1 . “Red tide” is a natural phenomenon that frequently occurs in many places around the world. The phenomenon is the result of extreme growth of tiny algae (海藻) called K. Brevis, which has a red color, giving the water surface a very noticeable red color. K. Brevis will give off chemicals that can attack the nervous systems of animals, which often leads to deadly results.
Florida citizens are no stranger to “red tide”, which occurs along the state’s Gulf Coast annually. However, the most recent outbreak of red tide has so far lasted much longer and spread across nearly 145 miles of the coastline in southwestern Florida.
The long season has caused the death of tons of fish and other animals which were washed up on the beaches all the way from Tampa to Naples. The smell of the dead animals has kept away thousands of locals and tourists that frequent the area’s long beaches. In view of that, in August, Florida declared a state of emergency for the seven places where K. Brevis has been growing quickly, providing $ 3 million to help with research, cleanup, and wildlife rescue.
Recently, the situation of red tide in Florida may be exacerbated due to an outbreak of algae Trichodesmium in the waters offshore of Manatee County. Trichodesmium floats on the water’s surface sucking nitrogen (氮) from the air while K. Brevis lives below the surface obtaining nitrogen from the water. If these two masses of algae mix, the dying Trichodesmium may end up providing nitrogen for K. Brevis, lengthening its stay in the area.
Researchers recently are exploring the idea of introducing other algal species to Florida. Among the possibilities is the Diatom. It’s a kind of algae that can grow quickly in the water. Its growth will consume a large amount of nitrogen from the water. So it competes with K. Brevis for nitrogen. Another possibility is algae known to give off chemicals that stop the growth of red tide.
The 10-month-long red tide outbreak in Florida may be the result of a combination of heavy rainfall, warmer ocean temperatures, and pollution. Now it’s time for us to do something.
1. What can we learn about K. Brevis?| A．It’s caused by red tide. | B．It can harm ocean life. |
| C．It’s facing dying out. | D．It exists mainly on land. |
| A．The researchers’ study of algae. | B．The tourism potential in Florida. |
| C．The possible ways to deal with red tide. | D．The consequences of red tide in Florida. |
| A．Worsened. | B．Studied. | C．Handled. | D．Ignored. |
| A．To change the color of K. Brevis. |
| B．To help reduce K. Brevis’ food supply. |
| C．To damage K. Brevis using some chemicals. |
| D．To increase fishes’ resistance to K. Brevis’ attack. |
1. What inspired Arsh’s love for painting?
| A．A friend’s art works. | B．His birthday gifts. | C．A visit to a nursing home. |
| A．By giving art lessons. | B．By collecting donations. | C．By selling his own paintings. |
| A．A charity cause. | B．A kind boy. | C．A supportive mother. |
1. Who is Charlotte?
| A．A tour guide. | B．An enthusiastic audience. | C．A guest of Travel the World. |
| A．Finding a place to stay for free. |
| B．Saving money on transportation. |
| C．Booking discounted tickets on a platform. |
| A．Australia. | B．Switzerland. | C．The USA. |
| A．By helping with a wedding. |
| B．By offering a bedroom to her. |
| C．By taking care of her twin babies. |
1. When was the English muffin invented?
| A．In the 18th century. | B．In the 19th century. | C．In the 20th century. |
| A．He sold English muffins to hotels. |
| B．He imported English muffins to Britain. |
| C．He introduced English muffins from England to America. |
| A．They are removed from restaurant menus. |
| B．They are the same things as American muffins. |
| C．They are more popular in Britain than in America. |
1. What happened on the road?
| A．The road was blocked. | B．A car knocked into a truck. | C．The man’s car broke down. |
| A．He picked apples. | B．He watched a movie. | C．He received an unexpected guest. |
I’m Franklin G. Takata, better known as “Find-It Frankie” due to my exceptional tracking abilities. I will say that there’s nothing out there I can’t find. I am fortunate to have a loyal and skilled partner, Munchy, by my side. He was selected especially for me from an animal shelter by my parents on the occasion of my fifth birthday.
One Thursday afternoon, Munchy and I were playing in the garden when Mom revealed that her cherished diamond ring had disappeared, entrusting us with the task of locating it. Had I known how tricky the case would be, I might have thought twice. But I said then as I’d say today, “I assure you that there’s nothing we can’t locate”
Whenever an item disappears, my initial inquiry to Mom is, “Do you recall the last place you saw it?” “I was occupied making cookies in the kitchen,” Mom replied, “when I removed my ring and set it on the counter. However, after taking a call from your aunt, I returned to discover the ring missing!” “Hmm. Well, it couldn’t have disappeared all by itself,” I said. “Munchy, let’s go take a closer look.” Munchy led the way to the kitchen.
The counter bore no indication of the ring’s whereabouts(下落); however, the flour betrayed faint paw prints, which pointed toward the criminal’s identity. “The cat” I said. “Mr. Jingles must have been playing with the ring, causing it to drop to the ground!” Crawling on the floor, I searched high and low for the ring. My efforts were in vain.
注意: 1. 续写词数应为150左右;2. 请按如下格式在答题卷的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1: “Munchy, you’re up! Go find Mr. Jingles.”
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Paragraph 2: I was about to give up when I took a bite of the warm cookie Mom handed me.
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On Thursday, the National Cultural Heritage Administration in Beijing
The latest underwater archaeological
The Ming Dynasty’s No.1 shipwreck,
8 . Lindsey Stallworth, a high school student from Alabama, is on her way to a promising career in paleontology (古生物学) due to an unexpected discovery on family property. For years, she had been collecting fossils on their land in Monroe County, unaware of significant scientific value. However, her teacher at the Alabama School of Math and Science, Dr. Andrew Gentry, a paleontologist himself, took an interest when she showed him her collection.
“Upon examining the fossil shark teeth Lindsey presented, I quickly identified one and became eager to learn about its origin,” said Andrew.
Lindsey guided her mentor through the rural area where she had unearthed various relics, including shark teeth. Before long, they encountered an especially significant find on the grounds: a large bone from a 34-million-year-old whale skeleton! This led the pair to launch the huge project of uncovering the rest of the bones. After two months of hard work, they’ve managed to find the animal’s skull.
“Assuming the entire skeleton is present, it may require several years for us to have the entire animal back in the lab,” Andrew explained.
Lindsey secured a research scholarship to persist in her fossil-digging expeditions alongside her instructor. Her enthusiasm for the project was at an all-time high, though she had never imagined a childhood pastime would lead her down this road. “We would go out and pick up shark teeth and fossil shells, but we never knew anyone that could tell us anything about them,” she recalled. “We just thought they were cool.”
“The Research Fellows Program allows Lindsey to gain real-world experience in scientific research and even present that research at professional conferences,” Andrew said. “ It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a high school student to stand out when applying to college and maybe even discover a new career path.”
1. Why was Andrew fascinated by Lindsey’s finds?| A．He had a personal interest in geography. |
| B．He recognized the significance of one fossil. |
| C．He wanted to start a paleontology club at school. |
| D．He was hoping to make money from the discoveries. |
| A．Some shark teeth. | B．Some fossil shells. |
| C．An animal’s skull. | D．A primitive whale’s bone. |
| A．Risky but romantic. | B．Dangerous but interesting. |
| C．Demanding but motivating. | D．Boring but groundbreaking. |
| A．The unexpected joy of discovering fossils. |
| B．The additional benefits of applying to college. |
| C．Lindsey’s potential to become a high school teacher. |
| D．Lindsey’s unique opportunities for future development. |
9 . By understanding how the brain works, educators are better equipped to help students with everything from focusing attention to increasing memory. That’s the promise of brain-based learning, which draws insights from neurology (神经学), psychology, technology, and other fields. Bringing this information to the classroom can help teachers engage diverse learners, offer effective feedback that leads to deeper understanding, and create a rich learning environment that attends to students’ social and emotional needs along with their developing brains.
Chances are that you already know more about brain-based learning than you think you do. When you introduce topics to your students, do you begin by activating previous knowledge? That helps learners build on what they already know, strengthening connections in the brain. Do you use tools like graphic (图形的) organizers, songs, or rhymes? These strategies help students represent their thinking visually and phonetically (语音上). These techniques all deserve a place in your tool kit because they get the brain prepared for learning.
Patricia Kuhl, a famous language and brain development researcher, puts it this way, “We are entering a great golden age of knowledge about the child’s brain development. In investigating the child’s brain, we are going to uncover deep truths about what it means to be human, and in the process, we may be able to help keep our own minds open to learning for our entire lives.”
Promising as brain-based discoveries may sound, some educators are understandably careful about introducing lab findings in the classroom. Anyone who remembers fallout over the so-called Mozart effect knows that there’s no magic solution when it comes to education. As always, if a particular claim sounds too good to be true, that’s a clue to trust your common sense and engage your own critical thinking.
We’re eager to hear how you apply brain-based learning to your students. Please share your insights and help build the bridge from neuroscience research to engaging classroom practice.
1. How can teachers create a more effective learning environment according to the author?| A．By promising more to their students. |
| B．By paying attention to students’ memory. |
| C．By taking advantage of how the brain works. |
| D．By equipping themselves with more knowledge. |
| A．To connect old knowledge. | B．To keep the class livelier. |
| C．To introduce a new concept. | D．To visualize students’ thinking. |
| A．A deep respect for Mozart. | B．A great expectation for class teaching. |
| C．A cautious attitude to the new method. | D．A practical alternative to the new solution. |
| A．Patterns of Teaching | B．Brain-Based Learning |
| C．Efficient Learning Strategies | D．The Application of Neurology |
“Catch it!” My husband and I shouted, but saw the ball hit the grass near our four-year-old’s feet while he continued kicking at the dirt. It was mid-season, yet he showed no interest in the ball game. We called his name and told him to pick up the ball, but he just stared blankly before going back to kicking the dirt.
As the games went on, it was clear that the coach didn’t want our son to play. We practiced with him, showing him how to hold the bat and throw the ball, but he never understood running the bases or other things we tried to teach.
At the end of the season, our son once again received the “Most Improved” medal, which he had received in other sports before. My husband and I looked at each other and I said, “Well, at least he’s improving,” though it reminded me of other sympathetic gestures from coaches or teachers. I was used to the feeling of our son being different and unable to fit into ball games. The same year, his preschool teacher told me, “He’s not paying attention.” This was not what any parent wanted to hear, but I knew it was true. As a stay-at-home mom, I was tired of having to repeat instructions to him. Initially, I wasn’t sure how much of it was normal, as he was our first child. We decided to have him assessed, but it was a guessing game until he turned six, when a professional evaluation determined that he had Asperger syndrome (幼儿孤独症). My husband always believes our son will be a good boy. Fortunately, he is blessed with good looks, intelligence, and an ability to face the future. There are no obvious signs that he has Asperger’s, apart from frequent lack of eye contact.
A friend invited our son to her son’s birthday party after his diagnosis (诊断), but I turned it down because it was a dirt-bike party and our six-year-old couldn’t ride a regular bike.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
We didn’t go to the party, but at least it inspired us to get our son to try cycling.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The attempt was not a success, so we decided to expose him to swimming lessons.
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