1 . It is nearly dawn, and the yellow moon has just set behind coconut trees. Spots of pink appear in the sky and a glorious red ball of fire slowly rises. Birds have begun to gather in their hundreds in the Changaram wetland in Kerala’s Alappuzha district. George, with binoculars glued to his eyes, is busy recognizing the birds: “Little egrets, garganeys…” He pauses. “But what are those three there? Ah, spot-billed ducks,” he says when he spots the typical band of brilliant jade-green on the wings.
His binoculars are off his eyes now, but his fingers are flying over his phone screen, typing the names of the species he has sighted on eBird, an app where birdwatchers upload real-time information on species. As a citizen scientist, he has been one Bird for three years and takes pride in being the country’s “eighth best eBirder” based on the number of his check-lists.
eBird is just now drawing in ordinary people into the process of ecological (生态学的) science and conservation. Citizen scientists can ask questions, volunteer to collect data, and analyse them. For researchers, citizen scientists are a boon: with their large numbers, they can contribute extensive data over vast geographical areas, something trained scientists could not dream of gathering either individually or in teams.
While it may appear to be a new concept, the public has always participated in ecological science, said a team of American scientists in a 2012 study. Chinese citizens and officials, for instance, tracked locust (蝗虫) a tacks for at least 3,500 years although they did not know their observations would later be used for science.
Today, thanks to smartphones, the Internet and the endless possibilities of apps, citizen science has truly come of age around the world, helping create a vast and valuable collection of data.
1. Why does George visit the Changaram wetland?| A．To enjoy the sunrise. | B．To collect bird data. |
| C．To protect the wetland. | D．To observe bird habitats. |
| A．It is aimed at training citizens into scientists. |
| B．It is placed eighth among the country’s apps. |
| C．It selects species information for birdwatchers. |
| D．It promotes the development of citizen science. |
| A．target | B．challenge | C．benefit | D．threat |
| A．locust research started 3500 years ago in China |
| B．the public seldom played a role in scientific research |
| C．ordinary citizens have long been in ecological science |
| D．the records of locust attacks failed to be used for science |
2 . About 15 years ago, Andrew McLindon, a successful businessman and enthusiastic cyclist, was riding his bike in Austin, Texas, when he thought about a friend’s 12-year-old son. The boy had never known the joy of biking because he suffered from an inborn brain disease that often causes balance disturbances.
When he got home, McLindon, now 60, went online and found a three-wheel bike with a seat belt, perfect for a child with balance issues. Soon the boy was riding around the street with his peers, having fun and getting exercise. But there was more, as McLindon learned from his friend’s reaction. “I’ll never forget the smile on his face,” McLindon says, “when he sees his son interacting with other kids.”
That smile launched the McLindon Family Foundation. Funded by donations, the group works with the Children’s Rehab Clinic to find children who can benefit from owning an adaptive bike — and to help make each bike to the particular needs of the child. A bike may include a headrest, a shoulder support, a seatbelt, and a caregiver’s steering and brake. For kids lucky enough to get one, they’re a life changer.
“We worked with a 14-year-old who has spina bifida,” says McLindon. “She spent most days on the couch watching TV. Soon after she got her bike, she was training for special-needs triathlons (铁人三项比赛). In a magazine interview, she said, ‘I always knew there was an athlete in me.’”
So far, the foundation has given away 450 bikes, and that’s just a start. “I do a lot of things. I run a lot of companies,” Mc Lindon says. “But getting these kids their bikes is the most important thing that I do.”
1. What inspired McLindon to start the foundation?| A．His rich cycling experience. | B．The clinic’s funded donations. |
| C．His friend’s positive reaction. | D．Children’s particular needs for bikes. |
| A．Caring. | B．Patient. | C．Strict. | D．Humorous. |
| A．Life Cycles | B．Try It Out | C．Bike Races | D．Pay It Forward |
3 . Malta is fast becoming one of Europe’s destination hotspots with beautiful beaches, cultural ruins, cute towns, and inspiring views. And now its music festival scene is fast growing too. Here’s our pick of Malta’s best music festivals in 2022.
Lost & Found Festival
Festival lineup (阵容): Annie Mac, Gorgon City, CamelPhat
Kickstarting summer on the Mediterranean island c achy car is Lost & Found Festival. The festival shows a super lineup across clubs, boats, beaches and street parties, creating a sun-bathed dance paradise that’s become one of the continent’s most popular festival getaways.
When & where: 1-4 June; St. Paul’s Bay
Earth Garden
Festival lineup: Dana Ruh, Owen Jay, Brian James
Kick off your summer fun at Earth Garden with a music lineup that covers drum, rap and electronic music. Beyond the musical wonders you’ll also find an expansive programme of workshops, wellbeing and art covering the themes of cultural diversity, community and inspiration inside the beautiful Ta’ Qali National Park.
When & where: 10-16 August; Ta’ Qali National Park
Malta International Jazz Festival
Festival lineup: Di Meola, Mark Giuliana, Al di Meola
Running since 1990, Malta International Jazz Festival is now a key date in the island’s music calendar. The festival is held at the beautiful Ta’ Liesse on the waterfront in Valletta, meaning it’s unlikely you’ll have heard jazz in a more scenic location. A far cry from smoky bars.
When & where: 11-16 July; Valetta
Malta Music Week
Festival lineup: Flo Rida, Nelly Furtado, Rita Ora, Jessie J
For six days in the summer, Malta becomes a haven of events celebrating international talents within the dance music scene. A series of cub nights, street parties, and beach clubs have seen major names like Calvin Harri, Eric Prydz and Pete Tong.
When & where: 5-10 July; Various Locations
1. Which festival will attract those interested in cultural diversity?| A．Lost & Found Festival. | B．Earth Garden. |
| C．Malta International Jazz Festival. | D．Malta Music Week. |
| A．They last 6 days. | B．They involve street parties. |
| C．They take place in St. Paul’ Bay. | D．They offer a smoke-free atmosphere. |
| A．A news report. | B．A travel guide. | C．A music brochure. | D．An album advertisement. |
4 . My name is Sara. When I was little, I played the drums. I also had a guitar. In fourth grade, I started playing the trombone (长号). I practiced about four hours a week. All of this might not seem like a big deal for a lot of kids, but there’s something about me that makes me a bit different from others. I was born without hands. Since I was about one year old, I’ve worn prosthetics (假手).
This year, I got an invitation to join the high school marching band (行进管乐队). I told my mom I wanted to do it. But I had an instructor who thought I would not be able to march in the band—not because it was a high school band and I’m only in seventh grade, but probably because my body is different. All I wanted was to show that I could do it, so I joined the band. And it paid off!
Music gives me energy. That happens sometimes. One time I was so down, I didn’t even want to get out of bed. Then I hit my mp3 player by accident. A song came on, and I got up and started dancing. It helped me say to myself, “OK, I can get through today.”
Around my musician friends, we all share the same problems, like working out how many beats there are to a measure. I have a hard time counting the beats, but so do a lot of the other kids. It’s a normal problem that we musicians share. When I’m with the band, I don’t feel as different as I do in other situations. It’s just another way that music makes me want to go on, and not to just sit down by myself and not care about life.
1. In what way is Sara different from other kids?| A．There’s something wrong with her body. |
| B．She knows how to play many instruments. |
| C．She learned to play the drums at a very early age. |
| D．She kept playing the trombone for the longest hours. |
| A．said no at first | B．had no idea what to do |
| C．followed the instructor’s advice | D．believed that she would make it |
| A．Bored. | B．Relaxed. | C．Successful. | D．Afraid. |
| A．A high school band | B．A young drummer |
| C．The music of me | D．My magic hands |
5 . What makes preschoolers eat their vegetables? Raise their hand? Wait their turn? “Because I say so” is a comment that parents often repeat. But when it comes to getting kids to behave, a recent study by Duke University researchers suggests that the voice of adult authority isn’t the only thing that matters. Around age three, fitting in with the group starts to count big too.
To understand what cause preschoolers to fall in line, the researchers conducted a test in a lab, where they invited 3.5-year-olds to help set up for a pretend tea party. Each of the 104 children was given a blue sticker（贴纸）to wear at the start of the study, and told that the people with that color sticker were part of the same team. Next the researchers watched as the children decided among different kinds of teas, snacks, cups and plates for the tea party, first on their own and then after listening to the choices of other team members.
Sometimes the other team members considered their choice as a matter of personal preference (“For my tea party today, I feel like using this snack.”) Other times they presented it as a need shared by the whole group. (“For our tea parties today, we always use this kind of snack.”)
After listening to the choices of others, most of the time the children stuck with their first choice. In other words, children who had said they felt like using, say, the cookie finally picked the cookie no matter what the other person said they were using. But 23% of the time the children changed their choice to accept someone else’s. And when they did, they were more likely to go along with the other person when a choice was presented as a group need rather than just a personal preference. The finding held up even when the other person was another child, not an adult.
1. What’s the recent study mainly about?| A．Parent training. | B．Social rules. |
| C．Child behavior. | D．Eating habits. |
| A．Stand in a line. | B．Join the group. |
| C．Listen to the parents. | D．Attend a party. |
| A．The common need. | B．The advice of adults. |
| C．The delicious cookie. | D．The individual preference. |
| A．Adults Are Losing Their Authority |
| B．3-Year-Olds Want to Fit into the Group. |
| C．Children Are Not Born Knowing What to Do |
| D．Kids Are Acting Out of a Sense of Copying Adults. |
6 . If you want to fully enjoy your vacation, then you’d better check the Durban City Tours! This is actually one of the best choices in South Africa today.
There is nothing more relaxing than to think about that there is a place to go and relax, right? City life is strained, but you can escape this situation and be in the place where there is nothing but relaxation. Here in Durban you will get to see all the amazing tourist attractions. If you love animals and want to see some elephants wandering around the streets, then Durban is the place to go. You can even get to ride one if you want!
Here you will also get to taste all the delicious South African food. You can choose from Italian cooking to its native dishes. Durban is a great place to tour with your friends and family. You will learn a lot about its history through the landmarks you will see down the streets. Tourists and even the local villagers just can’t get enough of these treats!
However, it is important that you make the necessary arrangements. There are actually lots of tour guides that will help you as you make your journey along the streets of Durban. But if you prefer the best tour guides here in Durban, then you’d better settle for the Street Scene Tours. Their staff are all welltrained and professional. They will certainly make your stay here an unforgettable one. No wonder tourists prefer the Street Scene Tours when it comes to Durban City Tours.
1. The underlined word “strained” in Paragraph 2 means “________”.| A．easy | B．stressful | C．steady | D．casual |
| A．Durban is a relaxing city. | B．People don’t like city life. |
| C．It is good to have a place to relax. | D．One can have fun riding elephants. |
| A．The food can’t satisfy them. | B．They are bored with the streets. |
| C．They are treated very well here. | D．They never get tired of the sights. |
| A．attract tourists to Durban | B．help readers make arrangements |
| C．introduce the tour guides in Durban | D．persuade tourists to choose the Street Scene Tours |
7 . On a recent afternoon, Sarah Levy picked up an empty pickle jar from a shelf in her store, sniffed it, and then suggested a customer fill it with soap. There’s a take-a-jar, leave-a-jar policy at Cleenland, Levy’s new “low-waste, no-shame” store that lets shoppers stock up on cleaning supplies using their own bottles. And as an early adopter of a new shift in American consumption habits, she has become expert at getting the pickle smell out of glass. “This is not a trend; it’s a rebirth of interest in reusing instead of recycling,” said Levy.
As consumers seek to limit the waste they create, more local entrepreneurs like Levy are stepping in to serve them and have begun opening stores — physical, mobile, and online. Boston General Store is selling a growing variety of zero-waste decorations. Make & Mend sells secondhand arts and crafts supplies in Somerville’s Bow Market.
Julia Wilson, who tracks business sustainability efforts for the Nielsen research firm, says 73% of consumers are looking to shift their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact, and she predicts that they’ll spend $150 billion on sustainable goods by 2023. “It opens the door for new entrepreneurs who are thinking about things differently and upstart products and brands,” she said. Some entrepreneurs are using a “circular economy” model in which goods are delivered in strong packages and they are sent back when they’re empty. Boston-based ThreeMain opened earlier this year selling cleaning products in reusable aluminum bottles. The most well-funded attempt, Loop, sells 100 major brands in reusable containers.
Levy recognizes the difficulty involved in changing consumer habits, but she says the model works because she’s selling necessities. And she’s hopeful, as zero-waste shops have exploded abroad in Britain, Canada, and particularly in Australia, where the non-profit Plastic Free Foundation launched the Plastic Free July campaign, which has become a global phenomenon.
1. Boston General Store and Make & Mend are mentioned to show many local companies ______.| A．have taken part in the low-waste campaign | B．ignore their customers’ consumption habits |
| C．find it important to offer diverse products | D．have taken action to expand their business |
| A．Pay more attention to the quality of their goods. | B．Promote new-branded goods on a regular basis. |
| C．Make sure their goods are affordable and reusable. | D．Provide sustainable goods for the market. |
| A．Necessities are always in great demand in the market. |
| B．Non-profit organizations favor zero-waste lifestyles most. |
| C．Levy believes zero-waste shops will be accepted worldwide. |
| D．Countries should work together to change consumer habits. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By analyzing causes. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By making predictions. |
8 . When kids enjoy an activity, they want to do more of it. Practicing a skill improves their abilities and helps them feel confident, especially when the effort is noticed and praised. Toddlers and preschoolers should play actively several times a day. Children from 6 to 17 years of age should do 60 minutes or more of physical activity daily. This can include free play at home and P.E. at school.
Preschoolers need play and exercise that help them continue to develop important motor skills — kicking or throwing a ball, playing tag or riding a bike with training wheels. Although some sports leagues may be open to kids as young as 4, organized team sports are not recommended until they’re a little older. Preschoolers can’t understand complex rules and often lack the attention span and skills needed to play sports. Instead of playing on a team, they can work on fundamental skills.
With school-age kids spending more time in front of screens, the challenge for parents is to get them to find physical activity they enjoy. This can range from traditional sports like baseball and basketball to biking, hiking, and playing outside. As kids get older, differences in ability and personality become more apparent. That is why it’s important to find an activity that’s right for your children.
Teens have many choices when it comes to being active — from school sports to after-school interests. It’s a good idea to have an exercise plan. Do what you can to make it easy for your teens to exercise by providing transportation and the necessary equipment (including workout clothes). In some cases, the right clothes and shoes might help a shy teen feel comfortable biking or going to the gym.
In addition to a child’s age, it’s important to consider his or her fitness personality. Meanwhile, be active yourself and support your kids’ interests. If you start this early enough, they’ll come to regard the activity as a normal and fun part of your family’s everyday routine.
1. What does the underlined word “This” refer to?| A．Free play. | B．Play time. | C．Physical activity. | D．Children’s confidence. |
| A．What appropriate sports preschoolers should take. |
| B．How to develop kids’ motor skills before school. |
| C．Why organized team sports are dangerous to kids. |
| D．When preschoolers should start to do sports. |
| A．Not all the kids are fit for the same sports. | B．Teens are particular about sports activities. |
| C．School-age kids are more active than teens. | D．Some parents ignore what their kids like. |
9 . Northern Festival of Bands
The Northern Festival of Bands is a yearly weekend wind band festival for high school band students, who perform in bands led by nationally famous conductors. This year the festival will be held from February 13,2020 to February 15,2020. The festival includes performances by the UNI Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band on Friday evening, and Saturday afternoon’s performance by high school participants.
How to apply
The Northern Festival of Bands offers three festival bands, and students are selected according to the application forms provided. Applications should be made by the school band director. In some cases an individual student may wish to attend even if their school isn’t attending. In these cases the application must still be made by the high school band director or by the student with the high school band director’s oversight(监督). All applications should be provided by December 2, 2019 on our website.
Auditions(试唱)
Students accepted into either of the festival bands will audition for chair placement between 4 :00 pm and 6:45 pm on Thursday afternoon, February 13. Please don’t be late.
Concert dress
Performance dress will be the dress normally worn by each school for performances.
Solo Competition
Senior students accepted into the festival are welcome to audition for the Solo Competition. The winner will perform at the final festival concert on Saturday afternoon and receive an offer of a music scholarship of less than $6000 over a four-year period. The award is limited to students who wish to pursue a music degree at the University of Northern Iowa(UNI).
Festival fees
Students---$35.00 per student
Conductors---$30.00 per person
If you need further information, please get in touch with Danny Galyen at danny.galyen@uni.edu!
1. What can we know about the Northern Festival of Bands?| A．It is open to only students | B．It is held every other year. |
| C．It will last three days this year. | D．It won’t accept individual students. |
| A．Provide their application forms on their own. |
| B．Prove that they’re a member of a music band |
| C．Prepare their own performance dress by themselves |
| D．Join in auditioning on the afternoon of February 13. |
| A．The students who are from poor families. |
| B．The students who want to join the UNI band. |
| C．The students who wish to study music at UNI |
| D．The students who are especially good at music. |
10 . Do you ever get the feeling that you’re being watched? Well, you might be right.
According to a study published in Nature on June 23, astronomers have found that 1,715 stars have had a direct view of Earth since humans have been here.
In order to do this, scientists used a previous method that looked for life on other planets. But instead, they changed the method so it could try to determine what places could see us.
The team looked at 331,312 stars within 326 light-years of Earth, with each light-year equaling 9.4 trillion kilometers. Out of all those stars, only 1,715 of them could see Earth within the last 5,000 years, with an extra 319 stars that will be able to see us in the next 5,000 years.
“When I look up at the sky, it looks a little bit friendlier because it’s like, maybe somebody is waving,” said Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University, US, and the study’s lead writer.
If a planet circling around one of those 1,715 stars is home to advanced life, they could easily see that there is life here because of the oxygen on Earth. If that didn’t give it away, then the radio waves we have sent out into space would also be an indicator. In fact, human-made radio waves have already travelled through 75 of the closest stars on Kaltenegger’s list.
Why haven’t we heard from anyone yet, then?
It takes a long time for messages to travel between star systems. By the time a message could be received, that advanced civilization would probably not exist anymore.
Alan Boss, a scientist at the Carnegie Institution for Science in the US who wasn’t part of the study, wrote in an email that this long time would limit the chances for different life to exchange “emails and TikTok videos”.
“So we should not expect aliens to show up anytime soon,” Boss said.
1. How many stars will be able to see us in the next 5,000 years?| A．1,715 | B．2,034 | C．1,396 | D．319 |
| A．The oxygen on Earth. |
| B．Advanced life. |
| C．A planet circling around one of those 11,715 stars. |
| D．Human-made radio waves. |
| A．Human-made radio waves cannot travel far. | B．Aliens don’t exist. |
| C．They cannot understand each other. | D．It takes a long time for messages to travel. |
| A．To raise reader’s interest in Aliens. |
| B．To present new findings published in a study. |
| C．To discuss if there is advanced life on other stars. |
| D．To explain how messages travel between different star systems. |
