1 . In the late afternoon, Brandon finished his farm work and went home. As they often did, his two sons, Louie, 6, and Everett, 3,
As they headed for the house, the two boys ran ahead of him, who stopped to close the gate. Louie
He ran to the well and heard Louie
Brandon hit the
About 15 minutes later, Christi and Mark, nearby farmer, noticed Everett stood
With the neighbors’ help, Brandon and Louie were rescued
| A．followed | B．remembered | C．copied | D．left |
| A．pretended | B．danced | C．stopped | D．spoke |
| A．brick | B．board | C．pipe | D．sign |
| A．accurate | B．sensitive | C．unnecessary | D．broken |
| A．heard | B．realized | C．imagined | D．dreamed |
| A．drinking | B．adding | C．beating | D．exploring |
| A．hesitation | B．money | C．time | D．supply |
| A．gave up | B．turned to | C．met with | D．fell down |
| A．speech | B．sight | C．progress | D．speed |
| A．dirty | B．cold | C．deep | D．poisonous |
| A．panic | B．excited | C．embarrassed | D．proud |
| A．live | B．move | C．stay | D．believe |
| A．cleaned | B．fixed | C．found | D．treated |
| A．help | B．power | C．appreciation | D．support |
| A．alone | B．happily | C．free | D．casually |
| A．important | B．terrible | C．apparent | D．common |
| A．warned | B．brought | C．cheated | D．pointed |
| A．neighbor | B．victim | C．policeman | D．farmer |
| A．short | B．colorful | C．thick | D．new |
| A．temporarily | B．gradually | C．successfully | D．similarly |
Hanfu has experienced large
During the Spring Festival, many performers and tourists in Luoyang, Henan province,
The sales of horse face skirts are rising. Caoxian county is one of the major hanfu production
Data from e-commerce platforms (电商平台) show a great increase in the search for hanfu since January. Among the various hanfu styles, the horse face skirt has become
Zhang Mingqiang, the general manager of a factory, expressed both happiness and concern due
3 . Influenced by factors like school funding, sports facilities, teacher resources and safetyconcems, traditional physical education was limited to static (静态的) scenes and closed gymsand playgrounds, which lacked interaction and feedback functions. PE curiculum was also restricted to basic sports like ball games, track and field and gymnastics. However, the emergence and application of new technologies like virtual reality (VR), 3D technology, greatly expand and innovate sports scenes, providing possibilities for the construction of a flexible “on-site, on- campus, online” integrated new sports world.
IT can build online virtual learning environments for students, creating teaching scenes hard to achieve in physical world. Many schools have already partnered with technology companies to create different teaching scenes using digital sports products. The University of South Florida has cooperated with the VR sports training company Sense Arena, allowing students to practice tennis on its globally pioneering VR tennis training platform. Students use the Meta Quest 2 headset and VR touching racket (球拍) which imitates the weight and feel of a real tennis racket. The platform features 35 training modes imitating various scenes in real-life tennis matches, including crowd noise, dazzling sunlight, shadows and wind. Athletes can engage in various forms of training, such as skill practice, technical analysis and match imitation. Such virtual sports teaching space further enhances the experience of PE learning.
Technology-based physical education not only serves ordinary students’ physical health but also addresses the needs of special groups in sports, especially students who cannot participate in regular PE classes due to physical, psychological or social adaptation issues. Many schools offer specialized sports programs to disabled students, like the “Pathways to Inclusion” program launched by the University of Queensland, which tailors various sports activities to different disabilities, such as blind football and wheelchair hockey. This is made possible with the support of sports technology, as different symptoms require the use of different sports equipment.
Through scientific, healthy and joyful educational concepts, technology-empowered PE classes convey the values of creating and enjoying a personalized experience, developing a sports education where everyone participates and benefits.
1. How do new technologies change traditional PE class according to paragraph 1?| A．By investing more in basic sports. |
| B．By combining it with academic study. |
| C．By making dynamic PE class possible. |
| D．By replacing PE teachers with AI teachers. |
| A．Real-life tennis matches. | B．Virtual headsets and rackets. |
| C．Imitative distracting conditions. | D．Sufficient sports space on campus. |
| A．Professional knowledge about psychology. |
| B．Technology-assisted sports for the disabled. |
| C．Interactive activities with ordinary students. |
| D．Personalized medical treatment for disabilities. |
| A．To advertise a new VR product. |
| B．To raise public awareness of physical education. |
| C．To stress the importance of equality among students. |
| D．To introduce a new application of technology in PE class. |
4 . It was not until photographer Rita Nannini left New York that she grew fascinated by the city’s subways. While living in Manhattan for some 15 years in the 1980s and early 1990s, Nannini only commuted (通勤) on the one train-given the subway system’s bad reputation. But after relocating to New Jersey for several years where subway is not an option, Nannini found that absence did make the heart grow fonder — maybe even for pizza rats. During her visit back to New York, Nannini nodded, noticing improvements in the subway’s facilities.
While Nannini was waiting for a train, a bench on the platform opposite caught her attention due to the ever changing faces and characters. They were people of different accents, colors and beliefs. They were from all walks of life, a diverse mix of New Yorkers all there for their own different reasons. Having learned the teenagers’ popular “End of the Line” challenge — boarding trains at random and riding them until their final destination; Nannini decided to visit every first and last stop across the NY subway’s lines with her beloved camera.
Nannini’s “End of the Line” experience saw her traveling some 665 miles across 26 routes in New York city. She took over 8,000 photos of the final stations, as well as the communities they served. In many cases, she rode the routes two or three times over to ensure she got “the shot”. “The project really shows me how important the subway is, and how sustainable it makes our lives,” she said
“It’s often said that my photos show the end of the lines — the last stops,” she said. “But theend of the line is indeed the start for so many people. That made me think about who the people and the communities that live at the two ends are and what it is that the subway means to them.”
Nannini was proud of her set of images directly challenging the traditions of story telling, which echoed both the boredom and excitement of travel on tracks.
Nannini enjoyed taking her time, starting her challenge in 2013 and only shooting the final photos last year. Her first monograph on the terminal stops of the NY subway was released in April 2023.
“When you drive in the suburbs, you don’t have those encounters,” she continued. “People enter your life on the subway. That’s what strikes me most on my jouney on tracks.”
1. How did Nannini find the New York subway during her revisit?| A．It tumed out fine. |
| B．It was depressing. |
| C．It still held the same bad reputation. |
| D．It would be her only commuting option. |
| A．The diversity of New Yorkers’ daily life. |
| B．The inspiration for Nannini’s subway shots. |
| C．The popularity of “End of the Line” challenge. |
| D．The challenges of Nannini’s job as a photographer. |
| A．Her way of telling stories is traditional. |
| B．She expressed sympathy for the subway riders. |
| C．Her photography is highly expected by the encounters. |
| D．She found life on tracks was more interesting than life on wheels. |
| A．“End of the Line” Challenge: A New Trend in NY Subways |
| B．The Road Home: Rita Nannini’s Record of her Subway Ride |
| C．Last Stop to New Start: A Photographer’s Rediscovery of NY Subways |
| D．New Yorkers’ Routine: A Surprising Mixture of Boredom andExcitement |
5 . THIS STREET IS OPEN FOR PLAY
Concerned about outdoor play in crowded cities? Start a play street - a community event where neighbors close their road to traffic, creating a safe space for children to play. This initiative allows kids and adults to explore, create and socialize, which, undoubtedly, will bring the bonds between neighbors to a new height.
Compared to structured plays with strict rules and fixed procedures, a play street allows children to lead, establish rules and get involved in an open-ended activity without specific instructions, methods or goals.
Getting Started:1. Host a meeting to discuss benefits and encourage involvement. Choose an event date and assign tasks to the neighbors.
2. Reach out to city councils for necessary permits to close the road. Ignoring this will lead to the cancellation of the whole plan.
3. Use posters, flyers, and social media to spread the word. Use these promotion means to inform residents of the date, time and activities planned for the play street.
4. Set up barriers for safety, provide equipment and encourage neighbors’’ participation.
What to Expect:●Game Areas: A variety of play equipment tailored for kids, such as jump ropes, balls, chalk for drawing, hula hoops and other outdoor games.
● Swapping Corner: A place where moms can bring unwanted items such as kitchenware, gardening tools or other household goods to exchange with each other.
●Arts and Crafts Seating: Arts and crafts seating with materials like paper, markers, crayons, paints and brushes. Children are encouraged to get creative and express themselves through art.
●Snack and Refreshment Station: Light refreshments like water, juice, fruit and healthy snacks to keep mixed-age participants energized. A potluck to share homemade treats and recipes.
1. What is the purpose of “a play street”?| A．To prevent traffic jams. |
| B．To strengthen community bonds. |
| C．To explore kids’ artistic potential. |
| D．To involve children in structured plays. |
| A．Raising funds |
| B．Announcing instructions. |
| C．Posting the safety regulations. |
| D．Asking for authorities’ approval. |
| A．Game Areas. | B．Arts and Crafts Seating. |
| C．Swapping Comer. | D．Snack and Refreshment Station. |
6 . MINIBOSS & BIGBOSS SUMMER BUSINESS CAMP
Join us at our award-winning International Summer Business Camp! Together with students from all over the world, you will dive into experiencing life and culture. We’ve served over 9,000 students from 27countries since 2000!
LOCATIONThe camp is located 10 miles from Oxford, not far from London and Cambridge.
ACCOMMODATIONSThe camp provides full board. You will live in shared rooms in the boarding Thornton High School or Thornton College. Delicious English dishes are prepared by chefs.
AGE GROUPSMiniboss groups: 9-11,12-15 Bigboss groups: 15-18
POWERFUL PROGRAMMES☑Explore Yourself in Business
This course provides you with a broad introduction to business, human full potential and self-realization. It equips you with the skills to successfully launch and manage your own business. Most importantly, you will develop the mindset to become a groundbreaking entrepreneur (企业家).
☑Aeademic ProgrammeImmerse (使沉浸于) yourself in the exciting business world through case studies of world-famous companies. In addition to training, the camp has many recreational activities and sports, which alternate with business games and daily evening reflection. On this course, you will;
● Identify how to unlock your full potential and manage your own potential;
● Strengthen your problem-solving abilities;
● Develop cooperation skills;
● Examine how leading entrepreneurs achieve their goals;
● Learn to think like an entrepreneur.
1. What do we know about the camp?| A．It has a history of 27 years. | B．It is backed by Oxford and Cambridge. |
| C．It is clearly targeted at teenagers. | D．It is open to students of all nationalities. |
| A．Teamwork spirit. | B．Interpersonal skills. |
| C．Creative thinking. | D．Problem-solving abilities. |
| A．Combine education with pleasure. | B．Teach campers to set goals. |
| C．Offer jobs in world-famous companies. | D．Train campers to think like adults. |
7 . In a bid to reduce global electronic waste, Fairphone has created a smartphone that owners can repair themselves. What makes its technology so sustainable?
“This is my phone’s camera,” says Bas van Abel, co-founder of the Fairphone, holding a small, square component aloft. He has just removed it from his smartphone, using a tiny screwdriver.
“There are eight components in total which can be removed and replaced,” he says, as he carefully disassembles his entire smartphone, placing the camera alongside his phone battery, USB port, screen and loudspeaker.
Founded in 2013 in Amsterdam, Fairphone makes Android smartphones which can easily be exchanged, customized and repaired by their owners. By enabling and encouraging people to fix their phones, rather than throwing them away as soon as a component breaks, Fairphone hopes to help reduce electronic waste.
In 2022, 5.3 billion mobile phones were thrown away, the Belgian non-profit The WEEE Forum, which analyses electronic waste, estimates. In the US, people replace their phones every 18 months on average as new models with upgraded features are released. Most devices now come as sealed units that are extremely difficult and expensive to repair, or even produce error messages if damaged components are fixed.
Fairphone wants to break this trend by selling phones that have a longer working life.
Despite its ambition, Fairphone is still only a minor player in the mobile phone market ——since launching, it has sold around 550,000 devices. To put this into context, more than 232 million iPhones were sold worldwide in 2022. But van Abel says Fairphone is trying to prove that it is possible for companies to turn a profit selling sustainable smartphones.
Sustainability, however, comes with a high price tag. The latest Fairphone model costs £649. This is partly because Fairphone has to build everything in-house, according to van Abel. “We do all the software updates ourselves as there’s not one company in the world that supports long-lasting phones,” he says. “There’s a lot of investment needed for us to be able to do what we want to.”
1. What do we know about van Abel?| A．He was quite skillful in repairing mobile phones. |
| B．He created a smartphone that can repair itself. |
| C．He was satisfied with this sustainable smartphone. |
| D．He advocated recycling electronic products. |
| A．Because the functions of the phones needed to be upgraded. |
| B．Because old phones were not environmentally friendly. |
| C．Because they didn’t like using second-hand phones. |
| D．Because the data in the phones showed errors. |
| A．Its various products were deeply loved by consumers. |
| B．Its sales profit was higher than that of iPhone. |
| C．It required financial and technical support. |
| D．It encouraged people to purchase high-capacity smartphones. |
| A．Everything’s hard in the beginning. |
| B．No pains, no gains. |
| C．Love me, love my dog. |
| D．Kill two birds with one stone. |
8 . “Individuals of all ages who have empathy (共情) understand that sometimes telling little white lies can protect other people from getting hurt,” says Barbara Greenberg, a clinical psychologist in Connecticut. “Most people that I have come across tell these little white lies because they understand that 100 percent honesty all the time is not beneficial.” A white lie, she explains, spares people from unnecessary hurt.
At the same time, Dr. Julia Breur, a marriage and family therapist in Florida, emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the way we respond to someone. The fact is that not telling the truth can result in something unpleasant on you; it’s not just about the person the white lie is being told to. For example, she says someone who always tells others that “all is good” when it comes to a sick parent in an effort to avoid discussions about how serious their health issue really is, can eventually face stressful experiences. When that parent eventually passes away, the person who always gave an “all is good” response ends up emotionally broken.
Sometimes, telling white lies often depends on the situation, Dr. Breur says. For example, consider a woman who has not seen her mother for several months. The daughter has gained noticeable weight, yet the mother responds by excitedly declaring that she looks great. “I emphasize during psychotherapy sessions with my patients that context helps define meaning,” Dr. Breur says. “So when we look at the context of a mother saying you look great when she clearly sees that her daughter has gained weight, it can be acceptable. It reflects the intention of the white lie which is kindness, protection and unconditional love. Otherwise, white lies — especially when told to avoid personal accountability — can start a cycle of mistrust between people, ultimately compromising integrity,” she adds.
Therefore, it’s important to ask ourselves when it is and isn’t appropriate to deliver the honest truth, and when it’s best to step back and offer a more delicate response. More often than not, it’s about finding a balance between the two.
1. What can be learned about white lies according to Barbara Greenberg?| A．They are short-lived. | B．They are unidentifiable. |
| C．They are trouble-making. | D．They are common. |
| A．White lies can harm both the liars and the listeners. |
| B．We must respond to our family members truthfully. |
| C．It’s wrong to tell white lies to a seriously ill parent. |
| D．The “all is good” response is effective in dealing with patients. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Critical. | C．Supportive. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．East or West, White Lies Are the Best |
| B．Think Twice Before You Tell White Lies |
| C．White Lies Signify Unconditional Love |
| D．White Lies Are Empathetic People’s Favorable Choice |
注意：
1. 词数不少于120；
2. 短文应结构清晰，语言通顺，表达准确；
3. 可以适当添加细节，以使行文连贯。
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Science Sunday is for everyone interested in the world around them, whose lectures are designed to make science interesting and “user-friendly” for everyone. Lectures are one hour long. Doors open to the lecture hall at 1:00 pm. Lecture passes are available at the admissions counter at 12:30 pm. Seating is limited and first-come, first-served. No late seating. Lectures include time for a few questions at the end.
Life on the Ranch
Celebrate the warmth of the holiday season with crafts, games, music, and enjoyment from the early 20th century. We’ll busy your hands with holiday wreath-making (花冠), invite you to join in an old-fashioned sing-along around the player piano, and provide you with materials to make Victorian and Mexican holiday crafts. Come play games, take a draft-horse carriage ride, decorate the tree, and create decorations to bring home to your own tree.
Open Studios Tour
Explore the hidden world of art! Visit artists in their studios, learn about their processes, purchase original works of art. Free mobile app and printed guide have artist information and maps. Open Studios is a free self-guided tour, produced by Arts Council Santa Cruz County, which invites the public into more than 300 artist studios across Santa Cruz County.
Roaring Camp
Step into the incredible world of steam power at the Steam & Harvest Festival. Welcome Fall with traditional children’s activities like candle making, and gold panning. See a variety of steam and belt-powered equipment on display. Admission is free for the whole family.
1. What can visitors do if they attend Science Sunday lectures?| A．Show up at 2:30 pm. | B．Explore the hidden world of art. |
| C．Be able to ask questions. | D．Change attitudes to oceans. |
| A．Promote wreath-making. | B．Sing to the piano. |
| C．Make crafts alone. | D．Get close to Victoria. |
| A．Roaring Camp | B．Open Studios Tour |
| C．Life on the Ranch | D．Seymour Marine Discovery Center |
