By the time we reached the airport, my mother was angry. “We’re going to be late,”she said as she pulled into the newly opened parking area.
My husband David and I had come to pick up my oldest son, who had flown to spend theNew Year with the family. As always, Mom had insisted on driving us to the airport.
We picked a lane (车道) that didn’t look too busy. When our turn came, Mom rolled down her window to grab the parking ticket from the machine. We watched and waited for the gate to lift so we could drive through. Instead, we heard a voice,“Please take the ticket.”“Give me a minute,”Mom answered.
It’s a well-known fact that I often talk to myself. So does my mother. So at that time, Ididn’t think anything of my mother’s words.
The machine sounded again. “Please take the ticket.”
“I’m trying. I can’t reach it,”she said.
This time, my husband and I glanced at each other with our eyebrows raised. Certainly,Mom knew the voice was automated (自动化的) and not a real person speaking to her.
“Please take the ticket.”
“I’m trying. I’m trying. It’s too far away. Give me a minute.”
In fairness to my mother, automated machines had recently arrived in the world, and there weren’t many around yet. We had never run into one at the airport before. In the old days, the machine spit out a parking ticket, and if you couldn’t reach the ticket, you simply opened your door and grabbed it. Now, the new metal safety railings (护栏) on either side of the car made it impossible to open the door.
“Please take the ticket.”
“It’s too far. I’m trying. I’m trying.”
The traffic behind us grew impatient. I saw people trying to back their cars so they could find another lane. All the while, the machine continued,“Please take the ticket...”
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。
Mom was frustrated (沮丧的).
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I managed to reach for my mother’s safety belt and tried to unfasten (解开) it.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . Here are four famous theatre camps & classes in Canada.
Carousel Theatre for Young People
Founded in 1976, Carousel Theatre for Young People provides young people playful,exceptional and accessible theatrical experiences that inspire and educate young persons. We believe the arts play an important role in a young person’s development. In addition to our programming for all ages, we also offer drama school classes taught by trusted drama educators.
Gateway Theatre
Gateway Theatre enriches the quality of life in Richmond by creating outstanding professional theatre and serving as a dynamic center for the performing arts. Set up in 1982,Gateway is a member of the professional theatre scene providing live performances, high-quality performing art classes accessible to youth aged 6—18, and space for professional and community producers.
Evergreen Cultural Centre
Evergreen Cultural Centre is the top place in the Tri-Cities for live arts events, exhibitions, and experiences. We offer an exciting season of performing arts, modern art displays and arts education programs in a variety of disciplines(训练方法) in our StudioTheatre. We aim to create a welcoming and open community space and encourage visitors to enjoy the excitement of live performances and visual art.
Place des Arts
Classes and private lessons are available from September to June, or during the Fall(Sep-Dec), Winter(Jan-Mar), and Spring(Apr-Jun) sessions for all ages and skill levels. Students can explore music, dance, theatre, visual arts and literary arts with us. Our instructors are experienced professionals who provide individualized attention to each student. Kids and teens can participate in a variety of arts activities and gain valuable skills in a supportive environment.
1. Who will most probably go to Gateway Theatre?| A．College students. |
| B．People in Richmond. |
| C．Kids still at kindergartens. |
| D．Famous performers in Vancouver. |
| A．Exciting. | B．Energetic. | C．Funny. | D．Adventurous. |
| A．A diary. | B．A novel. | C．A magazine. | D．A report. |
3 . Twenty years ago, I was months into my first job at a start-up independent publishing company in New York.One afternoon, I
Back then, I was much less
Later, I wrote a check,
That
| A．came across | B．rushed onto | C．passed by | D．looked for |
| A．visit | B．help | C．rescue | D．introduce |
| A．return | B．explain | C．connect | D．distribute |
| A．determined | B．objective | C．organized | D．professional |
| A．ticket | B．card | C．gift | D．book |
| A．parcel | B．wallet | C．envelope | D．bottle |
| A．cancel | B．reject | C．provide | D．accept |
| A．Naturally | B．Unexpectedly | C．Doubtfully | D．Disagreeably |
| A．embarrassed | B．disturbed | C．annoyed | D．dissatisfied |
| A．gave away | B．checked out | C．laughed off | D．sent back |
| A．lost | B．unfolded | C．noticed | D．enclosed |
| A．appreciation | B．admiration | C．amazement | D．approval |
| A．destroyed | B．inspired | C．formed | D．reported |
| A．romantic | B．generous | C．emergent | D．symbolic |
| A．force | B．allow | C．warn | D．remind |
The Guangdong Lion Dance, a national tradition popular in Foshan and Guangzhou, is a typical Southern Lion Dance.
Lion dancing
The Guangdong Lion Dance, a
5 . New findings suggest that when it-comes to learning, the snake may be quite a bit like humans. David Holtzman, a scientist at the University of Rochester, has found that snakes have a much greater capacity for learning than earlier studies had indicated.
Holtzman’s study challenged 24 snakes to escape from a black plastic container the size of a child’s pool. Cards mounted on the container’s walls and tape on its floor provided the snakes with visual and touchable signals to find their goal: holes in the container’s bottom that offer a dark, comfortable spot to hide.
Simply falling into a hole isn’t the only proof that the snakes are learning something, though. “Speed to find that goal is one of the measures which shows they’re learning,” Holtzman says. “On average, they take over 700 seconds to find the correct hole on the first day of training, and then go down to about 400 seconds by the fourth day of training. Some are actually very fast and find it in less than 30 seconds.”
Studies dating back to the 1950s interpreted snakes’ awkwardness with mazes(迷宫)as a poor reflection on their intelligence. “Early attempts to study snake intelligence were problematic because the studies used mazes as testing arenas(场地)-as though snakes might be expected to run through mazes in the same way mice run through mazes,” says Peter Kareiva, a professor of zoology. “Snakes do not encounter anything like mazes in nature, and they do not learn how to run mazes in laboratory conditions.”
Holtzman also found a few age-based differences in the signals the snakes use. Young snakes appear to be more adaptable and resourceful, using a variety of clues to find their way to the exit.But their elders seem to rely much more heavily on visual clues. “Actually, one of the amazing findings from our studies is that snakes do use vision in locating places,” says Holtzman. “They don’t just rely on the chemical clues picked up by sticking their tongues out, as many snake biologists assume.”
1. What is the function of the cards and tape?| A．To direct the snakes to the exits. |
| B．To protect the snakes from bright lights. |
| C．To cover the holes at the container’s bottom. |
| D．To make the container a comfortable spot to stay. |
| A．They are skillful escapers. | B．They are good learners. |
| C．They communicate with each other. | D．They adapt to environments quickly. |
| A．They chose the wrong testing arenas. |
| B．They failed to do tests in laboratory conditions. |
| C．They referred to studies dating back to the 1950s. |
| D．They compared snakes with a different kind of animal. |
| A．They rely on sight to find their way. |
| B．They leave chemical clues everywhere. |
| C．The young beat their elders in many ways. |
| D．Their tongues are unable to recognize chemical clues. |
6 . At first look, the playground at the Children’s Guild-Transformation Academy in Baltimore, Maryland, looks like any other. It has swings, slides, and places for children to climb and crawl. But the playground is not just a place for fun. It is also a place where students can learn, grow and gain independence. Everything — from the kind of surface it sits on, to the color of its sitting areas, to the placement of the surrounding fence — is specifically designed for kids with autism (自闭症).
Mark Rapaport is the managing director of autism services at the Transformation Academy. He said the school accepts students aged 5 to 21 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are lower-functioning.
Rapaport said the goal of Transformation Academy is to make the students as independent as possible in an effort to help them prepare for adult life. The school aims to provide help with developing communication and social skills, as well as practical abilities like cleaning or cooking.
The playground designed by Maryland company Sparks@Play, using structures manufactured by Landscape Structures, Inc. took a month to develop, said Dan Hack. He works for Sparks@Play and helped lead the playground’s design. Hack said he and others spent weeks getting to know the students and understanding their needs before any building was started. The design process involved physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other specialists. The huge $500,000 project was funded with support from the state of Maryland and the nonprofit Orokawa Foundation.
Parts of the playground that seem small are very important for children with autism and other disabilities. The surrounding fence extends into a wooded area to make it seem more open. And the ground under the play areas is made of soft, but solid materials to support students using wheelchairs or crutches. The benches on the outside of the playground look simple from far away, but are “one of our most inclusive sensory” elements, Hack said. They have many different colors that bring about feelings of calm and curiosity. They are also made with smooth material that can be felt and moved. The academy’s Rapaport said if a child starts to feel uneasy, they can sit down and feel the bench, which can help them relax.
1. Why is the playground in Baltimore designed with special materials?| A．To make it superior to other playgrounds. | B．To better serve children with autism. |
| C．To improve the quality of the playground. | D．To make it easier for kids to climb and crawl. |
| A．It took a month to complete the project. | B．The design process is simple and easy. |
| C．The result of the project is uncertain. | D．It’s a money-consuming project. |
| A．The scale and the structure of the playground. |
| B．Ways for kids to free from the stress and relax themselves. |
| C．The underlying logic and reasonable factors of the playground. |
| D．The advantages of the playground for autism and disabled kids. |
| A．Advanced. | B．Environmental-friendly. | C．Functional. | D．Convenient. |
7 . Free Community Swap
Contact:Catherine Crawford, (718) 809-1603 ccrawford@grownyc.org
Jon Klar, (646) 530-0381 jklar@grownyc.org
New Yorkers looking to reduce, reuse, and save money this year are invited to participate in Stop ‘N’ Swap, a free community event organized by local nonprofit GrowNYC.
The average NYC household throws away about 2,000 pounds of waste a year. By reusing through events like Stop ‘N’ Swap, NYC residents can take part in saving over 40 million pounds of material from landfill every year. Take a break from shopping, support a cleaner future, and join the ever-growing reuse community!
WHAT: Free Stop ‘N’ Swap Community Reuse EventWHEN: February 19th，12pm-3pm
WHERE: Bronx Works Classic Community Center-286 East 156th Street, Bronx, NY 10451
The public is invited to bring clean and reusable items. No one is required to bring something to take something-you can simply show up with a bag and see what’s free for the taking. Books, toys, clothing, and electronics are just some of the offerings. Furniture and other large items are not accepted at the swap. Anything leftover at the end of the day is donated or recycled.
Stop ‘N’ Swaps have developed a regular following among environmentally conscious New Yorkers. After almost two years without swaps, GrowNYC has set a goal of hosting one swap in each of the city’s 59 community districts each year, providing opportunities to make NYC truly livable-a place where every person can enjoy a healthier life.
1. What should you do to get more information from Catherine?| A．Cal1 (646) 530-0381. | B．Cal1 (718) 809-1603. |
| C．Email jklar@grownyc.org. | D．Visit 286 East 156th Street, Bronx. |
| A．Dry-as-dust books. | B．Old-fashioned clothes. |
| C．Out-of-date electronics. | D．Second-hand furniture. |
| A．To make NYC a better place to live. |
| B．To enrich New Yorkers’ community life. |
| C．To reduce the cost of dealing with waste in NYC. |
| D．To encourage districts to compete in sustainability. |
1. What does the man know about Zhuozheng Garden?
| A．It was first built in the Qing Dynasty. |
| B．It tops the other classical gardens in Suzhou. |
| C．It is about 6 miles away from Gusu District. |
| A．They are eighty miles apart. |
| B．They are in opposite directions. |
| C．They are quite close to each other. |
| A．Tuisi Garden. | B．Liuyuan Garden. | C．Zhuozheng Garden. |
| A．It is otherwise known as the Garden Museum. |
| B．It features the Qing Dynasty's garden landscaping. |
| C．It houses relics dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. |
| A．In China. | B．In Italy. | C．In Korea. |
随着人工智能的快速发展，ChatGPT已进入我们的生活，正逐渐影响我们的学习方式和体验，有人认为它会带来诸多便利，也有人心存顾虑。假设你是明启中学的学生王磊，学校贴吧就此话题正在热议，你对此很感兴趣，决定回帖响应。回帖内容应包括：
1. 你是否支持使用ChatGPT；
2. 你的理由。
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