1 . More museums are showing multisensory art, which asks people to use more than one of the senses. Sometimes, the art has a smell. Others have sounds. The artists are finding new ways for people to understand their work.
The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts is in Watertown. Recently, the center created “Please Touch the Art”. The special show lets visitors touch the work. Aneleise Ruggles works at the Mosesian Center. She is in charge of the museum’s shows. She says that “Please Touch the Art” rethinks meaning in art. The artist must go beyond sight. Forty artists created 52 pieces for the show. Ruggles explained that “Please Touch the Art” is not a show for blind people. Everyone can enjoy the show. Guests use all five senses. The work, though also includes people who are blind or have low vision. “Touchable art creates something people can share.” He also said, “Touch is key to understanding the works.”
A group of guests with low vision visited “Please Touch the Art”. At first, they were nervous about touching the work. One man touched a raised blue painting. The work is Claudia Ravaschiere and Michael Moss’s “Whirl”. Soft music followed his movements. By the end, the visitors were no longer shy. They wrapped each other in hanging cloth.
Shows like “Please Touch the Art” can change what we think of as fine art. Ruggles says the change will take time. The art world must find a new understanding of art. They also need a new way to talk about touchable art.
1. Whom is “Please Touch the Art” intended for?| A．Anyone who is into art. | B．People with poor eyesight. |
| C．Anyone who understands art. | D．People with blindness. |
| A．It makes them question what real art is. | B．It helps them regain some of their eyesight. |
| C．It helps them understand and enjoy art. | D．It encourages them to create their own art. |
| A．listing numbers | B．making comparisons |
| C．offering reasons | D．giving examples |
| A．To attract visitors to the show. | B．To show the creativity of the blind. |
| C．To enrich the lives of blind people. | D．To introduce a special art show. |
2 . Scientific research on yoga has found that yoga practice can help with problems such as back pain, depression and anxiety. Still, yoga studies tend to be of uneven quality, often relying on self-reported survey data. However, a 2019 review paper focused on a more objective measure: brain scans. Though far from definitive, the findings show that the practice may improve brain health, and they indicate a way to bring yoga and science more convincingly together.
The review, led by Neha Gothe, director of the Exercise Psychology Lab, examined 11 papers that used various types of brain scans to assess the impact of yoga practice on the brain. Gothe and her colleagues limited their review to studies in which all three major elements of yoga were included: the physical poses, breathing exercises, and meditation or mindfulness. Three patterns emerged with some consistency: yoga practice could be linked to increased gray matter volume(体积) in the hippocampus, a key structure for memory; increased volume in certain regions of the prefrontal cortex, the seat of higher-order-cognition(认知); and greater connectivity across the default mode network. This network plays a role in processing memories and emotions.
Jessica Damoiseaux, a co-author of the review paper, focuses her research on aging-related changes in the brain, and she notes that the structures that seem to be strengthened by yoga are ones that tend to shrink with aging. The greater volumes linked to yoga are similar to those seen in studies of aerobic (有氧的)exercise. This raises a question: Is there really anything special about yoga or is it just another brain-preserving workout?
At this point it’s hard to say. Clearer answers will come with better studies that build on the smaller experiments. Gothe, for example, recently received government funds for a study that will assign 168 old adults to six months of classes of yoga, aerobic exercise, or stretching and strengthening. “It’s exactly the kind of trial we need,” says Gothe.
1. What do we know about the 2019 review paper on yoga?| A．It is far from objective. | B．It is centered on brain scans. |
| C．It proves to be of low quality. | D．It relies on self-reported data. |
| A．Three major elements of yoga. | B．The key structure for memory. |
| C．The finding of the review by Gothe. | D．The emotion processing network. |
| A．Take aerobic exercise. | B．Apply for government funds. |
| C．Assign old people to jobs. | D．Carry out smaller experiments. |
| A．Yoga back in fashion. | B．Age can affect brain power |
| C．Brain trials on the way | D．Yoga may boost brain health |
3 . It’s hard to overstate just how much Writer’s Digest has survived to make it to its centennial. The Great Depression. World War II. The many wars and societal revolutions of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. The technological revolution and the creation of the internet. The shift from being family-owned business to a corporation with investors. And most recently, global pandemic(流行病).
It is because WD survived all that, that I view this anniversary issue as a love letter to every single person who has contributed to keeping WD alive over these amazing, and tough, and change-filled 100 years. Thank you to the Rosenthal family for starting a magazine—a community—like this. To the publishers, editors, and all the other behind--the-scenes folks who made sure each issue over the many decades was the best it could be, thank you for your hard work and long hours. To the absolutely incomparable list of writers who shared their wisdom, insights, and encouragement: This magazine was made better by your contributions.
But most of all, this is a love letter to our readers. You give the magazine purpose and the motivation to keep going. Without you, WD wouldn’t exist, so on behalf of all the current and former WD staffers, we offer our sincerest thanks.
You’ll see a collection of new columns coming in 2021. We are thrilled to have Bryan Washington, award-winning author of the short story collection Lot and the new novel Memorial, as our first guest columnist. The WD team started planning this issue more than a year ago and putting it together has been a joy. We hope you find as much pleasure and inspiration in reading it as we found in creating it. See you in year 101.
1. What does the underlined word “centennial” mean?| A．The first publication. | B．The collection version. |
| C．The 100th anniversary. | D．The opening ceremony. |
| A．It has a long list of guest columnists. |
| B．It was once a family-owned business. |
| C．It is financially supported by the community. |
| D．It contributed to the technological revolution. |
| A．She used to be a novelist. | B．She is with Writer’s Digest |
| C．She was a business owner. | D．She is one hundred years old. |
| A．To express gratitude. | B．To promote sales. |
| C．To introduce a magazine. | D．To employ new staff. |
4 . There are around 400,000 students in London. As university can be a costly time, many of these students will want to look for part-time work. Here are 4 relatively easy jobs to bag yourself in London and ensure a bit of pocket money through your university experience.
Waitressing
It is not hard to find waitressing jobs since London has an abundance of pubs and eateries. Gumtree and Indeed are good places for such opportunities. Hospitality UK and Next door are other great websites. However, as many of these positions are advertised on the windows of restaurants and pubs, going inside and asking the staff there about the positions is a much better idea. This will also demonstrate you as active and confident. Rates are around £12--15 an hour.
Mystery (神秘)shopping
It may not have you laughing to the bank but it's extra pocket money. You go at any time as a regular customer and check out the services that the business provides. You report back to the client and they will pay for your purchases alongside £5 —10.
Care Assistant
For those who have a heart of gold and want to help, caring is the way. There's a huge demand for people to spend your free time with elderly people or help people with disabilities. It can be cooking meals or making sure they're taking their medicine on time.
Receptionist
If you're a good communicator and can act professionally, a receptionist might be a great opportunity for you, which will help you build administrative skills and experience. Receptionist jobs are available at doctors surgeries, dentists, gyms, large offices and more.
1. Which is the preferable way to land a waitressing job?| A．Referring to Gumtree. | B．Surfing Next door. |
| C．Inquiring about positions in person, | D．Contacting advertisement company. |
| A．Amusing bank staff. | B．Working at fixed times. |
| C．Making purchases for clients, | D．Feeding back service quality. |
| A．Waitressing. | B．Mystery shopping. |
| C．Care Assistant. | D．Receptionist. |
5 . The UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Volunteer Center works with many external partners to provide this list of current volunteer opportunities. Search here for an opportunity in the community that suits your interests or skills. Good luck!
Medical Volunteer Abroad Programs
Volunteering Solutions have been organizing medical volunteer abroad programs in different countries for 12 years. Participants (preferably medical students) joining these programs will work under the guidance of professional doctors and nurses. The medical volunteering opportunities, offered in different areas like Emergency and General Medicine, are available throughout the year with flexible start dates and durations.
Answer Crisis Calls at a Helpline
Community Helpline currently has opportunities for students as a Volunteer Crisis Listener. It provides a nonjudgmental listening ear to the callers while also assisting individuals in coping with mental health issues to prevent serious crises. No previous experience is required but completion of a five-week training program is required. The crisis line is open from 8 am to 8 pm every single day. A "shift" consists of 3 hours and we ask that you sign up for 1 shift a week.
Youth Education Volunteers Needed
Youth Education Volunteers at LINC Cares serve at after school programs and summer camps that provide fun recreational activities support strong educational habits, and promote good health and positive social development for children from low-income families. Volunteers serve at the after-school program one weekday per week from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
1. What do we know about Medical Volunteer Abroad Programs?| A．Volunteers will work domestically. | B．There are various volunteering areas. |
| C．Volunteers will work independently. | D．There is a fixed volunteering time. |
| A．Judge the caller when listening. | B．Be capable of stopping crises. |
| C．Complete a training program. | D．Work twelve hours per day. |
| A．Volunteer programs. | B．Educational courses. |
| C．Recreational activities. | D．Charity work. |
6 . Most solar panels acquire sunlight from only one side, meaning they can acquire more or less of it depending on where the sun is in the sky. In recent years, they’ve become far more effective typically turning around 22 percent of the light they acquire into energy. In a new study published in the journal Joule on Tuesday, scientists put forth a way to increase that percentage even higher: double-sided solar panels that can move to follow the sun.
Basically, these panels can acquire sun from not only their sun-facing side but also from the light reflected off the ground onto their dark undersides. At the same time, a GPS allows them to move on an axis from east to west in order to always be pointed at a best angle to acquire the sun’s rays. Though double-sided solar panels and sun-following solar panels are both in use currently, models that combine the two technologies aren’t widely available for commercial use, Solar experts predict explosive growth in the market soon, though.
The study authors determined that these two-sided sun-tracking panels produce an average of 35 percent more energy than immobile single-panel systems, and are 16 percent more cost-efficient. That holds true even when accounting for changes in weather conditions.
“This means that investing in double-sided and tracking systems should be a safe bet for the foreseeable future, Carlos Rodriguez-Gallegos,” the study’s lead author said.
The same warnings for solar panels and their effect on the local environment apply to the double-sided, moving systems as well, if not more so. Lead used in solar panels can be one source of local pollution, and Dustin Mulvaney, an associate professor of environmental studies, told Earther in an email double-sided panels could mean “twice as much lead” as traditional solar systems.
Since these new panels are more energy efficient, they could save not only money but also land. That would require restructuring how solar contracts currently work.
1. What does most solar panels rely on to acquire sunlight?| A．The amount of sunlight. | B．The location of the sun. |
| C．The quality of solar panels. | D．The size of solar panels. |
| A．The sun’s rays. | B．The panels’ undersides. |
| C．The double-sided panels | D．The panels’ sun-facing sides. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Supportive. | C．Doubtful. | D．Subjective. |
| A．Double-Sided Solar Panels that Follow the Sun | B．Advantages of the Double-Sided Solar Panels |
| C．Application of the Double-Sided Solar Panels | D．New Trends of Double-Sided Solar Panels |
7 . Have you ever loved a destination but couldn’t figure out why — or even a way ——to express your feelings? That’s my dilemma with Morocco.
In August, I traveled in a country that had long been, on my wish list. I rode a camel, got lost in Medinas, and ate more couscous (粗麦粉) than was humanly possible.
I loved the trip. Our friendly guide introduced us to the helpful locals. I made friends with my tour mates and my roommate (which, on a tour, is a huge blessing). I loved being lost in the smell of different spices, and the chaos of millions of people and the dark red of the Sahara were all I wanted them to be.
There were many moments when I felt like a fish out of water and things didn’t go my way. But I take pleasure in those moments because it’s when you are pushed out of your comfort zone that you grow. Morocco lived up to all my expectations, but for some reason, my experience has been hard to express. Why?
One constant in my travels is that of a touchstone, one defining point where the trip all comes together and acts as a prism (三棱镜) for everything the journey represented . In Costa Rica，it was getting lost in a jungle. In Thailand, it was meeting those five people who changed my life.
I’m so inconsistent about Morocco because I lack that touchstone. There’s no “whoa” moment. But I have thousands of little ones - staring at a million stars in the blackness of the desert, discovering new foods with some amazing Australians on my tour, and befriending the fish sellers.
1. What does the author regard as a huge blessing?| A．Going on a guided trip. |
| B．Having a helpful guide. |
| C．Being warmly received by the local people. |
| D．Getting along well with the fellow travelers. |
| A．To prove Morocco lacks the touchstone. |
| B．To show his reliance on the touchstone. |
| C．To compare Morocco with Costa Rica and Thailand. |
| D．To share his experience in Costa Rica and Thailand. |
| A．The lack of big moments. |
| B．The little “whoa” moments. |
| C．Meeting with five Thai people. |
| D．Making friends with Australians. |
| A．Unpleasant travel in Morocco. |
| B．Finding a touchstone on travel. |
| C．Reflection on traveling in Morocco. |
| D．Lack of special moments in Morocco. |
8 . Want to Learn Chinese? Italian? Russian? There’s No Time Like the Present.
It’s a classic travel fantasy: flying to another country to learn a language through a combination of classes and wandering around. Yet with the housebound conditions, you can still meet native speakers. Here are some to get you started.
Babbel
This app offers straightforward lessons in over a dozen languages. A beginner level course, for example, introduces vocabulary words and then jumps into exercises. The first few challenges are free, but to go beyond those you must subscribe. Prices range from approximately $13 for one month to $ 84 every 12 months.
YouTube
For a lesson on turning YouTube, a free video, into your virtual classroom, check out “How to Use YouTube to Learn a New language”. The language instructor Luca Lampariello walks viewers through his own learning process using short foreign language videos, subtitles, repeated viewing and note taking.
PressReader
When learning to read in another language magazines with photos can be particularly helpful. One way to scan what’s out there is through a digital newsstand like PressReader, which has publications in many languages: Chinese, Danish, French, German and Turkish, to name but a few. Select “Languages” from the navigation (索引) menu and tap on your language of choice. It’s free to scan and read certain articles. But, in general, you’ll need to sign up for a plan.
News in Slow
Newscasters speaking a bit too quickly for you? Consider News in Slow, designed for those practicing Chinese, Spanish, French, Italian and German. Some of the online course material is free, but for full access you’ll need a subscription. Standard subscription: from approximately $15 to $23 a month, depending on the language.
1. Which may a Chinese beginner choose the most probably?| A．Babbel. | B．YouTube. | C．PressReader. | D．News in Slow. |
| A．It affords free foreign language videos. |
| B．It mainly refers to a few official languages in the world. |
| C．You need to select “languages” from the navigation menu. |
| D．You need to pay for it instantly to read the full publications. |
| A．They’re given by native language speakers. |
| B．They need to be paid by your subscription. |
| C．They’ve various levels of sounds or videos. |
| D．They’re available when we’re housebound. |
9 . Online Book Shop
The books listed here are reasonably cheap and also after discount they are even cheaper.
Once Upon a Time It is a collection of short stories written by a young and imaginative mind. The stories cover the experiences, lived and imagined, of a nine－year－old. This is an ideal return gift for all your child’s friends on his birthday. You can also gift this book to inspire a young friend or child. Price: $ 6.5 | Word Power Made Easy Word Power Made Easy is a comprehensive vocabulary－building system created by legendary grammarian Norman Lewis that provides a simple, step－by－step method to increase your knowledge and mastery of the English language. Price: $ 7.2 |
General Knowledge 2015 This General Knowledge 2015 covers all the sections like History, Geography, Economy, General Science with Theory, Figures, Graphics and Tables. It can be used for preparation of competitive exams. Here in this section you can buy this book online in a discounted rate and avail at your doorstep, easiest payment options are available here. Price: $ 8. 4 | Life Is What You Make It Life Is What You Make It is a story of young girl Ankita Sharma who is smart and lives her life as she likes. Ankita was born in a middle class family in a time when Doordarshan was the only source of entertainment and writing love letters was a general trend, every youth dreams of living a college life. Price: $ 6.8 |
| A．It describes a nine－year－old’s real life experiences. |
| B．It can serve as an ideal present chosen for children. |
| C．It has inspired many children to write short stories. |
| D．It was written by the young writer at the age of nine. |
| A．Once Upon a Time | B．Word Power Made Easy |
| C．General Knowledge 2015 | D．Life Is What You Make It |
| A．They share the same theme. | B．They are of a writing style. |
| C．They win popularity with girls. | D．They are sold at low prices. |
10 . Secret shower singers are pleased: a new water-powered Bluetooth speaker from Ampere could help arrange your morning routine.
Shower Power attaches to your shower head, making your water flow power a hydroelectric generator(水力发电机) that charges the battery of its Bluetooth speaker. The device(器件) is similar to earlier water-powered speaker Hyquadio, but Ampere offers more options for controlling its speaker, with physical playback controls on the device and a battery-powered remote if the speaker is out of reach.
When the speaker is attached and water is flowing, its 2500mAh battery should offer over 80 hours of playback at max volume(音量). With water off, that number falls to around 17 hours at max volume. Ampere explains that due to the size of Shower Power’s impeller(叶轮) it’s only able to meet the demands of the speaker’s battery at around 60-70 percent volume.
Droplet, Ampere’s additional speaker accessory(附件), could help create a wider range of possible sounds. It’s the same speaker as Shower Power, but not water-powered. The device can be connected to Shower Power and it can be placed anywhere, filling out the sound in places Shower Power might miss fixed on your shower head, if you’re willing to purchase the device separately of course.
Standalone water-proof speakers can also easily play music in your shower, but unlike Shower Power they’d have to be removed every time you need to charge them. Shower Power never has to leave your shower; its advantage is that it never requires you to remember a wire.
For interested shower singers and podcast devotees, Shower Power launches today on Kickstarter for $59. You can add on the water-proof remote for $15 or an additional Droplet speaker for $20. Pre-orders will follow on Ampere’s site on November 15th and the device will go on sale in December.
1. What differs Ampere Shower Power from Hyquadio?| A．Being water-powered. | B．Being water-proof. |
| C．A playback remote. | D．A physical battery. |
| A．Points when you use it. | B．Places where you fix it. |
| C．Varieties of its sounds. | D．Sizes of its impeller. |
| A．To assist its sounds. | B．To expand its volume. |
| C．To save its energy. | D．To remove it easily. |
| A．$99. | B．$74. | C．$89 | D．$35. |
