1 . Thomas was a well-known wise man. One day, he wandered in a beautiful small town. Because of his fame, people from nearby towns who heard of his arrival all came to visit and seek his advice.

Many who came sought help with difficulties in daily life, and Thomas, unable to bear turning them away, patiently offered suggestions. Word spread quickly, and more and more people came to see Thomas for guidance.

One day, dozens of people crowded outside Thomas’s door, all clamoring (大声地要求) that their problems were the most serious and urgent, each insisting that Thomas address their concerns first, with no one willing to yield (让步).

After a moment of thought, Thomas took out some paper and a pen and said, “I can’t hear clearly with everyone talking at once. How about everyone write down your problem on a piece of paper and place it in this basket beside me?”

Once everyone had placed their notes in the basket, Thomas shook the basket and said, “Please each take a piece of paper from the basket and read what it says.”

As everyone read a note from someone else, they all realized that indeed, each person has their own troubles, and every household has its own challenges. Then Thomas spoke up, “Now, whose problem is the most urgent to solve?” Hearing that question, no one spoke again, because now no one dared to claim that their problem was the most severe.

Often, we are bound by our immediate feelings. When difficulties and problems strike, it feels as though we are caught in a vortex of pain. But if we shift our focus from ourselves and look towards others, we might discover that the problems we face are not so significant. Perhaps others are the ones who need help more urgently, or maybe there is something within our power that we can do for them.

1. Why did people visit Thomas?

A．For advice.	B．For a meeting.
C．For a competition.	D．For introductions.

2. How did Thomas handle the crowd?

A．He ignored them.	B．He listened to each one individually.
C．He prioritized the problems himself.	D．He asked them to write down their problems.

3. What did reading others’ problems show to the people?

A．The complexity of their difficulties.	B．The similarity of their situations.
C．Their need for more advice.	D．Their living conditions.

4. What lesson did Thomas teach?

A．Competition.

B．Sympathy.

C．Prioritization.

D．Self-confidence.

2 . SarahRose Black isn’t a doctor or a nurse. Since 2013 she has played an important role for patients at the center as a music therapist (治疗师). One day, a nurse at a medical centre asked her if she could reach out to a patient who refused to take part in any activities. “He’s angry with us, and we wonder if you might have an interest in it.” the nurse told her.

The next day, Black offered to play music for the patient. “If you don’t like it, you can tell me to leave.” she said. After thinking for a while, the man wrote down the names of some music he liked and then looked out the window. However, as Black began to play one of his favorites, he cried. She stopped playing, saying, "Do you want me to continue?" "Certainly," he said through tears.

“It was as if the music went places," recalls Black.” He shared afterwards that he’d been holding in so much and had been unable to talk about anything —but the music felt like a hug."

It has been shown that music can be medicine. A study conducted in Barcelona’s Hospital del Mar found patients receiving music therapy experienced obvious decreases in anxiety and breathing difficulties, as well as an increase in feelings of well-being.

At the Dr Bob Kemp Hospice in Hamilton, Ont., music therapy is widely used. Doug Mattina experienced a music-therapy program when his father spent his last days there. "During the treatment, my mom and I danced around my dad’s bed. He would request high kicks from us as he clapped along. He was so weak that he sometimes fell asleep, but he was happy. It meant a lot to us." Mattina says.

Music has an especially important effect on sick children. Ruth Hunston, a music therapist at a children’s hospital, says her program gives patients back some sense of control. "When children are in hospital, their worlds get much smaller," she explains. "Music allows them to create something themselves."

Music does count in treatment, but Black notes that people actually connect with music for their whole lives.“ We have a heartbeat, so we have a drum inside us; we are born to be musical,”she says,“ Music relieves our sadness in ways words cannot.”

1. How did the patient react to Black’s appearance?

A．He asked her to leave.	B．He cried and hugged her.
C．He handed her a list of songs.	D．He turned away and walked to the window.

2. What do the underlined words “went places” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Got faster.

B．Went wrong.

C．Worked well.

D．Slowed down.

3. What is mentioned about Doug Mattina’s father?

A．He often did high kicks.	B．He was once a music therapist.
C．He didn’t like talking about his illness.	D．He fell in and out of sleep in the treatment.

4. How does music therapy help children according to Hunston?

A．It improves their social ability.	B．It helps them create something.
C．It helps them enjoy a sound sleep.	D．It excites their interest in medical treatment.

5. Which of the following can best describe Black?

A．Thoughtful and helpful.	B．Strong and talented.
C．Intelligent and honest.	D．Hardworking and humorous.

3 . The holidays can be a difficult time to stay on track with your fitness goals.     1    . Even the most disciplined people can find it difficult to stick to their fitness routines during the holiday season. Here are some expert-recommended tips that can help you stay on track.

    2    .

Planning is the best way to make sure you don’t lose track of your goals. Plan your workouts for the week and mark them in your schedule to assure they are a part of your day.

Exercise early.

    3    . Make sure workouts are in the morning and you’ll set yourself up for a productive day. Then you can enjoy holiday activities and time with family without worrying about when you’ll have time to exercise.

Keep moving.

Research shows that getting up for just five minutes every 30 to 60 minutes and performing light activities reduces the risk of heart disease risk factors. Small efforts to get moving can help your overall health during the holidays. In addition to staying active, try to avoid sitting for long periods of time, such as when watching football games or eating.     4    .

Think out of the box.

The holidays are busy, but do your best to avoid the “all or nothing” mentality when it comes to physical activity.     5     — like taking a family walk around the neighborhood before opening Christmas presents.

A．Plan ahead

B．Plan out your route before you go

C．Exercising in the morning is one of the biggest tips

D．Remember: too much sitting is harmful to your health

E．Your schedule will be filled with family gatherings and celebrations

F．Get creative with exercise and make physical activity a family affair

G．Rather than skipping the gym altogether, make time for a quick workout

4 . Seba Stephens is only 10 years old, but he’s a very talented musician. Before he turned three, his parents asked him what he wanted for his birthday. “Drums!” (鼓) he answered. His parents weren’t sure, but after seeing him play the drums at a local music store, they decided he was serious. They bought him a set of junior drums. It was a huge step. “He didn’t stop playing-ever”, says his dad, Everett.

But soon Seba grew unhappy, he couldn’t get his junior drums to make the sounds that the famous drummer Copeland made. Therefore, his parents bought him a set of professional drums and sent him to a drum teacher. Just a few months later, his teacher reported that Seba was learning extremely quickly and needed a higher level of training. He was still four.

His father encouraged him to explore music in other ways. In 2020, Seba got special permission to join a summer guitar online program at Berklee College of Music as an 8-year-old. To keep up, he had to practice 36 hours a week. After the busy summer, Everett thought Seba might want a break. However, Seba asked his parents to home-school him so that he could continue the program during the school year. Seba did school work in the morning. In the afternoon he worked on music. And at night, he still worked on music.

Recently, Seba earned a professional certificate (证书) in music through the Berklee Online program.

1. What did Seba want for his birthday?

A．Drums.	B．Music lessons.
C．A guitar.	D．A music book.

2. Who does the underlined word “his” refer to in Paragraph 2?

A．Seba’s.	B．Copeland’s.
C．Seba’s parent’s.	D．Seba’s teacher’s.

3. Seba needed a higher level of training because

A．he grew very worried	B．he failed to hear the sounds
C．he bought a new drum	D．he was learning extremely quickly

4. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．Seba joined a summer camp.	B．Seba worked hard on music.
C．Seba did school work at home.	D．Seba graduated from a college.

5. How did Seba earn a professional certificate in music?

A．By going to a famous college.	B．By getting special permission.
C．Through the Berklee Online program.	D．Through the lessons given by his parents.

5 . Come and join us in the project. You’ll learn diving (潜水) to improve your existing skills and you’ll be volunteers for the international ocean clean-up operation at the same time. After you’ve made contributions to removing rubbish from the ocean, you’ll be rewarded (奖励) with the opportunity to enjoy the best beach of Barcelona.

The project includes the following activities :

Activity 1 You’ll practice diving in the shallows for beginners, and challenge deeper waters for the advanced divers.

Activity 2 You’ll be tasked with carryingthe net bags to collect plastic waste and old fishing nets in the ocean.

Activity 3 You will analyze (分析), weigh, and document the rubbish, then record the data in the diving station.

In the morning you will go to the marina (头) to join the diving team. You’ll dive for the majority of the morning, then look for plastic waste, old fishing nets and any other rubbish. In the afternoon, you’ll work on the rubbish you collect for about an hour. The rest of the day is free for you to relax on the beach of Barcelona.

1. What is the aim of the project besides diving?

A．To learn swimming skills.	B．To clean up the ocean.
C．To experience the life on the sea.	D．To take a visit to Barcelona.

2. What will you do in Activity 1?

A．Practice diving.	B．Go fishing.
C．Collect waste.	D．Weigh rubbish.

3. How many activities are there for the project?

A．2.	B．3.
C．4.	D．5.

4. When will you go to the marina to join the diving team?

A．In the morning.	B．In the afternoon.
C．In the evening.	D．At night.

5. What will you do on the rest of the day?

A．Challenge deeper waters.	B．Carry the net bags.
C．Analyze your findings.	D．Relax on the beach.

6 . If you’re looking for a place to spend the Christmas holiday, we try to cover possible information within the posts on our site online. Here are some hotels and resorts that shine over the holiday.

Big Cedar Lodge

Its annual show, Home for the Holidays, features a series of events in November and December, including ice-skating and kids’ club activities. Guest rooms, cottages and cabins serve as cozy spots for winter getaways, and many dining options mean you’ll never need to leave the resort.

Aspen Meadows Resort

There are all kinds of festivities at the resort leading up to the big day, including snowmen building and sleigh rides. Holiday movie nights take place throughout December, and there’s lots of food to enjoy. The all-suites are perfect for family getaways with floor-to-ceiling windows providing mountain views.

Hotel Bennett

Visit this hotel for Christmas and you’ll immediately be surprised by the life-size gingerbread (姜饼) house made with pounds of candy. There are holiday stories on the night before Christmas Eve. Plus, all of the holiday festivities in Charleston’s downtown are just outside this hotel’s front door.

Jekyll Island Club Resort

At Christmastime, this historic resort hosts a gingerbread house decorating event and special holiday meals throughout December. About 350 light displays made up of more than a million lights can be seen in the resort’s trees.

1. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A website.	B．A magazine.
C．A guidebook.	D．A newspaper.

2. Which place offers visitors light shows?

A．Big Cedar Lodge.	B．Aspen Meadows Resort.
C．Hotel Bennett.	D．Jekyll Island Club Resort.

3. What do the listed places have in common?

A．They are located in the downtown.	B．They are all world-famous resorts.
C．They all have special holiday parties.	D．They all have activities before Christmas.

7 . Food books can bring a culture to life. The following food books are bursting with delicious food, as well as entertaining and engaging storytelling.

	Pierre Thiam’s latest book aims to share everyday, easy-to-cook recipes like baked ginger-chili plantain kelewele. He explains how so many dishes and ingredients from the American South and other regions can trace their origin to West Africa. The 80 recipes are accessible and present a range of traditional and modern takes on the cuisine.
	Fuchsia Dunlop’s book examines classic Chinese dishes, like mapo tofu, soup dumplings and Dongpo pork. This book includes history, philosophy, cooking techniques, and Dunlop’s on-the-ground research conducted over three decades to present a fascinating exploration of this ever-changing cuisine.
	Tamar Adler seeks to make leftovers more appealing and lower food waste in the process with her latest book, which contains around 1,500 recipes. This isn’t what you’d call a beautiful coffee table-style cookbook — it’s practical and the creative secrets within are truly mind-blowing.
	Natasha Pickowicz is an innovative chef. More Than Cake is her first cookbook, full of invaluable tips like how to build a layer (层) cake. Aside from great baking recipes, this cookbook tries to live up to its name by sharing how baking can provide so much more than just tasty sweets — it can give community, purpose, joy and love.

1. Who explores Chinese food culture in the cookbook?

A．Pierre Thiam.	B．Fuchsia Dunlop.
C．Tamar Adler.	D．Natasha Pickowicz.

2. What do Simply West African and The Everlasting Meal Cookbook have in common?

A．They are the writers’ latest books.	B．They advocate lower food waste.
C．They have the same number of recipes.	D．They aim to share West African dishes.

3. Which book favors cake-baking lovers?

A．Simply West African.	B．Invitation to a Banquet.
C．The Everlasting Meal Cookbook.	D．More Than Cake.

8 . What is the textbook about?

A．School network development.

B．Good online behaviours.

C．Influences of the Internet.

9 .

The Mobile Phone Museum Date: October 15-19 Age:15-17 Have you given a call with a mobile phone? Here are all kinds of mobile phones at a different time. You can learn about their history and even give calls with certain mobile phone in a special DIY room.	The Tea Art Museum Date: October 23-29 Age:17-20 Do you enjoy drinking tea? It’s a relaxing place for enjoying tea and its art. Here you can learn how to make a perfect cup of tea with beautiful sets. And you are sure to know about the history of tea and watch the tea preparation! Tel:768-4030
The Clothing Museum Date: November 15-19 Age:9-14 Whether you are a boy or a girl, you are serious about your dressing. Here you can know how clothing is made of and what clothes around the world are mostly like. If you like, you may learn how to color some kinds of cloth in a special class. Tel:376-9060	The Science Museum Date: November11-25 Age:8-11 You can experience many high-technology products here, such as IT, robots, VR games video arts and so on. And you can explore what   a future city will be like. Here are some science classes for you to choose. It’ll be wonderful. Come for fun! Tel:376-9060

1. The program at the Mobile Phone Museum lasts for ________.

A．five days

B．a week

C．ten days

D．two weeks

2. If you’re interested in the program about clothes, you can phone________.

A．856-3050

B．768-4030

C．568-7080

D．376-9060

3. An eighteen-year-old student can take part in the program at________.

A．the Mobile Phone Museum	B．the Tea Art Museum
C．the Clothing Museum	D．the Science Museum

4. In the Science Museum, you can________.

A．use certain mobile phones	B．enjoy tea and its art
C．learn about dressing	D．experience many kinds of high-technology products

5. From the passage, we can know________.

A．all four programs happen in summer.

B．three programs are about high-technology.

C．all four programs are about high-technology

D．There’re science classes at the Science Museum

10 . EO Photography Competition 2024

       Thank you to everyone who participated in the Climate Crisis Photography Competition 2023. The winners will be announced on our website and be notified (通知) via email by September 23, 2023.
       The Winner of the Earth. Org “Overall Best Environmental Photo” 2023 will be awarded US $500. The winners of the two sub-categories “Wildlife in Peril” 2023 and “Climate Action” 2023 will be awarded US $250 each.
       Our Nature and Wildlife Photo Competition 2024 is now open for submissions (提交), where you will have the opportunity to show your work to the world, and win one of three cash prizes. All entries must be received by April 26th, 2024.
EO Photography Competition 2024: Categories
1.Wildlife in Peril
       Document or highlight the biodiversity and wildlife struggles caused by climate change and human activities. For example: trapped or endangered animals.
2.Climate Action
       Photographs that capture (拍摄) environmental protests, climate solutions in practice, or actions promoting change.
Note:
        Don’t submit: photographs of pets, images that are blurry (模糊的) or beautiful landscape works that do not show the theme of the categories.
How To Enter
       To enter the EO Climate Crisis Photography Competition 2024, participants must submit their best 3 photographs for each category (max 6 altogether).
       Please use the following format (格式) for submitting your photos: “Category_Name”. If you don’t submit your photos using the format, they will not be considered.
2024 Prizes
       All winners will be invited to take over the Earth. Org Instagram page for a week each.
       All winners will be interviewed for articles on Earth. Org and given the chance to show their work in our articles.
       Winners will be announced on our website and notified via email by June 21st, 2024.
       The 20 best photos selected from all participants will also be invited to join our network of EO Photographers.
2024 Photography Competition Judges
       They will be announced on September 29th, 2023.
1. What is the final date for competition entries to be submitted?

A．September 23rd, 2023.	B．September 29th, 2023.
C．April 26th, 2024.	D．June 21st, 2024.

2. Which of the following will not be accepted?

A．Submitting photographs of wildlife.

B．Using the “Category_Name” format.

C．Showing the theme of protecting nature.

D．Submitting 6 photographs for each category.

3. What is the award that all winners will get?

A．US $500 in prize money.

B．Their works shown in Earth. Org’ s articles.

C．Becoming Earth. Org’s full-time photographers.

D．Taking over the Earth. Org Instagram page for a month.