1 . The French couple, Katia and Maurice Krafft, shared an attraction to volcanoes, one that perhaps approached an addiction. There are many people interested in volcanoes, but very few who are willing to climb an erupting crater(火山口) and approach the flowing lava(岩浆). Katia and Maurice did a lot of work, shooting photographs and films of volcano eruptions, always being the first on the scene of an active volcano, and the ones who fearlessly came to just a few feet from lava flows. They were not only highly respected by volcanologists all around the world, but also envied.
The couple metinthe1960s when they were both students at the University of Strasbourg, and got married in 1970. Both of them were attracted to volcanoes since childhood. Upon graduating, Katia and Maurice pursued their careers as volcano observers with no financial support at all, just their own savings, which they spent on a trip to Stromboli to observe the eruption of the volcano.
They took an incredible and valuable set of photographs of the near-continuous eruption. People were curious about the photographs, while public officials working on threatening volcanoes found them useful. This interest in their work helped the French couple to establish a career in documenting eruptions. Now able to obtain financial support for their work, Katia and Maurice visited hundreds, if not thousands, of volcanoes around the globe. They traveled and recorded eruptions, always getting closer to the danger than anyone else.
In June 1991, along with 40 other people, the Kraffts set out to film the eruption at Mount Unzen in Japan. A sudden and unexpected flow took place and all the people in its path were killed. Later investigation revealed that Katia’s and Maurice’s bodies were closest to the volcano crater. They were 44 and 45 years old respectively.
In their 25-year-long career, the couple documented hundreds of volcanoes, and their work consists of thousands of sill photos, 300 hours off film materials, a number of books, and scientific articles published in Bulletin of Volcanology.
1. When did the couple start their careers as volcano observers?A.As children. | B.While studying at college. |
C.When leaving university. | D.After getting married. |
A.They focused on threatening volcanoes. |
B.They were taken with their own savings. |
C.They recorded continuous eruption of volcanoes. |
D.They were shot at a shorter distance from lava flows. |
A.The couple didn’t get prepared before setting out. |
B.The couple had been married for 25 years before the accident. |
C.The couple made a great fortune with what they shot. |
D.The couple went ahead of the rest at the last minute. |
A.Caring and demanding. | B.Promising and optimistic. |
C.Brave and devoted. | D.Dynamic and calm. |
2 . In 2016, when I was on the graduate scheme (计划) at Deutsche Bank, Marie Inafidon, chief executive of Stemettes, who encourages girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), was also working there. I didn’t meet her at the time, but I did read an article about her and her career.
Learning at 21 years old about the career of a young black woman’s succeeding in a traditionally white male-dominated industry was one of the most influential things that ever happened to me. It gave me confidence that it was possible to do well in the office and work on personal external project at the same time.
Role models can play a central role in shaping a young professional’s career. They are especially important if you belong to an under-represented group for whom a lack of representation in the workplace can lead to feeling isolated and lacking in confidence. They can help those just starting out, whether or not they are a graduate as I was, to believe in their own abilities.
There’s a growing need to have accessible role models. Given the tendency to exaggerate (夸大) success stories, hearing from women who talk honestly about the challenges they have faced, either when starting a business or forming a new career path, is much more effective. A study revealed that 70 per cent of girls say they think differently about their futures after hearing from women role models.
I’m frequently asked about what businesses could be doing to increase racial diversity in the workplace. A good starting point is to actively promote and support the voices of the people in the organisation that are leading positive change and inspiring others. This makes a real difference. Unlike the tokenism (装样子) I still come across, which results in individuals being made the lone representative for a group without real support from the organisation.
Things came full circle for me when I interviewed Ms. Inafidon for my book in 2019. I was able to tell her of the incredible impact her passion and confidence had had on me as a graduate trainee and how grateful I would always be for that.
1. What do we learn about Marie Inafidon?A.She became successful at 21. |
B.She was a trainee at Deutsche Bank. |
C.She encouraged girls to take up STEM-related work. |
D.She helped the author with her external project personally. |
A.Experienced professionals. | B.A graduate eager to succeed. |
C.People without special abilities. | D.The young from an under-represented group. |
A.Taking on challenging projects. |
B.Reading more made-up success stories. |
C.Starting their own business as early as possible. |
D.Listening to women role models share their experiences. |
A.Encourage positive opinions. |
B.Make more colored people authorities. |
C.Include more people of different races. |
D.Understand the true meaning of tokenism. |
3 . About ten years ago, logging into Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram would mostly show posts from friends and family in the order they were posted. Today, these platforms present a mix of content, tailored by algorithms (算法) to match users’ interests, whether it’s plants, sports, cats, or politics.
Kyle Chayka, a writer for The New Yorker, discusses this topic in his book, Filterworld. He explains that algorithms analyze user data to predict and influence what they will likely engage with. This means that instead of a simple, chronological feed, users encounter a dynamic stream, constantly adapting to their preferences. Chayka examines how these algorithmic recommendations control what we consume, from music and movies to food and travel destinations. He argues that this machine-driven selection process has turned us into passive consumers, making our preferences and tastes more similar.
Chayka points out that algorithms make us passive by always showing us content that we’re unlikely to click away from but won’t find too unexpected or challenging. This constant stream of recommendations reduces our exposure to diverse or challenging content, subtly shaping our preferences and behaviors.
Moreover, Chayka points out that algorithms also pressure content creators, like musicians and artists, to tailor their work to fit these digital platforms. For instance, musicians on Spotify or TikTok might focus on creating catchy hooks at the beginning of their songs to grab the listener’s attention.
Despite the strong presence of these algorithms, Chayka believes that regulation could reduce their influence. He suggests that if Meta, the parent company of Facebook, were required to separate its various services, like Instagram or WhatsApp, and make them compete with each other, it could give users more control and choice over their digital consumption.
In summary, the change from simple, time-ordered social. media posts to algorithm-driven content has a big impact on both the viewers and the creators, influencing what we see, hear, and even think. Chayka’s insights highlight the need for greater awareness and potentially more regulation in our increasingly digital world.
1. According to the text, how have social media platforms changed in the past ten years?A.They show posts in a time-based order. |
B.They prioritize posts from friends and family. |
C.They make adjustments to satisfy users’ needs. |
D.They provide more content to meet different needs. |
A.They make users more active consumers. |
B.They shape users’ preferences and behaviors. |
C.They reduce the influence of content creators. |
D.They expose users to diverse and challenging content. |
A.By encouraging musicians to create longer songs. |
B.By discouraging musicians from using catchy hooks. |
C.By giving musicians more control and choice over their music. |
D.By requiring musicians to create their work to fit the platforms. |
A.Tech companies should have more departments. |
B.Social media algorithms give content creators less opportunities. |
C.Social media algorithms flatten our culture by making decisions for us. |
D.Network platforms have increased the common recommendations for 10 years. |
4 . Sometimes accommodation can feel restricting when you’re traveling. If you’re in an unfamiliar country, it might be tempting (有吸引力的) just to go and stay in a hotel. It doesn’t hurt to step out of your comfort zone from time to time though, and there are plenty of accommodation options that aren’t hotels that are easily accessible and not too hard on the wallet.
Home Swap
There is a way to stay in a beautiful home for a minimal cost. The hidden disadvantage? A stranger is also staying in your home. Home swaps are increasing in popularity and there are sites dedicated to giving you peace of mind so that you can enjoy your holiday in the comfort that your home isn’t being messed up.
Houseboat
The perfect option for those who love the water, houseboats come in all levels of luxury, so you should be able to find one that suits your budget. It could be tough to get the hang of controlling your home if you’re unfamiliar with boats, but it a skill that you should pick up relatively quickly!
Igloo
Obviously not an option in anywhere warm, staying in an igloo for a night is actually a lot warmer than you think! Don’t worry about accommodation experience, there are plenty of igloos around the world that can provide services as varied as ice bars and hot bathtubs, so you can survive this odd experience in comfort and without freezing.
Cottage
A great way to provide freedom and a “home away from home” feeling is to rent a cottage on your holiday. A cottage can give authentic, home y feel to a foreign country. Most can comfortably fit a family and give children plenty of space to play, so a cottage is a great option for the family holiday.
1. What is the advantage of home swap?A.It can make travelers relaxed. | B.It has beautifully decorated rooms. |
C.It provides good traditional cuisine. | D.It can help you interact with a stranger. |
A.Comfort. | B.Diet. | C.Location. | D.Reservation. |
A.Home Swap. | B.Houseboat. | C.Cottage. | D.Igloo. |
5 . Sometimes, determining which projects you should devote your time and energy to first takes energy you don’t have to spare (which is why we have tips for how to do it). But even when you know what tasks need to be done, you still need to figure out how to prioritize them. Try the 3-3-3 method.
This technique comes from Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals($13.99). He advocates planning each workday around a 3-3-3 model, first devoting three hours to deep work on your most important project. Next, complete three other urgent tasks that don’t require three hours of focus. Finally, do three “maintenance” tasks, like cleaning, answering emails, or scheduling other work.
What distinguishes this method from other approaches are those first three hours of deep work. Jumping into them first means you’ll be fresh, focused, and more likely to be able to jump into a task without getting distracted. Keep those three hours free of emails, texts, chats, or other menial duties, to the best of your ability. (Check out our full guide to engaging in deep work here.)
Deep work produces major productivity, so you’ll get a lot accomplished if you commit to it, but you can’t stay in that mindset (思维模式) forever. You’ll top out after about three hours, so it’s best to have those three other, smaller tasks lined up and ready to go so you can stay productive even while slowing down into less demanding responsibilities.
1. What does the 3-3-3 method focus on?A.Urgent tasks. | B.Planning and scheduling. |
C.Spare time. | D.The first three hours. |
A.Unskilled. | B.Significant. | C.Urgent. | D.Necessary. |
A.Smaller tasks take less time. | B.We can’t do two things at once. |
C.Deep work takes energy. | D.Our attention is limited. |
A.What is the 3-3-3 method? | B.Why the 3-3-3- method works |
C.Get More Done With the “3-3-3Method” | D.How to Organize Your Life and Career |
6 . Here list some biggest and best bookstores in Beijing:
Wangfujing Xinhua Bookstore
It is the one of the best bookstores in Beijing and largest chain bookshop in China with thousands of branches. It offers a large collection of books involving politics, economics, literature, education, art and science, with a total number of nearly 200,000 books. VCDs, DVDs and digital reading materials can also be found in the bookshop.
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 21:30
Location: No.218, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District (next to Oriental Plaza)
China Bookstore
As one of the best bookstores in Beijing, it is not a very big one, but it offers many traditional Chinese literature works. The new books here are at an 80% discount normally, while there are some second hand books as well at much cheaper prices. Additionally, you will find an impressive selection of books on Chinese painting, calligraphy and photography.
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 (Weekdays)
Location: No.115, East Liulichang Street, Xicheng District
Beijing Language and Culture University Press Bookstore
This is the best one from which to buy Chinese language learning books of all levels. There are also dictionaries, encyclopedias, linguistic books and reading materials from which to choose.
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 17:00 (Weekdays) 09:00 - 16:00 (Weekends)
Location: Chengfu Rd, Haidian District
Beijing Book Building
There is a great variety of books from which you may choose. In this biggest bookstore in Beijing, you will find books written in English in the basement, and there are many Chinese language learning materials on the third floor. The personnel in the bookshop are very helpful, and they speak English.
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 21:00
Location: No.17, West Changan Avenue, Xicheng District
1. Which bookstore has the longest opening hours on weekdays?
A.China Bookstore. |
B.Wangfujing Xinhua Bookstore. |
C.Beijing Language and Culture University Press Bookstore. |
D.Beijing Book Building. |
A.Chengfu Rd, Haidian District. |
B.No.218, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District. |
C.No.17, West Changan Avenue, Xicheng District. |
D.No.115, East Liulichang Street, Xicheng District. |
A.It sells Chinese language learning books. |
B.It features the largest variety of books. |
C.It has many floors and sections. |
D.Its staff can communicate in English. |
7 . “Everyone should have the chance to play” is the idea behind All Terrain (地形) Georgia, a program that offers free all-terrain wheelchairs at Georgia’s parks to those with physical disabilities. Being in the woods, fishing, or having a picnic at one of Georgia’s state parks can help those people feel normal again. This is a cooperation program between the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Aimee Copeland Foundation.
All-terrain wheelchairs look like an advanced version of everyday wheelchairs.They have a tank-like appearance, and their wheels are bigger. And bigger engines make them have more power to cross terrain quickly. Most importantly, these chairs are specially designed to make them reliably cross terrain that’s rough, wet, sandy or snowy. Therefore, they can give people who might not be able to cross more difficult types of terrain the ability to start a trip.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11.1% of U.S. adults have serious difficulty walking or climbing steps. And yet, the most wheelchair-friendly national park in the country, South Dakota’s Badlands National Park, has only 3 roads out of 17 suitable for wheelchairs. Besides, traditional wheelchairs can be risky, uncomfortable, and difficult to use in the park, not to mention the fact that the price of some all-terrain wheelchairs can be between $13,000 and nearly $30,000.
Now, as long as you complete a form and meet the requirements, you can book an all-terrain wheelchair and use it for free at one of the cooperative state parks in Georgia. Do remember you need to have an adult around you during the trip. The adult must undergo a training program, carry a fully charged phone and be physically capable of seeking help, if necessary, by returning quickly to the place where the chair was checked out.
Last year, a number of all-terrain wheelchairs were put into service at 11 state parks and historic sites through All Terrain Georgia. Looking ahead, Melanie Dunn, the assistant director of the Aimee Copeland Foundation, said, “The foundation will soon have the ability to move the chairs to many other parks. Everyone deserves the chance to get close to nature and we can help them do it.”
1. What may users value most about all-terrain wheelchairs?A.Their ability to run on challenging terrain safely. |
B.The convenience of avoiding heavy traffic. |
C.The creative idea behind them. |
D.Their cool appearance. |
A.To praise the park’s user-friendly design. |
B.To recommend the national park to the public. |
C.To show the shortage of wheelchair-friendly public services |
D.To call on the government to build more special roads. |
A.It allows free visits to most national parks. |
B.It is aimed at a risk-free user experience. |
C.It sets difficult training tasks for users. |
D.It works better for adult users. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Worried. | C.Curious | D.Positive. |
8 . When I turned 12, I started hiding how I looked with jackets and oversized T-shirts for fear of comments about my body. I wouldn’t talk about things I loved because I was afraid that people would think I was odd for liking them or that I was talking too much.
At the age of 14, I’d had what I now know were panic attacks over grades in the middle of the hallways in school, or in loud, crowded queues in theme parks. This led to some long talks with my parents and failed meetings with my school advisors, And I eventually decided it was time for me to try mental therapy (治疗).
I still remember going to my first therapy session,almost four years ago. Before I went to it, I feared it’d be scary, but I was wrong. The first few sessions were just used for the two of us to get to know each other. The following few sessions were used for me to figure out why I was there. I tested fairly high on the anxiety scale.and ever since then I’ve kept going there. Two years later, I started going there every two weeks rather than every week. My anxiety levels have gone up and down because of exams, issues with friends and just plain old bad days. For now though,they seem to remain stable for the most part.
To this day, I still think that going to therapy was one of the best decisions I’ve made so far in life. From the first session that I attended to the last one I went to, I’ve learned so many life skills and coping strategies that I use at least once a week.
I’ve always said to my friends and family that they should try therapy if it’s necessary. For people suffering panic attacks, going to therapy means talking to someone who you know won’t judge you about anything, who won’t tell anyone about what you say or how you feel, and who helps you understand yourself and your life.
1. What was the author’s problem when she was 12?A.She had a poor relationship with classmates. |
B.She had a strange dressing style. |
C.She would run into anxiety easily. |
D.She iost interest in studying. |
A.They helped find the cause of her panic attacks. |
B.They failed to help her get out of her trouble. |
C.They strongly advised her to see a doctor. |
D.They lost patience with her. |
A.It had negative side effects on the author. |
B.It was effective in helping keep his anxiety scales steady. |
C.It strengthened the author’s confidence quickly. |
D.It offered solutions to problems of school and friendship. |
A. To teach us to better,understand ourselves. |
B.To give tips on ways to overcome anxiety. |
C.To explain the working process of mental therapy. |
D.To encourage readers to accept therapy if necessary. |
9 . Of the more than 3,000 species of mosquitoes in the world, just a small number specialize in sucking human blood. How mosquitoes track us down so effectively isn’t currently known, but it matters, since they carry dangerous diseases which may cause death.
“In fact, stopping these annoying insects in their tracks could save up to half a million lives lost to those diseases each year,” said Carolyn Gauff, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. That’s why Gauff’s team wanted to understand how they find and target humans.
Mosquitoes mostly choose what to bite based on odor (气味). Knowing how a potentially disease-carrying mosquito finds a person, while ignoring other warm-blooded animals, is a key question. But it’s not easy to answer, since any animal smell is made up of hundreds of chemicals mixed together in specific percentage. “The actual chemicals that are found in human odor are basically the same as the chemicals found in animal odor—it’s the percentages and the relative large amount of those substances in human mixtures that’s unique,” said Gauff.
To investigate, researchers decided to record neural activity in the brain of mosquitoes while exposing them to natural human and animal odor samples. They collected odor samples from about 40 different animals. When they compared some of those with the 16 human samples, something jumped out. Decanal is particularly rich in human skin. Common in the natural world, in humans, decanal comes from another, more complex substance. When one component of our skin’s natural oils, sapienic acid, breaks down, decanal is left over. This acid is only found in human beings. It’s what likely leads to the high levels of decanal that help the mosquitoes smell their way to us.
Understanding what the mosquitoes are targeting is only part of the story; knowing how they do it is also important. To see exactly how mosquitoes use this sense, scientists used genetically modified (转基因的) mosquitoes so that they could cut open mosquitoes’ heads and watch neurons firing when they’re exposed to human and animal odors. The research team already knew that mosquitoes have about 60 different types of neurons that sense odors, so when they looked in the insects’ brains, they thought they might see a lot of activities. But it was surprisingly quiet, meaning that the signal was perhaps quite simple, down to just a couple types of neurons. “One type of neuron responded really strongly to both humans and animals. Another type of neuron responded to both—but it responded much more strongly to humans than animals,” Gauff said.
How to keep mosquitoes’ decanal signal from being transmitted will be the research team’s next focus. Gauff hoped their current work could be used to make mosquito killers and attractants to prevent disease.
1. What’s the final purpose of the research conducted by Gauff’s team?A.To study why only certain mosquitoes suck human blood. |
B.To investigate the neural activity in mosquitoes’ brains. |
C.To test the effectiveness of mosquito killers. |
D.To help prevent deadly diseases caused by mosquitoes. |
A.Remains of decomposed sapienic acid. | B.Chemicals in the environment. |
C.Decanal generated in human blood. | D.Natural oil from human skin. |
A.Chemicals found in human and animal odors are quite different. |
B.Genetically modified mosquitoes are not sensitive to human odor. |
C.Further research will focus on odor signal and neural connection. |
D.Most mosquito neurons are not involved in responding to human odor. |
A.Developing more effective mosquito killers. |
B.Studying of mosquito neural connections in response to odor signals. |
C.Analyzing the types of neurons in mosquitoes. |
D.Discussing the benefits for preventing mosquitoes from transmitting the decanal signal. |
10 . It was a week after my mom had passed away and I didn’t know how to go on with life. So when I received an e-mail from a friend about a race benefiting cancer research, I ignored it. It seemed to prick (刺痛) my heart, as cancer was the disease that took my mother away from me.
But something about my friend’s words— “I can help organize the whole thing”—stuck with me. I felt obliged (有义务的) to agree. In the weeks to come, I managed to re-enter the world of the living. I checked our team’s website daily, feeling proud each time a donation contributed to our total. I knew my mom would have wanted it that way. She was the type who never got defeated. It was this very spirit that helped me get by.
When the race ended, I noticed the runners all had one thing in common: There were big smiles on their faces. They made it look so rewarding and effortless. I wanted in.
So I enrolled in another race two months later. Considering I could barely run a mile, it was ambitious. But my friend and I made a training plan so I wouldn’t come in last. I followed it religiously and didn’t let anything get in my way.
Running up and down the city’s hills, I was flooded with memories. I had lived there before college and my mother had visited often. I passed Bloomingdale’s, recalling the time she and I had gotten into a screaming argument there.
I was about to beat myself up when I remembered what Mom had said after her diagnosis of cancer. “I don’t want you to feel guilty about anything.” Her paper-thin hands had held me tightly. A weight was lifted from my shoulders.
When the race day arrived, I gave it my all for my mom and for all she had taught me and continued to teach me. As I ran, whenever I felt like slowing down, I pictured her cheering me on.
Crossing the finish line, i was filled with her love and a sense of peace.
1. Why did the author ignore the e-mail in the beginning?A.She felt it hard to finish the race. | B.She had no time to join in the event. |
C.She was reminded of her mother’s death. | D.She thought the research meaningless. |
A.Optimistically. | B.Carelessly. | C.Carefully. | D.Quickly. |
A.Considerate and polite. | B.Strong-willed and caring. |
C.Brave and humorous. | D.Outgoing and patient. |
A.The Loss of Sweet Memories: Running With Mom |
B.Running With Mom’s memory: A Healing Journey |
C.Mom’s Journey of Healing: Racing With Honor |
D.In Memory of Mom: An Honored Run |