1 . Traveling to Europe can be expensive, butif you get creative and avoid tourist hot spots like London and Paris, you may be able to avoid high price tags. According to average hotel prices,flight deals,available vacation packages and affordable attractions, you can choose the best cheap European vacations.
PragueApart from the price of flying here,you won’t have to dish out too much money to experience Prague. Many of the city’s most popular attractions are free to visit, including Old Town Square, the Charles Bridge and PetrinHill. You can also find five-star hotels for less than $200 per night here, plus plenty of solid three and four star accommodations with even cheaper rates.
PortoThis cheap Portuguese destination is getting increasingly popular,so make sure to visit while it’s still affordable. Right now, you can take the train from Porto to Lisbon for as little as $ 30 one way. Once you arrive in, you’ll be delighted to learn that several top attractions here, such as the Dom Luis I Bridge, the Porto Cathedral and the Crystal Palace gardens, are free to visit.
ValenciaValencia has numerous beautiful beaches. It is also a lot more affordable. The city offers a diverse range of free things to do, including relaxing on the sand, wandering through Plaza del Ayuntamiento, exploring the Valencia Cathedral and shopping at the Central Market, one of the oldest food market areas in Europe.
TallinnTallinn draws travelers to Estonia with its charming atmosphere and historical attractions. Start by walking through the capital’s Old Town, which is webbed with cobblestone streets, old-world buildings and all kinds of medieval delights. Then, explore the city’s museums. If you plan on visiting multiple museums, it may cost about $ 65.
1. What do Prague and Porto have in common?| A．They are tourist hot spots. |
| B．They have cheap five-star hotels. |
| C．They offer some free top attractions. |
| D．They are famous for historical attractions. |
| A．Valencia. | B．Prague. |
| C．Tallinn. | D．Porto. |
| A．It is too crowded. | B．It charges for museums. |
| C．It offers many free things to do. | D．It’s the most popular destination. |
2 . A seven-word sentence was discovered on a 3,700-year-old comb (梳子),which is likely the oldest known sentence written in letters,according to a new study. The sentence is in Canaanite (迦南语),which is the source (来源) of later letter systems in European languages.
The comb was first discovered in 2016 in Israeli. However,it wasn’t until 2021 that a researcher from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem first noticed the words when checking the photo of the comb. The researchers were not able to directly date the comb. They believed it dated from around 1700 BC based on comparison of the letters with those on pottery (陶器) with a known age.
Garfinkel,a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem,said,“The Canaanites invented the letters. Nowadays every person in the world can read and write using the letter system. This is really one of the most important achievements of humankind. When you are writing in English,you’re really using Canaanite.”
Small groups of Canaanite letters discovered on broken pieces of pottery before did not leave much room for further research on the lives of the Canaanites. But this find of a sentence written in the first letter-based language opens up the debate about the history during the ancient time period.
Garfinkel said,“The sentence was found on an ivory comb in the ancient city’s palace and temple area,which could suggest that only wealthy men were able to read and write.” The earliest writing system started around 5,000 years ago,which relied on hundreds of pictographs (象形文字) to represent words,ideas and sounds. Canaanites were the first to use letters in their writing system. “It shows that even in the most ancient times there were full sentences,which further suggests that Canaanites stood out among the early civilizations in their use of the written word.”
1. What do we know about Canaanite?| A．It has a history of 3,700 years. | B．It is the oldest known language. |
| C．Its sentences are in many languages. | D．Its letters are still in use at present. |
| A．It was discovered on some pottery. | B．It was identified on a comb in 2016. |
| C．It was recognized when dating the comb. | D．It was recognized on a photo of the comb. |
| A．The influence of Canaanite letters. |
| B．The rules of using Canaanite letters. |
| C．The problem in identifying the Canaanite sentence. |
| D．The explanation of the discovered Canaanite sentence. |
| A．Useless. | B．Meaningful. | C．Confusing. | D．Unacceptable. |
3 . Artificial intelligence helps teachers identify which of their students have learning difficulties, according to a new study.
Teachers make more accurate assessments of learning difficulties among their students if they are given Al-generated feedback (反馈) rather than an “expert solution” written by a qualified professional. Researchers believe that because the AI analyzed the teacher’s own work, it’s easier for the teacher to understand than a “model answer” prepared beforehand.
“Teachers play a critical role in recognizing the signs of disorders and learning difficulties in pupils and referring them to specialists,” said Riikka Hofmann. “Unfortunately, many of them feel that they have not had sufficient opportunity to practice these skills. AI could provide an extra level of individualized feedback to help them develop these essential competences.”
Trainee teachers were asked to assess fictionalized students for potential learning difficulties, based on evidence including examples of their work, school behavior records and written texts of conversations with parents. Half of the trainees received the “expert solution”, typical of the material given to trainee teachers, while the other half received AI-generated feedback on their approach, highlighting where they could improve. The trainees then completed similar follow-up assessments, and were graded both on the accuracy of their diagnoses (诊断) and on how well they had used the evidence. Trainees who received the AI feedback scored significantly higher than those who worked with the pre-written expert solutions.
While the researchers said this does not mean AI is preferable to one-to-one feedback from a skilled expert, this is not always available for trainee teachers. “We are not arguing that AI should replace teacher-educators: new teachers still need expert guidance on how to recognize learning difficulties in the first place,” said Dr Michael Sailer. “It does seem, however, that AI-generated feedback helped these trainees to focus on what they really needed to learn. When personal feedback is not readily available, it could be an effective substitute (代替物).”
1. What does the underlined word “them” refer to?| A．Pupils. | B．Teachers. | C．Specialists. | D．Researchers. |
| A．How well they had used the evidence. |
| B．Whether the expert solution was accurate. |
| C．Where their approach needs improvement. |
| D．What follow-up assessments they completed. |
| A．It will take the place of skilled experts. |
| B．It acts as an expert guide to trainee teachers. |
| C．It is only suitable for new teachers to use. |
| D．It can be a useful teaching training aid. |
| A．AI locates learning difficulties for the students |
| B．AI becomes an effective teaching tool in school |
| C．AI helps teachers spot students with learning difficulties |
| D．AI trains teachers in judging the learning of the students |
4 . Darwin’s Arch, a famed rock formation in the Galapagos Islands has taken on a new shape.
The top of the Arch collapsed this week into the Pacific Ocean due to natural forces.
“Obviously all the people from the Galapagos felt it was a shame because it’s something we’re familiar with since childhood, and to know that it has changed was a bit of a shock,”
Washington Tapia said, “However, from a scientific point of view, it’s part of the natural process.
It normally happens on our planet.”
Darwin’s Arch,which is made of natural stone, at one point would have been part of the island. Named after famed naturalist Charles Darwin, it is not accessible by land. But the area around the islands is a popular diving spot, particularly to observe sharks and other sea species.
“Unfortunately today, our guests of the Galapagos Aggressor III experienced a once in a lifetime event,” the travel company Agressor Adventures posted on Facebook. The group added, “This morning at 11:20 am local time, the world-famous Darwin’s Arch collapsed in front of their eyes. There are now only two pillars (柱子) remaining. Some in the dive & travel industry are already referring to this now as ‘The Pillars of Evolution (进化)’.”
The post received nearly 200 comments including one person who wrote, “What a shame! Geologic (地质的) time is so much different from human time that we forget that it’s always going on. That’s why I like to spend a lot of time among the arches in Southern Utah. You never know when it could be the last time before geology does its work.”
The Galapagos Islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has been called a “living museum and showcase of evolution”. The islands are situated about 621 miles from the coast of Ecuador. They are home to many interesting animals including giant tortoises, marine iguanas, and many types of finches.
1. What does Tapia think of the collapse of Darwin’s Arch?| A．It is a disastrous memory especially for kids. |
| B．It is a little bit disappointing but acceptable. |
| C．It is a rare natural phenomenon in the world. |
| D．It is such a wonder hard to explain in science. |
| A．Diving to observe some sea species. |
| B．Catching sharks around the islands. |
| C．Climbing Darwin’s Arch carefully. |
| D．Visiting the office of Charles Darwin. |
| A．The magical power of the geology. |
| B．The novel description of the pillars. |
| C．The witness of the fall of the Arch. |
| D．The reason for the loss of the Arch. |
| A．To advertise for Aggressor Adventures. |
| B．To introduce the theory of evolution. |
| C．To praise Darwin for his contribution. |
| D．To add some background information. |
5 . For one overseas student who has been in China for over a decade, learning the moves and culture associated with Chinese martial arts(武术) has been his most valuable experience.
So uley mane Hima Oumarou, a Nigerien student at Hebei University in Baoding, Hebei province, first came to the university in 2012 as an undergraduate, not only for an education, but also to achieve his dream of learning the Chinese martial art of kung fu. He became a fan of kung fu after watching movies starring famous martial artists such as Jackie Chan and Jet Li.
During his studies in Baoding, Oumarou joined the university’s martial arts association and studied under Duan Shuxing, one of the association’s instructors. Following Duan’s instructions, Oumarou began to practice basic moves in 2015, including Eight Extremities Fist, or bajiquan, as well as the associated art of tai chi.
“Learning martial arts has not been easy because I was not young when I started,” the 36-yea--old said, adding that he was forced to overcome difficulties and make more of an effort to learn more advanced moves.
As far as his instructor is concerned, Oumarou is hardworking and energetic. “He always trains hard and has made great progress in the past seven years,” Duan said.
So far, Oumarou has mastered multiple boxing techniques and knows how to use many traditional Chinese weapons.
Apart from the skills he’s learned, martial arts have brought him more. He has made many Chinese friends through learning kung fu and has been to many places around China to participate in competitions.
Oumarou is now a doctoral student and is expected to graduate this year. In the future, he plans to open a kung fu center in Niger after he graduates, and to become an instructor and teach youngsters martial arts. He thinks that will also help him better understand the spirit of martial arts, and also become a cultural communicator between China and Niger.
1. What can we learn about Oumarou from paragraph 1 and paragraph 2?| A．He went abroad to realize his dream over ten years ago. |
| B．He came to China only to learn Chinese martial arts. |
| C．He had a terrible experience travelling around China. |
| D．He had a passion for kung fu after becoming an actor. |
| A．He didn’t set out to practice martial arts at an early age. |
| B．He took a negative attitude toward learning martial arts. |
| C．He encountered an extremely impatient instructor. |
| D．He had to deal with too much schoolwork every day. |
| A．He will compete in more competitions in China. |
| B．He will become an artist starring in action movies. |
| C．He will travel in China together with his friends. |
| D．He will instruct children in martial arts in Niger. |
| A．energetic and humorous |
| B．determined and hardworking |
| C．generous and talented |
| D．selfless and positive |
6 . Cycling in cities with proper biking infrastructure(基础设施) can give people a closer experience of traveling around a place that cars and buses simply can’t. Here are four cycle-friendly cities around the world.
Utrecht, Netherlands
While the Netherlands’most populous city, Amsterdam, is definitely bike friendly, we’re heading southeast to Utrecht, a city that has a fair claim to being the globe’s most pro-two-wheel destination. In its center, up to 50% of all journeys take place by bike and local authorities are building a 12,500-space cycle parking facility advertised as the world’s biggest. Copenhagen, Denmark
More than half the locals in the Danish capital cycle to work or school, and with an estimated bike population of 650,000 there are slightly more cycles than people. City leaders determine not just on increasing bike use further, but promoting safe bike infrastructure that features bike lanes(车道) of up to three meters in width.
Berlin, Germany
Germany has been quietly getting on with boosting bike use in many of its cities. Berlin is the standout example. About 13% of all trips in the city are made by bike, nearly twice the rate of 20 years ago.
Tokyo, Japan
In this vast capital city, an amazing 14% of all trips are made by bike. There are practical reasons why many Tokyo residents prefer a bike to a car for shorter journeys. Before you can even buy a car in the city you must prove you possess a (are and usually expensive) off-street parking spot. However, few people cycle to work-distances tend to be long and public transport is hugely efficient. Also, a lot of cycling takes place-legally-on footpaths and sidewalks.
1. What is special about Utrecht?| A．It has a much larger population than Amsterdam. |
| B．It is the only cycle-friendly city in Netherlands. |
| C．Cycling accounts for about half of trips downtown. |
| D．It has the world’s largest non-cycling population. |
| A．Utrecht | B．Copenhagen | C．Berlin | D．Tokyo |
| A．They prefer to travel long distances by bike. |
| B．They are not allowed to cycle on sidewalks. |
| C．They have no easy access to buses or trains. |
| D．They probably can’t afford a parking place. |
7 . Mosquito bites are unavoidable in summer—or is that so? Scientists recently found that mosquitoes are more attracted to some colors than others, which could possibly prove useful to those trying to avoid the annoying bites.
The study found that after a common type of mosquitoes smelled CO2 the gas humans breathe out—they decided to land on some colored dots (色点) but ignored others.
“Imagine you’re on a sidewalk and you smell toasty,” the lead researcher said in a press release announcing the study’s findings. “That’s probably a sign that there’s a bakery nearby and you might start looking around for it. Here, we started to learn what visual elements that mosquitoes are looking for after smelling their own version of a bakery.”
The research team put different colored dots at the bottom of a box and sprayed (喷洒) them with CO2. They found that mosquitoes were drawn most to red, orange and black. They also found that mosquitoes ignored green, blue and white. When a researcher reached his hand into the box wearing a green glove, mosquitoes ignored it, even when it was sprayed with CO2.
Unfortunately, avoiding mosquitoes isn’t as easy as choosing the right color of clothes. Human skin delivers a vivid red-orange “signal” to mosquitoes, the researchers said, making it hard to hide completely
“We previously discovered there are three major hints that attract mosquitoes: your breath, your sweat and the temperature of your skin,” the lead researcher said. “Now we have found a fourth hint: the color red, which can not only be found on your clothes, but is also found in everyone’s skin. The shade of your skin doesn’t matter. We are all giving off a strong red feature.”
While the research found that the mosquitoes appeared to prefer certain colors, it did not measure whether wearing colors like green or blue would help keep away from the mosquitoes. The researchers hope that their findings can help find other methods to drive back the biting insects.
1. Why did the researchers spray the dots with CO2?| A．It drives mosquitoes away. |
| B．It is attractive to mosquitoes. |
| C．It prevents mosquitoes finding targets. |
| D．It’s a practical material to catch mosquitoes. |
| A．Red. | B．Black | C．Orange. | D．Blue. |
| A．The features of human skin. |
| B．Factors that attract mosquitoes. |
| C．What elements mosquitoes ignore. |
| D．How to choose the color of clothes. |
| A．Mosquitoes will disappear someday. |
| B．Most people will wear colorful clothes. |
| C．The survival rate of mosquitoes will be affected. |
| D．More ways will be found to keep mosquitoes off. |
8 . Likely to suffer from loss of memory from time to time? Smart cameras can now remind you. Khai Truong at the University of Toronto in Canada and his colleagues have created a smartphone app that records interactions with household objects. The system involves a barcode-like markers that the user sticks to objects whose use they would like to track.
With the smartphone worn around your neck, the app automatically records a short video clip when a marked object comes into view. “The user is able to look through the application and see the last time they interacted with it. " says Truong. The app can help people track the state of objects — such as whether they locked a door or switched a light off—as well as routine actions. At present it successfully records about 75% of interactions, but only works for fixed objects.
A similar but separate system can solve the problem. E. Akin Sisbot and Jonathan Connell at IBM Research in New York have invented a ceiling-mounted(安装在天花板上的)camera that monitors objects and people. It continuously watches an area such as a tabletop in your home, tracking the placement of objects in relation to one another. It also remembers who first brought an object into the field of view as well as anyone moved it for afterwards. When asked, “Where is my wallet?” the system might respond, “It is next to the vase, under the magazines. ”
The camera could also be used in factories or operating theatres to track a vital tools, says Sisbot. For now, the camera uses a deep sensor to spot things. It is limited to detecting objects thicker than 3 centimeters, meaning that it has trouble with thin objects such as a closed laptop placed flat on a table.
The accuracy of such smart camera systems may need to improve before they are widely adopted, “You’ve got to trust the technology for it to be of any comfort or reassurance.” says Geoffrey Ward at the University of Essex in UK.
1. How does the smartphone app mentioned in Paragraph 2 work?| A．By switching of electricity automatically. |
| B．By scanning barcodes of household objects. |
| C．By recording the movement of marked objects. |
| D．By informing owners of potential dangers. |
| A．It is unlikely to make a sound. |
| B．It is unable to recognize movable objects. |
| C．It fails to find objects thinner than 3 centimeters. |
| D．It hardly senses objects without barcode-like markers. |
| A．Neutral | B．Supportive | C．Skeptical | D．Opposed |
9 . Stanford Summer Session provides high-achieving and ambitious students with a transformative educational experience at a world-class university. Here is a list of the courses.
Cellphone Photography
Instructor:Yanez, V
Course Description: The course combines critical analysis of cellphone photography with the creation of photographic artworks that explore this specific medium’s experimental, social and documentary potential. Note: No lab fee. Limited enrollment(注册人数). Attendance at the first class required. Enrollment will be determined at the first class meeting.
Human Rights and World Literature
Instructor: David Palumbo Lui
Course Description: This course has two components. The first will be a set of readings on the history of modern human rights. These readings will come from philosophy, history, political theory. The second component consists of novels and films that come from different locations in the world, each telling a good story.
Technology and Inequality
Instructor:Jihye Lee
Course Description: This course will provide an introduction to the social, politienl, and economic inequalities arising in the digital age. It also functions as an introduction to entry-level data science whereby you develop basic programming skills and apply them to present your group project. No previous programming experience is necessary.
Public Speaking: Romancing the Room
Instructor:James Wagstaffe
Course Description: A practical approach to the art of public speaking. The course aims to develop skills in speech types including those used for personal communication, interviews, demonstrations, persuading, and special occasions. Materials include video tapes, texts of famous speeches, and a final dinner program of speeches. Students evaluate presentations by others. ＄55 materials fee.
1. What should students taking Yanez, V’s class keep in mind?| A．They must show up at the first class. |
| B．They will be charged for using labs. |
| C．They should have programming experience. |
| D．They need to bring their photographic works. |
| A．Cellphone photography. | B．Social psychology. |
| C．Movie review. | D．Computer science. |
| A．Cellphone Photography. | B．Technology and Inequality. |
| C．Human Rights and World Literature. | D．Public Speaking: Romancing the Room. |
10 . If you look around your city, you might spot girls wearing hanfu in subways or people wearing T-shirts with Chinese characters on the streets, A new trend has taken hold in China-guochao, or “China-chic”
According to a report, searches related to guochao on Dianping, a lifestyle information platform, have risen by 170 percent from the same period in 2021,and reviews have risen by nearly 40 percent. China-chic has happened, but what is it?
The term characterizes the rise of China’s native fashion trends, It has expanded the concept of “Made in China”, which has been recognized as the representation of Chinese culture and aesthetics offered by homegrown Chinese brands, according to CGTN.
China-chic came into the spotlight in 2018. Before that, big name foreign companies dominated the world market. To win market share, many Chinese brands followed in the footsteps of these Western brands. But that year, Chinese sportswear brand Li-Ning changed things up. During the 2018 New York Fashion Week, Li-Ning introduced its Taoism-inspired Wu Dao collection. The collection not only had a trendy look, but also included elements of traditional Chinese culture. It immediately grabbed attention at home and abroad.
The trend to embrace domestic brands has since spread rapidly to various sectors and products, from food and drinks to clothing, mobile phones and electric vehicles. For example, White Rabbit, whose sweet candy brings back childhood memories for many, launched its perfume and lip balm. “We want White Rabbit to be a brand that young people want to share,” Shen Qinfeng, the company’s marketing manager, told People’s Daily.
Now, the guochao trend is “moving to the next stage, where its success will rely, first and foremost, on gaining cultural confidence rather than Western validation”, according to Kerra Zhou, founder of brand strategy consultancy Kerrisma.
No matter how the guochao trend evolves, there’s one thing that won’t change: Behind the craze is people’s positive attitude toward the country’s development and their recognition of and growing confidence in national culture, said Yao Linqing, a professor in the School of Economics and Management at Communication University of China.
1. What makes Li-Ning so fashionable?| A．Its successful market strategy similar to Western brands. |
| B．Its trendy look similar to Western brands. |
| C．Its elements of traditional Chinese culture. |
| D．Chic and unique clothes styles. |
| A．Because White Rabbit reminded the author of his or her childhood. |
| B．Because the author helped White Rabbit promote new products. |
| C．Because White Rabbit was a good example for showing the guochao trend. |
| D．Because this traditional brand was on the decline. |
| A．Increasing confidence in Chinese culture. | B．Excellent design skills. |
| C．Clothes of great quality. | D．Styles catering to people abroad. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. | C．Disapproving. | D．Cautious. |
