1 . Wildlife conservation volunteer programs are a great way to join in the protection of endangered animals, as well as learn how you can help protect them.
Elephant Camp Volunteering Program, Thailand
As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity to spend quality time with the elephants and their trainers. This period allows volunteers to form a deep connection with these lovable creatures. The program is particularly well-suited for animal-loving volunteers willing to engage in outdoor work.
Duration: 1 Week
Cost: $800
Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Program, Australia
Be a part of the Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Program in Australia and work alongside the beautiful Australian animals. Volunteers will be engaged in activities such as animal feeding, cleaning, and food enrichment. This program provides a wonderful opportunity to get firsthand international work experience while making a meaningful contribution to the well-being of native animals.
Duration: 2 Weeks
Cost: $1,050
Wild Elephant Conservation &Research Program, Sri Lanka
Whether you’re a high school student with a love for animals, a gap year traveler looking for meaningful work experience, or a family looking for an engaging volunteering opportunity, this project fits you all. Explore the wonders of this South Asian island, and make a difference here!
Duration: 1 Week
Cost: $1,075
Sun Bear Conservation Volunteering Project, Malaysia
Volunteers’roles involve hands-on care for sun bears, the world’s smallest bears, such as cleaning their homes and making environmental and food enrichment. Beyond improving the living conditions of sun bears, you’ll understand how to send them back into the wild.
Duration: 2 Weeks
Cost: $1,226
1. What can be known about the volunteers working in Australia?| A．They help to keep the environment clean. |
| B．They have a wonderful time with the animals’trainers. |
| C．They are taught how to care for the animals after arrival. |
| D．They always explore the lovely creatures on a family basis. |
| A．Elephant Camp Volunteering Program. |
| B．Wildlife Conservation Volunteer Program. |
| C．Wild Elephant Conservation &. Research Program. |
| D．Sun Bear Conservation Volunteering Project. |
| A．To tell the roles of volunteer work. |
| B．To explain the points of volunteer work. |
| C．To emphasize the importance of volunteer work. |
| D．To call on readers to take part in volunteer work. |
2 . In a heart-pounding display of courage and quick thinking, a 65-year-old crane operator became an unexpected hero as he rescued a man trapped on top of a towering building engulfed in flames.
Glen Edwards, a crane operator from Egham, was expressing his gratitude after a tense rescue operation in Reading last Thursday. Edwards found himself in a challenging situation as he navigated circling winds to save a man trapped by smoke and flames on a building. The dramatic rescue unfolded amid thick black smoke, making visibility nearly impossible
When the alarm sounded, Edwards, who had a concrete skip on his crane, wasted no time the moment he spotted the distressed man waving his coat. Employing his experience and knowledge of the area, Edwards attached a metal cage to the crane, carefully considering his options for the rescue. However, the challenging conditions, with smoke sheltering his view, added an extra layer of difficulty to the operation.
With a colleague providing guidance and a concerned crowd watching from below, Edwards skillfully operated the crane to rescue the man. The onlookers erupted in cheers and applause as the man was safely lifted to the ground.
Reflecting on the intense experience, Edwards remarked, “It seemed to pass a long time until the man got inside. The adrenaline (肾上腺素) was pumping.” He admitted to experiencing shaking after the rescue, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
Despite the successful operation, Edwards is yet to meet the man he saved, humorously noting, “He’s got to take me across the road for a drink!”
The heartwarming part of this story is the overwhelming support Edwards has received from well-wishers. A fund-raising page was set up to “buy Edwards a beer as a sign of gratitude,” initially aiming for £5,000 but now standing at an impressive ₤9,100. The community’s response has left Edwards deeply moved. He stated, “It means a lot; some of the comments have been absolutely fantastic.”
1. What does the underlined word “distressed” in paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．Brave. |
| B．Painful. |
| C．Enthusiastic. |
| D．Disappointed. |
| A．Warm and Curious. | B．Caring and ambitious. |
| C．Professional and humorous. | D．Gifted and generous. |
| A．Sharp tools make good work. |
| B．One good turn descries another. |
| C．Actions speak louder than words. |
| D．Hope for the best,but prepare for the worst. |
| A．A diary entry. |
| B．A medical magazine. |
| C．A news report. |
| D．A first-aid essay. |
3 . A team of scientists from the Center for Cognition and Sociality and the Data Science Group at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) made an exciting discovery about how computers and human brains work similarly when remembering things. They found out that the way artificial intelligence (AI) models, like those in smart robots, store memories is a lot like how our brain’s memory center, called the hippocampus (海马体), does it. This part of the brain is really important for feelings and memories.
Understanding how AI learns and keeps information is key to making it smarter. The scientists looked into how our brains learn and remember by focusing on a special process involving the NMDA receptor, a critical part of the hippocampus. This receptor works like a smart door in our brain that helps with learning and remembering. It opens when certain brain chemicals are present, allowing the cell to receive signals and create memories. A specific element, magnesium, acts like a guard, only letting substances in under the right conditions.
Interestingly, the team found that Transformer, a type of AI model, uses a similar “guarding” method to manage its memory. They wondered if they could make the Transformer’s memory better by copying the brain’s process. By adjusting some settings in the Transformer to mimic (模拟、模仿) the brain’s memory door, they improved its ability to remember things long-term, just like adjusting magnesium levels can affect how well we remember stuff.
This discovery is a big deal because it shows we can use what we know about the brain to make AI smarter. C. Justin LEE, a neuroscience (神经学) director at the institute, mentioned that this research was a big step forward for both AI and brain science. It opens up new ways to understand how the brain works and to create more advanced AI based on these insights.
So, in simple terms, scientists have figured out that computers can learn and remember in ways that are surprisingly similar to us, which could help make them even smarter in the future.
1. What does the term “NMDA receptor” in paragraph 2 most likely refer to?| A．A type of computer virus that attacks AI systems. |
| B．A new technology for making computers run faster. |
| C．A component in AI models that predicts future events. |
| D．A part of the human brain involved in learning and memory. |
| A．It directly mimics the brain’s memory process. |
| B．It is unaffected by changes in memory settings. |
| C．It uses a special method to manage memory. |
| D．It requires adjustments to enhance long-term memory. |
| A．It is a new approach to memory organization. |
| B．It is a crucial step in advancing AI and neuroscience. |
| C．It is a method for improving short-term memory in AI. |
| D．It is a breakthrough in understanding AI emotional processing. |
| A．Exploring the NMDA receptor in the brain. |
| B．Discussing implications of neuroscience for AI. |
| C．Comparing computer and human memory processes. |
| D．Discovering similarities between AI and human memory. |
4 . Charlie Jeffers, 17, a senior at Redwood High School in Marin County, Calif., has loved Lego since age 4. His room is full of Lego bricks. Noticing his friends start throwing away their old Lego collections, he hatched a plan. “Legos are pricey,” he noted. “Many can’t afford them.” He started collecting unwanted Lego parts from friends and neighbors, spreading the word through community notices and door-to-door visits.
The response was surprising. Donations of old Lego sets poured in, propelling Jeffers to formalize his efforts under the banner of Pass the Bricks. Together with a dedicated team of volunteers, Jeffers and his teammates carefully clean, sort, and repurpose collected Lego pieces into imaginative sets. These sets, each with roughly 20 to 60 pieces, are carefully made to create scenes such as blind dates or family photoshoots. Since its start in 2020, Pass the Bricks has made a significant success. With over 3,000 sets donated to date, Jeffers and his team are driven by two purposes: to reduce landfill waste and to provide Legos to children who might otherwise go without. Jeffers stresses the educational value of Lego, emphasizing its capacity to inspire creativity and learning.
Pass the Bricks has since expanded its reach nationwide, with volunteers in several states distributing sets to local charities. To ensure each set is presented with care, Jeffers uses donations and personal funds from his job at a gym to purchase affordable cardboard gift boxes online. These sets, accompanied by instructions and a photo of the finished product, are distributed to various organizations and directly to children at local schools.
Despite his approaching to college, Jeffers remains devoted to his commitment to Pass the Bricks. He plans to continue and expand the initiative, driven by a desire to share the joy and educational benefits of Lego with as many children as possible. “We’re grateful to share them with the kids and families we serve,” Jeffers expresses. Reflecting on his own Lego-filled childhood, he acknowledges its profound influence. “I aim to provide others with the same chance,” he emphasizes, echoing his ongoing commitment to sharing the joy of Lego with all.
1. What is the primary purpose of Pass the Bricks?| A．To generate profit from selling Lego sets. |
| B．To recycle old Lego pieces and reduce waste. |
| C．To compete with other Lego manufacturers. |
| D．To promote the use of Legos in professional settings. |
| A．Forcing. | B．Preventing. | C．Urging. | D．Expecting. |
| A．By relying on community contributions. |
| B．By investing in appropriate packaging materials. |
| C．By securing financial support through various means. |
| D．By distributing with charitable organizations nationwide. |
| A．Establishing a sustainable company. |
| B．Earning recognition for his dedication. |
| C．Enhancing personal satisfaction and growth. |
| D．Sharing Lego joy with many children and families. |
5 . Jungle Cruise
Jungle Cruise hits Disney’s streaming service alongside its arrival at cinemas. As such, you’ll have to pay $30 on top of your subscription fee to see it — a high price for a solo viewing, but a great deal for a family session. That’s good news, because this really is a winner of a family movie, thanks to the production values you’d come to expect from a Disney blockbuster (大片) and the chemistry between Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.
Inside Out
Just when we thought Pixar was on the decline, it released Inside Out, one of its most thoughtful and powerful movies. Featuring the voices of Amy Poehler, Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling, Inside Out made over $850 million at the box office upon its 2015 release. It wasn’t just a commercial success, as it scored 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Free Solo
Free Solo is one of the best documentaries ever made. Telling the story of Alex Honnold, the first man to “free solo” El Capitan, it’s a character study of a man who makes the impossible look almost ordinary; an Oscar-winning story that culminates (到达极点) — quite literally — in a close-up view of one of humanity’s wildest achievements.
Aladdin
You can agree or you can disagree, but I believe that Aladdin has the best song lineup of any animated movie that Disney has ever produced. A Whole New World, Prince Ali, Friend Like Me, Arabian Nights — banger after banger (一部接一部). That’s reflected in the critical response: Aladdin is one of the best-rated Disney movies ever, with a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
1. What do we know about the movie Jungle Cruise?| A．It takes a total of $30 to see it. |
| B．It doesn’t require a subscription. |
| C．It is mainly intended for children. |
| D．It stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. |
| A．Its music. | B．Its voice actors. |
| C．Its approval rating. | D．Its dialogues. |
| A．Jungle Cruise. | B．Inside Out. | C．Free Solo. | D．Aladdin. |
6 . If you’re lucky enough to live near forests, you’ll know that it’s cooler under the trees during hot mid-days. Even if you live in a city with more buildings than trees, visiting a local park or garden can help you stay cool.
A study from the University of Surrey in the UK found that botanical gardens can make city air cooler by up to 5 degrees Celsius. Wetlands and rain gardens aren’t far behind, cooling the air by about 4.7 and 4.5 degrees Celsius. Trees along streets also help, lowering air temperatures by 3.8 degrees Celsius, while city parks can make it 3.2 degrees Celsius cooler.
The paper notes that an air temperature of 40.3℃ (104.5℉) broke records in the UK on July 19, 2022. Some 62, 862 deaths were linked to summer heat across Europe in the same year, while the 2003 heatwave in Europe led to an economic loss of €16 billion due to drought and crop failures. According to the IPCC, “green and blue urban infrastructure (基础设施) elements, including parks, engineered greening projects, wetlands, green walls, and botanical gardens, are particularly effective in reducing air temperatures in cities”.
We’ve already seen a number of architecture projects around the world employ large amounts of greenery to promote local cooling, along with beneficial landscaping. However, it’s important to recognize that there isn’t one simple solution to suit every site, and much will depend on effective planning.
“Our paper confirms just how many ways there are to keep cool,” added Professor Maria de Fatima Andrade at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. "But it also reveals how much work is left to do. Institutions around the world need to invest in the right research-because what’s very clear from our study is that there is no universal solution. It depends on what works for your community.”
1. What can we conclude from the first two paragraphs?| A．Green spaces help keep people cool. |
| B．Wetlands and rain gardens are less effective. |
| C．Botanical gardens are the best way to stay cool. |
| D．More trees in urban areas mean cooler temperatures. |
| A．To discuss specific consequences of heatwaves. |
| B．To emphasize the widespread impact of urban heat. |
| C．To illustrate the seriousness of heatwaves with examples. |
| D．To provide context for temperature records and their impacts. |
| A．The significance of global research support. |
| B．The variety of cooling methods available. |
| C．The requirement for universal cooling solutions. |
| D．The importance of tailoring solutions to fit local needs. |
| A．The Cooling Power of Urban Green Spaces |
| B．The Economic and Health Impacts of Heatwaves |
| C．Innovative Architectural Solutions for Urban Cooling |
| D．The Role of Botanical Gardens in Urban Temperature Regulation |
7 . New York City has many remarkable parks and open spaces that are perfect for hanging out in warm weather. Here are four of our favorite places to take a scenic walk, plus where to eat nearby.
Louis Valentino, Jr. Park
Don’t let all of the factories fool you — Louis Valentino, Jr. Park has the best view of the Statue of Liberty. When you get hungry, stop by Red Hook Lobster Pound for mayo-coated lobster (龙虾). Sit at one of the cafe’s first come, first served outdoor tables, or eat on the waterfront.
Riverside Park
Stretching 4 miles from 72nd to 158th St, Riverside Park is perfect for hanging out along the Hudson River, enjoying beautiful views of New Jersey. If walking the whole way isn’t your thing, there’s a bike path too. Daily Provisions offers fantastic sandwich choices, like juicy chicken and smoked bacon.
Central Park
There are many reasons to walk through Central Park this spring: historic landmarks, great bird watching spots, and hanging out with friends. And while these are enjoyable activities, they’re even better with a pastrami sandwich from Pastrami Queen.
Ridgewood Reservoir
At Ridgewood Reservoir, you’ll find an easy hiking spot with a peaceful nature preserve and skyline views of Manhattan. After hiking, head to Rolo’s for various sandwich options. It has outdoor tables but no heaters, so you can take everything to go if it’s too cold out.
1. What is the best spot for enjoying views of the Statue of Liberty?| A．Louis Valentino, Jr. Park. | B．Ridgewood Reservoir. |
| C．Riverside Park. | D．Central Park. |
| A．It features a bike path for leisurely rides. |
| B．It provides various sandwich options at Rolo’s. |
| C．It is known for its iconic status and historic landmarks. |
| D．It provides a scenic walk with options for bird watching. |
| A．An online cooking advertisement. |
| B．A local New York City travel guide. |
| C．The lifestyle section of a local newspaper. |
| D．An official tourism design for New York City. |
8 . The moon has no air, no water and an extreme 250-degree celsius temperature range, but among the most tricky challenges for space agencies hoping to set up camp is the dust. It damages space suits, blocks machinery, affects scientific instruments and makes moving around difficult.
Now scientists have come up with a potential solution, demonstrating that moon dust could be melted using a giant lens (透镜) to create solid roads and landing areas. “You might think: Streets on the moon, who needs that?” said Prof. Jens Gunster, of the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Berlin and co-author. “But in fact it’s a kind of depressing demand early on.”
Dust has destroyed previous missions, such as the Lunar Surveyor 3 spacecraft — damaged by dust kicked up by the Apollo 12 landing — and overcoming this challenge is a priority for NASA, which aims to establish a permanent lunar base.
Taking building materials to the moon would be too expensive, so new solutions are needed. “You need to use what’s there and that’s simply loose dust,” said Gunster.
He and colleagues experimented with a fine-grained material called EAC-1A, developed by the European Space Agency as a substitute for lunar soil. They used a laser beam (激光) to heat the dust to about 1, 600℃ to melt it. They then traced out bendy triangle shapes, each about 25 cm across, which could be interlocked to create solid surfaces across large areas for roads and landing areas.
The process is slow. Each small geometric unit took about an hour, meaning it would take about 100 days to create a landing spot measuring 10 meters by 10 meters. “It sounds like forever, but think about constructions on Earth,” said Gunster.
The authors calculate that a lens of about 2. 37 sq meters would need to be transported from Earth to act as a sunlight concentrator in place of the laser. But dust would still be an issue for the lens itself. “When you accumulate dust on the lens, it will sooner or later not function any more,” said Gunster, adding that a shaking lens may help ease off this problem.
1. Why is the demand for streets on the moon “kind of depressing”?| A．Streets are not necessary on the moon. |
| B．Streets would get damaged by moon dust. |
| C．Building materials are too expensive to transport. |
| D．There are better solutions available for lunar base. |
| A．Finding a substitute for lunar soil. |
| B．Setting up a permanent lunar base. |
| C．Solving the problem caused by moon dust. |
| D．Repairing the damaged Lunar Surveyor 3 spacecraft. |
| A．Slow but workable. | B．Expensive and fast. |
| C．Important but impractical. | D．Difficult and unnecessary. |
| A．In a personal diary. | B．In a newspaper. |
| C．In an official report. | D．In a textbook. |
9 . How to choose a hiking trail (路径)
If you’re a keen hiker, chances are you have your favorite trails mostly because they’ re easy to reach and fit into your schedule. If you desire to set foot in hiking in depth, this guide may walk you through the steps of how to choose a hiking trail to your next great adventure.
Know what’s going to be underfoot.
For hikers, a thundering waterfull falling over a cliff can be a breathtaking climax to a forest hike.
| A．Master your hiking equipment |
| B．Even if they are worth visiting |
| C．Check the total distance involved |
| D．But if there’s a waymark you’re hoping to see |
| E．It helps you decide between hiking shoes or boots |
| F．Although not all hikes lead to a fantastic viewpoint |
| G．Don’t rush into the journey without the investigations above |
10 . Until now, dressing robots, designed to help an elderly person or a person with a disability get dressed, have been created in the laboratory as a one-armed machine, but research has shown that this can be uncomfortable for the person in care.
To solve this problem, Dr Jihong Zhu, a robotics researcher at the University of York’s Institute, proposed a two-armed assistive dressing plan, which has been inspired by caregivers who have demonstrated that specific actions are required to reduce discomfort to the individual in their care.
Dr Zhu gathered important information on how care workers moved during a dressing exercise, through allowing a robot to observe and learn from human movements and then, through AI, generate a model that mimics (模仿) how human helpers do their task. This allowed the researchers to gather enough data to illustrate that two hands were needed for dressing and not one, as well as information on the angles that the arms make.
Dr Zhu said, “We know that practical tasks, such as getting dressed, can be done by a robot, freeing up a care worker to concentrate more on providing companionship and observing the general well-being of the individual in their care. It has been tested in the laboratory, but for this to work outside of the lab, we really need to understand how care workers do this task in real life.”
“We’ve adopted a method called learning from demonstration, which means that you don’t need an expert to programme a robot; a human just needs to demonstrate the motion that is required of the robot and the robot learns that action. It is clear that for care workers two arms are needed to properly attend to the needs of individuals,” Dr. Zhu said. “With the current one-armed machine scheme a patient is required to do too much work in order for a robot to assist them, moving their arm up in the air or bending it in ways that they might not be able to do.”
1. What’s the problem with the one-armed dressing robot?| A．It causes discomfort. | B．It moves too slowly. |
| C．It has an ugly appearance. | D．It lacks flexibility. |
| A．some books | B．AI models in the market |
| C．a dressing exercise | D．the healthcare providers |
| A．To give better demonstrations. |
| B．To allow caregivers more time to do other things. |
| C．To make it a better companion for the needy. |
| D．To improve the well-being of the care workers. |
| A．Taking Care with Caregiving Robots |
| B．Robot Could Help People Get Dressed |
| C．Caregiving Robots: the Future of Health Care |
| D．University Scientists Create Two-Armed Caregiving Robot |
