1 . Competition is a huge part of our culture. We encourage our athletes to secure victory on the field.     1     Sportsmanship is an essential trait of a strong athlete. Here are a few tips on how you can help your little athlete experience a loss just as gracefully as he/she can experience a victorious win.

Focus on improvement, rather than on the win.

Instead of focusing on the win of the game, motivate your child to focus on individual or collective improvement.     2     Make mention of how well the team executed a play on the field. In doing this, your child will learn to see the value in the entire experience.

Be a role model.

As parents, it can be difficult to keep quiet, especially after the loss of a game, but when the game is over, your child is observing how you respond to every win and every loss. Therefore, it is essential to demonstrate a positive attitude after each game. Be the role model that your child needs in order to achieve greatness on and off the field.     3    

    4    

Victory instills excitement and pride. After a win, however, sportsmanship is a vital part of a young athlete’s journey. Enthusiastically encourage your child to shake hands with his/her opponent. Teach them that once the final play of the game is over, the opposing team is no longer a rival, but rather their peers.     5     The practice of shifting focus from winning enables your child to appreciate other valuable elements of the game.

A．Encourage sportsmanship.

B．Ignore victory intentionally.

C．Win with humility, loose with grace, and do both with dignity.

D．Inspire your child to reflect on what skills he/she has improved.

E．However, it is important to teach children to gracefully win and lose.

F．Each of your demonstrations in life is a teachable moment for your child!

G．Additionally, encourage your child to learn from some of the strengths of the other team.

2 . For most people traveling abroad, their first choice is probably to make a beeline for (直奔) tourist sights. For me, I find lots of joy in grocery (食品杂货店) shopping on holiday.

As a vegetarian (素食主义者), finding restaurants that meet my needs is not always easy abroad.     1     The first thing I do, after dropping my bags off, is to go to a grocery store. That enables me to cook breakfast in the morning without walking around for hours trying to find “vegan breakfast” near me.

The variety of foods attracts me every time I travel somewhere new. In Malta, I found the most delicious chocolate-filled cakes, a product I would struggle to find even in the UK.     2     I was so delighted that I could enjoy such an unexpected treat. Another surprise was their selection of ice cream available even in the smallest grocery stores.

    3     Looking for smoked tofu and corn pancakes turns into quite a mission whenever I visit Cluj-Napoca in Romania. There is usually only one variety of smoked tofu, sold in a very small tub (食品盒) and only in the cafeteria section.     4     That is because they are never available at the smaller ones.

Grocery shopping on holiday sounds unusual. But it means being involved in the day-to-day lives of a country’s citizens. I can pretend I am a local and put myself in their shoes. I can watch kids begging their parents for sweets, an international experience that needs no language, or watch couples pick up snacks and drinks for a party on a Friday night.     5    

A．I ended up eating these every day for breakfast.

B．The challenge of finding food is interesting, too.

C．So I always make sure to book a place with a kitchen.

D．Grocery shopping was a vital part of the holiday experience.

E．It’s an act of understanding people as much as of buying food.

F．Corn pancakes always require a trip to the bigger grocery store.

G．By wandering around in a new country, I start to see what they value.

3 . Your neighbors are probably the first line of defense in case of any problematic situation.     1     It gives you an assurance that you have people close by looking out for you. Here are easily applicable tips on creating stronger neighbor relationships.

The first step is introducing yourself when you move to a new neighborhood or when a newcomer moves in. Leave them a note under their door to introduce yourself.     2     It doesn’t have to cost you a fortune and opting for a potted plant or baked biscuits will do. These actions present excellent opportunities to connect with them.

Be respectful of your neighbors. It’s in poor taste to have regular insensitive parties at your place causing disturbances. Before your party, it’s good practice to notify your neighbors. Besides, avoid chatting them up for hours on end, which may be inconvenient, especially if you don’t know their schedules.     3     When you borrow anything, return it in due time. If you accidentally break their things, replace them without being asked to.

    4     You could offer to babysit your neighbors’ kids, help with snow removals or even keep an eye on their home when they’re away. Such acts of reaching out to your neighbors make for stronger relationships.

As Emma Seppälä put it, “social connectedness generates a positive feedback loop (圈) of social, emotional and physical well-being.” It feels so easy to just stay home without having to engage with your neighbors but connecting with them is worth the effort.     5    

A．Remember every small gesture counts.

B．A crisis is a test of communication skills.

C．It can actually boost your mood in the long run.

D．Slipping it in their mailbox further solidifies friendship.

E．It’s essential to ensure you maintain decent relationships with them.

F．Alternatively, you can give them a gift while making yourself known to them.

G．Only by establishing healthy boundaries will you achieve peaceful coexistence.

4 . The Importance of Handwriting is Becoming Better Understood

As primary-school pupils and PhD hopefuls return for a new school year, many will study with reliance on computers to take notes and write papers.     1    University professors complain of rampant distractions in classrooms, with students reading and messaging instead of listening to lectures.

    2     Studies have found that writing on paper can improve everything from recalling a random series of words to imparting a better conceptual grasp of complicated ideas.

The benefits of using a pen or pencil lie in how the motor and sensory memory of putting words on paper reinforces that material. The arrangement of squiggles (涂鸦) on a page feeds into visual memory.     3    

One of the best-demonstrated advantages of writing by hand seems to be in superior note-taking.When primary-school pupils and PhD hopefuls take notes, handwriting forces students to synthesise (合成) ideas into their own words. This aids conceptual understanding at the moment of writing.     4    

Many studies have confirmed handwriting’s benefits, and policymakers have taken note. Though America’s “Common Core” curriculum from 2010 does not require handwriting instruction past first grade (roughly age six), about half the states since then have required more teaching of it, thanks to campaigning by researchers and handwriting supporters.     5     England’s national curriculum already prescribes teaching the rudiments of cursive by age seven.

A．However, note-taking by hand takes longer time.

B．One solution to the complaints may be handwriting.

C．A line of research shows the benefits of computers replacing handwriting.

D．Some parents are disturbed that their children are playing games on laptops in class.

E．And those taking notes by hand also perform better on tests when they review notes.

F．In Sweden there is a push for more handwriting and printed books and fewer devices.

G．People might remember a word they wrote down in class as being at the bottom-left on a page.

5 . Whether it is the flu or any of the other cold-like viruses rising in winter, it seems that stuffy noses and sore throats are common symptoms. You may have noticed, however, that your cold seems to get better or worse depending on the time of day.     1     Then, they partially clear up throughout the day, only to get worse once more as you get to bed. Why does this happen?

Currently, the leading idea is that symptom severity is linked to our circadian rhythm (昼夜节律). The circadian rhythm is very important for daily cellular processes and can be affected by the amount of sleep and light we get each day.     2    

While resting, the body uses the downtime to recover.     3     This also applies when you are ill—the body floods the blood with white blood cells called leukocytes, resulting in and immune response against diseases and the immune system fighting infection.

This, therefore, explains why our cold symptoms get worse as we settle down for a night’s sleep. Cells infected by viruses are attracted to the local area and killed, causing soreness in the affected tissues, and mucus (鼻涕) floods the nose to join the fight.     4     You wake up feeling like death due to the battle happening within.

    5     The first is simply gravity. When you lie down, your mucus builds up in the nose, causing pressure and headaches. As you stand up, you start to feel better. Another factor is about hormones. Hormonal imbalances can be caused by lack of sleep at night and could influence immune function, leading to a cycle of sleepless nights and then feeling worse.

A．Others are reporting the same thing.

B．It’s a good thing, but it really doesn’t feel like it.

C．Gravity helps out a lot more when you are upright.

D．Most commonly, you wake up with worse symptoms.

E．There are other reasons why you might feel worse at night.

F．This is why sleep is so important after you’ve been to the gym.

G．It also plays a critical role in controlling the heart and the immune system.

6 . In a world-record effort to help save a rare sea creature, Australian scientists have released hundreds of baby seahorses into the wild. The tiny seahorses are endangered, and the scientists hope the new seahorses will help their numbers grow.

Seahorses are small, thin fish with a long mouth. They’re called “seahorses” because they look a bit like horses. Even though they’re fish, seahorses aren’t great swimmers.     1    

There are over 40 different kinds of seahorses. They mostly live in warm, shallow waters around the world. They are often found in coral reefs, in beds of seagrass, and areas where rivers empty into the sea.     2     They eat tiny sea creatures and are eaten by bigger sea animals, such as crabs.

Many kinds of seahorses are threatened, often by the actions of humans.     3     They are also sometimes caught by accident when boats are trying to catch other fish.

    4    Males have a special pouch (育儿袋) that allows them to carry over 100 babies at a time. The tiny babies are born alive and can swim right away. When they’re born. the babies are about the size of a grain of rice.

This is the fifth time the scientists have released seahorses into the area. and this is a new record,     5     The researchers say about 90% of them survived, which is unusually high. The researchers put tiny tags under the skin of many of the seahorses to help track them in the future.

A．Seahorse babies are easy to carry.

B．Around 380 seahorses were released.

C．Sometimes they’re caught and sold as pets.

D．People should be prohibited from catching seahorses.

E．Seahorses form an important part of the ocean’s food chain.

F．They often use their tails to hold onto something in the water.

G．Seahorses are unusual because it’s the males who carry the babies.

7 . The concept of polymaths(博学者), or the pursuit of knowledge across various fields, is increasingly seen as necessary for success in the 21st century. Here are some reasons, especially for children.

●Adapting to a changing job market. In the 21st century, automation and globalization have significantly impacted the job market. Machines have replaced many traditional jobs while new industries have emerged to take their place.    1    Polymaths are better suited for this evolving job market.

●    2    Innovation drives economic growth and technological advancement. With their broad knowledge base across disciplines, polymaths are more likely to generate innovative ideas and solutions to complex problems. Encouraging children to be polymaths can contribute to developing an innovative generation better equipped to tackle future challenges.

●Developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Polymaths are known for thinking critically and addressing problems from multiple perspectives. Exposing children to various fields of study teaches them to approach issues and analyze information more effectively. This skill set is essential for navigating the complexities of the modern world.     3    

●Enhancing interpersonal and teamwork skills.     4    Polymaths’ varied knowledge base can bridge gaps between different fields and facilitate teamwork. Encouraging children to be polymaths can help them develop strong interpersonal skills, enabling them to work effectively with others and contribute to a more harmonious society.

●Being complementary(互补的)to artificial intelligence(AI). Polymaths will be invaluable in a future where AI is easily accessible.     5    Furthermore, their diverse skill sets and fund of knowledge promote adaptability, allowing them to use AI effectively.

A．Fostering creativity.

B．Tackling future challenges.

C．They’re able to offer what machines may lack to complement AI.

D．Today, cooperation and communication have become increasingly important.

E．It is believed that complementary skills are especially essential in modern times.

F．And it enables children to be more effective decision-makers and problem-solvers.

G．Consequently, children must develop diverse skills to adjust themselves to these changes.

10 . A new citizen-science project will improve the chances of finding ET

Ever since 1993, when funding from America’s space agency, NASA, was cut, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, which scans the sky looking for radio signals from intelligent aliens, has been inventive in its methods. In particular, it was one of the pioneers of the field of citizen science.    1    

In 1999 it started SETI home, an application that uses spare processing power on volunteers’ computers to filter the information generated by its radio telescopes. These days, SETI home boasts more than one million users.

On February 29th the SETI Institute launched another citizen-science project. This time, though, its researchers are less interested in the digital computers on volunteers’ desks than in the biological ones between their ears.    2    It is expected to distinguish interesting signals from the noise of interference generated by the inhabitants of planet Earth—and to do so in real time.

    3    To do this, the SETI Institute use san instrument called the Allen Telescope Array—a group of 42 small radio-telescope dishes in California, partly paid for by the co-founder of Microsoft.

Unfortunately, some parts of the radio covering scope are full of signals created by Earthlings, rather than aliens. Everything from passing satellites and space junk to ground-based radar and even the starting systems of nearby cars can generate fake radio waves that confuse the software.    4    

But SETILive will bring them into play.    5    It is hoped that they will be able to filter out the noise and spot potentially interesting signals buried behind the radio mass from Earth. “Those interesting signals will not necessarily have come from alien civilisations.” says Chris Lintott, an astrophysicist at Oxford University who helps to run Zooniverse, a citizen-science website that manages several projects, including SETILive.

A．That’s where interested amateurs help professionals process data.

B．Rather than examining on stored data, aliens are hunted on the fly.

C．Volunteers working on SETIhome have found plenty of interesting signals.

D．It will do so by feeding data from these noisy parts of the scope to its users.

E．SETI is to detect distinctive radio-frequency emissions from advanced aliens.

F．Until now, the project has tackled it by ignoring the crowded bits of the scope.

G．SETI Live, as the project is called, uses brain capacity to solve a lingering headache.