Beijing is set to host its annual Beijing Marathon. This event
The Beijing Marathon takes place in the autumn, when the city
Along the course, thousands of people line the streets, cheering and encouraging the runners,
The Beijing Marathon is not only a race, but it also is an experience
2 . Scientists have discovered many ways of using technology to help athletes improve various aspects of their performance. Each of these has something different to offer athletes, such as performance data, health or lifestyle information, increasing speed or strength and many more useful purposes.
Video analysis is now used in a wide range of sports. The analysis allows individuals, teams and coaches to assess strengths, weaknesses, mistakes and areas that require further training.
It has long been known that sleep is important for athletes. Their bodies need to sleep to get enough rest and to allow their bodies to rebuild cells.
| A．These information is then used to improve performance. |
| B．Sleep is also important for focus and optimal performance. |
| C．They can understand what a person needs to do to succeed. |
| D．Knowing whether an athlete is improving comes down to data. |
| E．Virtual reality is becoming useful for improving athletic performance. |
| F．Education plays a role in athletes’ performance as their natural abilities. |
| G．Here are some advances in technology that can help athletic performance. |
3 . Humans have made the world less friendly to birds in many ways. One obvious example of this can be found in metal spikes (尖刺), or anti-bird spikes in buildings to prevent birds from landing and even nesting. However, a handful of birds have struck back.
Auke-Florian Hiemstra, a biologist researching animal architecture at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, Netherlands, studies how wild animals use materials made by humans. He has seen nests that include some unusual materials—things like plastic flowers and sunglasses. But he was surprised when seeing a picture of a magpie (喜鹊) nest, the top of which had anti-bird spikes.
Researchers had learned that the smart species, magpies and crows (乌鸦), were stealing anti-bird spikes as a nest-building material. The two species appeared to use the anti-bird spikes in slightly different ways. For the crows, the spikes seemed purely structural, a material used to fashion a solid foundation. But for the magpies, there was an additional layer of intention: They appeared to use the spikes like humans do-rounded covering over their nests to keep other birds from landing.
One recent study reported that nests with man-made materials have been found all over the world and that the man-made materials include all kinds of man-made materials, including knitting needles, candy wrappers, spiky wires, and cigarette ends. Although magpies and crows haven’t been documented doing this, other birds have. Scientists aren’t sure if birds are using artificial materials because they’re better, or simply because they’re easy to find. What is noteworthy is that human-made materials in bird nests can cause injuries. For example, anti- bird netting, often placed over garden plots, is known to be dangerous for birds, which often end up being entangled in it.
For Hiemstra, while the new discoveries are fascinating, he also highlights a broader issue: the unfortunate popularity of anti-bird spikes. “It’s kind of sad to keep fighting against nature instead of accepting it as part of the city,” he said.
1. Why was Hiemstra surprised when seeing the photo of a magpie nest?| A．A magpie decorated its nest with plastic flowers. |
| B．Magpies and crows are as intelligent as humans. |
| C．Magpies and crows cooperated to build the nests. |
| D．The magpie nest was equipped with metal spikes. |
| A．Crows use them for fashion. |
| B．Magpies use them for defence. |
| C．Crows use them to keep off other species. |
| D．Magpies use them to strengthen the nests. |
| A．Discovered. | B．Frightened. | C．Released. | D．Trapped. |
| A．Support birds’ using man-made materials. |
| B．Accept anti-bird spikes as part of the city. |
| C．Disapprove of humans’ using anti-bird spikes. |
| D．Stress the popularity of anti-bird spikes in birds. |
4 . The stands were always filled with family members to support their favorite players. I attended each of my son’s games. His father worked nights for years, and missed out on most of his games. My son Jorden knew if his dad could, he would be there sitting right beside me.
When Jorden was younger, some family members would occasionally come to watch. But gradually they stopped showing up. Never once did Jorden lead me to believe that this bothered him, but apparently it did. It wasn’t until when he was asked to give a speech at his baseball event that he made it very clear not only to me but a room filled with over 150 people just how important it is to have extra fans in the stands.
His speech was anything but like I thought it would be. It wasn’t short and bittersweet. It wasn’t his quick thank you to his coaches and teammates. He poured his heart out, saying he seldom had grandparents, aunts or uncles coming to support him. He was grateful that his teammates’ family members showed up to support not just their own loved ones but the entire team of boys. Clearly Jorden desired more than just me. Never did I ever think my son would be hurting inside as he looked out to the bleachers to see only me at each and every game.
As he struggled to get each word out through tears, I promised I would attend as many events of the children around as I possibly could. There was no way I could allow another child to feel what my son was feeling. This small simple gesture would mean so much to any child. Neither Jorden nor I was upset with those who never attended his games. Jorden just wanted someone else besides me to witness his craft in action. I understand all of our lives become complicated and that everyone is busy with their own children and jobs that may not allow them as much free time as they’d like.
1. What do we know about Jorden’s father?| A．He had long been misunderstood by Jorden. |
| B．He had few chances to attend Jorden’s games. |
| C．He managed to be with Jorden in every game. |
| D．He had made excuses to miss Jorden’s games. |
| A．His ambition to win the championship. |
| B．His gratitude to his mother and coaches. |
| C．His complaint about his family members. |
| D．His desire for support from more people. |
| A．Depressing. | B．Complicated. | C．Astonishing. | D．Absurd. |
| A．She tried to be actively involved in children’s games. |
| B．She promised not to miss out on games of every child. |
| C．She offered to invite many relatives to Jorden’s games. |
| D．She decided to lead Jorden to trust his family members. |
5 . The Montague Bookmill
The Montague Bookmill in Montague is a used bookstore housed in an 1842 gristmill (磨坊), set on the banks of the Sawmill River, a few miles north of Northampton and Amherst, Massachusetts. There is great food and drink all day and deep into the night at the astonishing Lady Killigrew Cafe and the beautiful new Watershed Restaurant. We have concerts and performances in spring, summer and fall. The bookstore is a lovely place where you can lose yourself for hours. We’ve been lost here for years.
Our Books
Our collection leans toward the academic, but we have thousands of books, on just about everything from Austen to Zola. Our books are generally half-price, including recent publishers’ overstocks. Don’t look for our catalogues online; we’re not that bookstore. But if we can’t find the book you’re looking for, we’ll find you a better one you don’t know but you want.
We Buy Books
We buy books strictly by appointment, and we make appointments only by phone so that we can discuss your books. We look for books that are in good condition, and we do not buy textbooks or former library books. Books should have no underlining, highlighting or marginal notes.
Events Information
There are events held in our store every year except in 2022 and 2023. Please pay attention to the following information.
●Doors open at 7:30 pm, unless posted.
●All shows are $10 cash and credit cards are not accepted.
●Be sure to arrive early for couches, armchairs and browsing the books!
●Watch this page for additions, updates and more information.
1. What do you know about The Montague Bookmill?
| A．It houses a bank and 1842 gristmills in total. | B．It allows you to look for catalogues online. |
| C．It provides food and drink for customers. | D．It only charges half prices for academic books. |
| A．A new textbook with no notes. | B．A new best-selling novel at a book fair. |
| C．A used book with underlining notes. | D．A book from the National Library of China. |
| A．A travel brochure. | B．A tourist map. | C．A website. | D．A health magazine. |
6 . Two car manufacturing companies in the US have been developing self-driving taxis, sometimes called “robotaxis”. Before August, their cars have had a human in the driver’s seat, ready to take over if there was a problem, and they could only drive in specific areas, at certain times. In early August, they weren’t required to have safety drivers in their cars. They are programmed to do everything on their own, including obeying the rules of the road, following speed limits, and avoiding people and other cars.
The move was a big step for self-driving cars, and many people were excited about the change. But almost immediately, there were problems coming along. A self-driving car crashed into a fire truck, causing a person seriously injured. Later, another one failed to work in the middle of a crossroad, causing a traffic jam. As a result, the two companies were told to take half of its robotaxis off the roads.
In one recent example, a self-driving car got stuck in wet concrete (混凝土) because it didn’t know that wet concrete was different from a road. In another case, a robotaxi killed a dog. The self-driving system knew the dog was there, but didn’t know how to avoid it. Most people believe that self-driving cars aren’t ready for the real world. Those who are upset about self-driving cars have found an unusual way to be against them: putting traffic cones (路锥) on the hoods (引擎盖) of robotaxis, which can confuse the cars’driving system and leave them unable to move.
In spite of the problems, both companies are planning to expand their self-driving car service to other cities. One of them says its driverless system will soon be able to work in any city, on any kind of vehicle. Though the quality of self-driving cars is improving, it’s likely to be a while before most people view them as safe.
1. What was the biggest change to the robotaxis recently?| A．They are limited in their speed. |
| B．They must obey the traffic rules. |
| C．They can work at certain times of a day. |
| D．They can drive without a human driver. |
| A．They killed a person in an accident. |
| B．They couldn’t avoid the traffic cones. |
| C．They sometimes broke down on the roads. |
| D．They often failed to recognize the directions. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Supportive. | C．Curious. | D．Uncaring. |
| A．Robotaxis struggled to survive, but failed finally |
| B．Robotaxis move forward, but far from satisfaction |
| C．Robotaxis driven by a perfect self-driving system |
| D．Robotaxis expanding to more cities in America |
7 . Making a quick decision can be hard when it comes to saving a life even for grown-ups. But one high school student didn’t waste a second when it came to saving a drowning (溺水的) girl.
People say Chloe Payne is quiet. Her mother, Angela Payne, describes her as the kind of girl who doesn’t need too much attention, helpful and respectful (尊重人的). In other words, Chloe, a student at Louisville Male High School, is a gentle, sometimes shy 17-year-old. However, that wasn’t the Chloe who jumped into a pool at the All About Kids swimming pool to save a drowning 4-year-old girl on March 25.
“I was a little surprised by her courage,” Angela Payne said. Well, so was Chloe herself. When she saw that a little girl was not doing anything in the water, her newly learned lifeguard skills kicked in. “I jumped in and I rolled her over and she wasn’t breathing (呼吸),” Chloe explained. “She couldn’t do anything in the water, so I pulled her out and I started CPR (心肺复苏法) and she almost sat up at once and started coughing and crying.”
Chloe’s decision was so brave that even the Jeffersontown fire chief was surprised. Today was the first time in his 27-year career to present such an award to a young lady. “It’s the first time I’ve seen a student do CPR in our area and save a life, so it was pretty special,” Chief Sean Dreisbach said.
As for Chloe, if there’s one thing she’s taken away from this event, it’s about being on close watch. “It’s hard to give young kids advice,” Chloe said with a laugh. “They don’t listen, so I guess everybody has to be more careful.”
1. What is Chloe like according to Angela Payne?| A．She is always respected by others. | B．She enjoys a peaceful life. |
| C．She can be very noisy. | D．She is always brave. |
| A．She sat her up. | B．She hit her back softly. |
| C．She checked her breathing. | D．She showed her how to do CPR. |
| A．Chloe did something quite unusual. | B．Chloe followed other students’ lead. |
| C．Chloe had very special swimming skills. | D．Chloe would be surprised about the award. |
| A．They have poor hearing. | B．They think swimming is easy. |
| C．They often take advice lightly. | D．They like watching others in the pool. |
8 . What do you do when you receive an invitation to an event that you do not want to attend or that you cannot attend due to your busy schedule? In that case, we simply can’t act on everything our heart feels.
Respond in a timely manner.
It’s OK to say you’re sorry that you can’t make an event, but it’s better to redefine it as a positive. Rather than apologizing, say how happy you are that they invited you and that while you can’t make it this time, you look forward to getting together with them in the future.
Don’t say “maybe”.
Procrastinating (拖延) by saying “maybe” usually means it’s a no.
Don’t try to control the other person’s feelings.
There’s the assumption that we can decline without hurting anyone else’s feelings, but we can’t ensure the other person’s experience. They may feel sad or disappointed when you decline,. but that’s OK.
| A．Focus on the positive. |
| B．Be honest but not too honest. |
| C．Don’t leave the host hanging. |
| D．It’s fine to decline via digital means. |
| E．Most people will understand that life just gets busy. |
| F．So just go ahead and say no if that’s really what you mean. |
| G．Instead, we should learn how to politely say “no” to an invitation. |
9 . The Bullock Texas State History Museum
The museum opened in April of 2001. Here’s the museum’s official mission statement: We create experiences that educate, engage, and encourage a deeper understanding of Texas. It offers interactive exhibits that explain Texas history and an IMAX® theater.
The Exhibits
The first floor is about the land and covers the first meetings between Native Americans and Europeans, early settlers and missions and the mapping of the state. The second floor is about identity and discusses Texas history, the significant battles and people who made the state what it is today. The third floor covers important technology from Texas, Texas-led explorations and other Texan achievements.
IMAXW Theater
The Bullock museum’s IMAX® theater was one of the first IMAX® theaters in Texas, and one of few in the world. The theater seats 329 guests and houses the biggest IMAX ® screen in the state at 6 stories high and 84 feet wide. Guests can enjoy sharp and vivid images, as well as immersive (沉浸式虚拟现实的) sound.
Museum Store
On the first floor of the Bullock Texas State History Museum, you will find the museum store. It is filled with Texas-themed goodies, such as clothing, ornaments, books, movies, jewelry, music, home décor and kitchenware.
The Essentials
Address: 1800 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701
Hours: The museum is open from Monday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Parking: The museum has an underground parking garage with an entrance. Parking in the museum garage is $15 for full-day parking.
1. Which floor of the museum shows the battles?| A．The first floor. | B．The second floor. |
| C．The third floor. | D．The fourth floor. |
| A．9 am, Sunday. | B．9 am, Monday. |
| C．2 pm, Thursday. | D．6 pm, Saturday. |
| A．To introduce special exhibits. |
| B．To tell about the history of a museum. |
| C．To show information about a museum. |
| D．To attract people to buy Texas-themed goods. |
10 . The Bay Area is among the most diverse places in the country, a wonderful place filled with people of every background. Each of them brings something different to the mix, and takes it from their own experience. Their stories are the focus of Status Update, an exhibition ( 展览会) of 14 projects offered by Rian Dundon and former WIRED contributor Pete Brook. The show at SOMArts uses personal tales to show the Bay Area’s culture.
The Bay Area is a microcosm of the national melting pot, a place where people of color comprise (组成) 58 percent of the overall population and are a majority in four of the region’s five counties. San Francisco in particular is the type of place where you can’t walk down the street without hearing another language. Yet the change is not all for the better. The gap between rich and poor is widening at a frightening pace (速度), and San Francisco is becoming less diverse as minorities escape the city for more affordable communities elsewhere in the region.
Status Update reflects these changes and the challenges they bring. Joseph Rodriguez’s Faces of Foreclosure features quiet images of people like Ethel Gist, a 68-year-old woman who lost her home in the East Bay suburb of Brentwood six years ago. Photographer Sam Wolson records Oakland resident Shannon Fulcher and his efforts to provide for his daughter. And Laura Morton documents millennials (千禧一代) hoping to make their way to the top in Silicon Valley in her series Wild West Tech. The mix of mediums, styles and subject matter within the exhibit stresses the region’s great diversity of experiences and how they shape each other.
Status Update starts a conversation about how the Bay Area is changing, and what people can do to build up a more just society. “I hope people walk away from this show with a little more humility (谦逊) and respect for our neighbors and communities and the ways we depend on one another,” Dundon says. “We’re all out here together.”
1. What are the artworks in Status Update mainly about?| A．Real people’s lives in the Bay Area. |
| B．Beautiful constructions of the Bay Area. |
| C．The friendliness of the people in the Bay Area. |
| D．The technological development of the Bay Area. |
| A．The region is facing a rapid economic slowdown. |
| B．The population in the region has been falling in recent years. |
| C．More and more local people tend to speak the same language. |
| D．It is getting harder and harder for minorities to make ends meet. |
| A．The successful experiences in the Bay Area. |
| B．The long and rich history of the Bay Area. |
| C．The Bay Area’s diversity and rapid change. |
| D．The Bay Area’s past, present and future. |
| A．They can know more about themselves. |
| B．They can open their heart to other people. |
| C．They can respect the people around them. |
| D．They can develop an interest in diverse cultures. |
