1 . Officials have unveiled the gold, silver and bronze medals that will be awarded at this summer’s Olympic games in Paris, and each one contains a unique souvenir: a fragment (碎片) of waste iron from the Eiffel Tower.
“It’s the opportunity for the athletes to bring back a piece of Paris with them,” Thierry Reboul, creative director of Paris 2024, told reporters last week. “The absolute symbol of Paris and France is the Eiffel Tower.”
The Eiffel Tower opened in 1889 and during the later repair work, some of the original iron was cut off and preserved over time. Now, some of those preserved metal fragments have found new homes.
Each new Olympic me dal features a piece of Eiffel Tower iron — though the signature “Eiffel Tower brown” paint has been removed. These pieces have been shaped into hexagons (六边形), which is the “shape of France”. Besides, there are words “Paris 2024”, the Olympic rings and the Games logo, which looks like a flame or the face of a woman with a bob haircut.
How did they think of such an idea? Joachim Roncin, head of design at the Paris Games organizing committee told the press, “We talked about the design many times and realized that there’s one symbol known across the world, which is the Eiffel Tower. We said to ourselves, ‘Hey, what if we approached the Eiffel Tower Operating Company to see if it’s possible to get a bit of the Eiffel Tower to integrate into the medal?’”
When the Eiffel Tower Operating Company agreed to volunteer pieces of original iron, “the dream became reality,” adds Roncin.
The medals, designed by the luxury Paris jewelry house Chaumet, make people think of the Eiffel Tower in several other ways. The pieces of iron are secured by what looks like special nails that hold the structure together, and the medals’ ribbons are decorated with patterns of the tower’s latticework structure.
The iron fragments are set in recycled silver, gold and bronze disks. Over 5,000 medals are being made.
1. What does Thierry mean by saying “bring back a piece of Paris”?| A．The athletes will buy souvenirs about Paris. |
| B．The athletes will take many photos of Paris. |
| C．Part of the athletes’ medal is from the symbol of Paris. |
| D．The Eiffel Tower will be left in the athletes’ memory. |
| A．The symbolic meaning of the hexagons. |
| B．The shape and material of the Olympic medal. |
| C．The processing technique of the Eiffel Tower iron pieces. |
| D．The design of the Eiffel Tower iron fragment on the medal. |
| A．From a strange dream. | B．By asking for the public. |
| C．Through their discussion. | D．By studying the Eiffel Tower. |
| A．They are innovative. | B．They are light. |
| C．They have six sides. | D．They are golden-colored. |
2 . Ready for a creative journey like never before? Welcome back to Axis Bank Splash! We are excited to invite you to dive into a world of imagination, where colors, words, and creativity come to life. But this year promises to be more exciting as entries showing your talents in drawing, craft, and literature are highly anticipated.
Themes
Choose the themes suiting yourself.
| Group | Theme |
| Kids 7—10 | Helping One Another |
| Kids 11—14 | Making The World A Kinder Place |
Prizes
The excitement doesn’t end with just showing your creativity. Winners in each age group have the chance to win fantastic prizes.
Cash Rewards: A generous reward awaits those whose creativity stands out.
Customized Campus Tours: Absorb yourself in the creative environment with a customized tour of noted art and design campuses.
Virtual Workshops from NID: Learn from the best! Winners will have the opportunity to attend virtual workshops conducted by the National Institute of Design (NID), a celebrated institution in design education.
Registration
Click on “Register”, add your phone number, and fill in the OTP (One-time Password). Fill in the “Submission Category” and attach your creative file. Need guidance? If yes, check out the sample submission here.
Don’t miss the chance to make a hit with your creativity. We are waiting for your masterpieces!
1. What is Axis Bank Splash?| A．An organization. | B．An art museum. | C．A tour. | D．A contest. |
| A．A check reward. | B．Admission to NID. |
| C．A visit to art colleges. | D．Access to design studios. |
| A．Completing the submission category. | B．Changing the password first. |
| C．Submitting the work by email. | D．Referring to the given sample. |
3 . The last attempt of Ken Campbell to run could date back to high school. When his wife, Susan, injured her foot, she needed support to rejoin her running group, so Campbell went along to keep her company in the recovery. “We were just walking at the beginning,” he says, “I was heavy, and weighed over 90kg.” But as the weeks and months passed, the weight fell away, Susan recovered and Campbell’s abilities grew. At the age of 63, he ran 50 km, and at 70, he completed a 100 km ultramarathon (超长距离马拉松赛跑).
So how does someone with no experience of running become an ultradistance runner in his 60s and 70s? Susan had run marathons (马拉松比赛) before her injury, but for Campbell, the turning point came when Susan’s Fleet Feet running group started training near their home.
Campbell went out to visit Susan’s group, and “the paths were a terrible mess. It had been raining, and I was slipping, sliding and falling. But I thought, well, I like this a lot.” What he liked above all was the feeling of “being wrapped by the path, being hugged by the closeness of the plants and the nearness of the river”.
Running the 100 km ultramarathon took Campbell 16 hours. When Campbell crossed the finish line, Susan handed him a 100 km sticker to display on the back of his truck. “It is a public statement that you are part of this community,” he says. “Wherever we park, I see a line of vehicles with their various stickers and I feel that we are a community.”
Campbell suffered from arthritis before he started running, and was “waiting for knee replacement”, but for now, he no longer needs an operation. It can put an end to the running—but the “sense of wellbeing and achievement will carry me on forever,” he says, “If I can’t run, I will walk.”
1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．Why Campbell attempted to run marathon. |
| B．What led to Campbell’s weight loss. |
| C．What made Campbell start running. |
| D．What Campbell did for Susan’s recovery. |
| A．His visit to Susan’s group. | B．Feeling free in nature. |
| C．Falling down when training. | D．Susan’s starting training. |
| A．A sense of achievement. | B．Encouragement from his wife. |
| C．A sense of belonging. | D．Display of his happiness. |
| A．Well begun is half done. | B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．Failure is the mother of success. | D．It is never too late to begin. |
4 . MiG Prize 2024
The Michel Gelrubin Architecture Prize is designed to bring out new talents by giving students an opportunity for international recognition. Open internationally, the Prize is awarded annually to honor students whose work demonstrates a combination of vision and talent in the art of architecture and planning.
This Year’s Challenge
This year’s competition invites proposals for projects that integrate at least 3 different uses into a building. The projects should include private and public spaces, and consider the urban context.
Timeline
Launch: August 1st, 2024
Registration Deadline: September 15th, 2024 (registration is free)
Submission Deadline: November 19th, 2024
Result Announcement: December 17th, 2024
Prizes
First prize $5,000
Second prize $2,500
Third prize $1,500
The Jury (评委会)
The projects will be scored based on their originality, design, environmental effects, and presentation.
Participation
The competition is open to any student studying architecture during the academic year 2024-2025. Candidates can apply as individuals or as teams.
Materials
Electronic submission of the project files must include:
● Posters that integrate the documents explaining the project [plans, sections, elevations, photos, renderings (透视图), illustrations, images, diagrams, and text]
● A presentation of the project (max 15 slides)
● A video file (max 3 min.) is optional but highly recommended.
● All the documents must be written in English and sent in a PDF format (except the videos).
For more information, see https://migprize.com.
1. What do we know about the competition?| A．It offers $ 1,500 for second prize. |
| B．It is open to all graduates in architecture. |
| C．It charges an all-time low registration fee this year. |
| D．It focuses on designing a mixed-use building this year. |
| A．August 1st, 2024. | B．September 15th, 2024. |
| C．November 19th, 2024. | D．December 17th, 2024. |
| A．Integrated posters in the English version. |
| B．A video file of no more than 3 minutes. |
| C．A presentation of no less than 15 slides. |
| D．Paper documents explaining the project. |
5 . Tips For Staying Active Over the Holidays
The holiday season is here, which for most people, signals a departure from their typical exercise regime (方式，管理制度). Being physically active on a consistent basis can be challenging during this period especially as we travel to see relatives or host friends in our homes.
This is the first rule of any sustainable exercise routine. If your workout feels like another task on your to-do list, it’ll be difficult to stick with. Therefore, be creative in identifying physical activities. Dance. Garden. Take a yoga class online. All of these count as physical activities, and even small amounts add up.
Find breaks to move throughout the day.
Make it a priority.
Most of us are managing countless responsibilities every day, so it’s vital to consider physical activities an important part of your day.
Be realistic.
Most are overly optimistic when first mapping out a workout plan. In fact, exercise isn’t necessarily at maximal intensity to be effective. Besides, you don’t have to exercise before, during and after work every day in order to hit your goals.
| A．Find something you enjoy. |
| B．Participate in various physical activities. |
| C．Exercise doesn’t have to take place in a gym. |
| D．Of course, it is realistic to avoid being injured in sports. |
| E．Instead, just put more movement into your current daily life. |
| F．However hard it seems, staying active can help not just your waistline. |
| G．Put it on your schedule, just as you make an appointment with a doctor. |
6 . ONE CEREMONY, SEVERAL FIRSTS
The Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games will be bold, original and unique. On 26 July 2024, Paris 2024 will offer an Opening Ceremony that is certain to join the most memorable moments in Olympic history.
A ceremony outside a stadium
For the first time in the history of the Olympic Summer Games, the Opening Ceremony will not take place in a stadium. Paris 2024 is breaking new ground by bringing sports and the Opening Ceremony into the city, set to be held in the heart of the city along its main river: the Seine (塞纳河).
A ceremony on the river
Taking on a new look, the parade of athletes will be held on the Seine with boats for each national delegation (代表团). These boats will be equipped with cameras to allow television and online viewers to see the athletes up close. Winding their way from east to west, the 10,500 athletes will cross through the centre of Paris.
A ceremony with free admission for many spectators
Holding a ceremony open to a large audience, with no admission fee for most of its spectators, is a major first. Fans won’t need tickets to access the upper quays (码头), but those wishing to access the lower quays will need to buy tickets. Eighty giant screens and strategically placed speakers will allow everyone to enjoy the magical atmosphere of this show throughout Paris.
A ceremony designed for and by athletes
By opening with the parade of athletes, Paris 2024 is breaking with tradition. Athletes will be featured on stage during the introduction to and throughout the ceremony as part of Paris 2024’s constant aim to hold Games created for and by athletes.
1. Where will the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024 be held?| A．On the quays beside the Seine. |
| B．In the city center along the Seine. |
| C．In a stadium near the heart of Paris. |
| D．On the eastern and western ends of Paris. |
| A．No admission fee is required. |
| B．Access to the lower quays is free. |
| C．Tickets should be bought for the upper quays. |
| D．Some viewers pay for watching the ceremony. |
| A．The history of the Olympics. | B．The procedure of Paris 2024. |
| C．The novel points of a ceremony. | D．The charging rules of a ceremony. |
7 . You may have read that to stay fit and healthy, you need about 30 minutes of exercise each day, at least five days a week. New research suggests that the time we need to spend on daily workouts could be less than that.
Edvard Sagelv, a researcher at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, was part of a team that found being sedentary (久坐的) more than 12 hours a day was associated with a 38 percent higher death risk. This was only the case for individuals who managed less than 22 minutes of medium to high intensive physical activity a day, however, and it is relatively easy to achieve that minimum by taking a brisk (轻快的) walk.
“In research on physical activity, fast walking is estimated to be four kilometres an hour,” he said. Although it may not seem like a lot, it depends on a person’s fitness level. “It is interesting that 4 km/h — a pace achievable for the vast majority of the population — is what it takes to really invest in your physical health,” he added.
For a walk to positively affect your heart, which will then impact your brain and your circulation, you need to “feel it”. To feel the work your body is doing, you need to walk at 4 to 6 kilometres an hour. If you wear a fitness tracker, aim for more than 100 steps a minute.
A recent study published by researchers at the Cambridge University found that just 11 minutes a day of moderate-intensity physical activities — a brisk walk — was enough to lower the risk of diseases such as heart disease, stroke and a number of cancers.
Lead author Soren Brage was not surprised by the findings. “Doing some physical activities is better than doing none. This is also a good starting position — if you find that 75 minutes a week is manageable, then you could try stepping it up gradually to the full recommended amount,” he said. The point is that a relatively short period of high-intensity exercise isn’t just better than nothing; it has a measurable and positive impact on health.
1. What is the recommended pace for fast walking?| A．7 kilometres per hour. | B．8 kilometres per hour |
| C．9 kilometres per hour. | D．4 kilometres per hour. |
| A．By putting into more effort. | B．By wearing less clothing |
| C．By walking at a quick pace. | D．By joining a group. |
| A．People should exercise 75 minutes a week. |
| B．It pays to increase the intensity of workouts. |
| C．People should stop being sedentary immediately. |
| D．It's important to measure the impact of exercise. |
| A．Reflect the influence of a new study. | B．Share the findings of a new research. |
| C．Assess a research process. | D．Clarify a research method. |
8 . Yoga has been around for roughly 5, 000 years but it is more popular today than ever. An estimated 300 million people play yoga worldwide. Experts say its accessibility and the fact that you can practice it anywhere are big reasons why.
Yoga can improve your posture and balance, strengthen bones and muscles and keep your back and joints healthy.
Many people adopt yoga as a form of exercise.
| A．Different poses offer different benefits. |
| B．The detailed advantages are as follows. |
| C．Actually, yoga is a way of life at its roots. |
| D．This exercise is said to strengthen your body. |
| E．Yoga seems unlikely to send you to the hospital. |
| F．A lot of studies have been carried out about yoga. |
| G．The aim of this pose is to settle your mind and body. |
9 . My 10-year-old son and two friends attended a 2-hour fantastic basketball camp on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A few minutes before the session ended, there was a shooting contest. Only a few kids were chosen to compete, and my son was not one of them. The contest winners received prizes and recognition, as did a few kids chosen as “all-stars” for effort, skill and participation. Again, my son was not selected.
My son was struggling to deal with his disappointment.
At the camp, he played a basketball game with kids he had never met, guarded them fiercely and took shots easily against them. As his mom, I was thrilled that he spent the day without his iPad. All in all, the day felt wonderful. The last thing I wanted was for these awards to ruin the experience.
I decided to simplify it for him. I did the math and figured out the shooting contest and awards were about 6% of the total camp. The rest of the camp, the parts that he enjoyed, were 94% of the day. Even though the kid loves math, it was hard for him to see the contests and awards as a small part of his day.
My son once told me about a negative situation that played out at recess（课间休息）. The way he explained it felt like the disagreement lasted hours, but it turns out it was only the last few minutes of recess.
Now is the time for me as the parent to help my kids think more positively. If my son leaves a half-day camp and most of the day was great —that’s a win. If our family is able to go to Florida over winter break and enjoy time together, away from the everyday headaches, that’s also a win. We can acknowledge the aspects that disappoint us, as long as we are willing to then focus on the bigger picture.
It starts with me and my husband. Our kids will model the behavior we show. They need to see us thinking positively and not hyper-focusing on the negative 6%.
1. Why did the author’s son become so disappointed?| A．He spent the day without his iPad. | B．He missed out on a basketball contest. |
| C．His mother didn’t turn up in a contest. | D．He didn’t gain awards in a shooting contest. |
| A．To help her son to think positively. | B．To arouse her son’s interest in math. |
| C．To emphasize the disappointing aspects. | D．To simplify the process of the shooting contest. |
| A．Do the math. | B．Set an example. |
| C．Start a project. | D．Learn from other parents. |
| A．Practice makes perfect. | B．Every coin has two sides. |
| C．The bigger picture matters. | D．Adversity makes a wise man. |
10 . Skeet shooting is a type of target sport in which the shooter uses a special gun to hit moving clay target, which are sometimes referred to as “clay pigeons (陶土飞靶)”. This target sport is an important, competitive sport in the Olympic games.
Skeet shooting was invented by the bird hunter in the early nineteenth century under the original name of “clock shooting”. The game was changed slightly and reached a wider audience over the coming years. Once, a competition was held to determine a new name for this shooting game.
Today, skeet shooting is as American as apple pie and McDonald’s. At first, fans of the sport were male, but now, a fair number of women also love skeet shooting.
Like most skills, skeet shooting takes a lot of patience and practice.
| A．Why do people love skeet shooting? |
| B．At last, the game was called skeet shooting. |
| C．How can one participate in the sport at home? |
| D．Unfortunately, no recommended name was chosen. |
| E．Sure, some people might have a natural talent for it. |
| F．There are many clubs offering skeet shooting in America. |
| G．Therefore, many countries attach much importance to it. |
