1 . Anyone watching the Winter Olympics in Beijing, China has seen lots of snow-man-made snow. Since the area gets little natural snow, this is the first time the Winter Olympics is taking place on almost 100% artificial(人造的)snow.
2022 Winter Olympics was held in Beijing, China, and in two areas northwest of Beijing, Yangqing and Zhangjiakou. The areas get cold in the winter, but they don’t get a lot of snow.
That’s because they’re not far from the Gobi Desert, and are generally very dry. That meant some serious changes were needed to hold the Winter Olympics there. China took water from a reservoir(水库)which helps supply Beijing’s drinking water. To carry the water to the mountains for making snow, the country ran miles and miles of pipes.
An Italian company called TechnoAlpin created the snow. TechnoAlpin created artificial snow at several earlier Winter Olympics. For the snow in 2022 Winter Olympics, TechnoAlpin laid over 40 miles of pipe and brought in hundreds of snow-making machines. Even with all of those machines, making the snow for 2022 Winter Games took seven weeks.
Still, the machines that make artificial snow are quite advanced and they can make several different kinds of snow depending on what’s needed for each sport. For example, the snow they make for downhill skiing is different from the snow made for cross-country skiing.
In recent years, it has become more and more common to use artificial snow at winter sports events. Some artificial snow was used in the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 2014 because of warm weather. In the 2018 Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, roughly 90% of the snow was man-made.
As the world warms because of climate change, problems like this are expected to become far more common. Michael Mayr, who leads TechnoAlpin in Asia, says, “You could not have winter sports now without man-made snow.”
1. Why do the areas like Beijing fail to get much snow?”| A．They are far from the desert. | B．A reservoir was built there. |
| C．It’s usually too dry in winter. | D．Mountains surround the areas. |
| A．Materials used for snow making. | B．Efforts to create artificial snow. |
| C．An Italian machine producer. | D．The cost of laying pipes. |
| A．Games. | B．Machines. | C．Athletes. | D．Workers. |
| A．Artificial snow plays a key role in winter sports. |
| B．Climate change is getting worse due to artificial snow. |
| C．It’s far more difficult to fight against global warming. |
| D．Man-made snow makes winter sports more popular. |
2 . World number one Ashleigh Barty surprised tennis on Wednesday by announcing her retirement (退役) from the sport aged just 25, saying she had realized her dreams and was “spent physically”.
Barty dropped the bombshell weeks after becoming the first home Australian Open champion in 44 years and so winning a Grand Slam (大满贯) crown on three different surfaces.
In a tearful social media video message with her close friend and former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua, Barty said she was “so ready” to call it an end after achieving her life-time goal to win Wimbledon last year.
“Success for me is knowing that I’ve given absolutely everything I can. I know how much work it takes to bring the best out of yourself,” said the three-time Grand Slam winner.
She began playing tennis as a child in the Queensland state capital Brisbane and went on to win the junior Wimbledon title as a 15-year-old in 2011.
But the expectations that came with success hurt her badly and she made a shock decision three years later to ditch (放弃) tennis for cricket, signing for Brisbane Heat in the Women’s Big Bash League.
The attraction of tennis was never far away and she returned after a season out, breaking through for her first Grand Slam triumph (胜利) at the French Open in 2019 and becoming Australia’s first women’s world number one since Evonne Cawley 50 years ago.
Barty finally won a Wimbledon crown last year before her Australian Open triumph at Melbourne Park in January, storming back from 5—1 down in the second set against American Danielle Collins.
Barty has been world number one for more than two years and said after her Australian Open win that she wanted time to consider her next move.
1. Why did Ashleigh Barty retire from tennis?| A．Her partner advised her to do so. | B．Her final dream had come true. |
| C．She wanted to turn to other sports. | D．She got tired of social media messages. |
| A．In 2010. | B．In 2011. | C．In 2014. | D．In 2019. |
| A．Ashleigh Barty’s Early Retirement | B．An Introduction to Australian Open |
| C．Casey Dellacqua’s Life-time Goal | D．The Benefits of Playing Tennis |
| A．Science. | B．Lifestyle. | C．Health. | D．Sports. |
3 . For people suffering from depression, there’s an all-natural treatment they should use — getting more exercise. It could help fight depression, even if people have a genetic risk, new research shows.
For the study, researchers collected information from nearly 8,000 people and found those with related genes were more likely to have depression over the next two years after examining them. But that was less likely for people who were more active at the study’s start, even if they had a family history of depression. Higher levels of physical activity helped protect even those with the highest genetic risk of depression.
Both high-intensity (高强度) exercise and low-intensity activities were associated with a reduced risk of depression. Adding four hours of exercise a week could lower the risk of a new episode (一段经历) of depression by 17%, according to the study. “Our findings strongly suggest that, when it comes to depression, being physically active has the potential to remove the added risk of future episodes in individuals who are genetically risky,” said lead author Karmel Choi. “On average, about 35 additional minutes of physical activity each day may help people to reduce their risk and protect against future depression episodes.”
Depression is a common mental illness globally, with more than 264 million people affected. “Depression is so ubiquitous, and that underlines the need for effective approaches that can impact as many people as possible,” Choi said. And mental health and primary care providers can use the findings to advise patients that there’s something meaningful they can do to lower their risk of depression.
1. How did the researchers reach their conclusion?| A．By analyzing a mass of data. |
| B．By conducting genetic research. |
| C．By comparing various levels of activity. |
| D．By tracking the subjects for many years. |
| A．Physical activity betters medical treatment. |
| B．Exercise is able to decrease and prevent it. |
| C．Different levels of exercise intensity matter the same. |
| D．Exercising 35 minutes daily is the most effective treatment. |
| A．Harmful. | B．Complex. |
| C．Unusual. | D．Common. |
| A．To discuss a disease. |
| B．To introduce a method. |
| C．To analyze a genetic risk. |
| D．To explain a phenomenon. |
4 . 23-year-old Taleigh Loven walked downstairs to her graduation party last October. She was
Mike Loven, 47, decided four years earlier that he was going to restart his study in Grand Canyon University, the
“There was no real reason for
The
| A．hearing | B．enjoying | C．expecting | D．checking |
| A．dad | B．brother | C．uncle | D．friend |
| A．Imagining | B．Noticing | C．Having | D．Sending |
| A．very | B．former | C．nearby | D．public |
| A．introduced | B．registered | C．admitted | D．invited |
| A．advanced | B．online | C．professional | D．crash |
| A．idea | B．doubt | C．chance | D．certainty |
| A．requesting | B．leaving | C．keeping | D．preferring |
| A．attempt | B．goal | C．achievement | D．surprise |
| A．accidentally | B．partly | C．really | D．hardly |
| A．responsibility | B．experiment | C．recognition | D．school |
| A．saddest | B．hardest | C．greatest | D．largest |
| A．stressful | B．boring | C．awkward | D．discouraging |
| A．plan | B．practice | C．struggle | D．advantage |
| A．kept up with | B．lead to | C．made up for | D．fall apart |
5 . Waiting for the bus every morning and going to school has never been better for Ryder Killam, a 5-year-old boy in a wheelchair from Westerly, Rhode Island who was born with disability (残疾) .He no longer has to wait for the school bus in the open air thanks to Westerly High School students.
The goal of the boy’s father, Tim Killam, was to keep his little kid protected from the bad weather while waiting for the bus every morning, and getting some kind of shelter (避雨处) was actually his idea. He asked for an unused bus shelter on Facebook. After not being able to find a suitable one, he decided to contact the high school which had already finished several building projects.
The students from Westerly High School construction (建造) class, among whom is one of Ryder’s brothers, quickly put their hands to work. The bus stop was designed by pupil Mason Heald, who was in regular contact with the Killams for feedback.
The construction class, led by Dan McKenna, teaches its members building skills and is part of the high school’s Career and Technical Education programme.
“This was a design to final products and delivery (传送;递送) .It’s the best we could have asked for. It’s really what these programmes should be about,” said Michael Hobin, Westerly High School’s principal (校长) .
More people from the local community chipped in to help make the project happen. One of McKenna’s former students transported(运输)the shelter from the high school to the Killams’ address with his truck. And another neighbour helped to properly position the shelter by the bus stop.
Not only did Ryder’s daily life improve, but the students also learnt an unforgettable life lesson. They saw that with their skills and knowledge they can make a real difference in someone else’s life.
1. Why did Tim Killam turn to a high school for help?| A．Few people helped him. | B．The school was close to him. |
| C．He couldn’t find a right shelter. | D．His son put forward the suggestion. |
| A．Ryder Killam. | B．Tim Killam. | C．Dan McKenna. | D．Mason Heald. |
| A．Joined in. | B．Got hungry. | C．Kept an eye on. | D．Fought over. |
| A．Amazed. | B．Appreciative. | C．Unclear. | D．Doubtful. |
6 . Obesity (肥胖) has become a serious problem now. According to a recent survey, teenage obesity has increased at an alarming rate across America. Teenage obesity is mainly due to the increased consumption (消耗) of junk food which contains large amounts of fat. This has exposed the teens to a 14% greater risk of having a heart attack as well as seriously high blood pressure.
Various causes of teen obesity have been claimed, the most important of which is being insufficient (不足) physical exercise on the teen’s part. It is argued that teens nowadays who lack (缺少) sufficient physical exercise topped with their unhealthy eating habits are more likely to be obese. Nowadays, a main part of the teenagers spend their spare time on the computer, television or perhaps simply playing games. This greatly limits any kind of physical activity of the teenager. According to a recent survey, around 43% of teenagers spend more than 2 hours watching television every single day.
Long time inactivity in addition to the ill eating habits has increased the incidence (发生率) of obesity in teenagers even more, However, this does not mean that teens do not do enough exercise, but the amount which they do, is certainly not sufficient as compared to their intake of fatty foods. Besides this, parents need to change the whole lifestyle of the family in order to develop a healthier lifestyle of their children.
The teenagers must also be encouraged to take part in other physical activities which require more effort; such as playing basketball, tennis, badminton, volleyball and swimming. Meanwhile, the teenagers also need to be educated on the ill effects of junk food and must be asked to avoid them as much as possible. Their diet must also be made healthier and more balanced, which will help them in losing more weight quickly. For better guidance on reducing the teen’s weight quickly, parents can always turn to a doctor.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．Junk food is the main food for the American. |
| B．American teenagers suffer from high blood pressure. |
| C．The number of fatty American teenagers is increasing. |
| D．Most American teenagers probably have heart disease. |
| A．Bad eating habits. | B．Playing computer games. |
| C．Lack of physical exercise. | D．Watching TV programmes. |
| A．The exercise they choose is too simple. |
| B．The method they do exercise is improper. |
| C．The energy they consume is less than that they take in. |
| D．The time they spend doing sports is more than that spent on food. |
| A．Rules made for teens. | B．Reasons for teen obesity. |
| C．Suggestions offered to parents. | D．Ways to deal with teen obesity. |
7 . Four True Canadian Heroes
Albertine Lapensée
Born in 1898, Lapensée learned to skate on iced-over rivers. When the First World War sent men to the Western Front, a Québécois arena owner dreamed up the Eastern Ladies’ Hockey League-and Lapensée seized her opportunity. Between 1916 and 1917, she showed astonishing skill, leading the Cornwall Victorias to glory after glory. Francophone fans referred to her as “the star of stars”. She once scored 15 goals in a single game. And then, at 18, she left the spotlight.
Hussain Guisti
In 2006, Guisti and his family relocated from Winnipeg to Thompson, Manitoba — only to discover it didn’t have a mosque (清真寺). In response, Guisti started the Zubaidah Tallab Foundation and raised donations to build one. The building opened its doors in 2007. Next, the Muslim community of Inuvik, N.W.T., asked him for help. He raised $ 323,000 and in late 2010, the mosque welcomed its first worshippers.
Waneek Horn-Miller
At 14, Horn-Miller was stabbed (刺) in the chest. She survived the incident and used the trauma (创伤) to fuel her dream of becoming an Olympic athlete,“ I channelled all the anger, pain and sadness from my experiences into something positive,” she says.
In 2000, as co-captain of the national water polo team, Horn-Miller became the first Mohawk woman to represent Canada at the Olympics.
Rachel Zellars
In 2020, Halifax lawyer and professor Zellars co-founded the African Nova Scotian Freedom School. “I wanted to give Black children the tools and support to understand this ongoing important moment of their history,” says Zellars, “which they simply wouldn’t get in public school. The courses educate Black youth on their rich heritage and also teach skills to help students become community organizers.”
1. Who was regarded as “the star of stars”?| A．Albertine Lapensée. | B．Hussain Guisti. |
| C．Waneek Horn-Miller. | D．Rachel Zellars. |
| A．In 1898. | B．In 2007. | C．In 2010. | D．In 2020. |
| A．She built mosques across Canada’s North. |
| B．She led the Cornwall Victorias to glory after glory. |
| C．She provided education and support to Black children. |
| D．She was the first Mohawk woman to represent Canada at the Olympics. |
8 . Diners in Japan could soon be able to taste the flavour of a bowl of soup without having to worry about their salt intake.
In what they claim is a world first, researchers have developed chopsticks that artificially create the taste of salt, as part of efforts to reduce sodium (钠) levels in some of the country’s most popular dishes.
The chopsticks work by using electrical stimulation (刺激) and a mini-computer worn on the eater’s wristband. The device (设备) transmits sodium ions (离子) from food, through the chopsticks, to the mouth where they create a sense of saltiness, according to Homei Miyashita, a professor at Meiji University in Tokyo, whose laboratory developed the device. The team said they hoped to make the chopsticks available to consumers (消费者) next year. Miyashita said, “Our device could find large consumers in Japan, where the traditional diet tends to be high in salt due to the use of ingredients such as soy sauce (酱油).”
The average Japanese adult consumes about 10 grams of salt a day, double the amount recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The health ministry has proposed reducing daily salt intake to a maximum of 7.5 grams for men and 6.5 grams for women.
The chopsticks use “very weak electricity — not enough to affect the human body — to adjust the function of ions to change the perception of taste by making food seem to taste stronger or weaker“, Kirin said in a statement. Miyashita and Kirin said clinical tests on people who follow a low-sodium diet had confirmed that the device increases the salty taste of low-sodium food by about 1.5 times. They said participants given reduced-salt soup had commented on the improved ”richness, sweetness and overall tastiness“ of the dish.
High salt intake can contribute to high blood pressure, which is the single biggest cause of heart attacks and strokes. “To prevent these diseases, we need to reduce the amount of salt we take,” said Kirin researcher Ai Sato. “If we try to avoid taking more salt in a conventional way, we would need to bear the pain of cutting our favourite food from our diet, or bear eating tasteless food.”
1. What can we know about the chopsticks?| A．They are difficult to use. |
| B．They are already on the market now. |
| C．They will affect the human body seriously. |
| D．They are different from traditional chopsticks. |
| A．Promising. | B．Hopeless. | C．Worrying. | D．Unpredictable. |
| A．About 10 grams. | B．About 7.5 grams. | C．About 6.5 grams. | D．About 5 grams. |
| A．Traditional Japanese Diet Is High in Salt |
| B．High Salt Intake Can Result in Many Diseases |
| C．Japanese People Keep Fit by Using a New Device |
| D．“Electric” Chopsticks Can Make Food Seem More Salty |
9 . The Complete Guide to Alberta’s Icefields Parkway
Introduction
The 144-mile Icefields Parkway, or Highway 93, is one of Canada’s most scenic road trip routes and is a must for visitors to Alberta. It is popular among visitors, and has a lot of viewpoints where you can see glaciers (冰川), waterfalls, lakes, rivers, forests, and valleys. The parkway starts in the town of Jasper, in Jasper National Park, and travels south to near Lake Louise, in Banff National Park. Some travellers will go to the parkway from the southern end, though. The Icefields Parkway is open throughout the year, but most travellers will prefer to drive it in the warmer months.
Stops to Make Along the Way
Athabasca Falls: The 75-foot waterfalls are not exceptionally high, but they roar with a large volume of water, making them some of the most impressive falls in the Canadian Rockies.
Sunwapta Falls: Fed by the Athabasca Glacier, the Sunwapta Falls are divided into the upper and lower sections. The upper falls are easily accessible, but you need to hike a short distance to get to the lower falls. The lower falls are definitely worth the walk if you want to escape (逃离) the crowds in the summer. Sunwapta Falls are about 34 miles from Jasper.
Where to Get Supplies
If you’re spreading this road trip over more than one day, stock up on snacks in Jasper or Lake Louis and fill up your tank there, too. There are no major towns between Jasper and Lake Louise. In the summer, there are a few places to eat and stay along the way, but prices tend to be high because of the lack of competition and the area’s remoteness.
Want to go there to have fun? Please contact us for more information.
1. Why do many people go to the Icefields Parkway?| A．It’s a famous scenery. | B．It has a long history. |
| C．It’s 144-mile long. | D．It’s the famous road to Alberta. |
| A．By boat. | B．By car. | C．By cable. | D．On foot. |
| A．There are no towns along the way. | B．The food in Jasper is very expensive. |
| C．There are no places to eat along the way. | D．The prices are not cheap for the remoteness. |
10 . A 71-year-old Swedish man “can’t put into words” how thankful he is for the new technology that quickly flew him into the small category of only ten percent of people who survive sudden heart stopping.
The man now has made a full recovery and returned home, after the speedy delivery of a defibrillator(除颤器)—via autonomous drone(无人驾驶飞机). The company behind the drone pilot project says it’s the first time in medical history, a drone has played an important part in saving a life during a heart stopping.
He was in his driveway when the attack happened. Normally, you have about ten minutes to get help in such a situation. Luckily, a telephone call was immediately placed requesting emergency services and he lived in a region that had partnered with Everdrone’s innovative life-saving programme called EMADE (Emergency Medical Aerial Delivery service). EMADE drones delivered a defibrillator to the scene—and the amount of time from the alarm(警报) until the defibrillator was safely delivered at the doorstep of the incident address was just over three minutes.
Even luckier, a doctor happened to be driving by and stopped to see if he could help. “I was on my way to work at the local hospital when I saw a man collapsed in his driveway and I immediately rushed to help,” says Dr. Mustafa Ali. After the ambulance arrived, the patient was rushed to the hospital.
The man said, “If it wasn’t for the drone I probably wouldn’t be here.”
275,000 patients in Europe and 350,000 in the US, suffer from heart stopping annually. About 70% of heart stopping occur in private homes without defibrillators on site. The chance of survival decreases by 7%—10% with each minute following the collapse(突然倒下)—and as a result, the current survival rate among heart stopping patients is merely 10%.
1. How’s the 71-year-old Swedish man now?| A．He is much better in hospital. | B．He is very fine at home. |
| C．He still needs a defibrillator. | D．He’s made a recovery in hospital. |
| A．About 20 minutes. | B．About 10 minutes. |
| C．About 8 minutes. | D．About 4 minutes. |
| A．He was there by accident. | B．People called him for help. |
| C．He saw a drone with a defibrillator. | D．People rushed to him for help. |
| A．Most people in Europe and the US die from heart stopping. |
| B．Saving people with heart stopping quickly is important. |
| C．Most people can’t afford expensive defibrillators. |
| D．It’s necessary for every family to prepare for a defibrillator. |
