the school’s first graduates, the value of BallMatics is clear: all of the 16 boys landed university scholarships for their performance in the classroom, not on the court. “The school’s commitment to academics is the key reason for our success. The coaches would bench students who didn’t keep up in class.” Abbott, one of them, says, “At Uchenna, we were student athletes, after all, not athlete students.”
1. How did McNee’s suggestion sound to Mandekic at first?| A．Confusing. | B．Absurd. | C．Practical. | D．Professional. |
| A．They enhanced students’ concentration. |
| B．They improved students’ shooting techniques. |
| C．They helped students learn math unknowingly. |
| D．They guaranteed students’ show-up percentage. |
| A．Students got balanced development. |
| B．The coaches cared little about students. |
| C．Uchenna attracted more and more students. |
| D．He doubted the education idea of the school. |
| A．Big Win | B．Math Struggling |
| C．Numbers Game | D．Athlete Training |
2 . The summer vacation is just around the corner. With such a long holiday to spend, have you decided where to get yourself relaxed from the great pressure of school study? Our company specializes in civil tours. We take pride in offering you the best services and in providing you with a vacation that will be fondly remembered. The following places can be your unforgettable destinations in our country.
A. The Australian Museum
The Australian Museum has an international reputation in the fields of natural history and indigenous studies research and exhibitions. The museum was established in 1827 and is Australia’s first museum of natural science and cultural artifacts.
B. Sydney Olympic Park
Home of the Best Games Ever and 2003 Rugby World, Sydney Olympic Park is a gold medal attraction and continues to serve as a major sport and social venue.
Apart from its ultra-modern sport venues, Sydney Olympic Park is set in extensive parklands. Bicentennial Park, one of Sydney’s most popular recreational areas, is criss-crossed with walking and bicycle tracks.
C. Art Gallery of New South Wales
Located within a short walking distance from Sydney’s CBD, the Art Gallery of New South Wales is one of Australia’s foremost art museums housing some of the finest works of art in the country.
The Gallery has a rich and diverse collection including key works of the Heidelberg School and favorite modern Australian artists including Brett Whiteley and Margaret Preston, as well as permanent Australian, European, Asian, contemporary and photographic galleries.
D. Koalas Park Sanctuary
Koalas are on show every day. Shows are at 10:20 A.M., 11:20 A.M., 2:00 P.M., 3:00 P.M. where you can cuddle, feed, pat and have your photo taken with the Koalas. See free roaming Koalas as well, 10 acres of rainforest. Walk in and pat our kangaroos.
1. How long has the Australian Museum been built?| A．Around 230 years. | B．Around 190 years. |
| C．Around 140 years. | D．Around 100 years. |
| A．Koalas Park Sanctuary. | B．Art Gallery of New South Wales. |
| C．The Australian Museum. | D．Sydney Olympic Park |
| A．School students. | B．Parents. | C．Foreign tourists. | D．Teachers. |
3 . Extremely energetic light from space is an unexplained wonder. Scientists don’t know where that light comes from, exactly. And now astronomers have spotted this light, called gamma (伽马) rays, at higher energies than ever before.
You can’t see gamma rays with your eyes. They are much more energetic than the light that we can see. So you need a fancy detector to spot them. The Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory, LHAASO, is an experiment in China. It searches for extremely high energy gamma rays.
Scientists have spotted 12 gamma-ray hot spots. These are parts of the sky from which the gamma rays are sent out. Those hot spots show that our galaxy, the Milky Way, has powerful particle accelerators (加速器). But those particle accelerators aren’t made by humans. Instead, they come from violent events in the universe. They might be exploding stars, for example. Such violent events make electric and magnetic fields, which can speed up protons (质子) and electrons. Those fast particles can then produce gamma rays with a lot of energy. That can happen when protons interact with other matter in space, for example.
Scientists aren’t sure what could produce gamma rays with the extreme energies observed. But the new observations point to two possibilities. One hot spot was associated with the Crab Nebula. That’s the remains of an exploded star. Another possible source was the Cygnus Cocoon. That's a region where massive stars are forming. The stars send out intense winds in the process.
LHAASO is located on Haizi Mountain in China’s Sichuan province. It is not yet fully operational. It's due to be completed later this year. Then, it could find even more gamma rays.
1. What can we learn about gamma rays?| A．They are invisible. | B．They are often ignored. |
| C．They contain little energy. | D．They are used to explore universe. |
| A．To make the explanation lively. | B．To help understand the Milky Way. |
| C．To illustrate the universe is expanding. | D．To show how gamma rays might be produced. |
| A．Disappointing. | B．Exciting. | C．Accurate. | D．Unconfirmed. |
| A．Gamma Rays Come from Multiple Sources | B．The Universe Is Exploding with Great Energy |
| C．Light from Space Has Recorded-Breaking Energy | D．Gamma Rays Can Only Be Seen by Astronauts |
4 . Last summer, I was suffering from too much stress, I’d just graduated from a challenging doctoral program and was
A dragonfly buzzed around me. With each
I watched that dragonfly carefully for many minutes. So did the dragonfly. “It’s not a matter of relaxing,” it seemed to say. “It’s a matter of
| A．distracted | B．withdrawn | C．exhausted | D．separated |
| A．tradition | B．strength | C．burden | D．habit |
| A．Generally | B．Eventually | C．Particularly | D．Exactly |
| A．settle down | B．break down | C．slow down | D．get down |
| A．concentrate | B．unwind | C．continue | D．pause |
| A．movement | B．change | C．advance | D．performance |
| A．convinced | B．informed | C．reminded | D．warned |
| A．way | B．mood | C．state | D．position |
| A．progress | B．admiration | C．consideration | D．stillness |
| A．remembering | B．understanding | C．appreciating | D．recognizing |
| A．life | B．history | C．moment | D．future |
| A．guessed | B．realized | C．agreed | D．admitted |
| A．value | B．content | C．reality | D．principle |
| A．concerned | B．doubtful | C．satisfied | D．regretful |
| A．enjoy | B．collect | C．suit | D．conduct |
5 . The only science fiction that ever really caught my attention when I was growing up, besides Star Trek and Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land, was the novel Contact by Carl Sagan. When I was 15, I saw the 1997 film version of this. Later, as a 17-year-old adapting to my first semester (学期) at university, I read the book. Contact eventually became the gateway for me to try more popular science books.
One thing that interested me was the bitter fights the researchers got into with one another about their different ways of measuring the expansion rate of spacetime. On second thoughts, maybe this was a lesson I was supposed to draw from Contact, but, at the time, I didn’t regard such politics as a scientist problem. Instead, what caught my attention was the portrayal of Eleanor “Ellie” Arroway, a scientist who searched for alien intelligence. In the film version, Ellie is seen listening to space using a pair of headphones connected to the Very Large Array (VLA)—a real facility in New Mexico.
Astronomers don’t really do this for the purposes of actual research because there is rarely any point. This is the kind of detail that is unimportant for the film of Contact, but how it portrays radio astronomy is one of the inaccuracies I occasionally hear scientists complain about. I was lucky enough to observe the behaviour of some water molecules (分子) in the Orion nebula (猎户座星云) using the VLA for my thirdyear lab course. We didn’t listen to the data. Instead, we processed it so that we could look at it.
That was probably the only time I ever excelled in the lab, and I was so excited to be a reallife Ellie Arroway. Later, I was forced to think more about the human aspects of my working experience. I witnessed unnecessarily heated arguments between scientists, complete with shouting and chalkboard punching (用拳猛击). But, thankfully, Contact had not only introduced me to the idea of radio astronomy as a possible career path, it had also given me a road map for remaining calm in the confused conflict of astronomical wonder and human politics.
1. What can be learned about the author in his teenage years?| A．He watched Contact’s film version in his freshman year. |
| B．His interest in science was inspired by Contact. |
| C．He read a wide range of science fiction books. |
| D．His favourite science fiction author was Robert Heinlein. |
| A．Detecting the sound of space. | B．Searching for alien intelligence. |
| C．Communicating with nonexperts. | D．Visiting the VLA in New Mexico. |
| A．To demonstrate his strong interest in lab projects. |
| B．To explain why scientists sometimes make complaints. |
| C．To show his observations had achieved positive results. |
| D．To prove the film of Contact presented radio astronomy incorrectly. |
| A．How to grasp career opportunities. |
| B．How to get an excellent score on a lab course. |
| C．How to deal with conflicts between scientists. |
| D．How to explain the science of radio astronomy. |
6 . Albert was mad about computer games. He could spend hours in front of the computer. When people encouraged him to leave the screen to have a normal life, he would respond u this is my window to the world. There is much more here than you realize.
Among all his games, he especially liked a rabbit-catching game. He was a real expert at it. He once even won the champion of an online rabbit-catching competition.
One day, as usual, as soon as he got home, he ran to his room to play computer games. But this time he found the computer was not there. Yet in its place there was a box, on which a card said, “Gift for Game Winner.” When he opened the box, he found a real rabbit in it. His parents then came in to tell him that they bought him the rabbit in place of the rabbit game because his computer was sent for repair.
Albert loved the little rabbit immediately. He liked playing with it and even gave it a name. He studied its diet and habits. Days later, he actually began to enjoy the company of the rabbit. And he also enjoyed sharing his stories and his growing knowledge about rabbits with his parents, friends and teachers.
Now, Albert is no longer mad about computer games. He prefers learning and discovering new things about animals. He also uses the computer to do that. When someone asks him why he stops playing computer games,he points to his pet and says, “This is my window to the world. There is more than you realize.”
1. Albert used to be ______.| A．mad with his parents | B．interested in rabbit stories |
| C．good at catching rabbits | D．crazy about computer games |
| A．They gave him a real rabbit as a gift. |
| B．They bought him a new rabbit game. |
| C．They replaced his computer with a box. |
| D．They told him to stop playing computer games. |
| A．He starts to like the shop that sold the rabbit. |
| B．He prefers discovering new things about animals. |
| C．He likes playing computer games with the rabbit. |
| D．He is no longer good at playing computer games. |
| A．His parents. | B．Computer games. |
| C．His pet rabbit. | D．Knowledge about nature. |
7 . To get kids into science for the long term, new findings suggest it’s best to engage them alongside their families. The finding runs counter (背道而驰) to the current framework, in which children attend science-related summer camps and after-school programs apart from their families. That approach may reduce the long-term potential of what they learn.
“Most kids have interest in science,” says lead author Megan Ennes. “For them, it’s about curiosity and wonder, but research shows that as they make their way through middle school, there’s a significant decline. So we want to focus on the finding so that we can build a support system around it.”
In partnership with North Carolina State University, the researchers based their study on a family science program hosted at three museums. Over the course of ten months, families met on weekends for science themed events. Afterward, the participants attended an activity led by professionals in science, technology, engineering or math, allowing families to experience what it’s like to work in those fields.
During an event with a focus on local wildlife, a bird expert helped families capture birds with nets and unite the ones that hadn’t been caught before to monitor their populations. “After the bird banding, one of the parents took it home so they could continue talking about birds at home,” Ennes says. “Our goal isn’t to persuade students to become scientists. But if we can help families see science as something they do for fun together, then we can help ensure they have a lifelong engagement with it.”
“Some of the greatest challenges and opportunities our society is faced with will be solved by teams rather than by individuals,” Ennes says. “Helping families see science as something they do together with a community can help build 21st-century skills needed to be successful in science and society. It also builds a supportive network to allow youth and families to explore new careers and lifelong hobbies related to science.”
1. Why did the researchers carry out the study?| A．Most children show no interest in science. |
| B．Children are curious about many things. |
| C．Students should be encouraged to love their families. |
| D．Middle school students reduce their interest in science. |
| A．Experience the work in science. | B．Host events about science. |
| C．Share the information in science. | D．Visit three museums for free. |
| A．To get students into science for the long term. | B．To monitor the number of some birds. |
| C．To make more students want to be scientists. | D．To encourage students to learn to love wildlife. |
| A．Students will face great challenges and chances. |
| B．It’s hard for students to solve problems by themselves. |
| C．It’s good to let students engage in science with families. |
| D．The community is good for science development. |
8 . By 2050, our global population might have been beyond nine billion, bringing with it an expected 70% increase in global demand for meat and fish. As a result, the growing demand for soya-based farm feed is driving massive destruction of forests at an alarming rate, and sea animal populations have halved in the last four decades due to widespread overfishing.
With 10 million pounds funding, part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, a start-up company Entocycle is leading a cooperation that will build the UK’s first industrial-scale insect farm. Black soldier flies(黑水虻)are used to convert food waste from farms and factories into a sustainable, organic insect-based protein feed, as an alternative to soya, for farmed animals, namely pigs, chicken and fish. In short the company is using food waste to create insect protein to feed the animals that we eat, while reducing carbon dioxide emissions(排放)and deforestation.
Following its formation in 2017, Entocycle spent time developing its technology as part of the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre United Kingdom(ESA BIC UK), which is managed and partly funded by STFC. Entocycle acquired the expert knowledge to develop a network of cutting edge sensors, originally designed for use in space, to monitor and optimize(优化)the black soldier flies’ lifecycle.They combined this with big data analysis to develop their proprietary technology to mass-rear flies, scalable for industrial use, STFC’s Dr Sue O’Hare, Operations Manager at the ESA BIC UK, said, “Entocycle is a first-class example of how space technology can be applied to address one of the most important global challenges we currently face —how to feed the world without harming our planet.”
It is fantastic to know that the ESA BIC UK, part of the world’s largest business incubation program for space tech start-ups, was able to provide the right environment and support to play a part in the early development of this world-changing technology. This is a significant milestone for Entocycle as it seeks to make a real and positive impact on making our food supply chains more environmentally sustainable.
1. How does the author develop his opinion in paragraph 1?| A．By listing questions. | B．By presenting facts. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By stating arguments. |
| A．Transform. | B．Exchange. | C．Dip. | D．Add. |
| A．Negative. | B．Pessimistic. | C．Supportive. | D．Ambiguous. |
| A．Food Waste Is a Global Challenge |
| B．Increasing Population Threats Our Planet |
| C．Entocycle Puts Space Technology into Use |
| D．Using Insects to Turn Food Waste into Animal Feed |
9 . The 17-year-old Roman was about to leave the foster (寄养) care system as he turned 18. All Roman ever wanted was to have his family
Roman had been in and out of nineteen
Roman had
Years later, Roman reconnected with the family and expressed his
They
The family’s
| A．nearly | B．lately | C．forever | D．probably |
| A．accepted | B．touched | C．attracted | D．recognized |
| A．revision | B．regret | C．goal | D．wonder |
| A．suitable | B．different | C．advanced | D．responsible |
| A．fled | B．quit | C．left | D．ran |
| A．shortly | B．extremely | C．happily | D．equally |
| A．sign | B．pressure | C．challenge | D．fear |
| A．plan | B．willingness | C．chance | D．ability |
| A．connected | B．compared | C．shared | D．charged |
| A．received | B．saw | C．damaged | D．sold |
| A．surprise | B．excitement | C．disappointment | D．joy |
| A．raced against | B．swept off | C．carried away | D．left out |
| A．promote | B．enjoy | C．identify | D．remember |
| A．measure | B．dream | C．decision | D．power |
| A．close | B．loving | C．safe | D．rich |
10 . In 2020, Pink launched the World Regret Survey, the largest survey on the topic ever undertaken. With his research team, Pink asked more than 15, 000 people in 105 countries, “How often do you look back on your life and wish you had done things differently?” Most of them said regret was at least an occasional part of their life. About 21 percent said they felt regretful all the time. Only 1 percent said they never felt regretful.
If you are of the “no regrets” school of life, you may think that all this regret is a recipe for unhappiness. But that isn’t the case. Letting yourself be overwhelmed by regret is indeed bad for you. But going to the other extreme may be even worse. To extinguish your regrets doesn’t free you from shame or sorrow but causes you to make the same mistakes again and again. To truly get over our guilt requires that we put regret in its proper place.
Uncomfortable as it is, regret is an amazing cognitive(认知的) feature. It requires that you go back to a past scene. Imagine that you acted differently to change it, and with that new scene in mind, arrive at a different present-and then, compare that fictional present with the one you are experiencing in reality. Not all regrets are the same, of course. Pink says they come in four basic types, and an instance of regret may involve just one combination.
Many connection regrets overlap (重叠) with moral regrets, which can come about after you go against your own values. For example, you may pride yourself on being a loving person, and thus regret not living up to this image in the relationship you harmed. Moral regrets can also involve just yourself. Maybe you regret not living up to your promise to your health when you ate a whole pizza or skipped the gym.
If not analyzed(分析) and managed, any kind of regret can be harmful to your well-being. Regret is linked to depression and anxiety, and too much regret can negatively affect your immune system. But regret doesn’t have to be put aside and ignored.
1. What could be concluded from Pink’s research?| A．Half of the people felt regretful. | B．Most people lived without regrets. |
| C．None could live a life without regrets. | D．Most of the people had regrets. |
| A．Destroy. | B．Admit. | C．Treasure. | D．Experience. |
| A．The harm of moral regrets. |
| B．The importance of promise. |
| C．The relationship between regrets and values. |
| D．The connection between reality and imagination. |
| A．Types of regrets. | B．Causes of regrets. |
| C．Benefits of experiencing regrets. | D．Ways of dealing with regrets. |
