1 . The northern lights are an awesome natural phenomenon and most visible from October to April. You needn’t go to the Nordic countries close to the Aretic Circle. Here are places that offer you this spectacular night show as well.

Iceland

Iceland provides some of the best opportunities to witness the northern lights. They are typically visible from September to April, coinciding (同时发生) with dark, clear nights, though there is a chance that you may spot them in early spring. The peak viewing season, however, is from November to early March, when the nights are the longest.

Yukon Territory. Canada

This remote area of Canada has many spots to view the northern lights shining in the night sky. One of the best places to view the lights and learn about how the northern light s came into being as well as the folk stories about this gift from Mother Nature, is the Northern Lights Space and Science Center in Watson Lake.

Fairbanks. Alaska

The city lies directly beneath a band of northern light s activity so it is a perfect spot to view the phenomenon. The shining lights are most frequently seen between 11 pm and 2 am, so don’t forget to set your alarm clock. You can enjoy a stay in a hot springs resort (度假胜地) and enjoy the show while taking a relaxing bath.

Swedish & Finnish Lapland

Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland is the home of Santa, making it a great place to take a family vacation. There are plenty of daytime activities including sledding (滑雪橇), ice fishing, and learning about the unique culture of Rovaniemi. Santa Claus Village in Lapland is a popular place to cross the Aretic Circle: here the line is marked, and you can even get a certificate confirming the achievement.

1. When is the best time for visitors to view the northern nights in Iceland?

A．In early spring.	B．From September to April.
C．From November to early March.	D．From October to April.

2. Which is recommended if one wants to learn scientific knowledge of the northern lights?

A．Iceland.	B．Yukon Territory, Canada.
C．Fairbanks, Alaska.	D．Swedish & Finnish Lapland.

3. What can visitors do in Swedish & Finnish Lapland?

A．Enjoy daytime activities for free.	B．Take a bath in hot springs.
C．Explore Rovaniemi’s ancient villages.	D．Get a certificate of crossing the Arctic Circle.

2 . Most children love stories. Stories are entertaining and fun.     1     Findings from a new study indicate that stories in movies can also be meaningful for children.

Stories can fuel social intelligence. While watching, children make sense of the feelings, motives, and behaviors of characters in the film, using their social intelligence skills.     2     Their novel insights include awareness about the motives and feelings of others, but also awareness of their own feelings.

Stories are an opportunity to experience moral beauty.     3     Children mention that they appreciate seeing acts of compassion（同情）, kindness, love, and bravery in some films. Moreover, just like adults, children can have tears upon experiencing moral beauty. The findings of the study indicate that feelings of moral beauty start to emerge around the age of eight years old.

    4     While watching a movie, children are encouraged to follow in the footsteps of the main characters and gain the same insights as them. During the movie Inside Out, children follow Joy on her adventure and find sadness is important and that collaboration（协作）between all emotions is needed to live a full and happy life. They learn something what Joy learns. So if this is true of all stories with the hero’s journey framework, that means children can learn many important life lessons from many different movies.

Stories can inspire children to never give up. Children admire the main characters’ perseverance（毅力）as well. Children even express that main characters inspire them to never give up in their own life. The more insights children gain while watching, the more meaningful the story becomes for them. Talking about the film or watching it again supports them in gaining more insights.     5    

A．But can they be just fun?

B．Stories make children self-reflect.

C．Stories help children gain insights into life.

D．This is why children often watch films repeatedly.

E．Talk about the films you’ve watched with others again and again.

F．A way some movies prove meaningful is the chance of experiencing moral beauty.

G．They also further develop these skills when challenged in making sense of the story.

3 . Baleen whales (须鲸) play a vital role in marine ecosystems. To communicate across vast distances and find each other, baleen whales depend mainly on the production of sounds that travels far in dark oceans. However, since whale songs were first discovered more than 50 years ago, it remained unknown how baleen whales produce their complex sounds—until now.

A new study led by voice scientist Coen Elemans reported that baleen whales evolved unique structures in their throat that enable their low-frequency sounds, but also limit their communication range.

To understand how muscle activity could change the calls, the researchers built a model of the entire whale throat. As a result, the researchers found baleen whales have a U-shaped tissue in their throat that allows them to breathe in huge amounts of air. They also have a unique fatty cushion (垫子)that isn’t found in other animals. When the whales push air from their lungs past the fatty cushion, it starts to produce very low-frequency underwater sounds. What’s more, the throat evolution of baleen whales lets them sing underwater without the risk of choking and drowning.

However, the researchers found while baleen whales are able to make a wide range of different sounds, they can’t produce sounds louder than noise from shipping lanes (航道), drilling activity and so on, which limits their communication range. Since baleen whales can’t sing loud enough to gloss over the noise from ships, they can’t hear each other properly, which means some can’t mate. Being unable to find a mate would in turn threaten their future population numbers.

“Regrettably, the frequency range and maximum communication depth of 100 meters we predict, overlaps completely with the dominant frequency range and depth of human-made noise caused by shipping traffic. Now we show despite baleen whales’ amazing physiology, they can’t escape the noise humans make in the oceans. We need strict regulations for such noise, because these whales are dependent on sound for communication,” Elemans said.

1. What is the result of the evolution of baleen whales’ throat?

A．They breathe in more air than other species.

B．They send their low sounds farther than before.

C．They communicate with other whales more easily.

D．They have a lower risk of dying while singing underwater.

2. What does the underlined part “gloss over” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Decrease.

B．Control.

C．Cover.

D．Change.

3. What does Elemans want to convey in paragraph 5?

A．Baleen whales’ physiology needs to be studied.

B．Measures should be taken to control man-made noise.

C．Baleen whales can communicate in 100-meter deep sea.

D．The damage from shipping traffic is beyond expectation.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．Baleen Whales Have a Unique Throat

B．Baleen Whales Are Getting into Trouble

C．Man-Made Noise Causes Pollution to the Ocean

D．Human Noises Disturb Baleen Whales’ Communication

4 . The first commercial airliner to cross the Atlantic on a purely high-fat, low-emissions fuel flew Tuesday from London to New York in a step toward achieving what supporters called “jet zero”.

The Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 flight was powered without using fossil fuels, relying on so-called sustainable aviation (航空) fuel made up largely of tallow (动物油脂) and other waste fats and plant sugars. “The world will always assume something can’t be done, until you do it.” said Virgin founder Richard Branson, who was aboard the flight with government officials, engineers and journalists.

The UK Transport Department, which provided 1 million pounds to plan and operate the flight, called the test a “huge step towards j et zero” to make air travel more environmentally friendly, though large challenges remain in making the fuel widely available.

Sustainable aviation fuel, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions by about 70%, is the best near-term way for the international aviation industry to achieve its net zero target by 2050, the US Energy Department said.

Holly Boyd-Boland, president of corporate development at Virgin Atlantic, said the flight shows the fuel can power existing aircraft but said the challenge is enlarging production to get to enough volume so that they are using more sustainable aviation fuel every day.

While this is the first jetliner to make the trans-Atlantic journey using only the sustainable fuel, it is not a commercial flight and not the first jet to do so. Gulfstream Aerospace was the first to make the crossing earlier this month with a business jet powered only by the eco-fuel. Air France-KLM flew from Paris to Montreal two years ago using a mix of petroleum-based jet fuel and a synthetic (合成物) made from waste cooking oils.

“This flight somehow gets us closer to guilt-free flying. Sustainable aviation fuel represents around 0.1% of aviation fuel globally and will be very hard to expand sustainably, but the flight is a valuable try,” said policy director Cait Hewitt.

1. What can we infer from paragraph 2?

A．The Boeing 787 has a special structure.

B．Greener fuel has become a reality in a way.

C．Airlines should put waste fats to good use.

D．Fossil fuels will be replaced in the near future.

2. What’s Holly’s concern about the sustainable fuel?

A．It runs into technical difficulties.

B．It is unsuitable for commercial flights.

C．It is unable to gain the public recognition.

D．It fails to power existing planes constantly.

3. What do Gulfstream Aerospace and Air France-KLM have in common?

A．They follow in Virgin Atlantic’s footsteps.

B．They take advantage of waste cooking oils.

C．They develop sustainable fuel products actively.

D．They are attempting to create eco-friendly aviation.

4. What is Cait Hewitt’s attitude towards this test flight?

A．Supportive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Indifferent.

D．Concerned.

5 . The Music Educator Award, presented by the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum, recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to music education. This year it went to Annie Ray, a teacher at Annandale High School in Fairfax County, Virginia. She was honored for her efforts to make music accessible to all students, particularly those with disabilities.

Ray attended the awards ceremony in Los Angeles, took photos with pop stars and brought home a $10,000 prize and matching grant (补助金) for her school’s music program. But she considers the award to be her students.

Ray loved music and was regarded as a music talent at an early age. She was inspired by the diversity of the Annandale community, which she says represents over 60 countries. There are a lot of cultures that might typically clash (冲突), but they come together in this very beautiful harmony. So she created the Crescendo Orchestra (管弦乐队) for students with disabilities, as well as a parent orchestra that teaches nearly 200 caregivers a year to play the same instrument as their child.

The orchestra is about much more than just making music, however. It gives students a chance to develop their cooperation skills and learn the art of improving something. “I really push my students to be bold, go out of their comfort zones, challenge themselves and become confident,” Ray said. “Meanwhile, they completely changed my educational approaches. I learn to teach them according to their own abilities and pace.”

At the Grammys, what impressed her was that many famous performers agreed that a good music educator can change one’s life, which made her feel what she did was rewarding.

But she faces some challenges. One is that not many people understand how much music educators’ work matters. Another challenge is resources. Her school desperately needs new instruments but lacks enough money.

“It is a hard profession, but I never give up. There’s nothing else like it,” Ray said.

1. What motivated Ray to create the Crescendo Orchestra?

A．The cultural diversity.	B．Her talent for music.
C．Her disabled students’ desire.	D．The Annandale community’s advice.

2. What effect does Ray have on her students?

A．They made greater musical achievements.

B．They took comfort from life’s improvements.

C．They became more cooperative and confident.

D．They developed effective learning approaches.

3. What challenge is Ray facing now?

A．Shortage of funds.	B．Hardship of being a teacher.
C．Lack of reward for work.	D．Disapproval from music educators.

4. Which words can best describe Ray?

A．Humorous and helpful.	B．Modest and determined.
C．Wise and adventurous.	D．Demanding and ambitious.

7 . Many American education experts say tutoring (辅导) is the best way to help students make up for learning loss during the pandemic. Although many schools have received a lot of government aid, only a small number of students have been getting tutored.

Chalkbeat and the Associated Press surveyed 12 of the nation’s school systems. The schools reported that fewer than 10 percent of students received any kind of tutoring in the fall of last year. A new tutoring group in Chicago served about three percent of students. But less than one percent of students in three big school systems received tutoring.

The low tutoring numbers suggest several problems. Some parents said they did not know tutoring was available or did not think their child needed it. Some school systems have struggled to hire tutors. Other school systems said their small tutoring programs were part of their efforts to meet students’ needs.

Whatever the reason, the result is clear: at an important time for students’ recovery, millions of children have not received the extra help.

“It works, it’s effective, it gets students to improve in their learning and catch up,” said Amie Rapaport, a researcher studying why so many students are not getting intensive tutoring.

Schools trying to increase tutoring face problems, including hiring and planning. Experts say tutoring is most effective when provided three times a week for at least 30 minutes during school hours. Offering after-school or weekend tutoring is simpler, but attendance is often low.

Low family interest has been another problem. Although test scores sharply dropped during the pandemic, many parents do not believe their children experienced learning loss.

In Wake County, North Carolina, the school district began planning a reading tutoring program in November. District officials last month said volunteers are tutoring fewer than 140 students. That is far fewer than the 1,000 students the program was designed to help. Many worry that not enough students are getting the help they need even as programs continue to grow.

1. What is known from the first two paragraphs?

A．Fewer students than expected received tutoring.

B．Learning loss is the biggest concern for students.

C．The survey covered 12 school systems all over the world.

D．Big school systems did a better job in tutoring than small ones.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The ways to increase tutoring.

B．The challenges facing some school systems.

C．The responses to the low tutoring numbers.

D．The causes of the situation of tutoring.

3. What is Amie Rapaport’s attitude to tutoring?

A．Opposed.

B．Supportive.

C．Tolerant.

D．Unclear.

4. What plays a role in low tutoring attendance?

A．After-school tutoring programs are not enough.

B．Students are busy with their schoolwork.

C．Families attach little importance to tutoring.

D．There is a lack of volunteers.

8 . Solar energy is considered to be the best option for us as it belongs to the renewable category. The disappearance of the fossil fuels from the planet and their rising costs have forced countries to switch over to a sustainable (可持续的) energy source. The sun is the biggest energy supplier and is fully capable of meeting the energy needs in the distant future.

Used as an alternative to petrol, the solar power doesn’t pollute the environment and delivers clean and reliable energy to the users. It doesn’t give out harmful carbonic gases into the atmosphere. As a result, people can ensure electrical supply to their homes without burning coal. Moreover, the users do not have to deal with the storage issues related to fossil and nuclear fuel. Solar panels also do not make noise and send out harmful gases into the atmosphere.

As long as the sun exists in space, solar energy can be generated for free. It is a game changer as far as ensuring energy security. With rising electricity bills in the household, people are increasingly fixing solar panels on their rooftops to supplement the production of electricity. It will help them to reduce the energy expenditure (消费) to a great extent. Solar energy can provide power in places with remote accessibility. The only problem of the solar panel is that it might not work well during a cloudy or rainy day.

Advancement in technology has helped to lower the maintenance of the solar panels. In order to increase power, more such devices can be added to the system. Usage of solar energy has resolved the problems of many homeowners. The cost of the solar panel might seem to be more. However, it can easily be recovered after 10 years.

1. Why do countries switch over to renewable energy according to the first paragraph?

A．Renewable energy will soon replace traditional energy.

B．The traditional energy is becoming hard to get.

C．Most renewable energy is environment-friendly.

D．They want to apply new technology to everyday use.

2. What does the underlined word “supplement” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Speed.

B．Simplify.

C．Highlight.

D．Add.

3. Which is mentioned as a disadvantage of solar energy in the text?

A．It depends too much on the weather.

B．It isn’t easily accessible to remote places.

C．Some key technique problems remain to be solved.

D．The maintenance of the solar panels is still expensive.

4. What can be the best title for the text?

A．The cost of solar energy.	B．Solar energy—good or bad?
C．Solar energy—your best choice.	D．The potential application of solar energy.

9 . Text message acronyms (缩略词) caused plenty of confusion for the older generations when mobile phones became commonplace — now emojis are making the embarrassment become more serious.

Slack, a workplace messaging service, surveyed 9,400 office workers worldwide including 1,000 in the UK. It found the biggest emoji socially embarrassing action or mistake at work was pictures of lips. Most older workers did not realize the double meaning of the peach emoji, which for younger users means hips. Olivia Grace, a director at Slack, said, “The findings of our research are very clear — be careful when communicating with emojis across generations. Emojis offer a great way to communicate emotion, whether it’s a joke, support or something else, but it’s good to be aware that different meanings may exist to avoid any awkward interpretations.”

The simple smiling face was also a source of misunderstanding — 60 percent of over-40s used it to show happiness or pleasure but a significant number of younger workers used it to convey “deep anger”. An image of someone painting their nails was the most confusing — it meant nothing to the older generation, while the under-25s said they used it to say “there is gossip”, and the 25 to 40-year-olds used it to communicate making themselves more beautiful. However, all ages agreed on the meaning of some emojis, such as a face with tears of laughter and a crying emoji.

Speaking about its reasons for conducting the survey, Slack said, “Are there certain emojis that should restrict your boss from using them? Have your international colleagues ever misunderstood an emoji? And do you usually wait to build a relationship before sending emojis at work?” It added that with thousands of emojis at users’ treatment, “there’s a lot of potential” to communicate by mistake.

Emojis are not technically a form of language, as they lack grammar. The original user of a particular emoji has no copyright on how it is to be understood. The significance of emojis belongs to those who use them, and they have a truly valuable role in written communication.

1. What did Slack find about emojis?

A．Acronyms cause more confusion than them.	B．People understand some of them differently.
C．It’s popular for office workers to use them.	D．They can avoid many awkward situations.

2. How is the third paragraph developed?

A．By analyzing causes.	B．By raising questions.
C．By following time order.	D．By making comparisons.

3. Why did Slack conduct the survey?

A．To help people use emojis properly.	B．To find original emojis.
C．To prove the convenience of emojis.	D．To explain some special emojis.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards using emojis?

A．Unclear.

B．Dismissive.

C．Doubtful.

D．Approving.

10 . These days, there’s barely a world leader who doesn’t talk up science. For example, the India’s Prime Minister was the main performer at the annual Indian Science Congress, held in Nagpur, where he encouraged the nation’s researchers to do the science needed to make India self-reliant.

The message to researchers is crystal clear: leaders see science as essential to national prosperity, well-being and, of course, competitiveness. So, is research fit for the challenge of advancing, refining or critiquing these goals? Not exactly. And it won’t be until there is fundamental reform to the gateway to a research career: PhD training.

As Nature and other publications have frequently reported, PhD training worldwide has been in trouble for some time. Students’ stipends (生活津贴) are not enough in most countries, creating a cost-of-living crisis. Early-career researchers constantly report concerns about a constant lack of support and poor-quality supervision, with senior researchers rarely trained in mentorship (指导).

Furthermore, PhD candidates are inadequately prepared for the cross-disciplinary working and large teams that characterize cutting-edge science today. This is especially true for careers outside academic research, where the overwhelming majority of PhD candidates will be heading.

It is not all bad. Universities in a small number of high-income countries have reformed, or are reforming, PhD assessment. But in most places, and especially in low- and middle-income countries, a candidate’s work is still evaluated using a single-authored paper. In many countries, candidates must publish in a journal before they get a PhD, something that critics say could fuel profitable publishing.

The system’s strains have become more obvious because the number of people doing PhD training has been rising sharply. According to the 2022 book Towards a Global Core Value System in Doctoral Education, the number of PhDs awarded in India increased from 17,850 in 2004 to 25,095 in 2016; US figures climbed from 48,500 to 69,525 over the same period. If researchers are to meet society’s expectations, their training and mentoring must escape the nineteenth century.

1. Why is the India’s Prime Minister mentioned in the first paragraph?

A．To indicate India’s serious scientific landscape.

B．To imply more researchers are in great demand in India.

C．To show leaders’ emphasis on scientific research.

D．To demonstrate more and more people take an interest in science.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The reforms in science.	B．The significance of mentorship.
C．The creation of academic culture.	D．The issues early-career researchers face.

3. Which of the following best describes the author’s opinion on PhD training?

A．Disappointed.

B．Satisfied.

C．Indifferent.

D．Enthusiastic.

4. What does the author mainly intend to express in the last paragraph?

A．PhD education is developing gradually.

B．The reforms in PhD training admit of no delay.

C．The number of PhDs awarded has increased in India and the US.

D．The demand for researchers’ meeting society’s expectations is pressing.