1 . Rich or poor, young or old, we all have problems. We can easily become unhappy unless we
Most of us have probably been
When we are angry, however, we are usually the ones affected. Have you ever seen young children playing together? But they
Many
By comparing yourself with other people, you will find your problems are not so terrible. Think about Stephen Hawking, for example, a very clever scientist. He couldn’t walk
| A．solve | B．answer | C．imagine | D．decide |
| A．Depending on | B．Trying out | C．Looking for | D．Worrying about |
| A．pleased | B．interested | C．friendly | D．angry |
| A．fight | B．laugh | C．hug | D．frighten |
| A．last | B．make | C．hope | D．use |
| A．way | B．test | C．class | D．lesson |
| A．teachers | B．students | C．workers | D．adults |
| A．difficult | B．important | C．strict | D．kind |
| A．and | B．or | C．for | D．but |
| A．bravely | B．angrily | C．sadly | D．quietly |
2 . It is necessary for students to learn some team skills like developing relationships, communicating well with others and solving problems. Here are two fun team activities.
Activity 1: Water Relay (接力赛)
Tools
Two large buckets (水桶) to hold water
One small bucket for each team member
Instructions
Fill one large bucket with water.
Make holes in the bottom of the small buckets.
Have the team members line up between the two large buckets.
Pass the water from one large bucket to the other, using small buckets. Try to keep as much water as possible.
Why It’s Fun
It’s fun to work out a way to lose as little water as possible. It’s water. Isn’t it fun to get you wet on a hot summer day?
Activity 2: Truth and Lie
This activity will allow team members to learn about each other.
Instructions
Have each team member think of three pieces of information about themselves, and one of them is a lie. Each team member tells the group all the three pieces of information. Let the other team members guess which is the lie.
Why It’s Fun
Students love talking about themselves and this gives them the chance to do so.
Members can learn about each other.
Members will be surprised at what others think of them.
1. What tools are needed for each team in Water Relay?| A．One large bucket for each member. |
| B．Two large buckets for each member. |
| C．Two large buckets and one small bucket for each member. |
| D．Two small buckets for each member and one large bucket. |
| A．Get themselves wet. | B．Keep as much water as possible. |
| C．Pass the water as slowly as possible. | D．Pass the large bucket to the other team. |
| A．Because the team can have a chance to talk about themselves. |
| B．Because the team can share love with each other. |
| C．Because the team can tell lies. |
| D．Because the team can learn all the information. |
| A．A science book. | B．A travel guide. |
| C．A fashion magazine. | D．A school magazine. |
3 . One day, Sue argued with her mother. She left home without saying a word.
When she saw a noodle shop, she suddenly felt
“Don’t worry. I’ll
“What’s wrong?” the shop owner asked.
“I am touched by your kindness. Even a
“Girl, why do you think so? Think again. I
Sue was surprised after
On the way home, Sue thought over. She stopped in front of the door and saw her
Sue couldn’t control herself. She cried and hugged her mother.
In our life, it is
| A．Because | B．If | C．Although | D．Unless |
| A．thirsty | B．cold | C．hungry | D．sleepy |
| A．leave | B．call | C．borrow | D．treat |
| A．you | B．me | C．her | D．him |
| A．child | B．friend | C．relative | D．stranger |
| A．even | B．never | C．often | D．just |
| A．seeing | B．tasting | C．hearing | D．touching |
| A．sister | B．mother | C．father | D．brother |
| A．sleep | B．drink | C．eat | D．play |
| A．unusual | B．strange | C．difficult | D．easy |
4 . On December 16, 2023, the first section of Maya Train officially opened, which runs between Campeche and Cancún, carrying up to 231 passengers across 290 miles and stopping at 14 train stations.
Built as an ambitious effort to promote tourism and boost Mexico’s economy, the rail system connects the major cities and tourist regions of the Yucatán Peninsula —from Cancún’s beaches to Tulum’s archaeological wonders. Once the project is completed, the entire rail system will link tourist destinations across five states. However, environmentalists and archaeologists argue that the train route will cause great damage to the environment-and ancient Mayan sites.
The Maya Train passes through six UNESCO World Heritage sites and thousands of archaeological sites. One particular area of concern is the Calakmul biosphere reserve, which is home to many endangered species, such as jaguars and over 500 other animal species. The train lines, more than 60 meters wide, could act as artificial barriers that may limit the movement of these animals within the reserve making it difficult for them to move around and access food and water sources.
Opponents also express safety concerns. Certain sections of the rail system will be built right on top of the aquifer’s(含水层的) most fragile points of contact with the surface. “It’s like wanting to build over eggshells,” says Guillermo Christy, a water treatment consultant. “Putting trains weighing thousands of tons on top could cause the underground caves to crash down.” To construct the train infrastructure also requires driving long piles deep into the ground, which poses a big threat to this fragile ecosystem and leads to water shortages.
In the ongoing debate of Maya Train, it is crucial to consider the delicate balance between economic development and environmental preservation. While Maya Train may provide economic benefits, we must not overlook the potential environmental and cultural losses, as well as the safety risks it may bring. Achieving harmony between progress and conservation may be a significant challenge for the project, but we must take into account the long-term consequences of our actions.
1. What do we know about the Maya Train project?| A．It consumes lots of labor in Mexico. |
| B．It has concerned some professionals. |
| C．It was completed on December 16,2023. |
| D．It blocks the development of local tourism. |
| A．Restricting their activities. |
| B．Polluting their water sources. |
| C．Disturbing their sleeping patterns. |
| D．Attracting their enemies to the area. |
| A．To show the difficulty of constructing the rail lines. |
| B．To prove the urgency of protectıng the fragile ecosystem. |
| C．To explain the reasons for water shortages along the railway. |
| D．To stress Maya Train’s potential harm to the aquifer system. |
| A．Preserving cultural sites requires strong financial support. |
| B．It is time to speed up the con truction process of Maya Train. |
| C．We should value the economic benefits of the project in the long run. |
| D．Economic development should not come at the cost of the environment. |
5 . There was a time when an event would not begin without a photographer. “I remember the days when event organizers would even delay a show if the photographer was running late,” says Balachandra Raju, a photographer of Sathyam Studio, a still surviving photo studio in India’s southern city of Chennai.
Photo studios are facing extinction in the digital age. But as they struggle to continue doing the business, one research project is looking at ways to preserve their legacy (遗产) by digitizing archival pictures.
The project, funded by the British Library, visited around 100 photo studios across the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu and digitized 10,000 prints. Many of the photos were taken between 1880 and 1980, and they ranged from pictures of families and famous stars to weddings and funerals. “The digital archive will be useful for those interested in history,” said Zoe E. Headley, one of the researchers. Ramesh Kumar, another researcher on the project, called it a “gold mine” for photographers. “The research we’ve done also highlights production techniques used before digital photography arrived in our cities and towns,” he said.
However, the researchers would often find old photos piled on top of one another in the storage room of a studio. “No one had bothered to clean them,” Kumar said, adding that many photos had been damaged due to the hot and wet weather in Tamil Nadu.
The owner of Nallapillai Studio in central Tamil Nadu said he spends about 20,000 rupees (￡230, $310) each month to run the studio that was founded by his great grandfather almost 150 years ago. To survive in this digital age has been a struggle. “Many customers don’t book us for special events anymore,” he said, adding that they have all got smartphones to do the job. “I’m not sure if photo studios will exist five years from now,” he said. But this is why, according to Mr Raju, this archival project is so important.
1. What’s the main purpose of the archival project?| A．To protect the legacy of photo studios. | B．To slow down the extinction of photo studios. |
| C．To search for better ways of taking photos. | D．To visit all the photo studios across the India. |
| A．Photo studios can attract many visitors. |
| B．Photographers can have a good working place. |
| C．Photographers get to learn about old photography techniques. |
| D．Photo studios have the chance to take pictures of famous stars. |
| A．They are operating quite well . | B．They gave old photos little protection. |
| C．Some were protected from hot and wet weather. | D．They were always booked for special events. |
| A．Creative. | B．Fruitless. | C．Meaningful. | D．Unsatisfactory. |
6 . Andrew is a teenager from Germany, studying in Garden School. He is very interested in Chinese classic novels. He wants to buy some to read but he doesn’t know what to choose. Therefore, he asked his classmates to recommend some and he has made a list according to their recommendations.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms Author: Luo Guanzhong(1330 — 1400) Recommended by: Tom Reason for recommendation: It influences the world most because it is very rich in strategies (策略) and many are applicable (适用的) today. One of them in the story is the Empty Fort Strategy by the famous strategist Zhuge Liang. The story has spread all over the world. Price: ￥ 58 Dream of the Red Chamber Author:Cao Xueqin(1715 — 1763) Recommended by: Coco Reason for recommendation: It is worth reading as there is a whole group of fans around the world called “Redologists (红学研究者)”. They have conferences and debate its details. It offers a panoramic (全景式的) view of society. The female characters in it are especially strong. Cao wished to respect them. Price: ￥ 55 The Journey to the West Author: Wu Cheng’en (about 1501 — 1582) Recommended by: Chen Ying Reason for recommendation: It is a classic novel published in the 16th century. It has positive spirit and no fear of difficulties. It focuses on a “hero’s journey” and the hero must complete difficult tasks, learning lessons along the way. Price: ￥64 The Water Margin Author: Shi Naian(1296 — 1371) Recommended by: Judy Reason for recommendation: It focuses on action and anti-hero themes (主题). Though the 108 people, 105 men and 3 women, may be “bad guys”, they make up their mind to protect their own people. The novel has been translated into many languages, including German. Price: ￥45 |
1. Who was born in the 13th century?
| A．Luo Guanzhong. | B．Cao Xueqin. |
| C．Wu Cheng’en. | D．Shi Naian. |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．Romance of the Three Kingdoms. | B．Dream of the Red Chamber. |
| C．The Journey to the West. | D．The Water Margin. |
| A．it is published in the 16th century | B．the edition (版本) in German is easier for him to understand |
| C．Andrew can be one of the Redologists | D．Andrew likes Zhuge Liang very much |
7 . Rivers are very important. Humans rely on them for food and water. But rivers can destroy things, too. They can flood, or rise over their banks, making the water run into the nearby land. Floods can also kill humans and wildlife. However, floods are not always bad. Some ecosystems need them every once in a while.
Flooding can not only drown animals but also destroy habitats. For example, a flood in India in 2012 killed many one-horned rhinos. Flood waters can pick up dirt from riverbanks, which makes the water dirty. Too much dirt will clog rivers and streams, preventing the river from flowing. Sometimes flood waters can carry pollution to the sea and harm marine life. In addition, flood waters can carry disease, including hepatitis A (甲型肝炎) and cholera (霍乱).
However, not everything about floods is bad. Sometimes they bring new life to ecosystems. Flood waters carry nutrients to the nearby land. Over time, the water dries up and leaves behind particles (微粒) of dirt and mud. The particles are called sediment (沉淀物) which can be good due to its ability to improve the dirt and help plants grow. Floods are important to some animals as well. For instance, some animals see floods as a sign that it is time to mate or migrate. Floods leave sediment on river beds where baby fish can grow and carry nutrients for small animals in the water to eat. Moreover, in dry seasons, water might dry up, but floods help refill the wetlands, keeping the ecosystem going.
Floods are a part of nature. They can destroy living things and the environment. But some ecosystems need floods to survive.
1. What’s the possible meaning of the underlined word “clog” in Paragraph 2?| A．Become. | B．Pollute. | C．Block. | D．Develop. |
| A．Nutrients carried by floods can make soil richer. |
| B．Floods make all the animals migrate more easily. |
| C．Tiny fish going with floods feed some animals. |
| D．Floods can improve the dirt and help plants grow. |
| A．The way in which floods feed animals. | B．The benefits of floods to ecosystems. |
| C．An effective means of improving soil. | D．The reason for people’s appreciating floods. |
| A．The Bad Effects of Flooding | B．The Secret of Flooding |
| C．Floods-A Disaster to Humans | D．Floods — A Part of Nature |
8 . Growing up in Mauritius, I love nature. Behind my house, there is a mountain named Le Pouce, where I spent much time
When I was about 10, this started to change. I began learning about the
Gradually, I realized how much humans
Diving plays a big part in my life now, and I work to
Protecting the ocean is very
| A．exploring | B．transforming | C．extending | D．constructing |
| A．shifted | B．appeared | C．stretched | D．stopped |
| A．destroyed | B．surrounded | C．covered | D．represented |
| A．scared | B．excited | C．addicted | D．disappointed |
| A．progress | B．threat | C．opportunity | D．image |
| A．avoiding | B．counting | C．highlighting | D．considering |
| A．then | B．yet | C．thus | D．moreover |
| A．lead | B．follow | C．recognize | D．prevent |
| A．efficiency | B．awareness | C．memory | D．confidence |
| A．paid back | B．adapted to | C．depended on | D．kept up |
| A．mood | B．imagination | C．hobby | D．experience |
| A．turn down | B．hold back | C．add up | D．contribute to |
| A．introduction | B．influence | C．advertisement | D．prediction |
| A．risky | B．impractical | C．shocking | D．crucial |
| A．join | B．respect | C．teach | D．guide |
9 . What’s On?
Electric Underground
7:30 pm - 1:00 am Free at the Cyclops Theatre
Do you know who’s playing in your area? We’re bringing you an evening of live rock and pop music from the best local bands. Are you interested in becoming a musician and getting a recording contract (合同)? If so, come early to the talk at 7:30 pm by Jules Skye, a successful record producer. He’s going to talk about how you can find the right person to produce you music.
Gee Whizz
8:30 pm - 10:30 pm Comedy at Kaleidoscope
Come and see Gee Whizz perform. He’s the funniest stand-up comedian on the comedy scene. This joyful show will please everyone, from the youngest to the oldest. Gee Whizz really knows how to make you laugh! Our bar is open from 7:00 pm for drinks and snacks.
Simon’s Workshop
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm Wednesdays at Victoria Stage
This is a good chance for anyone who wants to learn how to do comedy. The workshop looks at every kind of comedy, and practices many different ways of making people laugh. Simon is a comedian and actor who has 10 years’ experience of teaching comedy. His workshops are exciting and fun. An evening with Simon will give you the confidence to be funny.
Charlotte Stone
8:00 pm - 11:00 pm Pizza World
Fine food with beautiful jazz music; this is a great evening out. Charlotte Stone will perform songs from her new best-selling CD, with James Pickering on the piano. The menu is Italian, with excellent meat and fresh fish, pizzas and pasta (面食). Book early to get a table. Our bar is open all day, and serves cocktails, coffee, beer, and white wine.
1. Who can help you if you want to have your music produced?| A．Jules Skye. | B．Gee Whizz. | C．Charlotte Stone. | D．James Pickering. |
| A．It requires membership status. | B．It lasts three hours each time. |
| C．It is run by a comedy club. | D．It is held every Wednesday. |
| A．The Cyclops Theatre. | B．Kaleidoscope. | C．Victoria Stage. | D．Pizza World. |
10 . The innovation is part of research into brain-computer interfaces (接口) to help improve the lives of people with motor disabilities. The researchers included machine learning capabilities with their brain-computer interface, making it a one-size-fits-all solution.
Typically, these devices require extensive adjustment for each user- every brain is different, both for healthy and disabled users- and that has been a major hurdle to mainstream adoption. This new solution can quickly understand the needs of an individual subject and self-adjust through repetition. That means multiple patients could use the device without needing to tune it to the individual.
In a clinical setting, the subjects wear a cap packed with electrodes (电极) that is connected to a computer. The electrodes gather data by measuring electrical signals from the brain, and the decoder translates the brain signals into commands, which are used to control devices or applications. In this case, the decoded signals are translated into actions in a car racing game and a simpler task involving balancing a digital bar. Subjects were trained simultaneously for both the simpler bar game and the more complex car racing game, thus improving their brain function.
The researchers call this work foundational, in that it sets the stage for further brain-computer interface innovation. This project used 18 subjects with no motor disabilities. As they continue down this road, they will test this on people with motor disabilities to apply it to larger groups in clinical settings. “To achieve this, we need to improve our technology to make it easier to use,’ Millan. a professor in the University of Texas says.
On the side of translating the research, Millan and his team continue to work on a wheelchair that users can drive with the brain- computer interface. At the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals this month, the researchers showed off another potential use of the technology. controlling two rehabilitation (康复) robots for the hand and arm. This was not part of the new paper but a sign of where this technology could go in the future. “We’ll continue down this path wherever it takes us in the pursuit of helping people.” Millan says.
1. Who will benefit the most from the Brain-Computer Interface innovation?| A．People with physical disabilities. | B．Businessmen selling wheelchairs. |
| C．Students seeking academic improvement. | D．Athletes seeking performance enhancement. |
| A．Faster adjustment process. | B．Decreased need for tuning. |
| C．Improved mainstream adoption. | D．Quick understanding of commands. |
| A．Translating signals. | B．Measuring brain signals. |
| C．Controlling devices. | D．Enhancing brain function. |
| A．Exploring hand and arm rehabilitation. |
| B．Showcasing technology at conferences. |
| C．Translating and publishing research papers. |
| D．Enhancing brain- computer interface technology. |
