1 . When I was little, my mom put her love into making traditional Chinese soups for me. I’m talking Ching bo leung (清凉补), with a lot of herbal(中草药的) ingredients that give the soup a
As a kid, I never
First, she would state all the health benefits that the soup has.
“How can this strange water improve my
Then, she’d tell me it tasted
Lastly, she’d bribe (贿赂) me with a piece of candy.
And somehow that would
I
She’d always say, “I
When I was young, I
But as I got older, I
Recently, I recalled (回忆起) this
My daughter was
I told her, “Because I love eating them.”
1.| A．good | B．real | C．strange | D．natural |
| A．enjoyed | B．minded | C．regretted | D．stopped |
| A．teach | B．promise | C．allow | D．encourage |
| A．skill | B．grade | C．health | D．situation |
| A．common | B．different | C．cheap | D．cold |
| A．disappear | B．work | C．happen | D．increase |
| A．advise | B．forget | C．begin | D．avoid |
| A．wondered | B．understood | C．realized | D．explained |
| A．buy | B．prepare | C．stand | D．find |
| A．keep | B．love | C．imagine | D．consider |
| A．honestly | B．hardly | C．secretly | D．eagerly |
| A．doubted | B．hoped | C．agreed | D．knew |
| A．dream | B．plan | C．memory | D．show |
| A．threw | B．cut | C．planted | D．ate |
| A．angry | B．surprised | C．excited | D．ready |
2 . Shots to Shoot for
If you haven’t given much thought lately to smallpox, polio or diphtheria, that’s because these once-dangerous diseases either have been completely rid of or are now well controlled, thanks to the success of earlier vaccination (接种疫苗) programs. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that currently fewer than a quarter of American adults have received all age-appropriate vaccines (疫苗).
While some vaccines are given in childhood and give protection for life, others must be repeated into adulthood. The virus that causes measles, for instance, is a very stable virus, it doesn’t change — basically, the virus today is the same as it was in 1935, Flu and COVID viruses, on the other hand, change frequently, so the vaccine s need to be updated and repeated.
Here are the CDC’s vaccine recommendations for adults age 19 and older. (Note: Some guidelines change for adults with additional risk factors or health conditions. Ask your doctor for more information.)
Flu: One dose (剂量) annually.COVID-19: Boosters on your doctor’s recommendation.
MMR: One to two doses for those born in 1957 or later who have not been fully immunized.
Hepatitis A: People with certain medical conditions or those traveling overseas may require two to three doses, depending on the vaccine.
Hepatitis B: Two to four doses for all adults, depending on the vaccine.
HPV: Two to three doses before age 26(or before age 45, depending on your doctor’s recommendation).
Pneumococcal: For all adults over age 65, one dose PCV15 followed by PPSV23 or one dose PCV20.
Meningococcal: Recommended for previously unvaccinated adults who are in college or the military, or have a weak immune system.
1. Which of the childhood vaccine can provide lifelong protection?
| A．Measles. | B．Hu | C．COVID-19. | D．MMR. |
| A．One dose annually. | B．None before age 45. |
| C．Two to three doses before age 26. | D．Depending on the vaccine. |
| A．Unvaccinated soldiers. | B．All unvaccinated adults. |
| C．People with a strong immune system. | D．Vaccinated college students. |
3 . The Best Mountain Bike Trails (小径) in the US
The Tahoe Rim TrailWhere: Lake Tahoe, CA & NV
Distance: about 165 miles
The trail is popular with hikers, backpackers (背包客), and mountain bikers, so don’t expect to have much loneliness. You’ll have views of bright blue Lake Tahoe nearly the entire time. Most mountain bikers do the eight sections (段) of the Rim Trail in separate trips rather than doing the full loop (圈) as it’s too tiring. Also, make sure you’re familiar with the routes because some sections are closed to bikers.
The Gooseberry Mesa South RimWhere: Hurricane, UT
Distance: about 8 miles
There’s a reason why the world-famous Red Bull Rampage mountain bike competition is held here—the land is beautiful and suitable for big jumps and fun rock climbs. However, it’s not for beginners. But if you’re willing to take it on, you’ll be able to enjoy impressive views and a lively trip.
The Sidewinder Mountain Biking TrailWhere: Burke, VT
Distance: about 35 miles
Sidewinder is a small part of the 100 miles of trails within Vermont’s well-known Kingdom Trails system. If you love the feeling of a quick downhill line similar to sitting in the front of a rollercoaster more than actually riding a bike, you’ll love Sidewinder. The trail is a one-way trail made for experienced bikers.
The East Tiger Summit TrailWhere: Issaquah, WA
Distance: 1.5 miles
Tiger Mountain is loaded with mountain bike trails for everyone from beginners to experts, so you can choose the trail if you have a group of bikers of different levels. Almost anyone with basic skills or above should be about to handle this trail, which is good since it’s one of the best trails in the entire PWN.
1. What can bikers do along the Tahoe Rim Trail?| A．Enjoy beautiful lake views. | B．Bike freely in each section. |
| C．Finish a loop easily within a day. | D．Experience the pleasure of biking alone. |
| A．It has the longest distance. |
| B．It provides superfast downhill riding. |
| C．It is suitable for bikers of different levels. |
| D．It offers an impressive landscape along the way. |
| A．The Tahoe Rim Trail. | B．The East Tiger Summit Trail. |
| C．The Gooseberry Mesa South Rim. | D．The Sidewinder Mountain Biking Trail. |
4 . There are many potential sources of clean energy out there: solar energy, wind energy, hydrogen-based energy, and more. One of the less-known sources of clean energy is wave energy. Now the energy is being put to use in an almost funny way, turning seawater into drinking water by Oneka, a Canadian startup.
In general, there are two traditional kinds of desalination (脱盐) technology. In the first technology, seawater is heated till the water changes into steam, leaving the salt behind, and then the steam is cooled, turning into water, and made available for use. In the second one, seawater is pushed through a see-through thin material, separating the salt and the water, which consumes relatively less fuel compared with the first technology. Whichever technology is used, however, most desalination plants run on non-renewable energy.
Desalination equipment is traditionally powered by fossil fuels, but the world has certainly reached a vital point where it’s necessary to move away from fossil fuel-powered desalination. This is where Oneka’s unique desalination technology comes in. Oneka uses floating desalination machines, attached to a kind of floating device which then absorbs energy from the ocean waves, and changes it into mechanical forces, to pump the water through the see-through thin material system. The fresh water is then pumped to land, through the power of the waves.
The waste from conventional desalination plants contains high concentrations of salt which is discharged into the sea, creating a zone where sea life dies off. Oneka’s technology steers clear of this, because the water that streams back into the ocean only has a 30 percent increase in the salt concentration, and is quickly spread by the waves.
This innovative technology shows us that sometimes the solutions to complicated problems don’t have to be complicated at all. Sometimes all you need are the ocean waves.
1. Which can best describe the first technology in paragraph 2?| A．It is labor-intensive. | B．It is energy-hungry. |
| C．It separates salt via cooling. | D．It outperforms the second one. |
| A．It’s slightly complicated. | B．It leaves little salt behind. |
| C．It reshapes fresh water storage. | D．It’s mechanically driven. |
| A．Relieves. | B．Facilitates. | C．Envelops. | D．Achieves. |
| A．Eco-driven Desalination Machines | B．Ocean Waves: The New Energy Solution |
| C．Wave-powered Green Desalination | D．Desalination: The Future of Fresh Water |
5 . Cathy Winston is a sports nutritionist. Among her regulars are athletes. Cathy thrives on the variety, with each new sport providing new challenges and a renewed appreciation of her chosen field of expertise. In her view, dealing with athletes from various sport backgrounds helps her become seasoned, which is a key part of being a successful nutritionist. “You have to understand nutrition and people, and then you can begin to work in this field,” she says. “Besides, in tennis you must learn to be reactive, because you don’t know how long the match lasts. However, it’s 90 minutes in football so you know what you’re fueling for.”
Regardless of the sport, Cathy’s attitude remains the same: Any athlete failing to respect nutrition is one who is failing to fulfill their potential. It’s a key part of the training process. It’s not just something that you take casually. She advises her athletes to hold nutrition in the same regard as they do their most crucial bit of equipment. “Just as you wouldn’t forget to put your shin pads (护腿板) or your boots in your kit bag, don’t forget to put in your drinks and your snacks. That informs how well you train, because you can’t get out if you haven’t put in.”
Nutritionists are sometimes unfairly represented as militant (斗志昂扬的) types telling what athletes can and can’t eat. But Cathy insists that when to eat is more important than what. “It’s about when’s the right time to have it in,” she says. It’s a message that Cathy says can take a while to sink in. “A lot of boxers say, ‘but bananas make you fat, right?’, and there’s this inherent belief that we mustn’t eat those kinds of things. But it’s not about what to cut out. It’s about making sure that you’ve got the foundation right for health and performance. It’s that one size fits one. It’s what works for you. To be an excellent athlete, you really need to be an exceptional eater.”
1. What does Cathy think about her job?| A．It hardly faces new challenges in every competition. |
| B．It mainly focuses on the duration of matches. |
| C．It merely needs to understand nutrition and people. |
| D．It highly values experience and flexibility. |
| A．By making a comparison. | B．By analyzing a phenomenon. |
| C．By telling a story. | D．By providing data. |
| A．Focusing on the timing of the diet. |
| B．Cutting out specific foods from the diet. |
| C．Following a strict and militant diet plan. |
| D．Increasing the variety of foods. |
| A．Food has a say in the sports field. |
| B．Nutritionists act as unsung heroes behind athletes. |
| C．Nutrition determines the results in the competition. |
| D．A good eater is a great athlete. |
6 . Cheng Yuyan never expected that the interest group “We Love Strolling in the Park”, which she created by accident on Douban, a Chinese social media platform, four years ago, would now reach 100,000 members.
According to the 25-year-old from Shanghai, creating this group was just an accidental decision, and she didn’t spend much time in it afterwards. However, park lovers from all over China and even overseas have voluntarily made it their gathering place. People share park experiences, post photos taken in parks, and offer recommendations and reviews about parks.
“The growth of this group is the result of organic (绿色的) development, just like a park, where people naturally come together. The rise in member numbers also shows the increasingly important role that parks are playing in people’s lives,” Cheng said.
Within this group, there is a saying called “20 minutes for parks”, which comes from a theory (理论) in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research. According to the theory, spending 20 minutes in a park daily helps to reduce stress, no matter whether people exercise in it or simply take a walk.
With the help of social media, the theory has been receiving popularity among a great number of young people in China. Huang Bingbing from Shenzhen, Guangdong province, is a follower of this idea.
She said that Shenzhen has many parks between office buildings. Over three years ago, when she was still working at an advertising company, she used to visit the small park downstairs during her weekday lunch breaks. “On the grass, I could connect with living plants and animals, allowing me to refresh my mind and recover from the stress of the workplace,” Huang said.
1. What did Cheng Yuyan think of her interest group?| A．It surely attracted people. | B．It was a serious decision. |
| C．It took her much effort. | D．It got an unexpected result. |
| A．People’s love for parks. | B．The rise of the group number . |
| C．People’s changes of lifestyles. | D．The benefit of green development. |
| A．The pull of the online media. | B．Their need for more experience. |
| C．The heavy load of their work. | D．Their easy acceptance of new ideas. |
| A．Hard work pays off. | B．Great minds think alike. |
| C．A small thing makes a difference. | D．Success comes from joint efforts. |
7 . Perhaps the most eagerly awaited play in recent Broadway history, the nine-time Olivier Award-winning West End hit Harry Potter and the Cursed Child made the trip across the ocean in 2018 and opened its doors to crowds of excited Muggles in New York.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the official eighth story in the Harry Potter world and the first to be presented on stage. The production is highly characterized by amazing tricks designed by Jamie Harrison, bringing stage magic to life before your eyes.
Rowling, along with John Tiffany and Jack Thorne, developed the story of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but Thorne took the lead. From Steven Hoggett’s amazing dance moves, making it easy to exchange between scenes (场景) and character entrances, to John Tiffany’s wildly creative directorial choices in scenes about the Hogwarts Express or the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a masterful piece of theatre.
The show used to be longer and it was a two-part show, clocking in at more than five hours total. Since theatres shut down and reopened following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Broadway show is now just one, which runs 3 and a half hours, but all the timeless characters and magic tricks still await. The two-part version (版本) still runs in London and elsewhere.
The recommended age for the show is Ages 8+. Children under 5 are not allowed. Younger children might have trouble sitting through the show, and the storyline contains something that might be scary. Overall, though, the play is family-friendly like the books are, and kids will be drawn to the magic.
Lyric Theatre! Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is now performed in one part. Get tickets on Broadway now.
1. What is the key feature of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?| A．It is based on a popular book. |
| B．It is the first Harry Potter story staged. |
| C．It moves from the West End to Broadway. |
| D．It contains impressive magic performances. |
| A．J.K. Rowling. | B．John Tiffany. |
| C．Jack Thorne. | D．Steven Hoggett. |
| A．Main characters. | B．Shorter running time. |
| C．Age requirement for audience. | D．More special effects. |
8 . The “Got Talent” crew is one of the pioneers in finding and publicizing music talents and has been giving the world some of its most favorite artists for almost two decades. This year “Britain’s Got Talent” (BGT) uncovered a musical genius named Malakai Bayoh who amazed the audience with perfect high-note singing. The London-based 13-year-old boy appeared for the show’s audition (试镜) in April, 2023 and was accompanied by his mom and sister. “My big dream is to be a singer. I started singing at 7,” said Bayoh to the BGT team and added jokingly, “My mom made me join the choir (合唱团) because she’s very bossy.” The teenager mentioned she’s his biggest fan.
Bayoh’s mom was shocked as he was about to perform and said, “It scares me because, on his first show, somebody heckled (对……起哄) him. It was bad to think that someone would boo (喝倒彩) a child on stage because it could’ve knocked his confidence completely.” Contrary to his mom’s fear, Bayoh set the stage on fire singing the song “Pie Jesu” and the entire crowd were struck by his beautiful voice. As he ended his song, the audience and the judges gave him a standing applause. Simon Cowell, a judge, had just one word to say and it was “Golden Buzzer”, sending him straight to the semi-finals of the show.
Cowell and the other judges called Bayoh’s performance “flawless” and “heavenly”. His angelic voice made the audience tear up and the judges thanked the teen for coming on the show. Bayoh went on to become one of the finalists of the show.
Bayoh’s audition at the BGT became popular on social media. People loved the boy’s impeccable singing and some musicians even commented on how perfectly he hit the high notes. “I’m a trained singer and a music teacher by profession, and sang this song as a young performer myself. I can say with absolute certainty that this song is most beautifully sung this time. With proper technique and breathing, this boy sang really well,” posted @mayacorinne878.
1. What can be learned about Bayoh from paragraph 2?| A．He comes from a single-parent family. | B．He is humorous in speech. |
| C．His dream was inspired by his fans. | D．His mom used to be a singer. |
| A．Bayoh’s difficulty in singing. | B．The judges’ attitudes to his son. |
| C．Bayoh’s performance on stage. | D．Some audiences’ initial responses. |
| A．Touched. | B．Annoyed. | C．Relieved. | D．Amused. |
| A．To uncover more musical geniuses. | B．To show musicians’ ability to sing well. |
| C．To stress Bayoh’s excellent singing. | D．To contradict some audiences’ comments. |
9 . Robotics/Artificial Intelligence (AI) Competitions for High School Students
Robotics and AI competitions are a great way for high schoolers to dive into modern technologies. Here are four of them.
MATE ROV Competition
Location: Houston, Texas
Awards: VR headsets
Competition Date: March to June
MATE ROV Competition challenges students to design and build remotely operated vehicles, and its purpose is to see who can design a vehicle that will help monitor ocean health, provide clean energy, or just help keep our oceans healthy for the future.
RoboRave
Location: Lorrach, Germany
Awards: Small cash prizes
Competition Date: November
RoboRave is a robotics competition that welcomes participants to compete in various challenges like firefighting. The competition’s unique aspect lies in its international reach, bringing together enthusiasts from around the world to celebrate robotics education and hands-on learning.
Agorize AI Challenge
Location: Virtual for initial phases, then in Paris, France for the final award ceremony
Awards: A trip to the destination of your choice, iPad, Apple TV
Competition Date: September
In this project, you can work in teams of 2-5 people to present an idea for how we can use AI-technologies to impact a specific field, like marketing, healthcare, etc. You’ll send in your initial application in a 3-5 slides presentation, and if your team makes it pass this phase, you’ll have the opportunity to include more information about your product features.
OpenCV AI Competition
Location: Online
Awards: Certificates, cash, free courses
Competition Date: December
In your project, you can either work individually or in teams of three using computer vision technologies. OpenCV AI Competition suggests project ideas related to robotics, agriculture or education, but you’re not limited to these areas.
1. Which of the following mainly welcomes the entries for oceanic conditions?| A．RoboRave. | B．MATE ROV Competition. |
| C．Agorize AI Challenge. | D．OpenCV AI Competition. |
| A．It is held every month. | B．It offers online training. |
| C．It is a global competition. | D．It promises a national tour. |
| A．They allow teamwork. | B．They provide free courses. |
| C．They fund their winners. | D．They need presentations at first. |
10 . What’s on
Genuine words
Art Critique at the Art Museum of the Beijing Fine Art Academy is a unique show that puts the works of resident painters and the critiques (评论) of scholars (学者) together. The painters are from the academy’s four workshops on oil painting and three types of Chinese paintings — mountain and water, flower and bird, and figure.
9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 12 Chaoyang Park Nanlu, Chaoyang district, Beijing.
Small landscapes
Wandering on the Earth is a show of landscapes from the collection of the National Art Museum of China, which includes many attractive scenes from around the world. Running at the National Art Museum of China, the show awakens a feeling of woyou, an old term that refers to the journey taken in the mind upon appreciating a landscape painting.
9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng district, Beijing.
Galloping lines
The Tianjin Museum traces (追溯) the development of Chinese calligraphy during the Ming and Qing dynasties in a show of its collection from the period. Developing over thousands of years, calligraphy became an important part of Chinese art.
9 am–5 pm, closed on Mondays. 62 Pingjiang Dao, Hexi district, Tianjin.
Wandering strokes
In her paintings, Yu Lian tries to visualize (使形象化) Xiaoyao You, a text from Zhuangzi, a book about the thoughts of the Taoist philosopher Zhuangzi, who lived around the 4th century BC. Yu is always busy with painting, and she shares her works in her show, Painting Zhuangzi, at the Today Art Museum. She manages to explain Zhuangzi’s Taoist ideas in her paintings.
10 am-6 pm, closed on Mondays. 32 Baiziwan Lu, Chaoyang district, Beijing.
1. What is special about the show at 12 Chaoyang Park Nanlu?| A．It shows comments about the paintings. |
| B．It lets people comment on the paintings. |
| C．It invites resident painters and scholars. |
| D．It shows three types of Chinese paintings. |
| A．At the Tianjin Museum. |
| B．At the Today Art Museum. |
| C．At the National Art Museum of China. |
| D．At the Art Museum of the Beijing Fine Art Academy. |
| A．Share her painting skills with other painters. |
| B．Show the importance of reading books. |
| C．Visualize the stories of famous books. |
| D．Show ideas of a Taoist philosopher. |
