1 . Europe is famous for big cities and worldclass art museums. It’s easy not to notice the small, beautiful villages in Europe. However, if you’re after relaxation, peaceful country walks, beautiful buildings, and chances for different cultures on your next trip, consider cutting down some of your city time and head out to a village instead. Here are three of the most beautiful villages in Europe, along with our top picks for places to stay in each.
Bibury in Gloucestershire, England
Often praised as the most beautiful village of the Cotsworlds, Bibury is also one of the most popular places for visitors to stay in the area, and attracts a lot of tourists from around the world. It’s set among the green hills that the area is known for and is composed of lightbeige (浅米色) stone houses, including the famous Arlington Row, a line of houses dating back to 1380.
Cong in County Mayo, Ireland
Set on a small seafacing island on the western coast of Ireland, Cong is a quiet village that’s famous for its grey stone ruins (灰石废墟) and many outdoor activities. One of the biggest reasons for its fame is that the 1952 film The Quiet Man was made there, but the biggest draw for most visitors is the chance to visit (or stay in) Ashford Castle, which is now run as a great expensive hotel.
Montepulciano in Tuscany, Italy
Spread over a hilltop nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, the Tuscan village of Montepulciano offers beautiful buildings from the Middle Ages, as well as many chances to visit wineries (酿酒厂) and taste the locally produced Vino Nobel di Montepulciano. With fortifications (防御工事) dating back to the 14th century, the village has churches and public squares, which are truly fascinating.
1. What is the biggest draw for most visitors in Cong?| A．Grey stone ruins there. | B．Outdoor activities there. |
| C．The film The Quiet Man. | D．Visiting Ashford Castle. |
| A．read the Bible in the churches. | B．visit beautiful buildings from the Middle Ages. |
| C．taste the locally produced wine. | D．experience the fortifications from the 14th century. |
| A．A science report. | B．A guide book. |
| C．A news report. | D．An advertisement. |
2 . Chinese traditional painting and dance are two vital parts of the art world. But what about when they meet each other?
This year, a dance drama titled Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting (《只此青绿》) was staged on CCTV’ Spring Festival Gala and went viral.
According to CCTV, this poetic dance programme was inspired by the about 900-year-old Chinese painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains(《千里江山图》). Created by Song Dynasty painter Wang Ximeng at the age of 18, the painting is amazing in its marvellous size, rich coloration and the expressive details, reported CCTV. It shows a Chinese blue-green landscape: mountains and groupings of infinite rise and fall between cloudless sky and rippling water.
When the dancers moved elegantly, audiences seemed to be looking at the moving mountains and rivers. “It brings me a pure experience of beauty. It is not only dance but also an ‘exhibition’. Vast mountains and rivers are coming to life!” An Internet user Mo Weisha wrote in a review, “About a thousand years later, green mountains and rivers still wow people as they did long ago.
Some people even decided to watch the dance again when it was staged in the theaters later. In fact, in recent years, more and more modern shows highlight Chinese traditional culture and have received warm welcome. As for why, it is due to people’s great love for traditional culture.
“The younger generations have grown up with a more open mindset. They embrace Chinese culture and are proud of it. ”Yao Wei, director of Henan TV Station’s Innovation Center, told China Daily.
1. What is the function of Paragraph 1 in the text?| A．To present a common phenomenon. | B．To compare painting with dance. |
| C．To describe the art world. | D．To introduce the topic. |
| A．It was painted in several bright colors. |
| B．It shows natural beauty vividly. |
| C．It was created over thousand years ago. |
| D．It is of small size but includes great details. |
| A．People are more open to traditional culture. |
| B．People are happy to see new forms of art. |
| C．Chinese culture has been spreading around the world. |
| D．People have gained more access to traditional culture. |
| A．Passion for Chinese Traditional Painting |
| B．Art Coming Alive Through Poetic Dance |
| C．Connection Between Painting and Dance |
| D．Highlights in Traditional Chinese Culture |
3 . Now, new research suggests frequent exercise might help you live well in another meaningful way—that is, in terms of income. Researchers investigated whether individuals who stayed active would earn more money as a result of their active lifestyle. It revealed that staying active not only resulted in higher present earnings, but also predicted increased future income throughout one’s life.
The researchers set out to explore three key correlations (相互关系)：How mobility-the ability to move, affected income, how mobility influenced income overtime, and whether exercise could help people maintain their mobility as they aged. The team analyzed data from Health and Retirement Study(HRS), the largest study tracking changes overtime in Americans aged 50 and above. This study takes into account various life aspects, including work, social status, health, psychology and family matters, as individuals age.
To evaluate the impact of current mobility on income, the researchers examined data from over 19, 000 respondents (调查对象) to determine how well they could perform simple tasks, such as climbing stairs, or moving around a room. Each person received a score, with 5 indicating full mobility and 0 indicating difficulties with these tasks. The researchers found that for each decrease in the mobility category, individuals lost out on an average of $3, 000 in annual income compared to their peers. Those who were active were also significantly more likely to remain working for longer than the other group. It appeared that engaging in exercise enabled individuals to maintain mobility and engage in professional life for a longer period of time than those who were less active.
Looking at earnings overtime revealed even more substantial benefits for those who remained active throughout their lives. Active individuals showed an overall income level that was $6, 500 higher, along with higher rates of employment. For the third part of the study, it’s not surprising that those who engaged in exercise continued to maintain their mobility after the age of 55 and had higher employment rates. Even exercising just one day a week showed improvements in mobility outcomes.
While this study doesn’t definitively prove that leading a healthy lifestyle directly leads to higher earnings, it strongly suggests that staying healthy and mobile brings benefits beyond just lower levels of disease.
1. What didn’t researchers take into consideration when designing their experiment?| A．Family matters | B．Work and social status |
| C．Health and psychology | D．Educational background |
| A．Increased mobility slightly reduces annual income |
| B．Greater mobility is closely related to higher income |
| C．Decreased mobility greatly increases the overall income |
| D．Maintaining mobility has nothing to do with the income |
| A．Favorable | B．Indifferent | C．Opposed | D．Doubtful |
| A．Exercise Lowers Levels of All Diseases |
| B．Exercise Promotes Work Efficiency |
| C．Exercise Helps to Make More Money |
| D．Exercise Ensures A Longer Lifespan |
4 . Ireland has had a very difficult history. The problems started in the 16th century when English rulers tried to conquer (征服) Ireland. For hundreds of years, the Irish people fought against the English. Finally, in 1921, the British government was forced to give independence to the south of Ireland. The result is that today there are two “Irelands”. Northern Ireland, in the north, is part of the United Kingdom. The Republic of Ireland, in the south, is an independent country.
In the 1840s the main crop, potatoes, was affected by disease and about 750,000 people died of hunger. This, and a shortage (短缺) of work, forced many people to leave Ireland and live in the USA, the UK, Australia and Canada. As a result of these problems, the population fell from 8.2 million in 1841 to 6.6 million in 1851.
For many years, the majority of Irish people earned their living as farmers. Today, many people still work on the land but more and more people are moving to the cities to work in factories and offices. Life in the cities is very different from life in the countryside, where things move at a quieter and slower pace.
The Irish are famous for being warm－hearted and friendly. Oscar Wilde, a famous Irish writer, once said that the Irish were “the greatest talkers since the Greeks”. Since independence, Ireland has revived (复兴) its own culture of music, language, literature and singing. Different areas have different styles of old Irish songs which are sung without instruments. Other kinds of Irish music use many different instruments such as the violin, whistles, etc.
1. What does the author tell us in Paragraph 1?| A．How the Irish fought against the English. |
| B．How Ireland gained independence. |
| C．How English rulers tried to conquer Ireland. |
| D．How two “Irelands” came into being. |
| A．food shortages and a lack of work in the 1840s led to a decline in population |
| B．people are moving to the cities for lack of work in the countryside |
| C．it is harder to make a living as a farmer than as a factory worker |
| D．different kinds of old Irish songs are all sung with instruments |
| A．the Irish character | B．the Irish culture |
| C．Irish musical instruments | D．a famous Irish writer |
| A．Life in Ireland | B．A Very Difficult History |
| C．Ireland, Past and Present | D．The Independence of Ireland |
5 . For high school leavers starting out in the working world, it is very important to learn particular skills and practise how to behave in an interview or how to find all internships(实习). In some countries, schools have programmes to help students onto the path to work. In the United States, however, such programmes are still few and far between.
Research shows that if high schools provide career-related courses, students are likely to get higher earnings in later years.The students are more likely to stay in school, graduate and go on to higher education.
In Germany, students as young as 13 and 14 are expected to do internships. German companies work with schools to make sure that young people get the education they need for future employment.
But in America, education reform programmes focus on how well students do in exams instead of bringing them into contact with the working world. Harvard Education School professor Robert Schwartz has criticised education reformers for trying to place all graduates directly on the four-year college track. Schwartz argued that this approach leaves the country’s most vulnerable(易受影响的)kids with no jobs and no skills.
Schwartz believed that the best career programmes encourage kids to go for higher education while also teaching them valuable practical skills at high school. James Madison High School in New York, for example, encourages students to choose classes on career-based courses. The school then helps them gain on-the-job experience in those fields while they’re still at high school.
However, even for teens whose schools encourage them to connect with work, the job market is daunting. In the US, unemployment rates for 16 to 19-year-olds are above 20 percent for the third summer in a row.
“The risk is that if teenagers miss out on the summer job experience, they become part of this generation of teens who had trouble in landing a job,” said Michael, a researcher in the US.
1. In the author’s opinion, American high school leavers .| A．have enough career-related courses | B．need more career advice from their schools |
| C．perform better in exams than German students | D．can get higher earnings in later years |
| A．there is no need for kids to go for higher education in the US |
| B．students should get contact with the working world at high school |
| C．education reform should focus on students’ performance in exams |
| D．teenagers in the US can’t miss out on the summer job experience |
| A．Unemployment rates for US teenagers remain high at the moment. |
| B．Students with career-based courses never have problems finding a job. |
| C．US companies work with schools to prepare young people for future employment. |
| D．High school leavers with no practical skills can’t find a job absolutely. |
6 . In the office of remote sensing scientist Liu Shaochuang, there is a huge photograph of a camel he snapped a decade ago in Xinjiang. He crouched for hours by a pool of water in the Gobi Desert to capture the image.
Since 2012, he has led a team in tracking and studying wild camels using satellite remote sensing technology.
Unlike zoologists who focus on species, Liu has studied the interrelationship between endangered animals and their environment, which he believes will help develop better protection strategies in the face of climate change.
His interest in wild camels began when his team tested a prototype(雏形)design of the lunar rover Yutu in the desert. Living in the harsh deserts in northwestern China and southwestern Mongolia, camels are listed as critically endangered animals. Experts estimate that the population of this species is currently less than 1, 000, of which around 650 are in China.
“Ten years ago, the research relied solely on human observation, which was very primitive, ”Liu says. Because camels are fully migratory and can travel over long distances, scientists used to learn their habits by studying hoof prints and droppings. It was hard to find one camel in the desert, let alone track it. But Liu thought his expertise in satellite navigation(导航)and remote sensing might come in useful in the study of wild camels.
It was not easy at first. Liu learned zoology from scratch. His team had to spend several weeks each year braving dust and sandstorms in the vastness of the Gobi Desert seeking out camels. A scar on his right eyebrow is the result of a rollover accident on a rugged mountain road in Xinjiang.
“The most exciting moment was attaching a satellite positioning collar to a wild camel. ”The tracking collar, equipped with special receivers, weighs only a few hundred grams. It can detach automatically and will not have a negative impact on the daily lives of the animals. The locations of the tracked animals are transmitted via satellite every day. Based on the data, scientists can get to know their migratory paths, living environments and possible threats they may meet with.
For Liu, it is worth the significant sci-tech effort to study such a rare species. He adds wildlife protection and research will become more precise and efficient with the help of technology.
1. What was it that made tracking wild camels difficult?| A．The number of camels experienced a sharp decline. |
| B．Massive migration made camels cover huge distances. |
| C．Primitive tools were used in human observation. |
| D．Hoof prints and droppings were never to be seen. |
| A．His carelessness in carrying out his research. |
| B．His inexperience at the very beginning of his work. |
| C．The rough conditions under which he worked. |
| D．The stress he met with in his work. |
| A．The formation of the tracking collar. |
| B．The definition of the tracking collar. |
| C．The importance of the tracking collar. |
| D．The function of the tracking collar. |
| A．Generous and ambitious. | B．Confident and grateful. |
| C．Creative and determined. | D．Optimistic and modest. |
7 . The hustle and bustle(喧嚣)of life, walking back and forth from the ideal to reality, and the inner confusion hidden behind a social mask-these daily experiences are recorded by Chinese youths in lines of poetry online. Recently, 124 Bilibili internet users shared their works in a poem collection.
One blogger on Xiaohongshu who goes by the nickname Gehuaren is one such poetry lover. The twenty-something girl not only writes poems as a form of entertainment in her spare time, but also improvises(即兴创作)poems for others at night markets in Yunnan. As a street-stall poet, Gehuaren often writes pieces of poetry quickly based on themes from customers. Once the poem has been completed, she refuses to change her work because she feels her poems reflect her first reaction. For her, everything in the world, no matter trivial or significant, can serve as her poetic inspiration. “A glass, a tree in the dawn or a person who once talked with me…these all could become themes for my poems,” said Gehuaren.
With free writing with a regular rhythm and broad themes, her poems strike a chord with many young people online, helping her gain over 190, 000 followers. Many have made comments “I feel healed by your poems because I can find beauty from unnoticeable things and in turn, slow down to reflect on my life.”
Apart from poetry, various means such as vlogging and photosharing can be used to record moments of daily life. But young people consider poetry to be the best way to express them. “Taking photos or vlogging can just show the object or emotions in real life. Yet poetry, which can be used to excite the imagination, shows the beauty of daily life, ”an 18-year-old said. So when he is inspired by the beauty of daily life, the boy writes it down into lines of poetry and then shares them with his friends on his WeChat Moments.
No matter why young people write their unique brand of poems, they are attempting to take every moment in lives seriously, face their lives bravely and actively express themselves.
1. How does Gehuaren find inspiration for her poems?| A．By referring to traditional Chinese poems. |
| B．By attending various online poetry lectures. |
| C．By exploring great moments in life. |
| D．By observing everyday life. |
| A．They are original and full of imagination. |
| B．They have a strong sense of rhythm. |
| C．They record the beauty of small and ordinary things. |
| D．They reflect the differences between the ideal and reality. |
| A．Positive. | B．Neutral. | C．Cautious. | D．Objective. |
| A．They hope to avoid challenges. |
| B．They intend to impress their peers. |
| C．They try to escape from the busy life. |
| D．They make their thoughts known bravely. |
8 . Weifang, Shandong province, will exempt(免除)senior middle school tuition fees for the third child in every family born after May 31, 2021, local officials announced on Tuesday at a news conference on optimizing policies encouraging families to have more children.
The tuition fee exemption is one of a series of measures released by the city to encourage the birthrate. Others include subsidies(补贴)for universal childcare services, house purchases and medical expenses for childbirth. The government is also optimizing pregnancy leave and encouraging employers to explore flexible working schedules for female workers.
The newly released measures have received a mixed response from the public with some welcoming the policy, while others say the tuition benefit is too little and too far off to make an impact. “Is the child able to study in a senior middle school if he or she didn’t pass the examination?” said one user mockingly on the Twitter-like platform Sina Weibo.
Cities in the province have been ramping up subsidies, and education and nursery care services to encourage families to have more children.
Shandong province, with a population of over 100 million people, in 2022 recorded its lowest birthrate since 1983. “To encourage the birthrate, the government need to pay attention to the needs of families with only one child instead of only providing subsidies for couples with two or three children. Whether young couples have a high willingness to have one more child depends mostly on their experience of raising the first child,” said Gao Ming, 35, a resident of Qingdao. She added that she didn’t want to have a second children, even if Qingdao took similar measures.
1. What benefits can a woman with a third child enjoy in Weifang?| A．The whole pregnancy leave and one-year maternal leave. |
| B．The promise of her third child’s admission to senior middle school. |
| C．Free tuition fees of her third child for senior middle school. |
| D．The house purchases with expenses fully covered by the government. |
| A．jokingly | B．alarmingly | C．lovingly | D．willingly |
| A．To present a fact. | B．To illustrate a viewpoint. |
| C．To solve a problem. | D．To make a comparison. |
| A．Shandong witnessed its lowest birthrate in 2022. |
| B．More measures are introduced to boost childbirth. |
| C．Newly released measures caused different public responses. |
| D．Is it a blessing or a curse to have more children? |
9 . The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) is dedicated to the enjoyment and appreciation of Jane Austen and her writing. JASNA is a nonprofit organization, staffed by volunteers, whose mission is to foster among the widest number of readers the study, appreciation, and understanding of Jane Austen’s works, her life, and her genius. We have over 5,000 members of all ages and from diverse walks of life. Although most live in the United States or Canada, we also have members in more than a dozen other countries.
JASNA conducts an annual student Essay Contest to promote the study and appreciation of Jane Austen’s writing in new generations of readers. Students worldwide are invited to compete for scholarship awards.
2023 Contest Topic: Marriages and Proposals(求婚)
The 2023 Essay Contest topic is inspired by the theme of our upcoming Annual General Meeting: Pride and Prejudice.
Submissions
The deadline for submissions is Thursday, June 1, 2023. We will begin accepting submissions in February 2023.
Essay Contest Awards
First Place: $1, 000 scholarship, plus free registration and two nights’ lodging (住宿) for JASNA’s 2023 Annual General Meeting in Denver.
Second Place: $500 scholarship.
Third Place: $250 scholarship.
Winners will also receive one year of membership in JASNA, publication of their essays on this website, and a set of Norton Critical Editions of Jane Austen’s novels.
Essay Format
Entries that do not follow the following requirements or arrive after the deadline will be disqualified.
·The essay must be written in English.
·The title of the essay should appear at the top of page one; further pages should be numbered on the top right; the student’s name must not appear on the essay.
·The essay must be 6-8 pages in length.
1. Which of the following is NOT correct about JASNA?| A．It is intended to encourage readers’ appreciation and understanding of Jane Austen’s works. |
| B．Its members of staff work on a voluntary basis with a shared mission. |
| C．It appeals to readers of different ages and from all walks of life. |
| D．Readers with JASNA membership all hold American or Canadian nationality. |
| A．$500 scholarship plus free meals. |
| B．A set of Jane Austen’s novels. |
| C．Free accommodation for two nights in Denver. |
| D．Opportunities to take part in a meeting. |
| A．Essays without the student’s name. |
| B．Essays written in two languages. |
| C．Essays submitted on May 31st, 2023. |
| D．Essays covering 7 pages. |
10 . Music is not just a set of sounds and rhythms. Its influence on brain is much deeper than any other human experience. Keep on reading to know all these amazing power of music.
A recent study suggests that preterm (早产的) babies appear to experience less pain and feed more when listening to music. Experts led by Dr. Manoj Kumar of the University of Alberta,Canada,found that music had a beneficial effect on reducing pain for preterm babies experiencing painful medical tests. It also appeared to benefit full-term babies during operations.
Many people experiencing brain damage have speech and movement-related problems. Music can help recover from brain injuries. As a different and effective treatment, doctors often advise such patients to listen to good music to improve the parts of the brain responsible for these two functions. When people with neurological (神经的) disorders hear a musical beat, it helps them to regain a balanced walk.
Though music cannot make deafness disappear, it really can stave off the loss of hearing. There was an experiment involving 163 people where 74 were musicians. Participants were asked to pass some listening tests. Musicians heard the sounds better than non-musicians, and this difference gets clearer with age. This means that a 70-year-old musician hears better than a 50-year-old non-musician, even in a noisy environment.
Besides, music mends a broken heart. It is not about a thrown-away love, but about a heart attack. The matter is that music can help people recover from a heart attack or heart operation by reducing blood pressure, slowing down the heartbeat rate, and reducing anxiety. Listening to the quality music produces positive emotions, improves the movement of blood, and expands blood vessels, thus, promoting quick recovery of the whole cardiovascular (心血管的) system.
1. How does music affect preterm babies?| A．It helps develop their potential in music. |
| B．It helps reduce their pain. |
| C．It helps improve their hearing systems. |
| D．It helps repair their neurological systems. |
| A．Cause. | B．Increase. |
| C．Prevent. | D．Expand. |
| A．It has a positive effect on human body systems’ work. |
| B．It can encourage people to do sports. |
| C．It helps make a person outgoing. |
| D．It helps patients recover more quickly than medicine does. |
| A．People Who Can Benefit From music. |
| B．The Best Time to Listen to Music. |
| C．The Way to choose Quality Music. |
| D．How Music Affects Our Mind and Body. |
