1 . In the community of Mudgeeraba, a remarkable story has occurred, displaying a more connected society.
Living far from her own family and with her husband having no parents left, Nina, a new mom, was feeling the weight of
Nina put out a heartfelt
Since their initial meeting six months ago, Christine has lovingly
The unexpected
| A．mistrust | B．intervention | C．prejudice | D．loneliness |
| A．answering | B．longing | C．preparing | D．arranging |
| A．assistance | B．promise | C．respect | D．recognition |
| A．debatable | B．familiar | C．courageous | D．generous |
| A．statement | B．option | C．proposal | D．request |
| A．unappealing | B．convincing | C．heartwarming | D．confusing |
| A．comments | B．responses | C．discussions | D．investigations |
| A．professional | B．relative | C．employer | D．match |
| A．channel | B．babysitter | C．witness | D．standard |
| A．departure | B．affection | C．absence | D．objection |
| A．reflected upon | B．taken on | C．set aside | D．applied for |
| A．worries | B．remembers | C．denies | D．feels |
| A．limit | B．title | C．message | D．prize |
| A．discovery | B．adventure | C．bond | D．reunion |
| A．releasing | B．exposing | C．encouraging | D．illustrating |
2 . Chaudhary weaves (编织) together lengths of rope and grass collected from the nearby riverbank in her village, skillfully shaping the materials into a gift box while instructing a group of women to follow suit.
The ropes being used were once the lifeline for mountain climbers tackling Nepal’s mountains and were then cast away. Diverse measures to remove such discarded materials have rocketed since 2019, when the government launched Clean Mountain Campaign.Around 140,000 tons of waste were collected on Mt. Everest alone, which were handled accordingly, either securely buried or recycled.
Some waste is now finding fresh life, transformed by skilled hands like Chaudhary’s into items to sell, thanks to an initiative led by Acharya, an owner of a waste processing business and an advocate for sustainable waste management. She has been working with the cleaning campaign, aiming at mountains like Mt. Everest.
“Metal waste goes through the recycling process, but we weren’t capable of recycling these ropes and cooking gas cans,” Acharya says. It didn’t occur to her that the waste which couldn’t be recycled could be reused until she met Rai at an art exhibition and a solution emerged.
Rai, a businessman dealing in craftworks, helped connect Acharya with Chaudhary and her team of craftswomen in hopes of unlocking the economic value of the mountain waste. With flexible hours, the project gives the craftswomen an opportunity to earn money even as they maintain their household responsibilities.
“While this seems insignificant compared to waste in the mountains, it’s a start. We can’t supply sufficient raw material with waste sorting and cleaning processes taking plenty of time and money,” Acharya says, desperate to expand the program to involve more women and treat more waste. But progress has been slow. “We need investment to mechanize the cleaning and processing of waste in the initial phase to provide the crafting team with enough materials to meet their demand,” she adds.
1. What were the ropes mentioned in paragraph 2 initially intended as?| A．Tools for tying up weeds. | B．Villagers’ basic necessities of life. |
| C．Raw materials tor unique artworks. | D．Life-saving devices for mountaineers. |
| A．A journey to the rural area. | B．An encounter with a trader. |
| C．Information from a product launch. | D．Attendance at an academic conference. |
| A．Train more senior technicians. | B．Obtain a better reputation. |
| C．Drop waste washing procedures. | D．Bring in advanced equipment. |
| A．Chaudhary: An Eco-Minded Folk Artist |
| B．Nepali Women Are Turning Garbage into Crafts |
| C．Clean Mountain Campaign Has Already Taken Effect |
| D．A Headache: Mt. Everest Is Heavily Littered with Waste |
3 . You may well remember the last time you made a fool of yourself when asked a question in front of the entire class or when you felt you stood out, either positively, like scoring a perfect goal in a soccer game, or negatively, like wearing a piece of clothing that made you look entirely out of place.
These situations differ greatly, but one thing is for sure: in none of them did people pay attention to you to the extent that you might have thought they did. We estimate our own significance from our perspective, colored by the fact that we are all the center of our own universes, which is the noted “egocentric bias”, represented by the spotlight effect.
A study conducted by Tom Gilovich and other researchers found the participants greatly overestimated the number of people who might have noticed an embarrassing T-shirt they were wearing. But when required to view a recording of a third person wearing an embarrassing T-shirt, they got the estimate of the number of people who noticed it nearly right. What seems to shift the memorability of the T-shirt in our eyes, then, is us.
The spotlight effect doesn’t apply merely to appearance but to actions. In another part of the same study, the student participants similarly overestimated how much importance their classmates in a group discussion attached to their performance. Having an accurate idea of how much our performance matters to other people is vital. Overestimating how impressed our classmates are with our positive performance can cause us to have a ballooning sense of self-importance. Yet understanding fewer people than we realize actually care about our negative performance or errors can be incredibly freeing.
If we continuously fall into the trap of the spotlight effect, it may harm our mental health. We may respond with inaction to opportunities we want to participate in based on a mistaken assumption that others will analyze and judge us for them. The comforting truth is that just reminding ourselves of the fact that others almost never notice us as much as we think they do can be enough to counteract the spotlight effect.
1. What occasions are mentioned in paragraph 1?| A．When you are judged. | B．When you feel noticed. |
| C．Highlights of your life. | D．Your embarrassing moments. |
| A．To make a comparison. |
| B．To apply the spotlight effect. |
| C．To stress the essence of evaluation. |
| D．To analyze external factors’ effect on thinking. |
| A．gain respect | B．feel liberated |
| C．take pride in ourselves | D．break down mentally |
| A．Act out. | B．Find fault with. | C．Cancel out. | D．Take notice of. |
4 . Do you know cultivated meat? Typically, making this sort of meat starts with cells from domestic animals. The cells are grown in bioreactors full of nutrient-rich liquid, and then harvested, and eventually become products such as steak or chicken. In a homely kitchen of Eat Just, a startup, a slice of such meat was fried and then served with peppers. The first mouthful of it was extraordinary because the meat was grown in a lab, rather than on an animal. Meanwhile, it was also dull, because the texture, taste, look and smell of the meat was almost identical to that of chicken.
In June, Eat Just and Upside Foods became the first two companies to win regulatory approval to sell cultivated meat in America. A handful of other firms are trying to bring cultivated meat to market. But the hope is fading owing to continued high costs and troubles with mass production.
The UN reports meat and dairy production already accounts for 12% of humanity’s greenhouse-gas emissions, Demand for meat is skyrocketing among the growing middle classes of Africa and Asia. Lab-grown meat could help meet that demand without the world breaking its carbon budget. By contrast, two-fifths of Americans claim to restrict their meat consumption either for ethical(伦理的) reasons or environmental ones. Lab-grown meat may seem less ethically worrisome than eating animals. And the early success of plant-based meat alternatives gave investors hope. Beyond Meat, one such firm, went public in 2019, and saw its value shoot to $14 billion.
Though lab-grown meat offers an alternative to farm-grown meat, questions have been raised about how climate-friendly it can be. A study published earlier this year found that in some circumstances cultivated meat could be more polluting than the conventional stuff because the bioreactor is in great need of power to control its temperature. Consequently, only if renewable energy is used in the production process will cultivated meat cut the carbon footprint of the meat industry.
Whether this effort can make lab-grown meat attractive and cheap enough to attract consumers remains to be seen.
1. What does the author focus on concerning cultivated meat in paragraph 1?| A．Its characteristics. | B．Its health benefits. |
| C．Its cooking methods. | D．Its similarities to artificial meat. |
| A．Most Americans skip meat. |
| B．Asians prefer lab-grown meat. |
| C．Beyond Meat is facing financial collapse. |
| D．Lab-grown meat may have a vast consumer market. |
| A．Poisonous chemical leaks. | B．Land occupation. |
| C．Grecnhouse-gas emissions. | D．Water consumption. |
| A．Opposed. | B．Favorable. | C．Uncaring. | D．Reserved. |
5 . The 2024 Consumer Electronics Show is upon us and we’ve chosen four most functional-seeming ones to share with you.
A desk bike to charge your phoneCombining the health benefits of a pedal (脚踏) desk with the energy savings of a body-powered phone charger, Ampera Bike seems ideally suited for office multitaskers. A half-hour of pedaling can charge the average phone about 50 percent. The bike, small and unnoticeable enough for a home office, allows workers to finish the same tasks moving as they did sitting still.
Walking assist robotFor many, walking is a challenge because of aging, illness or muscle weakness. That’s why WIM, a robotic assist device tied around your waist and legs, was created. It reduces the energy needed to walk by 20 percent, potentially enabling walkers to go farther and feel less tired. The entire device weighs 3 pounds and folds up to the size of a purse. WIM can also be used in an exercise mode, providing resistance similar to walking in water and targeting specific muscles.
A mental health mirrorHow do you feel when looking in the mirror in the morning? BMind Smart Mirror can take one look, use AI and natural language processing to analyze your expressions and gestures, tell your moods and then offer “personalized mental health coaching” to help. This technology that can monitor for heath changes has the potential of improving the quality of millions of lives.
Targeted hearing devicePeople with hearing loss have difficulty listening to a specific voice in a noisy space. OrCam Hear addresses this issue with a system of earphones and an AI-powered app. The app samples voices and creates speaker profiles, which then allows users to select to select their wanted voice and deaden other ones, making a game-changing, experience for hearing aids in general.
1. What is special about Ampera Bike?| A．It’s handy to carry about. |
| B．It charges phones with batteries. |
| C．It integrates fitness with energy supply. |
| D．It’s an economical form of transportation. |
| A．Ampera Bike. | B．WIM. |
| C．BMind Smart Mirror. | D．OrCam Hear. |
| A．By restoring damaged hearing. | B．By screening out undesired sounds. |
| C．By boosting the volume of hearing aids. | D．By turning unclear voices into words. |
6 . Social media provides materialists with ideal opportunities to compare themselves with others, which makes them subject to passive and addictive user behavior. This stresses them out and, ultimately, leads to low life satisfaction, according to a new study.
The researchers headed by Dr. Phillip Ozimek from Germany employed 1, 230 people for their online survey. In order to participate, respondents had to visit at least one social media channel at least once a week. On average, the participants stated they spent just over two hours a day on social media.
The team used six different questionnaires to determine the extent to which the participants had a materialistic attitude and tended to compare themselves with others, whether they used social media more actively or passively, whether they were addicted to social media, how stressed and how satisfied they were with their lives.
“The data showed a stronger materialistic approach goes hand in hand with a tendency to compare oneself with others,” points out Ozimek. This comparison is easy to make on social media, primarily through passive use—by looking at the content posted by other users. Materialism and passive use were also linked to addictive use of social media.
“Users are constantly thinking about the respective channels and fear they’re missing out on something if they aren’t online,” explains Ozimek. “This in turn leads to poorer mental health like stress. The final link in the chain is reduced life satisfaction.”
“Overall, the study provides further evidence that the use of social media is associated with risks, especially for people with a highly materialistic mindset,” says the psychologist. “This is particularly worrying, because social media can stimulate and increase materialistic values through influence r marketing. Meanwhile, the platforms attract materialists anyway, as they’re a perfect way to satisfy materialistic needs.”
“It’s definitely a good idea to be aware of the amount of time you spend on social media and to reduce it,” recommends Ozimek, who advises against giving up social media completely. “If you did, you’re likely to over-correct.” He also suggests recording materialism and social media use in patients undergoing treatment for mental health disorders. “While these factors are often irrelevant, they can be a starting point for additional interventions patients can try out at home.”
1. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?| A．The Virtual World, the Real Danger |
| B．Showing Superiority Causes Heavy Media Use |
| C．More Social Media Materialism, Less Happiness |
| D．Materialistic Values: A Stepping Stone to Discontent |
| A．be a big spender | B．specialize in data analysis |
| C．be a regular social media user | D．upload web surfing history |
| A．Pessimism. | B．Sympathy. | C．Shock. | D．Concern. |
| A．Restricting the duration. | B．Logging onto well-rated websites. |
| C．Abandoning it for good. | D．Prohibiting patients from using it. |
7 . Think you have a good grasp of English? Good. Read the six sentences below, then.
Sentence 1: The old man the boat.
Sentence 2: The cotton clothing is made of grows in Mississippi.
Sentence 3: Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
Sentence 4: Fat people eat collects.
Sentence 5: The man who hunts ducks out on weekends.
Sentence 6: The complex houses married and single soldiers and their families.
Linguists (语言学家) call these “garden path sentences”, which take you by the hand and lead you down a winding path to a dead end. Despite this, they’re all grammatically correct. Let’s see why.
Sentence 1: The old man the boat.
Besides sounding like a rejected Hemingway title, this sentence is indeed grammatically correct thanks to some well-placed homonyms—words that share the same spellings but have different meanings. Homonym 1 here is “old”, used as a noun, meaning “old people”; homonym 2 is “man”, used as a verb, meaning “to serve in/on”. With that in mind, the sentence means “The old people serve on the boat”.
Sentence 2: The cotton clothing is made of grows in Mississippi.
At first read, you’d think “is made of” is the main verb of this sentence. But it’s not. The simplest form of this sentence is “The cotton grows in Mississippi”; confusingly, “clothing is made of” is used to tell us what cotton we’re talking about. This sentence would make way more sense if written “The cotton that clothing is made of grows in Mississippi”, but English allows us to remove certain conjunctions like “that”, with its meaning maintained.
Sentence 3: Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
The first half of this sentence is easy to catch. So when dealing with the other half, people usually follow the structure of the first half, and it’d be understood as “fruits fly like bananas”. This is obviously unreasonable. Only when people rethink can they recognize the true meaning of the sentence. Therefore, such sentences manage to make people ignore the structure of the sentence itself, thus departing from its original meaning.
Come on! Take a walk down the garden path with the rest of the sentences.
1. What’s the characteristic of “garden path sentences” according to linguists?| A．Misleading but error-free. | B．Accurate and plain. |
| C．Improperly-worded and meaningless. | D．Ungrammatical but comprehensible. |
| A．“grows” in sentence 2. | B．“eat” in sentence 4. |
| C．“hunts” in sentence 5. | D．“houses” in sentence 6. |
| A．“fruit flies” refers to a sort of insect. | B．“flies” serves as the verb of the sentence. |
| C．“flies like” explains what fruit is talked about. | D．“like” has the same meaning as the “like” before it. |
| A．The ill-placed verbs. | B．The removal of “that”. |
| C．The grammar mistakes. | D．The lack of noun behind “collects”. |
8 . With pet ownership becoming more popular, being saddened by the loss of a beloved pet is becoming a terrible headache. Li Peng, a woolen felt (织物) craftswoman, has found a unique way to preserve the memory of dead pets by creating realistic woolen images.
Li’s journey into this craft is accidental. During her college years, she majored in e-commerce and worked part time at a pet store. One day, while visiting a website, she came upon a small fox made entirely of wool. Astonished at its delicacy, she set off on a self-taught journey in this art form. In late 2019, Li Peng made the firm decision to start her own business and pursue wool felting as a full-time profession.
While a video showcasing the work may only take a few minutes to watch, the actual process is far more intricate. The three-dimensional creations feature genuine fur, lifelike glass eyes and tiny whiskers (胡须), each one individually secured by hand. To achieve a vivid effect, she repeatedly sticks layers of wool with a needle, winding the loose fibers together to create solid felted shapes. The key is massive patience.
The handcrafted creations satisfy her desire to convey love. The majority of her customers are pet owners who have experienced the loss of their beloved companions. They send Li photographs and even their pets’ hair, hoping to freeze the appearance of their furry friends through her wool felting models. Fascinated by the deep bond between people and their pets, she is committed to grabbing and investing these emotions in her artworks. And it turns out that the career is a success. Orders are often scheduled for one year later, and she has gained substantial attention through social media.
Reflecting on her work, Li expresses her desire to create meaningful pieces using the warm material, offering a heartfelt gift of warmth to the beautiful souls of this world.
1. What inspired Li Peng to take up wool felting as a career?| A．A temporary job at a pet shop. | B．Her self-study art course. |
| C．A discovery of an alternative to fiber. | D．A woolen creation online. |
| A．Confusing. | B．Efficient. | C．Complicated. | D．Effortless. |
| A．Conservationists of animal rights. | B．Individuals fond of furry toys. |
| C．Distributors providing personalized service. | D．People suffering from pet loss. |
| A．Fair product pricing. | B．Human-pet attachment. |
| C．Smart network marketing. | D．Hunger for a fine reputation. |
9 . In Lincoln Elementary School, the students went wild with excitement on hearing the announcement of the upcoming science fair. Among the
Alex envisioned creating a volcano model for the fair, complete with a(n)
Their working together became a lively
On the science fair day, the school gym was full of scientific wonders. When Alex and Mia confidently introduced their project and skillfully
Alex’s decision to
| A．daring | B．curious | C．hesitant | D．eager |
| A．theory | B．biology | C．experiments | D．adventures |
| A．burning | B．erupting | C．talent | D．gravity |
| A．struggling | B．offering | C．demanding | D．managing |
| A．well-intended | B．self-absorbed | C．hard-working | D．easy-going |
| A．replace | B．accompany | C．join | D．instruct |
| A．exchange | B．race | C．change | D．challenge |
| A．sharing | B．checking | C．doubting | D．acquiring |
| A．aimlessly | B．randomly | C．leisurely | D．tirelessly |
| A．initiated | B．born | C．planned | D．located |
| A．analyzed | B．designed | C．filmed | D．demonstrated |
| A．contract | B．recognition | C．permit | D．degree |
| A．reach out | B．get through | C．give in | D．look up |
| A．competition | B．dignity | C．discipline | D．cooperation |
| A．destination | B．subject | C．must | D．signal |
10 . Join us aboard the two largest and finest whale watching ships on Monterey Bay: the 110ft Princess Monterey and the 100ft Atlantis Monterey. Designed with your comfort in mind, both ships feature indoor heated cabins with expansive windows for viewing, a snack-bar for refreshments, multiple seating options both indoors and outdoors, and the opportunity to enjoy the 3-hour tour from our limited Upper Deck for an additional fee.
● The Princess Monterey departs at 9:00 am, 12:30 pm and 3:30 pm.
● The Atlantis Monterey departs at 10:00 am, 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm.
Experience the wonder of sunset alongside the whales. Sightings vary by season—be sure to check our calendar for availability:
| Dolphins | Orcas | Gray whales | Blue whales | Humpback whales | |
| Jan. -Feb. | × | ◎ | |||
| Mar. -May | × | ◎ | × | × | |
| Jun. -Oct. | × | ◎ | ◎ | × | |
| Nov. | × | ◎ | ◎ | × | |
| Dec. | × | ◎ | × | ◎ | × |
| ×: Most Likely ◎: Irregularly | |||||
Prices starting at $65, secure your spot today by calling us at 831-372-2203 or visiting princessmontereywhalewatching.com.
Voices from our guests:
★Eight miles out, and the humpback whales, Rizzo’s dolphins, and sea lions were in full view. A repeat visit is definitely in my plans!
—Mary B.
★The trip was superb, enriched by the insightful commentary from the naturalist and the captain’s expert positioning for whale watching. The staff was informative and helpful. We couldn’t have asked for a better whale watching company.
—Steve S.
★I’ve gone whale watching with Princess Monterey 5 times and never disappointed. The sightings on September 1st and 2nd were breathtaking.
—Hector M.
★Leave your telescopes at home—the boats get you close enough for great views. But do bring a high-quality camera for a nice shot of whales!
—Grant W.
1. What should you do to take a sunset whale watching tour?| A．Book the larger of the two ships. | B．Upgrade to Upper Deck. |
| C．Make a calendar-based reservation. | D．Choose the earliest departure time. |
| A．In February. | B．In April. | C．In June. | D．In August. |
| A．Mary | B．B. Steve S. | C．Hector M. | D．Grant W. |
